US2976078A - Pullman camper truck attachment - Google Patents

Description

March 21, 1961 v. M. MAIDL 2,976,078

PULLMAN CAMPER TRUCK ATTACHMENT Filed June 15, 1959 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A INVENTOR. V/HG/L M M/Dl.

March 21, 1961 I v. M. MAIDL PULLMAN CAMPER TRUCK ATTACHMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1959 I MM Q .V/RGIL M M/DL Z INVENTZ B Arrow/5y March 21, 1961 v. M. MAIDL 2,976,078

PULL-MAN CAMPER TRUCK ATTACHMENT Filed June 15, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. l ma/L M IVA/01.

Arr'aR/vEy EP Ve a United States Patent PULLMAN CAMPER TRUCK ATTACHMENT Virgil M. Maidl, 8211 Phlox St., Downey, Calif.

Filed June 15, 1952, Ser. No. 820,379

12 Claims. (Cl. 296*2'6) This invention relates to motor vehicle bodies and in particular to a sleeper body having a retractable canopy adapted, when in an extended position to provide shelter behind the rear end of the body.

An object is to provide a sleeper attachment for a conventional truck body, adapted to be superimposed upon the side members of the truck body to provide therewith a completely enclosable sleeper.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a sleeper body having a retractable canopy which, in its retracted position constitutes a cover over the top of the body and which, in an extended position, constitutes a rearward extension of the body top.

A further object is to provide a body and canopy arrangement wherein the canopy is normally positioned immediately above the body, constituting, in appearance and effect, the top thereof, and wherein movement to an extended position is accomplished very simply by sliding the canopy longitudinally rearwardly,

A further object is to provide in such a sleeper body, an improved means for extensibly attaching a canopy to the body for easy operation with a minimum of offort, between retracted and extended positions.

A further object is to provide, in a campers vehicle, a food-serving cabinet embodied in the door of the vehicle body and disposed at one side of the space covered by the aforesaid canopy When the door is open and the canopy is extended, said food serving cabinet further embodying a foldable serving table which is normally folded unwardly into the plane of the door, permitting the door to be closed, but which, when the door is opened, can be folded downwardly to a food serving position.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing specification and appended drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a motor truck with the sleeper body of my invention attached thereto, the canopy being shown in the extended position, and the rear door, embodying the food serving cabinet, being shown in a partially open position in full lines;

Fig. 2 is a rear end view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the inward side of the combined rear door and food serving unit;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view, full scale, of the canopy supporting slide mechanism, parts being broken away and shown in section to illustrate the construction;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail side view, in two sections, of the telescoping brace for supporting the canopy in its extended position, parts being broken away and shown in section to better illustrate the construction; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the r 2,976,078 Patented Mar. 21,1961

canopy support and the rear end of the canopy, shown in fully retracted position.

General description of apparatus Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown therein, as an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, a campers sleeper body attachment for a conventional automobile truck of the type commonly referred to as a pick-up truck, wherein an open top body, relatively shallow, is defined between spaced side members 15, and has a rear opening which is normally closed by a removable end gate. The wheels of the vehicle are indicated at 16, the conventional drivers cab at 17, and a conventional rear bumper, at 18.

The present invention provides an attachment apparatus which includes, in general, a cover unit A for attachment to the truck body and cooperable therewith to provide an enclosed sleeper body; a slidable canopy B normally registering with and fitted over the top of the cover unit A but extensible rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1 wherein it shelters the space behind the vehicle; a combined rear door and food serving unit C; and a pair of collapsible telescoping braces D for supporting the slidable canopy B in its extended position.

