US3222103A - Convertible boot retaining means - Google Patents

Convertible boot retaining means Download PDF

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US3222103A
US3222103A US334969A US33496963A US3222103A US 3222103 A US3222103 A US 3222103A US 334969 A US334969 A US 334969A US 33496963 A US33496963 A US 33496963A US 3222103 A US3222103 A US 3222103A
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boot
edge
recess
adjacent
hooks
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US334969A
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James H Wernig
Virgil R Hallenbeck
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Motors Liquidation Co
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Motors Liquidation Co
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J7/00—Non-fixed roofs; Roofs with movable panels, e.g. rotary sunroofs
    • B60J7/20—Vehicle storage compartments for roof parts or for collapsible flexible tops
    • B60J7/202—Vehicle storage compartments for roof parts or for collapsible flexible tops being characterised by moveable cover parts for closing the gap between boot lid and rearmost seats

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  • This invention relates to a fabric boot for a convertible top receiving well formed in an automotive vehicle body and particularly contemplates an improved boot construction wherein the button snaps normally used to secure such a convertible top boot on the vehicle body are replaced with an improved, relatively simple and inexpensive boot securing and tensing means which eliminates the coincidental spacing required by conventional body and boot mounted buttons and snaps and thus facilitates the manufacture, installation and removal of such boots.
  • a belt molding of relatively smooth upper contour is secured to a pinchweld forming the belt line of the vehicle body and defines the rear and lateral edges of the convertible top well.
  • the outer portion of this molding terminates in a depending flange forming a continuous inwardly directed recess.
  • a plurality of hooks are spaced at intervals on the relatively stiff, reinforced rear and lateral edges of the boot. These hooks are engageable with the recessed outer flange of the belt molding and cooperate to secure the boot against fabric tensioning forces applied thereto by suitable means resiliently securing the transverse forward edge of the boot to a top well defining seat back.
  • FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a convertible vehicle body with the top down and having a top well closing dust boot secured thereon in accordance with the invention
  • FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated at 22 in FIGURE 1;
  • FIGURE 3 is similar to a portion of FIGURE 2 and shows a slightly modified form of the invention.
  • FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the details of a spring clip particularly adapted to secure a belt molding such as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 on the belt line pinchweld of the vehicle body.
  • FIGURE 1 is a three-quarter view showing a rear portion of a convertible type vehicle body having a well adapted to receive a foldable top.
  • Such vehicles generally have a dust boot 12 removably mounted and adapted to cover the top well when the top is retracted or folded to its down position.
  • the top well opening generally extends transversely of the vehicle body between a seat back partially shown at 16 and a transverse rear body panel 14 immediately forward of a rear compartment deck lid 15. Linkage-receiving forward extensions of the well laterally flank the rear seat.
  • the boot 12 generally conforms to but slightly exceeds and thus overlies the peripheral dimensions of the top well opening.
  • the dust boot 12 may be made of any suitable wind and weather impervious fabric or plastic sheet material.
  • the transverse forward edge of the boot is preferably strengthened and stiffened by a series of folds 18 which may be stitched or otherwise suitably bonded together.
  • a forward boot retaining and tensioning member 21) preferably formed of resilient plastic material is suitably secured to and extends outwardly and downwardly from the forward boot edge reinforcing folds 18.
  • This boot retaining member has a wire-reinforced bead 22 slidably mounted and pivotally retained within a cooperating channel member 24 suitably secured as shown to the seat back 16.
  • the channel member 24 extends transversely of the seat back and is constricted upwardly so as to retain the beaded portion of the member 20.
  • the rear and side edges of the boot 12 illustrated in FIGURE 2 are reinforced and stiffened by a laminated construction including reinforcing members 26 and 28 suitably secured to the adjacent undersurface of the upper boot material. These reinforcing members preferably extend continuously along the rear and lateral periphery of the boot.
  • a finishing strip 30 is crirnped over and secured to the laminated outer periphery or edges of the boot.
