Hydraulic lift camper top

• US 4,981,319 A
• Filed: 07/17/1989
• Issued: 01/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Gerzeny, Ruben Gerzeny, Steven Gerzeny
• Original Assignee: David Gerzeny, Ruben Gerzeny, Steven Gerzeny
• Inventors: Gerzeny, David, Gerzeny, Ruben, Gerzeny, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pike, Andrew C.
• Application Number:
  US07/380,513
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 296/160, 296/164, 296/165, 296/173, 296/175, 296/176, 296/26, 296/27, 296/99.1
• US Class Current: 296/26.07
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/165 at least a major part of the roof being lifted on all corners
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/32 comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping, or like vehicles tents or canopies, in general E04H15/00

Abstract

A hydraulic lifting system for use in raising and lowering a movable top, sized and located to cover an opening in a primary roof structure, includes a support structure attached to opposing longitudinal sides of the roof opening, a plurality of lifting linkages that are slidably attached to the support structure such that at least one pair of linkage is attached to opposing support structures, each lifting linkage is also pivotally attached to the movable top. In addition, a plurality of hydraulic push/pull devices are mounted on the support structure one each interposed between each pair of lifting linkage, so that each lifting linkage may be attached to the adjacent hydraulic push/pull device by a shaft projecting therefrom. Actuation of the hydraulic push/pull device urges the shafts to move in a push/pull relationship with the lifting linkages raising and lowering the top.

Claims

1. A hydraulic lifting system for raising and lowering a movable top, sized and located to cover an opening in a primary roof structure, said opening having at least two opposing sides, said system comprising:

a plurality of support means, at least one of said support means mounted on each of said opposing sides of said roof opening;

a plurality of lifting means, at least one pair of said lifting means mounted on said support means in each of said opposing sides of said roof opening, each of said lifting means comprising a guide rod mounted on and longitudinal to said support means;

a bracket slidably mounted on said guide rod;

an actuating strut, having a first and a second end, said first end of said actuating strut pivotally attached to said bracket, said second end of said actuating strut pivotally attached to said movable top;

a support strut, having a first and a second end, said first end of said support strut pivotally attached to said support means and said second end of said support strut pivotally attached to said actuating strut intermediate said first and second ends to said actuating strut;

a plurality of hydraulic push-pull means, one of said push-pull means mounted on said support means on each of said opposing sides of said roof opening, said hydraulic push-pull means mounted longitudinal to said support means and interposed between each said lifting means of said pair of said lifting means, said push-pull means having a first and a second longitudinal end, and having a first shaft extendable from said first longitudinal end, and a second shaft extendable from said second longitudinal end, said first shaft connected to said bracket of one of said pair of lifting means and said second shaft connected to said bracket of the other of said pair of lifting means, whereby actuation of said hydraulic push-pull means causes said first and second shafts to move in a push-pull relationship with each other to actuate said lifting means to raise and lower said moveable top; and

a hydraulic fluid pressure means operatively connected to said hydraulic push-pull means.

2. A hydraulic lifting system as in claim 1 wherein said hydraulic push-pull means comprises a double ended and double acting hydraulic cylinder

3. A hydraulic lifting system as in claim 1 further comprising at least one latching means attached to said support means and removably engaging said lifting means.

4. A hydraulic lifting system as in claim 3 wherein said latching means comprises a latch bracket fixedly fastened to said support means, said latch bracket located proximal to at least one of said support struts and said actuating struts of said lifting means when said support and said actuating struts are lowered;

a solenoid affixed to said support means proximal to said latch bracket, said solenoid having an extendable shaft, said solenoid shaft having an extended position and a retracted position;

a finger latch having a first and second end, said finger latch being pivotally attached to said latch bracket intermediate said first and second ends of said finger latch, said first end of said finger latch being pivotally attached to said solenoid shaft, whereby actuation of said solenoid to said extended position causes said finger latch to pivot about said latch bracket and engage at least one of said support struts and said actuating struts of said lifting means, and actuation of said solenoid to said retracted position causes said finger latch to pivot about said latch bracket and disengage said lifting means.

5. A hydraulic lifting system as in claim 1 further comprising an enclosing means formed from flexible material and interconnecting said movable top and said roof structure proximal to said roof opening, whereby said enclosing means maintains a continuous exterior surface between said moveable top and said roof structure when said movable top is raised.

