Cardboard camouflage structure

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Jan. 29, 1946. j. v. horr 2,393,776

CARDBOARD CAMOUFLAGE STRUCTURE

Filed Dec. 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

PTH41

XR 2,393,776

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Jan. 29, 1946. jv.horr 2,393,776

CARDBOARD CAMOUFLAGE STRUCTURE

Filed Dec. 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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INVENTOR

Jo/ιη E/Ior/'

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Patented Jan. 29,1946

2,393,776

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,393,776 « CARDBOARD CAMOUFLAGE STRUCTURE

John V, Horr, North Tarrytown, N. Y-, assignor to Einson-Freeman Co., Inc., Long Island -City, N. Y-, a corporation of Delaware

Application December 30,1944, Serial No. 570,623

Claims. (CL 35—25) .My present invention relates generally to camouflage structures, and has particular reference to a cardboard structure Intended to simulate a vehicle wheel.

It is a general object of the invention to provide 6 certain improvements in the type of “dummy” device which is commonly employed during warfare to serve as a decoy and to draw enemy fire. Such devices are customarily composed of relatively inexpensive material, and it has been the 10 practice to .employ ordinary cardboard or its equivalent for simulating certain targets such as vehicles, gun carriages and the like. In order to facilitate their use, such structures are frequently made in collapsible form so that the constituent 15 elements may be more readily manufactured in advance, stored and shipped in compact form, and assembled and disassembled at the time and place of use. Although the simulation may be . crude, when considered from the standpoint of 20 close inspection, the erection in a strategicallyselected place of a “dummy” structure of the character mentioned, coupled with suitably painted embellishments and camouflage nets er the like, serves admirably to simulate a genuine 25 target when viewed from the air or from a distance.

The present improvement relates specifically to ' the simulation of a wheel of a vehicle, gun carriage, or similar piece of equipment, it being 30 understood that the terms “vehicle” and “wheel,” as used herein and in the appended claims, are . to be broadly construed in the light of the foregoing discussion: the invention being applicable for example, not only to the simulation of wheels 35 in the order sense, but also to tractor-type equivalents thereof.

Similarly, while the invention is primarily applicable to a structure composed of sheet cardboard, it is to be understood that the term “card- 40 board,” as used herein and in the appended claims, is intended to signify any material of equivalent character and properties.

It is a specific object of my invention to provide a wheel-simulating cardboard structure which is ⁴³composed of few parts, which lends itself readily to inexpensive quantity manufacture, which may be conveniently collapsed to facilitate storage and shipment, which may be easily and quickly set -up for use, and which is not only staunch ³⁹and rugged but highly effective in simulating the desired appearance of a genuine wheel or its equivalent.

Ί achieve the foregoing objects and advantages, and such other objects and advantages as may ⁵⁵ hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompany- ing drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative 5 cardboard structure of the general character to which my invention relates, shown in set-up condition, and including two wheels of the present improved character;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view 10 of the wheel structure by itself, taken substantially along the line 2—2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line

3—3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the wheel structure shown in collapsed condition;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5—5 of Figure 4; and

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are plan views of the three blanks, respectively, entering into the wheel structure.

I have chosen to illustrate my invention as it applies to a simulated field gun (Figure 1) pro25 vided with a pair of wheels, the wheels shown being of the conventional circular character. The structure as a whole is composed of various ' cardboard elements which are shaped, contoured, folded, and interengaged to simulate the various 30 constituent parts of the gun. The various elements are not referred to in detail since they do not form part of the present invention, but it will be observed that the elements include at least one axial support 12 upon which the wheel 35 structure 41 is mounted. The present improvement is particularly directed to the wheel structure 11.

The wheel structure is composed of two side pieces 12 and 13. arranged in spaced upright 40 planes with their upwardly-visible peripheries in parallel relationship. Extending between these peripheries are a series of connector strips arranged side by side. In the preferred construction illustrated, these strips form integral exten45 sions of one of the side pieces. In Figure 3, for example, it will be observed that the connector strip 14 is hingedly connected as at Π to the periphery of the side piece 42, and extends into engagement with the corresponding peripheral 50 portion of the side piece 13. This association of parts is established by forming an attachment tab (5 on the free end of the connector strip 44, and securing it by adhesive means or otherwise to the peripheral portion of the side piece 13.

