US3674305A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Camper type vehicle and drive assembly for raising the top thereof
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-08-13
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Granted: 1972-07-04
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Expires: 1990-08-13
Abstract
Abstract A mobile type housing such as a trailer or camper having a base and retractable top is disclosed herein. The housing includes a plurality of telescopically movable support members mounted to the base and supporting the top for movement between a retracted or lowered position while in transit and an extended or raised position while in use. A single drive assembly is mounted to the base and connected to all of the support members through a plurality of elongated flexible push-rods for moving the support members equal distances and in unison so as to raise the top in a smooth, even and reliable manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Virgil H Steury
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:33
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/32; B60P3/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
A drive assembly for raising the top of a housing relative to the base thereof, said assembly comprising: a plurality of elongated support members mountable to the base of said housing and telescopically movable between retracted and extended positions, said support members supporting the top of said housing; a lug member mountable to the base of said housing for movement between a rearward position and a forward position; a plurality of flexible elongated connector elements each of which is directly connected at one end to said lug member and engageable at an opposite end with a corresponding elongated support member for moving said support member from its retracted position to its extended position in response to the movement of said lug from said rearward position to said forward position; a like plurality of rigid elongated tubes each of which is mounted to said base and receives therethrough a portion of a corresponding connector element for restricting the connector element to axial movement whereby to prevent buckling thereof; and a winch assembly mountable to said base and connected to said lug for moving said lug from said retracted position to said extended position for thereby moving said top from said lowered position to said raised position, said winch assembly including locking means for maintaining said top in said raised position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
A drive assembly for raising the top of a housing relative to the base thereof, said assembly comprising: a plurality of elongated support members mountable to the base of said housing and telescopically movable between retracted and extended positions, said support members supporting the top of said housing; a lug member mountable to the base of said housing for movement between a rearward position and a forward position; a plurality of flexible elongated connector elements each of which is directly connected at one end to said lug member and engageable at an opposite end with a corresponding elongated support member for moving said support member from its retracted position to its extended position in response to the movement of said lug from said rearward position to said forward position; a like plurality of rigid elongated tubes each of which is mounted to said base and receives therethrough a portion of a corresponding connector element for restricting the connector element to axial movement whereby to prevent buckling thereof; and a winch assembly mountable to said base and connected to said lug for moving said lug from said retracted position to said extended position for thereby moving said top from said lowered position to said raised position, said winch assembly including locking means for maintaining said top in said raised position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
135 words
A mobile type housing comprising: a base portion; a top portion; a plurality of telescopic movable support means mounted to said base portion for supporting said top portion between a lowered position and a raised position relative to said base; a lug mounted to said base portion for movement between a first position and a second position; a like plurality of flexible elongated incompressible connector elements, each of which is directly connected at one end to said lug and at the other end to said support means at the innermost part thereof for moving said top portion from said lowered position to said raised position in response to the movement of said lug from said first position to said second position; and means for moving said lug from said first position to said second position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
135 words
A mobile type housing comprising: a base portion; a top portion; a plurality of telescopic movable support means mounted to said base portion for supporting said top portion between a lowered position and a raised position relative to said base; a lug mounted to said base portion for movement between a first position and a second position; a like plurality of flexible elongated incompressible connector elements, each of which is directly connected at one end to said lug and at the other end to said support means at the innermost part thereof for moving said top portion from said lowered position to said raised position in response to the movement of said lug from said first position to said second position; and means for moving said lug from said first position to said second position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A mobile type housing according to claim 2 wherein said connector elements are axially movable along with said lug, the assembly further including means for restricting the connector elements to axial movement whereby to prevent buckling thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A mobile type housing according to claim 3 wherein said last mentioned means includes a like plurality of rigid elongated tubes, each of which is mounted to said base and receives therethrough a portion of a corresponding connector element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A mobile type housing according to claim 2 wherein said means for moving said lug includes a winch assembly mountable to said base and connected to said lug for moving said lug from said first position to said second position, said winch assembly including locking means for maintaining the top in said raised position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
