Other

Wickes Manufacturing Company

Dura Convertible Systems Gmbh

Stephen P Rawlings

Albert W Harrison, Iii

Steven J Skornicka

A pair of side linkages for raising a convertible top between a raised position, covering the vehicle body passenger compartment, through a body opening, and a lowered position folded into a storage compartment within the vehicle body, said top including a header for engaging the vehicle windshield in the top raised position and at least one crossbow extending between the side linkages, each linkage comprising side rails pivoted to and extending rearwardly from the header, and a plurality of links forming 4-bar linkages connecting the header, side rails and vehicle body for folding the top in a Z-shaped folding action to a compact shape in the storage compartment such that the header is not inverted and covers the folded top and closes the body opening.

Folding convertible top with integral boot

A pair of side linkages for raising a convertible top () between a raised position, covering the vehicle body passenger compartment, through a body opening, and a lowered position folded into a storage compartment within the vehicle body, said top including a header () for engaging the vehicle windshield in the top raised position and at least one crossbow () extending between the side linkages, each linkage comprising side rails () pivoted to and extending rearwardly from the header, and a plurality of links () forming 4-bar linkages connecting the header (), side rails () and vehicle body for folding the top () in a Z-shaped folding action to a compact shape in the storage compartment such that the header () is not inverted and covers the folded top () and closes the body opening.

A convertible vehicle includes a U-shaped top storage well having rear and side edges that are defined by body sheet metal, a front edge defined by the vehicle rear seat, and forwardly-projecting side quarter portions having a front and spaced side walls. A boot for covering the stored top comprises a semi-rigid laminate of vinyl and foam layers having a smooth top surface. The bottom surface has two longitudinal grooves enabling folding for storage. The periphery of the rear surface has spaced indentations between the grooves for locating and mounting peripheral C-shaped clips which grip the well rear and side edges, and quarter side and front walls. A tongue is mounted on the boot front edge and includes a latch bead. The tongue is inserted into the slot of a receiver mounted on the rear seat back. The receiver comprises a base having a recess for receiving the latch bead and an opposing flexible wall which clamps the tongue to latch the bead into the recess. The tongue has a handle to facilitate boot installation. The boot is slightly larger laterally and longitudinally than the well opening to place the boot in compression to assist boot retention and to accommodate vehicle build variations. The boot is readily manually-installed and -removed in a matter of mere seconds.

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Onsted, MI, United States of America

Stephen P Rawlings