Awning with rail mounted rafter

Year	Description
1998	Invention patented by Dale G. Malott on July 6th, 1998. Abstract: A retractable awning assembly for mounting to a wall having a relatively thin outer skin such as the side wall of a recreational vehicle includes a rail attached to the wall and having a longitudinally extending channel which is C-shaped in cross-section, a roller, a flexible canopy having an inner edge connected to the channel and an outer edge secured to the roller, a pair of upper mounting brackets attached at opposite ends of the rail, and a pair of arm assemblies supporting opposite ends of the roller and operable to move said roller between a retracted position adjacent the wall and an extended position spaced from the wall. Each of the arm assemblies has a support arm with a lower end secured to the wall and a rafter arm with an inner end attached to the upper mounting bracket. Each of the upper mounting brackets cradle the rail over the channel for positively locating the brackets relative to the rail and for transferring operational forces of the awning assembly, which are transmitted through the rafter arms, to the rail to prevent damage to the outer skin. A portion of the forces are transferred to the rail because the upper mounting brackets do not contact the wall and/or closely receive a gutter extending from the channel.
Source: selected by the editor from original sources.

Invention: Awning with rail mounted rafter