GB2273470A

GB2273470A - Boom tent assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2273470A
Application number: GB9325720A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Alfred Colin Trickett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-12-16
Filing date: 1993-12-16
Publication date: 1994-06-22
Also published as: GB9226228D0; GB9325720D0

Abstract

A boom tent assembly for protecting a yacht or similar vessel from sun or rain comprises an elongate housing 4, attached to a boom 2, for receiving and storing an awning 18. The awning 18 is furled around a shaft 14 which is rotatably mounted in bearings retained within the housing. The awning is unfurled by pulling on its free end, which is then fastened to suitable supports. The awning may he rewound into the housing by pulling on a line 20, also attached to the shaft 14, the awning and line being wound around the shaft in opposite directions. <IMAGE>

Description

AN ATTACHMENT FOR A BOOM This invention relates to an attachment for a boom, and more particularly to a boom tent assembly.

It is known to cover and protect the cabin or hatch area on a yacht or motor sailer from the elements using a piece of fabric or tarpaulin sheeting. This is formed into a "tent" by supporting the sheeting over the boom and securing its ends with ropes, hooks, or the like. Such an arrangement is known as a boom tent.

It has been found that such an arrangement has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, assembly of the tent is time-consuming, and it may not be possible to assembly it single-handedly. In addition, it is necessary to store the sheeting, when not in use, and often storage space on boats of this type is limited.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a boom tent assembly which provides improvements in relation to one or more matters discussed above, and/or to provide improvements generally.

According to the present invention there is provided a boom tent assembly, as claimed in the accompanying claims.

In an embodiment of the present invention there is provided a boom tent assembly comprising a hollow elongate housing for receiving and storing an awning, one end of the awning being attached to a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing; means for attaching the housing to a boom and means for furling and unfurling the awning around the shaft.

The housing may comprise a complete casing for the furled awning, a longitudinally extending slot being provided in the housing for passage of the awning as it enters and leaves the housing.

Alternatively, the housing may comprise a partial casing extending over the top and sides of the furled awning.

In a preferred embodiment, the housing is provided with at least one outwardly extending flange portion for attachment to the boom. The angle between the flange and the housing may be adjusted so as to accommodate booms of different shapes and diameters.

The flange may be fastened to the boom by riveting or screwing.

It is preferred that the shaft is rotatably mounted in end bearings retained within the housing, and further support bearings may be provided at spaced intervals along the length of the shaft.

In one aspect of the invention, the means for furling the awning around the shaft comprises a line which is fastened to the shaft, the awning and line being wound around the shaft in opposite directions.

In another aspect of the invention the shaft is provided with a loaded spring and locking mechanism, such that a sharp tug on the awning causes retraction of the awning into the housing.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which : Fig 1 is a section view of two boom tent assemblies according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig 2 is a perspective view of part of the assembly shown in Fig 1; Fig 3 is a section view of a second embodiment; Fig 4 is a section view -of -a third embodiment.

As seen in Fig 1, two boom tent assemblies are provided, one on each side of a boom 2. Each assembly comprises a housing 4.

The housing 4 comprises an elongate curved top portion 6 and end caps 8. An upwardly extending flange 10 is provided along one side of the top portion 6 for attachment of the housing 4 to the boom 2. The flange is secured to the boom 2 by rivets 12.

A shaft 14 extends between the end caps 8 and is rotatably mounted in end bearing 16 retained within the housing 4.

A generally rectangular awning 18 is attached along one of its epds to the shaft 14, and the remainder of its length is wound around the shaft 14.

A line 20 is attached to one end of the shaft 14, and is wound around the shaft 14 in the opposite direction to the windings of the awning 18.

In use, an operator assembles the boom tent by pulling on the free end of the awning 18. As the awning 18 unfurls, the shaft 14 rotates, and this rotation winds in the line 22 around the shaft. To fix the awning 18 in any desired position, the free end of the line 22 is wound around a cleat and the end of the awning 18 is fastened to suitable supports, such as stanchions 22 located around the periphery of the vessel.

