GB2224759A - Tent - Google Patents

Abstract

In a tent having hooped support or supports (20, 21) of inverted U-shape over which the fabric (22) of the tent is stretched, a ridge strut (26) extends across and beyond the hooped supports generally perpendicular thereto to provide a support for the fabric at the ridge of the tent. The fabric is attached to the ridge by a flap (30). In a double-skinned tent, the fabric (22) in the outer skin and its attachment to the ridge (26) helps keep the skins apart. Seams are sewn using a thread with a synthetic core and an outer layer of natural fibre. When wet, the natural fibre swells to seal the holes in the seam. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Improved tent Field of the Invention This invention relates to tents, in particular a tent which is required to withstand severe loading such as snow.

Background of the Invention Tents conventionally include a pair of hooped supports of inverted U-shape which are arranged at opposite ends of the middle section of the tent. The hoops support an outer sheet of the tent, (usually referred to as a flysheet) the lower edges of which are secured to the ground by pegs. Supported from the inside of the members and spaced from the flysheet is an inner sheet. Although under normal loading, the flysheet remains spaced from the inner sheet, a layer of snow on the flysheet can cause it to sag and come into contact with the inner sheet. When this occurs, a bridge exists between the flysheet and the inner sheet so that condensation can penetrate the tent.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved tent which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantage. However, the present invention can also be advantageously employed in a tent having a single hooped support.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention, in its broadest aspect, in a tent having a hooped support of inverted Ushape over which the fabric of the tent is stretched, a ridge strut extends across and beyond the hooped support generally perpendicular thereto, to provide a support for fabric at the ridge of the tent.

According to one form of the present invention, in a tent comprising a pair of spaced hooped supports of inverted Ushape over which the fabric of the tent is stretched in a conventional manner, the ridge strut extends across and beyond the hooped supports generally perpendicular thereto to provide a support for the fabric between the hooped supports.

Since the ridge strut supports the fabric between the hooped supports, it prevents the latter from sagging, under heavy loading as in the case of snow.

Preferably the ridge strut rests upon the hooped supports and where it extends beyond the two supports, the ends of the strut are secured in pockets formed in the fabric.

In a second form of the invention, in a tent having a single hooped support of inverted U-shape over which the fabric of the tent is stretched, the ridge strut extends to both sides of the one hooped support to define a tent ridge.

In a preferred arrangement the ridge strut assumes an upwardly bowed shape.

The fabric of the outer flysheet of the tent is conveniently connected to the ridge strut by a web of material which is secured to the fabric and is looped over the ridge strut. The web of material may be secured to the flysheet by a welded or sewn seam.

In the case of a sewn seam the thread employed preferably has a core of synthetic or man-made fibre, with an outer layer of natural fibre. Thus if the thread becomes wet, the outer layer expands and seals the sewn holes in the fabric and in the web through which the thread passes, thereby preventing the ingress of water through the sewn connection.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional hoop tent; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a tent embodying the invention; Figures 3 and 4 are respectively plan and side views of the tent of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a schematic section through the supported ridge of the flysheet of the tent of Figure 2, showing one method of securing the web to the fabric; and Figure 6 shows a modifiedtent embodying the invention.

Detailed description of the drawings Referring first to Figure 1 there is shown a conventional tent having a pair of hooped supports 10, 11 of inverted U-shape. The hoops carry a flysheet 12, the lower edges of which are secured to the ground by pegs. The flysheet 12 is also held down at the ends and at the sides by guy ropes 14.

Supported also from hoops 10 and 11, and spaced from the flysheet 12 is an inner sheet (not shown). One end of the flysheet has a zip opening 16 for access.

Under normal weather conditions the section 18 of the flysheet stretched between the two hoops 10 and 11 will be substantially horizontal as shown. However under snow loading this section can sag and assume the shape shown by the chain dotted line 18A. When this occurs the flysheet can come into contact with the inner sheet, this allowing condensation to penetrate.

