Vehicle roof

Vehicle having a cover arrangement which, in a closed position, covers a roof opening. The cover arrangement is movable by way of an actuating mechanism, having a minimum of two synchronized members, with differeing speed ratios, which are connected to a single primary drive. For transmitting the primary drive to the members to be moved, there is a reversible distributor gear assembly which has a plurality of gear elements. The distributor gear assembly has one input shaft and a minimum of two output shafts which, based upon the relative position of the gear elements of the distributor gear assembly can be individually actuated or jointly actuated via the gear elements with differing transmission ratios.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to vehicle roof having a cover arrangement which, in 
a closed position, closes a roof opening and which is displaceable from 
the closed position by means of an actuating mechanism which has a minimum 
of two drive members to be driven either simply or together, differing 
with speeds, connected to a single primary drive. 
A known vehicle roof of this kind (German Offenlegungsschrift No. 32 11 
519) provides a roof in the manner of a so-called spoiler roof. The cover 
of this roof is upwardly tiltable about a front pivot bearing that is 
supported by a sliding carrier element which is displaceable in the 
longitudinal vehicle direction. Additionally, for producing the tilting of 
the cover, a lift arm is provided that is pivotably mounted at one end for 
rotation around a stationary axis in the area of the side edge of the roof 
opening, while, at an opposite end, the lift arm is hingedly connected to 
a sliding member which, in turn, is displaceable in the longitudinal 
direction of the cover. The primary drive for the cover is operatively 
connected with a threaded cable which displaces a drive block in the 
longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The drive block can be connected, 
via automatic on/off clutch mechanisms, with either the sliding carrier 
supporting the front cover pivot bearing, with a connecting rod which 
tilts the lift arm via a connecting link guide, or can be separated from 
these elements, respectively. The clutch mechanisms and the elements of 
the actuating mechanisms cooperating therewith, are disposed in the side 
portion of the roof frame and are exposed and visible when the cover is 
open. Thus, these components are disposed in that portion of the roof area 
which is exposed to dirt and corrosion, making them subject to weathering 
and increased wear. The solution provided in the known patent overcome 
these problems requires a rather expensive construction. It is practically 
impossible to optimally coordinate the various motion sequences as to 
their respective speeds, particularly with regard to a gradual tilting 
movement, and in contrast thereto, a rapid movement of the cover. 
Similar problems are faced in another known spoiler roof (German Pat. No. 
29 42 006) where a first threaded cable can be operatively connected with 
the mechanisms for longitudinal displacement and tilting of the cover via 
couplings, or can be disengaged therefrom, respectively, and in which the 
cover takes along a second threaded cable which is operatively connected 
with the cover tilting mechanism when the cover is displaced, thereby 
causing the first drive cable to be released from the cover tilting 
mechanism. 
The invention, therefore, has a principal object to provide a vehicle roof 
of the kind mentioned above, having a relatively simple, reliable and 
sturdy drive mechanism, which simultaneously permits any desired speed 
synchronization of the cover arrangement movements during the various 
tilting phases. 
The objective of the invention is achieved, in accordance with preferred 
embodiments, by providing a reversible distributor gear assembly in a 
predetermined relative position to the drive elements between the primary 
drive and the elements to be displaced, which distributor gear assembly 
has an input shaft and a minimum of two output shafts which, depending 
upon the relative position of the distributor gear assembly gears can be 
actuated separately or jointly by the gear elements with different 
transmission ratios. 
The distributor gear assembly can be located at a protected area, e.g., 
below the fixed roof surface and in front of the forward edge of the roof 
opening, where it is removed from the area of the roof which is exposed to 
weathering. The distributor gear assembly easily permits an optimal 
selection of the speed graduations necessary for the displacement motions 
of the cover arrangement. It is to be understood that any desired primary 
drive can be provided, e.g. a crank handle drive or an electric motor 
drive. 
