A METHOD OF TIGHTENING TENTS, AND A LEVER MECHANISM FOR USE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE METHOD

Abstract: A lever mechanism (1, 3) with a suitably great transmission ratio is used to avoid an unpleasant, wrinkled appearance of too poorly tightened tents, which are supported by telescoping tubes, the free outer ends of the tube parts of said telescoping tubes being connectible with their respective parts of the tent canvas (10), said telescoping tubes being extended as much as possible upon tightening of the tent canvas (10) before the telescoping tube parts (4, 5) are tightened together.

Description: A method of tightening tents, and a lever mechanism for use in the performance of the method The invention concerns a method of the type stated in the introductory portion of claim 1. It is common to support and attach the tent canvas on a tubular frame whose individual tube connections consist of telescoping tubes. After the erection of the tubular frame and the attachment of the tent canvas on it, the tent is tightened by manually pulling out each individual telescoping tube forming part of the tubular frame as much as possible and tightening the parts of each individual telescoping tube together, while they are extended, by a tightening means. ■ It is not particularly expedient to pull the tube parts apart m and keep them in. the extended position against the force of stitches in the tent canvas while a tightening means has to be activated. This has generally resulted in too poorly tightened tents causing increased wear and an unpleasant, wrinkled appearance. The object of the invention is to improve the method stated in the opening paragraph so that the tent can be tightened properly without great efforts. This object is achieved in that the method stated in the opening paragraph is characterized by the features defined in the characterizing portion of claim 1. In the method of the invention, it is possible - through the use of the transmission ratio of the lever mechanism - to impart a considerably harder and thus correct tightening to the tent and to maintain this tightened state by means of the lever mechanism with one hand, while the other hand is free to tighten the telescoping tube parts together. The invention also concerns a lever mechanism for use in the performance of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, this lever mechanism is characterized by the features defined in the character¬ izing portion of claim 2, but, as stated in claim 3, it may also be embodied as a jack. The invention will be explained more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which fig. 1 shows a piece of a tent canvas and a lever mechanism for tightening the tent canvas, fig. 2 shows the lever mechanism alone, *» fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of a lever mechanism according to the invention, and fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of a lever mechanism according to the invention. The lever mechanism shown in figs. 1 and 2 consists of a lever 1 having at one end an S-shaped hook 2 rotatably mounted therein and a likewise rotatably mounted loop 3 at a distance of about 1/5 of the lever length from said end . Fig. 1 moreover shows a telescoping tube forming part of the tubular frame, said tube having tube parts, the outer tube 4 and the inner tube 5, with pins 6 and 7, respective¬ ly, for engaging metal rings or eyes 8 and 9, respectively, in a piece of tent canvas 10 to be tightened. Tightening is effected by attaching the S-hook 2 on the inner tube 5 at a suitable distance from a screw-like tightener 12 on the outer tube 4 and causing the. free end of the loop 3 to engage the'screw 12. It is expedient to place a piece of slotted tubing 11, e.g. of PVC, between the S-hook 2 and the inner tube 5 to protect the inner tube and to provide for better friction and thus attachment of the S-hook 2 on the inner tube . When tightening as shown in fig. 1 has been obtained by means of the transmission ratio and is maintained by one hand, the screw 12 is screwed inwardly to engage the inner tube 5 with the other hand. The tightening is maintained by this. Fig. 3 shows- a slightly am'ende-d embodiment in which the loop 3 is placed right at the other end of the lever 1 than the S-hook 2. A ball-shaped hand grip 13 is mounted at this other end of the lever 1 to activate the lever mechanism by upward pressure. A reasonable transmission ratio is obtained also with this embodiment. Finally, fig. 4 shows a third embodiment, according to which the lever mechanism consists of a mechanical jack whose one part 14 is attached on the inner tube 5 by means of the S-hook and the tubing 11, and whose other part 15 is engaged with the screw 12, which is in threaded engage- ment with the outer tube 4. The jack is composed in a known manner of a rack on one part 14 to engage a pawl 16 on the other part 15. The jack is operated and activated in a likewise known manner by means of a handle 17.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s 1. A method of tightening tents, tent apses, awnings and the like which are supported by a tubular frame whose indi- vidual tube connections consist of telescoping tubes, the free outer ends of the tube parts of said telescoping tubes being connectible with their respective parts of the tent canvas, said telescoping tubes being extended as much as possible upon tightening of the tent canvas before the telescoping tube parts are tightened together by a tightener, e.g. a screw caused to frictionally engage the inner tube through threads in the outer tube, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by using a lever mechanism with a sui ably great transmission ratio, e.g. 1:5, in the extension of each telescoping tube. 2. A lever mechanism for use in the performance of the meth'od according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it consists of a lever having at one end an S-shaped hook rotatably mounted therein and a likewise rotatably mounted loop closer to the centre of the lever or at the other end of the lever. 3. A lever mechanism for use in the performance of the method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it consists of a jack.

Inventors: ODGAARD PEDER NOERBY, ODGAARD, PEDER, NOERBY
Applicants: JYDSK CAMPING IND AS, JYDSK CAMPING INDUSTRI A/S
Application year: 1986
Main classification: E04H15
IPC codes: E04H15