GB1600242A

GB1600242A - Tent frames

Info

Publication number: GB1600242A
Application number: GB1239777A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-04-28
Filing date: 1978-04-28
Publication date: 1981-10-14

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO TENT FRAMES (71) I, DAVID ALAN THOMAS, a British subject of 80 Raeburn Avenue, Surbiton, Surrey, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to tent frames, particularly frames of lightweight tents which are intended for use by those on climbing, mountaineering or other expeditions. The invention is also applicable to large tent frames for family tents.

According to the invention a tent frame has poles, ends of which are joined by means of connecting pieces defining channels, the ends of at least certain of the poles being pivotally mounted in the channels of at least certain of the connecting pieces to enable the frame to adopt a collapsed condition in which all the poles are grouped together in substantially parallel relationship or an erected condition in which said certain poles are retained against pivotal movement with respect to the connecting pieces by means of spring clips of the frame.

In the case of a tent frame comprising two inverted V-frames and a ridge pole, the apex of each inverted V-frame is preferably provided with a corresponding connecting piece which has three channels aligned along the three directions defined by the three poles meeting at the apex.

One of the connecting pieces which provides one channel may be used to interconnect the ends of three poles which occupy a common plane in the erected condition of the frame, the centre pole of the three poles preferably being rigidly secured in the channel with the other two poles being pivotally mounted in the channels on respective sides of the centre pole. The connecting piece may be provided with a second channel forming a pivotal mounting for a fourth pole which does not occupy said common plane in the erected condition of the frame.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the spring clips are mounted in the channels and have spaced spring arms which embrace said certain poles.

A tent frame according to the invention is quicker to erect than conventional frames having loose poles, needs no special tools for erection and the connecting pieces can be made to interconnect the poles regardless of their spatial orientation in the erected frame.

The poles with lower ground-engaging ends may be provided with anchoring means in the form of pegs having spiral formations which are intended to be screwed into the ground.

Each ground-engaging pole may have a lower portion which is rotatable with respect to an upper portion of the pole and which is intended to be rotated with the corresponding peg as the latter is screwed into the ground. The lower portion of each groundengaging pole may have a transverse hole and the upper end of the peg may have an eye, in use a lever being inserted through the eye and the transverse hole to provide additional leverage during insertion or withdrawal of the peg.

Alternatively, or in addition, the transverse hole in the lower portion of each groundengaging pole may serve to accommodate the straight shank of a peg which has a plastics sleeve over an upper portion of the shank and the spiral of which is screwed through the transverse hole and through loops in the groundsheet into the ground at an angle to the pole. The oversize transverse hole in the pole accommodates the sleeved portion of the straight shank as the peg is screwed up tight.

The use of transverse pegs at the lower ends of the poles pulls the tent taut on initial pegging down and reduces the risk of people tripping over the pegs, a disadvantage of known tents where the pegs are inserted into the ground at a distance from the tent compartment. Furthermore, the spiral formations of the pegs provide a firmer anchorage than that provided by pegs which are hammered into the ground.

A tent frame according to the invention may have a framework one end of which has two main leg poles defining the roof line of a pivotable roof section supported in pivotably mounted struts, with tightenable clamps, which are adapted to slide up and down the main leg poles to enable the forward roof section to be moved between raised and lowered positions.

For sleeping purposes or during severe wind the roof line can be lowered, thereby reducing the profile of the tent. Raising the roof facilitates access to the tent and provides a space in which cooking on a portable stove may be carried out with more safety than in a conventional tent in wet weather. The raised roof line permits an extended canopy (which forms the closable end of the tent in the roof lowered position) to be guyed out providing an additional covered space useful for removal of wet clothing.

Tent frames forming four preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of tent frame, Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the frame of Figure 1, a spring circlip being shown in elevation in the lower part of the Figure, Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line III--III of Figure 2, Figure 4 is an elevation of a portal of a lightweight tent frame forming the second embodiment, Figure 5 is a perspective view of a connecting piece used to interconnect the ends of four poles in a large tent forming the third embodiment, Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the large tent frame forming the third embodiment, Figure 7 is a side view of the lower part of a tent pole showing its anchorage to the ground, Figure 8 is a perspective view of a tent frame forming a fourth preferred embodiment, Figure 9 is a side view of the tent the frame of which is shown in Figure 8, Figure 10 is a fragmentary side view showing how the frame shown in Figure 8 may be collapsed, and Figure 11 is a modification of Figure 3, for use with Figures 8 and 10.

