US2204432A - Automobile tent - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1940.A D. MRGADANES AuToMoILE TENT Filed oct. 51,l 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 Nova danesi June 11, 1940. l D, MQRGADANESV 2,204,432

`.AUTOMOBILE TENT Filed oct. 31, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 7. Magdelaine@ Patented June 11, k1,940`

U-NiTEo STATES PATENT OFFICEA 2,204.4.'12k AUTOMOBILE TENTv Dolores Morgadanes, New Orleans, La.v Application october 31, losa-serial No. 302,236

i s claims. (Cl. 13s-7.1i)

`This invention relates to the class of tents and canopies and pertains particularly to improvements in automobile tents orportable dressing rooms.

At the present time .large numbers of automobilists when visiting beach resorts make use of their cars as dressing rooms for changing into and out of swimming clothes. not only bad for the upholstery kand interior iinishings of the automobile, but results .in the scattering of large amounts cf paper and other debris over the beaches or adjacent grounds as it -is common practice amongst such motorists to use newspapers or other paper articles to protect, as much as possible, the interior of the motor vehicle.` 'I'he protection aiorde'd to the interior of the motor vehicle in this manner is very inadequate andin addition to this and the fact that it results in .unsightliness of the beach and adjacent grounds, the interior of the vehicle is of such a size that. the changing of the clothes therein is a very awkward and uncomfortable process. v

. The present invention has for its primary objectr to provide a novel tent or folding dressing room which may be easily and quickly set up against a side of a motor vehicle and securely attached thereto without damage to the finish of the vehicle or without requiring any accessories which must be permanently connected with the vmachine and which will aiTOrd ample protection and room for bathers in changing into and out of swimming clothes, without involving the risk of wetting or otherwise damaging the interior nish .of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible auto tent having a frame unit provided with a novel means for coupling it with the' body of a motor vehicle in such manner that the setting upand taking down of the tent may be accomplished easily and quickly and does not require the use of any clamps, screws or other such devices for connecting the frame to the 'body of the Vehicle.V

Still another object of the invention is to provide a foldable auto tent designed to be attached. to one side of a motor vehicle, having an inner wall unit which is employed for covering the adjacent vehicle windows ywhereby the View into the tent from the opposite side of the vehicle is shut on.

A further object of the invention is to provide va collapsibleA tent structure having a supporting frame which in addition to being' designed for easy and quick attachment to or dis- This practice is Y tion as expressed in the appended claims.

Vwith the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long` as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features ofthe inven- In'the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the tent structure embodying the invention, showing the same applied. y

Fig. 2 isa View in perspective of the frame structure per se.

Fig. 3 is adetail sectional view attachingcups.

Fig. lis a detail View on an enlarged scale of a joint between certain of the frame bars. V

Fig. is a sectionalA view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. y Referring now more` particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated in Fig. l aportion of a motor vehicle of the sedan type, which is indicated generally by the numeral l and in association with which the foldable or collapsible tent or dressing room embodying the present invention is shown. The top or roof of this vehicle is indicated at 2, while the near side wall is indicated by the numeral 3.

The ioldable tent or dressing room. embodying the present invention comprises a top or roof frame 4 which. includes two side bars 5. These side bars at one end are joined, as hereinafter specifically described, with the ends of an eX- tensible outer bai' which is made up of two slidably joined portions and While any suitable typeoi connection may be provided between the ends of the side bars 5 and lthe adjacent ends of the portions of theextensible outer bar, such as will permit the several bars of the frame to be folded up into substantially parallel relation, it is preferred that each of the side bars 5 be provided with a ring 8 and that the outer end of each of the two portions of the outer bar be provided with a similar ring 9 which is joined of yone of the v.li

through the ring 8 in the manner shown so as Cil vbe termed a telescoping a slide ring ID through which the adjacent bar portion extends so that the two bar portions 6 and 'l have their inner ends in overlapped relation and each extends through the slide ring of the other portion, thus permitting the two portions to be shifted longitudinally of one another. While these overlapping ends of the outer bar portions do not slide one within the other, nevertheless, the connection shown forms what might joint which permits lengthening or shortening of the outer bar of the frame.

