Abstract:
A device for lifting removable tops from vehicles comprises a frame having a longitudinal member attached to a hoist and upper and lower crossbars extending laterally outward therefrom to envelope the vehicle top. Protective pads on each end of the lower crossbar engage the underside of the top near the rear portion and a protective pad at the front of the longitudinal member engages the front topside of the top whereby the removable top is supported in a balanced horizontal position upon application of a lifting force to the longitudinal member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to hoist mechanisms, and more particularly to a device for lifting a removable top of an automobile. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     Hoist mechanisms and vehicle lifting apparatus are known in the art. There are several patents disclosing various vehicle lifting devices which are directed to elevating the entire vehicle body. 
     Lowe, U.S. Pat. No. 307,864 discloses a device for lifting wagon bodies which comprises a pair of T-shaped cross pieces provided with tackles and pendent hooks. The cross pieces are movably suspended on cords passing through the tackles and through pulleys disposed in an H-shaped crane and are operated by a windlass. 
     Gordon, U.S. Pat. No. 617,828 discloses a lifting apparatus used to elevate wagon boxes and hay racks. The apparatus comprises a plurality of aligned support posts each having a pulley which carries a lift rope having a hook at one end and the other end connected to a windlass which is slidably mounted on a guide beam disposed between the support posts. A clamp device attached to the hook encompasses the wagon body for supporting it when lifting. 
     Stone, U.S. Pat. No. 1,178,829 discloses a device for removing a vehicle body from the chassis. The device comprises adjustable supporting arms movably connected to a cross piece and adapted to engage the vehicle body. 
     Folkers, U.S. Pat. No. 1,484,389 discloses a hay rack and wagon box lifter comprising an open frame having corner posts and a cross bar provided with a pair of pulleys. A horizontal shaft mounted between the corner posts is rotated by means of a vertical shaft connected thereto at one end by a bevel gear arrangement. A pair of cables passing through the pulleys are attached at one end to the horizontal shaft to be wound thereon and their other ends are provided with hooks which receive a rectangular bar which is positioned beneath the wagon body for lifting. 
     Longgood, U.S. Pat. No. 1,649,904 discloses a vehicle crane sling for lowering a vehicle body onto the vehicle chassis. The sling comprises a longitudinal rectangular frame member and a perpendicular crossmember connected thereto at one end which has downwardly projecting arms pivotally connected thereon. A pair of chains and hooks are connected at the opposed end of the frame member to be attached to the front vehicle cowling, and a pair of padded blocks on the arms fit into the vehicle wheel wells to support the weight of the vehicle. A movable block on the frame member attaches to a lifting crane and is adjustable longitudinally to compensate for various centers of gravity. A spring biased padded arm extending from the frame member engages the front of the vehicle top, and padded brackets contact the side rails of the top to prevent longitudinal and transverse rocking of the vehicle. 
     The prior art does not disclose a lifting device for lifting removable tops from vehicles as described and claimed below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the invention is to provide a device for lifting a removable top from an automobile or the like. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a lifting device for lifting removable tops from vehicles having frame components to support the removable top in a balanced horizontal position on lifting the frame. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a lifting device having protective support members to support the weight of a removable vehicle top during lifting, lowering, and storage operations without damage to the inner or outer surface of the top. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a lifting device having suspension means for safely and conveniently storing a removable vehicle top and the device when not in use. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a hoist means having a worm gear drive winch mechanism to prevent the top from dropping to the ground. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a lift device which is simple and efficient in operation and economical to manufacture. 
     Other objects of the invention will become apparent from time to time throughout the specification and claims as hereinafter related. 
     These objects and other objects of the invention are accomplished by a device for lifting removable tops from vehicles comprising a frame attachable to the vehicle top in a manner to distribute the weight of the vehicle top upon application of an upward force to the frame to balance the top in a horizontal position during raising and lowering operation. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a lifting device in accordance with the present invention being used to lift a removable top from an automobile. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view showing the components of the lifting device. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged dimetric view of the hoist components of the lifting device. 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the lifting device having one side opened prior to being positioned and secured onto a removable automobile top. 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the lift device in the closed position. 
     FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation of the lifting device installed on a removable automobile top. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an automobile 10 of the type having a removable top 11. The top 11 is shown being lifted by a preferred lifting device 12, which is raised and lowered by hoisting means 13. Once lifted, the top 11 and lifting device 12 may be suspended by safety cables from hooks secured to the ceiling of the garage for safe, convenient, and easily accessable storage. 
     The construction of the lifting device is shown in FIG. 2. The lifting device 12 comprises a rectangular longitudinal member 14, and upper and lower rectangular transverse crossbars 15 and 16 respectively. The longitudinal member 14, and crossbars 15 and 16 are constructed of suitable square tubing. The upper crossbar 15 is secured to the top of longitudinal member 14 near one end by a bracket 17 and screws 18 to extend perpendicularly outward therefrom an equal distance on each side. Member 14 has a felt pad (not shown) on the underside to protect the car top being lifted against damage. 
