GB2333069A

GB2333069A - Mobile hospitality units

Info

Publication number: GB2333069A
Application number: GB9800366A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald Dennis; John Turner; Robert Mcmurray
Original assignee: MCLAREN INTERNATIONAL Ltd
Current assignee: MCLAREN INTERNATIONAL Ltd
Priority date: 1998-01-08
Filing date: 1998-01-08
Publication date: 1999-07-14
Anticipated expiration: 2018-01-08
Also published as: GB2333069B; GB9800366D0

Abstract

A mobile hospitality unit is provided with a vertically extendible and retractable roof 29 which is moved relative to a chassis by means of screw jacks 37 under the control of vertical guides 39, so as to provide an upper space of usable height. The unit may be the trailer unit of an articulated vehicle, or incorporated in a non-articulated vehicle. The unit is hydraulically self-levelling, and the jacks 37 are driven from a single hydraulic motor. The guides 39 comprise rails fixed to the roof 29 and slidable in recirculating ball guide blocks supported in the fixed lower walls of the upper space.

Description

Hospitality Unit This invention relates to a hospitality unit.

It is known to provide hospitality units of a mobile nature which are used at trade shows and other gatherings, such as at race meetings and motor racing events. The hospitality unit can be of an extendible nature with extending awnings and the like and it is even known to provide such units with telescopic features so that, during transport, the unit is relatively compact, whereas when it is desired to use the unit at the show or event, its area can be extended so as to provide areas for displaying goods, services and products and for entertaining purposes or for holding small meetings etc. Such hospitality units tend to be fairly basic in nature and invariably, a quick inspection of the unit will reveal whether or not the unit has been moved from a collapsed condition to an extended position, since the joins between the fixed portion and the extendible portion are easily visible.

It is also known to provide motor caravans with extendible roof areas or extending side walls. Normally, the extendible parts of the motor caravan are moved between their collapsed and extended positions manually and again, it is readily apparent to a user as to where the boundaries are between the fixed and extendible parts of the motor caravan.

In the entertainment industry and in particular in various high-profile sports such as horse racing and motor racing, image is important. For example, when attending high-profile horse racing meetings, the horse transporters of the famous horse breeders and owners are usually readily recognisable from those of the less famous in that they are extremely smart and well-built; very often, this is because the more famous can usually afford to spend far more money than the less famous on their transporters. Very often, it is image which is all important. In motor racing, this is particularly the case. Motor racing is a multimillion pound industry and the image of the leading teams is all important. Just as one seldom sees a scruffy racing car start a motor race, whether it be a rally car, a touring car, a saloon car, or a Formula 1 racing car, so it is important to the leading motor racing teams that the other vehicles which they take to motor racing meetings such as car transporters, mobile workshops and hospitality vehicles must give an image comparable with that of the racing cars themselves. Invariably, therefore, in the case of a hospitality vehicle, the vehicle should look as smart as possible and be well engineered and not give the impression that it is a mobile unit. The present invention seeks to provide a hospitality unit which meets the above requirements.

By their vary nature, hospitality units of the type with which the present invention is concerned have to be transportable from one location to another.

In the motor racing world, motor races take place all over Europe and elsewhere and hence, it is desirable that the hospitality unit can be transported easily from one race to another and between races and a home base. It is also desirable that, within reason and legal limits the hospitality unit should be as large as possible so as to avoid being upstaged by one's competitors.

However, throughout Europe, there is a legal limit to the size of motor vehicles. For example, a motor vehicle cannot be more than 4 metres high nor longer than 16.5 metres and the maximum width is 2.55 metres. The width and length measurements allow a reasonable floor plate area but, because a motor vehicle has to have raised floor areas beneath which the wheels, axles, drive train and other controls are located, a 4 metre height, unless it is extendible, only allows the hospitality unit to be one room high. To double the floor area of the hospitality unit, a vertically extendible or telescopic unit has to be provided. The present invention seeks to provide such a hospitality unit which when in its transport mode, is telescopically collapsed, but which can then be telescopically extended in such a manner that when extended and ready for use, it is substantially impossible for the users to appreciate that the vehicle has been telescopically extended in a vertical direction.

According to the present invention, we provide a mobile hospitality unit having a chassis with wheels and supporting at least one floor, and a vertically extendible and retractible roof section which is vertically movable relative to the chassis by means of a plurality of screw jacks under the control of a plurality of vertical guides.

