A shelter, for vehicles in general

Abstract

 A shelter (1) for vehicles of any given description, comprising a tarpaulin cover (9) supported by a set of frame sections (4) slidably mounted to parallel tracks (2) fixed to the ground (3) and consisting in two uprights (5) interconnected at their top ends by a gently arched cross member (6); hinged struts (8) are used to connect the uprights (5) of each frame section (4) with those of the next, along both tracks (2). The resultant folding structure traverses from an uncovered situation, in which the frame sections (4) are gathered together and stowed at one end of the tracks (2), to assume the sheltering position, with the frame sections (4) spread apart to stretch the tarpaulin cover (9) taut over the vehicle.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a shelter for vehicles in general. More particularly, the shelter disclosed is intended for erection in those areas of private and/or residential premises that are given over to parking space for cars and other motor vehicles, or pleasure boats and similar small craft.

[0002] Modern dwellings are generally provided with a given number of garages, each capable of accommodating one or more vehicles. The majority of such garages will consist in a permanent structure with masonry walls, affording at least one door by way of which to gain access to the interior. Use is also made of free-­standing structures in zinc sheeting, fibreglass or asbestos panels, etc., which are anchored to the ground in such a way as to remain stable even when weather conditions are particularly hostile.

[0003] Needless to say, a permanent garage structure will generally be located adjacent to the dwelling of the user, or at least in an area close by, in order to exploit its functional convenience to the full. Numerous problems tend to derive, principally, from the fact that traditional garages are erected in areas that are designed to serve other uses besides. For example, garages are often constructed in the communal yards or gardens of appartment buildings which also provide the only available space for childrens' recreation, with obvious disadvantages. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to overcome the difficulties described above, and to do so by providing a shelter, suitable for vehicles of any given type, that features a folding structure capable of reducing the enclosed cubic space to suit the requirements of the user, and at the same time, of withstanding any ambient conditions to which it may become exposed.

[0004] The stated object is amply realized, together with others, by adoption of the shelter according to the invention. Such a shelter, which can be used to garage any given type of vehicle, is characterized in that it comprises two parallel tracks anchored to the ground; a plurality of frame sections, each consisting in a pair of uprights, the top ends of which are rigidly interconnected by a cross member and the bottom ends slidably engaged with the parallel tracks; a pair of struts connecting each frame section with the frame section next in succession, each one of which is hingedly attached by its ends to two adjacent uprights occupying the same track; a tarpaulin cover, fastened to the frame sections nd exhibiting at least one open front that coincides with either one of the two endmost frame sections; and in that it can be traversed between a stowed position, in which all the frame sections are gathered together and occupy one end of the parallel tracks, and an extended position in which the frame sections are spaced apart one from the next to the point where the tarpaulin cover is fully spread. The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig 1 is a perspective of the shelter according to the invention, seen in its stowed configuration;

fig 2 is a perspective of the shelter of fig 1, seen in its extended configuration;

fig 3 is a front elevation of the endmost frame section of the folding structure;

fig 4 is a side elevation of the shelter in fig 1, seen without its tarpaulin cover;

fig 5 is a section of the the endmost frame section of fig 3, taken through V-V;

fig 6 is the cross section through a detail of the shelter according to the invention;

fig 7 is the cross section through a further detail of the shelter according to the invention;

fig 8 is a schematic representation of drive means in a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0005] Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes a shelter, in its entirety, according to the invention, which is suitable for vehicles in general.

[0006] Essentially, the shelter 1 comprises two parallel tracks 2 anchored at ground level 3, and a plurality of frame sections 4 slidably engaging with the two tracks. More exactly, each single frame section 4 consists in a pair of uprights 5 the top ends 5a of which are rigidly connected to a cross member 6; the bottom ends 5b of the uprights are associated with gliding elements, denoted 7, which engage slidably with the tracks 2. In a preferred embodiment, the cross member 6 will exhibit a gently arched profile, and might be provided with bracing members 6a (see figs 1 and 2) that ensure an even distribution of any stresses to which the structure may be subject. It will be observed clearly from fig 4 that each frame section 4 incorporates a pair of struts 8, serving to connect it to the frame section 4 next in succession, and more precisely, it is an essential feature of the invention that each such strut 8 is hinged at one end 8a to the gliding element 7 of a relative upright 5, and hinged at its opposite end 8b to a pivot 5c located in the upper half of the upright 5 of the adjacent frame section. Thus, the struts 8 serve to impart rigidity to the structure formed by the set of frame sections 4, and to ensure that when these are in movement along the tracks 2, the intermediate uprights will assume a given angle in relation to ground level 3. The shelter 1 further comprises a tarpaulin cover 9 that is attached to each of the frame sections 4; the cover is embodied with a permanently closed rear flap 9a coinciding with the endmost rear frame section 4a, and an open front 10 that coincides with the end frame section opposite, i.e. that denoted 4a.

