Improvements in Tents.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar., 1890-Accepted, 3rd May,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tents.
I, JOHN WARRE MALET, of Woolwich in the County of Kent, Caplain of
Northumberland Fusiliers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention relates more especially to light military tents used in field service,
but it may also be applied to tents used for other purposes.
It has for its object a novel method of making such tents, so that they are very
light and capable of easy transport, whilst they are simple, self contained, and
efficient for tlie purposes required.
The improved tent consists of a ridge pole supported at its ends upon two vertical
end poles, the rectangular canvas sides of the tent being united above the ridge
pole, from which they spread out laterally and are pogged to the ground, the
triangular ends being closed by canvas doors of suitable shape.
Each rectangular side is male of a piece of canvas.or.other suitable material, its
upper edge being folded over and sewn down so as to form a tubular case to receive
the ridge pole, par's of it being removed or cut away at intervals to receive the
corresponding parts upon the upper edge of the canvas upon the other side of the
tent, so that when the two are fitted together they form a continuous tubular case
to receive the ridge pole. The ridge pole is made in two halves of equal lengths,
which are connected together when required by a tubular socket or equivalent means,
and the outer end of each half is provided with a ring or loop which fits upon a
vertical pin or projection upon the upper end of the vertical end poles. Instead of
the canvas tubes described, a sufficient number of metal or other rings may be
attached to the canvas.
Along the ends of each of the canvas sides described are sewn or otherwise'
attached triangular canvas flaps, which form doors to the ends of the tent, the flaps
upon each side inceting at a central vertical line when closed together, and being
provided with suitable eyelet holes by which they can be laced together when closed.
Inside each of these triangular flaps or doors is sewn a second thickness of canvas or
other suitable material, its edge parallel with the ends of the side of the tent being.
left unsewn so that a pocket is formed in which the guy ropes, tent pegs, the half
ridge pole, and the parts of the upright end poles can be put away when the tent is
packed up. The end poles are each made in two parts connected together when
they are used, in the same way as the ridge pole already described.
Along the upper edge of the rectangular sides of the tent, parallel to the canvas
inbes for the ridge pole already described, but at a short distance from them, is sewn
the edge of a triangular piece of canvas, one end of which is a few inches deep
whilst it tapers down to a point at the other end.
When the tent is erected, the wide end of one of these pieces is opposite to the
point of that upon the other side of the tent, so that when one is raised and folded
over the ridge pole, the other one can be similarly folded over in the opposite
direction, and the two together cover the junction of the two sides at the ridge pole,
and prevent the entrance of wet.
The outer corners of the flaps may be provided with rope or other loops by which
they can be held down.
In order to put together and pitch the tent, the two halves are laid upon the
ground with the iriangular flaps uppermost, and the canvas tubes for the ridge pole
being fitted into each other, the two parts of the latter are united and it is passed
through the hinges formed by the canvas tubes,
The parts of the two upright end poles are then united, and their upper ends are

page_text: introduced into the rings at the ends of the ridge pole. The tent is then raised upon
the end poles, and its sides spread out so that the canvas half doors upon each side
meet properly at the centre. The triangular flaps are then folded over the top of
the ridge pole as already described, and are held down by ropes from their loose
points, or by other means.
The sides of the tent are pegged down to the ground, and guy ropes from the
upper ends of the vertical poles are used to steady the tent, which is then ready for
usc.
The tent is taken down in a somewhat similar way, the separated end and ridge
poles, the guy ropes, and the pegs, being packed in the pockets in the canvas doors,
and each half of the tent is then rolled or packed up, and in most cases, forms a
package which can be easily carried by one man.
1 prefer to make the parts of the several tents interchangeable, so that any half of
one tent will. fit the corresponding half of any other tent.
At the outer ends of one or both of the canvas tube hinges described, rings of rope
or other material may be fixed through which the ridge pole passes as well as through
the canvas tubes.
Tents constructed according to my invention are cheap, light, and very portable.
They may be made of any desired size or proportions, the side walls being preferably
about seven feet long by five feet deep..
Dated this 19th day of September 1889
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tents.
I, JOHN WARRE MALET, of Woolwich, in the County of Kent, Captain of
Northumberland Fusiliers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings, (that is
to say)
My invention relates more especially to light military tents used in field service,
but it may also be applied to tents used for other purposes.
It has for its object a novel method of making such tents so that they are very
light and capable of easy transport, whilst they are simple, cheap, self contained, and
efficient for the purposes required.
The improved tent consists of a ridge pole or its equivalent supported at its ends
upon two vertical end poles, the two rectangular inclined canvas sides of the tent
being united above the ridge pole, from which they spread out laterally and are
pegged to the ground, the triangular ends being closed by canvas doors of suitable
shape.
In the accompanying drawing which is in illustration of my invention, figure 1
represents one half of the tent laid flat upon the ground, and figure 2-represents the
other corresponding half similarly laid flat. Figure 3 represents the complete tent,
and figure 4 a plan of the same from above and figure 5 an end view.
Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 represent the several parts of the end poles and ridge pole.
Each rectangular side a is made of a piece of canvas or other suitable material,
its upper edge b, c, being folded over and sewn down so as to form a tubular case to
receive the ridge pole, part of it being removed or cut away at intervals to receive
the corresponding parts upon the upper edge of the canvas upon the other side of the
tent, as shewn in figures 1 and 2, so that when the two are fitted together they form a
continuous tubular case to receive the ridge pole as illustrated in figure 4. The ridge
pole itself is made in two or more parts of equal lengths d, e, f, g, (four being shewn
in the drawing) which are connected together when required by tubular sockets or
other equivalent means, and the outer end of each end piece is provided with a

