Improvements in Frames for Portable Structures.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 29th Apr., 1887.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Frames for Portable Structures.
I, ALBION WINEGAR TOURGÉE, of Mayville, in the County of Chautauqua, in the
State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FRAMES FOR PORTABLE STRUCTURES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to metallic frames for portable structures, such as houses,
tents, barns, &c. The frame, according to my invention, is constructed of a series of
tubular, or semi-tubular, rods or bars having screw-threaded or tapering ends, and
coupled together at their points of juncture by interiorily screw-threaded or tapering
unions, and braced at suitable portions of the structure by curved braces of semi-
circular form in cross section, and provided with screw-threaded ends which, when
in position, engage thimbles or cups upon the tubular rods or bars, the lower ends
of the vertical rods or uprights forming the body of the structure being screwed
within screw-threaded sockets in tent pins each having at its upper end a circum-
ferential flange or collar, the ends of the structure being braced together by
transversely-extending beams of angular shape in cross-section and having at their
respective ends a curved hook-shaped portion which rests upon the collar or flange on
the top of the tent pins and engages with the adjacent vertical bars or rods while the
sides of the body portion of the structure are braced by similarly-shaped angle beams
or bars having curved or hook-shaped ends which engage with the end-bracing beams,
all of which, with the other details of construction, will hereafter be more fully
described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a complete frame constructed according
to my
invention.
Figure 2, represents a portion of one of the end-bracing beams or bars.
Figure 3, represents a similar view of one of the side-bracing beams.
Figure 4, represents a perspective view of one of the curved braces with connecting
thimbles.
Figure 5, is a vertical section of one of the couplings.

page_text: Figure 6, is a vertical section of one of the tent. pins.
Figure 7, represents a sectional end view of one of the sills or side beams.
Figure 8, a sectional side view of one of the sleepers.
Figure 9, an elevation of a-sectional tubular rod or bar.
Figure 10, represents a preferred form of canvas-attaching hook.
In figure 1, of the drawings I have represented a frame suitable either for a fent,
small house, barn, or similar structure. A, represents the tent pins which are hollow
their whole length, or have a socket formed therein and which at their lower ends
may be of taper, pointed, or other suitable form to facilitate their insertion in the
ground, and have around their upper portion a circumferential ring or flange B.--
these pins are screw-threaded, interiorily, at their upper portions to receive the screw-
threaded lower ends of tubular metallic rods or bars C, forming the corners or ends of the
structure. D, represents metallic beams of angular shape in cross-section, and having
at each end a hook-shape portion E, which, when said beams are placed in position,
rest upon the upper faces of the flanges or rings B, and embrace, or partly embrace,
the adjacent tubular end bars and thus brace the same together. F, represents
angularly-shaped side beams, or sills, also of metal, and having at their respective ends
a hook-shaped portion F, which hooks are of angular shape corresponding with and
hook over the end-bracing beams B, thus locking said beams B, and F, together and
effectually bracing the body portion of the structure. These sills have a flange or
ledge a, extending inwardly from their inner faces, on which the sleepers G rest and
are supported, the sleepers being provided with outwardly-extending flanges bb, which
rest upon the flanges a, of the sills. Upon the sleepers G, the flooring is laid, said
flooring being formed in sections to rest and snugly fit between the sleepers.
The top portion, or roof, of the frame is composed of tubular, horizontal, side and
end bars I, and J, angularly extending end bars K, and ridge bar L, each of which
are screw-threaded at their respective ends; the adjacent screw-threaded ends of the
bars C, I, J, K, and L, are connected together by interiorily screw-threaded unions
or couplings M, M, into which the screw-threaded ends of said bars are screwed.
N, represents tubular, or curved, and conically-shaped cups or thimbles which either
slide or are screwed along the bars-G,-and K, and form sockets to receive the lower
ends of the curved braces O, bracing the upright bars C, and the top side bars I,
together, and the two ends of the curved, or arched, braces P, bracing the adjacent
angularly-extending end bars K. The braces O, and P, are of semi-cylindrical or
U-shape in cross-section, of equal width from end to end, and at their respective ends,
when in position, embrace and grip the bars with which they are in contact. Screw
threads are formed on the respective ends of these braces O, and P, by which, by
forming the thimbles N, with interior screw threads, the thimbles can be adjusted to
any desired position upon the tubular bars and thereby not only permit of braces of
different lengths being employed, but ensure said braces being held securely in
position or readily removed when desired, as the screwing of them up will tighten
the braces and hold them firmly in bracing contact with the adjacent bars, while
when it is desired to remove said braces, such can readily be accomplished by simply
unscrewing the thimbles. R, represents holes formed in the tubular bars within
which hooks or buttons attached to the canvas or other frame covering may be
inserted for the purpose of securing the proper stretching of the cover upon such
frame and its retention in position. At c, I have represented a preferred form of
hook for securing the frame-covering to the frame bars. This hook is struck up out
of sheet metal, preferably with a curved face d, and with a rear eyelet-portion e, by
which the combined eyelet-hook is sewn or otherwise connected to the frame-covering,
and with a front hook-shaped portion, which engages with the holes in the side bars
of the frame. The advantage of using such a construction of combined eyelet and
hook is, that after the hook, has been clasped into a pole or bar, another hook,
attached by the eyelet e, to another piece of canvas or frame-covering may be caught
into or engaged with the eyelet of the first-named hook so as to unite the two sheets
of frame-covering.