[0007] The tarpaulin 9 is made fast to each frame section 4 by conventional means (not illustrated), and in a preferred embodiment will be fashioned from a fabric that is fire, water and weatherproof, and resistant to ultraviolet rays, so that the interior of the shelter can be assured protection against any given ambient conditions.

[0008] The endmost frame section 4a surrounding the open front 10 is provided, to advantage, with a rolling flap 11 the edges of which are slidably accommodated in respective vertical channels 12, fitted to the relative uprights 5 and facing one another, as will be clearly discernable from figs 3 and 5.

[0009] In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the bottom ends 5b of the uprights 5 of the front end frame section 4a are provided with trolleys 13 that run on the parallel tracks 2, whilst the bottom ends 5b of all the remaining uprights 5 are fitted with shoes 14 that engage with the tracks in sliding contact. The bottom ends 5b of the uprights 5 of the rear end frame section 4b are rigidly attached to the tracks 2 at the rear end of the structure, and thus remain permanently in the same position.

[0010] Turning to fig 7, each trolley 13 consists in a bracket exhibiting a top member 15, rigidly attached to the bottom end of the upright 5, and two side members 16 and 17 that project downward, diverging at an angle of 120° or thereabouts. Each such member carries a fixed pivot 15a, 16a and 17a to which a respective freely revolving wheel 18, 19 and 20 is mounted.

[0011] Each of the two parallel tracks 2 in the embodiment illustrated is embodied as a rail, the cross section of which exhibits a bottom part 2a in the form of an upturned T, and a rounded top part 2b. Accordingly, the wheels 18, 19 and 20 of the trolley 13 are able to roll along the relative track 2, but only in a direction parallel with its longitudinal axis, such that the uprights 5 cannot separate from the rail when the frame sections 4 are in motion.

[0012] As can be seen in fig 6, each shoe 14 consists substantially in a block 21 with a top shank 22 for attachment to the bottom end of the upright 5, and with a slide 23 at bottom, which affords an opening 24 shaped substantially to match the rounded profile of the top part 2b of the track 2. Like the trolleys 13 therefore, the shoes 14 traverse parallel to the longitudinal axes of the tracks, and are inseparable from them.

[0013] The uprights 5 of the endmost frame section 4a must be made to run parallel with each other in a common plane and perpendicular to the ground, and to this end, the shelter 1 is provided with suitable drive means, illustrated in fig 8. Such means are denoted 25 in their entirety, and comprise a first pulley 26 and a second pulley 27 located respectively at one end of each track 2, a third and a fourth pulley 28 and 29 located respectively at the opposite ends of the tracks, and a fifth and a sixth pulley 30 and 31 fixed one to the inside of each track 2 near to the third and fourth pulleys 28 and 29.

[0014] 32 denotes a first rope, fastened by one end 32a to the bottom of one upright 5 of the front endmost frame section 4a, for example, at the trolley 13; its remaining end 32b is fastened similarly to the other upright 5 of the same frame section.

[0015] This first rope 32 is passed around the first and third pulleys 26 and 28, around the winding drum of a winch 33, and then around the sixth pulley 31. 34 denotes a second rope 34, which is also fastened to the bottom of one upright 5 of the selfsame frame section 4a by its one end 34a, and to the bottom of the other upright 5 by its remaining end 34b.

[0016] The second rope 34 is threaded up in the same way as the first, in this case, passing around the second and fourth pulleys 27 and 29, the winding drum of the winch 33, and the fifth pulley 30.

[0017] The winch 33 may either be operated by hand or power driven using a conventional motor.

[0018] Embodied as described above, the shelter 1 according to the invention is abundantly simple in operation. The shelter is capable of movement between a stowed configuration (fig 1), in which the frame sections 4 are gathered together and positioned at one end of the tracks 2, and an extended configuration in which the frame sections are spaced apart one from the next (fig 3) until the tarpaulin cover 9 is fully spread.

[0019] The user extends the shelter by operating the drive means 25, or if none are fitted, drawing the endmost frame section 4a forward along the tracks by hand. This done, the flap 11 is rolled down to effect a complete enclosure.

[0020] It will be seen that the object stated at the outset is achieved with the invention disclosed, as the folding structure permits of reducing the dimensions of the shelter to a minimum, as and when necessary. Moreover, the inclusion of the struts 8 guarantees that the structure of the shelter will remain stable even in the most hostile weather conditions. Lastly, it will be seen that the shelter according to the invention features great simplicity in terms of construction and installation, and is therefore a commodity which can be marketed at a cost far lower than that of traditional free-standing garages.

Claims

1) A shelter for vehicles in general,
characterized
in that it comprises:
- two parallel tracks (2) anchored to the ground;
- a plurality of frame sections (4), each consisting in a pair of uprights (5), the top ends (5a) of which are rigidly interconnected by a cross member (6) and the bottom ends (5b) slidably engaged with the parallel tracks (2);
- a pair of struts (8) connecting each frame section (4) with the frame section next in succession, each one of which is hingedly attached by its ends to two adjacent uprights (5) occupying the same track (2);
- a tarpaulin cover (9), fastened to the frame sections (4) and exhibiting at least one open front (10) that coincides with either one of the two endmost frame sections;
and in that it can be traversed between a stowed position, in which all the frame sections (4) are gathered together and occupy one end of the parallel tracks (2), and an extended position in which the frame sections (4) are spaced apart one from the next to the point where the tarpaulin cover (9) is fully spread.

2) A shelter as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the two endmost frame sections (4a) is provided with a rolling flap (11) the edges of which are slidably accommodated in respective vertical channels (12) afforded by each upright (5) of the frame section.

3) A shelter as in claim 1, wherein the bottom end (5b) of each upright (5) is fitted with a trolley (13) slidably engagable with one of the parallel tracks (2).

4) A shelter as in claim 1, wherein the bottom end (5b) of each upright (5) is fitted with a shoe (14) slidably engagable with one of the parallel tracks (2).

5) A shelter as in claim 1, wherein the bottom ends (5b) of the uprights (5) of at least one of the two endmost frame sections (4a) are fitted with trolleys (13) slidably engagable with the parallel tracks (2), and the bottom ends (5b) of the remaining uprights (5) are fitted with shoes (14) slidably engagable with the parallel tracks.

6) A shelter as in claim 1, wherein the uprights (5) of one of the two endmost frame sections (4b) are located at and rigidly associated with one end of the parallel tracks .

7) A shelter as in claim 1, wherein each strut (8) has one end (8a) hingedly connected to the bottom end (5b) of one upright (5), and its opposite end (8b) hinged to the upper half of the corresponding upright (5) of the adjacent frame section (4).

8) A shelter as in claim 1, wherein the cross members (6) of the frame sections (4) exhibit a gently arched profile and occupy the same plane as the relative uprights (5).

9) A shelter as in claim 1, further comprising drive means (25) by which both the uprights (5) of one of the two endmost frame sections (4a) are traversed simultaneously.

10) A shelter as in claim 9, wherein drive means (25) comprise:
-a first and a second pulley (26, 27) located at one end of each track (2), a third and a fourth pulley (28, 29) located at the remaining end of the tracks, and a fifth and a sixth pulley (30, 31) fitted one to the inside of each track (2) near to the third and fourth pulleys;
-a first rope (32), fastened at each end (32a, 32b) to the respective bottom ends of the uprights (5) of the endmost frame section (4a) and passed around the first, third and sixth pulleys;
-a second rope (34), fastened at each end (34a, 34b) to the respective bottom ends of the uprights (5) of the same frame section (4a) and passed around the second, fourth and fifth pulleys; and
-a winch (33), around which the first and second ropes are wound, serving to produce the traversing movement of the end frame section (4a).

Drawing