ICE FISHING TENT

TENTE POUR PECHE SUR LA GLACE

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Ice fishing tents are generally too complicated in
terms of structure and operation. A relatively simple ice fishing
tent includes a skeletal frame structure defined by rectangular top
and bottom frames with crossbars extending between the sides
thereof. two pairs of parallel, Bisectional uprights connected to
spaced apart crossbars, one pair being located between the other
pair, whereby the uprights can be folded flat between the sides of
the top and bottom frames, hinges interconnecting the sections of
the uprights, the hinges permitting complete folding of the sections
and rotation of the sections relative to each other to an outwardly
bowed condition to lock the tent in the erect position, a seat
pivotally connected to the bottom sections of the narrower pair of
uprights and to a third crossbar for movement from a collapsed base
position to an erect elevated position, and a cover defined by a
pair of panels interconnected by a sleeve, the panels defining the
sides of a carrying cover in the collapsed condition, and forming
the top and bottom of the tent in the erect condition, the sleeve
defining the sides and ends of the tent in the erect condition, and
the panels having handles on one side for carrying the device in the
collapsed condition.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS.
1. A collapsible, portable ice fishing tent comprising first and
second skeletal, rectangular frame means for defining the top and
base of the tent; a pair of first and second crossbar means extending
between and rotatable relative to the sides of said first frame
means extending between and rotatable relative to the sides of said
second frame means proximate each end thereof; a first pair of
parallel, spaced apart, bisectional upright means extending between
one said first crossbar means and one said second crossbar means; a
second pair of parallel, spaced part, bisectional upright means
extending between the other said first crossbar means and the other
said second crossbar means between said first upright means, hinge
means interconnecting the sections of the first and second upright
means enabling movement of said upright means from the collapsed
condition, in which the two sections of each upright means lie flat
against each other, and the second upright means are located between
said first upright means when the frame is folded substantially flat,
to the extended or erect position, in which the upright means are
extended to define the corners of a skeletal frame and are bowed
slightly outwardly to lock the tent in the erect condition; seat
means; third crossbar means extending between the sides of said
second frame means between said second crossbar means; leg means
connecting one end of said seat means to said third crossbar means;
and pin means pivotally connecting the other end of said seat means
to lower sections of one pair of upright means, whereby, when the

tent is in the collapsed condition, the seat lies in the horizontal
position between said upright means, and when the tent is in the
erect condition, the seat is in the horizontal position above said
second frame means and extends inwardly from between said one pair of
upright means.

2. An ice fishing tent according to claim 1, including
cable means extending between said leg means and said pin means
for limiting movement of said seat means relative to said upright
means.
3. An ice fishing tent according to claim 1, including
cover means carried by said first and second frame means, said
cover means comprising first and second parallel panel means for
defining said panel means, whereby, when the tent is collapsed,
the panel means define the sides of a cover for carrying the tent,
and, when the tent is erect, the panel means define the tent top
and bottom, and the sleeve defines the sides thereof.
4. An ice fishing tent according to claim 3, including
handle menas on one side of each said panel means, whereby, when
the tent is in the collapsed condition, said handle means are
juxtaposed to facilitate carrying of the tent.

