US3380370A

US3380370A - Foldable and adjustable vent

Info

Publication number: US3380370A
Application number: US600200A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard G Mack
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-12-08
Filing date: 1966-12-08
Publication date: 1968-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1985-04-30

Description

April 30, 1968 R. G. MACK FOLDABLE AND ADJUSTABLE VENT Filed Dec. 8, 1966 INVENTOR. RICHARD G. MACK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,380,370 FOLDABLE AND ADJUSTABLE VENT Richard G. Mack, 15th and Carmella, Carmel, Calif. 93921 Filed Dec. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 600,200 3 Claims. (Cl. 98-37) This invention is directed to a ventilating means for tents and other flexible, canvas or fabric structures, which may be applied either to the roof or to the walls thereof with such means being foldable with the main structure without additional bulk, Weight or sharp edges.

A practical solution to the proper ventilating of tents and other fabric structures has been the subject for campers of all ages and in all places, including expeditions and military uses. In hot climates even though a breeze is stirring outside, ventilation has been a serious problem and even the opening of side panels and front flaps has failed to dispel the accumulation of warm, stagnant air at the peak and under the roof in the interior of the tent. In cold, blustery climates it is not practical to open up the tent to secure ventilation if warmth and protection are desired, with the result that condensation collects adjacent the peak, which freezes during the night and melts during the daylight hours to drip on everything within the interior of the tent.

Various ventilating devices have been tried and each has failed up to now mainly for the reason that they involve metal inserts or metal caps or other pieces which have to be inserted through the canvas and which leak in rainy weather and cannot be folded with the tent when taken down and so constitute additional weight and extra baggage on the move or in storage.

The present invention has for a very fundamental object the ventilation of a tent by means which does not add materially to the weight, which involves no metal sharp surfaces and which is always available in the degree that the occupant requires for personal comfort.

Another important object is the provision of a ventilating means which keeps out the weather and may be adjusted to suit any condition which may be encountered.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, economy, and ease of manufacture, also such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will fully appear and as are inherently possessed by the device and the invention described herein.

Invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the same is merely illustrative of the invention and that the invention is capable of modification and change, and comprehends other details of construction without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the ventilating device as installed on an A-shaped or peaked type tent;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on the line I-III of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section similar to FIGURE 2 but with the inflatable member deflated.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference numerals are used to identify like parts in the several figures, FIGURE 1 in an exaggerated scale shows the installation of the ventilation means installed for use in an A-type tent 10. In the sloping roof or surface 11 there is a rectangular cut-out portion shown as 12. The shape of the cut-out portion 12 is not required to be rectangular but may be of any desirable shape. On the inside of the cut-out portion 12 there is a yieldable 3,380,370 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 or resilient netting 14. This netting may have a mesh of any suitable size and may even utilize the larger size of the insect-killing mesh, which is somewhat larger than the usual mesh for such purposes. On the outside of the tent surface 11 is a flap 15 which covers the opening 12 and which has a transverse tab 16 at the top. The tab 16 is secured by sewing or any other suitable means to the outer surface of the tent member 11 to make a waterproof contact. The lower portion of the flap 15 at each of the

bottom corners

17 and 18 is secured to the canvas wall 11 so that when pressure is exerted from the under side of the flap 15 a raised bow 20 will occur along the bottom edge as well as along the

sides

21 and 22. Between the mesh 14 and the flap 15 is an inflatable plastic member 23 shown here in the form of a balloon having a selfsealing valve 24 projecting through the netting 14 on the interior of the tent preferably. The inflatable member 23 may be any shape desired but is here shown as a spherical balloon because this produces the maximum adjustment.

It will be observed that upon inflation of the inflatable member 23, it presses against the inner surface of the outer flap 15 and the mesh 14 to make an opening at the sides between the

edges

21 and 22 and the tent surface 11. It is likewise apparent that by regulating the amount of inflation or deflation, the size of these openings may be varied accordingly. The same type of opening, only smaller, may occur along the lower edge 20.

As has been indicated earlier, the manner of fastening the transverse tab 16 to the tent surface 11 provides for keeping out the weather along the top edge. In order to prevent the weather from getting in through the vent at either

side

21 or 22 or at the bottom 20, a slide fastener (not shown) may be installed along these edges and adjusted as the situation may require. Also a raised lip, or semi-flexible material, rim or bead can be installed around the edge of the netting and sewn or fastened into the seam where the perforated material meets the main shelter material, to prevent run-off from entering the opening or seeping through the fastening.

The inflatable member 23 is preferably not rubber but a plastic so as to avoid inadvertent bursting. The valve 24 projects through an opening in the netting 14 to the interior of the tent so that inflation or deflation may be maintained and adjusted as the situation Warrants without going on the outside. It is apparent that with the inflation of the inflatable member 23 of the structure to any extent the pressure on the netting 14 will close or seal the opening through which the valve 24 projects.

It will be observed that only soft resilient material is used and that when the inflatable member 23 is deflated for packaging or non-use, the same is retained between the flap 15 and the netting 14. In the event it is necessary to replace any inflatable member 23, it is easily slipped out of and into position between the flap and the netting in deflated condition.

It has been observed in the use of the present device that the air coming in around the surface of the inflatable member 23 and the flap 15 behaves in a manner similar to a venturi and produces the unexpected result of forcibly flushing stale or dead air from the interior.

It is apparent that this ventilation device can be used on any fabric surface or any other surface when the inflatable member 23 is confined in an opening between two resilient holding means. Likewise the shape of the opening 12, the shape of the fiat 15, the shape of the interior means 14 and the shape of the inflatable member 23, may each be varied to suit the particular situation. In addition, if maximum ventilation is not required then the netting 14 may be replaced with a substantially continuous yieldable or resilient material.

I claim:

1. A vent for transportable structures, an aperture in the wall of the structure, a flexible and yieldable flap secured above said aperture and adapted to completely overlay the same, means for securing the flap at spaced intervals about said aperture, a porous stretchable member freely transmitting air therethrough secured below said aperture, means for securing said porous member around the perimeter of said aperture, and an inflatable member having a scalable valve loosely and removably retained in said aperture between said flat and said porous member, so that by regulating the amount of inflation or deflation the spacing between the flap and porous member may be varied.

2. The vent of claim 1 wherein the covering flap and the foldable structure are fabric and the flap is secured over the aperture permanently along the top portion and with slide fasteners at spaced intervals along the otherwise open portions for individual opening.

3. The vent of claims 1 and 2 wherein the porous member is a netting secured to the wall on the inside thereof permitting the valve of the inflatable member to project therethrough to the inside.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,207 5/1952 Bailey et al. 2516l.1 2,839,986 6/1958 Herman 9837 2,939,375 6/1960 Herman 98-37 3,013,483 12/1961 Knight 98--37 3,024,717 3/1962 Rozek 98-37 3,082,676 3/1963 Church et al 9840 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,125,243 3/ 1962 Germany.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. M. A. ANTONAKAS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A VENT FOR TRANSPORTABLE STRUCTURES, AN APERTURE IN THE WALL OF THE STRUCTURE, A FLEXIBLE AND YIELDABLE FLAP SECURED ABOVE SAID APERTURE AND ADAPTED TO COMPLETELY OVERLAY THE SAME, MEANS FOR SECURING THE FLAP AT SPACED INTERVALS ABOUT SAID APERTURE, A POROUS STRETCHABLE MEMBER FREELY TRANSMITTING AIR THERETHROUGH SECURED BELOW SAID APERTURE, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID POROUS MEMBER AROUND THE PERIMETER OF SAID APERTURE, AND AN INFLATABLE