When the boom tent is no longer required, the end of the awning 18 is unfastened from the stanchions 22. It is re-wound into the housing by pulling on the line 20. Because the line 20 and awning 18 are wound around the shaft 14 is opposite directions, unwinding the line 22 causes the shaft 14 to rotate in such a direction as to wind the awning 18 back inside the housing 4.

The housing 4 may be made of any desired length. However, once the housing reaches a certain length, the weight of the awning causes the shaft 14 to bow below the level of the housing 4. For such lengths of housings it is desirable to support the shaft by providing one or more further bearings 17 spaced along the length of the shaft 14. The single awning 18 of Fig 1 is then replaced by a number of separate awnings, each awning being wound between a pair of spaced bearings.

In a further embodiment of the invention shown in Fig 3, the housing of Fig 1 is replaced by a substantially circular hollow housing 24 provided with a longitudinally extending slot 26 through which the awning 18 enters or leaves the housing 24.

Two legs 28 depend substantially tangentially from the housing 24 which terminate in flanges 30. The angle between the flanges 30 and the housing 24 may be adjusted so as to accommodate booms of different sizes and diameters.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig 4. In this embodiment the housing 32 is formed from two identical housing elements 34, each comprising an elongate curved portion 36 and a flange 38 for attachment to the boom 2. An elongate slot 40 is formed between the elements 34, between which the awning 18 enters or leaves the housing 34.

It has been found that by providing a housing which completely contains the shaft, as shown in Figs 3 and 4, it is not necessary to provide further support bearings along the length of the shaft. This is because if the shaft bows, it is supported by the bottom portion of the housing. These arrangements are therefore preferred if the housing is to extend along the full length of the boom, and a single awning is preferred.

It has also been found that the embodiment of Fig 4 has the advantage that it allows adjustability. By increasing the spacing between the housing elements and increasing the size of the end bearings, the length of the awning which may be contained within the housing is increased.

Although it is preferred that the housing is formed by one or more aluminium extrusions, it may of course be made of any other suitable material, for example a strong plastics material.

In addition, although in the embodiments described, the awning is unfurled using a manual operation of unwinding a wound line, it is envisaged that alternative means may be provided. In one alternative, the shaft is provided with a wound spring and locking mechanism, such as a pawl and ratchet.

In this arrangement, as the awning is unfurled, the shaft rotates in such a direction as to wind up the spring. When the shaft stops rotating the pawl engages with the ratchet so as to lock the shaft and therefore the awning, in position. When the boom tent is no longer required, the operator tugs sharply on the awning, causing the pawl to disengage the ratchet, and the spring unwinds thereby furling the awning back inside the housing.

It is envisaged that, as well as protecting the vessel from the elements, a boom tent assembly according to the present invention may also be used to provide shade on the deck of a yacht, or like vessel.

In order that the crew and passengers are able to walk around on deck, extension poles of the required height may be connected to the stanch ions and the unfurled awning may then be attached to the extension poles, thereby forming a canopy.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1 A boom tent assembly comprising a hollow elongate housing for receiving and storing an awning, one end of the awning being attached to a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing, means for attaching the housing to a boom and means for furling and unfurling the awning around the shaft.

2 A boom tent assembly comprising a housing for attachment to a boom including retractable cover means.

3 A boom tent assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said housing is of circular hollow elongate form and formed for example by extrusion and provided with a longitudinally extending slot through which the awning may enter or leave the housing.

4 A boom tent assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said housing comprises an elongate curved top portion and end caps.

5 A boom tent assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said housing comprises two elongate housing elements.

6 A boom tent assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing is provided with at least one outwardly extending flange portion for attachment to the boom.

7 A boom tent assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the shaft is rotatably mounted in end bearings retained within the housing.

8 A boom tent assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein one or more further support bearings are provided at spaced intervals along the length of the shaft.

9 A boom tent assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the means for furling the awning around the shaft comprises a line which is fastened to the shaft, the awning and line being wound around the shaft in opposite directions.

10 A boom tent assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8 wherein the shaft is provided with a loaded spring and locking mechanism, such that a sharp tug on the awning causes retraction of the awning into the housing.

11 A boom tent assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing is aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

12 A boom tent assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 10 wherein the housing is made of a plastics material.

13 A boom tent assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.