Portable tent

Claim 1

A lightweight, portable tent structure movable between erected and folded positions, and between flexed and unflexed positions while in said folded position, said structure comprising, in combination; (a) a plurality of not less than three substantially identical frame members, each comprising a continuous, solid, metal rod extending from a lower terminal end defining a substantially closed loop, through a linear base portion and a curved upright portion to an upper terminal end defining a substantially closed loop; (b) said upper terminal ends of each of said frame members being superposed directly upon one another with the openings defined by said closed loops thereof aligned on a first linear axis, and said lower terminal ends being likewise superposed with the openings defined by said closed loops thereof aligned on a second linear axis, said first and second axes being vertically aligned with said first and second terminal ends spaced by a first distance, in the erected position of said tent, and angularly arranged and spaced by a second distance, less than one-quarter of said first distance, in said flexed position; (c) means for releasably retaining said tent in said flexed position; (d) first and second headed bolt members extending loosely through said closed loops of said first and second terminal ends, respectively, and each secured by respective nut means to maintain said first and second terminal ends in said directly superposed relation, said nut means being selectively loosened to permit free movement of said frame members about said first and second axes between said erected position, wherein said frame members are angularly disposed about said first and second axes, and said folded position, wherein said frame members are substantially mutually superposed, and tightened to frictionally engage said upper and lower, superposed terminal ends between said nut means and the heads of said bolt members to stabilize the positions of said frame members in the erected position; (e) a flexible fabric covering extending substantially from said upper terminal ends to said base portions of said frame members and secured to said upright portions in angular segments, whereby the size of said segments establishes the angular relation of said frame members in said erected position, said covering having lateral terminal edges respectively secured to a first and a last of said frame member upright portions, and extending 360° about the periphery of said tent when in said erected position with said first and last frame members immediately adjacent one another; (f) primary securing means for selective attachment between portions of said covering material lateral edges to maintain said first and last frame members in said adjacent position; and (g) secondary securing means for selective attachment between said first frame member and the next-to-last frame member to maintain a fixed spacing therebetween and prevent movement away from said erected position, whereby said tent may be positionally stabilized by said secondary securing means as said last frame member is moved between positions adjacent said first frame member and adjacent said next-to-last frame member.