The cover unit A comprises a pair of side members 19 the lower margins of which rest upon the upper margins of the truck body sides 15 when the apparatus is installed; a top 20 of transversely arched cross section, bridging between the upper margins of side members 19; a forward bulkhead 21 closing the forward end of the sleeper space defined between the truck body and the cover unit A; and a rear door arch 22 having a doorway 23 which is normally closed by the rear door and serving unit C. The doorframe 22 has a lower portion 27 of reduced width, such as to' fit snugly between the vertical inner margins of the rear end posts 28 of the truck body. Side members 19 are provided with windows 29. Bulkhead 21 likewise has a window 30 in clude frame bars of square tubing of the type shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Such frame structure may include vertical,

and horizontal members defining the rear door opening '23, vertical corner posts defining the respective vertical corners of the body unit A, top cross bows defining the arched cross section of top member 20, and ap-.

propriate members outlining the openings for windows 29. Appropriately shaped sheets of metal are attached to such frame structure, as by riveting or welding, to

provide the complete cover unit A. As suggestive of such.

composite frame and skin structure, Fig. 2 illustrates portions of the door frame members at 32, a vertical corner post at 33, and a top bow at 34, the sheet metal covering skin being indicated at 35. A forward vertical corner post is indicated at '33 in Fig. 1. However, since the knowledge and techniques of fabricating aircraft fuselages, motor vehicle trailer bodies and other enclosures and housing structures using frame structures of the desired shape and sheet metal skins attached thereto, are well known in these related arts, no detailed disclosure of the complete frame structure and skin members of the cover unit A is given herein, it'being within the province of any mechanic skilled in the art, to apply such techniques and knowledge to the fabrication of the above described cover unit.

Appropriate fasteners (not shown) are utilized for attaching the cover unit A to the truck body along the upper margins of truck side members 15 and rear end posts 28.

The slidable canopy B is of composite frame and skin structure similar to that of the cover unit A, including longitudinal side members 36 along its lower margins, cross bows 37, and a covering skin of sheet metal 38 (Fig. 1).

Slide mounting of canopy B Reference is made now to Figs. 4, and 6, wherein a longitudinal frame bar 36 and the skin 38 of the slidable canopy B, together with the skin 35 of cover unit A, are shown in full scale cross sectional detail. The slidable canopy B is slidably supported upon roller slide mechanism including a pair of roller units 40 attached to the respective sides of the canopy at the forward end thereof and a pair of roller units 41 attached to respective sides of the cover unit A at the rear end thereof. In Fig. 4, most of the canopy skin 38 is broken away to show the roller units in side elevation in this relationship. The roller units 4% transfer the lifting thrust of the forward end of the canopy to tracks 42 which are attached to respective sides of the cover unit A; whereas the roller units 41 take the downward load of the rear end of the canopy B as applied by tracks 43 attached to the respective sides of the canopy, and transfer this load to the sides of the cover unit A at the rear end thereof. In the fully extended position of the canopy, the respective roller units 40 and 41 are fairly close together as indicated in Fig. 4, the pair of roller units 40 having moved rearwardly with the canopy from normal positions close to the forward end of the cover unit A which they occupy in the fully retracted position of the canopy indicated by the broken line B in Fig. 1.

Track 42 is an integral part of a channel member (Fig. 5) including a vertical web 44 which is attached, as by means of rivets 45, to the cover skin 35 of cover unit A, This channel member further includes a horizontal bottom reinforcing flange 46, the track 42 in the form of an upper horizontal flange, and a retainer lip 47 extending downwardly from the outer margin of this upper horizontal flange, and which forms a part of the track 42. The track 42, with its retainer lip 47, terminates forwardly of the rear end of the channel member, at a point just rearwardly of the rearmost position of roller 40 as seen in Fig. 4, the remainder of the channel member being of angle section, indicated at 48 and extending rearwardly sufficiently to provide a support for the roller unit 41.

Roller unit 40 comprises a pair of rollers 49 and a bracket 50 having a foot portion 51 secured, as by rivets to the underside of a respective longitudinal frame bar 36 of canopy B as shown in Fig. 5. Roller unit 41 comprises a pair of rollers 53 mounted upon a bracket 54 having a foot portion 55 secured as by means of rivets to the upper side of the lower horizontal flange 46 of the channel member 45.

