GB2150212A - Lifting apparatus for automobile lifting roofs - Google Patents

Abstract

A lifting apparatus for automobile lifting roofs, which is disposed between the rear edge of a front-hinged lid, associated with the roof opening, and the adjacent roof frame and which can be actuated by a handwheel 7. The apparatus comprises a simple drive apparatus which occupies only small overall depth and makes possible infinitely variable lid movements while providing for the lid a firm support and requiring only a small rotational angle at the handwheel. An upwardly open spiral groove 33 is provided in the handwheel into which a drive finger 34, pivotable about a fixed pivot axis 37 is displaceably engaged. The drive finger is rigidly mounted on a lifting arm 40 pivotable about the pivot axis, which lifting arm is has individual parallel arms carrying pins which engage in guides on the lid. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Lifting apparatus for automobile lifting roofs This invention relates to a lifting apparatus for atuomobile lifting roofs and concerns apparatus which is fixed on the one hand to a roofframe surrounding a roof opening and on the other hand in the region ofthe rear edge of a lid disposed in the roof opening, which lid, when the lifting apparatus is actuated, is pivotal about an axis located in the region of its forward edge, a lifting arm to be actuated by a handwheel rotatable about a generally vertical axis being pivitallyjournalled on the roofframe and engaging displaceably, with its end remote from the pivot bearing, into a slide guide situated on the lid.

Automobile lifting roofs in which the lid is constructed predominantly as a glass lid, that is transparent, are known in various forms and are installed in large numbers both directly by the automobile manufacturers and subsequently by body-work work- shops. Such automobile lifting roofs of different construction differfrom one another especially in regard to the associated lifting apparatus for raising or lowering the rear edge ofthe lid, when a ventilating gap at the rear edge of the lid is to be adjusted or when the lid is to be returned from its raised, ventilating position into its closed position.

In one known roof construction (DE-OS 31 35 366), a lever lifting device with a folding handle is provided in the region of the rear edge ofthe lid. This handle is connected by cranked levers with the lid and permits only a raising or lowering ofthe rear edge of the lid to the maximum raised height and backtotheclosed position respectively, without intermediate settings.

This roof construction possesses the disadvantage that no intermediate positions are possible, so that the lid cannot be adjusted into the intermediate positions corresponding to particularventilation requirements.

In a further, known automobile roof (DE-PS 2351 270), a lifting apparatus constituted as a telescopic winch is provided at the rear edge of the lid, which apparatus is actuated by a handwheel. Depending upon the direction of rotation ofthe handwheel, the lid is raised or lowered, the telescopic winch correspon dinglyextending orshortening. With this lifting apparatus, any desired intermediate settings are possible, but for the lid to be raised the full distance many rotations ofthe handwheel are necessary, which seriously detracts from the operating convenienceofthisform of apparatus.

In a further, known automobile roof (DE-OS 2948 657), a lifting apparatusofthefirst-mentioned categorgy is provided. The rear edge ofthe lid is actuated by a lifting arm, which is connected at one end with a horizontallyjournalled worm wheel, into which a verticallyjournalledworm, connected with the handwheel, engages. By rotating the handwheel, the worm gear is actuated, the lid being moved, depending upon the rotational direction, upwards or downwards back to its closed position. The worm gear permits infinite adjustment of intermediate positions for attaining different widths of ventilating gap, but the lifting apparatus, due to the vertical arrangement of the worm of the worm gear, occupies a considerable overall depth which detracts from the headroom in the automobile.Tis disadvantage is present also in the case of the other known automobile lifting roofs, at least in the vicinity of the lid drive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a lifting apparatus for automobile lifting roofs, which requires only a small overall height, is of simple construction, makes possible an infinite adjustment of the lid between its open and closed positions, assures a firm supportforthe lid in all raised positions, and requires forthe fuil lifting travel of the lifting apparatus, only a comparatively small angle of rotation ofthe handwheel.

According to the present invention there is provided lifting apparatus for automobile lifting roofs, in which an automobile roof is provided with a roof frame surrounding a roof opening and a lid having forward edge and a rear edge disposed in the opening, the apparatus being fixed on the other hand to a region of the rear edge of the lid, which lid, when the lifting apparatus is actuated, is pivotable about an axis located in the region of its forward edge, a lifting arm to be actuated by a handwheel rotatable about an approximately vertical axis being pivotally journalled on the roofframe and engaging slidably, with its end remote from the pivot bearing, into a slide guide on the lid, in which the handwheel is equipped with an upwardly open generally spiral guide slit orthe like, into which a drive finger, mounted rigidly on the lifting arm in the vicinity ofthe pivot bearing is displaceably engaged.

