Abstract: A first plate member is insetted at its end portion between a body part and a return part of a second plate member. A first swelling part is formed at the end portion of the first plate member so as to protrude to a side of the return part of the second plate member. A second swelling part is formed at a portion corresponding to the first swelling part in the return part of the second plate member so as to be in face-to-face contact with the first swelling part. The first and second swelling parts are joined by laser welding.

Abstract: An airfoil roof incorporated into or added onto a vehicle roof in the form of a longitudinal tunnel that is open at the front and closed at the rear which enables air to pass into the forward end of the tunnel during forward movement of the vehicle with the closed rearward end of the tunnel catching such air which causes a limited lifting force to be exerted on the vehicle to, in effect, reduce the weight of the vehicle thereby reducing the energy required to propel the vehicle over a road surface thereby resulting in energy conservation by enabling a vehicle to be propelled a greater distance while consuming a given quantity of fuel which results from the decrease in weight and the reduction in rolling resistance and fricitonal resistance between the vehicle tires and road surface.

Abstract: A shell for the bed of a pickup truck is provided. The shell is comprised of a base member mounted to the truck bed and a top member hinged to and fitted over the base member. The top member is hinged in such a manner that it may be swung open to allow access to the interior of the bed from the side as well as the rear of the truck. The hinge means have a quick release feature so that the top member may be removed for greater hauling capacity. A fabric covering may be substituted for the top member as an alternative cover.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for reversibly supporting the seat of a vehicle. When a tractor or like vehicle is used for working with a backhoe or like work machine attached to the rear end of the vehicle, a forward operation seat and a rearward operation seat are conventionally needed and are therefore uneconomical. Furthermore, the work mahcine must be spaced from the vehicle body to avoid interference between the two sheets. This entails the problem of impairing the weight balance longitudinally of the vehicle. To overcome these problems, a support table is mounted on the vehicle body by a parallel link assembly which is pivotally movable longitudinally of the body, and a swivel table for supporting the seat thereon is mounted on the support table swivelably about a vertical shaft. Further provided is a lock for locking the swivel table against swiveling about the shaft, and unlocking device for unfastening the lock.

Abstract: An under platform drawer adapted for mounting on a utility vehicle is disclosed. The drawer is adapted to increase the storage capability of the vehicle while not affecting the previously provided storage area. The drawer includes a pair of parallelly mounted guide tracks adapted to be secured orthogonally to the longitudinally extending frame members of the truck's chassis. A pair of parallelly positioned guides are displaceably mounted on the guide tracks. A storage drawer is fixedly mounted to the guides whereby the drawer may be extended outwardly or returned inwardly along an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

Abstract: A padded, elastic car grill band or detachably self-attaching strip snugly fits around the exposed, lower portion of a car grill to prevent injury when the lower portion of a car grill becomes exposed and a hazard when the car grill raises up with the car hood, as is true for some cars made by Mercedes-Benz. A connection (such as a rivet) is present at a lower middle portion of the band to act as a stop and prevent further travel by the band up the car grill. This ensures that it is only the lower portion of the car grill, including exposed edges, that is covered. The band may also be adjustable.

Abstract: A front cover for a baby stroller in the shape of a character or toy having an inner hollow compartment for receiving the baby's legs and feet and straps for removably connecting the front cover to the stroller.

Abstract: What is provided is a tailgate storable beneath a truck bed, which includes a tailgate body, defining the rear wall of the truck bed; an axle for allowing the tailgate body to move from a first upright, vertical position, to a second, horizontal position; a pair of tracks secured beneath the truck bed, and extending rearward to accommodate the movement of the tailgate body; roller members secured to the ends of the axle means, and rollable within the tracks, so that when the tailgate body is moved to the second, horizontal position, the tailgate body may be slidably moved to a position beneath the truck bed, as the roller members roll within the tracks; a rod member extending across the length of the tailgate body for supporting the tailgate body when the body has been moved to the second, horizontal position; a channel formed in the wall of the tailgate member for engaging the rod member when the rod member supports the tailgate in the horizontal position; and a locking for locking the tailgate body in posit

Abstract: In a vehicle having a tool box, an electric lock apparatus for the tool box is provided. The tool box has a latch for preventing the opening of a lid on the tool box. The latch is movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. A motor is provided in the tool box. The motor alternatively releases and engages the latch. A switch is provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The switch is connected to a vehicle power source and to the motor. The switch operates the motor and allows the tool box to be either locked or unlocked from the passenger compartment.

Abstract: A vehicle door impact beam having an elongated tubular body with a central axis, the end portions of the beam being taper cut to form inner and outer termini and opposite taper surfaces for each end, the included angle at the inner termini being greater than 180 degrees and the outer termini being less than 180 degrees, and the first and second taper surfaces each spiraling from the inner terminus to the outer terminus through an angle of about 90 degrees. The inner termini of both ends are on opposite sides of the beam, and the outer termini of both ends are on the same side of the beam.

