I shall continue describing the groups of RVs... (Trailer tent)
Ca si la remorca-cort, aparitia rulotei nu este foarte bine determinata in timp. Ea a tinut cont de evolutia automobilelor si a aparut la putin timp dupa acestea. O rulota de la inceputurile rulotismului arata cam asa:
Just as the tent-trailer, the first caravan is not very well determined in time. It emerged a little while after the evolution of cars:
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| www.vintagecaravans.com |
Ma refer in acest articol la rulotele atasate automobilelor, caci evident, au existat “case pe roti” cu mult inainte de aparitia automobilului. Cel mai frumos exemplar este acesta, construit inainte de 1885 si utilizat pana in 1960:
In this article I would like to tell you about caravans towed by cars since it’s obvious that the so-called “houses on wheels” go back long before the first car existed. The most beautiful model is one built before 1885 and used until 1960:
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Aceasta casa pe roti avea o lungime de 30 ft (aproximativ 9 m) si era trasa de 2 cai la inceput, mai apoi de 4 cai. Interiorul este deosebit, fiind lucrat in intregime din lemn de mahon si artar, vopsit in negru si auriu.
This house on wheels was 30 ft long and it was towed by 2 horses to begin, later reaching 4 horses. The interior is special since it is completely made out of mahogany and maple wood, dyed in black and gold.
Revenind la casutele noastre pe roti, desi initial au fost construite rulote cu structura fixa, la un moment dat, pentru imbunatatirea coeficientului aerodinamic al atelajului si pentru o scadere a consumului de combustibil, cineva a avut ideea de a plia peretii rulotei, astfel aparand rulota plianta. Nici aici nu este certa “data nasterii”, insa am gasit pe internet o poza a unei rulote pliante fabricate in 1949:
Returning to our cottages on wheels, although initially caravans with fixed structure were built, at some point, to improve the aerodynamic coefficient of the ensemble and the fuel consumption, somebody had the idea to fold the walls of the caravan, thus creating the folding caravan. Once again, there isn't a certain ''birth date'' of it, but I managed to find on the internet a photograph of a folding trailer built in 1949:
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Acest model, fabricat de catre compania Wessex din Marea Britanie este cumva un hibrid intre o remorca-cort si o rulota, deoarece peretii laterali sunt rigizi in partea de jos si din panza in partea extensibila, iar acoperisul este de asemenea rigid si curbat... La locul de campare se desfasoara si arata ca mai jos:
This model, manufactured by Wessex, in Great Britain, is a sort of a hybrid between a tent trailer and a caravan because the bottom of its side walls is rigid and the extensive part is made of cloth, while the roof is also rigid and curved... It is mounted at the campsite and it looks like this:
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La inceputul anilor ‘60 apare conceptul de rulota plianta, asa cum il stim noi astazi. Doua sunt firmele care au pus la punct sisteme usor de folosit pentru ridicarea structurii unei rulote pliante. Una dintre ele a fost compania franceza Rapido, care a construit o rulota plianta pornind de la o structura asemanatoare d.p.d.v. al dimensiunilor cu o remorca-cort.
The concept of a folding caravan as we know it today emerged at the beginning of the 60s. There are two companies that made easily-used systems for upholding the structure of a folding caravan. One of those two companies was the French company Rapido, that built a folding caravan starting from a structure similar to the dimensions of a trailer tent.
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| Arhiva personala |
In its travelling configuration, this folding trailer had the dimensions of the box of 2,00 m x 1,60 m and its ground height of 0,85 cm, with a Maximum Allowed Mass of 495 kg. Unfolded, it became an actual caravan, having the dimensions of the box of 3,60 m x 2,00 m and an interior maximum height of 1,90 m, as you can see below:
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| Arhiva personala |
Interiorul era prevazut cu locuri de dormit pentru maxim 4 persoane, cu masa pliabila, cu dulap pentru haine, cu un corp de bucatarie cu chiuveta si aragaz cu 2 ochiuri, cu instalatie electrica pentru iluminat si priza electrica la 220V.
The interior had sleeping areas for a maximum of 4 persons, a foldable table, wardrobe, kitchen area with a sink and a two-eyed stove, electrics for lightning and a 220V electric socket.
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| Arhiva personala |
On the towing bar there was an aluminum box where you would find the gas bottle, a small fridge with a storage capacity of 30L and a small storage space for accessories. Rapido stayed loyal to the foldable caravan concept up to this day, when one of their models look like this:
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O alta companie producatoare de rulote pliante este tot din Franta, ca si Rapido si se numeste Esterel. Rulotele Esterel s-au fabricat intre 1964 si 2001. Spre deosebire de Rapido, cei de la Esterell au pastrat podeaua rulotei dintr-o bucata si au pliat peretii, asa cum vedeti in imaginea de mai jos:
Also from France is another folding trailer manufacturer, named Esterel. The Esterels were manufactured between 1964 and 2001. Unlike Rapido, the Esterels kept the floor of the caravan in one piece and folded the walls, as you may see below:
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Acest model se mareste prin ridicarea acoperisului si deplierea peretilor laterali, in final obtinandu-se o rulota cu dimensiuni comparative cu cele ale unei rulote clasice:
This model ''grows'' by lifting the roof and unfolding the side walls. When installed, it reaches the dimensions of a classical caravan:
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In paralel cu aceste modele deosebite de rulote pliante au aparut rulotele clasice. Acestea au una sau doua punti, o structura de rezistenta de tip panou sandwich, format din tabla de aluminiu la exterior, cadre din lemn umplute cu polistiren si placaj tapetat sau melaminat la interior. Exista si rulote al caror invelis exterior este din fibra de sticla sau plastic, insa acestea sunt mai putine.