By the incorporation ofthe spiral guide slit in the handwheel itself, no additional overall depth is requiredfortheelementwhich controlsthe lid movement. The spiral form of the guide slit assures an infinitelyvariable adjustment of the lid, the selflocking at the point of engagement of the drive finger into the guide slit being fully adequate even when the guide slit is conducted aroundthe rotational axis of the handwheel through only a relatively small angle of arc. The rotational travel ofthe handwheel necessary for a full raising ofthe lid corresponds to this small angle of arc.

With advantage, the conditions are so selected that the generally spiral guide slit extends through an angular distance of approximately 360 . For one full lifting stroke, therefore, only onefull revolution of the handwheel is necessary.

In the interests of uniform movement of the rear edge ofthe lid when itis raised and pivoted down, itis advantageous if the origin of the spiral constituting the guide slit is situated on the rotational axis of the handwheel.

One especially simple embodiment ofthe spiral guide slit is achieved if the guide slit possesses the form of a groove recessed into the rear face of the handwheel, againstthewall of which groove the drive finger bears in a sliding or rolling manner. The groove advantageously possesses a circular arcuate crosssection and the drive finger has the form, in the engagement region, of a corresponding portion of a sphere. For achieving a compensation of length in the pivoting of the drive finger, the arrangement is advantageously such that the depth ofthe groove decreases from the inside towards the outside, i.e. the groove is deepest in the vicinity ofthe axis of rotation ofthe handwheel, which corresponds to an approx imatelyvertical position ofthe drivefinger in the maximum raised position ofthe lid.

For attaining a largersupportwidth atthe rear edge ofthe lidandthus inthe interests of a securesupport ofthe lid, it is advantageous if the lifting arm consists oftwo like, parallel individual arms, disposed at a distance from each other and rigidly connected together by a transverse bar, in the centre of which the drive finger is mounted. Advantageously, the transverse bar extends also across the width of the two individual arms and possesses, at both ends, bearing journalsforthe pivotal mounting ofthe lifting arm on the roof frame. By this arrangement, the rear edge of the lid is supported at two bearing positions widely spaced apart, although the guidefingerengages virtually only at a point into the spiral guide slit.

Although the individual arms ofthe lifting arm,the drive finger and the transverse bar may consist of individual elements which, after manufacture, are to be rigidly connected together, the individual arms, the transverse bar connecting them and the drive finger mounted thereon are preferably manufactured in one piece.

In the interests of a compact arrangement, a carrier plate, covering overthe handwheel above, is fixed to the roof frame, which carrier plate possesses a downwardly orientated bearing journal for the handwheel and lateral bearing bores for seating the bearing journals ofthe lifting arm.

For the action of the lifting apparatus on the lid, this apparatus is advantageouslyso constructed that, in the region of the rear edge ofthe lid, are fixed two guide blocks which are aligned with and spaced apart from each other in each of which a slide guide is formed, and thatthe individual arms ofthe lifting arm are each associated with one guide block, and each engage with a guide pin provided on the arm end into the associatedslide guide. The guide blocks here advantageously each consist of two parts, which encompass the associated arm ends ofthe individual arms ofthe lifting arm from both sides in the manner of a fork, the two parts of a guide block possessing opposite inclined surfaces forfacilitating the introduction ofthe ends ofthe arms.

If the mutual spacing ofthe individual arms ofthe lifting arm and of the associated guide blocks is such thatthe handwheel is journalled within this spacing, then the external dimensions of the lifting apparatus are advantageously small in conjunction with a symmetrical appearance.

In an advantageous form of embodiment ofthe invention, it is provided thatthe guide pins provided in the arm ends ofthe individual arms of the lifting arm shall be disposed axially displaceable in corresponding bores, shall be biased by springs towards the associated slide guides and shall be able to be pushed, against the action of the springs, completely into the boreswhile disengaging from the slide guides. This opens upthe possibility of disengaging the lid together with its parts ofthe lifting apparatus directly fixed to it, from the parts ofthe lifting apparatus fixed to the roof frame, by simply displacing the guide pins.