The tent frame shown in its erected condition in Figure 1 is made of lightweight aluminium alloy tube and has two inverted V-frames (comprising angled poles 1,2,3 and 4) interconnected by a horizontal ridge pole 5. The three poles 1,2 and 5 are interconnected at the nearer apex shown in Figure 1 by a connecting piece 6 formed to provide three channels extending in the respective directions of the poles 1,2 and 5. Ends of the three poles 1,2 and 5 are respectively pivotally mounted in the three channels of the connecting piece 6 by means of pivot pins 7 which span the channels in fixed relationship therewith. The channel in which the portion 8 is mounted is open on its underside, while the inclined channels receiving the poles 1 and 2 have their open sides facing one another. The connecting ends of the poles 1,2 and 5 may be rounded on the top side to allow pivoting.The ridge pole 5 is in two relatively telescopic portions 8 and 9, the portion 9 being pivotally mounted in a further connecting piece 10 (similar to the connecting piece 6) at the apex of the farther inverted V-frame in Figure 1. A withdrawable pin 11 passed through holes in the portion 8, together with a flare on the end of the tube portion 8, prevents relative axial movement between the portions 8 and 9 in the erected condition of the tent frame. The poles 1,2,3 and 4 are also telescopic and capable of being held in an extended condition by withdrawable pins.

In the erected condition of the frame, each pole is retained in position in the corresponding channel of the respective connecting piece 6 or 10 by means shown in Figures 2 and 3 which show the pole portion 8 retained in the appropriate channel of the connecting piece 6. As shown in Figure 2, the end of the channel of the connecting piece 6 has a spring clip 12 with spaced side limbs (or spring arms) shaped to embrace the portion 8. The side limbs of the spring clip 12 are drawn together to clamp the portion 8 within the channels of the connecting piece 6 by a spring circlip 13 shaped to provide larger and smaller eyes, as shown in Figure 2. The ends 14 of the side limbs of the spring clip 12 are passed through the larger eye of the circlip 13 which is then pulled so that the ends 14 move into the smaller eye where they are firmly held in position.

When it is desired to collapse the tent frame, the circlips 13 are withdrawn, the two inclined poles 1 to 4 of each inverted Vframe are telescoped and pivoted towards one another, the ridge pole 5 is telescoped and finally the two collapsed inverted Vframes brought together so that all the poles are grouped in parallel relationship in a compact bundle 15 (Figure 1) from which no poles can become detached or lost.

Figure 4 shows in elevation the portal of a tent frame. The portal has two upwardly converging leg poles 18 the upper ends of which are secured in the channels of connecting pieces 19. The connecting pieces 19 have further channels which extend at right angles to the plane of Figure 4 and in which respective roof poles (not shown) are pivotally mounted.

The two leg poles 18 are interconnected by two cross poles 20 pivotally connected at their mid points at 22 in a scissor-like arrangement. The upper end of each cross pole 20 is pivotally connected to a corre sponding one of the connecting pieces 19.

and the lower end of each cross pole 20 carries a spring clip 23 slidable along the associated leg pole 18.

The clips 23 may be clampable on the leg poles 18 by means of circlips, to hold the leg poles 18 of the portal apart in the erected condition shown in Figure 4. The lower end of each cross pole 20 is in the form of two spaced strips 24 which pass on respective sides of the leg pole 18.

When it is desired to collapse the portal, the cross poles 20 are pivoted in the directions of the arrows 25 (with attendant sliding movement of the clips 23 along the leg poles 18), the portal then comprising the compact bundle of four substantially parallel poles indicated by the reference numeral 26. The complete tent frame comprises two portals of the form shown in Figure 4, the two portals being interconnected by two roof poles which are similar to the roof pole 5 of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 5 shows how a connecting piece 30 provides two mutually perpendicular channels (although these right angles may be varied), one channel accommodating the end of three poles 31, 32 and 33 which are coplanar on the erected frame, and the other channel accommodating a further pole 34 which may be perpendicular to the plane containing the three poles 31, 32 and 33. The upper end of the centre pole 32 is rigidly secured in the corresponding channel whilst the ends of the poles 31,33 and 34 are pivotally mounted in the respective channels (e.g. by pins) and are capable of being held by spring clips 35 in the angular positions shown in Figure 5. In the collapsed condition of the frame, the three poles 31, 33 and 34 are folded to lie beside and parallel to the pole 32.

The arrangement of the poles in the frame of a large-capacity family tent is shown in Figure 6. The poles (which are connected in the manner shown in Figure 5) are arranged vertically and horizontally to define a regular matrix the basic parallelepipedic pattern of which can be repeated to make a frame of any chosen size. Two of these basic parallelepipedic patterns are used in the family tent shown in Figure 6 which shows poles of the left-hand pattern in a collapsed condition in full lines and in an erected condition in broken lines.