  • a book forming member 32 of a rigid or semiresilient material such as a suitable relatively stiff plastic, is secured to the laminated end edge adjacent underside of the boot.
  • This hook forming member may be in the form of a continuous strip having a plurality of depending and inwardly bent hook forming tongues 34' or it may be one of a plurality of such members spaced along the outer periphery of the boot and collectively providing a plurality of spaced belt molding engageable hooks.
  • the hooks or inwardly directed tongues 34 depending from each hook forming member are spaced inwardly a marginal distance from the adjacent periphery of the boot 12 so as to provide a boot edge portion overhanging the belt molding.
  • the transverse rear wall of the top well includes a channeled body member 36 which terminates upwardly in an angled flange forming a pinchweld joint with a mating edge of the body panel 14.
  • the flanged lower portion of the member 36 is similarly welded to the adjacent edge of a transverse body member 38.
  • An inner top well bag and the folding fabric top are partially and respectively shown at 40 and 42. These fabric members are suitably secured to the member 36 as shown by cap screws 44, a rubber spacer and sealing strip 46 and a cooperating seal gripping element 48.
  • An exterior finish molding 50 is suitably secured to the belt line pinchweld formed by the mating edges of the body members 14 and 36. This molding defines the rear and lateral outer edges of the top well opening.
  • the molding Si) is secured to the belt line pinchweld by means of a plurality of spaced spring clips 52 described in greater detail below with reference to FIGURE 4.
  • a relatively smooth upper surface provided on the molding 50 terminates outwardly in a reversely bent depending flange 54. This flange forms an inwardly directed recess 56 extending continuously along the rear and lateral edges of the top well.
  • the recess 56 is adapted to receive the depending hooks or tongues 34 of the hook forming member or members 32 to thereby secure and prohibit any forward or lateral movement of the body mounted boot. It should be noted that the inward marginal spacing of the forward boot retaining member 20 and of the rear and side securing hooks 34 allow the peripheral edges of the boot to conceal the boot fastening means from view.
  • the beaded portion of the forward boot retainer 20 is slidably inserted in the constricted channel of the seat back mounted member 24 and the boot is then centered over the well.
  • the outer periphery of the boot is next manually tensioned against the forward boot retainer 20 so as to draw the tongues of the several hooks 34 successively over the flange 54 of the belt molding 50.
  • each hook or tongue is properly inserted into the adjacent molding recess 56. This process is repeated for each hook provided around the outer rear and lateral periphery of the boot.
  • the tension provided by the forward boot retainer 20 smoothly tenses and maintains the boot in proper position closing the well. Removal of the boot is accomplished by reversing the above procedure.
  • the rear and outer side edges of the boot 12" have a laminated construction including spaced reinforcing members 58 and 59.
  • a relatively stiff semi-resilient hooking member is interposed between these boot edge reinforcing members and has a plurality of spaced depending and inwardly-directed hooks or tongues 62. These tongues protrude through perforations provided in the member 59 and are spaced inwardly of the adjacent periphery of the boot 12'.
  • the hook forming member 60 may be continuous in form or a plurality of such members may be spaced at intervals around the rear and lateral periphery of the boot 12.
  • a finishing strip or member 64 is crimped over and secured to the outer laminated edges of this boot.
  • a slightly modified belt molding 50 is secured by a plurality of spaced spring clips 52 mounted on the belt line pinch- Weld. This modified molding extends around the rear and lateral edges of the top well opening and terminates outwardly in a downwardly inclined and reversely bent flange 66 defining a hook receiving recess 68 angled inwardly and upwardly at an acute angle with respect to the body panel 14.
  • the forward edge is preferably secured to the seat back 16 in the manner shown and described with reference to FIGURE 2.