If the lid is then provided, in the region of its forward edge, with already known push-in hinges, the lid can be completely removed from the roof opening.

For cancelling the engagement ofthe guide pins with the associated slide guides, the arrangement is advantageously such that in each ofthetwo guide blocks one transverse bore, leading into the guide slits, is provided, which transverse bore is opposite to and in alignment with the guide pin when the lid is closed and slidably seats a displacement pin, which can be pushed against the action of a spring into the guide, its distance of displacement being equal to the distance of displacement ofthe guide pin until the latter is fully pushed into the bore ofthe associated arm end. The aforementioned engagement of the parts associated with the lid with the parts ofthe lifting apparatus associated with the roofframe can be cancelled, in this form of construction, only in the closed position of the lid.The displacing of the two displacement pins may be carried out either directly by hand or by way of suitable unlocking levers.

In orderto make possibleforthe lifting arm a bearing axis which shall be as far as possible from the roof opening, in the interests of small overall dimen sionsofthe lifting apparatus, butwhich shall nevertheless make possible awideswing ofthe lifting arm when raising the lid, it is advantageous if the lifting arm orthe individual arms ofthe lifting arm are constructed in a general L-shape, the apex ofthe L-shape being towardsthe roof opening.

One embodiment ofthe present invention will now be described byway of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a cut-away plan view of a vehicle roof with the lifting lid closed, Fig. 2 shows a cut-away section along the line ll-ll in Fig. 1 through a forward pivot bearing ofthe lid, Fig. 3 shows a cut-away section along the line III-1II inFig.1, Fig. 4 shows a cut-away section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 1, Fig. 5 shows a cut-away and partly removed plan view of the lifting apparatus, Fig. 6 shows a cut-away plan view of the parts of the lifting apparatus to be fixed to the roof frame, Fig. 7 shows a section along VII-VII in Fig. 6, Fig. 8 shows a plan view ofthe lifting arm assembly, Fig. 9 shows a sectional view along the line IX-IX in Fig.8, Fig. 10 shows a section along the line X-X in Fig. 8, Fig. 11 shows a cut-away and partly removed elevation of the lifting apparatus looking in the direction of arrow Xl in Fig. 5, Fig. 12 shows a cut-away section of a detail according to Fig. 11 in another position ofthe parts illustrated and Fig. 13 shows a sectional view ofthe lifting apparatus, in which the arrangement of the section is such that all the essential functional parts of the apparatus appear in section forthe sake of clarity, regardless of their actual position relative to the plane ofthe drawing.

The lifting apparatus and its parts are illustrated in all the figures in the closed position ofthe lid. Only in Fig. 3 is the maximum raised position ofthe lid indicated in dot-and-dash lines.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, there is, in the fixed automobile roof 1, a rectangular roof opening with rounded corners, which is encompassed buy a roof frame 2 fixed to the automobile roof and can be closed by a lid 3.

In the example illustrated, the lid 3 consists of glass (possiblytinted) but it may also be made from a non-transparent material, for example steel, plastics or a combination of these materials. The lid 3 is pivotable about an axis situated in the region of its forward edge, which is defined by two pivot bearing assemblies4and SIn the region ofthe rearedgeofthe lid is the lifting apparatus, referenced generally 6, which is fixed in a manner to be described in more detail, partlyto the lid 3 and partly to the roofframe 2.

The handwheel 7 provided for actuating the lifting apparatus, is shown in broken line in Fig. 1. The roof frame 2, carrying the parts ofthe lifting roof construction, is secured to the fixed automobile roof 1 by means of a clamping frame 8, substantially surrounding the roof opening, in the manner illustrated byway of example in the left-hand part of Fig. 3.