     Saddle brackets 19 are pivotally connected near each extended end of the upper crossbar 15 by bolts 20, washers 21, and nuts 22. Holes 23 are provided near the ends of the crossbar 15 and mating holes 24 are provided at the top of the saddle bracket 19 to receive the bolts 20. 
     The lower cross bar 16 is placed in the bottom of the saddle brackets 19 with holes 25 provided near each end in alignment with mating holes 26 provided in the saddle brackets 19. Washers 27 are placed on each side of the saddle brackets 19 in axial alignment with the holes 26 and pins 28 are inserted through the holes 25 and 26. The shank of each pin 28 is provided with a hole 29 which receives a quick release wire retaining pin 30. In this manner, the upper and lower crossbars 15 and 16 are assembled in a vertically parallel position. 
     The upper crossbar 15 is provided with holes 31 at each extended end, and the longitudinal member 14 is provided with holes 32 at its rearward end to receive lift eyes 33. The eye portion of the lift eyes 33 extend above the crossbar 15 and the longitudinal member 14 and are retained thereon by means of washers 34 and nuts 35. 
     Pad brackets 36 are secured to the lower crossbar 16 inwardly of the saddle bracket mounting holes 25 by bolts 37, washers 38, and nuts 39. Holes 40 in the crossbar 16 and mating holes 41 in the pad brackets 36 receive the bolts 37. A rubber disk 42 of the type commonly used for electric buffer machines is secured on top of each pad bracket by bolts 43, nuts 44, and a flat washer 45. 
     A third rubber disk 46 is attached in an opposing relation to the other disks on the bottom of longitudinal member 14 by a bolt 47, flat washer 48, and nut 49. The bolt 47 is received in a hole (not shown) on the bottom surface of the member 14. Nut 49 is inserted inside the member 14 to be secured to the bolt 47. A buffer pad 50 of the type commonly used for electric buffer machines is inserted over the rubber disks 42 and 46 and tightened thereon by draw strings 51. Rubber end caps 52 are inserted into the open ends of the tubular members. 
     The hoisting arrangement is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. To position the components correctly, a suitable garage ceiling joist is located, preferably in the center of the parking area, and the automobile is parked in position with the top 11 directly underneath the joist. One large eye hook 52 is installed in the joist directly above the top 11. A second large eye hook 53 is installed in alignment with hook 52 close to a wall. 
     A small eye hook 54 is installed approximately 24 inches on each side of, and in alignment with, the first large eye hook 52, or on the next closest ceiling joist. The small eye hooks 54 have one end of a short length of safety cable 55 attached thereto, and the other end provided with a safety latch clip 56. A winch 57 is installed at a suitable height on the wall directly below the second large eye hook 53. The preferred winch 57 is of the type operated by a hand crank 58 which drives a worm gear 59 to turn the drum 60 to insure against the mechanism slipping and allowing the top to drop to the ground. 
     A double sheave pulley 61 is installed on the first large eye hook 52, and a single sheave pulley 62 is installed on the second large eye hook 53. One end of a cable 63 is attached to the large eye hook 53 near the wall. The other end of the cable 63 is threaded through one sheave of the double sheave pulley 61, through the sheave of a second single sheave pulley 64, back up through the other sheave of the double sheave pulley 61, and then through the single sheave pulley 62 near the wall, and finally down to be secured to the drum 60 of the winch 57. The second single sheave pulley 64 is provided with a depending hook 65 which is received in the lift eye 33 at the rear of the longitudinal member 14. 
     OPERATION 
     The operation of the apparatus is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. To install the lift device 12 on the automobile top 11, the pin 28 is removed from the saddle bracket 19 on one side, allowing the upper crossbar 15 and the lower crossbar 16 to be separated and the saddle bracket 19 pivotally disposed. The lift device 12 is oriented with single padded disk toward the front of the automobile top. The windows of the automobile are lowered, and the lift device 12 is scissored transversely across the top 11 with the lower crossbar 16 on the inside, and the upper crossbar 15 on the outside of the top 11. The lower crossbar 16 is then reconnected. 
     In this manner, the padded disk of the longitudinal member 14 is resting on the front of the top, and the padded disks of the lower crossbar 16 are resting against the underside of the top near the rear portion. The depending hook 65 of the second single sheave pulley 64 is inserted into the lift eye 33 at the rear of the longitudinal member 14 and closed to form an eye permanently attached to lift eye 33. After making sure that the cables are straight, the lock handle of the top is released and the winch 57 is turned to slowly raise the top from the automobile. 
     When the top is raised sufficiently, the safety latch clips 56 of the safety cables 55 are latched into the lift eyes 33 to suspend the top 11 safely from the ceiling of the garage. To reinstall the top, the aforementioned procedure is reversed. 
     The lift device is designed so that when an upward force is applied to the lift eye 33 at the rear of the longitudinal member 14, a downward force will be applied to the padded disk at the front of the member to prevent the top from pivoting about the transverse axis of support. The location of the lift eye and the crossbars are such that the weight of the top is balanced whereby the top remains horizontal during the lifting and lowering operations. It should be understood that the components of the lift device may be provided in differing lengths to fit various automobile top designs. 
     While this invention has been described fully and completely with special emphasis upon a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.