6. A hydraulic lifting system for raising and lowering a movable top, sized and located to cover an opening in a primary roof structure, said opening having at least two opposing sides, said system comprising:

a plurality of support means, at least one of said support means mounted on each of said opposing sides of said roof structure opening;

a plurality of lifting means, at least one pair of said lifting means mounted on said support means on each of said opposing sides of said roof opening;

a plurality of hydraulic push-pull means, one of said push-pull means mounted on said support means on each of said opposing sides of said roof opening, said hydraulic push-pull means mounted longitudinal to said support means and interposed between each said lifting means of said pair of said lifting means, said push-pull means having a first and a second longitudinal end, and having a first shaft extendable from said first longitudinal end, and a second shaft extendable from said second longitudinal end, said first shaft connected to of one of said pair of lifting means and said second shaft connected to the other of said pair of lifting means, whereby actuation of said hydraulic push-pull means causes said first and second shafts to move in a push-pull relationship with each other to actuate said lifting means to raise and lower said movable top;

at least one latching means comprising a latch bracket fixedly fastened to said support means, said latch bracket located proximal to one of said lifting means;

a solenoid affixed to said support means proximal to said latch bracket, said solenoid having an extendable shaft, said solenoid shaft having an extended position and a retracted position;

a finger latch having a first and second end, said finger latch being pivotally attached to said latch bracket intermediate said first and second ends of said finger latch, said first end of said finger latch being pivotally attached to said solenoid shaft, such that actuation of said solenoid to said extended position causes said finger latch to pivot about said latch bracket and engage said lifting means, when said top is lowered, and actuation of said solenoid to said retracted position causes said finger latch to pivot about said latch bracket disengaging said lifting means; and

a hydraulic fluid pressure means operatively connected to said hydraulic push-pull means.

7. A hydraulic lifting system as in claim 6 wherein each of said lifting means further comprises:

a guide rod mounted on and longitudinal to said support means;

a bracket slidably mounted on said guide rod;

an actuating strut, having a first and a second end, said first end of said actuating strut pivotally attached to said bracket, said second end of said actuating strut pivotally attached to said movable top;

a support strut, having a first and a second end, said first end of said support strut pivotally attached to said support means and said second end of said support strut pivotally attached to said actuating strut intermediate said first and second ends of said actuating strut.

8. A hydraulic lifting system as in claim 7 wherein said hydraulic push-pull means comprises a double ended and double acting hydraulic cylinder.

9. A hydraulic lifting system as in claim 6 further comprising an enclosing means formed from flexible material and interconnecting said movable top and said roof structure proximal to said roof structure opening, whereby said enclosing means maintains the continuous exterior surface between said moveable top and said roof structure when said movable top is raised.

10. A hydraulic lifting system for raising and lowering a movable top, sized and located to cover an opening in a primary roof structure, said opening having two pairs of opposing sides, said system comprising:

a plurality of support means, at least one of said support means mounted on at least one of said opposing sides of said roof opening;

a plurality of lifting means, at least one pair of said lifting means mounted on said support means in each of said opposing sides of said roof opening, each of said lifting means comprising a guide rod mounted on and longitudinal to said support means;

a bracket slidably mounted on said guide rod;

an actuating strut, having a first and a second end, said first end of said actuating strut pivotally attached to said bracket, said second end of said actuating strut pivotally attached to said movable top;

a support strut, having a first and a second end, said first end of said support strut pivotally attached to said support means and said second end of said support strut pivotally attached to said actuating strut intermediate said first and second ends of said actuating strut;

a plurality of hydraulic push-pull means, comprising double ended and double acting hydraulic cylinder, one of said hydraulic cylinders mounted on said support means on each side of one of said pairs of opposing sides of said roof opening, said hydraulic push-pull means mounted longitudinal to said support means and interposed between each said lifting means of said pair of said lifting means, said hydraulic cylinder having a first and a second longitudinal end, and having a first piston rod and a second piston rod extendable from said corresponding first and second longitudinal ends, said first piston rod connected to said bracket of one of said pair of lifting means and said second piston rod connected to said bracket of the other of said pair of lifting means, whereby actuation of said hydraulic cylinder causes said first and said second piston rods to move in a push-pull relationship with one another, to actuate said lifting means to selectively raise and lower said movable top;

at least one latching means comprising a latch bracket fixedly fastened to said support means, said latch bracket located proximal to at least one of said support struts and said actuating struts of said lifting means when said support and said actuating struts are lowered;

a solenoid affixed to said support means proximal to said latch bracket, said solenoid having an extendable shaft, said solenoid shaft having an extended position and a retracted position;

a finger latch having a first and second end, said finger latch being pivotally attached to said latch bracket intermediate said first and second ends of said finger latch, said first end of said finger latch being pivotally attached to said solenoid shaft, whereby actuation of said solenoid to said extended position causes said finger latch to pivot about said latch bracket and engage at least one of said support struts and said actuating struts of said lifting means, and actuation of said solenoid to said retracted position causes said finger latch to pivot about said latch bracket disengaging said lifting means;

a hydraulic fluid pressure means operatively connected to said hydraulic push-pull means; and

an enclosing means formed from flexible material and interconnecting said movable top and said roof structure proximal to said roof structure opening, whereby said enclosing means maintains a continuous exterior surface between said movable top and said roof structure when said movable top is raised.