GB2117024A - Connecting tent pole to tent material without penetration of the material - Google Patents

Abstract

Tent material 2 is provided on its inner surface 2a only with a flexible material element 9a carrying a body 9 having an opening 10 therein, into which is inserted a projection 8 at the top end of a tent pole 7. By this means the external surface of the tent material 2 is uninterrupted thus reducing the chance of leaking. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tents and connections therefor to tent poles The present invention relates to tents of the type provided with at least one connection between the tent pole and the tent material to be supported thereby, the connection being formed by a first connecting piece on the tent material and by a second connecting piece on the tent pole.

Conventionally such a connection consists of a hole in the tent surface (usually in the form of an eyelet), and a pin on the tent pole is inserted through this hole. The hole for the pin is sometimes specially reinforced before the eyelet is attached, to reinforce the seams which are interrupted by the formation of the hole.

Unfortunately, this conventional connection is not watertight, so that a rain cover has to be attached to the pin when this appears on the outside of the tent, having been passed through the hole.

According to the present invention, there is provided a tent comprising tent material, at least one connection for connecting the tent material to a tent pole, so that the material may be supported thereby, the connection being formed by a first connecting piece connected to the tent material and by a second connecting piece, connected to the tent pole, the two connecting pieces being attached and designed so that, the point where the tent material is provided with a first connecting piece, there is no open continuous connection between the inside and the outside surfaces of the tent material, so that the outside surface is uninterrupted.

With such a construction the disadvantage of a weakening of the fabric as a result of the formation of the hole in known tents is avoided and the provision of separate rain covers, which can readily be lost, is no longer necessary.

Depending on the composition of the surface of the tent material, the first connecting piece can be connected directly or indirectly to the inside of the tent surface. Appropriate design of the connection is obtained if the first connecting piece consists of a flexible material, preferably deformable plastics material, element secured to the inside surface of the tent material and having a portion projecting in the middle of the element and shaped to receive an appropriate shaped end part of the tent pole which forms the second connecting piece.

Furthermore, to avoid an open continuous connection between the inside and outside surfaces of the tent material, it is advantageous to connect the first connecting piece to the inside surface of the tent material by welding, sewing or gluing.

In a preferred arrangement according to the invention, in which the first connecting piece is located exclusively on the inside of the tent surface, the connecting piece which consists of a strip of flexible material connected to the inside surface of the tent material and provided with an inwardly projecting elevated cylindrical or discshaped body having a receiving opening in which is inserted the second connecting piece, which consists of a pin-shaped protuberance at the end of the tent pole, so that a connection of the two connecting pieces is obtained in such a way that, in the coupled state, the pin-shaped protuberance is located completely and entirely on the inside of the tent material and the latter is neither interrupted nor perforated by the end of the pinshaped protuberance.

The invention also provides a connecting device for use on a tent and for securing the tent pole to the tent material, comprising a strip of flexible material connectable to the inside surface of the tent material and provided with an elevated cylindrical or disc-shaped body which projects from the flexible material and includes a receiving opening into which may be inserted a pin-shaped protuberance from the end of the tent pole.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description, which is given merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional type of tent; Figure 2 is a cross-section on a larger scale to the connecting device circled in Figure 1, the device being provided with a rain cover; and Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a connecting device and a portion of a tent according to the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates two-pole tent, the tent pole pins of which pass through an eyelet 3 fastened in the tent material 2. Figure 2 shows this known design in detail, the tent pole pin being fastened on the end of a tent pole 4 and a rain cover 5 made of flexible plastic material being clamped firmly on to the part of this tent pole projecting above the outer tent surface. A canvas seam 6 is also located in the tent surface 2 in the vicinity of the eyelet 3.

To stretch the tent canvas, the end of a guy rope is often drawn round the pin 1 by means of a loop, or the tent material itself is tensioned by means of a ring which is sewn into a seam and to which the guy rope is fastened. These are conventional designs which do not need to be explained in more detail here.

When the tent is used, its material is exposed to alternating stresses as a result of moisture, heat and tensile stresses exerted via the guy ropes. As a result the tensioning of the tent material by means of the eyelet 3 diminishes, and the eyelet 3, which, together with the pin 1, represents the connection, can become detached from the tent material with unfortunate consequences.

Figure 3 illustrates how, according to the invention, the known disadvantages resulting from the alternating tensile stresses on the tent canvas can be eliminated. A tent pole 7 is provided with a pin-shaped protuberance 8; on the inside surface 2a of the tent material 2, instead of the ring 3 in Figure 2, there is provided a flat strip element 9a made of fairly thin thermoplastic material, on to which is welded a cylindrical body 9 which includes a receiving opening 10 for the protuberance 8. The flat strip element 9a can be fastened to the inside surface 2a of the tent material by welding, gluing or sewing. Thus the member 9, 9a forms the first coupling piece, whilst the second coupling piece is formed by the protuberance 8.

