Pivotal frame structure for collapsible umbrella type tent

摘要

A collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type including a foldable frame and a cover of sheet material affixed to the frame. The tent frame comprises a plurality of support members and novel means of pivotally connecting the mutually respective ends of the support members to a central hub. The central hub is mounted on erecting guide means, which preferably has the form of an erecting rod or cord. A second hub is mounted on the guide means below the central hub, and a plurality of rib members are pivotally connected at mutually respective ends to the second hub, using novel connecting means similar to that used with the support members. The other ends of the rib members are pivotally connected to corresponding, respective support members, so that when the shelter is in its erected form, the support members extend outwardly and downwardly from the central hub, the second hub is positioned adjacent or proximate to the central hub, the rib members extend substantially radially outwardly from the erecting guide, and the cover is held tautly affixed to the frame. The novel connecting means comprise neck portions in the first and second hubs, respectively, with ring members encircling the respective neck portions. Circular, ring-shaped hooks are provided on the respective ends of the support members and rib members, and the hooks are adapted for attachment to respective ring members with the outside circumference of the hooks nesting within the concave shaped neck portions of the hubs for pivotal movement about the respective ring members. When the shelter is collapsed, the support members extend downwardly as a bundle from the central hub, the rib members are folded to positions substantially within the bundle of collapsed support members, and the cover is loosely affixed to the frame. In a preferred embodiment, the support members are segmented and can be folded upon themselves to greatly shorten the length of the collapsed bundle thereof.