Along with these special models of folding trailers emerged the classical caravans. They have one or two axels, sandwhich type structure, exterior aluminum board format, wooden frames filled with polystyrene and interior walls covered with melamine or wallpaper. There are a few caravans that have an exterior made out of fiber glass or plastic.
Primele rulote au aparut la inceputul secolului al XX-lea si imediat dupa primul razboi mondial aratau cam asa:
The first caravans were manufactured at the beginning of the twentieth century and soon after the WWI they looked like this:
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De-a lungul anilor, rulotele au tinut pasul cu evolutia automobilelor:
Over the years, the caravans kept pace with the evolution of the cars:
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iar in anii ‘60 deja aveau un aspect mult mai apropiat cel cunoscut azi:
and by the the 60s, they already had a much more closer aspect to the one we now know:
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Evolutia rulotelor pana in anii ‘90 nu a inregistrat schimbari fundamentale, in interior existand inca de la inceput spatii pentru dormit, spatii de depozitare si o mica bucatarie. Instalatia electrica de iluminat interior, prize electrice, un sistem de incalzire cu gaz, instalatie de apa cu un rezervor, pompa manuala la inceput, pompa electrica mai tarziu, erau dotari standard. Odata cu cresterea nevoii de confort, la rulotele din clasa superioara a aparut incaperea cu destinatie de toaleta. Aceasta a devenit standard chiar si la rulotele de dimensiuni mai mici. Asa arata prima noastra rulota, Roller, fabricata in 1982:
The evolution of caravans did not show fundamental changes until the 90s, having in the interior from the very beginning sleeping spaces, storage areas and a small kitchen. The electrical installation for interior illumination, electric sockets, gas heating systems, tank water installation, manual pump at the beginning and electrical pump later, were standard features. Once the need of comfort rose, the superior class caravans had a bathroom. This feature became a standard feature even for smaller caravans. This is how our first caravan, a Roller manufactured in 1982, looked like:
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| Arhiva personala |
Latimea uzuala a unei rulote este cuprinsa intre 2,05 m si 2,20 m, insa exista si rulote late de 2,50 m. Inaltimea uzuala a unei rulote este de circa 2,40 - 2,50 m, insa aceasta poate varia in functie de echipamentele aditionale montate pe acoperis. Ceea ce diferentiaza in primul rand rulotele este lungimea “cutiei”. Exista rulote cu lungimea cuprinsa intre 3,00 m si 7,50 m sau chiar mai mult (cea mai lunga rulota pe care am vazut-o avea lungimea cutiei de 8,15 m...). Greutatea rulotelor variaza foarte mult, de la 800 kg pana la 2000 kg sau chiar mai mult.
The usual width of a caravan is between 2,05 m and 2,20 m, while there are wider trailers of even 2,50 m. The usual height of a caravan is 2,40 - 2,50 m, but it can vary depending on the additional equipments mounted on the roof. What makes the biggest difference between caravans is the length of the ''box''. Caravans have a length set between 3,00 m and 7,50 m or even longer (the longest caravan I've seen had a length of the box of 8,15 m...). Their weight varies a lot, starting from 800 kg and up to 2000 kg or even more.
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Unul dintre accesoriile cele mai importante ale rulotelor este cortul. Acesta are rolul de a extinde suprafata utila a rulotei si de a oferi un adapost in cazul zilelor foarte calduroase, dar si in caz de vant sau de ploaie. Asa arata rulota noastra cu cortul montat:
One of the most important accessories for a caravan is the tent. It expands the usable space of the caravan and it provides shelter during very warm days, but also during those days when there's wind or rain. This is how our caravan with its tent looks like:
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| Arhiva personala |
Dupa 2000, dar mai ales in ultimii ani, rulotele s-au schimbat destul de mult, mai ales din punct de vedere estetic. La aceasta au contribuit noile procedee de fabricatie si noile materiale. Nu in ultimul rand, cerintele clientilor au devenit mult mai mari, rulota fiind privita din ce in ce mai mult ca a 2-a casa si nu ca un mod ieftin de petrecere a concediului. Asa arata o rulota de ultima generatie, fabricata de Knaus-Tabbert in 2012:
After the year 2000, especially during the last few years, caravans have changed a lot, mostly when it comes to design due to new technologies and new materials. Also, the clients' requirements have gradually increased since the caravan is now seen as a second home, rather than a cheap way of spending the holiday. This how a latest generation caravan, manufactured by Knaus-Tabbert in 2012, looks like:
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Ca si in cazul remorcii-cort, evolutia rulotelor a fost constanta de la aparitie si pana in zilele noastre. Si totusi, fundamental rulota a ramas aproape neschimbata, oferind libertate de calatorie in conditii de confort net superioare remorcii-cort.
Just like the tent trailers, the evolution of the caravans has been constant even until today. Still, fundamentally, the caravan has stayed mostly the same, offering us the freedom to travel in a higher level of comfort than with a tent trailer.
Va urma...
To be continued...
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