A bus frame including a floor frame and a roof frame, the roof frame including a three-dimensional longitudinally continuous framework occupying at least a portion of the total roof frame width. The three-dimensional framework fits along the corners of the bus formed where the roof and side walls of the bus meet. The outer contour of the framework has the form of a triangular prism, one face of the prism coinciding with the bus roof, and another face coinciding with a bus side wall. The prism-shaped framework is defined in part by a series of triangular transverse members, each member being in a plane normal to the longitudinal centerline of the bus. The diagonally-oriented frame members, which face the interior of the bus, carry retaining elements for holding trim panels.

There is described a motorbus or similar vehicle, which is provided in the top part of the bodywork thereof with a self-supporting structure integrated therein, which extends over the whole vehicle length, whereby said integrated structure bears directly on the wheel axles, in such a way that there is notably a possibility of lowering the vehicule floor due to the omitting of the bearing function of those bodywork structures present below the floor and the taking over of such function by said structure integrated in the top bodywork part.

The invention relates to a body for vehicles, as well as to vehicles carrying such a body, wherein the side surfaces of said body consist of modular elements assembled to one another, each of said modular element having an angle extension forming at least a portion of the roof of said body.

A personal conveyance is herein disclosed wherein a space frame or roll cage of an integral passenger and engine compartment is fabricated from at least two (2), preferably elliptical, roll bars that are directly or indirectly associated with a floor pan. In each case, at least one (1) roll bar is integral with and supportive of the perimeter of the floor pan and preferable permanently bonded (e.g. welded) thereto. A second, (and possible multiple roll bars), is then arranged inboard of said horizontal roll bar, in a linear array along the length of the vehicle, and at an inclined angle relative to the plane of the floor pan. The horizontal roll bar is affixed to the inclined roll bar at each point of intersection or coincidence thereof, so as to form an essential unitary structure or roll cage sufficient to accommodate both passenger and power plant compartments. This roll cage or X-O-Skeleton.TM.-like structure is further modified on the inboard surface of the passenger and power plant compartments to receive and retain fasteners that are associated with body panels and windscreen/windows. The complimentary fasteners and fittings on such panels and inboard surfaces of the roll bars permit wind and water tight enclosure of the passenger and engine compartments defined by such roll cage or X-O-Skeleton.TM..

A bus body and body-to-chassis frame mounting structure is provided wherein the body is vibration isolation supported from the chassis frame and includes a flooring assembly spaced no more than 3" above the chassis frame, and further wherein the flooring assembly has the lower ends of the legs of top bows of the body anchored relative thereto through the utilization of sill panel structure providing not only an inwardly opening channel for receiving the opposite side marginal edge portions of the flooring assembly, outer side seat mounts and body side reenforcement against lateral impact, but which also facilitates multi-area rigid interconnection between the flooring assembly, the top bows and the outer side panels of the bus body. Further, the mounting structure utilized to mount the bus body from the associated chassis frame accomplishes the mounting function through the utilization of simple conventional body-to-frame mounting structure.