AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE FRAMES OF PORTABLE TENTS AND LIKE STRUCTURES AND IN FASTENINGS CONNECTED THEREWITH to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I EDWARD LYON BERTHON of The Vicarage, Romsey, Hants, Master of Arts
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE FRAMES OF PORTABLE TENTS
AND LIKE STRUCTURES AND IN FASTENINGS CONNECTED THEREWITH to be as
follows:-
"
"
The object of this invention is to make the frames of tents from strips of wood,
rivetted, or otherwise secured together in the direction of their length said strips
may be of curved or moulded to shape according to the position the compound
strips have to occupy. The strips when so made are hinged, linked or otherwise
connected for folding purposes, the joint portions being provided with clip links
which can be slipped over projections or over overlapping ends. The lower ends
of some of the strips can have sliding bolts or plugs attached to enable the part or
parts to be secured to the ground in combination or not with guy ropes and screw
toggles.
The compound strips such as those forming the uprights can have oyes or step
pieces on them for the strainer rods to fit into to keep the sides of the canvas
extended.
In making a bell tent all the upper compound strips are linked or jointed to a
common centre at top so that when the uprights or belly portion are set free they
can be brought close together and then the upper curved portion which are also
close together can be folded downwards and then strapped up to enable it to be
easily carried.

page_text: An Improvement in the Construction and Arrangement of
the Frames of Portable Tents and like Structures, and in
I EDWARD LYON BERTHON of The Vicarage, Romsey, Hants, Master of Arts
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE FRAMES OF PORTABLE TENTS
AND LIKE STRUCTURES AND IN FASTENINGS CONNECTED THEREWITHI and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
"
The object of this invention is to make the frames or portions of the frames of
tents from strips of wood rivetted or otherwise secured together in the direction of
their length, said strips may be curved or moulded to shape according to the
position the compound strips have to occupy. The strips when so made are hinged,
linked.or otherwise connected for folding purposes, the joint portions being provided
with clip links which can be slipped over projections or over overlapping ends.
The lower ends of some of the strips can have sliding bolts or plugs attached to
enable the part or parts to be secured to the ground in combination or not with
guy ropes and screw toggles.
The uprights can have eyes or step pieces on them for the strainer rods to fit into
to keep the sides of the canvas extended.
In making a bell tent all the upper strips are linked or jointed to a common
centre, at top, so that when the uprights or belly portion are set free they can be
brought close together and then the upper curved portions which are also close
together, can be folded downwards and then strapped up to enable it to be easily
carried.
My Invention is clearly represented in the annexed drawings in which Figure 1
shows one of my rib frames A with a portion B forming a shoulder bent and
moulded to shape, preferably when steamed. The lower end of this rib A. is shod
with a kind of plug C wedge shaped to readily enter the ground when pressure
is exerted upon the step piece D.
Figure 2 represents a modified construction of rib A the shoulder B only being
formed by saw cuts as shown where the bending and moulding to shape has to be
effected, this part being cemented, rivetted or otherwise secured to hold the strips
firmly together.
The shoulder B is also bound by the strap E of a hinge joint F a portion of
which strap forms the meeting surface to that of another strap G secured to the
top of the upright A the inner portion having a clip loop H attached which loop
can be sprung over a projection I of the other strap to bind the meeting edges
firmly together.
When the clip loop H is unfastened the upper portion B of the frame rib can
He fulde down as shown at Figure 3 to reduce the length and to make it more
compact.
The lower end of the rib A Figure 2 is provided with a sliding bolt J which can
be forced into the ground to secure the rib into position.

