Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02261537 1999-02-15
MULTIPLE PEAK CABLE TENT
FIELD
This invention relates to a multiple peak tent structure
whose top is supported by multiple masts resting on a cable
network. The cable network is attached to the frame
structure resulting in a tent having no supporting poles
that extend to the ground in the covered area.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The conventional designs of tent structures used to
span relatively large areas often suffer from limitations
induced by weight, cost, mechanical complexity and ease of
erection. Further, modular designs where a plurality of
single tents of a uniform design are joined to span a large
area, often suffer from the additional limitations of poor
2o mobility within the interior of the tent and poor water
drainage from the roofs of the adjoined tents.
Many of the conventional designs used to span large
areas, include tent structures that utilize a supporting
framework of trusses or arches upon which the roof fabric is
attached. Often, complex mechanical means and adjustments
are necessary to introduce the pre-tensile forces required
by the structure. Further, these structures are relatively
complex in construction and costly to manufacture. Erecting
3o structures of this design is labour intensive and often
requires the use of specialized equipment.
Other common tent structure designs require that the
interior pole, or poles, supporting the roof extend to the
ground. This design results in the inhibition of free
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movement under the tent structure. Also, these tent
structures often employ costly and complex means of
introducing pre-tension into the roof canopy necessary to
allow the tent structure to remain stable in high winds.
Again, erecting a tent structure of this design is a labour
intensive exercise.
A small tent manufactured and marketed by International
Tentnology Corp. of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, and
sold under the trade-mark "Marquee" has overcome many of the
limitations from which the designs mentioned earlier suffer.
The roof of the peaked tent is supported by a pole resting
on a series of cables . The cables are connected to the top
of the vertical corner support poles at diagonally opposite
corners of the tent. This design allows free movement under
the tent without the interference of ground extending
interior poles. Further, this tent design is easy to
manufacture, stable in high winds and easily erected.
However, this design does not permit a single tent to span
2o relatively large areas. If a tent of this design were
constructed to span a large area, the required roof height
would attract high wind loads thus making it unstable. To
counter the instability, the cable tension would have to be
unreasonably high or the roof supporting cables would have
to be lowered into the interior of the tent so far so as to
cause an obstruction of the interior space.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to
provide a tent structure that is mechanically simple, easy
3o to manufacture and easy to erect.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a
tent structure that allows free movement under the canopy,
without the interference of ground extending poles.
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It is a further object of this invention to provide a
tent structure that can be modularly expanded.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a
tent structure with a low wind profile and excellent water
shedding.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a
tent structure with a drainage system integrated into the
f rame .
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
i5 These and other objects of the invention are provided
in an improved tent structure which includes a perimeter
frame assembled from a plurality of frame members and corner
assemblies, a flexible roof canopy attached around its
periphery to the perimeter frame, corner columns attached to
the corner assemblies of the perimeter frame, a cable
network comprising radial cables attached at one end to a
corner assembly and at the other end to the central
tensioning cable, and a plurality of flying masts resting on
the cable network and supporting the roof canopy thereby
forming the peaks.
The central tensioning cable can be detachably secured
to itself. Utilizing the cable network, it is relatively
easy to erect the tent structure and tension the canopy; the
3o ends of the central tensioning cable are simply brought
together and secured. Also, the cable network reduces the
tension necessary to support the flying masts as compared to
diagonally connected cables. Multiple flying masts allow
the load of the roof canopy to be distributed over several
masts resulting in the flying masts being smaller in size
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and shorter in length than a single mast, thereby
contributing to the tent structure's ease of erection.
Further, the cable network allows the flying masts to be
located away from the centre and towards the corners of the
tent structure permitting the tent structure to span a
larger area than would be possible with only a single large
mast.
Located in the tops of the corner columns of the tent
1o structure are scuppers. Rain water flows from the roof
canopy, along the perimeter frame to the corners of the tent
structure. The rainwater is channeled into the scuppers of
the corner assemblies, then down through the hollow centre
of the corner columns to the ground. This provides the tent
with a gutter system which prevents the pooling of water on
the roof canopy of the tent structure and channels the rain
water away from the edges of the tent structure.
