Patents by Inventor Paul J. Watts

Paul J. Watts has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4202363
    Abstract: A collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type including a foldable frame and a cover of sheet material affixed to the frame. The frame comprises a plurality of support members having mutually respective ends pivotally connected to a central hub. The central hub is mounted on elongate erecting guide means located at the apex of the frame. A second hub is mounted on the guide means below the central hub, and a plurality of rib members are pivotally connected at mutually respective ends to the second hub, with the other ends of the rib members being pivotally connected to corresponding, respective support members, so that when the shelter is in its erected form, the support members extend outwardly and downwardly from the central hub, the second hub is positioned adjacent or proximate to the central hub, the rib members extend substantially radially outwardly from the erecting guide, and the cover is held tautly affixed to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Assignee: American Ecosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Watts, Lynn D. Crawford, Philip T. Nichols
  • Patent number: 4201237
    Abstract: A collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type including a foldable frame and a cover of sheet material affixed to the frame. The tent frame comprises a plurality of support members and novel means of pivotally connecting the mutually respective ends of the support members to a central hub. The central hub is mounted on erecting guide means, which preferably has the form of an erecting rod or cord. A second hub is mounted on the guide means below the central hub, and a plurality of rib members are pivotally connected at mutually respective ends to the second hub, using novel connecting means similar to that used with the support members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1980
    Inventors: Paul J. Watts, Lynn D. Crawford, Philip T. Nichols
  • Patent number: 4195651
    Abstract: A collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type including a foldable frame and a cover of sheet material affixed to the frame, wherein the frame is provided with ground-engaging foot members which firmly secure the bottom and/or floor of the tent to the base of the frame. The tent frame comprises a plurality of support members which, when the shelter is erected, extend outwardly and downwardly from the hub to the ground. The novel foot members comprise a central body attached to the downwardly extending end of the respective support members. An elongate base is connected integrally with the central body portion of the foot member, and an elongate opening is provided in the base for attachment of one end of a strip of webbing or fabric which is attached at its other end to the bottom and/or floor of the tent cover. Means are also provided for attaching and anchoring a tie-rope or cord to the foot member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1980
    Assignee: American Ecosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Watts, Lynn D. Crawford, Philip T. Nichols
  • Patent number: 4193413
    Abstract: Means for slidably attaching a piece of fabric material to a tubular support member is disclosed, comprising a ring member which circumscribes the support member and is adapted for sliding movement therealong. The ring member has a key-type extension thereon which is adapted to releasably engage a corresponding locking connector which is attached to the fabric material. The attaching means are advantageously used in connecting the fabric portion of a collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type to the collapsible frame of the shelter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1980
    Assignee: American Ecosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Watts, Lynn D. Crawford, Philip T. Nichols