As Fig. 3 shows, part ofthe width of the roof frame 2 overlies the fixed automobile roof 1 and part projects into the roof opening. The roof frame 2, made as an extruded profile plastics or light metal, possesses in cross-section, approximately a displaced Z-shape and carries, on its side facing towards the roof opening, an edge gap seal 9 extending around the roof frame, which serves for sealing the edge gap situated between the lid 3 and roof frame 2. In its region bearing upon the fixed automobile roof 1,the roof frame 2 possesses a groove 10 orthe like orientated towardsthe automobile roof 1 for seating a sealing strip (not shown) for sealing the roof frame 2 to the automobile roof 1. The roof opening is bounded by a peripheral, downwardly-orientated, 90 -flange 11 of the automobile roof 1.The clamping frame 8, bearing from below against the automobile roof 1, engages behind this downward flange 11, and is fixed to the roofframe by means of screws 12 introduced from below. In this manner the roof frame 2 is permanently connected to the automobile roof 1 .The roofframe 2 and the screws 12 are covered by the roof lining 13, of which the edge facing towards the roof opening is trimmed buy a downwardly orientated extension of the edge gap seal 9.

Ofthe mutually corresponding pivot bearing assemblies 4 and 5, the assembly4 is illustrated in section in Fig. 2. As can be seen, it consists basically of afixed bearing component 14 and a movable bearing component 15 engaging therewith. The fixed bearing component 14is partly recessed into the roof frame 2 and is secured thereto by means of a screw 16, which is introduced from belowthrough acut-out 17 ofthe clamping frame 8 and engages into a threaded blind hole in the fixed bearing component 14. The movable bearing component 15 engages with a cylindrical projection 18 into a seating bore 19 in the lid.A countersunkscrew 20, screwed into the cylindrical projection 18, presses a securing washer 21 against the lowerface ofthe lid 3 to achieve a rigid connection between the lid 3 and the movable bearing component 15. The fixed bearing component 14 possesses, at its rear end, a downwardly orientated bearing projection 22,which engages pivotally in the manner of a claw with an upwardly orientated bearing projection 23, disposed at the forward end of the movable bearing component 15. The two bearing projections 22 and 23 are elastically held together by a leaf spring 24, clamped betweenthefixed bearing component 14 and the roof frame 2.As Fig.2 shows the bearing projections 22 and 23 and the corresponding opposite faces to each on the bearing components 15 and 14 are rounded, so that limited pivotal movements of the lid 3 upwards out of its illustrated closed position and downwards into its closed position are possible. It is also possible in Fig. 2 to see that the claw-like engagement between the bearing projections 22 and 23 can be disengaged if the lid3 is pulled away towards the right, with reference to the drawing. The claw-like engagement between the bearing projections 22,23 is then released against the resistance of the leaf spring 24. In thiswaythe pivot bearing assembly makes possible easy removal and resitting ofthe lid 3.

The lifting apparatus of this invention will now be described in more detail. For this purpose, reference is first made to Figs. 4 and 5. To the rear profile portion of the roofframe 2, a substantially horizontally orientated carrier plate 25 is attached, which masks the handwheel 7 from above, as is particularly evident from Fig. 6, and on which a downwardly orientated, cylindrical bearing journal 26 for the rotatable mounting ofthe handwheel 7 is fixed. The handwheel 7 with a bearing bushing 27 is pushed from below onto the bearing journal 26 until it meets the lower face of the carrier plate 25, and is secured in this position against axial displacement by a washer 28 and fixing screw 29.

passing through the washer 28 and screwed into the bearing journal 26. As Fig. 4 shows, the carrier plate 25 fits snugly beneath and againstthe roof frame 2 with its region situated in the region of the roofframe 2 and also engages behind the downward flange 11 with a projection strip 30, which extends as far as the lower side ofthefixed automobile roof 1. Forfixing the carrier plate 25, it is equipped at the ends with eyes 31 or the like, as can best be seen from Fig. 5. Through each eye 31, a screw 32 is passed to engage into the roof frame 2, one of these screws being shown by broken lines in Fig. 5.

In the rear, or inner, face of the handwheel 7, a spiral groove 33 is recessed, the origin ofthespiral of which is situated on the rotational axis of the handwheel 7, defined by the bearing journal 26 and bearing bushing 27.

Thespiral groove 33 extends through a rotational angle of approximately 3600, as can be seen from Fig.

5, and has a substantially circular arc cross-section as shown in Fig. 4. From Fig. 4 it is also possible to see that the depth of the groove 33 decreases from the inside outwards, i.e. from the rotational axis of the handwheel 7.

Into the groove 33 there engages a drive finger 34 having a thickened end part35, which is shaped as a part of a sphere corresponding substantially to the circular arc form of the groove cross-section, and bearsslidinglyagainstthewall ofthe groove 33. The drivefinger34 is pivotallyjournalled, in a manneryet to be described, about a horizontal pivot axis parallel to the adjacent, rear edge ofthe roof opening, at lateral bearing cheeks 36 (Figs. 4,8) of the carrier plate 25.

