IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FITTINGS OP TENTS, ESPECIALLY SUITABLE FOR MILITARY PURPOSES
Year: 1855

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Arthur Wellington Callen, Joseph
West, and George Washington Lewis at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 17th April 1855.
We, ARTHUR WELLINGTON CALLEN, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, and JOSEPH WEST, of Guernsey, Engineer, & GEORGE WASH-
INGTON LEWIS, of Bristol, U.S., do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FITTINGS OP TENTS,
ESPECIALLY SUITABLE FOR MILITARY PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to certain modes of constructing and fitting tents for
military and other purposes. These tents may be made in a square, oblong,
or polygonal form, and consists of a number of open frames of iron, fixed
together side to side, so as to make a fence, enclosure, or partition, or number
of enclosures or partitions, according as the form of the tent may require. The
enclosure or enclosures formed by these frames is then covered in by means of
a cover of waterproof calico, canvass, or other suitable material, the apex or
ridge of the said cover being supported by one or more hollow iron shafts or
pipes, fitted together in suitable lengths, and forming a chimney or chimnies
as well as supports. The tent cover is fastened at the ridge or apex to a collar
or collars upon the supporting pipe or-pipes. A flange projecting over the cover
makes the joint water-tight. Upon that portion of the pipe which projects

page_text: above the roof of the tent there is a sliding cap, in which there are a number
of holes or luffers for the ventilation of the tent. At the bottom of this pipe
one or more stoves are attached, for heating the tent, cooking, &c. These
stoves are made with a chamber above the fire, in the top of which there is an
aperture for the insertion of a pan or boiler for cooking, &c.; when the pan is
removed the aperture is closed by a lid to prevent the escape of heat. In the
front of this chamber (which--forms-an-oven when-closed) there.is.a moveable
door for access thereto. To the shafts or pipes which support, the cover of the
tent, the open frames are secured at the top by a nuinber of tie rods or cords
or wire ropes, which are sufficiently over head for drying wet clothes or for
other purposes.
At the bottom of each frame (which form the enclosure or
partition),. on one side there is an eye, and on the other side a leg or foot pin.
The leg or foot pin of one frame passes through the eye on the adjoining
frame, and, being forced into the earth; holds both together, and at the same
time admits of a slight difference in the respective levels. In the sides of
these frames, on one side are two long slots, and on the opposite side of the
frame two studs with cross heads;assthe frames are placed side by side these
heads pass through the slots, and being turned a quarter round hold the frames
secure together, the length of the slot also allowing a difference in the respective
levels of the frames, as before mentioned.. At the top of these frams there is
a wood rail, smooth and rounded;, and over this rail (which when the frames are
joined together form a continuous bearing) the tent cover is stretched as it
extends from the ridge or apex to the ground. From where the cover meets
the top of these frames to the bottom (the said cover may be single or
double), the inner part, if double, passes down the side of the enclosure, and is
fastened to the frames at the bottom; the outer part (of the cover) continues
the slope to the ground, where it is fastened by a number of screw moorings,.
with a hook at the top of each (in lieu of the ordinary pegs). To the bottom
of the cover a number of elastic eyes (or other suitable springs) are.fixed, and
these eyes are slipped over or into the screw hooks taut, and thus not only
support and secure the whole, büt admit of a slight yielding of the cover to
the force of the wind. For egress or regress to and from the tent, one of the
frames is left open, a corresponding opening being left in the cover. Between.
the sides of each of the iron frames we form an inner frame, which folds or
shuts up flush therein, and which when let down forms a bedstead, couch, sofa,
or other seat- or table, according as the frame is filled in with a sacking,
webbing, or boarded. Within the said rising and falling frames last mentioned.
there are folding supports or legs, which also shut up flush with the same.
The rising and falling frames, above mentioned, are intended to be let down.

page_text: into the inside of the enclosure formed by the fixed frames, and in case of
necessity, by having extra sackings, &c., an extra sleeping surface could be
formed between every two of the frames when so let down. Across each pair
of the fixed frames, on the outside of the enclosure, there is another rising &
falling frame, which when let down also forms a bedstead (there being one of
them across the head of each two of the enclosure frames), the supports which
fold within the same, the whole of which also shuts within the thickness
of the enclosure frames. The enclosure frames and internal frames when
shut up lie flat upon each other, so that the whole occupy a small space
for portability.