page_text: At Figure 4 I show a modified form of clip loop H which has a sliding motion
upwards to secure the hinge joint in position its downward motion being limited by
the studs K, K. .
The upper ends L of these ribs A, B, have a metallic strap M secured over them
the ends being looped and hold a strip of leather N therein to link them side
by side but at a distance apart as in the view Figure 5. The centre rib of the
series has a metallic ring N' attached so that when the ribs are spread in a circular
direction as would be the case in forming a bell or similar tent they would
assume the position indicated by Figure 6 the gap between the two ends of
the ribs of the series when in this position serve for the doorway or entrance to
the tent.
The ribs A have stretchers P fastened to them by a cord as at Figure 2 the
stretchers being of wood with the ends notched so that they can be pushed into
position to strain the canvas.
Where tents are required to be fixed metal stretchers P as at Figuro 3 can be
attached to the ribs A to take into eyes on the adjoining ribs.
The canvas of the body portion of the tent is attached in sections to the ribs
by copper nails or tacks and the meeting or overlapping edges of the canvas and
the nail heads are in practice covered by a strip of wood to protect them. The
canvas of the body portion terminates at about the hinge joint, if the ribs are
hinged.
The upper or cover sections R of the canvas are separate from the body sections
and are secured to the upper portions of the ribs in a similar manner. Their lower
ends are cut to any desired shape but I prefer that they form flaps S S which serve
as weather sheets which can be buttoned down to the body canvas or be spread
out as weather guards as at Figuro 7.
The upper ends of the cover canvas stop short near the centre of the tent and
are covered with a loose fitting screen T for ventilation purposes, this screen is
surmounted by a knob of any suitable shape whose lower end fits the metal. ring N¹
as a terminal.
In the drawings at Figures 7, 8 and 9 I show three forms of tents whose ribs
may each be according to Figure 1 or according to Figure 2, if according to Figure 1
when the lower ends are lifted from the ground and the stretchers loosened the
whole of the ribs can be brought close together parallel with each other into
position the canvas being gathered in during the folding and the whole strapped
together for easy carriage or removal but if the ribs are jointed as at Figuros 2,
3 and 4 they can be brought side by side as before explained and the clip loops
released, the upper ends B being then folded down upon the uprights A in which
position they can be strapped together as shown at Figures 10 and 11.
By this arrangement the length is much reduced and more compact occupying
less rooin for storage than is the case with the former arrangement.
The door portion of the tent is formed from a separate canvas having a strip of
wood attached at its outer edge so that it can be folded over the opening or set
back against one of the sections as shown at Figuro 8.
The flap over the door detachable at one edge only may be of any dimensions to
serve as a weather sheet against rain or the rays of the sun and in say fine weather
the other flaps may, be buttoned on the cover canvas for free ventilation over the
top edge of the body canvas.
Tents made according to my invention have no central pole consequently the
whole interior of the tent is available for use and may be of any shape or
dimensions and two or more of them can be arranged as to form a single tent.
As an additional security to the tent during, say, high winds Guy ropes U U and
pegs VV (or toggles) may be fitted as at Figure 7.
The upper portions may have a canvas lining to form a space between that and
the outer covering which inner lining is fastened in the same way to the inner
edges of the ribs leaving a space between them for the passage of heated air to rise
and escape at the top ventilators.

page_text: In some cases two or more of the adjoining uprights may be connected at their
lower ends by battens W W to which wheels may be fitted to facilitate removal of
the tent say from one place to another in a field or garden, the shoes bolts or plugs
of the other uprights having been withdrawn from the ground, but the stretchers
not released, such as will be understood by reference to Figure 9.
I make these tents of a portable character for temporary use in Cricket fields,
Lawn Tennis Grounds, for Camping out and other similar as well as for Military
purposes such as at Firing points during Shooting competitions in which cases the
stretchers may serve as racks for rifles as at Figure 8.
The tent is not sewn together like others, in fact the needle is dispensed with
except for hemming and binding the tops and bottoms of the segments but the
canvas is permanently attached so that the framework canvas and every part of
the whole are absolutely united together.
Another feature is that the two skins or coverings of the tent top being separated
from each other by the thickness of the ribs, the heated air passes up between them
and escapes by the ventilators at the top.
A further feature is the tent is self supporting without ropes of any kind it can
be lifted bodily after being erected and moved into any other position near at
hand.
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
First The construction and arrangement of frames of portable tents and in the
means of securing the same in an open position also the method of closing the frames
up into a small compass for easy removal as herein set forth.
Secondly Securing canvas permanently in sections to the ribs of tents which
ribs with the canvas can be brought close together and the canvas gathered in as
described.
Thirdly The construction of portable tents having radial ribs connected at a
central upper part dispensing with the usual centre pole as described and
substantially as shown in the annexed drawings.
Fourthly Jointing the ribs of tents to enable one part to be folded to the other
to reduce length of package as set forth.