Abstract:
A tent is disclosed for use in connection with a utility trailer having a flat rectangular platform. The tent includes a frame and a covering for the frame. The frame includes frame members adapted for detachable connection to the platform.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 11/811,533 filed Jun. 11, 2007, entitled “COMBINATION FOLDING UTILITY/TENT TRAILER,” herein incorporated by reference, and claims priority under 35 USC §120. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of utility trailers, and provides a kit for converting a utility trailer into a tent trailer. The present invention also provides a folding trailer. 
         [0003]    Conventionally, utility trailers comprise a single platform, supported by one or two axles. The platform is usually provided with an aperture know as a stake pocket in each corner. The function of the stake pocket is to permit side walls or corner posts to be quickly and easily mounted on the trailer. 
         [0004]    Tent trailers, on the other hand, are designed for the sole purpose of folding out into relatively spacious tents, and have little or no cargo carrying capability. 
         [0005]    The applicant is not aware of any other convertable utility trailer with a flat bed that can function as the base for a tent. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0173758 shows a utility trailer convertible to a tent, but the mode of conversion is to the form of a conventional pop-up tent trailer, rather than by mounting a tent frame to the bed of the trailer. 
         [0006]    The object of the present invention is to provide a tent kit mountable onto a utility trailer, for example, into the stake pockets of utility trailers, so that a tent having a floor size of the flat bed of the trailer can quickly be assembled using a standard sized trailer instead of a specialized pop-up tent trailer. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In a broad aspect, then, the present invention relates to a trailer in combination with a tent for mounting on said trailer comprising: said trailer having a flat rectangular platform with sides and ends, and; said tent having a framework and a fabric covering, said framework includes at least one post extending from and connected to each said side, and at least one U-shaped outer frame member having a pair of arms that hinge to said at least one post, whereby said at least one U-shaped member is movable from a first position parallel to said platform to a second position elevated from said first position, to support at least a portion of said fabric cover. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the one U-shaped outer frame member or members, in the first position, is parallel to the side of said trailer. 
         [0009]    In a preferred embodiment, a pair of said U-shaped outer frame members are provided, one extending toward the front of said trailer, and one extending toward the rear of said trailer, each said at least one post being located about midway between the front and rear of said trailer. The at least one post may be T-shaped. 
         [0010]    Moreover, a U-shaped central frame member may be connected to each said at least one post, for supporting a central portion of a said tent. 
         [0011]    The U-shaped central frame member is preferably removably connected to said at least one post. 
         [0012]    The present invention also provides a folding utility trailer, and a trailer with a utility box or “trunk” located under its deck. 
         [0013]    The at least one U-shaped member in said second position combined with said at least one post in said second position preferably extend substantially to the full height of said tent. 
         [0014]    Moreover, the one U-shaped member will preferably comprise said pair of arms spaced from each other by a connecting member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    In drawings that show the present invention by way of example: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a utility trailer; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the utility trailer of  FIG. 1  with a tent according to the first embodiment of the present invention affixed thereto; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the trailer and tent shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a top view of a trailer platform suitable for use with a tent according to the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a tent frame according to a second embodiment of the present invention, mounted on a trailer, and erected; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a trailer, with the tent frame shown in  FIG. 5  mounted thereto, in a collapsed position; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the trailer of  FIG. 5  with an erected frame; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is an end view of the trailer of  FIG. 6  with a collapsed tent frame; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the folding trailer of the present invention, with the platform surface removed; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is an underside view of the folding trailer of the present invention, with the platform surface removed, and the frame folded; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a side view of the folding trailer of the present invention, partly folded; and, 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the trailer of the present invention fully folded. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a utility trailer, which can be a conventional utility trailer, but can be a folding bed trailer as provided by the present invention, has a standard sized platform or bed  1 , supported by a frame or chassis  2 , that is mounted on an axle assembly. A hitch bar  4  extends from one end of the frame, for attachment to the trailer hitch of a car or truck. 
         [0029]    Appropriate lights, reflectors and the like are provided. 
         [0030]    In each corner of the trailer platform  2 , as shown in  FIG. 1  and in  FIG. 4 , stake pockets  5  are provided. These are, basically, hollow metal cylinders with open upper ends and closed lower ends welded or otherwise formed at each corner. As shown in  FIG. 1 , side panels (or end panels) may be mounted in the stake pockets. To this end, conventional side panels  6  will be provided with downwardly extending posts  7  alignable with the stake pockets at their ends. Appropriate fastening means, such as pins (not shown) insertable in alignable apertures in the pockets  5  and posts  7  may be provided to securely attach side or end panels to the trailer. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the present invention takes advantage of the standard sizing of utility trailer platforms, and the provision of stake pockets in the corners of utility trailer platforms, and provides a tent with a frame structure  8  that includes a downwardly extending post  9  in each corner. Accordingly, the tent frame can be quickly assembled onto the platform of a utility trailer. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the tent frame structure  8  includes at least four generally upright frame members  10 , each of which has a post portion  9  extending from its lowermost extremity. The posts are insertable in the preexisting stake pockets  5  provided in the corners of a utility trailer platform. 