In the position of the components illustrated in Figs.

4 and 5, the end part 35 ofthe drive finger 34 is located in the outer end ofthe spiral groove 33. If, starting from this position, the handwheel is rotated clockwise, the only possible direction, then the end part 35 slides in the groove 33 with simultaneous pivoting of the drive finger 34 about the aforementioned pivot axis, indicated as a point at 37 in Fig. 4.

Sincethe relative spacing betweencarrierplate 25 andhandwheel7does notchangeasthehandwheel rotates, the aforementioned varying depth ofthe groove 33 is necessary for length compensation. The groove 33 here follows a course such thatthe end part 35, in every possible pivotal position ofthe drive finger 34, is in sliding engagement with the groove. The inner limiting position ofthe drive finger 34 is reached onlyafteronefull revolution of the handwheel 7 in the clockwise direction. The drive finger 34 is then in the position shown in dot-and-dash line in Fig. 4. As can be seen, the possible angle of rotation of the handwheel 7 is limited by the length of the spiral groove 33. The drive finger 34 is rigidly connected with the lifting arm forthe lid 3 in the manner nowto be described.

As Fig. 8 expecially shows, the lifting arm consists of the two like, parallel individual arms 38 and 39, spaced apartfrom each other. The individual arms 38,39 are rigidly connected together by a transverse bar40, art the centre of which the drive finger 34 its firmly mounted. The transverse bar 40 possesses, in its regions between the drive finger 34 and the two individual arms 38,39, a cross-section as shown in Fig.

10, which corresponds to the upper cross-sectional portion ofthe drivefinger34. For rigidly connecting the transverse bar 40 to the individual arms 38,39, the transverse bar extends also across the width ofthe two individual arms, as shown in Fig. In the example shown, the individual arms 38,39, the transverse bar 40 and the drive finger34with its end part35 are formed in one piece, for example are injection moulded from a plastics material of appropriate strength.

In the region of the two individual arms 38,39 outwardlyopen bores 41,42 respectively,arepro- vided in the transverse bar 40 and orientated parallel to the main direction ofthetransverse bar40 into each of which a bearing pin 43,44 respectively is inserted.

These bearing pins 43,44 engage into bearing bores 45,46 respectively, which are situated laterally in the carrier plate 25, i.e. in the two bearing cheeks 36 ofthe carrier plate 25. The baring pins 43,44 and the bores 45,46 define the pivot axis 37, described with reference to Fig. 4, about which the lifting arm 38,39 and the drive finger 34, rigidly connected therewith, are pivotable through the pivot angle shown in Fig. 4.

The lifting arm or its two individual arms 38,39 are of general L-shape,asapparentfrom Fig. 9, so thatthe lifting arm can adoptthe pivoted-out position indicated in Fig. 3 in dot-and-dash lines. For this purpose the apex 47 of the L-shaped lifting arm 38,39 is so orientated that, at the maximum outward rotation, it is directed towards the roof opening.

Attheouterend of each ofthetwo individual arms 38,39, a stepped bore 48, aligned parallel to the pivot axis 37, is provided, in which a correspondingly stepped guide pin 49 (Figs. 11,12) is displaceably housed. The guide pin 49 is so biased by a helical compression spring 50 situated in the stepped bore 48 that it is normally pushed out of the stepped bore 48 until the steps abut. Forthis purposethe helical compression spring 50 bears atone end againstthe guide pin 49 and atthe other against a plate 51, closing the stepped bore 48 to the outside. The arrangement is such thatthe guide pins 49 in both the individual arms 38,39 pointtowards each other with their ends pushed out ofthe stepped bores 48.The dispiacementfacility ofthe guide pins 49 and the waythey can be retracted into the stepped bore 48 makes possible, in a manner to be described,the removal of the lid 3 from the lifting arm 38,39.

In the region of the rear edge ofthe lid 3, two aligned guide blocks 52 and 53, spaced apart, are fixed, as can be seen from Fig. in conjunction with Figures 11 and 12. The guide blocks 52 and 53 are each in two parts and consist each of an inner part 54 and outer part 55.