Preferably, the chassis is in the form of a trailer unit which can be transported by a tractor unit, the trailer unit being connectible to the tractor unit by means of a generally horizontally extending fifth wheel coupling unit. Accordingly, the tractor unit can be disconnected from the trailer unit so that the latter can stand alone.

Preferably, the chassis of the trailer unit supports a plurality of levelling legs, which may be of generally known construction with pivotally supported load levellers at their lower end. Preferably, the levelling legs are hydraulically operated and are designed so that at a particular event at which the hospitality unit is to be used, they can be operated to cause the chassis to be set up so that it is absolutely level, i.e. located exactly in a horizontal plane. The trailer unit may be provided with its own power source for driving a hydraulic motor to power the levelling legs or alternatively, the hydraulic motor may be driven from a remote power source, e.g. a three-phase source of electricity using trailing leads. Suitable level sensors and control means may be provided on the chassis to make certain that, once the levelling legs are deployed, the chassis is maintained level automatically.

Preferably, the chassis supports not only a ground floor but also a first floor and its supporting sub-frame, together with a lower portion of the walls of the first floor and the roof section comprises a roof and upper portions of the walls of the first floor integral therewith, the upper portions of the walls of the first floor being telescopically movable relative to the lower portions of the walls of the first floor. This allows furniture of a height substantially equal to the height of the lower portion of the walls of the first floor to be fitted permanently on the first floor which means there is no need to move this furniture when extending or retracting the roof section. Hence, all the furniture on the first floor can remain in position when the hospitality unit is in a transport mode with its roof section lowered.

Preferably, a major part of the upper portions of the walls of the first floor is comprised of window units. Preferably, the window units comprise double glazed units with miniature remote controlled venetian-type blinds located in the gap between the panes of glass.

Preferably, the roof section is raised and lowered by six screw jack units which are located, two towards the front of the trailer unit, two in midsection and two towards the rear, with base plates of the jacks being supported on the first floor supporting sub-frame, and a threaded jacking member, supporting the roof and integral wall portions. Preferably also, eight guides are provided, two located at the front, two located at the rear and one being located on each side of the vehicle, midway between the front and the midsection jacks and another being provided, one on each side of the vehicle between the midsection jack and the rear of the vehicle.

Preferably, each of the guides comprises a ball rail system, comprising a guide rail sliding in a runner block, with the runner blocks being supported on an upper region of a lower portion of a respective wall of the first floor, and the guide rail being secured to an internal face of the moveable upper portion of the respective wall of the first floor. Each runner block preferably incorporates four recirculating ball circuits, with each circuit of balls making contact with block and rail at two points, regardless of the direction of loading, so a to reduce friction to a minimum and provide precision guidance in all directions. A preferred ball rail system is that supplied by Mannesmann Rexroth, and known as a Deutsche STAR ball rail system.

It is important that the jacks are extended and retracted in unison, at exactly the same rate. Furthermore, extension and retraction of the jacks must only occur when the chassis is absolutely level.

To achieve extension and retraction of the jacks in unison, they are preferably driven from a single low speed, high torque hydraulic motor, via a drive system comprising a plurality of torque tubes and splitter gearboxes, each of which has a pair of in-line drives and a further drive extending at right angles thereto, i.e. a 1:1 ratio right angle drive unit.

Preferably, the hydraulic pumps are driven from the same power source that is used to operate the chassis levelling legs.

Preferably, the whole of the drive mechanism for the six screw jacks is located within the first floor sub-frame and the full power of a low speed high torque motor is transmitted into a first right angle drive unit, one output of which is connected to a first jack at the front of the vehicle and the opposite output of which is connected to a second right angle drive unit having an output in line with its input which drives a second jack at the front of the unit.

An output from the second right angle drive unit which is at right angles to its input drives an input to a third right angle drive unit, one output of which drives one mid-section jack and the opposite output of which drives an input of a fourth right angle drive unit, an in-line output of which drives the other mid-section jack and an output at right angles thereto of which drives a fifth right angle drive unit. The two in-line outputs of the fifth right angle drive unit drive respective jacks at the rear of the hospitality unit. Drive from the motor to the first right angle drive unit and from each drive unit to an adjacent drive unit or to a screw jack is transmitted by a light-weight torque tube with universal joints being located between each torque tube and its respective drive unit or jack where possible. Alternatively, a flexible coupling is used to prevent high side loadings on the drive units or screw jacks where there is insufficient space to use a torque tube and universal joints. In order to prevent torque tube whip, intermediate needle roller bearing blocks support the longer distance runs of the torque tubes. In order to ensure that there is no play in the drive mechanism, the whole drive assembly is assembled with each right-angle drive unit and torque tube flexible joint stressed by the same amount so that there is no play in any part of the assembly at any time.

