Abstract:
The disclosure herein describes a bracket for securing a tent structure to a supporting structure such as a ladder, a pole, or any other installation where a worker or user must be sheltered. The bracket comprises a horizontal frame which displays at each opposite end thereof, a rotatable arm provided with locking elements for fixing it at an angular position relative to the horizontal frame. The remote free end of each arm is adapted to fixedly receive a strut element of the tent structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bracket for securing a tent structure to a supporting structure. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The type of tent structures to which the present invention relates is that which is collapsible and provides a temporary shelter from the elements for workers carrying out certain tasks under its protection. Such tents are used, for example, by public utilities service presonnel when working at ground level or in underground installations where the entrance through a manhole must be sheltered. One example of such collapsible tent and frame may be found described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,482 issued May 14, 1974 to Beavers. 
     It has been found that such tent structures are also extremely useful on utilities pole or ladder. However, as of now, no support bracket has been devised to securely mount these tent structures on above ground supporting structures. 
     OBJECTS AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bracket which enables a tent structure to be installed at various locations to provide temporary shelter from the elements to users or workers carrying out certain tasks under its protection. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a tent bracket suitable for various mountings (ladder, pole, etc.) 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tent bracket which is compact and which may be folded and carried easily when not in use. 
     The present invention therefore relates to a tent bracket for securing a tent structure to a supporting structure, comprising: 
     a horizontal frame having a central portion and opposite extremities; 
     means provided at the central portion for securing the horizontal frame to the supporting structure; 
     a pair of arms each having one end rotatably mounted to a respective extremity of the horizontal frame and the other end adapted to detachably receive the tent structure, each arm being angularly adjustable relative to the horizontal frame; and 
     means for fixing the arms in angular position relative to the horizontal frame. 
     In one preferred form of the invention, each arm is formed of a pair of sections wherein one of the sections is rotatably mounted at one end thereof to the horizontal frame while the other section has its remote free end adapted to be connected to the tent structure. Both sections have their remaining ends interconnected in a rotatable manner with means for fixing them in a predetermined angular relation to one another. 
     The central portion of the tent bracket is shaped either to fit onto the rung of a ladder or directly to a pole. However, it should be noted that the bracket of the present invention may have many other uses; for example it may be mounted to the support structure which is usually found adjacent a manhole. Furthermore, the bracket of the present invention should not be limited to its application with tent shelters for utilities service personnel. For example, the tent bracket could be mounted to the side frame of a boat for sheltering people, such as fishers, from the elements. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention is the arrangement of the arms in a plane which is offset with respect to the plane of the horizontal frame so that the arms can be folded over the frame and may be compactingly stored for easy transportation. 
     Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention is given by way of illustration only since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     IN THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a tent bracket made in accordance with the present invention, being mounted on a ladder and supporting a tent structure shown in dotted lines; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the bracket mounted on the ladder; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 2, this figure is seen on the same sheet as FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3a is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the tent bracket mounted on two rungs of a double ladder; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view as seen from lines 4--4 of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view as seen from lines 5--5 of FIG. 2, this figure being on the sheet showing FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 6--6 of FIG. 2, this figure being seen on the sheet illustrating FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 7--7 of FIG. 6: 
     FIG. 8 is a top plan view showing the tent bracket of the present invention being mounted to a pole, the figure being illustrated on the sheet showing FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 9 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 9; and 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 11--11 of FIG. 9. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a portion of a ladder 10 on which is mounted the tent bracket of the present invention generally designated 12. This bracket supports a tent structure 14 which is formed of a frame and a skin. Only a pair of Y-shaped struts 16 and 18 of the tent frame have been illustrated in order to better understand the present invention. 
     Referring additionally to FIG. 2, the tent bracket 12 of the present invention comprises a horizontal frame 20 and a pair of arms 22 and 24 mounted at each opposite end thereof. The horizontal frame 20 extends across the two vertical uprights 26 and 28 of the ladder with the two opposite ends thereof extending beyond the uprights and displaying a pair of arms 22 and 24 which are adapted to receive the lower part of the struts 16 and 18 of the tent frame. Each arm 22, 24 is formed of two articulated sections 22a and 22b, 24a and 24b, respectively. 
     Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, the horizontal frame 20 includes a central portion 30 which is formed of a horizontal plate 32 which extends rearwardly between the ladder uprights and is adapted to engage one rung 34a of the ladder and of a vertical plate 36 which is adapted to engage the next lower rung 34b of the ladder. The horizontal plate 32 has a downward rear wall 38, the innerface of which abuts a pair of springs 40 which have their opposite ends acting against an inverted U-shaped rung engaging member 42. The spring forces its end wall 42a against the rung 34a. In FIG. 3a, member 42 is shown engaging two adjacent rungs 37 and 39 of a double ladder generally denoted 41. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the horizontal portion of member 42 slides into an elongated bracket 44 having its opposite ends 46 and 48 fixed to the undersurface of the horizontal plate 32. The opposite end 42b of member 42 bears against a semi-circular portion 48 of a lever 50. It will be seen that pivoting the lever 50 about a pin 52 in the direction of arrow 54 will cause portion 48 to move member 42 against the force exerted by the pair of springs 40, to thereby free wall 42a from the rung 34a. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates various positions of the arm sections 22a, 22b, 24a, 24b. Hence, arm sections 22a and 24a may adopt various angular positions with respect to the horizontal frame 20 while arm sections 22b, 24b may adopt various angular positions with respect to the arm sections 22a and 24a, and, consequently, to the horizontal frame 20. Means are provided at 56, 58, 60 and 62 to fix the various arm sections into a predetermined angular position with respect to frame 20 as well as to one another. Referring more particularly to FIGS. 5 and 6, these fixing means are illustrated as consisting of a handle 64, 66, respectively, which is manually operated vertically to extend a vertical locking pin 68 and 70 under the action of a spring 72, 74 in and out of circumferentially spaced holes 76 (see FIG. 7 for handle 66). 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the arm sections 24a and 24b are shown disposed in separate horizontal planes. This allows for possible rotation of 360° of arms 22b, 24b relative to arms 22a, 24a. As both arm sections extend in planes above that of the horizontal plate 32, they may be folded over this plate to form a compact instrument for transport and storing. 
     The arm sections, together, are capable of rotating 360° with respect to frame 20 so that the tent bracket of the present invention can be mounted to various support structures such as the public utilities pole 80, shown in FIG. 8. In this embodiment, the arm sections 22 and 24 are pivoted towards the plate side of the central portion 30. The vertical plate 36 has a curved outer surface 36a to abut the pole surface and the bracket is attached to the pole by means of a strap 82 or the like. 
     Referring to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, another tent bracket made in accordance with the present invention is shown. The horizontal frame 132 of the central portion 130 has a T-shaped opening 131 in which rests a handle 150. One curved extremity 151 of the handle is equipped with a pair of rollers 153 and 155 which contact the rear wall 142b of the rung engaging member 142 when the handle is pivoted in the direction of arrow 154 about pin 152. Also, in this embodiment, member 142 is mounted to slide on a pair of rods 156 and 158 fixed to plates 136 and 138 of the central frame 132. A pair of springs 140 are coaxially mounted on rods 156 and 158 and abut the inner wall of frame 138 and the upper portion of wall 142a. By abutting wall 142b, rollers 153 and 155 forces member rearwardly against the springs 140 to free a rung (not shown) from the inner engaging face of wall 142a. 
     To reinforce the horizontal frame 120, a pair of braces 117 and 119 are soldered thereto on opposite sides of the central portion 130. 
     In this embodiment, the arm sections 122a, 122b, 124a and 124b extend in the same horizontal plane which is offset vertically, however, relative to the horizontal frame 120. As illustrated in FIG. 11, the end of arm section 122a is arranged to be received between the upper and lower plates of arm section 122b. The fixing means 162 of this embodiment are similar to those shown in FIG. 6 with the exception that the handle 166 has an inclined bottom wall 167 which maintains the locking pin 170 in the raised position after a slight rotation of the handle. Similarly constructed handles are provided at 170, 172, 174. 
     A detailed description of the other elements of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 is not deemed necessary since their construction and operation are similar to that given for the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-8. 
     Although the invention has been described with respect to some forms of the invention, it will be understood that it may be refined and modified in various ways. Furthermore, the use of the tent bracket of the present invention is not to be limited to that of a working instrument for the public utilities personel. Indeed, one can envisage that the tent bracket could be mounted for example to the side rim of a motor or row boat. It is therefore wished to have it understood that the present invention should not be limited in interpretation except by the terms of the following claims.