NZ211565A - Foldaway cab for open vehicle - Google Patents

Description

211565 PATENTS FORM NO: 5 PATENTS ACT 1953 No: 211565 Dated: 25th March 1985 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "CAB FOR OPEN VEHICLE" I, WILLIAM RAMSAY MACALISTER a New Zealand citizen of No 4 R.D. Balclutha, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 211565 The present invention relates to a cab for an open vehicle, especially a vehicle such as a farm motor-tricycle or four-wheeled motor-bicycle. Open vehicles of this general type are very useful in farming and similar applications, because they are inexpensive, very manoeuverable, and cheap to operate, but they provide no protection for the user in cold or wet weather or in hot sun.

A number of different designs of cabs for such vehicles are available, but all of the known cabs are relatively difficult to fit and remove from the vehicle, and therefore must be considered semi-permanent fittings. Also, all known cabs severely restrict the user's visibility, and make it more difficult to get into and out of the vehicle. Many of the known cabs also restrict the use of the front and rear carriers.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a cab for an open vehicle, which cab can be quickly and easily erected and folded away, and permits good visibility and easy access to and from the vehicle when erected.

The present invention provides a cab for an open vehicle, said cab comprising a windscreen secured in front of the seat occupied in use by the vehicle user, the frame of said windscreen supporting a support frame which extends from the windscreen rearwardly of the vehicle, said frame being dimensioned and arranged so as to provide a support for the roof of the cab; and a removable cover comprising flexible 311565 waterproof material shaped to form a cab roof and rear wall, said material being securable to the vehicle around the lower edges of the rear wall and being adapted to be stretched over the support frame and secured in that postion.

The windscreen frame may provide a permanent roll-bar for the vehicle.

Preferably, the support frame is pivotally secured to the windscreen frame, and the support frame can be pivoted from the position described above to a second position in which the plane of the support frame is substantially parallel to that of the windscreen.

By way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view of a farm motor-tricycle fitted with the cab of the present invention, with the cab frame erected but the cab cover folded away so that the frame is visible; Fig 2 is a side view showing the cab fully erected; Fig 3 is a side view showing the cab completely dismantled; and Fig 4 is a view of part of the frame, on a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings, a farm motor-tricycle 2 is of known type. A cab 3 comprises a folding cover 4, a support frame 5, a windscreen 6 and a windscreen frame 7. 311565 The windscreen frame 7 comprises a rectangle of lightweight metal tubing (e.g. aluminium); two sides 8 of the frame 7 are extended downwards beyond the rectangle and are curved inwards in a dog-leg shape to provide support for protective panels 9 below the windscreen. The lower end of each side 8 is secured to the tricycle foot-rest 10. The dog-leg curve of each side 8 is braced by a stay 11 which extends across the curve and is secured at each end to the side 8. Adjacent the lower ends of the stays 11, the two sides 8 are secured together by a horizontal brace 12, and curved braces 13 extend from the lower edge 14 of the windscreen frame 7, to the brace 12.

The windscreen 6 is a rectangular sheet of tough transparent material, and is permanently mounted in the frame 7. One or more panels 9 of flexible transparent material are secured between the lower edge 14 of the windscreen frame and the brace 12, to provide protection for the lower part of the body and legs of a rider.

It should be noted that the windscreen frame 7 is set well forwards of the tricycle handlebars, so that it does not impede the control of the tricycle in any way.

A generally U-shaped rear frame 15 is secured around the tricycle's rear carrier-, the frame 15 lies substantially in the plane of the carrier.

The support frame 5 comprises a pair of arms 16 of equal length, each pivoted at one end to an upper corner of the 211565 m windscreen frame, the other ends of said arms being joined by a cross-member 17. The arms are of sufficient length to form the sides of the part of the cab roof which extends over the rider's head, in use.

The pivotal movement of the each arm 16 relative to the frame 6 is limited by a stop 18 secured to the corresponding side C^ of the frame 6, just below the end of the arm 16. Each stop 18 comprises a bracket rigidly secured to the frame 6 and supporting an adjustment screw 19 which is in screw-threaded engagement with the bracket and may be rotated relative to w the bracket to extend upwards out of the bracket by the desired amount. The upper end of each screw 19 contacts the underside of the corresponding arm 16 when the support frame is in use, and the more the screws 19 project above the brackets, the steeper the angle at which the arms 16 extend upwards.(See Fig 4) The end of each arm 16 adjacent the cross-member 17 is hollow, and receives one end of a cylindrical adaptor 20 the other end of which is inserted into one end of an open-ended loop 21 of resilient but semi-rigid tubing (e.g. high density polythene); this loop forms an extension of the support frame 5.