The vertical (i.e. leg) poles are, at their upper ends, rigidly secured in corresponding channels of the associated connecting pieces whilst the ends of the horizontal poles are pivotally mounted in the channels, one end of each of two of the horizontal poles additionally being detachable from the channels for collapsing of the tent frame. Each connecting piece serves to join three poles or four poles. Figure 5 shows the connecting piece used to interconnect four poles, the connecting piece for three or five poles being similar in design but being rnodified by the omission or addition of one channel.

At the intermediate. stage of collapse shown in Figure 6 the nearside end of the roof pole 38 has been disconnected from the corresponding connecting piece and folded down beside theileg pole 39; the two poles 38 and 39 have been folded parallel with roof pole 40, and these three poles 38, 39 and 40 have been folded to lie in parallel relationship beside the leg pole 42. Also, the leg pole 43 has been folded to lie beside the roof pole 44 and these two poles 43 and 44 have been folded to lie beside the leg pole 45.

After the stage reached in Figure 6, collapse of the tent frame proceeds as follows: the far end of the roof pole 46 is disconnected from its channel and folded to lie beside the leg pole 47; the poles 46 and 47 are folded to lie parallel with roof pole 48; and the poles 46, 47 and 48 are folded to lie parallel with the leg pole 45 so that there are in all five poles grouped in parallel relationship beside the pole 45. A similar procedure results in the leg pole 49 and roof pole 50 being folded to lie alongside the already parallel bundle of poles 38, 39, 40 and 42. Finally, the bundle of poles grouped beside the leg pole 45 is folded parallel with roof pole 52 and the bundle of poles grouped beside the leg pole 42 is also folded to lie parallel with the roof pole 52.

Figure 7 shows the lower part of a groundengaging tent pole which is a representative one of the inclined leg poles of Figure 1 or 4.

The tent pole shown in Figure 7 has two relatively rotatable and telescopic portions 55 and 56, the lower portion 56 being formed with an angled hole 57 extending completely through the portion 56. A peg 58 having helical corkscrewlike end 59, a straight shank 60 offset from the axis and a closed eye 62 is screwed into the ground in a direction aligned with the pole, a bar (not shown) being passed through the eye 62 and the hole 57 to provide additional leverage. Thus, the lower pole portion 56 is turned with the peg 58 during insertion of the peg into or retraction of the peg from the ground.

To provide additional anchorage, a further peg 63 (similar to the peg 58 but having a larger eye 64 and a plastics sleeve 65 surrounding an upper portion of a co-axial shank) is screwed through the eye 62, through the transverse clearance hole 57 and through the two loops 66 in the tent groundsheet 67 and then into the ground, in the general direction shown in Figure 7.

Similar but shorter pegs are used at intermediate points to secure the groundsheet 67.

Referring to the embodiment of Figures 8 to 11, more particularly, Figure 8 shows one end of a tent frame having a portal formed by two inclined poles 70 and 71 and a horizontal bracing pole 72, or twin poles in a scissor-like configuration as in Figure 4. A variable roof line 73 (Figure 9) is supported on a pivoting framework 74 comprising extension poles 75, a cross pole 76 and two angled struts 77 the lower ends of which are connected to respective slide members 78 which are movable along the poles 70 and 71 as indicated by the arrows in Figure 8. The framework 74 can be clamped in a raised position (full lines in Figures 8 and 9) in which position the high roof line allows an extended canopy 79 to be supported at the lower end on long guy ropes 80, or in a lowered position (broken lines in Figures 8 and 9) in which an extended canopy 79 forms a closed door for the tent.Connecting pieces 81 with channels and spring clips are used to connect the roof poles 82 to the pivoting framework 74.

Figure 10 shows how, on collapse, the pole 76 is disconnected at one end and pivoted to lie parallel to pole 75 the upper end of each strut 77 being disconnected from its pole 75 (e.g. at a spring clip) to enable the poles forming the forwardly projecting framework 74 to be folded beside the leg poles 71 and 72 which may be telescopic for added compactness of the tent frame in the collapsed condition.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A tent frame having poles, ends of which are joined by means of connecting pieces defining channels, the ends of at least certain of the poles being pivotally mounted in the channels of at least certain of the connecting pieces to enable the frame to adopt a collapsed condition in which all the poles are grouped together in substantially parallel relationship or an erected condition in which said certain poles are retained against pivotal movement with respect to the connecting pieces by means of spring clips of the frame.

2. A tent frame according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises two inverted Vframes interconnected by a ridge pole, the apex of each inverted V-frame having a corresponding connecting piece which has three channels extending along the three directions defined by the three poles meeting at the apex.

3. A tent frame according to claim 2, wherein the ends of the poles are pivotally mounted in the channels of the connecting pieces by pivot pins spanning the channels.

