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A Sunshine Roof of Novel Design

26th May 1931, Page 48
26th May 1931
Page 48
Page 48, 26th May 1931 — A Sunshine Roof of Novel Design
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Keywords : Trunk, Passenger Car, Sunroof

ONE of our readers has subfuitted to us a design for a sunshine roof of utrusual novelty, which has been provisionally protected. He is interested in the possibility of marketing it and any letters addressed to Sunshine Roof." care of the Editor of this journal, will be forwarded to the proper quarter.

A feature of the design of the roof of the vehicle is that the luggagecarrying compartment forms a large portion of the dome at the rear, and the forward sloping face of this serves to conceal the sliding roof when it is folded back. Inside the luggage compartment shelves or lockers can be arranged and access to them is gained from inside the vehicle, so that the exterior of the dome can be made free from joints, at which points leakage is apt to occur.

To gain access to the luggage, a portion of the floor is lifted up on its hinge until it is retained in a raised position by slotted struts.. It provides a couple of steps which are sufficient to enable the driver or conductor comfortably to reach the luggage. No external ladders or steps are required.

Reverting to the roof proper, there are two channels °death side along the sides of the roof opening. The lower member of each pair is made continuous f coin front to back, and in it run the rollers of the main-stick carriers. In the upper member of each pair runs the intermediate carrier of each assembly. As the upper flange of this top channel is cut away for a little distance inside the dome of the roof, the intermediate carrier is • restrained vertically when running along the channel, but when it enters the dome and the rearward car

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rier of each assembly strikes the buffer inside the dome or preceding carrier, the intermediate .carrier can rise, bearing with it the stick and folding the material of the hood---both exterior and interior fabric—after the manner of the bellows of a camera.

To the ends of the main carriers are steel balls which make contact with the side of the channels. This provision is made to prevent any tendency to jamming or stiff working, so that it is possible to move the head backwards or forwards merely by manual effort exerted upon the handles on the front stick. These handlea form also the control for the lock which is used to locate' the head in the closed position; or in intermediate positions if desired.

Diagonal webbing braces are used to ensure squareness of the roof and to obviate sag. All the supporting webbing joins the sticks, so that there are no

loose cross-avers. ..ks each main carrier takes a three-point bearing in its pair of channels, any tendency to rotate is resisted. Suitable provision is made in the design for water-deflecting plates and drainage channels.

One of the features which the inventor has kept well to the fore is the desire to employ simple materials, all of standard commercial sections, thereby facilitating manufacture and-repair. It is claimed that no special presses, dies or machine tools will be needed.

The same designer has prepared plans for a coach embodying a new type of bulkhead, giving added room to the passengers, a special rear compartment of the lounge type, a quick-acting emergency exit at the rear, new types of door lock and special exterior rtnneiliag.

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People: Sunshine Roof

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