U.S. patent number 3,904,258 [Application Number 05/441,286] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-09 for collapsible campers cupboard.
Invention is credited to Jack H. Faulkenberry.
United States Patent |
3,904,258 |
Faulkenberry |
September 9, 1975 |
Collapsible campers cupboard
Abstract
A cupboard is formed with a fabric or other collapsible body,
and rigid shelf members to which side and rear panels of the body
are secured. Provisions for suspension comprise a first strap
having its ends secured to the rear edge portions of the top shelf,
wherein a ring is slidable on the strap, and a second strap
attached to the ring and to the center of the front edge of the top
shelf. Attachment to an upright tree trunk is effected via a belt
which slidably passes through the ring, and passed around and
cinched to the trunk. Such suspension provisions permit the ring
suspension point to be accommodated to a trunk that bends from the
vertical while permitting the cupboard to hang against the vertical
part of the trunk. Stabilizing straps are secured to the rear edge
portions of the lowermost shelf and are passed around and cinched
to the trunk. Additionally, a collapsible cover is fastened at one
end to the top panel of the body, and such cover is a fitted cover,
i.e., adapted when the cupboard is hung to snugly embrace the side
and bottom panels of the body. Also disclosed are stabilizing
straps secured to the rear edge portions of the top shelf.
Inventors: |
Faulkenberry; Jack H. (Paso
Robles, CA) |
Family
ID: |
23752297 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/441,286 |
Filed: |
February 11, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/6;
108/164 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
43/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
43/04 (20060101); A47B 43/00 (20060101); A47B
043/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;108/149,152,111,99
;312/6 ;182/187 ;248/221 ;211/107 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Zugel; Francis K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Turner; Perry E.
Claims
I claim:
1. In combination:
a collapsible body of flexible material having side, back, top and
bottom panels;
a plurality of spaced rigid shelves within said body, said body
being secured to said shelves, the top and bottom shelves being in
face to face contact with the respective top and bottom panels of
said body;
suspension means including first and second straps, said first
strap being secured at its ends to the end portions adjacent the
back edge of said top panel and top shelf, said second strap being
secured at one end to the center of the front edge portions of said
top panel and top shelf;
a ring slidable on said first strap, the remaining end of said
second strap being secured to said ring;
a belt slidably threaded through said ring of sufficient length to
encircle a tree trunk;
and a pair of stabilizing straps secured respectively to the end
portions of said bottom panel and bottom shelf,
and including a collapsible cover flap secured at one end to said
top panel, said flop having a skirt to matingly fit said side and
bottom panels when said unit is suspended in use and wrappable
around said unit when collapsed to enclose it for storage.
2. The combination of claim 1, further including stabilizer straps
secured to the end portions of said top panel and top shelf.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to collapsible storage units suitable for
campers' cupboards and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Collapsible cupboards as heretofore known are not desirably
practicable for outdoor use. Such cupboards (see U.S. Pat. Nos.
1,540,024 and 2,639,819) are adapted to be hung over the low limbs
of trees or onto nails driven into tree trunks. Either way, the
cupboards are quite unstable and easily blown about or accidentally
hit to spill their contents. Stability in another collapsible unit
(U.S. Pat. No. 2,244,887) is achieved via a non-circular ring
slipped over and secured to a tent pole of the same cross-section,
such ring being secured to flaps integral with the fabric body of
the cupboard. However, such stabilizing means cannot be used when
the cupboard is hung on a limb or a nail in a trunk.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention embraces a collapsible body having panels secured to
spaced shelf members, suspension means having straps secured to the
top shelf and adjustable to permit the body to be hung from a tree
trunk portion that curves or bends from the vertical while
maintaining the body against the vertical trunk, and stabilizing
straps secured to the bottom shelf and of sufficient length to be
passed around tree trunks of varying diameters and cinched in
place. Also embraced are additional stabilizing straps secured to
the top shelf.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible cupboard in
accordance with this invention, showing the cupboard opened and
suspended on a tree trunk;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cupboard suspended
on a portion of a trunk that bends from the vertical, showing the
suspension straps operable to permit the cupboard body to hang
vertically and against the vertical portion of the trunk;
FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the cupboard; and
FIGS. 4-6 are perspective views showing the cupboard successively
partially collapsed, collapsed and in process of being wrapped in
its integral cover, and wrapped in its cover for storage.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a cupboard is shown having a body 10 of
any suitable flexible material such as canvas, plastic or the like,
having side, back, top and bottom panels. Within the body are rigid
top and body shelf members 12, 14 and intermediate shelves 16, and
the body material is secured to such shelves preferably at their
end and back edges. Any suitable fastening means may be employed,
including nails or brads, rivets, staples, or adhesives. If
desired, the material of the side panels of the body may be
slightly wider than the shelves and lapped over onto and secured to
the front edges thereof.
The cupboard has a front cover flap which is also collapsible, and
which may be made of the same or a different material material as
the body 10. The cover flap 20 is integral with the body, and to
this end is secured at one end to the top panel of the body. Also,
the flap preferably forms a fitted cover, i.e., it has a skirt to
snugly lap the front edge portions of the side, top and bottom
panels of the body while the cupboard is suspended.
The cupboard of this invention is adapted to be maintained in a
vertical position against a vertical portion of a tree trunk,
whether it is suspended on a vertical or curved portion of the
trunk. To this end, a ring 22 is slidable on a strap 24 that is
secured at its ends to ends of the top shelf 12 at its back edge,
as by nails extending through the strap and body material into the
shelf. Also, another strap 26 is secured at one end to the center
of the front edge of the top shelf 12, and has its other end
attached to the ring 22 as by being looped and secured to
itself.
Slidably threaded through the ring 22 is a belt 30 which is of
sufficient length to encircle and be cinched to a tree trunk,
indicated in phantom at 32, so as to permit the cupboard to be
suspended from trunks of a great variety of sizes. The belt 30 may
be made of any suitable material, e.g., stout open weave canvas
type belting, capable of firm frictional engagement with the trunk
around which it is tightened. Also, any suitable means may be
employed for releasably fastening the ends of the belt
together.
With the cupboard anchored to a tree trunk as above described, it
is stabilized by straps 32, 34 each having an end secured to a
respective end of the bottom shelf 14 adjacent its back edge. As
indicated in FIG. 1, the straps 32, 34 are passed around the trunk
and their ends secured together, as via well known buckle means, so
they are cinched tight to the trunk. If desired, bot the belt 30
and the straps 32, 34 may be secured in place simply by tying them
together, in which case buckles and the like are omitted.
If desired, additional stabilizing straps 36, 38 may have ends
secured to the rear edge portions of the top shelf 12, such straps
also being passed around the trunk and secured together as with the
stabilizing straps 32, 34. Still further, the cupboard when hung
may be adapted to support items that are normally hung on a rod.
For example, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, a strap 40 may be
secured at its ends to the ends of the bottom shelf to function as
a support rod for any desired items.
The arrangement of the suspension and stabilizing means permits the
suspension point, i.e., the ring 22, to be located at an angle with
respect to the vertical and still permit the cupboard to hang
vertically against the trunk. Such a situation is illustrated in
FIG. 2 wherein the belt 30 is cinched around a main branch portion
of a trunk that bends away from the vertical. Since the ring 22 is
slidable on the strap 24, relative slippage is effected as needed
to change the lengths of the legs formed in the strap 24 for
centering the cupboard against the vertical portion of the trunk
and permitting the cupboard to be maintained in position with its
shelves horizontal. With the stabilizing straps -- along or with
the stabilizing straps 36, 38 -- cinched in place, the cupboard is
firmly held in the desired position and cannot be swung about by
winds or accidental bumping to cause its contents to be
spilled.
As will be appreciated, a collapsible cupboard in accordance with
this invention eliminates the need for and undesirable practice of
damaging trees by driving nails into them. Such items are often
left in tree trunks when campers move on, and the constitute sharp
and dangerous projections on which persons and animals can be
injured. With this invention, since only frictional contact of belt
and straps with the tree is needed, no such damage to injuries can
occur from its use.
The cupboard described herein is easily and simply wrapped for
storage and unwrapped for hanging. To this end, the integral flap
20 is adapted for use as a protective cover in which to wrap the
cupboard for storage. When the cupboard is removed from the tree
for storage, the lower end is set on the ground and, while holding
the flap 20 and belt 30 clear, the structure is lowered to permit
the side and back panels of the body 10 to collapse (FIG. 4). Then
the the belt 30, straps 24, 26 and the free ends of straps 32, 34
(and of straps 36, 38 if used) are laid on top of the collapsed
unit (FIG. 5), whereupon the flap is wrapped around the unit to
enclose it for storage (FIG. 6).
* * * * *