  • Tension is then applied outwardly of the boot so as to insert the tongues or hooks 62 of the hook forming member or members 60 successively within the inclined recess 68 of the belt molding 50. Because of the cooperating inclination of the molding flange 66 and of the recess 68, the hook secured outer periphery of the boot is directed downwardly toward the body panel 14 thus smoothly tensing the boot with respect to the belt molding and improving the mounted appearance of the boot by minimizing the space occurring between the boot edge finishing member 64 and the body panel 14.
  • the molding mounting spring clips 52 spacedly mounted on the belt line pinchweld have opposing spring legs engageable with the pinchweld and adapted to deflect and retain opposing spring portions formed by the belt molding.
  • the bight remote end of the lower spring leg 70 is pierced to form a barb 74 engageable with a suitable clip retaining indentation provided in the adjacent flangeformed surface of the body member 36. This barb maintains the adjacent end 72 of the lower spring leg in slightly spaced inclined relation to the upper flange of the member 36 and prevents the clip from being withdrawn from its pinchweld mounted position.
  • the upper portion of the illustrative clip is pierced to form a pinchweld engageable spring leg 75 flanked by an upwardly inclined and transversely bowed ramp portion 77.
  • the outer bight remote end 76 of this ramp portion forms a belt molding retaining shoulder and engages a ramp supporting vertical rise 78 formed on the body panel 14.
  • Either belt molding 50 or 50 may be resiliently forced over and into retaining engagement with the several pinchweld mounted clips.
  • the lower end portion of the reversely bent depending flange 54 or 66 on the molding is deflected upwardly until it passes over and slips into retaining engagement with the outer shouldered ends 76 of the clips 52.
  • an Opp sing lower flange 4 on the belt molding is deflected downwardly by the barbed lower leg of each spring clip until a vertical step or shoulder 82 formed on this lower molding flange passes into retaining engagement with the bight remote end 72 of the lower spring clip leg.
  • hook tongue portions being insertable into and maintainable in boot retaining engagement within said recess by tensioning forces normally applied to the body secured boot
  • said resilient boot securing means being deflectable in direction longitudinally of the body to permit insertion of the several boot retaining hooks within said recess and to tension the boot smoothly to maintain hook retaining engagement therein.
  • a dust boot adapted to overlie and enclose the well when the top is retracted therein
  • boot reinforcing member secured to the undersurface of the boot edge portion overlying said recess and having a plurality of perforations spaced at intervals and at a marginal distance paralleling the adjacent boot edge
  • one of said cooperating means being resiliently deflectable to permit insertion of the flexible depending portions of the several boot mounted resilient elements within said recess and subsequently tensioning the boot edge secured thereby to maintain boot retaining engagement of said depending portions within said recess.
  • a dust boot adapted to overlie and close the well when the top is retracted therein
  • a boot reinforcing member secured to the undersurface of a second boot edge portion overlying said finish molding and perforated at spaced intervals parallel to the adjacent boot edge
  • said first boot edge securing means yieldably providing limited boot movement thereby permitting boot retaining insertion of the flexible hook portions of the several boot mounted resilient elements within the adjacent molding recess and smoothly tensioning the boot edge secured thereby to maintain boot retaining engagement of said depending hook portions within said recessed molding.
  • a dust boot adapted to overlie and close the well when the top is retracted therein
  • said forward boot edge securing means being deflectable in directions longitudinally of the body to permit limited horizontal boot movement and boot retaining insertion of said resilient hooks within the adjacent belt molding recess and to smoothly tension the boot edge secured thereby to maintain boot retaining engagement of said depending hooks within said recessed molding.