Description

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This invention relates to a tent, and in particular
to an ice fishing tent.
The use of skeletal frames and canvas skins or covers
in ice fishing tents is by no means new. Examples of such
structures are described, for example in ~anadian Patent No.
310,556, which issued to L.D. Kaufman on April 21, 1931, and
United States Patents Nos. 2,781,766, which issued to W.C.
Krieger on February 19, 1957; 2,811,977, which issued to W.L.
McClish on November 5, 1957; 3,131,704, which issued to W.E.
Shimon on May 5, 1964; 3,509,891, which issued to E.L. De Bolt
on May 5, 1970 and 3,874,398, which issued to R.E. Hendrickson
on April 1, 1975.
In general existing or patented devices are somewhat
complicated and/or difficult to manufacture. It will be appreciated
that such devices should be as simple as possible, both in
terms of structure and in operation. These conditions are
not always met by the prior tent structures. Accordingly,
in spite of the relatively large amount of activity in this
field, a need still exists for a simple ice fishing tent.
The object of the present invention is to attempt
to meet the above defined need by providing a structurally
simple ice fishing tent device, which has relatively few movable
parts, and which is~easy to erect, collapse and carry.
Accordingly, the invention relates to a collapsible,
portable ice fishing tent comprising first and second skeletal,
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rectangular frame means for defining the top and base of the
tent; a pair of first crossbar means extending between and
rotatable relative to the sides of said first frame means proximate
each end thereof; a pair of second crossbar means extending
between and rotatable relative to the sides of said second
frame means proximate each end thereof; a first pair of parallel,
spaced apart, bisectional upright means extending between one
said first crossbar means and one said second crossbar means;
a second pair of parallel, spaced apart, bisectional upright
means extending between the other said first crossbar means
and the other said second crossbar means between said first
upright means, whereby, in the folded condition, both of said :~
second upright means are located between said first upright ~-
means and the frame is folded substantially flat, and, in the
erect condition, both pairs of upright means are extended to
define the corners of a skeletal frame.
The invention will be described in greater detail
:
with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate
a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein: "
~;: 20 Figure 1 is a plan view of a tent frame in accordance
:: with the present invention in the collapsed condition;
.
Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of the frame
of Fig. 1 in partially erect conditions;
.; Figure 4 i5 a perspective view of the frame of Figs.
i 25 1 to 3 in the fully erect position;
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Figure 5 is a perspective view of a tent in accordance
with the present invention in the collapsed, transport or carrying
condition; and
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the tent of Fig.
5 in the fully erect position.
With reference to the drawings, the ice fishing tent
I of the present invention includes a skeletal frame generally
I indicated at 1 (Figs. 1 to 4) for supporting a cover 2 (Figs.
¦ 5 and 6). The frame 1 is defined by a rectangular top frame
3 with rounded corners, and a similar rectangular bottom frame
1 4. A pair of crossbars 5 extend between the sides 6 of the
1 top frame 3 near the ends 7 thereof. A second pair of crossbars
8 extend between the sides 10 of the bottom frame 4 near the
ends 11 thereof. The crossbars 5 and 8 are rotatably mounted
in the frames 2 and 3 by means of pins 12.
A pair of bisectional uprights 15 extend from one
upper crossbar 5 to the lower crossbar 8 vertically aligned
therewith at one end of the frame 1. Each upright 15 is defined
~ by upper and lower sections 16 and 17, respectively which are ~
., .
pivotally interconnected end-to-end by a generally C-shaped
hinge 19 and pins 20. Similarly, a pair of bisectional uprights
22 extend from the other upper crossbar 5 to the lower crossbar
~1 8 verticlaly aligned therewith. The uprights 22 include upper
and lower sections 24 and 25, respectively which are pivotally
interconnected by hinges 27 and pins 28.
The uprights 15 and 22 are parallel to each other
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and to the sides 6 and 10 of the top and bottom frames 3 and
4, respectively. The uprights 22 are located between the uprights
15, so that the top and bottom frames 3 and 4 can readily be
folded into a collapsed condition (Fig. 1) in which the frames
3 and 4 abut and the uprights 15 and 22 lie therebetween. The
hinges 19 and 27 are generally U-shaped in cross section, and
open outwardly. Thus, the uprights 15 and 22 can be folded
double (Fig. l) or unfolded completely to an erect condition
in which the sections 16 and 17 at one end, and 24 and 25 at
the other end are bowed outwardly slightly to lock the frame
1 in the erect condition.
A third crossbar 30 is rotatably mounted between
the sides 10 of the bottom frame 4 near one crossbar 8. One
end of each of a pair of legs 31 is connected to the crossbar
30, so that in the collapsed condition of the frame 1, the
legs 31 lie between and beneath the uprights 15 and 22. The
other ends of the legs 31 are pivotally connected to the inner
end of a rectangular seat frame 33. The outer end of the seat
frame 33 is pivotally connected to the bottom sections 25 of
20 the uprights 22 by pins 34 (one shown - Figs. 2 to 4). The
seat is completed by a cover 36 attached to the frame 34. Cables
37 extend between the legs~31 and the pins 34 for limiting
opening movement of the frame 1 and rotation of the seat relative
to the uprights 22 in the erect condition.
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Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the cover 2 includes
a pair of panels 39 and 40, which define the top and bottom
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of the tent in the erect condition (Fig. 6) and the sides of
a casing for carrying the frame 1 in the collapsed condition
(Fig. 5). For such purpose, a handle 41 extends outwardly
from one side of each of the panels 39 and 40. A sleeve 42
extends between the panels 39 and 40, and is connected thereto
~ around the entire peripheries of the panels. The sleeve 42
3I forms the sides 43 and ends 44 of the tent. A portion of one
side is cut to define a flap 46. A zipper 47 is provided on
the free edge of the flap 46 for closing the latter.
3 10 The entire frame structure, seat legs 31 and frame
33 are formed of lightweight metal tubes. The cover is formed
of nylon or another lightweight synthetic material.
In use, the tent (Fig. 5) can be carried in the same
manner as a briefcase or artist's portfolio. In order to erect
the tent, the handles 41 are separated and the zipper 47 is
opened. The frames 3 and 4 are pushed apart to cause the uprights
to move from the collapsed condition (Fig. 4). In the latter
condition, the hinges 19 and 27 lock the tent in the erect
position. When the procedure i5 reversed, the sleeve 42 is -
folded between the panels 39 and 40 and between the frames
3 and 4. The result is a relatively thin, readily portable
package.
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Representative Drawing