Abstract: A vehicle height adjusting apparatus in which a sensor means detects the distance between the body and axles of a vehicle while the vehicle is parked or moving. A signal comparator divides the vehicle height detection range into a plurality of detection zones based on the sensor signals; a pulse converter circuit converts the signals into pulse signals of the detection zones; an integrator circuit integrates the pulse signals for a period of time; a determination circuit determines the vehicle height level and a fluid circuit controls the inflow and outflow of fluid into and out of a suspension device.

Abstract: A camper unit for use with a dump truck includes a front portion normally resting on the floor of the dump truck with a rear portion extending down behind the tail gate area, but terminating clear of the ground. When it is desired to unload the camper, the dump truck body is elevated until the ground engaging means on the lower rear corners of the camper unit dig into the ground or frictionally engage the ground with part of the weight of the camper unit thereon. The truck is then driven slowly forwardly with the camper unit remaining stationary. Towards the front underside of the front portion of the camper unit, a hinged ground engaging support frame is mounted and when it clears the tail gate area of the truck body, it swings downwardly by gravity. The elevation of the dump truck body is adjusted as it is moved forwardly so that the support frame engages the ground thereby supporting the camper unit upon the support frame at the front and upon the rear portion of the camper at the rear.

Abstract: A dual-step rear bumper assembly for a truck. The bumper assembly comprises a main or lower crossmember 15 extending the full width of the truck. The crossmember provides the principal bumper strength and also the lower step (16 or 17) of a dual-step feature. To this crossmember 15 is attached an upper crossmember 28 having tread portions providing the upper step 29 or 31 of the dual-step feature. The bumper assembly ends are capped by end bulkheads 41 and 44. Intermediate bulkheads 42 and 43 box in the ends of the license plate cavity located at the center of the bumper assembly. The bulkheads may be of a much lighter gauge metal then the bumper cross members. The bulkheads provide the necessary vertical compression load resistance to support the weight of a person stepping on the upper step portions.

Abstract: A device for resiliently supporting a driver's compartment subjected to vibrations in heavy-duty trucks having a non-resilient wheel suspension, said compartment housing at least one seat and being connected to a supporting portion of the vehicle by three or more spring structure, spaced circumferentially around the compartment, the point of connection of said spring structure with the compartment being disposed in a common and substantially horizontal plane located closely adjacent the center of gravity of said compartment. The axis of action of said spring structures forms an acute angle with a vertical axis so as to allow the accomodation of vibrations in all directions in a three-axis right-angle coordinate system, i.e. to obtain all six degrees of freedom of movement.

Abstract: This energy absorbing bumper mount comprises a spring bracket assembly which includes a pair of diverging spring arms that carry pins on the outer end thereof. A preloaded yieldable energy absorbing band of oriented plastic material is stretched across the arms by attachment to the pins. On impact of a bumper attached to the spring arms, the pins are laterally displaced from one another as the spring arms are deflected. Energy is absorbed by the stretching of the band and by deflection of the spring arms. Rebound is controlled with the slow recovery rate of the band acting as a buckling column to retard recovery of the spring arms to their normal undeflected position.

Abstract: A trailer suspension of the type including a leaf spring pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the trailer frame and supported at its midpoint by the wheel axle has a special saddle assembly for securing the axle to the spring. The assembly includes the usual pair of U-bolts engaged around the spring and axle with the threaded ends of the U-bolts extending through openings in a saddle block so that nuts can be turned down onto those ends to clamp the spring, axle and saddle block together. Also a torque arm connects the saddle block to the frame forward of the axle. The saddle assembly differs from conventional ones, however, in that its saddle block includes an extension which extends an appreciable distance along the axle and the extension is provided with openings fore and aft of the axle for receiving a third U-bolt engaged around the axle.