The tent structure of the above described design can be
2o modularly expanded in order to span relatively large areas.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will
become clear from the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment, which is presented by way of
illustration only and without limiting the scope of the
invention to the details thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features and advantages will be apparent from
the following detailed description, given by way of example,
of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled tent;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a frame
element being threaded by a beaded edge of a portion of a
canopy;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a frame
member used for the perimeter frame and the corner columns;
1o Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a tent structure with
a wall membrane;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the corner assembly;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the corner assembly
showing a portion of the frame members fitted over octagonal
tube sections extending out from the corner joints;
Fig. 7 is a plan view of a plurality of tent
2o structures modularly connected;
Fig 8 is a perspective view of a portion of four tent
structures of this invention modularly connected indicating
the flow of rain water to the scuppers of the corner
assembly;
Fig. 9 is a partial elevation view showing the frame,
poles and cable structure for a roof canopy that is
tensioned;
Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the perimeter frame and
cable structure for a roof canopy that is tensioned;
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Fig. 11 is a partial elevation view showing the frame,
poles and cable structure for a roof canopy that is not
tensioned;
Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the perimeter frame and
cable structure for a roof canopy that is not tensioned;
Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the tent structure
with the connectors of the central tensioning cable detached
to and the canopy is not tensioned;
Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the tent structure
with the connectors of the central tensioning cable attached
and the canopy tensioned;
Fig. 15a-d are plan views of the canopy and frame
structure showing the steps in assembling the frame onto and
around a roof canopy; and
2o Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a corner column
fitted over abase plate connector of a base plate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Throughout the figures, like elements are indicated by
like reference numbers.
Referring to Fig. 1, the multiple peak cable tent 1 is
3o comprised of a roof canopy 3, a perimeter frame 5, a cable
network 11, corner columns 30 and flying masts 8.
The roof canopy 3 is a flexible fabric membrane whose 4
outer edges form a rectangular shape. Extending along the
entire length of each of the outer edges of the roof canopy
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3 is a beaded edge 21 (see Fig. 2). The beaded edge 2 1
functions to secure the roof canopy 3 to perimeter frame
members 4 of the perimeter frame 5. The interior surface of
the roof canopy 3 has 4 receptacles (not shown). Each
receptacle is located where a peak in the roof canopy 3 is
to be formed and each receptacle is designed to receive one
end of one of the flying masts 8.
The perimeter frame members 4 of the perimeter frame 5
operably connect with a plurality of corner assemblies 15 to
form a rectangular shape. Referring to Fig. 3, perimeter
frame member 4 is comprised of a tube of square cross
section, open at both ends, with elongated slots 14 and slot
openings 50 which extend along the edges of the tube for its
entire length. Referring to Fig. 2, slot 14 receives a
beaded edge 21 of roof canopy 3 such that the roof canopy 3
extends from the beaded edge 21 through slot opening 50 with
the engagement of the beaded edge 21 by the sides of the
slots 14 allowing tensioning of roof canopy 3.
Referring to Fig. 4, a wall membrane 62 with beaded
edges (not shown) may be installed to close a side of the
multiple peak cable tent 1. The corner column members 3 0
have the same construction as perimeter frame members 4,
thereby allowing installation of a wall membrane 62 through
engagement of the beaded edges of the wall membrane 62 with
the slots 14 of the corner column members 30 and the
perimeter frame members 4.
3o Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, corner assembly 15 has a
top, a bottom and 4 sides. Corner assembly 15 includes two
frame member connectors 16 and 60, and a column member
connector 24. The frame member connectors 16 and 60, and
the column member connector 24 are tubes of octagonal cross-
section open at both ends. One end of each of the two frame
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member connectors 16 and 60 is welded to a side of the
corner assembly 15 such that the two frame member connectors
16 and 60 are arranged perpendicular to one another. One
end of the column member connector 24 is welded around its
periphery to the bottom of the corner assembly 15 in a way
such that water can pass from the corner assembly 15 through
column member connector 24.