A particularly compact and sturdy construction is achieved when, in a 
further development of the invention, the distributor gear assembly is a 
planetary drive, preferably a dual epicyclic gear arrangement, having two 
coaxially arranged sun gears and two groups of planet pinions which are 
freely, rotatably mounted at one planet carrier. It is especially 
advantageous when both sun gears are connected with the primary shaft in a 
manner fixed against relative rotation for enabling torque to be 
transmitted from the primary shaft to the sun wheels, one output shaft 
being disposed coaxially with the input shaft and connected with the plant 
carrier of one planet pinion group in a torque transmissable manner. The 
plant pinions of both planet pinion groups appropriately mesh with the 
internal toothing of an internally and externally toothed outer ring gear, 
and the drive of the remaining output shaft is derived from the external 
toothing of the outer ring gear, preferably by a gear meshing with the 
external toothing of the outer ring gear, which gear is connected with the 
remaining output shaft in a torque transmissable manner. An appropriate 
selection of the tooth number ratios of the various pinions permits a 
complete presetting of each rotational speed ratio desired for the two 
output shafts. 
The reversing of the distributor gear assembly can be effected by a 
reversing device, whereby alternatively the outside pinion or the planet 
carrier of the other planet pinion group is blocked from rotating. The 
reversing device appropriately has a blocking arrangement which 
selectively can be brought into engagement with locking elements located 
at the outer ring gear or at the planet carriers of the other planet 
pinion groups, at a predetermined mutual rotational position of the 
external gear and this planet carrier. A manual reversing of the 
distributor gear assembly can be provided, or alternatively, a reversing 
device for autommatic reversing of the distributor gear assembly, upon 
reaching the predetermined relative position, can be provided. 
The cover arrangement may consist of individual or multiple parts. For 
instance, the vehicle roof may be a spoiler roof or a sliding and lifting 
roof with a one-piece cover, in which the tilting device of the cover 
operatively coacts with one of the output shafts, and the cover 
displacement device operatively coacts with one of the other output 
shafts. The output shafts, however, can also be utilized for the 
displacement of two or more cover parts, e.g. in the case of a sliding 
roof with a wind deflector forming part of the roof surface when 
inoperative. 
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention 
will become more obvious from the following description when taken in 
connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of 
illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present 
invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In the spoiler roof depicted in FIGS. 1 to 3, a roof opening 2 is disposed 
in a fixed roof surface 1. In its closed, FIG. 1, position, cover 3 closes 
a roof opening 2. A seal for sealing the gap between the edge of the roof 
opening 2 and cover 3, as well as other conventional structural details of 
the vehicle roof have been eliminated, for clearer illustration. 
A lifting lever 4 is provided at each side of cover 3, near the rear end of 
roof opening 2. Only one of these lifting levers is depicted in FIGS. 1-3. 
Lifting lever 4 is pivotable, at one end, around a bearing 5, which is 
stationary with regard to roof surface 1. An opposite end of lever 4, that 
is spaced apart from bearing 5, is hingedly connected to cover 3 via a 
pivot pin 6. Pivot pin 6 is displaceable in a selector guide slot 7 of a 
guide rail 8 that extends in a longitudinal direction along the underside 
of the cover 3. Cover carriers 10 are disposed near the front edge of 
cover 3, at both sides of the cover, only one of which is depicted. Cover 
carrier 10 is hingedly connected to a sliding carriage 12 via hinge 11, 
which carriage is slidable in a fixed guide rail, not depicted, in the 
longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 
The tilting movement of lifting lever 4 around bearing 5 is induced by a 
threaded cable 13, while a threaded cable 14 is provided for the 
displacement of sliding carriage 12. Corresponding threaded cables 13' and 
14' lead to the lifting lever and the sliding carriage on the opposite 
side of cover 3. Threaded cables 13, 13', 14, 14' engage pinions 16, 17 
(FIG. 7) which are respectively positioned on output shafts 18, 19 of a 
distributor gear assembly 20 so as to be rotated with rotation thereof. 
Distributor gear assembly 20 has an input shaft 21, which is operatively 
connected with a primary drive, e.g., a crank handle 22, or an electric 
motor. 