  • a pliable dust boot adapted to overlie and enclose a convertible top housing well opening transversely of a vehicle body having a belt finish molding forming a continuous boot retaining recess opening outwardly of the body in laterally spaced relation to the outer peripheral edges of the body well opening,
  • said webbing having a plurality of perforations therethrough spaced at intervals and extending parallel to the adjacent edges of the boot
  • each of said resilient hook portions extending inwardly of the boot from the adjacent boot edge and being insertable into and maintainable in boot retaining and tensing engagement within the belt molding formed recess,

Description

Dec. 1965 J. H. WERNIG ETAL 3,222,103
CONVERTIBLE BOOT RETAINING MEANS Original Filed Sept. 19, 1962 75 INVENTOR! 80 70 7g M ATTOR Y United States Patent Office 3,222,133 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 3,222,103 CGNVERTIBLE BOOT RETAINING MEANS James H. Wernig, Birmingham, and Virgil R. Hallenhech,
Royal (Bait, Mich, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 224,873, Sept. 1), 1962. This application Dec. 24, 1963, Ser. No.
Claims. (Cl. 296136) This is a continuation of United States patent application No. 224,873 filed September 19, 1962, and since abandoned.
This invention relates to a fabric boot for a convertible top receiving well formed in an automotive vehicle body and particularly contemplates an improved boot construction wherein the button snaps normally used to secure such a convertible top boot on the vehicle body are replaced with an improved, relatively simple and inexpensive boot securing and tensing means which eliminates the coincidental spacing required by conventional body and boot mounted buttons and snaps and thus facilitates the manufacture, installation and removal of such boots.
In accordance with the invention, a belt molding of relatively smooth upper contour is secured to a pinchweld forming the belt line of the vehicle body and defines the rear and lateral edges of the convertible top well. The outer portion of this molding terminates in a depending flange forming a continuous inwardly directed recess. A plurality of hooks are spaced at intervals on the relatively stiff, reinforced rear and lateral edges of the boot. These hooks are engageable with the recessed outer flange of the belt molding and cooperate to secure the boot against fabric tensioning forces applied thereto by suitable means resiliently securing the transverse forward edge of the boot to a top well defining seat back.
The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of several illustrative embodiments having reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a convertible vehicle body with the top down and having a top well closing dust boot secured thereon in accordance with the invention;
FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated at 22 in FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 3 is similar to a portion of FIGURE 2 and shows a slightly modified form of the invention; and
FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the details of a spring clip particularly adapted to secure a belt molding such as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 on the belt line pinchweld of the vehicle body.
Referring more particularly to the drawing, FIGURE 1 is a three-quarter view showing a rear portion of a convertible type vehicle body having a well adapted to receive a foldable top. Such vehicles generally have a dust boot 12 removably mounted and adapted to cover the top well when the top is retracted or folded to its down position. The top well opening generally extends transversely of the vehicle body between a seat back partially shown at 16 and a transverse rear body panel 14 immediately forward of a rear compartment deck lid 15. Linkage-receiving forward extensions of the well laterally flank the rear seat. The boot 12 generally conforms to but slightly exceeds and thus overlies the peripheral dimensions of the top well opening.
As shown in the broken-way cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2, the dust boot 12 may be made of any suitable wind and weather impervious fabric or plastic sheet material. The transverse forward edge of the boot is preferably strengthened and stiffened by a series of folds 18 which may be stitched or otherwise suitably bonded together. A forward boot retaining and tensioning member 21) preferably formed of resilient plastic material is suitably secured to and extends outwardly and downwardly from the forward boot edge reinforcing folds 18. This boot retaining member has a wire-reinforced bead 22 slidably mounted and pivotally retained within a cooperating channel member 24 suitably secured as shown to the seat back 16. The channel member 24 extends transversely of the seat back and is constricted upwardly so as to retain the beaded portion of the member 20.
The rear and side edges of the boot 12 illustrated in FIGURE 2 are reinforced and stiffened by a laminated construction including reinforcing members 26 and 28 suitably secured to the adjacent undersurface of the upper boot material. These reinforcing members preferably extend continuously along the rear and lateral periphery of the boot. A finishing strip 30 is crirnped over and secured to the laminated outer periphery or edges of the boot. A book forming member 32, of a rigid or semiresilient material such as a suitable relatively stiff plastic, is secured to the laminated end edge adjacent underside of the boot. This hook forming member may be in the form of a continuous strip having a plurality of depending and inwardly bent hook forming tongues 34' or it may be one of a plurality of such members spaced along the outer periphery of the boot and collectively providing a plurality of spaced belt molding engageable hooks. The hooks or inwardly directed tongues 34 depending from each hook forming member are spaced inwardly a marginal distance from the adjacent periphery of the boot 12 so as to provide a boot edge portion overhanging the belt molding.
