GB2282612A - Frame tent with provision for wind brace - Google Patents

Abstract

A frame tent has provision for a wind brace. In one embodiment the frame tent has uprights 2a which are pivotally associated with upper frame members (e.g. eave members 3 and verge members 4). Inclination of the upright 2a downwardly and inwardly away from the covering 6 of the tent reduces the risk of the upright being bent or buckled in strong wind conditions. In an alternative embodiment, joints and of the frame tent structure are of spigot and socket type, a further socket being present in which an upright member may alternatively be located to provide a wind brace. <IMAGE>

Description

TENT STRUCTURES The present invention relates to tent structures and frame components therefor.

The term frame tent as used herein refers to a tent in which the material covering of the tent (i.e. the so-called canvas) is supported wholly by the frame of the tent. As such, a frame tent is to be distinguished from that type of awning in which part of the support for a covering is provided by a structure other than the frame. Thus for example an awning for a caravan is supported partly by the caravan itself. The term frame tent does however cover free standing awnings.

The frame of a frame tent will generally comprise an arrangement of uprights interconnected by other frame members (e.g. eave and ridge members) to build up the overall structure of the frame. A problem can however arise in windy conditions in that the covering of the tent is blown against the uprights and can, in severe weather conditions, cause buckling of the uprights.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the abovementioned disadvantages.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a frame tent comprising a frame structure supporting a material covering which together with the frame defines side walls and a roof structure of the tent, said frame being comprised of a plurality of upright frame members interconnected by a plurality of upper frame members wherein at least some of the upright frame members may be moved inwardly of the tent from a first position lying adjacent an inner surface of the covering to a second position inclined thereto.

Preferably all of the uprights around the perimeter of the frame may be moved from said first position to said second position.

The movement of the upright frame members allows them to be moved to a position extending (into the tent) downwardly away from the covering. As such, strong winds blowing against the covering cause axial forces to be generated in the upright frame members as opposed to the substantially transverse lateral forces which are generated when the uprights lie alongside the canvas. The uprights are therefore less likely to bend or buckle in strong wind conditions.

The tent may comprise a roof structure defined by eave, rafter and ridge members.

In a first embodiment of the invention at least some (and preferably all) of the upright frame members are pivotally connected to respective upper frame members so as to provide for said movement of the upright members between the first and second positions.

Upright members at the corners of the tent may be pivotally associated with both an eave member and a rafter member to provide for the pivotal movement of the upright between the first and second positions. Upright members positioned midway along the "gable end" of the tent may be pivotally associated with a ridge member and two rafter members.

Preferably restraint arrangements are provided to prevent pivotal opening beyond a predetermined degree of an upper frame member and an upright frame member with which the former is pivotally associated. This ensures sufficient rigidity of the erected frame before the canvas is located over the frame.

The restraint arrangement preferably comprises an elongate flexible element (e.g. a cord or the like) fast with the upright frame member and the upper frame member with which it is associated. The flexible element may be associated with adjustment means provided on the frame members permitting the ends of the flexible element to be positioned at various positions along the frame member. This provides for a variable degree of maximum opening of the frame members relative to each other.

The use of the flexible elongate element is an important feature of the invention in its own right and therefore according to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a frame member assembly for a tent, the assembly comprising two pivotally associated frame members having a restraint arrangement to prevent pivotal opening of the members beyond a predetermined degree wherein the restraint arrangement includes an elongate flexible element fast with each of the two frame members.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a tent structure having a frame comprised of frame member assemblies as defined in the previous paragraph.

Frame member assemblies in accordance with the second aspect of the invention are easy to manufacture and have the advantage that they are easy to open out so as to take the shape of the canvas.

Such frame members can be used on tent structures other than frame tents.

The first aspect of the invention has been described so far with particular reference to upright members of the frame being pivotally connected to respective upper frame members. However other arrangements are possible. For example at least some (and preferably all) of the upright frame members are connected to respective upper frame members by a joint arrangement permitting removal of the upright (at the aforementioned first position) and its relocation at the second position so that it acts as a wind brace. The joint may, for example, comprise spigots or sockets in or on which the upright frame member may be located in either of its two positions.

This leads to a fourth aspect of the invention according to which there is provided a frame tent comprising a frame structure supporting a material.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a frame tent comprising a frame structure supporting a material covering which together with the frame defines side walls and a roof structure of the tent, said frame being comprised of a plurality of upright frame members, interconnected by joint arrangements, by a plurality of upper frame members wherein at least some of said joint arrangements are provided with a spigot or socket on or in which may be located a wind brace member inclined to an inner surface of the covering.