page_text: ring or loop at h, or with a hole which fits upon a vertical pin or projection i upon
the upper end of the vertical end poles.
Instead of the canvas tubes described, a sufficient number of metal or other rings
may be attached to the canvas.
Along the ends of each of the canvas sidos a a¹ described are sewn or otherwise.
attached triangular canvas flaps k, k, l,, which form doors to close the ends of
the tent, the flap upon each side meeting at a central vertical line when closed together,
and being provided with suitable eyelet holes or hooks by which they can be laced
together if desired when closed. Inside each of these triangular flaps or doors is
preferably sewn a second thickness of canvas or other suitable material, its edge
parallel with the ends of the side of the tent being left unsewn so that a pocket is
formed in which the guy ropes, tent pegs, parts of the ridge pole, and the parts of the
upright end poles can be put away when the tent is packed up. The vertical end
poles m, m, are each made in two parts (figures 7 and 9) connected together when
they are used, in the same way as the ridge pole already described.
Along the upper edge of the rectangular sides a a', of the tent, parallel to the
canvas tubes for the ridge pole already described, but at a short distance from them,
is sewn the edge of a triangular piece of canvas n, n', one end of which is a few.
inches deep whilst it tapers down to a point at the other end.
When the tent is
erected as shewn in figure 3, the wide end of one of these pieces n n', is opposite
to the point of that upon the other side of the tent, so that when one is raised and
folded over the ridge pole, the other one can be similarly folded over in the opposite
direction, and the two together cover the junction of the two sides at the ridge pole
(as shewn in figures 3 and 4), and prevent the entrance of wet.
The outer corners of the flaps may be provided with rope or other loops by which
they can be held down, and the edges of the two pieces where they meet may be
laced together by means of eyelet holes or books as shewn.
In order to put together and pitch the tent, the two halves are laid upon the ground
with the triangolar Hups n n uppermost as shewn in figures 1 and 2, and the canvas
tubes for the ridge pole being fitted into each other, the several parts of the latter are
united and it is passed through the binge formed by the canvas tubes.
The parts of the two upright end poles mm, are then united, and their upper
ends are introduced into the rings at the ends of the ridge pole. The tent is then
raised upon the end poles m, m³, and its sides a, a', spread out so that the canvas half
doors k,,, upon each side meet properly at the centre. The triangular flaps n,n,
are then folded over the top of the ridge pole as already described, and are held down
by ropes from their loose points, or by lacing or other means.
The sides of the tent are pegged down to the ground, and guy ropes from the upper
ends of the vertical poles are used to steady the tent (as shown in figure 3), which is
then ready for usc.
"
The improved tent is taken down in a somewhat similar way the separated end and
ridge poles, the guy ropes, and the pegs being packed in the pockets in the canvas
doors (which pockets may however be omitted), and each half of the tent is then
rolled or packed up, and in most cases forms a package which can be easily carried
by one man.
At the outer ends of one or both of the canvas tube hinge described, rings of
rope or other material may be fixed through which the ridge pole passes as well
as through the canvas tubes.
The details of construction and arrangement may be varied more or less according
to the different circumstances in which the improved tents are to be used. For
instance, instead of the ridge pole passing through the tube hinges as already
described and shewn, a rope may be passed through them, the rope being provided
with rings, loops, or attachments to connect it with the vertical end poles. The
rope may be joined by a shackle or other connection at the middle of its length. Or,
instead of the tube hinges, the upper edges of the two sides a, a', of the tent may be
provided with holes, eyelets, or hooks or equivalent fastenings (as illustrated in figure 10)
by which they can readily be laced or attached together when required, the joint so

page_text: formed hanging over the rilge pole or the rope last described and being also attached
to it, if necessary. Or a rope connecting the two parts may itself have loops at its ends
for the same purpose: Instead of the triangular pieces n, n, already described and
shewn, rectangular pieces may be used (as shewn in figures 10 and 11) sewn at their
inner edges to the sides a, a, their outer edges being left loose so that they can be
thrown over the joint at the ridge of the tent, one from each side, their loose edges
being then fastened down.
The sides a, a', of the tent may each be made in two pieces as shewn in figure 11,
laced or otherwise attached together when required.
By connecting a sufficient number of the improved tents together lengthwise, the
end pieces where they meet being turned back, a tent of any required length can be
obtained.
Tents constructed according to my invention are cheap, light, and very portable.
They may be made of any desired size or proportions, the side walls. being preferably
about seven feet long by five feet deep. Guy ropes and other ropes may be used
where required.
By the methods of construction described the parts of the several tents are made
interchangeable, so that any part of one tent will fit any corresponding part of any
other tent, whilst each separate part is very light and portable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and the manner in which the saine is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination of the two parts, each consisting of the side a, or a, having
ends k, l, or k, l, attached to them with the casing or loops or rings or other fastenings
at their upper edge to attach them together and to receive the ridge pole, or rope,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
2. In combination with the two parts forming the tent as described in the first
claim, the ridge pole and end poles made in separate parts which can be connected
together when required substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
3. In combination with the two sides ad of the tent, the pieces n n¹, attached
thereto, substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
4. The pockets formed in the canvas to hold the guy ropes, pegs, and ofher parts,
substantially as herein described.
5. The method of making the tent in two separate parts or sets of parts, each such
part or set of parts forming one section of the entire tent, substantially as described
and shewn.
Dated 01-21. CM1 7000
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Patentee.