For the purpose of tilting cover 3 from the closed position according to 
FIG. 1 into the FIG. 2 position, only threaded cables 13, 13' are 
displaced, while threaded cables 14, 14' are retained. A displacement of 
threaded cables 13, 13' causes lift levers 4 to be tilted in a clockwise 
direction, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. Appropriately, this tilting 
movement is a relatively gradual one, so as to accurately and safely 
control intermediate positions of cover 3 inbetween the closed FIG. 1 
position and the fully extended FIG. 2 position. Once cover 3 has reached 
the position according to FIG. 2, and cover 3 is to be displaced 
rearwardly, starting from such position, there is a shifting motion of 
both threaded cables 13, 14 (and correspondingly, also of threaded cables 
13' and 14') via distributor gear assembly 20 toward the position shown in 
FIG. 3. Sliding carriage 12 and, along with it, cover 3 are moved 
rearwardly in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle via threaded cable 
14. At the same time, threaded cable 13 causes the gradual further tilting 
of lifting lever 4 in a clockwise direction, in order to keep the tilting 
angle of cover 3 relatively small, or, if appropriate, in order to tilt 
cover 3 until it reaches a position which is nearly parallel to the fixed 
roof surface 1. 
FIGS. 4-6 depict a vehicle roof havig a cover comprising two cover parts 
26, 27. Front cover part 26, which can be used as a wind deflector, is 
hingedly connected to a lift lever 28 whose end facing away from cover 
part 26 is operatively connected with threaded cable 13. A retaining 
bracket guide 29, having link slot 30, is disposed at the underside of 
rear cover part 27. A connecting pin 31 of a sliding carriage 32, that is 
displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, travels by way 
of threaded cable 14 in link slot 30. It is to be understood that elements 
corresponding to elements 28 and 32 are also located on the opposite side 
of the cover and are operatively connected with threaded cables 13', 14'. 
For the purposes of ventilating the passenger compartment, front cover part 
26 can be tilted via distributor gear assembly 20' and threaded cable 13, 
in the manner depicted in FIG. 5, while the rear cover part 27 remains in 
its closed position. Starting from the FIG. 5 position of cover parts 26, 
27, rear cover part 27 can then be lowered in the manner of a conventional 
sliding roof via distributor gear assembly 20' and threaded cable 14, and 
then moved under the fixed roof surface 1, whereby cover part 26 remains 
tilted as a wind deflector (FIG. 6). 
In this modification of the vehicle roof, in a first phase (transition from 
FIG. 4 position to the FIG. 5 position) only threaded cable 13 and 
(corresponding threaded cable 13') are displaced. In a later movement 
phase, during the transition from the FIG. 5 position to the FIG. 6 
position, there is only, or practically only, a displacement of threaded 
cables 14, 14' subsequent to the switch-over of distributor gear 20' 
assembly. 
The distributor gear assembly 20, depicted in greater detail in FIGS. 7 and 
8, has a lower housing part 51 and an upper housing part 52. Input shaft 
21 is rotatably mounted in lower housing part 51. Input shaft 21 supports 
itself on the bottom of lower housing part 51 by way of a cylindrical 
flange 53. An element 54 of input shaft 21 projects upwardly from flange 
53 has flat sides 54 (FIG. 9) by which a keyed connection for transmission 
of rotational movement is formed with a lower sun gear 55 and an upper sun 
gear 56. A lower planet carrier 57 is mounted in a freely rotatably manner 
on flange 53. Planet carrier 57 has three bearing bores 58 for supporting 
bolts 59 that are radially offset with respect to the axis of input shaft 
21 and are uniformly circumferentially distributed. Supporting bolts 59 
and lower planet pinions 60 are freely rotatably mounted upon planet 
carrier 57. Planet pinions 60 mesh with sun wheel 55 and with the internal 
toothing 61 of an outer ring gear 62 which is coaxially disposed relative 
to input shaft 21 and sun gear 55. A holding disk 63 axially secures sun 
gear 55 and planet pinions 60. 
Correspondingly, upper sun gear 56 meshes with three upper planet pinions 
64 which are freely rotatable on supporting bolts 65 and are, 
simultaneously, in meshing engagement with the internal toothing 61 of 
outer ring gear 62. Supporting bolts 65 engage bores 66 of an upper planet 
carrier 67 which carries freely rotatable output shaft 18 located in upper 
housing part 52. A holding disk 68 axially secures sun gear 56 and planet 
pinions 65. Outer ring gear 62 is freely rotatably mounted in indentations 
69, 70 of planet carriers 57, 67. Input shaft 21, with shoulder 71, is 
rotatably supported in a central bore 72 of upper planet carrier 67. Outer 
ring gear 62 has an outer toothing 74. A spur gear 75 is connected for 
rotation with output shaft 19, and meshes with outer toothing 74. Output 
shaft 19 is rotatably mounted in housing parts 51, 52, in parallel 
relationship to output shaft 18 which is coaxial to input shaft 21. 
