Patent GB-747241-A (GB)
Title: Expansible bodies, particularly for vehicles
IPC: B60P3/34
Filed: 1954-06-11
Abstract: 747,241. Vehicle bodies. MONTECATINI SOC. GENERALE PER L'INDUSTRIA MINERARIA E CHIMICA. June 11, 1954 [June 13, 1953], No. 17197/54. Class 108 (1). A vehicle body, Figs. 2, 5 and 7, may be expanded by moving parts of the body, comprising rigidly connected sides 2, 21 and ends 3, 3<SP>1</SP> carrying half-roofs 7, 7<SP>1</SP> and hinged walls 1, 1<SP>1</SP>, outwardly of the fixed part of the body on pivoted brackets 11, the expanded volume being completed by a roofed platform 9 with an end wall 5 which is pushed outwardly on guides 6, 6<SP>1</SP> in synchronism with the movement of the side members by gearing, chains, &c., beneath the floors, the roof over the platform sliding between the stationary and half roofs. The brackets 11 and walls 1, 1<SP>1</SP> may be rotated 180 degrees if desired so that only the length of the body may be increased, the walls 2, 2<SP>1</SP> lying flat against the fixed body part. The roofs 7, 7<SP>1</SP> may lie over or under the fixed roof 8 which is supported on four pillars 13, slots being provided in the roofs 7, 7<SP>1</SP> if they underlie the fixed roof. In Fig. 2, the fixed roof is outwardly concave to collect rain water for discharge through ducts. Semi-circular guides are arranged in the movable roofs to co-operate with rollers on the fixed roof. The sides 2, 2<SP>1</SP> are maintained vertical by means of arms 16, 16<SP>1</SP> equal in length to brackets 11 and hinged to the upper edges of the walls and to the upper edge of the stationary roof, the arms 16, 16<SP>1</SP> carrying rollers for the sliding roofs to move over when the displacement of the brackets 11 is greater than 90 degrees. The end wall 5 may be replaced by sliding walls or by hinged doors, and the floors of the extending parts may also be hinged or slidable. The expanded body may be free of posts if the brackets 11 and arms 16 are replaced by hinged frames acting as supporting members and which divide the body into booths. Expansion may also be effected as in Figs. 21 and 22, with sliding walls 19 provided to cover the re-entrant spaces, or as in Fig. 26, in which the movable parts are slid by means of guides engaging ball and roller bearings. In this latter embodiment the floors are cut away to allow movement over the wheel arches, the cut aways being covered later by hinged floor members. Four stationary roofsupporting posts 37 are accommodated in slots in the movable members and may be hooked to smaller pillars connecting the roofs and floors of those members when the body is fully expanded. Hooks may also be provided at the inner ends of the guide slots, and the slots may be automatically closed by the unrolling of flexible bands. In a modification of the embodiment of Fig. 26, the guides to the movable side parts may be crossed or positioned T-fashion, and may lie in superposed planes beneath the floor. In order to strengthen the movable parts, these may be connected with telescopic girders which may at the same time support floors and roofs chiefly in the rear part of the trailer. Screw jacks may be used to support the body extensions.