As shown in FIGURE 2, the transverse rear wall of the top well includes a channeled body member 36 which terminates upwardly in an angled flange forming a pinchweld joint with a mating edge of the body panel 14. The flanged lower portion of the member 36 is similarly welded to the adjacent edge of a transverse body member 38. An inner top well bag and the folding fabric top are partially and respectively shown at 40 and 42. These fabric members are suitably secured to the member 36 as shown by cap screws 44, a rubber spacer and sealing strip 46 and a cooperating seal gripping element 48.
An exterior finish molding 50 is suitably secured to the belt line pinchweld formed by the mating edges of the body members 14 and 36. This molding defines the rear and lateral outer edges of the top well opening. In the illustrative embodiment, the molding Si) is secured to the belt line pinchweld by means of a plurality of spaced spring clips 52 described in greater detail below with reference to FIGURE 4. A relatively smooth upper surface provided on the molding 50 terminates outwardly in a reversely bent depending flange 54. This flange forms an inwardly directed recess 56 extending continuously along the rear and lateral edges of the top well. The recess 56 is adapted to receive the depending hooks or tongues 34 of the hook forming member or members 32 to thereby secure and prohibit any forward or lateral movement of the body mounted boot. It should be noted that the inward marginal spacing of the forward boot retaining member 20 and of the rear and side securing hooks 34 allow the peripheral edges of the boot to conceal the boot fastening means from view.
To install the boot 12 in proper position closing the top well, the beaded portion of the forward boot retainer 20 is slidably inserted in the constricted channel of the seat back mounted member 24 and the boot is then centered over the well. The outer periphery of the boot is next manually tensioned against the forward boot retainer 20 so as to draw the tongues of the several hooks 34 successively over the flange 54 of the belt molding 50.
As this is done, each hook or tongue is properly inserted into the adjacent molding recess 56. This process is repeated for each hook provided around the outer rear and lateral periphery of the boot. The tension provided by the forward boot retainer 20 smoothly tenses and maintains the boot in proper position closing the well. Removal of the boot is accomplished by reversing the above procedure.
In the alternative construction shown in FIGURE 3, the rear and outer side edges of the boot 12" have a laminated construction including spaced reinforcing members 58 and 59. A relatively stiff semi-resilient hooking member is interposed between these boot edge reinforcing members and has a plurality of spaced depending and inwardly-directed hooks or tongues 62. These tongues protrude through perforations provided in the member 59 and are spaced inwardly of the adjacent periphery of the boot 12'. As described with reference to the hook forming member shown in FIGURE 2, the hook forming member 60 may be continuous in form or a plurality of such members may be spaced at intervals around the rear and lateral periphery of the boot 12. As before, a finishing strip or member 64 is crimped over and secured to the outer laminated edges of this boot. A slightly modified belt molding 50 is secured by a plurality of spaced spring clips 52 mounted on the belt line pinch- Weld. This modified molding extends around the rear and lateral edges of the top well opening and terminates outwardly in a downwardly inclined and reversely bent flange 66 defining a hook receiving recess 68 angled inwardly and upwardly at an acute angle with respect to the body panel 14.
To install the boot 12', the forward edge is preferably secured to the seat back 16 in the manner shown and described with reference to FIGURE 2. Tension is then applied outwardly of the boot so as to insert the tongues or hooks 62 of the hook forming member or members 60 successively within the inclined recess 68 of the belt molding 50. Because of the cooperating inclination of the molding flange 66 and of the recess 68, the hook secured outer periphery of the boot is directed downwardly toward the body panel 14 thus smoothly tensing the boot with respect to the belt molding and improving the mounted appearance of the boot by minimizing the space occurring between the boot edge finishing member 64 and the body panel 14.
As previously stated and best shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of FIGURE 4, the molding mounting spring clips 52 spacedly mounted on the belt line pinchweld have opposing spring legs engageable with the pinchweld and adapted to deflect and retain opposing spring portions formed by the belt molding. In the illustrative clip, the bight remote end of the lower spring leg 70 is pierced to form a barb 74 engageable with a suitable clip retaining indentation provided in the adjacent flangeformed surface of the body member 36. This barb maintains the adjacent end 72 of the lower spring leg in slightly spaced inclined relation to the upper flange of the member 36 and prevents the clip from being withdrawn from its pinchweld mounted position. The upper portion of the illustrative clip is pierced to form a pinchweld engageable spring leg 75 flanked by an upwardly inclined and transversely bowed ramp portion 77. The outer bight remote end 76 of this ramp portion forms a belt molding retaining shoulder and engages a ramp supporting vertical rise 78 formed on the body panel 14. Either belt molding 50 or 50 may be resiliently forced over and into retaining engagement with the several pinchweld mounted clips. When the belt molding is forceably mounted on the several spring clips, the lower end portion of the reversely bent depending flange 54 or 66 on the molding is deflected upwardly until it passes over and slips into retaining engagement with the outer shouldered ends 76 of the clips 52. During such upward deflection of the molding flange 54 or 66, an Opp sing lower flange 4 on the belt molding is deflected downwardly by the barbed lower leg of each spring clip until a vertical step or shoulder 82 formed on this lower molding flange passes into retaining engagement with the bight remote end 72 of the lower spring clip leg.
While the invention has been described with reference to several illustrative embodiments, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes might be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
We claim:
1. In a vehicle body having a convertible top housing well opening transversely of the body,
means on the vehicle body forming a recess opening outwardly of the body away from an adjacent edge of the body defining one side of the well opening,
a dust boot for closing said Well having a reinforced edge portion overlying said recess forming means,
a plurality of books mounted inwardly and on the undersurface of said reinforced boot edge portion at spaced intervals and each of said hooks having a depending tongue portion extending inwardly of the boot from the adjacent boot edge,
said hook tongue portions being insertable into and maintainable in boot retaining engagement within said recess by tensioning forces normally applied to the body secured boot,
and resilient means securing a second boot edge portion opposite said reinforced hook mounting edge portion to an adjacent corresponding edge of the body well opening,
said resilient boot securing means being deflectable in direction longitudinally of the body to permit insertion of the several boot retaining hooks within said recess and to tension the boot smoothly to maintain hook retaining engagement therein.
2. In a vehicle body having a convertible top housing well opening transversely of the body,
a dust boot adapted to overlie and enclose the well when the top is retracted therein,
means forming a continuous recess parallel to and closely spaced from an adjacent edge of the body well opening,
a boot reinforcing member secured to the undersurface of the boot edge portion overlying said recess and having a plurality of perforations spaced at intervals and at a marginal distance paralleling the adjacent boot edge,
a plurality of resilient boot retaining elements spacedly mounted intermediate said reinforcing member and the boot edge portion secured thereto and each of said elements having a flexible depending portion extending through an adjacent perforation in the boot reinforcing member and insertable for boot retaining engagement within said recess,
and cooperating means securing the boot edge portion opposite said resilient boot retaining elements to an adjacent corresponding edge of the body well open- 111g,
one of said cooperating means being resiliently deflectable to permit insertion of the flexible depending portions of the several boot mounted resilient elements within said recess and subsequently tensioning the boot edge secured thereby to maintain boot retaining engagement of said depending portions within said recess.
