GB2308393A - Wind-shelter for sun-bathing - Google Patents

Abstract

A windshelter includes two long arcuate poles 10 and 20, or possibly, a single long arcuate pole, a shorter middle pole 30 and a fabric cover 40. The long poles have their ends touching the ground 100 and arch over the ground. The middle pole has a first end 31 on the ground and rises at an acute angle to the ground. The poles intersect at the same point 50 near to the second end of the middle pole to form a framework. The cover is stretched over the framework to produce a curved-wall structure that is self-supporting and open to the sky. The corners of the windshelter can be secured to the ground with pegs. Along the base of the shelter is a fabric trough 47 which can be filled with sand to provide extra stability.

Description

FOR SUN-BATHING This invention relates to a portable windshelter.

Visitors to the seaside often use a portable windshelter that can be erected at a chosen site in order to reduce wind-chill and bombardment from wind-blown sand or other debris.

The traditional windshelter takes the form of a vertical rectangle of fabric supported by several wooden stakes which are hammered into the sand.

However, sand provides poor support for the stakes, particularly when it is dry, and the poor aerodynamic shape of the structure means that buffeting by the wind can lead to collapse.

The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a structure which is primarily self-supporting and shaped to shed the wind efficiently.

According to the present invention there is provided a windshelter comprising two long arcuate poles of substantially equal length and curvature each with ends in contact with the ground and arcing above the ground along their length with the planes of the two arcs intersecting such that the two poles make contact and a shorter middle pole, with its first end contacting the ground, which rises at an acute angle to the ground such that it lies against the said point of contact of the two long poles near to its second end and a fabric cover which is supported by the poles to form a curved wall structure that is substantially open to the sky.

It is also possible to conStruct a simplified version of the invention whereby the said two long arcuate poles are replaced by a single, longer arcuate pole which extends across the combined spans of the two former poles and which is contacted at its centre by the said middle pole.

For practical purposes it is preferable for the long poles to be flexible and constructed of a number of sections that can be connected together.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows the rear elevation.

Figure 2 shows the plan view.

Figure 3 shows the side elevation.

Figure 4 shows the front elevation.

Figure 5 shows how the pole ends are secured to the cover.

Figure 6 is an isometric projection of the invention.

Referring to the drawings the windshelter comprises two long, arcuate poles 10 and 20 (Fig 1) of equal lengths and curvature with ends contacting the ground 100 and arcing above the ground. The planes of the arcs form the same acute angle with the ground, generally convex towards the wind (fig 2). The said planes of the arcs intersect at an obtuse angle (fig 2) such that the poles 10 and 20 make contact at a point 50 near their centres as shown in.

A shorter middle pole 30 in the form of a shallow arc, with its first end 31 contacting the ground. rises at an acute angle, generally convex upwards and towards the wind (fig 3) such that it lies against the said point 50 near its second end.

A fabric cover 40 is stretched over the framework of poles. The cover is made of several connected pieces of fabric and includes fabric tubes through which the poles pass (fig 1). There are five tubes comprising a centre tube 41, two median tubes 42 and two outer tubes 43. The ends of the three poles 10, 20 and 30 are fixed to the cover by insertion in a pocket 44 (fig 1) or eyelets 45 (for example fig 5).

The bottom edge of the cover has an extra strip of material which can be folded back on itself and fastened at intervals to form a long, shallow trough 47 (fig 4 and 5).

To erect the windshelter the long poles 10 and 20 are pushed through the fabric tubes so that they each pass through one outer tube 43 and the opposite median tube 42 as shown in Figure 1. The ends of the poles 10 and 20 are then secured in their respective eyelets near the bottom of the cover. The middle pole 30 is passed through tube 41 and its second end is placed in a pocket 44 at the apex of the cover (fig 1). The first end 31 of pole 30 is secured in an eyelet near the bottom of the cover 40.

The two extreme corners 61 and 65 (fig 2) of the windshelter can be connected with a strap 60 in order to bring the structure into its optimal shape. The bottom corners 61, 62. 63, 64 and 65 of the windshelter can be secured to the ground with pegs 66 (fig 5) in which case the strap 60 has served its purpose and can be removed to allow completely unobstructed access to the area of ground sheltered by the structure (as in fig 6).

The trough 47 (fig 4 and 5) can be filled with sand or other ballast material to additionally stabilise the windshelter.

The appearance of the assembled wind shelter is that of a curved-wall structure that tapers to either side and is substantially open to the sky as shown in Figure 6.

Claims (7)

1. A windshelter comprising two long arcuate poles of substantially equal length and curvature each with ends in contact with the ground and arcing above the ground along their length with the planes of the two arcs intersecting such that the two poles make contact and a shorter middle pole, with its first end contacting the ground, which rises at an acute angle to the ground such that it lies against the said point of contact of the two long poles near to its second end and a fabric cover which is supported by the poles to form a curved wall structure that is substantially open to the sky.

2. A windshelter as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the said two long arcuate poles are replaced by a single arcuate pole which extends across the combined spans of the two former poles and which is contacted at its centre by the said middle pole.

3. A windshelter as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the poles are flexible and constructed of a plurality of reversibly connectable sections.

4. A windshelter as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the fabric cover includes fabric tubes through which the poles pass and which are then held in compression by attachment to the cover at their ends.

5. A windshelter as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the middle pole is arcuate.

6. A windshelter as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the bottom edge of the cover has an extra strip of material which can be folded back on itself and fastened at intervals to form a long shallow trough or pocket.

7. A windshelter substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawing.