US2845078A - Portable structure - Google Patents

Description

y 1953 J. H. SINGLETON 2,845,078

PbRTABLE STRUCTURE Filed March 15. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./

a/m H. Singleton IN V EN TOR.

July 29, 1958 J. H. Sl NGLETON 2,345,078

v PORTABLE STRUCTURE Filed March 13. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 John H. Single/on 44 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent PORTABLE STRUCTURE John H. Singleton, Prattville, Ala.

Application March 13, 1956, Serial No. 571,267 3 Claims. (31. 135-5 This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in portable structures, and more particularly relates to a portable and collapsible canopy support.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a canopy support of a portable and collapsible nature which shall be especially adapted to constitute a sunshade or cover for sheltering automobiles as for individual car shelters, commercial drive-ins, or similar purposes.

An important object of the invention is to provide a portable shelter wherein the supporting frame of the same may be constructed from standard structural metallic elements permitting quick assembly or disengagement of the same in the interest of portability and collapsibility; and wherein the elements may be assembled in various ways to provide portable shelter structures of different sizes and characteristics.

A further important object of the invention is to provide in conjunction with a portable and collapsible supporting framework, an improved means for securing roof panels and, if desired, roof gable ends thereto.

A still further object of the invention. is to provide a structure in conformity with the foregoing objects wherein the same elements may be readily employed for producing a supporting framework capable of receiving thereunder and sheltering either one or a plurality of cars.

A further and specific object of the invention is to provide a connecting means whereby a plurality of rods maybe simultaneously joined at a particular location in various desired angular arrangements, and wherein ease of assembly and disengagement of the rods is permitted.

These together with other objects and: advantageswhich will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing one embodiment of a portable shelter constructed in accordance with this invention and which is specifically adapted for sheltering an individual automobile;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional detailed View taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of Figure l. and showing the construction ofthe roof support of the shelters;

Figure 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3--3 of Figure 2 and showing further details of the roof supporting framework of the inven- Patented July 29, 1958 Figure 6 is a perspective view of another type of frog for securing together other of the rods in different angular positions;

Figure 7 is a detailed view illustrating the manner in which a roof gable end is detachably secured to a roof panel;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of still another frog or connecting member for securing together the longitudinal roof eave members and the outer ends of the roof cross arms andrafters;

Figure 9 is a perspective detailed view of a modified construction for detachably supporting the vertical standards of the framework; and,

Figure 1.0 is a perspective view, parts being broken away and omitted, of a modified supporting framework adapted for receiving a plurality of automobiles thereunder.

Referring first to the embodiment of Figures 1-8, it will be seen that thecarport or other shelter produced by this invention comprises a collapsible supporting framework which carries a roof covering thereon.

The supporting framework comprises a pair of end members or end supports, each of which consists of a vertical standard 10 having its lower end removably secured in upstanding sleeve 12 carried at the mid-portion of a horizontally extending. rod 14 constituting a foot member for the end. Conveniently, the opposite ends of the foot member are provided with suitable inclined bores for receiving pins 16 or the like, whereby the foot member and consequently the end membersand supporting frame may be rigidly secured upon the ground or other supporting surface in a readily detachable manner.

Although this is not essential for all uses of this invention, it is preferred. to formthe upstanding sleeve 12 at a. considerable height, as for. example, a foot or more, and to provide the same with a set-screw wherein. the end of the vertical standard. 10 may be vertically adjusted in order to vary the position of the canopy carried by the device.

Referring now especially to. Figure 5, it will. be seen that the vertical members 10 adjacent their upper ends have a frog or detachable. coupling consisting of oppositely disposed pairs of rigidly or integrally attached horizontally" extending. sleeves 18 and. 20. The sleeves 18 are provided-with. internally threaded bosses 22 thereon for the receptionof'setz-screws or. the like'2'4, while the sleeves 20 may be provided with. set-screws if. desired, but are preferably plain. sleeves; The oppositely extending sleeves 18 serve. to removably' receive and secure the inward extremities of pairs of horizontal oppositely extending. arms 26, as will be best. apparent from Figure 2'. A longitudinal roof'member 28, see Figure 3, is adapted to extend through: the sleeves 20 of a pair of the vertical standards 10.

Referring now especially to. Figure 6, it will be seen that the. uppermost end of theistandard' 10 receives a further form of frog or connecting member. The same consists'of a stem portion 30lwhich is detachab'ly secured and socketed in the upper endof the member 10, being retained therein as by a set-screw '32 threaded through a boss 34 on the standard. The upper end of the stem 30 has a: pair of oppositely extending sleeves 36, each providedlwithan internally threaded boss 38 and a setscrew 40, whereby a longitudinally extending: rod 42- comprising the ridge pole or the roof assembly may be removably secured to andrigidly connect the vertical standards of the pair of. end support members. Perpendicular to the oppositely disposed. sleeves 36, and inclining. downwardly fromtheuppereudof. the stem 30 area pair of. rafter receiving; sleeves 44,. each: likewise provided with an internally threaded boss 46 and aw'setescrew' 48. These last mentioned sleeves are adapted to detachably receive and secure therein the upper nds of the roof rafter members 50, see Figures 2 and 3.

The roof framework further includes a pair of longitudinal roof eave members 52, see Figures 2 and 8, upon the ends of which are clamped the frogs or connecting members of Figure 8. These comprise a sleeve 54 slidably received upon the ends of the roof eave members 52, and being locked thereon as by internal-1y threaded bosses 56 having set-screws 58. Angulated sleeves 60 and 62 extend integrally from the sleeve 54, and are each provided with internally threaded bosses 64 with setscrews 66 whereby the outer ends of the arms 26 and of the rafter members 50 may be respectively secured.

As so far described, it will now 'be apparent that the supporting framework may be readily assembled or disassembled, and that the size of the same may be varied by suitably varying the lengths of the various rods which are connected together detachably to form the framework.

Referring next to Figure 1, it will be seen that the roof consists of a roof covering 70 of canvas or other suitable fabric which is stretched over the ridge pole 42, over the top of the rafters 50 and as shown in Figure 4 extends about the sides and is secured underneath the longitudinal roof eave members 52. In order to detachably secure the roof covering panel, the same is provided with suitable eyelets 74 which are received upon downwardly projecting pins 76 suitably located along the roof eave members 52. These eyelets are formed in the ends of webs 78, see Figures 3 and 4, secured to the underside of the roof panel whereby the panel may be drawn taut over the supporting framework as suggested in Figure 4. The ends of the roof panels hang down for any desired distance upon the side of the roof eave members to provide a skirt or valance 80.

Reference is further made to Figures 13 and 7 wherein it will be seen that the awning is provided with gable ends 82. These are composed of canvas or other suitable fabric appropriately shaped and which at their upper edges are provided with webs or straps '84 having buckles or other fasteners 86. These latter cooperate with short webs 88 secured to longitudinally extending webs 90 attached to the underside of the roof covering. At their lower edge, the webs 84 of the gable ends are formed with eyelets in the same manner as that set forth in connection with the straps or webs 78 of Figure 4, which are adapted to be secured upon depending projections 92 underneath the cross arms 26 and which correspond to the depending pins 76 of the eave roof members. Thus, the gable ends may be detachably secured to the cross arms of the frame and to the roof panel of the covering.

Where a somewhat more permanent erection of the supporting framework is desired, the foot members 14 of Figure 1 may be replaced by the construction shown in Figure 9. In this instance, a sleeve 94 is embedded in a concrete block or the like 96 in the ground, and this sleeve, in the same manner as the sleeve 12, detachably receives and supports the lower end of the standard 10. Alternatively, the lower end of the standard could itself be embedded permanently in the concrete 96, as desired.

In the embodiment just described, the supporting framework consists of a single standard at each end of the structure. Where a larger structure is desired, however, a plurality of standards may be employed at each end, as shown in the modified arrangement of Figure 10. In this arrangement, the same vertical standards 10 are employed as previously described, the same being supported in the sleeves "12 carried by the mid-portions of the foot members 14. However, a pair of the foot members are disposed in alignment with each other and are connected together by a connecting sleeve 15, in order to afford the desired lateral extent of the end support.

As in the preceding embodiment, cross arms 26 project from the frog sleeves 18 of the standards 10, with the cross arms projecting in opposite directions from these standards. However, in this form, a transverse connecting bar 27 is positioned in the sleeves 18 on the adjacent sides of the two standards for rigidly connecting the assembly together and thus providing in effect a lengthened cross arm having the desired span for the roof structure.

Similarly, the previously mentioned rafter members 50 are secured to the outwardly projecting sleeves 44 of the frog at the top of the standards, and the adjacent outer ends of the cross arms 26 and the rafters 50 are as before secured in the frog shown in Figure 8, being received in the sleeves 60 and 62 thereof, respectively. These frogs also receive the roof eave members 52. There are also provided a pair of longitudinal roof members 28, each received in aligned sleeves 20 of the frogs carried adjacent the upper end of the standards 10. However, the ridge pole 42 is connected to the standards and rafters by connecting members or frogs consisting of three angula-rly related sleeves 43, 45 and 47. The opposite ends of the ridge pole 42 are secured in the sleeves 43 of a pair of section members, while rafter extension rods 49 have their adjacent ends received in the sleeves 45 and 47, and their opposite ends received in the sleeves 44 carried by the upper ends of the two standards.

The manner of securing the fabric of the roof panel or canopy to the top of the supporting framework, and of securing the roof gable ends thereto is identical with that previously described.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the structural elements of this invention may be combined in various ways to produce different sizes and shapes of shelters, and that the device is readily assembled or disassembled, and thus is extremely portable and versatile in its nature.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable and collapsible shelter comprising a pair of end supports, a roof support and a roof covering thereon, said end supports each comprising a single standard having upper and lower connecting frogs rigidly mounted at its upper end, a ridge pole lying in the same vertical plane with said standards and rigidly secured to the upper frog of each of said standards, horizontal cross arms and inclined rafters having the inner ends of each secured to the lower and upper frogs respectively, said cross arms and rafters extending from opposite sides of each standard, roof eave members, frogs connecting the outer ends of said rafters and cross arms to each other and to said eave members, said eave members having pins thereon projecting therebeneath, said roof covering comprising a sheet of a pliable material disposed over said ridge pole, said rafters and said eave members, means on said covering detachably engaging said pins.

2. The combination of claim 1 including roof gable ends of a pliable material means detachably securing said gable ends at the upper edge of each to said roof covering at an edge thereof adjacent to said rafters and further fastening means detachably securing said gable ends at the lower edge of each to said cross arms.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said further fastening means comprise additional pins longitudinally spaced on said cross arms projecting therebeneath and eyelets spaced longitudinally along the lower edges of said gable ends detachably engaging said additional pins.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fyfe Apr. 30, 1907 6 Shultz June 15, 1909 Hocking et a1 Aug. 17, 1915 Wilkins Nov. 7, 1916 Wittmann May 13, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 5, 1928

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