3. In a vehicle body having a convertible top well opening transversely of the body,
a dust boot adapted to overlie and close the well when the top is retracted therein,
means yieldably securing a first boot edge portion to an adjacent corresponding edge of the body well opening,
a finish molding secured to a second well opening body edge opposite said first body opening and forming a continuous recess opening laterally outwardly of the body and away from the body well opening,
a boot reinforcing member secured to the undersurface of a second boot edge portion overlying said finish molding and perforated at spaced intervals parallel to the adjacent boot edge,
a plurality of resilient elements each having a flanged portion mounted intermediate said boot reinforcing member and the boot edge portion secured thereto and a flexible hook portion depending through an adjacent perforation in the boot reinforcing member and extending inwardly of the boot from the adjacent boot edge,
said flexible hook portions being insertable into and maintainable in boot retaining engagement within the adjacent recessed opening formed by the finish molding,
and said first boot edge securing means yieldably providing limited boot movement thereby permitting boot retaining insertion of the flexible hook portions of the several boot mounted resilient elements within the adjacent molding recess and smoothly tensioning the boot edge secured thereby to maintain boot retaining engagement of said depending hook portions within said recessed molding.
4. In a vehicle body having a convertible top housing well opening upwardly and transversely of the body,
a dust boot adapted to overlie and close the well when the top is retracted therein,
means yieldably securing a transverse forward portion of the boot to a corresponding forward edge of the body well opening,
a belt finish molding secured to the body adjacent the outer peripheral rear and side edges of the Well opening and recessed longitudinally and inwardly from the outer edge of the molding toward the adjacent edges of the body well opening,
stiif pliable means secured to and reinforcing the outer peripheral portions of the boot overlying said belt molding,
a plurality of resilient hooks depending from the undersurface of said reinforced boot portions at spaced intervals and extending inwardly of the boot at a marginal distance parallel to the adjacent boot edge and said hooks being insertable into and maintainable in boot retaining engagement within the adjacent recess formed by the belt molding,
and said forward boot edge securing means being deflectable in directions longitudinally of the body to permit limited horizontal boot movement and boot retaining insertion of said resilient hooks within the adjacent belt molding recess and to smoothly tension the boot edge secured thereby to maintain boot retaining engagement of said depending hooks within said recessed molding.
5. A pliable dust boot adapted to overlie and enclose a convertible top housing well opening transversely of a vehicle body having a belt finish molding forming a continuous boot retaining recess opening outwardly of the body in laterally spaced relation to the outer peripheral edges of the body well opening,
relatively stifr pliable webbing secured to the undersurface of the boot and reinforcing the transverse rear and lateral side edge portions of the boot overlying saidbelt molding,
said webbing having a plurality of perforations therethrough spaced at intervals and extending parallel to the adjacent edges of the boot,
a plurality of resilient hooks each having a plate portion mounted intermediate the webbing and the boot edge portion secured thereto and forming a lever extending outwardly of the boot and having a hook portion depending through an adjacent perforation in the webbing,
each of said resilient hook portions extending inwardly of the boot from the adjacent boot edge and being insertable into and maintainable in boot retaining and tensing engagement within the belt molding formed recess,
and resilient boot attaching means secured to a transverse forward boot edge portion and cooperable with retaining means mounted on the vehicle body adjacent the transverse forward edge of the top well opening to provide limited boot movement transversely and outwardly of the belt molding to permit insertion of said resilient hook portions within the molding recess and to resiliently tension the body attached boot forwardly so as to maintain said hook portions in boot retaining engagement within the belt molding recess.
References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,664,309 12/1953 Kavalar 296-136 FOREIGN PATENTS 501,252 11/1954 Italy.
BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.
A. HARRY LEVY, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A VEHICLE BODY HAVING A CONVERTIBLE TOP HOUSING WELL OPENING TRANSVERSELY OF THE BODY, MEANS ON THE VEHICLE BODY FORMING A RECESS OPENING OUTWARDLY OF THE BODY AWAY FROM AN ADJACENT EDGE OF THE BODY DEFINING ONE SIDE OF THE WELL OPENING, A DUST BOOT FOR CLOSING SAID WELL HAVING A REINFORCED EDGE PORTION OVERLYING SAID RECESS FORMING MEANS, A PLURALITY OF HOOKS MOUNTED INWARDLY AND ON THE UNDERSURFACE OF SAID REINFORCED BOOT EDGE PORTION AT SPACED INTERVALS AND EACH OF SAID HOOKS HAVING THE DEPENDING TONGUE PORTION EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE BOOT FROM THE ADJACENT BOOT EDGE, SAID HOOK TONGUE PORTIONS BEING INSERTABLE INTO AND MAINTAINABLE IN BOOT RETAINING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN SAID RECESS BY TENSIONING FORCES NORMALLY APPLIED TO THE BODY SECURED BOOT, AND RESILIENT MEANS SECURING A SECOND BOOT EDGE PORTION OPPOSITE SAID REINFORCED HOOK MOUNTING EDGE PORTION TO AN ADJACENT CORRESPONDING EDGE OF THE BODY WELL OPENING, SAID RESILIENT BOOT SECURING MEANS BEING DEFLECTABLE IN DIRECTION LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BODY TO PERMIT INSERTION OF THE SEVERAL BOOT RETAINING HOOKS WITHIN SAID RECESS AND TO TENSION THE BOOT SMOOTHLY TO MAINTAIN HOOK RETAINING ENGAGEMENT THEREIN.
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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3332717A (en) * 1965-09-24 1967-07-25 United Carr Inc Top boot assembly
US4708389A (en) * 1984-12-03 1987-11-24 Mazda Motor Corporation Open top type automobile body structure
US4930833A (en) * 1987-09-24 1990-06-05 Asc Incorporated Boot cover for a convertible vehicle
US5275458A (en) * 1991-03-29 1994-01-04 Custom Form Manufacturing, Inc. Tonneau cover assembly
US5460423A (en) * 1993-03-11 1995-10-24 Custom Form Manufacturing, Inc. Tonneau cover assembly and cross-bow clip
USD406792S (en) * 1997-03-25 1999-03-16 Asc Incorporated Portion of automotive vehicle having a convertible roof
US6053558A (en) * 1997-10-01 2000-04-25 Penda Corporation Cover assembly for the cargo area of a vehicle
US6145909A (en) * 1999-02-02 2000-11-14 Asc Incorporated Automotive vehicle bootwell and drain trough apparatus
US6619722B1 (en) * 2002-12-05 2003-09-16 Daimlerchrysler Corporation Convertible boot fastener

Citations (1)

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US2664309A (en) * 1952-10-24 1953-12-29 Ford Motor Co Convertible top boot construction

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2664309A (en) * 1952-10-24 1953-12-29 Ford Motor Co Convertible top boot construction

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3332717A (en) * 1965-09-24 1967-07-25 United Carr Inc Top boot assembly
US4708389A (en) * 1984-12-03 1987-11-24 Mazda Motor Corporation Open top type automobile body structure
US4930833A (en) * 1987-09-24 1990-06-05 Asc Incorporated Boot cover for a convertible vehicle
US5275458A (en) * 1991-03-29 1994-01-04 Custom Form Manufacturing, Inc. Tonneau cover assembly
US5460423A (en) * 1993-03-11 1995-10-24 Custom Form Manufacturing, Inc. Tonneau cover assembly and cross-bow clip
USD406792S (en) * 1997-03-25 1999-03-16 Asc Incorporated Portion of automotive vehicle having a convertible roof
US6053558A (en) * 1997-10-01 2000-04-25 Penda Corporation Cover assembly for the cargo area of a vehicle
US6145909A (en) * 1999-02-02 2000-11-14 Asc Incorporated Automotive vehicle bootwell and drain trough apparatus
US6619722B1 (en) * 2002-12-05 2003-09-16 Daimlerchrysler Corporation Convertible boot fastener

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