Each screw jack is preferably lubricated prior to assembly, as are the needle bearing blocks so that further servicing is not required during the normal life of the hospitality unit.

Preferably, roof lifting and lowering is carried out using the flow from both a low pressure and a high pressure pump under the control of a double solenoid valve. This valve acts as a soft shift valve which gives a slow start and stop, both during raising and lowering of the retractable roof section, thus preventing any jerky or sudden movement and this allows the roof to move smoothly under the control of the ball rail systems, extending between the retractable roof section and the upper end portions of the lower side-wall portions of the walls of the first floor. The retractable roof section can be locked in any position by means of a hydraulic control valve.

Preferably, travel of the roof is restricted both at its fully extended position and its fully retracted position by Duplex Limit switches which control the supply of electrical power to the hydraulic motor. Preferably, a pressure switch is operated on any override on the downward movement of the retractable roof which will cut out drive to the hydraulic drive motor, thus preventing any mechanical damage.

Suitable seals are provided at the bottom of the upper sections of the first floor side walls and at the top of the lower sections of the first floor side walls so that at all times a double seal between the fixed and moveable sections of the upper floor side walls is provided.

Suitable removable covers may be fixed in position ver the guide rails and/or hydraulic jacks to hide these once the roof has be z moved to its fully raised position.

A preferred embodiment of the hospitality unit according to the present invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the hospitality unit in its lowered position ready for travel on a public road, FIGURE 2 is a vertical section along the line II-II in Figure 1, but showing the unit in an extended position ready for use, FIGURE 3 is a partly schematic horizontal section on the line III-III in Figure 2, FIGURE 4 is a vertical section through one schematically represented screw jack showing schematically how the hospitality unit is moved from its Figure 1 state to its Figure 2 state, FIGURE 5 is a partly schematic perspective view of a ball rail system used for guiding the roof section of the unit when it is moved between its extended and lowered positions, and FIGURE 6 is a horizontal section, to an enlarged scale, on the line VI-VI in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, figure 1 shows an articulated vehicle comprising a tractor unit 1 and a trailer unit 3 connected together in traditional fashion with a fifth wheel coupling unit 5. The tractor unit is normally used just to move the hospitality unit from one location to another and is of largely traditional design. The trailer unit, on the other hand, provides the mobile hospitality unit of the invention. It should be understood, however, that the present invention could be incorporated in a non-articulated vehicle with a box body.

The trailer unit 3 comprises a chassis 7 supporting in traditional manner rear wheel unit 9 and a plurality of hydraulically operated levelling legs 11 which are moved between retracted transport positions and extended levelling positions hydraulically in known manner. For this purpose, a compartment 13 immediately above the fifth wheel coupling unit 5 is provided in a swanneck portion of the trailer unit 3 to house a suitable motor, hydraulic pumps, control gear etc. The chassis 7 includes suitable structural side-wall members extending upwardly from a floor frame 15 to a height of approximately 2 metres which are clad with inner and outer skins and support at their upper end a first floor sub-frame 17. The sub-frame 17 has upstanding therefrom four fixed first floor lower wall portions 19 incorporating suitable structural upright frame members 21 clad with internal and external wall skins 23 and 25 respectively. Telescopically supported on the lower wall portions 19 is a roof section 27 comprising a roof 29 and upper wall portions 31 of the first floor of the trailer unit. As can be seen from Figure 1, the upper floor of the trailer unit is shown in a collapsed state with its internal vertical dimension being approximately 1 metre high with the upper wall portion 31 of the first floor overlying the lower wall portion 19 thereof. It will be noted that when collapsed, fumiture, such as seating 33 can remain in position and hence, all the furniture on the first floor can be "built-in". A major part of the upper wall portion 31 of the first floor is comprised of windows 35, the windows being formed of twin paned sealed units incorporating miniature Venetianstyle blinds in the gap between the panes.

In accordance with the invention, the roof section 27 is moved between its collapsed and extended positions by means of six screw jacks 37, two of which are located towards the front of the trailer unit, two of which are located in the mid-section and two of which are located towards the rear of the trailer unit.