Abstract: A club container is removably mounted on a cart and has a bottom notch receiving a crossrod of the cart and an upper, releasable latch. The club container has a pleated, flexible plastic irons separator and has long tubular sockets receiving shafts of the woods. The cart has a frame of two U-shaped tubes secured together by rivets which also pivot a U-shaped wheel suspension tube carrying pivot pins on which are pivoted circle-carrying arms biased by torsion spring rods secured to the tube. To form a folding linkage, a pair of rods having bent-over, lower end portions trapped in the wheel suspension tube are held together with bent-over, upper end portions trapped in a block secured to a handle. Two pairs of legs pivotally secured to a seat and having ends hooked into the frame of the cart to mount the seat, along with a pair of braces hooked into the frame and slidable along one of the pairs of rods, for overcenter movement between a seating position and a folded position.

Abstract: A fully triangulated automobile wheel suspension arm assembly which provides a rigid connection between an automotive wheel-bearing hub and two pivot points connecting the suspension assembly to the superstructure of the vehicle. The suspension system includes a lateral tube affixed to a vehicle body. The tube has a free end to which there is journaled one end of a trailing arm. A torsion bar has one end affixed to the lateral tube and a free end affixed to the trailing arm so that pivotal movement of the trailing arm about the lateral tube is resisted by the torsion bar. The other end of the trailing arm is affixed to a wheel-bearing hub, and a wheel is received in journaled relationship respective to the hub. A strut connects the hub to a bracket located on the lateral tube at a location which is spaced inboard of the trailing arm journal. This provides a rigid connection between the wheel-bearing hub and the two pivot points, so that the hub is restrained to move in a substantially vertical plane.

Abstract: A window structure for vehicle bodies in which the rear window is hinged and is held in a closed position by a latch arrangement which is accessible only from the interior of the vehicle. The opening of the rear window is provided with a seal which biases the window light towards its open position so that the window can be grasped and moved to a selected fully opened position.

Abstract: An adjustable turning ratio ratary positioning mechanism has rotary drive and driven members coupled by a flexible drive band, such as a sprocket chain, with oppositely movable runs between the members which are laterally displaceable during rotation of the drive member in such a way as to selectively provide the positioning mechanisms with different predetermined turning ratios, i.e., the turning angle(s) of the driven member(s) per unit turning angle of the drive member. A camera dolly steering mechanism embodying a rotary positioning mechanism according to the invention actuated by a single cam on the dolly steering shaft for selectively steering the dolly in round, crab, and conventional steering modes.

Abstract: An air deflector blade for vehicles and the like is pivotally movable between a substantially vertical orientation and a substantially horizontal orientation in response to the wind velocity created thereupon. The pivotal mounting enables the blade to rotate selectively between the vertical and horizontal positions in proportion to the speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: A canopy to cover the open box or flatbed of a pickup truck and selectively retractable to uncover the flatbed and conventionally use the truck. This foldaway canopy is characterized by a pair of rigid end portions which cooperatively form an enclosing case for an intermediate section of foldable material, by a simple guide track system, and by the end portions and intermediate section outwardly overhanging a pair of guide tracks to conceal the latter against snow and ice. The rear rigid end portion is mounted on carriages engaging the guide tracks and the foldable material is supported by transverse arches having their opposite ends, each slidable on a cable mounted in the corresponding guide track. Hooks and detents are provided to lock the rear end portion in open or closed position.

Abstract: A suspension system for a car utilizing hydraulic cylinder units on each wheel connected by fluid hoses in order to shift the stiffness of their shock absorbing effect depending on the turning radius and speed of the vehicle in order to prevent the car from flipping over during high speed turn arounds.

Abstract: An adjustable safety seat is provided to enhance the ability of medical attendants to perform emergency medical services on a patient in a moving ambulance or other emergency vehicle. An adjustable seat, backrest and restraint for use with center-mounted cots in an emergency vehicle enable one medical attendant to perform, without interruption, the chest compressions and ventilations required for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, while simultaneously protecting the attendant from falls and possible injury when the vehicle is in motion. The adjustable safety seat enables the attendant to assume the optimal position for performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. When not required for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the seat can be adjusted to facilitate performance of other medical services on the patient.