Referring to Fig. 6, the octagonal cross-section of
1o the frame member connectors 16 and 60 in combination with
the square cross-section of the perimeter frame members 4
when the frame member connectors 16 and 60 are securably
inserted into an end of the perimeter frame members 4,
prevents the rotation of the perimeter frame members 4
i5 around the frame member connectors 16 and 60.
The two sides of corner assembly 15 that do not have
frame member connectors 16 and 60 welded to them, may have a
plurality of bolt holes 40 which are used to attach
2o expansion frame member connector 19 to corner assembly 15 to
complete the assembly of the perimeter frame 5 (see F i g.
15) of a single tent structure 1 or to modularly connect
several tent structures (see Figs. 7 and 8). Expansion
frame member connector 19 is comprised of a tube of
25 octagonal cross-section, to one end of which an octagonal
plate 42 is welded. Octagonal plate 42 may have a plurality
of threaded holes 44 to secure expansion frame member
connector 19 to the corner assembly 15 by way of bolts 20.
However, expansion frame member 19 may be secured to corner
3o assembly 15 by any means that confers sufficient strength to
the union.
At the corners 46, formed by the junction of any two
sides of corner assembly 15, are the scuppers 23 and the
35 cable attachment eye holes 48. The scuppers 23 are openings
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at the top of corner 46 that receive rainwater from the roof
canopy 3 and perimeter frame members 4 (see Fig. 8), and
channel it down through column member connector 24 and
column member 30 (Fig. 6) to the ground. The cable
attachment eye holes 48 (Fig. 5) serve as the sites to
secure a cable attachment eye 18 (Fig. 6). A radial cable
9 may be connected to an interiorly facing cable attachment
eye 18 to be used in the formation of a cable network 11. A
guy line 7 may be connected between an exteriorly facing
1o cable attachment eye 18 and the ground to offset forces
which would tend to deform the perimeter frame 5 (see Fig.
1) .
Referring to Figs. 9-12, the cable network 11 is
comprised of radial cables 9 and central tensioning cable 1 0
formed into a rectangle. Radial cables 9 include a
connector at one end to secure that end of the radial cable
9 to the cable attachment eye 18 of one of the corner
assemblies 15 and a connector at the other end to operably
connect that end of the radial cable 9 to the central
tensioning cable 10. Central tensioning cable 10 includes a
connector 12 on one end, and the mating connector 13 to
connector 12 on the other end such that the central
tensioning cable 10 can be detachably secured unto itself to
form a continuous loop when connectors 12 and 13 are
engaged.
The tent structure of this invention may be assembled
and erected in the following manner. Referring to Figs. 2,
13, 14 and 15a-d, assembly of the tent structure initially
requires that the roof canopy 3 be secured to the perimeter
frame members 4 of the perimeter frame 5. This is
accomplished by threading the beaded edge 21 of one of the
outside edges of roof canopy 3 into the slot 14 of a first
perimeter frame member 4 by sliding it along the entire
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length of perimeter frame member 4 (as seen in Figs. 2 and
15a). Perimeter frame member connector 60 of the first
corner assembly 15 is securably inserted into one end of the
first perimeter frame member 4 so that perimeter frame
member connector 16 of the first corner assembly 15, is
oriented parallel to an adjacent edge of the roof canopy 3
and the column member connector 24 is oriented downwardly
towards the ground.
1o A second perimeter frame member 4 is then threaded onto
the beaded edge 21 of an adjacent side of the roof canopy 3
and slid along its length until perimeter frame member
connector 16 of the first corner assembly 15 is securably
inserted into the end of the second perimeter frame member
4 .
Similarly, perimeter frame member connector 60 of a
second corner assembly 15 is securably inserted into the
open end of the second perimeter frame member 4 (see F i g.
15b) and a third perimeter frame member 4 is then threaded
onto the beaded edge 21 of an adjacent side of the roof
canopy 3 and slid along its length until perimeter frame
member connector 16 of the second corner assembly 15 is
securably inserted into the end of the third perimeter frame
member 4.