In the tent material seam 11 on the outside of the tent material 2, there is sewn a strap 12 to which is fastened a ring 13, which is used to connect a guy rope to transmit directly to the tent material 2 the necessary force for tensioning the tent. Since there are no holes or other weakened portions of material in the tent surface, there are no excessive tensile stresses at the location of the first coupling piece 9; such forces being absorbed by the entire connecting face of the member 9 on the tent material surface, and tearing of the tent material is thereby prevented.

Because the tent material extends smoothly on the outside and is completely closed at the location of the connection, a rain cover is unnecessary and the penetration of rain water, such as occurs in the case of the open connection of Figure 2, no longer takes place. In tents in which a tent-canvas seam extends over the ridge of the tent and the canvas ring 3 in Figure 2 is also held by this seam, considerable weakening of the fabric arose at this point. Although attempts were made to avoid this by a special strengthening of the hole edge, this caused expensive extra processing. This disadvantage is avoided completely by means of a connection according to the invention.

In the construction shown in Figure 3, the connection is represented as a pin/hole connection. It is, of course, also possible to accommodate the end of a tent pole 7, not provided with a pin, in a "cup" which is fastened to the inner surface of the tent material and the edge of which then forms the connection with the end of the tent pole, The first connecting piece can also consist of a piece of so-called "touch-andclose" fastening tape at this point on the inner surface of the tent and the opposing "touch-andclose" fastening tape at the end of the tent pole can serve as a second connecting piece. A snap connection can also be used between the two connecting parts with the same purpose, as a result of which it is no longer possible for the tent pole to tip over during erection of the tent, which is, of course, often troublesome.Since these snap closures are in general use, it will be clear to an expert which material for this purpose is suitable for use in tent construction. Although a connection with a pin construction is shown in Figure 3, it should be clear that any other possible polygonal profile of the two connecting elements can be selected, without departing from the principle of the invention.

It is also possible, for example in the case of existing tents in which the rings or holes are torn out, to reinsert a loose first connecting piece, specifically by means of a connecting strip element to which this connecting piece is fastened, to seal off the torn-out aperture and to make the connection all-round so that the conditions according to the invention are satisfied.

Such a first connecting piece can then be used also as a repair kit.

It is also possible to plasticize completely the inner tent surface at the location of the connection, after which it is very simple to weld on a first connecting piece. Of course, the intermediate phase of welding on a first connecting piece is omitted when the entire assembly is made in one piece of soft plastic material and is then fastened to the inner tent surface in the desired way. The stability of such a connection can then be the best possible and can withstand completely the tensile forces which occur or the theoretical tensile forces. In this design, it is likewise possible to use this first connecting piece as an individual part which as such also represents the principle of the invention.

Claims (8)

1. A tent comprising tent material, at least one connection for connecting the tent material to a tent pole, so that the material may be supported thereby, the connection being formed by a first connecting piece connected to the tent material and by a second connecting piece connected to the tent pole, the two connecting pieces being attached and designed so that, at the point where the tent material is provided with a first connecting piece, there is no open continuous connection between the inside and the outside surfaces of the tent material, so that the outside surface is uninterrupted.

2. A tent according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting piece is connected directly or indirectly to the inside surface of the tent material.

3. A tent according to claim 2, wherein the first connecting piece consists of flexible material, such as a deformable plastics material element secured to the inside surface of the tent material and having a portion projecting in the middle of the element and shaped to receive an appropriately shaped end part of the tent pole which forms the second connecting piece.

4. A tent according to claim 3, wherein said element of the first connecting piece is connected to the inside surface of the tent material by welding, sewing or gluing.

5. A tent comprising tent material provided in at least one place with a connecting device for connecting the tent material to the end of a loadbearing tent pole, the connecting device including a first connecting piece of the tent material and a second connecting piece on the tent pole interacting with the first connecting piece, the first connecting piece being located exclusively on the inside of the tent material and consisting of a strip of flexible material connected to the inside surface of the tent material and provided with an inwardly projecting elevated cylindrical or disc-shaped body having a receiving opening in which is inserted the second connecting piece, which consists of a pinshaped protuberance at the end of the tent pole, so that a connection of the two connecting pieces is obtained in such a way that, in the coupled state, the pin-shaped protuberance is located completely and entirely on the inside of the tent material and the latter is neither interrupted nor perforated by the end of the pin-shaped protuberance.

6. A connecting device for use on a tent and for securing a tent pole to the tent material, comprising a strip of flexible material connectable to the inside surface of the tent material and provided with an elevated cylindrical or discshaped body which projects from the flexible material and includes a receiving opening into which may be inserted a pin-shaped protuberance on the end of the tent pole.

7. A tent including at least one connecting device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A connecting device for a tent substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.