Abstract: A cargo net for a passenger vehicle is described as being formed of a substantially rectangular netting fabric to fit the rear compartment opening of a van, mini-van or the like passenger vehicle with a length of nylon webbing material affixed to its perimeter. A plurality of hook and loop fasteners are used to secure the cargo net to the vehicle structure, which permit separation at selected points around its periphery for access to speciific cargo articles without having to detach the entire cargo net. In one embodiment, two D-rings are described to cooperate with two tension adjusting straps, formed of hook and loop fasteners, to adjust and vary the tension between the cargo net and the articles being restrained.

Abstract: A tong apparatus having first and second hand grippable members, a first work gripping element associated with the first hand grippable member, and a second work gripping element associated with the second hand grippable member, the improvement comprising structure for amplifying movement of the first work gripping element relative to movement of the second work gripping element and also relative to the first hand grippable member, in response to relative movement of the first and second hand grippable members. Amplification of motion of the work gripping elements is provided, aiding in pick-up of both large and small work pieces. The surfaces for the operator to grasp are long enough that two hands may conveniently be used, if required, for heavy loads.

Abstract: A load bearing vehicle extension which is releasably secured to the rear of a vehicle which is adjustable for different length and width loads such that loads longer than the cargo area of the vehicle may be carried safely.

Abstract: A submersible grappling system is designed for retrieving objects, such as, golf balls from the bottom or floor of a body of water and is made up of a tubular housing, a bladder at one end of the housing, finger-like retrieval elements at the opposite end of the housing and a gear column which serves to interconnect the bladder and retrieval elements so that when the gear column is driven in one direction, it will cause the bladder to be compressed within the upper end of the housing while forcing the retrieval elements downwardly and outwardly into surrounding relation to an object to be retrieved, and when the gear column is driven in the opposite direction will cause the bladder to be expanded upwardly away from the housing to increase the effective buoyancy while causing the retrieval elements to be retracted around the object and drawn upwardly into the housing.

Abstract: In its rear area, a motor vehicle has a spoiler arrangement which can be moved by means of an adjusting device from a moved-in inoperative position into a moved-out operative position, and vice versa. In order to provide a rear-side spoiler arrangement which, while it has a simple construction, in the moved-out operative position, can be slid relatively far toward the rear and upward so that an enlarged inflow cross-section is achieved for the cooling of a rear-side air-cooled internal-combustion engine, it is provided that the spoiler arrangement comprises two parts which are hinged to one another. The part which is in the rear viewed in the driving direction is rotatably disposed on the adjacent body at its lower end, whereas the other forward part of the spoiler arrangement interacts with a guiding device arranged on the body side.

Abstract: A cover for an armrest access opening to the mounting or attachment apparatus for the armrest, wherein the cover is formed of the same vinyl skin which covers the armrest and is integral therewith. The cover is a vinyl skin flap connected by a living hinge to an edge of the vinyl skin covering the armrest adjacent the access opening. A small opening is formed in the top surface of the mounting apparatus, and a plug is formed on the inner surface of the flap, adapted to fit into the small opening and support the flap once the flap is closed over the access opening.

Abstract: A bumper arrangement for motor vehicles, particularly passenger cars, having a bumper which is held on the vehicle body by flexible fastening devices. Impact absorbing tubes are arranged between the vehicle body and the bumper which cannot regenerate, and consist of at least one fiber composite, the fibers of which are at least essentially arranged in the longitudinal direction of the tube.

Abstract: Mounting of a window glass plate on a vehicle body panel, wherein the window glass plate is bonded at a peripheral portion thereof to an opening portion of the vehicle body panel. A holding strip member is fitted with an upper edge portion and opposite side edge portions of the window glass plate. A leg portion of a molding is inserted and retained in a groove of the holding strip member. The leg portion has a pawl adapted to engage a projection formed in the groove of the holding strip member. A garnish portion extends from a top of the leg portion of the window glass plate side.

Abstract: In a vehicle cover having a body member for forming a skin over the vehicle excepting at least one door thereof, the skin defining openings for a radiator grill and a pair of headlights, the skin also including at least one windshield flap for selectively exposing a portion of a windshield of the vehicle; the vehicle cover further including means for selectively anchoring the vehicle cover to the vehicle and for preventing the vehicle cover from being easily removed.

Abstract: A covering arrangement for the cargo area of a truck defined by trolley assemblies positioning overlying covering fabric in a sealing relationship with the cargo area. The trolley assemblies, each typically driven by a chain, are propelled forwardly and rearwardly in an uncovering and covering relationship. The rear portion of the cargo area is covered by a fixed and/or independent fabric which includes a laterally extending cushioned bar. Another cushioned bar, locataed at the rearmost end of the movable covering fabric, selectively engages the other cushioned bar to present an effective sealed relationship. Resilient means secured to the trolley assemblies continually urge the covering fabric into a sealed relationship with the top edges of the side walls.