Track 43 is of the same angle section as track 42, but in inverted relation thereto as will be seen by comparing Figs. 4 and 5, the track 43 including a vertical web 44, an upper horizontal flange 46' which is secured, as by means of rivets, to the underside of a respective longitudinal frame rail 36 of canopy B, and further including a lower horizontal flange 42' and a retainer lip 47' extending upwardly from the outer margin thereof and retaining the rollers 53 laterally, the rollers 53 being spaced from their brackets 54 by spacer washers 52'. Rollers 53 bear upwardly against flange 46 of track 43.

Suitable spacer collars 52 (and 52') are interposed between the rollers 49 and the bracket 50 (and between rollers 53 and bracket 54) to provide spaces to receive the retainer lip 47 of the track 42 (and the lip 47 of the track 42') the rollers 49 extending upwardly into and bearing upwardly against the track 42 as indicated (and the rollers 53 extending downwardly into the channel portion of track 43).

Rearward extension of the canopy B is limited by engagement of roller units 40 against respective stop screws 57 which are threaded upwardly through the lower flanges 46 of the respective channel members 44. By removing the two stop screws 57, it becomes possible to slide the canopy rearwardly to the point where roller units 51 will clear the rear ends of their respective tracks 42, whereupon the rear end of the canopy can be tilted downwardly, elevating the roller units 40 to a height sufiicient to clear the roller units 41, and the canopy can then be moved rearwardly until it is completely removed from the cover unit A.

The roller units 40 and 41 are normally concealed behind skirts 59 which are constituted by the lower marginal portions of canopy skin 38 projecting below the horizontal side frame rails 36 thereof. Skirts 59 are formed with reinforcing flanges 60 turned inwardly from their lower margins.

It will now be apparent that the canopy can be freely moved with a rolling action between its fully retracted position B and its fully extended position shown in full lines in the drawing. In the extended position, since most of the length of the canopy will be cantilevered rearwardly beyond the supporting units 41, the weight of the projecting portion of the canopy will be further supported by the telescopic braces D. Each of the braces D comprises a scabbard having an open lower end receiving a stud 66 which is anchored to bumper unit 18 and projects diagonally upwardly and rearwardly therefrom; a clamp screw 67 threaded radially through an integral boss 68 on the upper end of the scabbard 65; and an extension rod 69 telescoping within the scabbard 65, normally retracted therein, and adapted to be extended to the position shown in Fig. 1 where it is connected to a respective side of the canopy B by means of a reduced tip 70 engaged in an aperture 71 in the lower wall of a respective side frame bar 36 of the canopy. It will be held in that position by tightening clamp screw 67.

Rear door and food serving unit C Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the door unit C comprises a body panel 70 the upper area of which may be provided with windows 71 and the lower area of which carries the utensil cabinet indicated generally at 72. The cabinet 72 is attached to the inner face of door panel 70 and is relatively shallow horizontally so as to utilize only a minimum horizontal depth of space in the rear end of the sleeper body enclosure when the door unit C is closed. The cabinet 72 may have any selected arrangement of utensil holding means which, merely by way of example, are shown as including hooks 73 for teacups or mugs, a shelf 74 for supporting other small utensils, a bottom pocket 75 for plates, saucers, etc. and a space 76 for a cooking utensil such as a fry pan as indicated.

A table panel 77 is hinged at 78 to the lower member of cabinet 72, for movement between the raised position shown in Fig. 1 wherein it closes the open front of the cabinet 72, to a horizontally projecting lowered position in Figs. 2 and 3, wherein it may be used as a servingtable. It will be understood that the table panel 77 can be lowered when the door unit C is extending rearwardly in its fully open position as shown in Fig. 2. In this lowered position, it is supported by suspending chains 79 anchored at their respective ends to the table panel 77 and to the cabinet 72 as indicated.

In its raised position, table panel 77 functions as a closure for the front of cabinet 72, and because of the relatively shallow depth of the cabinet 72 horizontally, the closedcabinet will retain the utensils in place in the asvaora cabinet, protecting them against breakage under the joggling action of vehicle movement.