Again, perimeter frame member connector 60 of a third
corner assembly 15 is securably inserted into the open end
of the third perimeter frame member 4 (see Fig. 15c) and a
fourth perimeter frame member 4 is then threaded onto the
beaded edge 21 of an adjacent side of the roof canopy 3 and
slid along its length until perimeter frame member connector
16 of the third corner assembly 15 is securably inserted
into the end of the fourth perimeter frame member 4.
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After the fourth perimeter frame member has been
threaded along the beaded edge 21 of the roof canopy 3, an
expansion frame member connector 19 is securably inserted
into the empty end of the first perimeter frame member 4.
Perimeter frame member connector 16 of a fourth corner
assembly 15 is securably inserted into the empty end of the
fourth perimeter frame member 4 so that perimeter frame
member connector 60 of the fourth corner assembly 15 is
oriented towards the exterior of the tent structure and
1o parallel to the first perimeter frame member 4 (see Fa.g.
15d). The expansion frame member connector 19 is then
secured to the fourth corner assembly 15 to complete the
perimeter frame 5.
Referring to Fig. 13, to aid in assembling the cable
network 11, one end of the perimeter frame 5 may be raised
and a corner column member 30 may be secured over the column
member connector 24 of each of the two corner assemblies 15,
which are raised.
Referring to Figs. 9-14, the next step in the assembly
and erection of the tent structure, is the assembly of the
cable network 11. Each radial cable 9 has one end secured
to the cable attachment eye 18 of a corner assembly 15 and
the other end is secured to the central tensioning cable 10.
Each of the flying masts 8 are positioned such that one end
is coupled to a junction of the radial cable 9 and the
central tensioning cable 10, and the other end is received
into a receptacle (not shown) in the roof canopy 3. Once
3o the flying masts 8 are in place, the ends of the central
tensioning cable 10, are brought together such that
connector 12 is engaged with its mating connector 13 to
detachably secure the ends of central tensioning cable 10
thereby tensioning the entire multiple peak cable tent 1.
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Referring to Fig. 1 again, once the multiple peak
cable tent 1 has been tensioned, the remaining corner column
members 30 are secured to the corner assemblies 15, to raise
the perimeter frame 5 from the ground. Guy lines 7 are
coupled between the exterior facing cable attachment eye 1 8
and the ground to relieve the compressive beam stress
introduced into the perimeter frame 5 by the cable network
11 and the roof canopy 3. Guy lines 7 also serve to add
lateral strength and anchor the multiple peak cable tent 1.
Prior to securing a corner column member 30 to a corner
column member connector 24 of a corner assembly 15, a base
plate connector 17 of a base plate 2 (see Fig. 13) may be
securably inserted into the end of the corner column member
30 that is to come in contact with the ground. The pin
holes 54 in the base plate 2 receive drift pins 26 which
anchor the base plate 2 to the ground and prevent corner
column members 30 from drifting.
2o As seen in Figs. 7 and 8, tent structure 1 may be
expanded modularly through the use of the expansion frame
member connectors 19. Securing expansion frame member
connectors 19 to the corner assemblies 15 allows the tent
structure 1 to be expanded modularly from any or all of its
four sides.
While a square or rectangle structure for the perimeter
frame 5 has been described, the same design applies to other
geometries such as a 3 sided structure or any other geometry
3o in which the sides can be joined to create an array of such
structures joined along their side edges.
Similarly, while the frame member connectors 16 and 60,
the expansion frame member connector 19 and the corner
column member connector 24 have been described as having an
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octagonal cross-section, and the frame members 4 and corner
column members 30 have been described as having a square
cross-section, any shape of non-circular cross-section may
be used such that the frame members 4 and the corner column
members 30 do not rotate about their axes when coupled with
the appropriate connector in response to torque resulting
from the tensioning of the roof canopy.
Accordingly, while this invention has been described
with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description
is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense.
Various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as
well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent
to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this
description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended
claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as
fall within the true scope of the invention.
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