Extension and retraction of the roof section 7 relative to the remainder of the trailer unit is under the control of eight vertical guides, each of which comprises a ball rail system as will be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Suitable seals 41 ensure that there is a completely moisture and air-proof barrier between the fixed and movable upper wall portions 19 and 31 defining the four walls of the upper floor of the unit.

Access to and from the hospitality unit is by means of front and rear doors 43 and 45 and the ground floor of the unit may be divided into an entrance hall with cloakroom, and staircase to the first floor, a kitchen area and an eating area/meeting room, whereas the first floor may be divided into a bathroom area forward of the staircase or a hydrotherapy unit, a living area and a sleeping area.

The six screw jacks 37 are high precision units, one particularly suitable unit being a rotating ball screw actuator similar to that sold by Duff-Norton and known as the 2800 Series Imperial Ballscrew Jactuator. An over simplified version of the screw jack is illustrated in Figure 4. Basically, each jack 37 comprises a base pad 47 rigidly secured to the first floor supporting sub-frame 17 and on which a threaded jacking member 49 is freely supported in a suitable bearing 50 for rotation about a longitudinal central axis within a tubular upstand 51. Connected to the lower end of the jacking member 49 is an externally splined thread driving member or ring 53, which is rotatable within the lower end of the up-stand 51. The upper end of each jacking member 49 supports the roof 29. Each jacking member has its upper end rotatably supported within a support bearing 53, which is vertically slidable within a depending tube 55 welded to depend from the underside of the roof 29. At its lower end, the tube 55 has welded to it a nut-like support sleeve 57 provided with an internal thread or ball race 59 therein in which a plurality of balls 61 are located, the balls also engaging the thread or ball race 62 of the jacking member 49.

The jacking member 49 is caused to rotate by virtue of there being a worm gear 60 engaging with the splined ring 53. The worm gear 60 is connected, via a universal joint 98 (or a flexible coupling 69), to an input stub shaft 97.

Rotation of the drive ring 53 by rotation of the shaft 97 in one sense will cause the roof 29 to be raised, whereas rotation of the drive ring 53 in the opposite sense will cause the roof to be lowered. Travel of the roof 29 is restricted at the top and bottom by Duplex Limit switches (not shown). Suitable pressure switches (not shown), will operate and cut out drive to each jacking member 49 in the event of an override situation, thus preventing any mechanical damage being inflicted on the system.

Drive to each of the screw jacks 37 is from a single hydraulic motor 63 which is mounted within the space defined by the first floor sub-frame 17 and which is driven from low pressure and high pressure pumps and a prime mover (not shown) located within the compartment 13. The hydraulic motor 63 has an output shaft connected to one end of a torque tube 65, the opposite end of which is connected to an input of a first right angle drive unit 67. The unit 67 has two outputs extending in opposite directions at right angles to its input which rotate at the same speed as the input and one of these outputs is connected to a flexible coupling 69, the opposite end of which is connected to a first one of the screw jacks 37.

The other output is connected to a transverse torque tube 71, the opposite end of which is connected to a second right angle drive unit 73. This has two outputs, one in line with its input and one at right angles thereto, the one in line being connected to a further flexible coupling 75, the opposite end of which is connected to a second of the screw jacks 37. The output extending at right angles is connected to a further torque tube 77 extending fore and aft of the trailer unit, the opposite end of which is connected to an input of a third right angle drive unit 79 having two outputs extending at right angles to the input. One of these outputs is connected by a flexible coupling 81 to a third of the screw jacks 37, whereas the other is connected by a further short torque tube 83 to a fourth right angle drive unit having two outputs, one of which is in line with the input and the other at right angles thereto. The in-line output is connected to a further torque tube 87 extending transversely of the unit, the opposite end of which is connected to a fourth of the screw jacks 37. The third and fourth screw jacks 37 are located in central regions or mid-sections of the trailer unit with their tubular up-stands and tubular struts 51 and 55 located either in the side walls of the first floor of the unit or alternatively, in first floor bulkheads.

The first and second screw jacks 37 are similarly located either in the front wall of the first floor of the trailer unit or in bulkheads adjacent thereto.

The other outlet of the fourth right angle drive unit 85 extending at right angles to its inlet is connected to a rearwardly extending torque tube 89, the rearmost end of which is connected to an input of a fifth right angle drive unit 91. This has two outputs extending at right angles to the input and transversely of the trailer unit, one of which is connected to a torque tube 93 and the other of which is connected to a further torque tube 95.

