Foldable roof construction, especially for motor vehicles

Claim 1

A SUPPORT ARRANGEMENT FOR A FOLDABLE ROOF, ESPECIALLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLES HAVING A VEHICLE SUPERSTRUCTURE, COMPRISING FOLDABLE ROOF COVER MEANS INCLUDING LATERAL COVER PARTS, SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SUPPORT MEMBERS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER FOR SAID COVER MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SUPPORTING THE SAME IN THE RAISED POSITION THEREOF AND OPERATIVE TO ENABLE FOLDING THEREOF, AND SEPARATE TENSIONING MEANS FOR TENSIONING SAID LATERAL PARTS WITH SAID COVER MEANS IN THE RAISED POSITION THEREOF TO THEREBY ASSURE TIGHT SEALING ABUTMENT OF SAID LATERAL PARTS AGAINST SAID VEHICLE SUPERSTRUCTURE INCLUDING ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH ONE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATING SAID SEPARATE TENSIONING MEANS DURING RAISING AND LOWERING OF SAID COVER MEANS, SAID ACTUATING MEANS INCLUDING A BUSHING PROVIDED WITH A GUIDE SLOT AND RIGIDLY CONNECTED WITH SAID ONE SUPPORT MEMBER, A SPRING-LOADED PISTON MEMBER SLIDINGLY ACCOMMODATED WITHIN SAID BUSHING AND PROVIDED WITH A PISTON ROD, FIRST CONNECTING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID PISTON ROD WITH ONE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT DURING COLLAPSING OF SID COVER MEANS SAID PISTON MEMBER IS MOVED IN ONE DIRECTION, AN ESSENTIALLY HOOK-SHAPED MEMBER SECURED TO SAID PISTON MEMBER AND GUIDED WITHIN SAID GUIDE SLOT, AND SECOND CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF WITH SAID HOOK-SHAPED MEMBER AND AT THE OTHER END THEREOF TO THE REAR RIM PORTION OF SAID COVER MEANS.