US1053828A - Vehicle top-bow. - Google Patents

Description

W. M. KALLBON.

VEHICLE TOP BOW.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 0,1912.

1,053,828. I Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

UITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER M. KALLIBON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN MOTORS COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

VEHICLE TOP-BOW.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \Vanrnn M. Kxncnox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Top- Bows, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in bows for folding vehicle tops, and while applicable to all kinds of vehicles having folding tops, it has been made with special reference to automobile construction, for which purposes it is well adapted.

The object of the invention is to support the cover of the top at more places than has heretofore been done without increasing the number of bows exposed below the top to interfere with the outlook from the car and to detract from the neatness of its appearance.

By supporting the cover at more places it can be made to approach more closely to a true curve in outline, which will greatly improve its appearance, it also supports the cloth better and affords greater clearance when the top is dropped and permits of the shifting of the top nearer to the rear of the tonneau.

The further object of the invention is to hinge a pair of bows to each middle bowsocket, and to separate, brace and steady the hinged bows of each pair by a fixed bow extension from the sockets supporting that pair.

The object, also, is to provide a fixed bow extension from each bow-socket to which the pair of hinged bows may be secured against vibration when the top is folded and dropped.

Another object is to reduce the size and weight of the hinged bows and bow extension between them so they will occupy a more compact space when folded without a corresponding loss in strength.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an automobile showing a portion of the body. the bows complete supporting the raised top and showing the cloth of the top in vertical section exposing the bows in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail on a larger scale in top plan view of the upper portion of a bowsocket having my improved bow hinges and showing the rear hinged bow in longitiulinal Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filedJuly 6, 1912.

Patented Feb. 18,1913.

Serial No. 708,003.

section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same parts illustrated in Fig. 2, showing the hinged bows folded and in longitudinal section, and Fig. 4 is a section on the line %l:--%lof Fig.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

5 is an automobile body and 6 the cloth or leather cover of a folding top, both of usual construction. I

7 are the middle bow-sockets, and 8 the diagonal end bows supported from the middle bow sockets, all of usual construction and operating in the usual manner.

My invention lies in the construction of the bows supported by the middle bow sockets.

9 is a bow which I will designate as a fixed bow to distinguish it from two other bows carried by the same supports but attached to the latter by means of hinged joints permitting the bows to fold, which is not the case with the bow 9. The bow 9 is formed of the usual shape out of channel iron 10, which is stit't'ened and strengthened by a wooden filler 11. The bow thus formed is inserted in a socket 12, having expanded ends (here shown as bifurcated) which are driven firmly into the wooden filler 13 of the corresponding lam-sockets 7. Each bow 9 will extend transversely of the body of the vehicle and will be supported by and connect a pair of opposite middle bow-sockets 7.

14!. is a metal plate which is secured by rivets 15 to the upper end of a bow- socket 7, and 16 are a pair of goosenecks which are hingedly secured at their lower ends to the plate 14, and extend thence upwardly (when the bow-socket is in its vertical position) and outwardly whereby the socket at. its end will be out even with and alongside of the adjacent fixed bow S). Bows 18 which I will designate as hinged bows, are supported by the goosenecks 16 and will extend transversely of the vehicle and top in a manner similar to the fixed bows 9. These hinged bows 18 will be formed out of channel bars '10, and will be filled with wood 11. in the same manner as described for the fixed bows S), and because of the greater strength arising from this construction I am able to reduce the cross sectional area of all of the bows 9 and 18 to an extent that. will allow the hinged bows to be folded against the fixed bow 9, and when thus folded the three together will occupy but little more space and be little if any heavier than the bows which have generally heretofore been used with middle bow-sockets 7 The ends of the bows 18 are seated and secured in the sockets formed for that purpose in the outer ends of the goosenecks 16.

When the vehlcle top is raised the hinged bows 18 are spread to the diagonal positions on each side of the fixed bows 9, as shown in Fig. 1, and there being four of the hinged bows, the material of the top will consequently be supported at four more places than was afiorded by a single bow-extension from the middle bow-sockets 7 under prevailing methods, and the top will have twice as much bow support as in said previous construction. WVhen the top is dropped the folds will be shorter and smaller and as a result will shift loack nearer the rear of the tonneau, and when thus folded the fixed bars 9 will act as a support or anchorage for the hinged bars, which may be tied to the fixed bars, and the oscillation of the folded top on the hinges of the bars 18, which would otherwise be serious when the car was traveling, over rough roads, is entirely obviated.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness as regards details of construction and arrangement and as being embodied in certain precise forms, I do not desire to be limited thereto unduly or any more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary I contemplate all proper changes in form, construction, and arrangement, the omission of immaterial elements and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

I claim:

1. The combination with a pair of bowsockets and a fixed bow smaller than the sockets in width supported by said pair, of a pair of bows likewise smaller arranged one on each side of the fixed bow and hinged to said sockets.

2. The combination with a pair of bowsockets and a fixed bow smaller than the sockets in width supported by said pair, of a pair of likewise smaller bows, one on each side of the fixed bow, and goosenecks terminating said last bows and extending to and hinged to the respective inner sides of the upper ends of said sockets.

In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this second day of July, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twelve.

WALTER M. KALLBON. [Ll 8.

Witnesses:

F. W. VVOERNER, V. A. LONGAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

' Washington, D. C.

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