Pinions 16, 17 are connected output shafts 18, 19 with in a torque 
transmissible manner. Contact between threaded cables 13, 13', 14, 14' and 
pinions 16, 17 is maintained by way of cable guides 76, 77. 
An axially extending through-slot 83, 84 or 85 is respectively disposed in 
radially projecting circumferential flange 80 of outer ring gear 62 and in 
circumferential flanges 81, 82 of planet carriers 57, 67, which, 
essentially, have identical diameters. Slots 83, 84, 85 are brought into 
axial congruence only at the point when cover 3 is fully tilted upwardly 
in its foremost position, i.e., assumes the position depicted in FIG. 2. 
FIG. 8 depicts the planet pinions 57, 67 and external gear 62 immediately 
before or after such positions have been assumed. 
A shift lock 88 is axially displaceably mounted in axial cavities 86, 87, 
which are in alignment in housing parts 51, 52. The shift lock has two 
radially projecting lugs 89, 90. Lug 90, depending upon the axial position 
of shift lock 88, can be engaged with either slot 83 of external gear 62 
of slot 84 of lower planet carrier 57 in order to provide blockage against 
rotational movement. Shift lock 88 also has a radially projecting cam 91 
which has a notch 92 into which the free end of a leaf spring 93 
protrudes. The other end of leaf spring 93 is secured to control button 95 
by screw 94, which, by way of a bias spring 96, designed as a coil spring, 
is biased downwardly into the position depicted in FIG. 8. Control button 
95 is axially displaceably disposed in a bearing bushing 97 which is 
inserted into a corresponding bore of lower housing part 51. At the 
underside of lower housing 51, there is a slider 99 that is guided via a 
dove-tail guide 98 having a run-up slope 100 which engages the lower end 
of control button 95. 
For the purpose of describing the functioning of distributor gear assembly 
20, it is assumed that control button 95 and slider 99 are in the position 
depicted in FIG. 8, in which spring 93 biases shift lock 88 downwardly, 
but slots 83, 84, 85 are not yet in alignment with each other. Lugs 89, 90 
position themselves against flanges 82 or 81 from above when cover 3 is 
tilted from the FIG. 1 closed position, to a position immediately before 
reaching the tilted position according to FIG. 2, wherein a displacement 
of the shift lock 88 is prevented and lug 90 engages slot 83 of external 
gear 62. During the turning of crank handle 22, planetary pinions 60, 64 
move in rolling contact in outer ring gear 62, which has been prevented 
from rotating by shift lock 88. Planet carrier 67, and along with it, 
output shaft 18, is induced into a rotational movement by upper planetary 
pinions 64, which movement in contrast to the rotational movement of input 
shaft 21, for example, has a transmission ratio of 3:1. While outer ring 
gear 62 is blocked, the other output shaft 19 remains stationary. Cover 3 
is tilted via threaded cables 13, 13', while it simultaneously is 
prevented from a longitudinal displacement motion by means of cables 14, 
14'. At the moment in which the tilted position according to FIG. 2 is 
reached, and slots 83, 84, 85 are in alignment, spring 93 pushes shift 
lock 88 downwardly into a position in which lug 89 is under flange 82, and 
lug 90 is under flange 80. Lug 90 releases outer ring gear 62 and enters 
into slot 84 of planet carrier 57. If input shaft 21 continues to rotate 
after switch-over of the distributor drive assembly, pinion 16, for 
example, is driven with a transmission ratio of approximately 8:1, and 
pinion 17 is driven with a transmission ratio of approximately 1:1. As a 
consequence, a relatively rapid sliding displacement movement of sliding 
carriage 12, as described above, with a simultaneous gradual tilting 
movement of lifting lever 4 is obtained, whereby cover 3 may be brought 
into the position in accordance with FIG. 3. 