Use of the apparatus The canopy unit B and door unit C cooperate with one another in that the canopy unit, when extended, shelters a rectangular space behind the vehicle within which space the table panel 77 can be lowered to serving position and the cabinet 72 and table unit will be sheltered from the suns rays or from rain depending upon the condition of the weather. It will be noted, by reference to Fig. 2, that the door-serving unit C, when fully opened, will be disposed on one side of the sheltered space, that the table panel 77 will project approximately to the center of the sheltered space, and that suflicient area for the preparation and eating of meals will be afforded in the other half of the sheltered space.

The area enclosed by the truck body and the cover unit A will provide space for one or more sleeper cots, one of which, indicated at 80 in Fig. 2, can be arranged longitudinally along one side of the sleeper enclosure. The cot 80 may rest upon a peripherally extending enclosure frame 81 providing a storage chamber for clothes, bedding and miscellaneous articles, which storage space may be madeaccessible by hinging the cot 80 to the frame as at 82 so that the cot may be lifted to uncover the storage space.

It is possible to provide in the sleeper space made available within the bed area of a pickup truck, room for two cots of single occupancy width, extending parallel to one another along respective sides of the enclosure; or a single bed of sufiicient width to accommodate two persons, arranged along one side of the sleeper space with sufiicient floor space along the other side to provide the function of a dressing room. In either event, by utilizing a cot 80 of only medium length (e.g. approximately 66 inches) it is possible to accommodate a smaller cot, providing sufficient sleeping area for a child, disposed between the forward end of the longitudinal cot 80 and the bulkhead 21 and extending transversely the full width of the sleeper space at its forward end.

Curtains (not shown) may be detachably suspended from the respective sides of canopy B and from its rear end so as to complete the enclosure of the sheltered space beneath the extended canopy for providing a dressing room space.

To make ready for transportation of the vehicle, the canopy brace units D are collapsed (by loosening clamp screws 67 and sliding the extension rod 69 downwardly into scabbards 65) and are removed from their bracing positions by slipping the lower ends of scabbards 65 olf the anchor studs 66; and are then stored within the sleeper enclosure. The canopy B is then slid forwardly to its normal position B and is locked in that position by latching devices one of which is shown at 83 in Fig. 2. The latch 83 is preferably of a type (e.g. a trunk hasp) embodying a log unit 84 attached to the rear end of the canopy B in a rearwardly projecting position, the main unit of the hasp, including a movable yoke for engagement with the lug unit 84, being attached to the top of the rear door arch member 22. A pair of such hasps, spaced equally on opposite sides of center, will elfec- .tively secure the canopy B against sliding rearwardly when the vehicle is traveling.

As shown in Fig. 8, the forward movement of canopy B is limited at the retracted position of the canopy, by engagement of the rear-end frame bow 37 of the canopy against the rear roller 53 of roller unit 41. When latched, the canopy is thus securely held against any longitudinal shifting, either forwardly or rearwardly.

I claim:

1. A sleeper attachment body for a vehicle having an open-top box type body with open rear end, defined by vertical side member, comprising: a cover unit having sides for attachment to said vehicle body in adjoining relation to the upper margins of said side membershaw ing a top bridging between the upper extremities of said sides and covering the area within said body, and having a rear end doorway; a canopy disposed above said top and substantially co-extensive therewith in area; and anti-friction slide means connecting the respective sides of said canopy to the respective sides of said top and supporting the canopy for easy sliding movement between a retracted position covering said top and an extended position sheltering a space behind the vehicle substantially equal to the area within said body, while said top continues to shelter said area within the vehicle body.

2. A sleeper apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including latch means for attaching the rear end of said canopy to said doorway to hold the canopy against rearward shifting.

