Patent ID: 8016343

Claim:
An actuating mechanism for living quarters having a main living area and a retractable room movable relative to the main living area between a retracted position retracted within the main living area and an extended position extended from the main living area to provide an auxiliary living area, said retractable room movable through an aperture in a sidewall of said living quarters, and an actuating mechanism for moving said retractable room between the extended and retracted positions, said actuating mechanism comprising: a first pair of engagement members fixed relative to said retractable room and moving with said retractable room, each said engagement member having a plurality of slots; a pair of drive members, each drive member having engagement features for engaging a corresponding engagement member, said drive members being driven together to move said retractable room between its retracted and extended positions; said drive members and engagement members being maintained at a constant distance between each other regardless of changes in spacing between said retractable room and said aperture, and said drive members being mounted for lateral movement within an elongate column on said sidewall at said aperture.