         [0033]    In the event the utility trailer platform available to an individual is of the correct size, but does not have stake pockets, these are easily attachable by welding or other means, to the corners of the platform, and besides rendering the trailer suitable for use with the tent frame provided by the present invention, will generally increase the utility of the trailer, as it will then be possible to easily install side panels, corner posts, or other attachments. 
         [0034]    The actual shape of the tent frame may be, as shown in the drawings, roughly trapezoidal, i.e. having side and end panels that are supported on frame members that incline inwardly. Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 3 , arch structures  11  may be provided at each end of the tent frame. Each arch comprises a pair of uprights  12  that are provided with posts insertable in a stake pocket of the trailer platform. The uprights are connected at their upper extremities by transversely extending members  13 . In the illustrated embodiment, a closely spaced pair of transverse members  13  is provided, but only one may be used, if it is sufficiently strong. An arch structure may be provided at each end of a trailer, with lengthwise-extending members  14  connecting together the upper corners thereof. (See  FIG. 2 ) 
         [0035]    Alternatively, the frame may consist of four upright members, angulated at their upper extremity and meeting above the mid-point of the trailer platform. 
         [0036]    It will be understood, then, that any desired frame structure is possible, depending on the shape and size of the tent intended to be constructed. 
         [0037]    A second embodiment of the present invention, showing a particularly favourable frame arrangement, is shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8 . In the tent shown in those figures, the frame structure is centered around a post on each side of the trailer. The trailer has a flat rectangular platform  1  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The post is T-shaped, and two U-shaped frame members  16  are hinged to the T-shaped posts, one U-shaped frame member  16  extending to the front of the trailer, and one extending to the rear of the trailer. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 , the U-shaped outer frame members in a collapsed condition rest parallel to to the platform of the trailer on front and rear end frames  17  which may be inserted into the stake pockets of the trailer. The U-shaped members may be pivoted upwardly, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , to serve as the principle tent frames. In their upper position, the U-shaped members  16  may be held in place by any known means such as pins  161 , detents, or other means as will be obvious to one skilled in the art. 
         [0038]    A central upright U-shaped frame member  18 , extending upwardly from the T-shaped posts  15  is preferably provided, to complete the frame structure of the tent. Accordingly, the T-shaped posts are preferably located about midway between the front and rear of the trailer, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The upright frame member  18  may be carried separately, for instance in a “trunk” or storage box under the trailer platform, as shown in  FIG. 8 , or it may be assembled from the components of end frames  17 . If it is assembled from end frames  17 , then it will be desirable that end frames  17  are constructed from telescopic sections. 
         [0039]    U-shaped frame members  16  and central U-shaped member  18  may be constructed from arms  162 ,  182 , connected by connecting pieces  164 ,  184 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , to cross pieces  163 ,  183 . 
         [0040]    In order to assemble the tent frame of  FIGS. 5 to 8 , then, one disconnects U-shaped frame members  16  from end frame members  17 , and lifts U-shaped frame members  16  to an inclined position. U-shaped frame members are then locked in place. Upright frame member  18  is then either accessed or assembled from end frame members  17 , and inserted into the hollow tubular central posts of T-shaped posts  15 . A fabric tent is then installed over the frame. 
         [0041]    As noted previously, the present invention also provides a folding trailer. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the platform  23  of the utility trailer of the present invention is divided into front  19 , middle  20  and end  21  sections, connected together by hinges  22 . Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the platform comprises a framework  24  mounted on left and right longitudinal rails  25  by means  25  by means of U-shaped brackets extending from the undersurface of the frame, into which rails  25  are locked by means of pins and/or nuts and bolts. The axle structure, not shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , is connected directly to the central part of the frame. 
         [0042]    It will be seen, then, that the left and right rails can be removed easily, by unfastening same from the U-shaped brackets. The central rail, including a trailer hitch attachment, is also connected by U-shaped brackets to the central portion of the frame. 
         [0043]    To disassemble and fold the trailer for storage, the left and right rails are removed and stored. The central rail is removed, and either stored, or as shown in  FIG. 12 , stacked with the central part of the frame. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the frame is folded in on itself, and then stacked as shown in  FIG. 12 , on a stand, platform or the like. 
         [0044]    The covering of the frame structure for either of the two described embodiments is an obvious matter of choice for one skilled in the art of tent design. That is, a single layer of canvas, nylon, or other material may suffice. However, more elaborate two-layer tent designs, or designs incorporating rain fly&#39;s, screens, ventilation, or other features are all within the spirit of the present invention, as long as they incorporate a frame that interconnects to the platform of a utility trailer. 
         [0045]    Furthermore, it will be understood that while the preferred embodiment of tent frame members insertable in stake pockets has been described, the tent frame may be connectable to the trailer platform by any other obvious means, such as clips engaging the side edges of the platform or the corners of the platform. 
         [0046]    The tent frame may be made of any desired and suitable material, such as aluminum, steel, wood, fibreglass, Kevlar, and so on. 
         [0047]    In order to stabilize the trailer against tipping, especially if it is not connected to the trailer hitch of a car, it is desirable to fit a solid object like a block or jack at each end of the level trailer platform during use. 
         [0048]    As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the present invention also provides a folding utility trailer platform. 
         [0049]    While a particular embodiment of the present combination folding utility/tent trailer has been described herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and as set forth in the following claims.