Folding retractable hard top

Claim 2

In an automobile body having a windshield, rear deck and an interposed passenger compartment with a front seat and a rear seat, a hard top roof convertible between a closed roof sedan configuration and an open sun roof sedan configuration, said roof comprising: a rear roof section substantially covering the rear seat portion of said passenger compartment in its normal operative position; means pivotally mounting said rear roof section to said body whereby said rear roof section is movable between its normal operative position and a raised temporary position; a front roof section extending from said rear roof section to said windshield and covering said front seat portion of said passenger compartment in its normal operative position; and parallel linkage means swingable mounting said front roof section to said body whereby said front roof section is movable between said normal operative position and a stored position whereby an open sun roof is provided when said front roof section is stored and said rear roof section is in its normal operative position and a closed roof is provided when both said roof sections are in their respective normal operative positions.

Claim 3

The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said parallel linkage means is pivotally mounted on said body rearwardly of said front seat and wherein front roof section is located behind said rear seat when in its stored position.

Claim 4

The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said front roof section comprises a front portion and a rear portion and hinge means connecting said portions together at their interface and wherein said parallel linkage means pivotally mounts said rear portion of said front section to said body.

Claim 5

The combination as defined in claim 3 wherein said parallel linkage means is pivotally mounted on said body rearwardly of said front seat and further including link means connected to said parallel linkage means and to said front portion of said front section, said link means pivoting said front portion about said hinge means as said rear portion is moved to said stored position whereby said front roof section is located behind said rear seat in its stored position with said front portion overlying said rear portion of said front section.

Claim 6

A convertible hardtop roof for an automobile body having a windshield, rear deck and an interposed passenger compartment with a seat, said roof comprising: a front section, an intermediate section and a rear section; means hingedly connecting said front section to said intermediate section; parallel linkage means pivotally connected to said intermediate section and to said body rearwardly of said intermediate section whereby said front and intermediate sections are movable between a raised operative position and a lowered stored position beneath said rear section; link means operatively connected to said parallel linkage means and to said front section, said link means concurrently rotating said front section to a position overlying said intermediate section as said front and intermediate sections are moved to a lowered stored position; and means pivotally mounting said rear section to said body, said rear section being temporarily pivoted to a raised position as said front and intermediate sections are moved from their raised operative position to their lowered stored position, said rear section being subsequently lowered to provide a roll bar for said passenger compartment.

Claim 7

A convertible hardtop roof for an automobile body having a windshield, rear deck and an interposed passenger compartment with a seat, said roof comprising: a front section, an intermediate section and a rear section; means hingedly connecting said front section to said intermediate section; parallel linkage means pivotally connected to said intermediate section and to said body rearwardly of said intermediate section whereby said front and intermediate sections are movable between a raised operative position and a lowered stored position beneath said rear section; link means operatively connected to said parallel linkage means and to said front section, said link means concurrently rotating said front section to a position overlying said intermediate section as said front and intermediate sections are moved to a lowered stored position; and means pivotally mounting said rear section to said body, said rear section being temporarily pivoted to a raised position as said front and intermediate sections are moved from their raised operative position to their lowered stored position, said rear section being subsequently lowered to provide a roll bar for said passenger compartment.

Claim 8

In an automobile body having a windshield, a rear deck, and an interposed passenger compartment with a front seat and a rear seat and a hard top roof extending from said windshield to said rear deck and covering said passenger compartment in one of its operative positions providing a closed sedan and covering only the rear seat portion of said passenger compartment in another of its operative positions providing an open sun roof sedan, the combination comprising: a front roof section having a front portion and a rear portion; a pair of parallel links pivotally connected to each side wall of said passenger compartment and to said rear portion of said front roof section whereby said rear portion is movable from an operative position to a stored position behind said rear seat with a substantially constant attitude; power means oPeratively connected to one of said parallel links in each pair for operating said pairs of parallel links; hinge means connecting the rear of said front portion to the front of said rear portion; a follower link pivotally connected to the forward of said parallel links in each pair intermediate its pivots and to said forward portion whereby said forward portion is pivoted about said hinge means to a position overlying said rear portion as said rear portion is moved from an operative position to a stored position; a rear roof section; a lever pivotally connected to each side wall of said body rearwardly of said parallel link pivots and secured to said rear roof section; and second power means operatively connected to said levers for raising said rear section temporarily as said front section is moved between its positions.

Claim 9

In an automobile body having a windshield, a rear deck, and an interposed passenger compartment with a front seat and a rear seat and a hard top roof extending from said windshield to said rear deck and covering said passenger compartment in one of its operative positions providing a closed sedan and covering only the rear seat portion of said passenger compartment in another of its operative positions providing an open sun roof sedan, the combination comprising: a front roof section having a front portion and a rear portion; a pair of parallel links pivotally connected to each side wall of said passenger compartment and to said rear portion of said front roof section whereby said rear portion is movable from an operative position to a stored position behind said rear seat with a substantially constant attitude; power means oPeratively connected to one of said parallel links in each pair for operating said pairs of parallel links; hinge means connecting the rear of said front portion to the front of said rear portion; a follower link pivotally connected to the forward of said parallel links in each pair intermediate its pivots and to said forward portion whereby said forward portion is pivoted about said hinge means to a position overlying said rear portion as said rear portion is moved from an operative position to a stored position; a rear roof section; a lever pivotally connected to each side wall of said body rearwardly of said parallel link pivots and secured to said rear roof section; and second power means operatively connected to said levers for raising said rear section temporarily as said front section is moved between its positions.