Each inner part 54 and associated outer part 55 encompass the associated ends of the individual arms 38, 39 in the manner of a fork. Forfacilitatingthe introduction ofthe ends ofthe arms between the parts 54,55, the latter arefurnished with inclined surfaces 56,57 respectively facing towards each other. The guide blocks 52 and 53 project downwards, with sufficient distance betweenthem to accommodatethe handwheel 7, from a baseplate 58 and are preferably constructed in one piece with this plate for example by injection moulding from an appropriate plastics material. The baseplate 58 bears againstthe lower face of the lid 3 parallel to the rear edge ofthe lid and is securelyfixed to the lid 3.

Forthis purpose an outer cover plate 59 is placed on the lid 3, this plate corresponding basically in form and dimensionsto the baseplate 58. On this cover plate 59 are situated downwardly orientated cylindrical projections 60, which engage into corresponding bores 61 in the lid 3. Fixing screws 62, passing through the baseplate 58, engage into coresponding threaded blind bores in the cylindrical projections 60. Between the baseplate 58 and the lid 3 and also the cover plate 59 and the lid 3, there are flat sealing elements. The length ofthe cylindrical projections 60 is such that, afterthe fixing screws 62 have been tightened up, the lid 3 is clamped between baseplate 58 and cover plate 59 and the associated intermediate seals.

In each inner part 54 ofthe guide blocks 52, 53,there is a slide guide slit 63 facing towards the end of the individual arms 38,39 respectively, which slit, considered when the lid is closed is so orientated that it ascends from bottom right to top left (Fig. 13). Into each ofthetwo slide guides 63, a guide pin 49 engages in sliding manner. It can be seen that rotations ofthe handwheel and resultant pivoting ofthe lifting arms 38,39 result in a displacementofthe guide pins 49 in their associated slide guides 63, with the result that, due to the described oblique orientation ofthe slide guides, a raising or lowering ofthe rear edge ofthe lid 3 is produced. The arrangement and course ofthe slide guides 63 is best seen from Figs. 3 (in dot-anddash lines) and 13.

The guide pins 49, on account of the effect of the associated helical compression springs 50, are normally in engagement with the associated slide guide slits 63. Into each slide guide there leads a transverse bore 64 which, when the lid 3 is closed, is opposite to and aligned with the guide pin 49. In each transverse bore 64, a displacement pin 65 is mounted displaceable into the slide guide 63 against the action of a helical compression spring 66. On the side ofthe inner part 54 ofthe guide blocks 52,53 remote from the slide guide 63, the displacement pin projects with an actuating end 67. The sliding travel of the displacement pin 65 made possible by means of this actuating end 67 corresponds to the sliding travel of the guide pin 49 when the latter is pushed fully into the stepped bore 48.If, therefore, the displacement pin 65 is pushed againstthe force ofthe helical spring 66 in the transverse bore 64 when the lid is closed, then the displacement pin 65 displaces the guide pin 49 out of the slide guide, so that, if the displacement pins are actuated on both sides, the two guide blocks 52 and 53 can be removed from the ends ofthe individual arms 38,39 ofthe lifting arm. The lid 3 can now be removed, after appropriate displacementforthe purpose of cancelling the engagement atthe pivot bearing assemblies 4,5.

For actuating the displacement pins 65, an actuating lever 68 is pivotallyjournalled about a threaded pin 69 (Fig. 12) at each ofthe guide blocks 52,53, the axis of this threaded pin being parallel to the axes of the guide pin 49 and displacement pin 65. The helical pins 69 each enagage into the inner parts 54 ofthe guide blocks 52,53.On its side towards the actuating end 67 of the dispacement pin 65, each actuating lever 68 possesses an inclined surface 70, which is so disposed that, if the actuating lever 68 is pivoted from the position shown in Fig. 11 to that shown in Fig. 12, it pushes the displacement pin 65 into the inner part 54 ofthe associated guide block, the inclined surface 70 sliding on the actuating end 67. In the position shown in Fig.12, the displacement pin 65 is completely active, i.e. the guide pin 49 has disengaged completely from the slide guide slit 63 forthe purpose of separating the guide block 53 from the individual arm 39. If, by contrast, the actuating lever 68 is pivoted backfrom its position shown in Fig. 12 into that shown in Fig. 1 1,then the helical compression spring 66 pushesthe displacement pin 65 back into its starting position, the helical compression spring 50 again causing the guide pin 49 to enterthe slide guide slit 63.