In order to subsequently bring cover 3 back into the closed position 
according to FIG. 1 from the open FIG. 3 position, the crank 22 is turned 
in an opposite direction after slider 99 has been shifted thereby causing 
control button 95 to be pushed upwardly as its end runs up the run-up 
slope 100 against the force of spring 96. Spring 93 now biases shift lock 
88 for an upward axial movement, which movement is initially prevented by 
lugs 89, 90 resting against the bottom sides of flanges 80, 82. As soon as 
slots 83, 84, 85 are in alignment, in the FIG. 2 cover position, shift 
lock 88 snaps upwardly once again switching over the distributor gear 
assembly. External gear 62 is again blocked, while planet carrier 57 is 
released. Subsequently, cover 3 can be lowered from the tilt-out position 
of FIG. 2 into the closed position of FIG. 1. 
Slider 99 can be replaced by one or several switching magnets which can be 
caused to respond either manually or automatically for reversing or 
changing over the distributor gear assembly. The gear assembly switch-over 
point (tilted-out cover position in accordance with FIG. 2) can be 
selectively defined by a catch, e.g., a spring catch, or by a fixed stop. 
A fixed stop, if selected, has to be unlocked for further movement of the 
cover. 
The distributor gear assembly 20' provided in the roof, in accordance with 
FIGS. 4-6, may conform to the distributor gear assembly 20 previously 
described by way of FIGS. 7-9, except for a change in transmission ratios 
which are to be selected such that during the displacement of cover 27, 
planet carrier 67, and inherently, pinion 16, do not or almost do not, 
perform any rotational movements inbetween the positions which are in 
accordance with the FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 positions. 
Distributor gear assembly 20", according to FIG. 10 differs from the 
distributor gear 20 described in detail by FIGS. 9-7 only in that it is 
designed for interaction with a motor driven primary drive (instead of a 
hand crank drive), and in that it has an automatic reversing device, 
designated generally by reference numeral 104, and further depicted in 
FIGS. 11 to 14 (instead of the shift lock arrangement). 
Distributor gear assembly 20", in particular, like assembly 20, has a lower 
sun gear 55 and an upper sun gear 56 which are positioned on shaft 21 and 
are connected for rotation therewith. Lower sun gear 55 meshes with lower 
planet pinions 60, which are rotatably mounted at lower planet carrier 57 
via supporting bolts 59. Correspondingly, upper sun gear 56 engages upper 
planet pinions 64 which are rotatably mounted on supporting bolts 65 of 
upper planet carrier 67. Planet pinions 60 and 64 mesh with the internal 
toothing 61 of an outer ring gear 62 which, in the embodiment depicted, 
comprises an annular gear 105 and a flanged ring 106 fixedly connected 
therewith. The outer toothing 74 of outer ring gear 62 meshes with spur 
gear 75 which, in turn, is connected with output shaft 19 carrying pinion 
17 so as to be rotatable therewith. Upper planet carrier 67 is connected 
with output shaft 18, which has pinion 16 affixed thereto. In the area 
defined by housing parts 51, 52 there is, additionally, a worm gear 107, 
which is connected in a torque transmitting manner with shaft 21 and 
meshes with a worm shaft 108, which is rotatably mounted in lower housing 
part 51. Worm shaft 108 is driven by a drive motor, preferably an electric 
motor, not depicted. Two locking bolts 111, 112 (FIGS. 11, 13, 14) are 
disposed in proximity to the periphery of outer ring gear 62 and planet 
carrier 57 and are part of reversing device 104. 
A respective arresting notch 113, 114 is disposed in peripheral flange 80 
of outer ring gear 62, and flange 81 of planet carrier 57 of distributor 
gear assembly 20", respectively. These arresting notches 13, 114 are 
peripherally defined by surface 115, extending substantially in a radial 
direction, and by an inclined plane 116. Correspondingly, locking bolts 
111, 112 are displaceable in a substantially radial direction and have, 
respectively, at their ends facing the outer edge of outer ring gear 62 
and lower planet carrier 57, a radially directed outer surface 117 and an 
inclined plane 118, which in each case extends in a direction which is 
complementary to inclined plane 116. The arrangement is designed such 
that, in the predetermined relative position of the gear elements, which 
corresponds to the FIG. 2 cover position, (i.e., cover 3 is in its 
foremost position and a fully tilted-out position), locking bolts 111, 112 
are in radial alignment with arresting notches 113, 114 and are brought 
into locking engagement with them by bias springs 119, 120. 
