# US 4,392,682 A · Expansible and retractable vehicle body > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,392,682 A - Document ID: US4392682A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/289,883 - Filed: 1981-08-04 - Granted: 1983-07-12 - Earliest claimed: 1981-08-04 - Inventors: Kasper Norkus, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4392682A ## CPC - B62D 53/067: {Multi-purpose, convertible or extendable load surface semi-trailers (for container transport B60P1/6418; convertible road transport vehicles in general B60P3/42)} - B62D 33/08: comprising adjustable means (B62D33/10 takes precedence) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A cargo truck trailer has telescoped box-like top and bottom body portions with mechanism operated from a single control station which will raise and lower the top body portion to provide maximum cargo space that will clear overhead structures such as viaducts along the intended travel route so that a single vehicle trailer becomes useful at maximum capacity over a designated route. The top or roof body portion is guided by ribs or struts of the bottom body portion. The mechanism which raises and lowers the top body portion is housed within the bottom body portion preferably between its outer skin and inner liner. The control station is a single crank which drives gears and chains to simultaneously rotate a plurality of vertical screw rods at the corners and midsection of the body to raise and lower nut members carried by the top body portion. An access door or tailgate is supported on telescoped tracks which accommodate the raising and lowering of the top body or roof portion so that the cargo section may be completely closed regardless of its selected height. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A closed cargo carrying expansible and contractable rigid vehicle body which comprises a main bottom body portion having upright side walls defining an open top and a rear doorway, a top roof body telescoped over said bottom body, vertical guides on the bottom and top telescoped body portions, mechanisms for raising and lowering the top body relative to the bottom body cooperating with said guides to vary the height of the body and doorway, a power input for said mechanisms, means connecting all of said mechanisms to said power input for simultaneous operation, a multi-panel overhead door closing said doorway and telescoped tracks on said bottom and top bodies supporting said panels for movement between a doorway closing upright position and a horizontal overhead doorway opening position throughout the varied height of the doorway. ### Claim 2 A closed rigid cargo vehicle which comprises a wheeled main vehicle body with upright side walls defining an open top cargo chamber, a roof body telescoped on said main body, upright ribs on said main body, upright ribs on said top body in straddled relation with the ribs on the main body, said straddled ribs providing guide tracks for guiding the top body to an extended raised position and a retracted lower position, lift rod mechanisms for raising and lowering the top body, means for simultaneously driving said mechanisms, anti-friction means carried by adjacent straddled ribs to facilitate raising and lowering of the top body by said mechanisms, an overhead door closing a rear doorway, and telescoped door guiding tracks on said top and main bodies whereby said door will close the entire door way regardless of variations in the height thereof caused by the raising and lowering of said top body. ### Claim 3 An expansible and contractable trailer body which comprises a lower main body with a bottom floor, upright side and front end walls, a rear doorway and an open top, a roof top body telescoped over the open top of the lower body, means raising and lowering said top body on said lower body, an overhead door closing said doorway, and telescoped door guiding tracks on said top and lower bodies whereby said door will close the entire doorway regardless of variations in the height thereof caused by the raising and lowering of said top body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle body of claim 1 including vertical screw rods supported by the bottom body, nuts supported by the top body threaded thereon and cooperating guides on the bottom and top bodies facilitating raising and lowering of the top body by said screw rods and nuts. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle body of claim 1, wherein the upright side walls of the bottom body have spaced outer skins and inner liners with upright reinforcing ribs therebetween and the top body has side walls with ribs projecting through slots in the outer skin, said ribs of the bottom and top bodies being arranged in straddled relation to guide the top body and said mechanisms for raising and lowering the top body being positioned between straddled pairs of said ribs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle body of claim 1, wherein the upright side walls of the bottom body have an outer skin and an inner liner space therefrom, and the mechanisms for raising and lowering the top body project between the outer skins and inner liners. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle body of claim 1, wherein the means connecting all of the mechanisms to the power input include sprockets and chains. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle body of claim 1, wherein the telescoped tracks include upright track sections mounted on the bottom body and arcuate track sections mounted on the top body with horizontal portions underlying the roof and vertical portions telescoped into the tracks on the bottom body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The cargo vehicle of claim 2, wherein the lift rod mechanisms are positioned adjacent the pairs of straddled ribs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The cargo vehicle of claim 2 including a crank for driving said lift rod mechanisms and sprockets and chains connecting said crank with all of said mechanisms. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The cargo vehicle of claim 2, wherein the anti-friction means are rollers rotatably mounted on some of the ribs and riding on adjacent straddled ribs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The cargo vehicle of claim 2, wherein the anti-friction means include low-friction pads mounted on adjacent straddled ribs to slide thereon. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The trailer body of claim 3, wherein the door has a plurality of panels with rollers thereon riding in said tracks. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) The trailer body of claim 3, wherein the lower and top bodies are in sealed relation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The trailer body of claim 3, wherein the means for raising and lowering the top body and the lower body include nuts depending from the top body, upright screw rods carried by the lower body threaded through said nuts, and a crank actuated mechanism for simultaneously rotating all of the screw rods.