As is apparent from Figs. 6 and 7, the lifting apparatus is masked on the sidetowardsthe interior ofthe automobile, outside the region ofthe handwheel 7, by a lining plate 71. The fixing ofthe lining plate 71 to the carrier plate 25 is effected without tools by means of detent elements 72 and 73, which are arranged at least in pairs. These detent elements cannot be seen from below.

Claims (17)

1. Lifting apparatus for automobile lifting roofs, in which an automobile roof is provided with a roof frame surrounding a roof opening and a lid having a forward edge and a rear edge disposed in the opening, the apparatus being fixed on the other hand to a region ofthe rear edge ofthe lid, which lid, when the lifting apparatus is actuated, is pivotable about an axis located in the region of its forward edge, a lifting arm to be actuated by a handwheel rotatable about an approximately vertical axis being pivotallyjournalled on the roofframe and engaging slidably,with its end remote from the pivot bearing, into a slide guide on the lid, in which the handwheel is equipped with an upwardly open generally spiral guide slit orthe like, into which a drive finger, mounted rigidly on the lifting arm in the vicinity of the pivot bearing is displaceably engaged.

2. Lifting apparatus according to claim 1, in which the generally spiral guide slit extends through an angular path of approximately 360".

3. Lifting apparatus according to claim 1 or2, in which the origin of the spiral constituting the guide slit is located on the rotational axis of the handwheel.

4. Lifting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the guide slit has the form of a groove, let into the rearface of the handwheel, against the wall of which groove the drive finger bears in sliding or rolling manner.

5. Lifting apparatus according to claim 4, in which the groove has a circulararcuate cross-section and the drive finger has, in the region of engagement with the groove, the form of a corresponding portion of a sphere.

6. Lifting apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, in which the depth of the groove decreases as it extends outwardly from the origin.

7. Lifting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the lifting arm comprisestwo like, parallel arms disposed at a distance from each other, which are rigidly connected together by a transverse bar, in the centre of which the drive finger is mounted.

8. Lifting apparatus according to claim 7, in which the transverse bar extends across the width of the two individual arms and possesses, at both ends, bearing journalsforthe pivotal mounting ofthe lifting arm on the roofframe.

9. Lifting apparatus according to claim 7 or8, in which the individual arms, the transverse bar connectins them together and the drive finger mounted thereon are made in one piece.

10. Lifting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which a carrier plate covering overthe handwheel isfixed to the roof frame, which carrier plate possesses a downwardly orientated bearing journal for the handwheel and lateral bores for seating the bearing journals ofthe lifting arm.

11. Lifting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which, in the region ofthe rear edge ofthe lid are fixed two guide blocks, aligned with and spaced apartfrom each other, in each of which aslide guide is mounted, and the individual arms ofthe lifting arm are each associated with one guide block and each engage, with a guide pin provided at the end of the arm, in the associated slide guide.

12. Lifting apparatus according to claim 11, in which the guide blocks each consist of two parts, which encase the associated ends ofthe individual arms ofthe lifting arm from both sides in the manner of a fork, the two parts of a guide block possessing opposite inclined surfacesforfacilitating the introduction ofthe arm ends.

13. Lifting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the mutual spacing ofthe individual arms ofthe lifting arm and ofthe associated guide blocks is such thatthe handwheel is journalled within this spacing.

14. Lifting apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 13, in which the guide pins, provided in the ends ofthe individual arms ofthe lifting arm, are disposed axiallyslidable in corresponding bores, are biased by springs towards the associated slide guides and can be pushed completely into the bores against the action ofthe springs, while disengaging from the slide guides.

15. Lifting apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 14, in which, in each ofthetwo guide blocks is provided, a transverse bore leading into the slide guide, which transverse bore is aligned with and opposite to the guide pin when the lid is closed and siidably seats a displacement pin, which can be pushed into the guide againstthe action of a spring, its displacement distance corresponding to the displacement distance ofthe guide pin when the latter is fully pushed into the bore ofthe associated arm end.

16. Lifting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15, in which the lifting arm or individual arms ofthe lifting arm are generally of L-shape, the apex ofthe L-shape being towards the roof opening.

17. Lifting apparatus for automobile lifting roofs substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.