3. A sleeper attachment body for a vehicle having an open top box type body with open rear end, defined by vertical side members, comprising: a cover unit having sides for attachment to said body in adjoining relation to the upper margins of said side members, having a transversely arched top bridging between said sides, and having a rear end doorway; a canopy of transversely arched contour fitted to said top in covering and embracing relation thereto, said canopy embodying a frame comprising transversely arched bows and longitudinal side bars bridged by said bows, and a skin sheet covering and attached to said frame externally thereof; and slide means connecting the respective sides of said canopy to the respective sides of said top and supporting the canopy for easy sliding movement between a retracted position covering said top and a position extended over a space behind the vehicle, in which position said canopy and said top have overlapping adjacent ends and cooperatively shelter, without a break, the area within said vehicle body and said space behind the vehicle, said slide means including antifriction roller devices disposed between said canopy skin sheet and the outer surface of said cover unit and transferring support between the latter and said longitudinal side bars of the canopy frame.

4. A sleeper attachment body for a motor vehicle, comprising: a cover unit having sides for attachment to the vehicle, having a transversely arched top bridging between said sides, and having a rear end doorway; a canopy of transversely arched contour fitted to said top in covering and embracing relation thereto, said canopy embodying a frame comprising transversely arched bows and longitudinal side barsbridged by said bows, and a skin sheet covering and attached to said frame externally thereof; and slide means connecting the respective sides of said canopy to the respective sides of said top and supporting the canopy for easy sliding movement between a retracted position covering said top and a position extended behind the vehicle, with the forward end of said canopy overlapping the rear end of said top and said top and canopy providing continuous unbroken shelterover the area within said body and a substantially equal ground area extending rearwardly from the rear end of said body, said slide means including antifriction roller devices disposed between said canopy skin sheet and the outer surface of said cover unit and transferring support between the latter and said longitudinal side bars of the canopy frame.

5. A sleeper attachment body as defined in claim 4, wherein said slide means further includes stationary longitudinal tracks attached to the respective sides of said cover 'unit and canopy tracks each attached internally to a respective side of said canopy; and whereinv said antifriction roller units include, at each side of the sleeper body, a forward roller unit attached to a respective longitudinal frame bar of the canopy and in rolling engagement with a downwardly facing bearing surface of a respective stationary track; and a rear roller unit attached to a respective side of said cover unit and in rolling engagement with an under bearing surface of a respective canopy track.

6. An attachment bodyas defined in claim 5, wherein said rear roller units are attached to the undersides of the respective side frame bars of the canopy and wherein said canopy skin sheet includes respective side marginal portions projecting downwardly below said side frame bars and constituting aprons covering said roller units.

7. An attachment body as defined in claim 6, including support arms which are integral rearward extensions of said stationary tracks, said support arms being of L-section including outwardly projecting bottom flanges upon which said rearward roller units are mounted.

8. An attachment body as defined in claim 7, wherein said stationary tracks are of C-section each including a vertical web and a bottom horizontal flange of which the respective support arm constitutes an integral extension, and further including an outwardly projecting top flange providing said downwardly facing bearing surface of the respective stationary track and a downwardly projecting roller retainer lip on the outer margin of said top flange, each forward roller unit including a pair of rollers extending upwardly into a channel space cooperatively defined by said vertical web, said top flange and said retainer lip.

9. An attachment body as defined in claim 8, wherein each forward roller unit includes a bracket to which its respective rollers are mounted, a spacer interposed between said bracket and the respective rollers to provide spaces to receive said retainer flange, and an integral foot at the upper end of the bracket, which foot is secured to the underside of a respective side frame bar of the canopy, with the bracket in depending relation to the said side frame bar.

10. An attachment body as defined in claim 9, including a stop member removably mounted in the said bottom flange of the respective stationary track and adapted to be engaged by a respective forward roller unit to limit the rearward extension of the canopy, the rem-oval of said stop unit permitting the canopy to be further shifted rearwardly sufliciently to release the forward roller units from their respective stationary tracks, so as to permit the removal of the canopy from said cover unit.