By contrast, a tent embodying the invention is shown in Figures 2 to 4, in which a pair of hoops 20 and 2' are attached to a flysheet by means of looped seams of material 24, 25.

In accordance with the invention a ridge support strut 26 extends over and beyond the hoops 20, 21 with the ends of the strut 26 secured in pockets 28, 29 formed on the outside of the flysheet 22.

Along the flysheet between the hoops 20 is attached a web of material 30, the upper region of which is looped over the strut 26 and secured by a sewn seam 32 (Figure 4).

The shape of the web 30 is selected so that whilst the upper edge conforms to the shape of the bowed strut 26 the lower edge extends generally horizontally, or in a slightly upwardly convex shape, as shown at 33 in Figure 4.

The lower edges qf the flysheet are provide with flaps 34 which are secured to the ground by pegs (not shown).

Loops 36 are also provided at each end of the flysheet to which short guy ropes (not shown) may be attached and tethered to the ground. Zip fastener openings are provided in the flysheet as at 38, to gain access to the interior.

In use, in the event of a snowfall, the weight of the snow resting on the flysheet is supported by the ridge strut 26 through the web 30, the tension in the ridge strut 26 maintaining an upward force over the region of the strut which extends between the two hoops 20, 21.

Figure 5 shows one form of the web of material 30. Here webs 42 and 44 are joined to the ridge strut 26 by a loop of material 40 which extends over the strut 26. The loop 40 and the webs 42, 44 are secured together by sewing through the four thicknesses of material to form a seam 46, while the lower edges of the web are sewn to the flysheet along two seams 48, 50. A seam 52 secures together the lower portion of the web 42, 44.

The thread used for the sewn seam connections has a core of synthetic or man-made fibre, with an outer layer of natural fibre. The outer layer expands in wet conditions and thus prevents the ingress of moisture through the holes in the fabric through which the thread passes, whilst the inner core provides the main strength and is protected by the outer layer from ultra-violet radiation which can cause the synthetic fibre to deteriorate.

In place of sewn connections, welded seams may be employed.

Figure 6 shows a modified tent having a single hooped support 60 in the form of an inverted U. In this case, the ridge support strut 62, opposite ends of which are received into pockets 64 on the fly sheet, provides the tent with a ridge 66 extending perpendicularly to the hooped support 60.

Claims (9)

1. A tent having a hooped support of inverted U-shape over which the fabric of the tent is stretched; wherein a ridge strut extends across and beyond the hooped support generally perpendicular thereto to provide a support for fabric at the ridge of the tent.

2. A tent according to claim 1, in which the tent has a single hooped support of inverted U-shape over which the fabric of the tent is stretched, and in which the ridge strut extends to both sides of the hooped support to define a tent ridge.

3. A tent according to claim 1, in which the tent comprises a pair of spaced hooped supports of inverted Ushape over which the fabric of the tent is stretched; and in which the ridge strut extends across and beyond the hooped supports generally perpendicular thereto to provide a support for the fabric between the hooped supports.

4. A tent according to claim 3, in which the ridge strut rests upon the hooped supports, and the ends of the strut extending beyond the two supports are secured in respective pockets formed in the fabric.

5. A tent according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the ridge strut assumes an upwardly bowed shape.

6. A tent according to any of the preceding claims, in which the fabric forms the outer flysheet of the tent, and is connected to the ridge strut by a web of material which is secured to the fabric and is looped over the ridge strut.

7. A tent according to claim 6, in which the web of material is secured to the flysheet by a sewn seam, and in which the thread employed in the seam has a core of synthetic or man-made fibre, with an outer layer of natural fibre, the arrangement being such that, if the thread becomes wet, the outer layer expands and so seals the sewn holes in the fabric and in the web through which the thread passes as to substantially prevent the ingress of water through the sewn connection.

8. A tent substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A tent substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figure 6 of the accompanying drawing.