The present invention relates to a conversion kit for turning a cross-legged folding cot into a tiered cot, and such a tiered cot assembled using components from the conversion kit.
Tiered cots, with one cot positioned above another cot, are well known. The following United States patents are examples of tiered: U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,401 (Davis 1963), U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,367 (Bradford 1969) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,327 (Severson 1976). The use of tiered cots enables more personnel or more gear to be positioned in a confined area, such as a tent, by taking advantage of available vertical space.
The most common form of cot presently in use is a cross-legged folding cot. The cross-legged folding cot has supplanted other cot configurations, due to their ability to fold into a relatively compact form. There is no known tiered cot configuration that uses cross-legged folding cots.
What is required is a kit for converting a cross-legged folding cot into a tiered cot.
According to the present invention there is provided a kit for converting a cross-legged folding cot into a tiered cot, which includes at least four stilt legs having a longitudinal axis, a top end and a bottom end. A female coupling is positioned at the top end of each of the at least four stilt legs. Each female coupling is offset from the longitudinal axis by between 45 degrees and 65 degrees, and is adapted to receive a leg from a first cross-legged folding cot. With each female coupling holding a leg of a first cross-legged folding cot, the first cot is effectively elevated such that a second cross-legged cot can be positioned in the space provided beneath the first cot between the stilt legs.
Although beneficial results have been obtained through the use of the kit for converting a cross-legged folding cot into a tiered cot as described above, the use of cross-bracing and the addition of two more stilt legs for a total of six stilt legs improves the stability of a tiered cot especially if it is larger in dimension or intended for heavier individuals.
Although beneficial results have been obtained through the use of the kit for converting a cross-legged folding cot into a tiered cot as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained where the stilt legs are telescopically adjustable allowing for adjustments to the height of the first cot.
Although beneficial results have been obtained through the use of the kit for converting a cross-legged folding cot into a tiered cot as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained where additional features are provided. The addition of a step adapted as a drink receptacle and the addition of hooks to the stilt legs improve the utility of the tiered cot. The further addition of a tarp with tie straps allows for the enclosure of the second cot on one side. Where the tarp is repositioned, it also functions as a back support for persons seated on the second cot.
These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to in any way limit the scope of the invention to the particular embodiment or embodiments shown, wherein:
The preferred embodiment, a kit for converting a cross-legged folding cot into a tiered cot generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to
In order to place the present invention in context there will first be described the cross-legged folding cots which kit 10 was designed to configure. Referring to
Structure and Relationship of Parts:
Referring to
Operation:
The use and operation of a kit for converting a cross-legged folding cot into a tiered cot generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to
Variations:
Referring to
In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the claims.
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