When the cover is to be closed, starting from the FIG. 2 position, i.e., is 
to be brought into the position depicted in FIG. 1, shaft 21 in FIG. 11 
rotates clockwise (arrow 121). Such rotation of shaft 21 attempts to 
rotate planet carrier 57 clockwise (arrow 123 in FIG. 11) and attempts to 
rotate external gear 62 in a counter-clockwise direction (arrow 124). The 
interaction of inclined planes 116, 118, of lock bolts 111 and arresting 
notch 114 of planet carrier 57, respectively causes lock bolt 111 to be 
forced out of its locked FIG. 11 position against the force of a bias 
spring 119 until the planet carrier 57 is released for rotational 
movement. On the other hand, radial surface 115 of arresting notch 113 of 
external gear 62 presses against the outer, radially extending surface 117 
of lock bolt 112, so that locking bolt 112 remains in the locked position 
depicted in FIG. 11 by solid lines, and outer ring gear 62 is blocked from 
rotational movement. 
Once cover 3 has reached the closed position according to FIG. 1, planet 
carrier 57, external gear 62 and locking bolts 111, 112 assume the 
relative position depicted in FIG. 13. Subsequently, if cover 3 is again 
to be tilted, i.e., is to be moved in the direction of the FIG. 2 
position, worm gear 10, along with shaft 21, are driven in the opposite 
direction (arrow 125 in FIG. 13) by worm shaft 108. Correspondingly, the 
rotational movements are reversed during which planet carrier 57 and outer 
ring gear 62 attempt to rotate (arrows 126, 127 in FIG. 13). In this case, 
lock bolt 111 has released planet carrier 57. Simultaneously, outer ring 
gear 62 by the interaction of inclined plane 116 and arresting notch 113 
with the inclined plane 118 of locking device 112, attempts to cause 
disengagement of the lock bolt by overcoming the force of bias spring 120. 
In order to prevent such occurrence, a shift-lock device 130 (FIGS. 11 and 
12) is provided. 
Lock device 130 has two locking levers 132, 133, pivotably mounted around a 
common axis 131, which levers at their respective ends 134, 135 are 
bifurcated. Each locking bolt 111, 112 is firmly connected to a respective 
diagonally projecting arm 136, 137 which, by way of a lug 138, 139, 
engages a slot formed by the bifurcated ends 134, 135. Pinshaped locking 
elements 142, 143, and 144, 145, respectively, are firmly positioned in 
housing parts 140, 141. Locking members 142 to 145 are hemispherically 
rounded at their ends 132, 133, facing the locking levers. In the position 
depicted in FIGS. 11 and 12, in which both bolts 111 and 112 are locked, 
the ends of locking elements 142 to 145 engage recesses 146, 147, 148 or 
150 of lock elements 132, 133,located on opposite sides of axis 131, 
whereby lock levers 132, 133 are axially centered with respect to the axis 
131 with regard to the hemispherical ends of locking elements 142 to 145, 
by way of leaf springs 151, 152. 
During the transition from the FIG. 11 position to the position depicted in 
FIG. 13, locking bolt 111 is released from arresting notch 114, whereby 
arm 136 with its lug 138 induces a tilting movement of lock lever 132 
about axis 131 in a counter-clockwise direction. During this tilting 
movement of lock lever 132, the ends of lock elements 142, 143 are forced 
out of the corresponding recesses 146, 147 as a consequence of lock lever 
132, carrying along lock lever 133, being moved downwardly (FIG. 12) in 
the direction of axis 131, overcoming the force of leaf spring 152. This 
causes the ends of lock members 144, 145 to penetrate more deeply into 
recesses 148, 149 of lock lever 133. After lock lever 132 is fully tilted 
out of the FIG. 11 position, corresponding lock lever 133 is prevented 
from any tilting movement by lock members 144, 145 being held in recesses 
148, 149 by the downwardly displaced lever 132. Consequently, lock lever 
133, by way of arm 137, retains lock lever 112 in the locked position, 
when outer ring gear 62, starting from a position depicted at the top of 
FIG. 13, attempts to rotate in the direction of arrow 127. 