The base of the attachment tab (5 is defined

2,393,776 by a fold line 16, and the connector strip 14 is also provided with the medial fold line 18, whereby the parts are in a hinged inter-relationship permitting the device to be collapsed by bringing the side pieces 12 and 13 into close superposed j positions.

The connector strips 14 are arranged only along the upper portions of the peripheries of the side pieces, thereby leaving an opening between these side pieces in the lower part of the struc- l'> ture. This opening is shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 2, -and permits access to the space between the side pieces 12 and 13 in order to brace the structure in its set-up condition.

The bracing is preferably accomplished by an 13 element 18 consisting of a substantially elongated cardboard strip (Figure 8) which is adapted to be curved or bent into an arcuate inverted U-shape (Figure 2) so that its opposite edges 20 and 21 engage frictionally with the opposed inner 20 surfaces of the side pieces 12 and 13. When the device is assembled, the brace 19 is held in position by engaging each end between two adjacent connector strips 14. Thus, the end 22 projects outwardly through the space between two adjacent connector strips 14 at the left of Figure 2, and the opposite end 23 projects outwardly, in a similar manner, through a pair of adjacent connector strips 14 at the right of Figure 2. Holes 24 provided in the brace 19 near its ends facilitate the engagement of the strip by the fingers of the user.

The two side pieces 12 and 13 are mounted upon the axial support 10, and in order that this support may prevent the side pieces from shifting rotationally with respect to each other, it is preferably non-cireular in cross-section. I have illustratively shown the support 10 composed of a substantially square tube of cardboard or the like, and to permit the side pieces 12 and 13 to engage with this tube, each of the side pieces is provided with a central aperture of corresponding shape. The piece 12 is shown provided with a substantially square or rectangular aperture 25, and the piece 13 (Figure 7) is provided with a similar central aperture 26.

Rigidity and staunchness can be enhanced by forming each of the apertures 25 and 26 with an inwardly directed tab 27 adapted to enter a slot (not shown) formed for this specific purpose in ²⁰one of the walls of the tubular support 10.

The manufacture of the device is extremely simple, because of the fact that the constituent parts are themselves of such simple nature. For example, each of the elements 12,13 and 19 (Fig- 55 ures 6-8) may be composed of a simple blank of flat sheet cardboard or the like. The assembly of the parts 12 and 13, during the course of manufacture, may be expeditiously· accomplished as follows: 60

The blank 12 is first laid upon a fiat table or Support which is provided with an upstanding post having a suitable shape to pass through the aperture 25 and hold the blank 12 against rotation. Each of the extensions 14 is then folded ⁶⁵inwardly along its medial fold line 18. Glue is then applied to the upwardly exposed surfaces of the tabs 15. The piece 13 is then applied, with the aperture 26 fitted over the supporting post. A mere downward pressure is sufficient to secure 70 the glued tabs 15 to the corresponding peripheral portions of the blank 13. Without removing the assembly from the supporting post, another blank 12 may then be applied to the post, and the process repeated. As a result, a series of assembled 75 devices are formed, one upon the other, each device being in collapsed condition, and the resultant stack being readily removable from the supporting post for packaging and shipment. During the course of packaging, a brace 19 (Figure 8) is included, one for each wheel structure, this brace being obviously packed and shipped in flat condition.

When the wheel structure is to be set up. It is a relatively simple matter to separate the side pieces 12 and 13 and mount them on the axial support 19. Through the opening at the bottom of the structure, the brace 19 is inserted, and secured in position as shown in Figure 2. If and when the simulated gun is to be dismantled, the wheel structure is removed and collapsed by reversing this procedure.

It will be observed that the parts are so proportioned, that when the device is set up, the connector strips 14 will arch outwardly to a slight degree with respect to the space between the side pieces 12 and 13. This arched disposition of the connector strips, coupled with the fact that the midportions of the strips are spaced from one another by an amount greater than the end portions thereof, enhances the simulation of a wheel tread. One way of accomplishing this result is to make the shape of each connector strip 14 substantially rectangular, and to make the brace 19 of such a width that when the parts are set up, spaces will occur between the connector strips as shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 2.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the invention is not restricted to a wheel which is truly circular, but is obviously of equal applicability to a device constituting the equivalent of a wheel, such as a tractor-type support The only difference in structure would reside in the corresponding alteration of Hie contour of each of the side pieces 12 and 13.

In general it will be understood that the details hereindescribed and illustrated to explain the general nature of my invention may be modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.