Each of the side bars carries two or more rubber suction cups II, each of which has a head portion l2 provided with a transverse passage I3 through which the bar 5 passes. These suction cups are adjustable on their supporting bars and are designed for connection with the smooth surface of the top 2 of the motor vehicle. When the suction cups are so attached to the motor vehicle, they will support the rods or bars 5 in a position to extend outwardly from the vehicle top. In the present illustration of the invention, the bars 5 are extended outwardly from the side of the vehicle body and the telescoping or extensible outer bar may be elongated or shortened so as to make the tent of maximum size or of small size as may be desired. By the provision oi the extensible outer bar, the tent structure may be reduced in size so that it can be disposed at the rear of the car in which` case the bars 5 will extend longitudinally of the car body instead of transversely as shown.

Each of the suction cups II has formed integrally therewith a tab or ear II' which facilitates detaching the cup from the surface of the car body. By this means, it will be readily seen that when it is desired to remove or shift the suction cups, they can be readily disengaged from the car body without danger of injurying the finish such as would be the case if it were necessary to use the finger nail or some instrument to lit the edge of the cup from the surface of the body.

Loosely or hingedly connected with the outer ends of the side bars 5 are brace bars I4 through the medium of the connecting rings I4 which are joined to the rings of the side bars 5 through the medium of the outer bar rings 9, as shown in 2. The three rings at each outer corner of the frame are thus joined together so that all of the bars may be folded into parallel relation.. At the inner end ol each brace bar I4 there is provided a suction cup I which, like the cups II, are provided with edge ears or tabs by which their removal from the surface of the car is facilitated. These brace bars I4 are designed to extend inwardly and downwardly toward the car body when the side bars 5 are disposed horizontally and attached to the roof of the car in the manner shown in Fig. l, and the Asuction cups II" at the inner ends of the brace bars are secured to the side wall of the car body. These brace bars serve to give support to the outer ends of the side bars 5 and to the outer extensible bar so that these horizontally disposed bars will not sag under the weight of the curtain which they have to support, but if it is preferred, these brace bars i4 may be dispensed with and only the side bars 5 and the two-part extensible outer bar used.

The side bars have joined thereto the side tent curtains l5. The connection between the curtains i5 and the bars is such that the curtains may be readily shifted or slid on the bars and the top edges of the curtains are joined to a top or roof covering lli. The outer telescoping' bar 6--1 also supports a curtain or side wall for the tent structure which is indicated by the numeral I'I, and this also may be joined to the top wall I6 and to the adjacent edges of the walls I5. It will be obvious, of course, that the material of the outer wall I'I' must be of greater fullness tlan that of the walls I5 so that lengthening of the outer wall bar may be accomplished so as to enlarge the tent to its fullest dimensions and consequently, when the tent is set up in its smallest size, the material of this outer wall will be gathered on the outer bar of the frame.

The inner edges of the walls I5 of the tent body have connected therebetween a panel wall I8 which is' placed at the proper height and has the proper width to cover the adjacent windows of the vehicle. This inner or panel wall may be connected to the adjacent edges of the walls I5 in any suitable manner so that it may be readily detached when desired as by the use of snap fasteners or other suitable fastening means. By its use entire privacy is given to the interior of the tent structure as it will be impossible for anyone to obtain a view of the inside of the tent through the car windows. This panel wall I8 may be provided with one or more pockets I9 which may be used for holding combsl or other toilet accessories or such pockets may, if desired, be placed upon the inner surfaces of the other walls.

When the tent structure is not in use, the side bars 5 of the top or roof frame may be folded in against the outer extensible bar and the brace bars Id may be folded against the bars 5 and all of the bars then wrapped in the tent material so as to obtain a compact structure which may be easily transported in the motor vehicle.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that there has here been disclosed a collapsible automobile tent which is of simple design and which may be easily and quickly set up for use and which at the same time can be economically constructed and readily transported.