In accordance with the fourth aspect of the invention, a wind brace member may be provided, when required, for the tent by positioning the wind brace member in or on the socket of a joint of the frame. In a preferred embodiment of the fourth aspect of the invention, the wind brace member is provided by an upright of the frame member which is moved from a spigot or socket of the joint which locates the member in its normal 'upright' position to the spigot or socket which locates the member in the 'wind brace' position. It is however within the scope of the invention for the upright to be retained in position and for an additional wind brace member to be located in position when required.

In a preferred embodiment of the fourth aspect of the invention all of said joints of the frame tent are provided with a spigot or socket for locating a wind brace member in position.

The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates one embodiment of frame tent in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; Fig. 2 illustrates to a much enlarge scale a corner upright and verge member of the tent illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view looking in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 but looking in the direction of arrow B in Fig. 1; Figs. 5a and 5b illustrate different positions of the corner upright in the tent shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of frame tent in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a frame tent 1 in which the frame comprises corner upright members 2a, intermediate upright members 2b, eave members 3, rafter members 4 and a ridge 5.

The frame is covered by a canvas 6 or the like and guy lines 7 are provided as shown.

As shown to a much enlarged scale in Figs. 2 and 3, an eave member 3 and a rafter member 4 are each independently pivotally mounted on a corner upright 2a. More particularly, each of the members 3 and 4 are pivotally mounted between respective pairs of brackets 8 by pins 9 (see Fig. 3). When the frame is dismantled, members 3 and 4 may be pivoted to lie alongside member 2. However opening of member 3 (or 4) relative to member 2 by more than a predetermined degree is limited by a restraint arrangement which includes releasably securable collars 10a provided on member 2a and a similar collar lOb provided on members 3 and 4. Each collar lOa, lOb is slidable along the member on which it is mounted upon slackening of an associated screw ila or lib each having an eyelet as shown.

The eyelets of each screw lia are connected to the eyelet of screw lib by a flexible cord 12. It will be appreciated that the relative positioning of collars lOa and lOb determines the relative positions of member 3 (or 4) and member 2 at which the cord 12 is taut and therefore the extent to which member 3 (or 4) may be pivoted relative to member 2.

The intermediate upright members 2b are constructed in a generally similar manner to the corner upright members 2a save that the former are pivotally associated (in the manner already described) with two rafter members 4 and a ridge member 5 (see Fig. 4).

It will be appreciated that the pivotal joints interconnecting the various members 2a, 2b, 3 and 4 may comprise sockets (or spigots) in (or on) which the members are removably positioned.

The manner in which the tent is erected will be readily appreciated from the drawings but the following points may be noted.

Firstly, the collars lOa and lOb on the respective members will be positioned so as to give the maximum desired angle of opening of members 3 or 4 relative to member 2. Secondly coaxial portions of, for example, eave members 3, rafter members 4, and ridge 5 may be connected by sleeves 13 into which free ends of the members locate.

Thirdly, each upright member 2 has a projection 14 over which eyelets (not shown) in the canvas 2 locate.

In the normal condition of the erected tent, uprights 2a and 2b have their lower ends located in the ground and lie closely against the inside surface of canvas 6, see Fig. 5a. As such, a light breeze may cause a slight inward billowing of the canvas 6 without too much force being applied transversely to the upright. However in the event of stronger wind conditions, a considerable transverse lateral (i.e.

bending) force would be applied to the uprights 2a, 2b (on that side of the tent from which the wind is blowing) if they are in the position shown in Fig. 5a.

To avoid this problem, the uprights 2a and 2b at the side of the tent from which the wind is blowing are pivoted about pins 9 so that the lower end of the upright moves inwardly of the tent as illustrated in Fig. 5b and is implanted in the ground. A slight rotational movement of the upright may be required to effect pivoting of the upright due to the different planes in which members 3 and 4 pivot relative to the upright.

It will be appreciated from Fig. 5b that the force applied to the upright in strong wind conditions is substantially axially along the length of the upright rather than the transverse lateral force when the upright is in the position illustrated in Fig. 5a. Since the upright will be strong in compression there is less chance of the upright bending in strong wind conditions.

It will be appreciated that a number of modifications may be made to the illustrated tent.

Firstly, the bracket 8/pin 9 arrangement which provides for pivotal movement of the uprights may be replaced by universal joints.

This would considerably facilitate movement of the upright.

Secondly, the collars 1Oa, lOb and the cord 12 may be replaced by a different mechanism for restraining the extent to which member 3 (or 4) may be pivoted relative to member 2.