The opposite ends of the torque tubes 93 and 95 are connected, respectively to the fifth and sixth screw jacks at the rear of the unit. Each of the torque tubes or flexible couplings 69, 75, 81, 87, 93 and 95 is connected to an input stub shaft 97 of its respective jack 37 (see Figure 4) which has a worm gear thereon in meshing engagement with the drive ring of the screw jack, so that rotation of the input 97 will cause the jacking member 49 to be raised or lowered. Hence, depending on the direction of rotation of the output of the hydraulic motor 63, so the roof 29 will be moved up or down via the six screw jacks 37.

It is extremely important that the screw jacks 37 are only operated when the trailer unit 3 is absolutely level which is achieved by operation of the levelling legs 11 which are controlled by the same hydraulic equipment that is used to control the screw jacks. Once the levelling legs have been operated, suitable levelling sensors ensure that the trailer unit is maintained absolutely level at all times automatically.

At the junction between each torque tube and right angle drive unit, and between each torque tube and jack input stub shaft 97, a universal joint 98 is provided. However, flexible couplings 69, 75 and 81 are provided in place of universal joints where there is insufficient room for a torque tube/universal joint type of drive. Furthermore, where a torque tube has a long run, it is supported in one or more spaced roller bearing units 100. This ensures that there is no whip is the torque tubes. The universal joints and flexible couplings ensure that in the unlikely event of any flexing of the sub-frame 17, there will not be any high loadings on the right angle drive units or screw jacks.

A manual emergency gear box (not shown) is incorporated within the drive train for the screw jacks. This allows a person to wind the roof section up or down by hand in the event of a power/battery failure or a hydraulic failure.

Because it is important that the roof section of the trailer unit should be raised and lowered with the utmost precision and never jam, raising and lowering of the roof section is under the control of the eight vertical guides 39. The guides 39 are shown in detail in Figures 2, 5 and 6 and comprise ball rail systems of a proprietary nature. Each ball rail system, as is apparent from Figures 5 and 6 comprises a rail 102 slidable within a runner block 99. Each rail 102 has two spaced ball tracks 101 located on opposite side walls thereof within respective ones of which a plurality of hardened steel balls from respective recirculating sets of balls locate. By virtue of the shape and disposition of the ball tracks and the cross-sectional shape of the rail and block, it is ensured that the balls 103 make contact at two points with their respective ball tracks 101 and blocks regardless of the direction of loading.

This reduces friction to a minimum and ensures that, as the rails run through the runner block, precision guidance of the rail in two planes at right angles to one another within the runner block is ensured.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the runner blocks 99 of the respective guides 39 are located such that there are two in the front wall of the upper floor of the trailer unit and two in the rear wall and two in each side wall, one respectively between the front wall and the jacks at the mid-section thereof and the other between the rear wall and the said jacks 37. As can be seen from Figures 2 and 6, each runner block 99 is supported on an upper region of a structural part of the lower wall portion 19 of the upper floor of the trailer unit, whereas the co-operating rail 102 is secured to a structural part of the upper wall portion 31 of the roof section 29, e.g. between adjacent windows 35. Hence, as the roof section 27 is raised and lowered, so it is guided with precision by virtue of the eight rails 102 secured to the movable part of the roof section sliding within their respective runner blocks.

It will be appreciated that once the roof section 27 has been moved to its extended position, suitable cover channels (not shown) may be placed in position over any exposed tubular struts 55 or rails 102 for cosmetic purposes.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing, the hospitality unit of the present invention is thus capable of being transported from location to location with its roof section lowered as shown in Figure 1, but can then be used as a hospitality unit after the roof section has been raised or extended as shown in Figure 2. Because the roof section when moved to its lowered state, has all its movable parts located externally of the internal space within the first floor of the unit, all the furniture such as the seating 33 on the first floor of the unit can be permanently fixed in position.

