Adjustable tension shelter assembly
AssigneeColorado Mineral Strike, Inc.
InventorsSteven E. Mallookis, Albert W. Gebhard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A collapsible shelter of the type having an awning and collapsible frame, the frame having either adjustable or fixed end caps at its corners bearing against reinforcing strips, and a center post unit forming a part of the frame is both spring-loaded and can be adjustably tensioned to regulate the tautness of the awning.
Claims15
In a shelter of the type having an awning and a collapsible frame having vertical support legs at spaced peripheral intervals beneath said awning, and a center support extending upwardly from said frame into engagement with an undersurface portion of said awning at its center, the improvement comprising:
- said center support including upper and lower telescoping sleeve members with an upper terminal end of said upper sleeve member engaging the undersurface of said awning, biasing means defined by a spring member mounted under compression between said upper and lower sleeve members resiliently urging said upper sleeve member in a direction causing said awning to be raised at its center, and adjustment means engaging said biasing means for regulating the degree of tension exerted by said biasing means on said upper sleeve and awning, said adjustment means including a nut slidable axially with respect to said upper and lower sleeve members and a manually adjustable threaded rod extending upwardly from a lower end of said lower sleeve into threaded engagement with said nut.
In a collapsible shelter wherein an awning is surmounted on a collapsible frame, said frame having vertical support legs at corners of said awning and a center support extending upwardly from said frame into engagement with an undersurface of said awning, the improvement comprising:
- corner reinforcement strips interposed between said awning and said support legs;
- and
- said center support including upper and lower telescoping sleeve members with an upper terminal end of said upper sleeve member engaging said undersurface of said awning, biasing means including a spring mounted under compression between said upper and lower sleeve members for resiliently urging said upper sleeve member in a direction causing said awning to be raised at its center with respect to said corners, and threaded adjustment means engaging said biasing means for regulating the tension exerted by said biasing means on said upper sleeve and awning as well as the tension between said reinforcement strips and said support legs, said threaded adjustment means including a nut slidable axially with respect to said upper and lower sleeve members and a manually adjustable threaded rod extending upwardly from a lower end of said lower sleeve into threaded engagement with said nut.
In a collapsible shelter of the type having an awning and a collapsible frame with vertical support legs at spaced intervals around an outer peripheral edge of said awning and a center support extending upwardly from said frame into engagement with an undersurface portion of said awning, the improvement comprising:
- flexible reinforcement members interposed between upper ends of said support legs and said awning;
- and
- adjustable tensioning means at upper terminal ends of said support legs including a bearing member and means for urging said bearing member against said reinforcement members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.