When shaft 21 is rotated in the direction of arrow 125 (FIG. 13), starting 
from the FIG. 2 position of the cover, planet carrier 27 and outer ring 
gear 62 attempt to rotate in the direction of arrows 126, 127, but from 
the position shown in FIG. 11. Lock lever 111 remains locked, while lock 
lever 112, overcoming the force of bias spring 120, is forced out of 
arresting notch 114 by the interaction of inclined planes 116, 118. In the 
cover position according to FIG. 3, lock levers 111, 112, planet pinion 57 
and outer ring gear 62 have reached the relative position depicted in FIG. 
14. 
If, starting from the FIG. 3 position, cover 3 is to be moved in the 
direction of the position depicted in FIG. 2, shaft 21 is rotated in the 
direction of arrow 121 (FIG. 14), and induces planet carrier 57 and outer 
ring gear 62 to attempt rotational movements in the direction of arrows 
123, 124. The lock lever 112 is fully released now, so that outer ring 
gear 62 may be rotated without impedance. The disengagement of lock bolt 
112 causes arm 137 and lock lever 133 to be positioned as indicated by 
broken lines in FIG. 11, whereby lock lever 133, and along with it, lock 
lever 132, are moved upwardly, overcoming the effects of leaf spring 151 
in FIG. 12, which makes a tilting of lock lever 132 impossible. 
Consequently, lock lever 133 secures lock bolt 111 in the locked position 
depicted in FIG. 14 so that planet carrier 57 is retained in place. 
A modified version of the reversing device generally designated 154 in 
FIGS. 15-17, substantially corresponds structurally and functionally to 
the device shown in FIGS. 11-14. Spring-biased lock bolts 111' and 112' 
correspond to lock bolts 111, 112, previously discussed, and cooperate 
with planet carrier 57 or outer ring gear 62, respectively. In a departure 
from the embodiment discussed above, lock bolts 111', 112' are disposed in 
guide channels 155, 156, extending parallel to each other, and arresting 
notches 113, 114 are radially aligned in a relative position corresponding 
to the FIG. 2 cover position, as can be seen from FIG. 17. Shift lock 
device 130' correspondes functionally to shift lock device 130 in the 
preceding embodiment and essentially consists of a spherical lock member 
158 which is supported in an opening 159 of a partition wall 160 
separating guide channel 155 from guide channel 156 such that, as a 
function of a sliding motion of lock bolt 111', 112', the lock member 
performs a movement which is normal to the moving direction of the locking 
bolt. The diameter of lock member 158 is greater than the thickness of 
partition wall 160, so that lock member 158 projects above either one or 
both sides of partition wall 160, whereby the projecting portion of lock 
member 158 can be accepted by a recess 161 and/or recess 162 of lock bolt 
111' or 112', respectively. 
Recesses 161, 162, at a minimum at the side closest to planet carrier 57 or 
outer ring gear 62, are defined by an inclined plane 163, 164. Thus, if, 
for example, lock bolt 112' is moved from arresting notch 113, starting 
from the FIG. 17 position, inclined plane 164 contacts locking member 158 
and forces it out of recess 162, whereby locking member 158 penetrates 
deeper into recess 161 of the other lock bolt 111' (FIG. 16). In this 
manner, disengagement of locking bolt 111' is prevented when locking bolt 
112 is released. The same applies in the reverse case, when locking bolt 
111' departs from its locked position first. In this case, locking member 
158 places itself into recess 162 and retains locking bolt 112'. 
If the arrangement is such that, in the range of the tilting movement of 
cover 3, between the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 positions, planet carrier 57 and/or 
outer ring gear 62 execute a rotational movement of more than 360 degrees, 
planet carrier 67 likewise can be provided with arresting notches in the 
manner of the example shown in FIGS. 7-9, which notches permit engagement 
of locking bolts 111, 112, 111', 112', respectively, only in the FIG. 2 
cover position. In all other cover positions, such locking is prevented by 
planet carrier 67. 
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with 
the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited 
thereto, but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known 
to those skilled in the art, and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited 
to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such 
changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended 
claims.