Tents and support frames for tents

Abstract

A support frame for a tent comprising a pair of spaced-apart gables each gable comprising a pair of rafters hingedly connected relative to one another at their upper ends via an apex connector to form an apex, and a ridge beam connected at its opposite ends to the apexes and pivotally moveable relative to each apex about a substantially fixed axis, the fixed axis lying in a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane containing the longitudinal axis of a rafter.

1 . A support frame for a tent positioned on a ground or support surface, comprising:
 a pair of spaced-apart gables, each gable comprising a pair of rafters hingedly connected relative to one another at their upper ends via an apex connector to form an apex, and a ridge beam connected at its opposite ends to the apexes and pivotally moveable relative to each apex about a substantially fixed axis, the fixed axis lying in a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane containing the longitudinal axis of a rafter, wherein the ridge beam comprises a pair of ridge beam portions, the ridge beam portions being connectable to one another end-to-end by an end connector, and wherein the length of each ridge beam portion is less than a height of the apex connector from the ground or support surface, whereby the ridge beam portions pivot downwardly about the said fixed without the end connector hitting the ground or support surface.   
     
     
         2 . The support frame of  claim 1 , wherein when the support frame is in an upright orientation in use, the ridge beam is constrained to pivot, in use, about a substantially horizontal axis. 
     
     
         3 . The support frame of  claim 1 , wherein the ridge beam extends from, and is hingedly connected to, each gable and is moveable between a first position in which its longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to a plane of a gable and a second position in which its longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to a plane of a gable. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The support frame of  claim 1 , wherein the end connector comprises a locking pin insertable into an aperture of each beam portion, the apertures being arranged to align when longitudinal axes of the beam portions are substantially coaxial. 
     
     
         6 . The support frame of  claim 1 , wherein the end connector comprises a locking sleeve selectively slideable around or within the beam portions into a position whereby it overlaps both beam portions thereby preventing or inhibiting relative pivotal movement of the beam portions. 
     
     
         7 . The support frame of  claim 1 , wherein each ridge beam portion comprises a plurality of hingedly interconnected sub-portions, the sub-portions being hingedly interconnected using lockable hinges. 
     
     
         8 . The support frame of  claim 1 , further comprising an eaves beam located at, or near to, a lower end of the said rafter. 
     
     
         9 . The support frame of  claim 8 , wherein the eaves beam is pivotable between a first position in which its longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to a plane of gable and a second position in which its longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the said plane of a gable. 
     
     
         10 . The support frame of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of legs for supporting the rafters above ground level. 
     
     
         11 . The support frame of  claim 10 , wherein, in use, the upper ends of the legs are pivotally connected at or near to the lower ends of the rafters, and/or to the eaves beams. 
     
     
         12 . The support frame of  claim 10 , wherein the legs are telescopically extendible. 
     
     
         13 . The support frame of  claim 1 , further comprising a tent liner, the tent liner being suspendable from the support frame by a rope, the rope being: affixable at a first point to the tent liner; guided by a guide of the support frame; and affixable at a second point to a clamp, cleat or eyelet, wherein a portion of the tent liner to which the rope is affixable can be raised or lowered by pulling on, or by releasing, the rope. 
     
     
         14 . The support frame of  claim 13 , wherein the tent liner comprises any one or more of the group comprising: a roof; a sidewall; and a floor. 
     
     
         15 . The support frame of  claim 14 , wherein at a major proportion of the roof is manufactured of translucent or transparent material. 
     
     
         16 . The support frame of  claim 14 , wherein at least 50% of the area of the roof is manufactured of translucent or transparent material. 
     
     
         17 . The support frame of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the rope or ropes is affixable to the tent liner at a plurality of spaced-apart locations and wherein at least one of the rope or ropes is affixable to the support frame at a plurality of spaced-apart locations. 
     
     
         18 . The support frame of  claim 13 , wherein a rope is detachably affixable to the tent liner and/or support frame using a releasable coupling.