Thirdly, the tent may have a greater number of compartments (or rooms) than illustrated in Fig. 1. In this case a greater number of uprights 2a and 2b may be provided.

Fig. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of frame tent 101 in accordance with the invention. As shown in Fig. 6, the frame of the tent comprises corner upright members 102a, intermediate side upright members 102b (located at the 'side' of the tent), intermediate gable upright members (midway along the gable of the tent), eave members 103, end rafter members 104a, intermediate rafter members 104b, and ridge members 105.

The intermediate upright members 102b are connected to the eave members 103 and intermediate rafter members 104b by a joint member 105 having sockets positioned and adapted to receive the respective member 102b, two co-linear upright members 103 and a rafter member 104b. Joint member 105 is further provided with a socket 106 such that an intermediate upright member 102b may be removed from its respective socket and positioned in socket 106 to provide a wind brace member as illustrated in dashed lines. The wind brace member may be angled to the canvas of the tent in a similar inclination to that shown in Fig. 5b (e.g. at an angle of about 500 to the original position of the upright). At the corners of the tent are provided joint members 107 which incorporate sockets for receiving an eave member 103, an end rafter member 104, and a corner upright 102a. Joint member 107 is further provided with a socket 108 such that the end upright member 102a may be removed from its respective socket in joint 107 and positioned in socket 108 so as to provide a wind brace member.

Similarly a bracket 109 is provided at each end of the ridge of the tent and has sockets for accommodation, an upright member 102c, rafter members 104a, and a ridge member 105. A socket 110 is provided so that upright members may be moved to a wind brace position.

It will of course be appreciated that the sockets 106, 108 and 110 may be replaced by spigots adapted to receive a socket on the upright member.

Claims (16)

1. A frame tent comprising a frame structure supporting a material covering which together with the frame defines side walls and a roof structure of the tent, said frame being comprised of a plurality of upright frame members interconnected by a plurality of upper frame members wherein at least some of the upright frame members may be moved inwardly of the tent from a first position lying adjacent an inner surface of the covering to a second position inclined thereto.

2. A tent as claimed in claim 1 wherein all of uprights around the perimeter of the frame tent may be moved from said first position to said second position.

3. A tent as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein at least some of the upright frame members are pivotally connected to respective upper frame members so as to provide for said movement of the upright members between the first and second positions.

4. A tent as claimed in claim 3 having a roof structure defined by eave, rafter and ridge members wherein upright members at the corners of the tent are pivotally associated with both an eave member and a verge member and upright members midway along the "gable end" of the tent are pivotally associated with a ridge member and two rafter members.

5. A tent as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein restraint arrangements are provided to prevent pivotal opening beyond a predetermined degree of an upper frame member and an upright frame member with which the former is pivotally associated.

6. A tent as claimed in claim 5 wherein the flexible element is associated with adjustment means provided on the frame members permitting the ends of the flexible element to be positioned at various positions along the frame member.

7. A tent as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the flexible elements comprise cords or the like.

8. A tent as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein at least some (and preferably all) of the upright frame members are connected to respective upper frame members by a joint arrangement permitting removal of the upright when at the first position and its relocation at the second position so that it acts as a wind brace.

9. A tent as claimed in claim 8 wherein the joint comprises spigots or sockets in or on which the upright frame member may be located in either of its two positions.

10. A frame member assembly for a tent, the assembly comprising two pivotally associated frame members having a restraint arrangement to prevent pivotal opening of the members beyond a predetermined degree wherein the restraint arrangement includes a flexible elongate element fast with each of the two frame members.

11. A tent structure having a frame comprised of frame member assemblies as defined in claim 10.

12. A frame tent comprising a frame structure supporting a material covering which together with the frame defines side walls and a roof structure of the tent, said frame being comprised of a plurality of upright frame members, interconnected by joint arrangements, by a plurality of upper frame members wherein at least some of said joint arrangements are provided with a spigot or socket on or in which may be located a wind brace member (which may be provided by an upright of the frame) inclined to an inner surface of the covering.

13. A tent as claimed in claim 12 wherein each of said joints of the tent are provided with a spigot or socket on or in which may be located by a wind brace member.

14. A tent as claimed in claim 13 wherein said joints permit removal of an upright member and its relocation in or on the socket or spigot of the joint so as to provide said wind brace member.

15. A joint for use in a frame tent, said joint being adapted to locate an upright member, at least one further member for the frame of the tent said joint further being adapted to locate a wind brace member at an angle further inwardly of the tent than that at which said upright is located by the joint.

16. A frame tent substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 or Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.