Carriage body for public transportation vehicles

Claim 1

A roof structure for a carriage body for passenger transportation vehicles in combination with a pair of opposite horizontally spaced apart sidewall structures having opposite longitudinal supporting members for the roof structure, the roof structure comprising arcuated supporting crossbeams spanning between said opposite longitudinal supporting members and seat formations in said longitudinal supporting members for receiving therein the ends of said crossbeams, wide elongated mutually juxtaposed covering sectional members having an underside surface and longitudinal reinforcing ribs depending from the underside surface and resting on said crossbeams and extending in the direction of said longitudinal supporting members, wherein at least some of said covering sectional members have mutually overlapping longitudinally extending edges each having one hook-like shaped formation on one side of said covering sectional member and another hook-like shaped formation on the other side of the covering sectional member, said one and said another hook-like shaped formations being complemental in shape for mutual engagement, both said one and said another hook-like shaped formations being downwardly offset from said underside surface of the covering sectional member and wherein the roof structure further comprises at least one mechanical expansion joint connection arranged between and adjustably connecting two consecutive covering sectional members, the mechanical expansion joint connection comprising a longitudinally extending elongated sectional member having seat formations on opposite sides thereof facing and adjustably receiving therein the respective edges of the adjacent consecutive covering sectional members, and wherein said one hook-like shaped formation comprises a first lip forming sharp angle with the underside surface of said covering sectional member and said another hook-like shaped formation having a tongue including a first tongue portion forming an obtuse angle with said underside surface and substantially parallel with said first lip and a second tongue portion bent hook-like with respect to said first tongue portion and defining an inclined notch therewith for snugly receiving therein said first lip of an adjacent said covering sectional member, said covering sectional members having a top surface.