Device for protective-covering

Technical field:

The present invention relates to a device for protective- covering by way of canvas-sections, intended to be joined and stretched over beams, extending over a space-portion to be protective-covered.

Technical problem:

When protective-covering with canvas materials of different kinds, such as fabric or similar, over larger surfaces it is extremely difficult and in many cases impossible to use a single continuous canvas for the space-portion to be protective-covered. In the case where several canvas-sections are used and joined along their edge-portions, the problem often arises that the joined portions will not be water- impervious, but instead an internal roof-drip will occur bringing with it as a consequence a lesser comfort and a risk of moisture-damage. Furthermore, difficulties are often found in stretching such canvas-sections in an optimum way from a strength- and shape-point of view.

The objective of the present invention is to alleviate the above-mentioned problem and to provide a device for protective- covering enabling a joining without the risk of roof-drip and which allows a, from every point of view, favourable stretching of the canvas-sections.

The invention:

Said objective is achieved by providing a device for protective-covering, characterized in that the canvas-sections are provided with a longitudinal tension-element along at least one edge-portion adapted to extend in the longitudinal

direction of a beam, which tension-element consists of a strip, string or similar, that said edge-portion is adapted to over¬ lap the adjacent edge-portion of an adjacent canvas-section, that said beams have a cross-sectionally concave, upwardly facing surface, defining a groove, in which said tension- element extends and that the tension-elements are adapted at the ends to be secured or alternatively connected to the respective ends of further tension-elements, so that the tension-elements can be stretched over the provided beams.

Brief description of the drawings:

The invention will in the following be described in greater detail by way of a number of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 schematically shows a cross-section through a canvas stretched over a beam,

Fig. 2 shows a partially broken side-view of a protective-tent, built up with the device according to the invention,

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through a beam-profile of the device according to the invention in a first embodiment,

Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of the beam-profile, whilst

Fig. 5 shows a cross-section through a jointing-profile for joining sections of beam-profiles according to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 respectively,

Fig. 6 shows a cross-section through two overlapping edge-portions of canvas-sections secured to the beam-profile according to the first embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a view of a number of canvas- sections jointed to each other and laid out in

a schematically imagined position, whereby the beam-profiles have been excluded for the sake of clarity.

Best mode of carrying out the invention:

Fig. 1 and 2 thus show an example of an embodiment of a protective-covering of a space-portion with a number of parallelly arranged beams 1 in the shape of archs for protective-covering a space-portion 2 under the beams. Over the beams, a canvas-material is stretched in the shape of several canvas-section 3, 4, 5, 6. The canvas-sections are so arranged, that they extend with two mutually parallel edge-portions 7, 8 in the longitudinal direction of the beams 1 and overlap the adjacent edge-portion 9, 10 of an adjoining canvas-section. The arrangement is described in greater detail with reference to Fig. 6.

Fig. 3 shows the profile-shape of a beam-profile 1, which may have the arched shape shown in Fig. 1. Alternatively, the beams may consist of straight sections, which are broken in at least one place, in order, for instance, to form a conventional saddle roof. According to the invention the beam 1 has an upwardly facing surface 11, which to its shape according to Fig. 3 is concave and shaped with an arched contour-line in such a way that the profile defines the shape of a groove in the top face of the beam. The profile further has a cavity 12 with the shape of a T, defining a longitudinal track with a longitudinal opening 13, facing downwards.

Fig. 4 shows an example of an alternative embodiment of the beam-profile 14, which differs from the first embodiment according to Fig. 3 by the fact that the concave surface, here denoted 15, has straight contour-lines with downwardly converging side faces 16, 17 and a straight bottom-contour 18. An example of an additional shape is the V-shape, where the bottom-face 18 no longer exists. Apart from this, the profile in the this second embodiment has the same T-shaped track as in the first embodiment.

Fig. 5 shows a jointing-element 12a, with a T-shape, adapted to be inserted into the T-shaped track 12 in the beams 1 and 14 respectively. The jointing-element 18 is intended to join beam- sections by being inserted into the ends of the beams and to extend into two beam-section in order to hold these together.

As becomes apparent from Fig. 6, each canvas-section 3, 4, 5, 6 is provided, at least at one of its edge-portions 8, 10, with a longitudinal tension-element 19, 20 for example in the shape of a strip made of a strong material, for example a woven strip of synthetic fibre thread. In the example shown in Fig. 6 it is implied that each canvas-section has two parallel edge- portions, namely the ones positioned along the mutual parallel beams 1, provided with tension-strips 19, 20. The strips are as an example sewn to a respective canvas-section 3, 4, whilst the edge-portions 8, 10 of the canvas-sections overlap each other so that both strips 19, 20 run in the upwardly facing concave groove 11. The canvas-sections may additionally be provided, in a known manner, with a folded reinforcement-section 21, 22. However, the two edge-portions 8, 10 are not sewn together, but are held in position by the application of a tensile-force in the strips by stretching these forcedly in the longitudinal direction of the beams 1 and securing them at their ends. The concave groove forms a position guidance for the tension-strips against movements side-ways and also collects any penetrating rainwater, which in heavy rain may make it in between the edge- portions of the canvas-sections and the groove thus guides the rain water in the longitudinal direction of the beam and downwardly towards the lower ends of the beams.

Fig. 7 schematically shows four canvas-section 3, 4, 5, 6 in a laid-out condition, although the beams have been removed for the sake of clarity. Hereby, it becomes apparent that the tension-strips 8, 10, of which only the superposed tension- strip is visible, advantageously have end-portions 23, 24, extending beyond the two opposite edge-portions 25, 26 of the canvas-sections, which extend transversally relative to the edge-portions 8, 10 along which the strips 19, 20 are attached.

In order to enable the strips to be stretched to a sufficient degree, the ends 23, 24 advantageously are provided with fastening-element for fastening two interacting members on the beams. The tension-strips may for instance be provided at their ends with rings, for example a number of rings in a row at each end-portion, which may be hooked up in hook-like or pin-like elements jutting out from the beams in the concave groove 8 at the ends of the beams or beam-sections.

The invention is not limited to the above-described and illustrated embodiment, but may naturally be altered in a number of ways within the scope of the accompanying claims. The beam-profiles may have a completely different shape than the one shown. For example, the T-shaped track may be excluded. Furthermore, the depth of the groove may be more accentuated with extending guiding edges, which, however, should be somewhat rounded in order to avoid abrasion of the canvas- material. Furthermore, the tension-elements may be in the shape of strings made of a synthetic material, steel wire or similar, which are sewn into channels formed by the canvas-material. The sections need furthermore not have a width which equals the interspaces between the two adjacent beams, but a canvas- section may naturally extend over several beams, but may thereby still be provided with tension-strips, so positioned, that the strips end up exactly overlapping the groove of the beams. It is naturally also conceivable that tension-strips are missing at those beams, where joining does not take place. The above-mentioned jointing-profile may, apart from joining, be used as a fastening device for posts or stays between the beams serving as roof-frames, or they may serve as other kinds of attachments.