What is claimed is:

l. A folding tent supporting structure for attachment to a motor Vehicle body, comprising a roof frame dening three sides of a rectangle. means carried by the two opposite sides of the frame adjacent the ends thereof remote from the third side, for securing the said sides at at least two points to the roof of a vehicle whereby the major portion of the frame will extend outwardly from the vehicle for supporting a tent covering,

2. A folding tent supporting structure for attachment to a motor vehicle body, comprising a roof frame dening three sides of a rectangle, means carried by the two opposite sides of the frame at the ends thereof remote from the third side, for attaching the frame solely to the roof of a vehicle whereby the major portion of the frame will extend outwardly from the vehicle for the support of a tent covering, a pair of brace arms each attached to said frame at the side thereof remote from the supporting vehicle body, and means at the other ends of said brace arms for coupling the same with the adjacent wall of the vehicle body.

3. A tent supporting structure for attachment to the body of a motor vehicle, comprising a roof frame having a pair of spaced parallel bars and a bar connecting said parallel bars together at one end, said latter bar being in two slidably joined portions, means carried by'each of said spaced bars adjacent the ends thereof remote from 'the two part bar for attaching said pair of bars at at least two points to the roof of a vehicle whereby the major portion of the frame structure is sus-L pended outwardly from the Vehicle body for the support of a tent covering, and saidv attaching means comprising rubber suction cups.

4. A foldable tent supporting structure for connection with ay motor vehicle body, comprising a Vroof frame consisting of a pair of spaced parallel bars and an outer bar connecting said par-l allel barsl together at one end, a pair of rubber suction cups carried upon each of said parallel bars adjacent the end thereof remote from the outer bar and adapted forA suction engagement with the roof of the motor vehicle whereby the major portion of the frame will be supported outwardly from the vehiclebody for the support` of a tent covering.

5. A foldable tent supporting structure forfcon@ nection with a motor vehicle body, comprising a roof frame consisting of a pair of spaced *par-l allel bars and an outer bar connecting said parone end, Va pair of rubber 6. A foldable tent supporting structure' for'con-` nection with a motor vehicle body, comprising a roof frame consisting lof' a pair of spaced parallel tacl'iment to a will be' supported outwardly from the vehicle body for the support' bars `and an router b ar connecting said parallel bars together at one end, a pair of rubber suction cupscarried upon each of `said parallel bars radjacent theY end thereof remote from the outer bar and adapted for suction engagen'ientl with the roof of the'motor Vehicle wherebythe ma- 'y jor portion ofthe frame will bersupportedoutf wardly from the vehicle body for the support of a tent covering, a pair oi' brace bars each` pivotally attached atone end toy one of said spaced bars to be folded into parallel rrelation therewith, and a suction cup carried upon the lother end of each brace bar for connection with the wall of the Vehicle.

I m7. A foldable tentv structure for attachmentv tc a motor vehicle body, comprising a roof frame resigned tobe secured to the vehicle body to extendv outwardly therefrom, a tent covering carried by said frame lforsuspension therefrom and `including atop wall .and three side walls, two of saidside `wallsrhaving free edges adjacent the `vehicle body, and ari-inner panel wall attached to and connecting said edges and disposed at an elevation and having a width suicient to cover `adjacent windo-wopenings of the vehicle body.

tent supporting structure for atmotor vehicle body, roof supporting frame havingtwo elongated side 8. A- folding members and a cross memberconnected between two adjacent ends of the side members, resilient suction means carried byveach side member remote from the cross member for attachment to the roof 'of the members extending'outwardly from the vehicle,

and means coupled with the outerpart of the a support for said outer,v part.

DOLORES MORGADANES.

comprising a Vehicle for maintaining the side A35' frame remote from said suction means providing

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