Abstract: In an automobile windshield structure in which a windshield glass is adhesively attached to a body frame, a clip device for installing a moulding along the peripheral edge portion of the glass comprises first and second lip members. The first clip member is adapted to be attached to the peripheral edge of the glass and has guide channels for slidably receiving cooperating slide portions in the second clip member. The first clip member has a retaining pawl which is adapted to engage with indentations on the second clip member so that the second clip member is prevented from moving in one direction with respect to the first clip member but movable in the opposite direction.

Abstract: Accordingly, the present invention provides a collapsible carrier for transporting loads comprising a support member having two legs and an adjoining cross arm. A fold out platform device is pivotably connected to the support member for holding the loads. A telescoping handle apparatus is affixed to the support member for moving the carrier. A cylindrical wheel device having a wide slightly tapered rolling surface comprising a pair of cylindrical symmetrical surfaces upwardly tapering from a common contact point or edge is adjoined to the handle apparatus for minimizing the surface area of the wheel device contacting a travel surface along which the load is transported while increasing the stability of the carrier to facilitate the carrier rolling straight while decreasing the tendency of the carrier to laterally trip over under heavy load conditions as it is pulled along the travel surface.

Abstract: A bellows connection adapted to be disposed between a front and rear section of an articulated vehicle. The bellows connection includes a first and second bellows part with at least one of the bellows parts being mounted on an end frame of one of the sections of the articulated vehicle. Both of the bellows parts are connected to each other by a portal-like bellows yoke which is saddled-mounted to the front section in a ball joint at the bottom so that it is omnidirectionally pivotable. A lemniscate control arrangement is provided for guiding the bellows yoke along a bisecting line of a bending angle between the front and rear sections of the vehicle. To provide for additional guidance and support of the bellows yoke two struts are provided in a roof area of the vehicle in a vicinity of the central longitudinal axis thereof. The struts are articulated to the front or rear sections of the vehicle and to the bellows yoke.

Abstract: An automobile rear window structure for closing a rear window opening formed in an automobile body, the opening having front and rear edges and opposite sides. The window closing structure includes a pair of rear pillars extending along both sides of the rear window opening and having trough sections formed therein. Transparent material closing the rear opening includes a rear section and a pair of side sections positioned on opposite sides of the rear section. The side sections have transverse curvatures which are contiguous with a transverse curvature of the rear section. The rear section is formed separately from the side sections and is arranged to cover the rear window opening and has an upper end hinged to the body for swinging movement between closed and open positions.

Abstract: An arm is pivotally secured to a clamp mounted on a bicycle frame; the arm extends to adjacent the outer periphery of an uncovered wheel. A flat shield of flexible plastic material is molded onto the end of the arm and extends over the wheel. The shield is provided with a cutout therein conforming to the cross-sectional perimeter of the uncovered wheel. A plurality of flexible fingers are molded integrally in the shield and extend into the cutout so that the flexible fingers ride upon the periphery of the wheel as it passes through the cutout in the shield. The arm is pivotal between a guard position, wherein water, dirt and debris thrown by the wheel are deflected from a cyclist operating the bicycle, and a storage position wherein it remains unobtrusive and out of the way so that it does not interfere with the operation of the bicycle. A reflector is molded into one side of the shield to reflect light striking the shield when it is in the storage position.

Abstract: A roof covering installation includes a pair of side panels having a shape conforming with the sail panels of the vehicle body and a center panel preformed to the contour of the roof panel and adapted to fill the space between the side panels. The side panels and center panel have edge portions which are adapted for mating overlap and are joined together to provide a substrate assembly having a width gauged to the lateral spacing of the sail panels to precisely overlie the roof and sail panels irrespective of dimensional variation in the width of the vehicle body. The roof covering is adhesively secured to the substrate assembly in an off-line assembly, after which the substrate assembly is mounted and secured on the vehicle.