A socket 22 is rigidly secured to end of each arm 16 adjacent the cross-member 17; each socket is dimensioned to receive one end of the loop 21 when the support frame and extension are folded down.

The cover 4 is hood-shaped and is secured by snap-fasteners 211565 around its lower edge to the rear frame 15. The front edge of the cover is secured by snap fasteners to the upper edge of the windscreen frame 7. The cover A is made of any suitable flexible waterproof material such as canvas. If the material of the cover is not transparent, a rear window made of flexible transparent material is provided in the centre back of the cover. The cover may be provided with side curtains if preferred.

The above-described cab is used as follows:- when the cab is not required, the cover A is detached from the rear frame and from the windscreen frame and is rolled up. The rolled cover is strapped to the cross-member 17 of the support frame (Fig. 3) . The support frame is pivoted forwards to lie parallel to and in front of the windscreen frame 7. The support frame is substantially the same size as the windscreen frame 7, so that the support frame does not obstruct the windscreen. The loop 21 is removed from the arms 16 before the frame is folded down, and is then mounted in the sockets 22, to stand in front of, and parallel to, the support frame. The loop 21 is so dimensioned that it does not appreciably obstruct the windscreen 6.

When the cab is needed, the loop 21 is removed from the sockets 22, and the cover unstrapped from the support frame. The support frame is then pivoted to lie above the tricycle, extending backwards from the windscreen frame, and rest on the adjustment screw 19 and the adaptors at the ends of the loop 21 are plugged into the ends of arms 16, so that the loop 21 extends towards the back of the tricycle. The cover is then stretched over the support frame 5 and loop 21, and is 211 secured to the upper edge of the windscreen frame 7 and to the rear frame 15 by snap-fasteners. The cab is then ready for use.

The height of the cab roof can be raised or lowered by adjustment of the adjustment screws 19, any slack in the cover being taken up by the resilience of the loop 21.

It will be appreciated that the frame 5 and loop 21 may be removably secured to the windscreen frame, rather than pivotally secured thereto. In this case, the frame 5 and loop 21 when detached from the windscreen frame are stored separately from the vehicle or are stored on the vehicle e.g. in front of the windscreen (as described above) or on the rear carrier or in any other convenient place on the vehicle.

Alternatively, the frame 5 and loop 21 may be permanently secured to the windscreen frame and remain on the vehicle at all times.

Claims (12)

••V4 WT.'***«• 211565 WHAT I CLAIM IS;

1. A cab for an open vehicle, said cab comprising a windscreen secured in front of the seat occupied in use by the vehicle user, the frame of said windscreen supporting a support frame which extends from the windscreen rearwardly of the vehicle, said frame being dimensioned and arranged so as to provide a support for the roof of the cab; and a removable cover comprising flexible waterproof material shaped to form a cab roof and rear wall, said material being securable to the vehicle around the lower edges of the rear wall and being adapted to be stretched over the support frame and secured in that position.

2. The cab as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising a resilient semi-rigid support member which is removably securable to the support frame and is dimensioned and arranged to support the rearmost portion of the cab roof.

3. The cab as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the support frame is pivotally secured to the windscreen frame, and the support frame can be pivoted between a first position in which the support frame extends from the windscreen rear- P. L. b. t. wardly of the vehicle, to provide support for the roof of tUe- sufpoft* Itb •»» ^ ft* uilUL ■rwar&^W the cab, and a second position in which^the plane of the support frame sb substantially parallel to that of the windscreen.

The cab as claimed in claim 3 wherein the angle between - 8 - 211565 the plane of the windscreen and the plane of the support frame when said frame is in said first position is adjustable.

5. The cab as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim A when dependant upon Claim 2, wherein said resilient support member is securable in front of said support frame, with the plane of said support substantially parallel to the plane of the windscreen, when said support frame is in said second position.

6. The cab as claimed in claim 5 wherein said support frame and said resilient support member are dimensioned and arranged so as not to obstruct the windscreen when in said second position.

7. The cab as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lower edge of the rear wall of the cover is securable to a rear frame surrounding a rear carrier on the vehicle.

8. A cab as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the front edge of the roof portion of the cover is securable to the windscreen frame.

9. A cab as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising one or more panels of transparent material securable below the windscreen so as to provide protection for the front of the lower part of a user's body.

10. The combination of a motor tricycle and a cab as claimed in any preceding claim. • u. • r>r*ry#-||CJ _ _ 3U565

11. The combination of an open four-wheeled motor-vehicle and a cab as claimed in any preceding claim.

12. A cab for an open vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. WILLIAM RAMSAY MACALISTER by his authorised agents P.L. BERRY & ASSOCIATES per' <. - - 10 -