In the lighter structures, such as ordinary tents, instead of forming the ends of the

page_text: rods or bars, braces, unions, tent pins, &c., with screw threads, those portions may
simply be made tapering so as to fit together by friction or a portion of such parts
may be formed with connecting screw threads, and a portion with tapering connecting
portions as may be desired.
The metallic bars forming the frame of the structure may be either made each of a
single tubular piece of metal, or each or any number of said bars may be formed of
two semi-cylindrical portions as represented in figure 9, in which case, when the
structure is to be built up, the two parts g, h, are placed together, edge to edge, and
inserted into the swaged or threaded unions, thereby being held firmly together and
constituting a cylindrical bar. The object of thus constructing the bars of two
semi-cylindrical parts, is to permit of the two halves being readily packed within each
other so as to economize space, and facilitate their transportation.
A frame constructed according to my invention can be very readily and expedi-
tiously built up and disconnected by unskilled workmen, as all that is necessary to
build the frame is to first drive the tent pins A, into the ground, then screw within
the screw-threaded sockets of said pins the lower ends of the upright bars C, then
hook the end-bracing bars or beams D, upon said upright bars with the hooked
ends resting upon the rings or flanges B, on the top of the tent pins, and hook the
side-bracing beams F, upon the end beams D, then connect the unions or couplings M,
to the upper ends of the uprights C, and screw into said couplings the bars I, J, and K,
and apply the couplings M, to the upper ends of the bars K, and then screw.the
ridge bar L, in the upper arms of said couplings M³, and, finally, apply the braces O,
and P. When it is desired to take down the frame, the cover is removed the thimbles
and the braces disengaged, the bars I, K, and I, removed from the couplings M, M',
and the couplings M, removed from the uprights C, the beams D, and E, removed
from said uprights, which are then unscrewed from the tent pins, and the pins with-
drawn from the ground; when so disjointed, the several parts constituting the frame
can be assembled and packed into a comparatively small space, rendering its trans-
portation easy and inexpensive. By constructing the bars of metal, and in tubular
form, and the beams, braces and thimbles of sheet metal, I am enabled to secure
a strong frame of minimum weight and cost. The several parts, except the tent pins,
which may be malleable castings, may be made of any sheet or other metal, steel being
preferred. Instead of forming the bars (, I, J, K, and L, tubular throughout, they
may have tubular serew-threaded ends, and be of semi-circular form in cross-section."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A frame for tents, portable houses, and other structures, composed of a series of
hollow metallic bars having screw-threaded ends, tent pins having screw-threaded
sockets, screw-threaded unions adapted to receive and connect the adjacent screw-
threaded ends of the frame bars, horizontal beams adapted to brace the lower portion
of the frame, and curved braces adapted to grip the hollow bars, and cups or thimbles
connected to said hollow bars for the purpose of securing said braces in position,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a frame for portable houses and other structures, the combination with tubular
upright bars forming the body portion and having screw-threaded lower ends, of a
tent pin having at its upper portion a screw-threaded socket and a circumferential ring
or flange, end-bracing beams having hook-shaped ends to permit of their engaging the
uprights, and side-bracing bars or beams having hook-shaped ends adapted to hook
over the end-bracing beams, substantially as set forth.
3. A frame for portable structures, having tubular bars provided with perforations
or holes to receive the cover-securing devices, and threaded ends, threaded couplings
for securing said bars together, a series of braces adapted to grip said bars, and
thimbles adapted to hold said braces in position, substantially as set forth.
4. In a frame for portable structures, the combination of a series of round bars,
unions for coupling the same together, and curved flanged braces adapted to grip and
brace said bars in position, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 5. A frame for portable structures, composed of a series of hollow metallic bars or
rods, tent pins adapted to receive the lower ends of said bars, unions adapted to receive
and connect the adjacent ends of the bars constituting the upper portion of the frame,
semi-cylindrical curved bracing bars to engage and partly embrace the frame bars,
thimbles adapted to slide along said frame bars, and clamp the braces in position, and
suitable side and end-bracing bars connecting with and bracing the lower portion of
the structure, substantially as set forth.
6. A frame for portable structures, constructed substantially as described, and having
flanged sills and flanged sleepers to support the flooring, substantially as set forth.
7. A frame for portable structures, having a series of semi-cylindrical bars, unions
or couplings for coupling the ends of the respective sections and securing the same
together, a series of braces adapted to grip said bars, and thimbles adapted to hold
said braces in position, substantially as set forth.
8. In a frame for portable structures, the semi-tubular bars herein-described, in
combination with suitable irons or couplings for coupling the respective sections of
said hars together, substantially as set forth.
9. In a frame for portable structures, the combination with the tubular, or semi-
tubular, bars having holes formed therein to permit of the securing of the frame-
covering thereto as herein-described, of a suitable covering, and a series of eyelet-
hooks each composed of a rear oyolot-shaped portion adapted to be attached to the
frame-covering, and front hook-shaped portion adapted to engage either with the
holes in the frame bars, or with the eyelet-shaped portion of an adjacent eyelet-hook,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Datal this On day of March An 1887
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.