A mobile type housing according to claim 5 wherein said winch assembly includes handle means for actuating said winch assembly and means for unlocking said winch assembly whereby to allow said top to move to its lowered position, said handle means being positioned a substantial distance from said means for unlocking said winch assembly whereby not to interfere with the operation of said last-mentioned means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
171 words
A drive assembly for a mobile type housing having a base and a movable top, said assembly comprising: a plurality of support members mounteD to said base for movement between retracted positions and extended position, said members supporting said top for movement between a lowered position when said members are in their retracted positions and a raised position when said members are in their extended positions; and a single drive means mountable to said base and engageable with said support members for moving said support members to said extended positions in unison whereby to raise said top, said single drive means including an actuator member mounted for movement between a retracted position and an advanced position, a plurality of conduits respectively extending from said actuator member to said support members, and substantially axially incompressible and axially shiftable elongated elements extending through said conduits between said actuator member and said support members for simultaneously and equally raising all of said support members from movement of the actuator member towards its advanced position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
171 words
A drive assembly for a mobile type housing having a base and a movable top, said assembly comprising: a plurality of support members mounteD to said base for movement between retracted positions and extended position, said members supporting said top for movement between a lowered position when said members are in their retracted positions and a raised position when said members are in their extended positions; and a single drive means mountable to said base and engageable with said support members for moving said support members to said extended positions in unison whereby to raise said top, said single drive means including an actuator member mounted for movement between a retracted position and an advanced position, a plurality of conduits respectively extending from said actuator member to said support members, and substantially axially incompressible and axially shiftable elongated elements extending through said conduits between said actuator member and said support members for simultaneously and equally raising all of said support members from movement of the actuator member towards its advanced position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
An assembly according to claim 7 including an actuator guide for said actuator member, said conduits being connected to said guide, and wherein said elongated elements are flexible members and wherein said guide is a straight member for resisting buckling of portions of said elongated elements extending beyond said conduits when said actuator member is in its retracted position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
127 words
A drive assembly for raising the top of a mobile type housing relative to the base thereof, said assembly comprising: a lug mountable to the base of said housing for movement between a retracted position and an advanced position; a plurality of flexible elongated incompressible connector elements, each of which is directly connected at one end to said lug and operatively connected at an opposite end to the top of said housing for moving said top from a lowered position to a raised position in response to the movement of said lug from said rearward position to said forward position; and means for moving said lug from said retracted position to said advanced position for thereby moving said top from said lowered position to said raised position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
127 words
A drive assembly for raising the top of a mobile type housing relative to the base thereof, said assembly comprising: a lug mountable to the base of said housing for movement between a retracted position and an advanced position; a plurality of flexible elongated incompressible connector elements, each of which is directly connected at one end to said lug and operatively connected at an opposite end to the top of said housing for moving said top from a lowered position to a raised position in response to the movement of said lug from said rearward position to said forward position; and means for moving said lug from said retracted position to said advanced position for thereby moving said top from said lowered position to said raised position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A drive assembly according to claim 9 including tube means for supporting said lug for movement between said rearward and forward positions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A drive assembly according to claim 9 wherein said connector elements are axially movable along with said lug and wherein said assembly further includes means for restricting the connector elements to axial movement whereby to prevent buckling thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
A drive assembly according to claim 11 wherein said last mentioned means includes an equal plurality of rigid elongated tubes, each of which receives therethrough an individual connector element for restricting said connector elements to axial movement whereby to prevent buckling and flexing thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
92 words
A drive assembly according to claim 9 including an equal plurality of elongated support members respectively connected to said opposite ends of said connector elements and telescopically movable from a retracted position to an extended position in response to the movement of said lug from said rearward position to said forward position, said support members being engageable with the top of said housing for moving said top from its lowered position to its raised position in response to the movement of said support members from their retracted positions to their extended positions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
64 words
A drive assembly according to claim 9 wherein said means for moving said lug member includes a winch assembly mountable to said base and connected to said lug member for moving said lug from its rearward position to its forward position, said winch assembly including locking means for maintaining said lug in its forward position whereby to maintain said top in said raised position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3495866A
Cited
US3508782A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-04 | 1976-01-03 | 1976-07-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-04 | 1980-01-03 | 1980-07-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-04 | 1984-01-03 | 1984-07-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |