Elevating roofs

#This invention relates to collapsable canopies for providing a temporary covered area for living accommodation and/or storage.

#The invention has particular application to collapsable canopies of the kind comprising a rigid substantially rectangular member which is adapted to be hinged along one edge to the base member for movement between a lowered position covering a substantially rectangular area of the base member to a raised position where it provides one wall of the covered area, a foldable material (e.g. a fabric, plastics sheet material, or a plasticised fabric) extending between corresponding edges of the rigid member and rectangular area which, in use, is unfolded in the raised position of the rigid member to provide the other walls of the covered area.

#According to one aspect of this invention, in a collapsable canopy of the kind referred to above, the foldable material is shaped and arranged in conjunction with a framework such that, on moving the rigid member to its raised position, the wall provided by the foldable material opposite to the rigid member overhangs its corresponding edge of the rectangular area.

#In order that the invention may be readily understood and further features made apparent, one embodiment thereof as applied to an elevating roof for a motor caravan will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is an external end view of the roof in its raised condition,

#FIG. 2 is an external side view of the roof in its raised condition,

#Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the roof 1 of the motor caravan is provided with a rectangular roof opening which is covered by an elevating roof member 2 which is of significantly larger dimensions than the roof opening as can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein the limits of the opening are indicated in respect to its width by facing members 3, 4 (FIG. 3) and in respect of its length by facing members 5, 6 (FIG. 4). In this embodiment, the roof member 2 extends over the entire roof 1 of the motor caravan and is provided with a peripheral wall whereby, in its closed condition, the lower edge of the wall fits within a gutter 8 (see FIG. 3) provided around the periphery of the roof 1. As shown in FIG. 3 one longitudinal lower edge of the wall of the roof member 2 is attached, via a number of hinges 10, to the gutter of its respective edge of the roof 1. The roof member 2 is of a depth sufficient to accommodate the foldable parts of the roof when in the closed condition, the foldable parts comprising a fabric or plastics sheet canopy portion generally referenced 11 and a folding framework 12.

#The folding framework 12 includes two frame units, one of which comprises a pair of telescopic members 13 which extend tranversely and which are rigidly attached to the roof 1 via an elongated wooden spacer 14, one behind each facing member 5 and 6 (for the purpose of clarity the facing member 5 is not shown in FIG. 3). The movable arm 15 of each telescopic member is provided with a peg 16 (see FIG. 5) for a purpose described hereinafter and a slot 17 is provided in the stationary part 18 of the telescopic member to accommodate this peg and thereby permit the movable arm to move to a fully retracted position. A closed ended slot 19 is provided between each stationary part 18 and its wooden spacer 14 for a purpose also to be discussed hereinafter. The two telescopic members are connected across the face ends of their movable arms by a bridge in the form of a bar 20 thereby providing a frame unit of generally U-shape; the bar 20 however extends the length of the roof canopy. The second frame unit comprises a pair of arms 21 connected at their outer ends by bar 22 similar to bar 20. At their inner ends, each arm 21 has a metal loop 23 which is angled to the axis of its arm 21 and is of a dimension sufficient to embrace the stationary part 18 of a respective telescopic member 13 but will engage the peg 16 on the movable arm 15. Each loop 23 is free to slide within the slot 19 of its respective member within the limits of the ends of the slot and is engageable in one of a plurality of grooves 24 (see FIG. 3) at the outer end of said slot. Preferably the bearing surface of each slot 19 is provided with a channel member 25 (see FIG. 5) which minimises any twisting effect on the second frame unit.

#The foldable roof canopy is preferably of a material known under the trade name PLASTOLENE and comprises a longitudinal wall section 26 which is of rectangular shape and forms the opposite wall to that provided by the roof member when elevated. The canopy also has two end walls 27, which are shaped to conform with the two frame units in the operative elevated position and thereby provide a canopy part which overhangs by a considerable amount its respective margin of the roof opening. The depth of the wall 7 of the roof member 2, together with its spacing from its respective margin of the roof opening, ensures that a further considerable overhang is provided. To seal the gap between the hinged edge of roof member 2 and its respective edge of the roof opening a strip 26A (see FIG. 3) of "PLASTOLENE" is provided.