4. A tent frame according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the spring clips are mounted in the channels and have spaced spring arms which embrace said certain poles in the erected condition of the frame.

5. A tent frame according to claim 1 and including at least dne portal frame comprising two leg poles which converge upwardly in the erected condition of the tent frame, the upper end of each leg pole having a corresponding connecting piece within the channel of which a corresponding roof pole is pivotally mounted, the two leg poles being interconnected by two cross poles pivoted together at their mid-points in a scissor-like arrangement, the two upper ends of the two cross poles being pivoted to the respective connecting pieces on the leg poles and the lower ends of the two cross poles being slidable along the leg poles so that the two leg poles, the two roof poles and the two cross poles can be grouped together in said substantially parallel relationship, the lower ends of the cross poles being capable of clamping the leg poles to hold the leg poles apart in the required shape of the portal frame in the erected condition of the tent frame.

6. A tent frame according to claim 5, wherein the lower ends of the cross poles are fitted with spring clips which slide along the leg poles but which are clamped to the leg poles by means of circlips, to hold the portal frame in its desired shape in the erected condition of the tent frame.

7. A tent frame according to claim 1, wherein one of the connecting pieces which provides one of the channels is used to interconnect the ends of three poles which occupy a substantially common plane in the erected condition of the frame.

8. A tent frame according to claim 7, wherein the centre pole of said three poles is rigidly secured in the channel with the other two poles being pivotally mounted in the channel on respective sides of the centre pole.

9. A tent frame according to claim 8, wherein the said one connecting piece is provided with a second channel forming a pivotal mounting for a fourth pole which does not occupy said common plane in the erected condition of the frame.

10. A tent frame according to claim 9, wherein the poles define a rectangular frame of horizontal and vertical poles in the erected condition of the frame.

11. A tent frame according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the poles have lower ground-engaging ends provided with anchoring means in the form of pegs having spiral formations which are intended to be screwed into the ground.

12. A tent frame according to claim 11, wherein each ground-engaging pole has a lower portion which is rotatable with respect to an upper portion of the pole and which is rotatable with the corresponding peg as the latter is screwed into the ground.

13. A tent frame according to claim 12, wherein each lower portion. has a transverse hole and one end of each peg has an eye, in use a lever being inserted through the eye and the transverse hole to provide additional leverage during the insertion or withdrawal

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. scissor-like configuration as in Figure 4. A variable roof line 73 (Figure 9) is supported on a pivoting framework 74 comprising extension poles 75, a cross pole 76 and two angled struts 77 the lower ends of which are connected to respective slide members 78 which are movable along the poles 70 and 71 as indicated by the arrows in Figure 8. The framework 74 can be clamped in a raised position (full lines in Figures 8 and 9) in which position the high roof line allows an extended canopy 79 to be supported at the lower end on long guy ropes 80, or in a lowered position (broken lines in Figures 8 and 9) in which an extended canopy 79 forms a closed door for the tent. Connecting pieces 81 with channels and spring clips are used to connect the roof poles 82 to the pivoting framework 74. Figure 10 shows how, on collapse, the pole 76 is disconnected at one end and pivoted to lie parallel to pole 75 the upper end of each strut 77 being disconnected from its pole 75 (e.g. at a spring clip) to enable the poles forming the forwardly projecting framework 74 to be folded beside the leg poles 71 and 72 which may be telescopic for added compactness of the tent frame in the collapsed condition. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A tent frame having poles, ends of which are joined by means of connecting pieces defining channels, the ends of at least certain of the poles being pivotally mounted in the channels of at least certain of the connecting pieces to enable the frame to adopt a collapsed condition in which all the poles are grouped together in substantially parallel relationship or an erected condition in which said certain poles are retained against pivotal movement with respect to the connecting pieces by means of spring clips of the frame.

of the peg.

14. A tent frame according to claim 13, wherein the transverse hole in each lower portion accommodates, in the erected condition, the straight shank of a further peg, a spiral end of the further peg being screwed through the transverse hole and through loops in a groundsheet into the ground at an angle to the pole.

15. A tent frame according to claim 1, wherein one end of the frame has a portal defined by two leg poles interconnected by a hqrizontal transverse pole, a framework projecting from the portal to support a forwardly projecting portion of a roof, the framework having inclined struts the lower ends of which are fitted with formations which slide along the respective leg poles and which can be clamped at varying positions along the lengths of the leg poles to enable the projecting portion of the roof to be moved between raised and lowered positions.

16. A tent frame according to claim 15 wherein the upper end of each inclined strut is detachably connected by a pivotable spring clip to the remainder of the framework to enable the poles of the framework to be grouped beside the parallel poles of the collapsed portal.

17. A tent frame constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to any one of the alternative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.