Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Structural member making
Patent
1993-07-13
1994-10-04
Rosenbaum, Mark
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Structural member making
294011, 298972, 296186, 296203, B23P 1700
Patent
active
053514009
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
THIS INVENTION relates to improvement to vehicles and in particular to a method and means for converting conventional type vehicles to convertible or open topped form.
BACKGROUND ART
Whilst some convertible vehicles are manufactured on an assembly line there is a limited availability and range of such vehicles. It has thus become common practice for standard sedan type vehicles to be made into convertible form for different applications, for example for use in hire vehicle fleets in say, resort areas. For this purpose, the hard top of the vehicle is removed and replaced with a soft top which may be erected when desired or left open so as to leave the occupants exposed to external weather conditions.
Removal of the hard top or roof of a vehicle creates a number of difficulties as strength of the vehicle is often, as a consequence, reduced necessitating reinforcing in a number of different ways. Such reinforcing often takes the form of under floor reinforcing which is required to be secured to the floor of the vehicle by welding or other rigid connection means. Such reinforcing is required to be particularly strong and extensive and accordingly the material costs and the labour costs of installing same tend to be relatively high resulting in an overall high cost of conversion.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate the above disadvantages by providing an improved method and means for converting conventional vehicles into open top or convertible form in a rapid and efficient manner whilst retaining the requisite strength in the vehicle. The present invention also provides a method and means for reinforcing converted motor vehicles.
The present invention thus provides in a first aspect a method of converting a vehicle of the type including at least one door opening adapted to be closed by a door, hinge mounting means at one side of said opening for mounting hinge means for hingedly supporting said door, and latch mounting means at the opposite side of said door opening for mounting latch means for latching said door in a closed position, said method including the steps of providing rigid frame means adapted for location within said door opening to extend between opposite sides thereof and rigidly securing said frame means in said door opening at least at said hinge and latch mounting means.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of reinforcing a vehicle of the type having at least one door opening adapted to be closed by a door, hinge mounting means at one side of said opening for mounting hinge means for hingedly supporting said door, and latch mounting means at the opposite side of said door opening for mounting latch means for latching said door in a closed position, said method including the steps of providing a said vehicle with said door absent from said door opening, providing rigid frame means adapted for location within said door opening to extend between opposite sides thereof and rigidly securing said frame means in said door opening at least at said hinge and latch mounting means.
Preferably said frame means includes a longitudinally extending frame member provided with bracket means at opposite ends thereof for mounting to said hinge and latch mounting means at opposite sides of said door opening. Normally said hinge and latch mounting means include threaded bores to enable the hinge and latch means to be secured thereto. In one preferred form the bracket means are secured to the latch and hinge mounting means by means of screw fasteners suitably bolts passed through the opposite brackets and engaged in the pre-existing threaded bores for the door hinge and latch means. Alternatively, the brackets may be welded to the latch and hinge mounting means.
Most preferably, the frame means is provided with sheeting which extends to the door sill and opposite sides of the frame, the sheeting being adapted to be secured at least to the sill of the door opening.
The present invention also provides reinforcing means for reinforci
REFERENCES:
patent: 3718364 (1973-02-01), Fischer et al.
patent: 4307911 (1981-12-01), Pavlik
patent: 4346930 (1982-08-01), Northey
patent: 4662052 (1987-05-01), Draper
patent: 4712828 (1987-12-01), Albrecht
patent: 4729156 (1988-03-01), Norris, Jr. et al.
Hughes S. Thomas
Rosenbaum Mark
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