Patent US3731970A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3731970A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Motor home construction
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-03-04
•
Granted: 1973-05-08
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Expires: 1991-03-04
Abstract
Abstract The means and method of constructing a motor home from a vehicle having a delivery van body style and which includes cutting away the old roof and the back end of the van body, providing an integral replacement roof and back end extension for attachment to the cut-away body with the new roof carried on the edges of the old one, over the drip molding, and the side edges of the extension having a fastening flange bonded to it that is attached to the inturned edge at the back end of the cut-off van body. Internal wall finishing is by use of full wall panels, formed and fitted for cupboard space, and frame extensions afford additional storage space.
Inventors
- 👤 R Frank
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:15
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
Vehicle construction to provide a motor home for travel use and enjoyment, and comprising; a motor vehicle including a body of delivery van style which affords drivers space near the front end of the vehicle and relatively unobstructed floor space therebehind to accommodate travel home furnishings, said body having a relatively low profile roof which is cut away above the body side walls and within the crown of the roof and is removed to provide a roof opening extending relatively over the unobstructed floor space within said body, a replacement roof formed to cover and close said opening and to include sufficient depth to provide additional head room upon being mounted on and attached to said body, said replacement roof having terminal edges formed generally to the contour of the remaining crown of the former roof for close fitting engagement therebetween in the support of the replacement roof on said body and its attachment thereto, a peripheral flange on said body externally, about and relatively below the roof opening covered by the replacement roof for providing a shoulder stop for the terminal edges of the replacement roof and the relative alignment and support thereof on said body, and means for fixedly attaching said replacement roof to said body immediately next adjacent and over said peripheral shoulder flange.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
Vehicle construction to provide a motor home for travel use and enjoyment, and comprising; a motor vehicle including a body of delivery van style which affords drivers space near the front end of the vehicle and relatively unobstructed floor space therebehind to accommodate travel home furnishings, said body having a relatively low profile roof which is cut away above the body side walls and within the crown of the roof and is removed to provide a roof opening extending relatively over the unobstructed floor space within said body, a replacement roof formed to cover and close said opening and to include sufficient depth to provide additional head room upon being mounted on and attached to said body, said replacement roof having terminal edges formed generally to the contour of the remaining crown of the former roof for close fitting engagement therebetween in the support of the replacement roof on said body and its attachment thereto, a peripheral flange on said body externally, about and relatively below the roof opening covered by the replacement roof for providing a shoulder stop for the terminal edges of the replacement roof and the relative alignment and support thereof on said body, and means for fixedly attaching said replacement roof to said body immediately next adjacent and over said peripheral shoulder flange.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The vehicle construction of claim 1, said replacement roof extending substantially the length of said body and over the driver''s space, and a storage space shelf provided within said replacement roof over said driver''s space across and between the side edges of the replacement roof for structural reinforcement at the front end thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The vehicle construction of claim 1, including a decorative member attached to said shoulder flange and extending relatively thereover for functionally obscuring the roof attachment means and providing a drip molding about the replacement roof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
The vehicle construction of claim 1, including a rear end extension for said body to provide added length and more motor home space therewithin, said body having its back end cut away to provide a rearwardly disposed opening and with the body side wall edges turned in to form mounting flanges for the attachment of the body extension thereto, and means for attaching the side wall edges of the extension to said mounting flanges and for obscuring the connection therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The vehicle construction of claim 4, including haviNg the body extension structurally attached to the replacement roof for the weight carrying advantage derived therefrom.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The vehicle construction of claim 4, including having the replacement roof and the body extension formed integrally together and of fiberglas for added structural strength therebetween.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
The vehicle construction of claim 4, including extensions of the frame of the vehicle beyond the rear wheels thereof and within the body extension, structural reinforcement between the frame extensions formed to provide a plurality of storage compartment spaces within the lower part of the body extension and to provide a support for a bed thereover and within the body extension, and means for tying the body extension to the frame extensions through the structural reinforcement therefor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
The vehicle construction of claim 7, said structural reinforcement including wall members for forming said compartment spaces and which have their top edges relatively parallel, and said tying means including a flange on the inside back wall of said extension received on and for fastening to the top edges of the after-most of said compartment space forming wall members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The vehicle construction of claim 7, said frame extensions being disposed under the compartment space forming structural reinforcement therebetween and exposed rearwardly for the attachment of the vehicle bumper thereto.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
98 words
The vehicle construction of claim 4, said side walls attaching means including a member having a facing flange overlapping the next adjacent side walls of said body and side edges of said extension, a fastening flange normal to said facing flange and extending between said body side walls and extension edges for fastening to the inturned edges of said body side walls, and a flange wall off the fastening flange and in parallel spaced relation to said facing flange for receiving and having the side edges of said extension bonded and retained in the receptive space provided therebetween.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
146 words
Motor home construction from a commercially available vehicle having a delivery van body style, and comprising cutting away and existing roof of the van body substantially therearound and within the crown over the drip molding, cutting away the back end of the van body and turning a flange inwardly at the side edges thereof, forming a replacement roof with greater head room and a body extension for added length together and for attachment to the cut away van body, supporting the replacement roof on the roof edges remaining relatively over the drip molding and attaching it thereto, the weight of the body extension being carried substantially by the replacement roof attachment through the roof and into the van body, and attaching the side walls of the body extension to the inturned flanges at the cut away end of the van body for added load bearing support.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
146 words
Motor home construction from a commercially available vehicle having a delivery van body style, and comprising cutting away and existing roof of the van body substantially therearound and within the crown over the drip molding, cutting away the back end of the van body and turning a flange inwardly at the side edges thereof, forming a replacement roof with greater head room and a body extension for added length together and for attachment to the cut away van body, supporting the replacement roof on the roof edges remaining relatively over the drip molding and attaching it thereto, the weight of the body extension being carried substantially by the replacement roof attachment through the roof and into the van body, and attaching the side walls of the body extension to the inturned flanges at the cut away end of the van body for added load bearing support.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The motor home construction of claim 11, including forming the replacement roof and extension integrally and of fiberglas for added structural strength therebetween.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-07 | 1976-11-06 | 1977-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-07 | 1980-11-06 | 1981-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-07 | 1984-11-06 | 1985-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |