US3688787A — Longitudinally collapsible canopy for pickup truc…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 363 words

A longitudinally collapsible canopy in combination with a frame member extending along a longitudinal axis, said frame member comprising a pair of rigidly upright opposed elongate sidewalls transversely spaced apart in substantial parallelism on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis, said frame member including a transverse forward end and including a transverse rearward end defined by the sidewalls rearward terminii, each of said sidewalls having a substantially horizontal elongate upper edge of substantially common elevation to define a substantially horizontal upper extremity for the frame member, said longitudinally collapsible canopy comprising: A. A pair of substantially parallel longitudinally extending track rails attached to the respective frame sidewalls and extending at substantial co-elevation therealong, each of said longitudinally extending track rails including in transverse cross-section a pair of converging transversely-separated horizontal lips; B. A plurality of arch-like upright ribs, each said rib comprising a pair of upwardly extending leg-members and a transversely extending intervening spacer-member rigidly attached to the upper portion of the two leg-members, the several spacer-members being of substantially constant elevation, the lower portion of the two leg-members for each rib being longitudinalLy rollably associated along the two respective rails at the convergent lips thereof, said ribs including a relatively rigid rearmost-rib always positioned nearer to the frame rearward end than are the remaining ribs and including a forwardmost-rib having a forward limit of travel; C. A cover member comprising a longitudinally extending elongate strip of flexible festoonable sheet material having a rearward transverse end attached to the rearmost-rib, said cover member also being attached to the leg-member of each rib; and D. Transverse alignment means to maintain the rearmost-rib substantially transversely perpendicular to the respective parallel rails as said rearmost-rib is caused to travel longitudinally forwardly through longitudinally exerted forces applied to a single leg-member of the rearmost-rib, said transverse alignment means comprising an endless cable attached to the rearmost-rib and looped in dual strand configuration about four horizontal revolvable pulleys having vertical axles located at fixed locations within the two respective rails below the convergent lips thereof, two of said pulleys as transversely aligned double-grooved front-pulleys being attached to the respective rails forwardly of the two similarly transversely aligned rear-pulleys.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 363 words

A longitudinally collapsible canopy in combination with a frame member extending along a longitudinal axis, said frame member comprising a pair of rigidly upright opposed elongate sidewalls transversely spaced apart in substantial parallelism on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis, said frame member including a transverse forward end and including a transverse rearward end defined by the sidewalls rearward terminii, each of said sidewalls having a substantially horizontal elongate upper edge of substantially common elevation to define a substantially horizontal upper extremity for the frame member, said longitudinally collapsible canopy comprising: A. A pair of substantially parallel longitudinally extending track rails attached to the respective frame sidewalls and extending at substantial co-elevation therealong, each of said longitudinally extending track rails including in transverse cross-section a pair of converging transversely-separated horizontal lips; B. A plurality of arch-like upright ribs, each said rib comprising a pair of upwardly extending leg-members and a transversely extending intervening spacer-member rigidly attached to the upper portion of the two leg-members, the several spacer-members being of substantially constant elevation, the lower portion of the two leg-members for each rib being longitudinalLy rollably associated along the two respective rails at the convergent lips thereof, said ribs including a relatively rigid rearmost-rib always positioned nearer to the frame rearward end than are the remaining ribs and including a forwardmost-rib having a forward limit of travel; C. A cover member comprising a longitudinally extending elongate strip of flexible festoonable sheet material having a rearward transverse end attached to the rearmost-rib, said cover member also being attached to the leg-member of each rib; and D. Transverse alignment means to maintain the rearmost-rib substantially transversely perpendicular to the respective parallel rails as said rearmost-rib is caused to travel longitudinally forwardly through longitudinally exerted forces applied to a single leg-member of the rearmost-rib, said transverse alignment means comprising an endless cable attached to the rearmost-rib and looped in dual strand configuration about four horizontal revolvable pulleys having vertical axles located at fixed locations within the two respective rails below the convergent lips thereof, two of said pulleys as transversely aligned double-grooved front-pulleys being attached to the respective rails forwardly of the two similarly transversely aligned rear-pulleys.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 184 words

The canopy combination of claim 1 wherein each rail-like track has two upright longitudinally extending sides including an upright outward-side and including an inward-side whereby the inward-side of the respective rails face each other; wherein for each arch-like rib the two leg-members thereof extend substantially vertically upwardly from the rails outward-side and the intervening spacer-member is substantially horizontal; wherein there is a transversely extending upright rigid front-panel attached to the frame member and permanently positioned forwardly of the forwardmost-rib, said front-panel including a transversely extending upper edge at substantially co-elevation with the spacer-members of several ribs; wherein there is a transversely extending upright rigid rear-panel attached to the rearmost-rib; and wherein the cover member comprises a substantially rectangular elongate strip of flexible festoonable sheet-material including: a transverse forward edge attached along the transverse upper edge of the front-panel, a transverse rearward edge attached along the transverse upper edge of the rear-panel, and longitudinally extending lower areas attached at relatively-long intervals to the respective leg-members of the several ribs, said cover member being unattached to the spacer-member of all ribs located forwardly of the rearmost-rib.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 140 words

The canopy combination of claim 2 wherein there is at least three arch-like ribs including at least one intermediate-rib always positioned between said rearmost-rib and the forwardmost-rib; wherein said at least three upright arch-like ribs are geometrically similar and substantially parallel to each other; wherein there is a plurality of transversely extending rollers attached to the respective lower ends of each rib, said rollers being longitudinally rollably engaged along the respective rails; wherein the rigidly upright front-panel is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the frame member; wherein there are rearwardly extending brace means adapted to apply rearward forces upon the rearmost-rib at the rearward limit of travel thereof so as to longitudinally tighten the cover member; and wherein the cover member at the respective longitudinally extending edges thereof is removably attachable at relatively-short intervals to the rails between said ribs.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 108 words

The canopy combination of claim 3 wherein the relatively-short intervals removable attachment between the cover member and the frame member is accomplished through longitudinally extending attachment-plates adjustably positioned along the upright outward-side of the respective rail-like tracks; and wherein the plurality of transversely extending rollers attached to the respective two lower ends of Each rib at each said track means includes a plurality of said rollers rollably associated along the upper surface of the two convergent lips and another plurality of rollers rollably associated along the lower surface of the two convergent lips whereby each rib is stably uprightly rollably associated along the respective two opposed track means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 130 words

The canopy combination of claim 1 wherein there is a transversely extending upright rigid front-panel attached to the frame-member and permanently positioned forwardly of the forwardmost-rib, said front-panel including a transversely extending upper edge at substantially co-elevation with the spacer-members of several ribs; wherein there is a transversely extending upright rigid rear-panel attached to the rearmost-rib; and wherein the cover member comprises a substantially rectangular elongate strip of flexible festonnable sheet material including: a transverse forward edge attached along the transverse upper edge of the front-panel a transverse rearward edge attached along the transverse upper edge of the rear-panel, and longitudinally extending lower areas attached at relatively-long intervals to the respective leg-members of several ribs, said cover member being unattached to the spacer-member of ribs located forwardly of said rearmost-rib.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-09-05	1976-03-06	1976-09-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-09-05	1980-03-06	1980-09-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-09-05	1984-03-06	1984-09-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Longitudinally collapsible canopy for pickup trucks and analagous frames

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