Roll bar cage for vehicles

Abstract

A framework in the form of spaced-apart roll bars permanently interconnected, reinforced and adapted as a unit for convenient securement to the body of vehicles such as jeeps, sport cars, and the like, having convertible tops, full or half fabric tops. The framework is made of metal pipes all of uniform diameter assembled as a unit by welding or the like to provide a strong, durable, rigid, cagelike frame which together with its manner of securement to the vehicle is such that passengers or occupants of the vehicle will be protected against rollover or other impact forces from any direction. .Iadd.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. In a vehicle having a body mounted upon a frame and comprising a forward section, a rearward section, and an operator's space between said sections, the rearward end of said front section defined by vertical vehicle body members interconnected by a dashboard, a framed windshield extending upwardly from the dashboard, and said rearward section having a downwardly opening wheel housing at each side thereof, the improvement comprising: a flat plate secured to and extending along the top wall of each of said wheel housings on the interior of the vehicle body,   a roll bar cage comprising a first inverted U-shaped frame member secured at its bottom end to said vehicle frame,   said inverted U-shaped member extending upwardly and bearing forwardly against said windshield frame,   means fixedly securing said legs of said first U-shaped member to said rearward vertical ends of said forward section of the vehicle body,   a second roll bar frame of inverted U-shape coextensive in height and width with said first roll bar and secured at its bottom ends to said flat plates of said wheel housings,   said second roll bar reinforced by rearwardly extending right-angular members welded one each to each leg of said second roll bar and to said flat plates, and   a forwardly and rearwardly extending reinforcing bar welded at its forward end to said first roll bar and at its rearward end to said second roll bar. .Iadd. 2. In combination,   a vehicle having a body mounted upon a frame and comprising a forward section,   a rearward section,   an operator's space between said sections,   said rearward section having a wheel housing at each side thereof on the interior of the vehicle body and including a horizontal substantially flat top wall throughout substantially its full length and an inner upright side wall,   a substantially straight flat plate secured integrally to and extending along the top wall of each wheel housing on the interior of the vehicle body,   a roll bar frame having upright legs connected together at the top by a cross member to form an inverted U-shaped frame,   said roll bar frame having bottom ends secured integrally to respective ones of said flat plates,   and a reinforcing member secured integrally between each leg of said roll bar frame at an upper portion of the latter and its respective flat plate at a spaced point on said plate to brace said roll bar frame.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 3.  The structure of claim 2 wherein said flat plate has an upwardly extending flange on one side thereof .Iaddend..Iadd. 4. The structure of claim 2 wherein said flat plate has an integral longitudinally and downwardly extending flange on on side thereof and an integral longitudinally and upwardly extending flange on the other side thereof, said downwardly extending flange being secured to the inner upright side wall of said wheel housing and said upwardly extending flange being secured to said vehicle body. .Iaddend.