11. A sleeper attachment body as defined in claim 4, wherein said slide means further includes stationary longitudinal tracks attached to the respective sides of said cover unit and canopy tracks each attached internally to a respective side of said canopy; and wherein said antifriction roller units include, at each side of the sleeper body, a forward roller unit attached to a respective longitudinal frame bar of the canopy and in rolling ongagement with a downwardly facing bearing surface of a respective stationary track; and a rear roller unit attached to a respective side of said cover unit and in rolling engagement with an under bearing surface of a respective canopy track; and wherein said stationary tracks and said canopy tracks are both of identical C-form cross section, each including a vertical back web, a plain horizontal flange projecting from one margin of said web and a second horizontal flange projecting from the other margin thereof, said second marginal flange terminating in a marginal retainer lip extending vertically from its outer margin, and defining with said second horizontal flange and said back web a roller receiving channel section, said stationary track being arranged with said plain horizontal flange at the bottom and said channel section at the top thereof with said back web secured to an external side surface of said cover unit and said second horizontal flange providing said downwardly facing bearing surface engaged by the rollers of said forward roller unit extending upwardly into said channel section of the respective stationary track; and each of said canopy tracks being, arranged with its said plain horizontal flange at the top and secured to the underside of a respective longitudinal side bar of the canopy frame and providing the downwardly facing bearing surface against which the rollers of the respective canopy roller unit bear, the channel section of said canopy track being at the bottom thereof and spaced from the rollers of said canopy roller units in sufliciently close adjacency so that the retainer lip thereof extends upwardly in retaining relation to said rollers, the back web of said canopy track being disposed outwardly of the rollers of said fixed roller unit, and the bracket of said fixed roller unit extending upwardly in a space defined between the retainer lip of said canopy track and the adjacent sides of said cover unit.

12. A sleeper attachment body as defined in claim 4, wherein said slide means further includes stationary 1ongitudinal tracks attached to the respective sides of said cover unit and canopy tracks each attached internally to a respective side of said canopy; and wherein said antifriction roller units include, at each side of the sleeper body, a forward roller unit attached to a respective longitudinal frame bar of the canopy and in rolling engagement with a downwardly facing bearing surface of a respective stationary track; and a rear roller unit attached to a respective side of said cover unit and in rolling engagement with an under bearing surface of a respective canopy track; and wherein said stationary tracks and said canopy tracks are both of identical C-form cross section, each including a vertical back web, a plain horizontal flange projecting from one margin of said web and a second horizontal flange projecting from the other margin thereof, said second marginal flange terminating in a mar ginal retainer lip extending vertically from its outer margin, and defining with said second horizontal flange and said back web a roller receiving channel section, said stationary track being arranged with said plain horizontal flange at the bottom and said channel section at the top thereof with said back web secured to an external side surface of said cover unit and said second horizontal flange providing said downwardly facing bearing surface engaged by the rollers of said forward roller unit extending upwardly into said channel section of the respective stationary track; and each of said canopy tracks being arranged with its said plain horizontal flange at the top and secured to the underside of a respective longitudinal side bar of the canopy frame and providing the downwardly facing bearing surface against which the rollers of the respective canopy roller unit bear, the channel section of said canopy track being at the bottom thereof and spaced from the rollers of said canopy roller units in sufficiently close adjacency so that the retainer lip thereof extends upwardly in retaining relation to said rollers, the back web of said canopy track being disposed outwardly of the rollers of said fixed roller unit, and the bracket of said fixed roller unit extending upwardly in a space defined between the retainer lip of said canopy track and the adjacent sides of said cover unit; said stationary tracks further including rearward extensions of L-section including extensions of the bottom horizontal flanges of the respective track, to which bottom flange extensions the rearward roller unit is mounted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,944,439 Larsen Jan. 23, I934 2,719,054 Jennings Sept. 27, 1955 2,853,338 Stanley Sept. 23, 1958 2,853,340 Hershberger Sept. 23, 1958 2,882,093 Schaffer Apr. 14, 1959 2,895,572 Brinck July 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 245,604 Italy Jan. 13, 1926

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