Vehicle roofs

Abstract

A vehicle roof comprises a roof frame and a cover made of flexible material, the roof frame has a pair of main beams each beam extending longitudinally of the vehicle on either side of the passenger compartment, when the roof is erected; the forward ends of the main beams are interconnected by a canopy rail which is adapted to engage and be latched to a windscreen header of the vehicle; at least one bow spans the main beams at a position spaced longitudinally rearwardly of the canopy rail, said bow when the roof is erected extending above the common plane of the main beams; the main beams are hinged at one or more positions along their lengths and linkage mechanisms are provided on each side of the roof frame to control folding of the roof frame as it is moved between an erected and lowered position, power means is provided to move the roof frame between its erected and lowered positions; a linkage mechanaism is provided to retract said bow towards the common plane of the main beams during movement of the roof frame from its lowered to its raised position and to extend the bow above the plane of the main beams to tension the cover when the canopy rail has been latched to the windscreen header.