The hospitality unit of the present invention is a precision engineered unit and because of the extreme precision which can be achieved during raising and lowering of the roof unit, internal and external finishes of the unit can be of the inexperienced eye, it is impossible both internally and externally of the hospitality unit to realise that the first floor of the unit has a vertically telescopic construction.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A mobile hospitality unit having a chassis with wheels and supporting at least one floor, and a vertically extendible and retractible roof section which is vertically movable relative to the chassis by means of a plurality of screw jacks under the control of a plurality of vertical guides.
2. A hospitality unit according to claim 1 wherein the chassis is in the form of a trailer unit which can be transported by a tractor unit, the trailer unit being connectible to the tractor unit by means of a fifth wheel coupling unit.
3. A hospitality unit according to claim 2 wherein the chassis of the trailer unit supports a plurality of hydraulically operated levelling legs.
4. A hospitality unit according to claim 3 wherein level sensors and control means are provided on the chassis to make certain that, once the levelling legs are deployed, the chassis is maintained level automatically.
5. A hospitality unit according to claim 3 or 4 wherein the trailer unit is provided with its own power source.
6. A hospitality unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the chassis supports not only a ground floor but also a first floor and its supporting sub-frame, together with a lower portion of the walls of the first floor and the roof section comprises a roof and upper portions of the walls of the first floor integral therewith, and wherein the upper portions of the walls of the first floor are telescopically movable relative to the lower portions of the walls of the first floor.
7. A hospitality unit according to claim 6 wherein furniture of a height substantially equal to the height of the lower portion of the walls of the first floor is fitted permanently on the first floor.
8. A hospitality unit according to claim 6 or 7 wherein a major part of the upper portions of the walls of the first floor is comprised of window units.
9. A hospitality unit according to claim 8 wherein the window units comprise double glazed units with miniature remote controlled blinds located in the gap between the panes of glass.
10. A hospitality unit according to claim 6, 7 or 8 wherein the roof section is raised and lowered by six screw jack units which are located, two towards the front of the trailer unit, two in midsection and two towards the rear, with base plates of the jacks being supported on the first floor supporting sub-frame, and threaded jacking members supporting the roof section.
11. A hospitality unit according to claim 9 wherein eight guides are provided, two located at the front, two located at the rear and one being located on each side of the vehicle, between the front and the midsection jacks and another being provided, one on each side of the vehicle, between the midsection jacks and the rear of the vehicle.
12. A hospitality unit according to any one of claims 6-10 wherein each of the guides comprises a ball rail system, comprising a guide rail sliding in a runner block, with the runner blocks being supported on an upper region of a lower portion of a respective wall of the first floor, and the guide rail being secured to an internal face of the moveable upper portion of the respective wall of the first floor.
13. A hospitality unit according to claim 12 wherein each runner block incorporates four recirculating ball circuits, with the balls in each circuit of balls making contact with block and rail at two points, regardless of the direction of loading, so as to reduce friction to a minimum and provide precision guidance in all directions.
14. A hospitality unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in order to achieve extension and retraction of the jacks in unison, they are driven from a single hydraulic motor, via a plurality of torque tubes, flexible joints and splitter gearboxes in the form of 1:1 ratio right angle drive units, each of which has a pair of in-line drives and a further drive extending at right angles thereto.
15. A hospitality unit according to claim 14 when dependent on claim 9 wherein the whole of a drive mechanism for the six screw jacks is located within the first floor sub-frame and the full power of the hydraulic motor is transmitted into a first right angle drive unit, one output of which is connected to a first jack at the front of the vehicle and the opposite output of which is connected to a second right angle drive unit having an output in line with its input which drives a second jack at the front of the unit, an output from the second right angle drive unit which is at right angles to its input driving an input to a third right angle drive unit, one output of which drives one mid-section jack and the opposite output of which drives an input of a fourth right angle drive unit, an in-line output of which drives the other mid section jack and an output at right angles thereto of which drives a fifth right angle drive unit, the two in-line outputs of the fifth right angle drive unit driving respective jacks at the rear of the hospitality unit.
16. A hospitality unit according to claim 14 wherein drive from the motor to the first right angle drive unit and from each drive unit to an adjacent drive unit or to a screw jack is transmitted by a torque tube or a flexible joint.
17. A hospitality unit according to claim 16 wherein universal joints are located between each torque tube and its respective drive unit or jack.
18. A hospitality unit according to claim 16 or 17 wherein, in order to prevent torque tube whip, intermediate needle roller bearing blocks support the torque tubes.
19. A hospitality unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a limit switch prevents overrun of each jack both when the roof is being raised and when the roof is being lowered.
20. A hospitality unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein means is associated with each jack so that, in the event of overrun when the roof is being lowered, drive to the jacks is discontinued.
21. A hospitality unit, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.