US1376377A - Automobile-mirror - Google Patents

Description

C. MEE.

AUTOMOBILE MIRROR.

APPLiCATION FKLED DEC8| 1920.

'1,376,377'. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

l .g'nwcnfot Char/es Mee @www UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES MEE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-TENTHS T0 FRANK KEIPER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW-jYORK.

AUroMoBILE-Mmnon.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 26, 1921.

AApplication tiled December 8, 1920. Serial 170.429,263.

220 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES MEE, a citizen of the United States, residlng at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and Stateof New York,`have invented certain new and usefulv Improvements in Automo-l bile-Mirrors, of which thel following is a specification. a

The object of this invention ,1s to provide a new and 'improved form of mirror for an automobile, either open orl closed car, by which the operator 1s enabled to see both the road ahead of him and the traffic back of-him without turning his head.

This and other objects of this invention will be fully illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the endthereo.

l'n the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view oi a Section of the front of an inc losed ca r above the windshield, showing the mirror 1n place thereon. t

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the' hinge joint at the middle of the mirror.

Figj is a perspect1ve view of the adjustable support `for the hinge Joint.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the "end of the mirror with the auxiliary mirror pivoted thereon.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the adjusting devicel on Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the vbase plate ready to receive the stud.

In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts. L

ln the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates the support for vthe mirror, for which purpose 1n inclosed cars the front of the car at the top above the windshield is ordinarily used, such cars ordinarily having a board ora plate `extending across the front of the car between the uprights, which can be used to support the mirror. On 'this plate is fastened the end brackets 2 and 3 and the intermediate bracket 4. Each of the end brackets consists of a single piece of angle iron, which is fastened to the base by screws.V The forwardly projecting part of the angle iron is perforated to.

form abearing support for the end of the mirror. f The intermediate support comprises the base plates 5 and 6, whichare fastened to the body top of the car, by means of the screw bolt and nut 7. To the bottom of the base 6 is fastened a hinge 8, having a horizontal axis, which in turn carries a link9, having an upset end which'is perforated and threaded to form a nut 10, which receives the stud or operating screw 11. The operating screw has awnged head 12 keyed thereon by which the screw is turned. The screw is turned down vnear the end as indicated at 13 to form a small head 14 on the end. The base plate 6 is outV with a slot 15 which runs lengthwise of the base, and at about the middle of the slot, this slot is ressed out to widen it to permit the intro uction of the head 14 of the stud so'that the re-v duced end of the stud is engaged with the slot. Thereafter, the plate is pressed back to narrow the slot, thus locking, the stud in engagement with the slot. This permits the stud 11 to move along the slot while being held in engagement with the base 6. With the parts assembled as shown in Fig. 5, the head 12 can be turned in the ordinary way. This will cause the link 9 to swing in and out on the hinge 8, thereby the head 14 of the stud travels up Vin the slot as the link 9 moves out at the top and the head 14 moves down in the slot as the link 9 moves in at the top.

The mirrors 16 and 17 are provided, each inclosed in a metal frame 18 and 1-9. These 'metal frames are .joined together by the hinge 20, which hinge on one sidefis joined at the middle to the link 9. The=outer ends of the frames 18 and 19 are provided with the screws 21- and 22. The head of each of these screws is inside of the frame. The threaded stem of the screw extends out from the frame and through the opening provided therefor in the angle iron brackets forming a pivot for the mirrors. The screws are held inv place thereon by the wing nuts 23 and 24, which nuts are screwed up tightlyA on the threaded stems, securely clam ing the angle irons and mirror frames together. These thumb nuts are notused for the operation of the mirror, the tilting of the mirror being secured entirely by the' screwinof the stud 11.

Qn tllise right hand side of thelmirror 17 is Shown the auxiliary mirror 25, hinged thereon. This mirror 25 is hinged to the top and bottom of the frame 19 by the hinges 26 and is held in the desired angular position by the link 2T, which is slot-ted at the end to receive the screw 28,'on which it is clamped by the wing nut 29. A- washer 30 is interposed between the link 27 and the frame of the mirror 25. By loosening the thumb `nut 29, the mirror 25 can be set at any angle de sired and clamped in place. The driver of the car usually sits on the left hand side, and this mirror is, therefore, preferably located on the right hand side so that the driver can see everything on the left hand side of the car.

The operation of the mirrors 16 and 17 is as follows:

After the mirrors are in place in the car, they will normally stand vertically and in a straight line with each other although this is not' essential. The driver turns the thumb screw 12, which causes the mirrors 16 and 17 to move out or in at the top, thus causing the two mirrors, as they move out, to stand at an angle to each other. As they move out, they tilt on the pivots 21 and 22. Ordinarily the mirrors are placed well above the eye of the driver and by moving the screw 11, the mirrors are tilted so as to reiect into the drivers eye the road and the traic thereon behind him. Because the mirror bends at the middle, the driver is enabled to see both sides'of the street so that a wide range of vision is given. The `mir1`ors can be pitched to accommodate a tall driver or a short one in an instant so that he can always see the particular zone of the road that he wants at any distance behind the car and it can also be pitched far enough so that he can even see the persons in the car behind him. It also enables those in the rear seat of the car to see the Vreflection of the road and traffic behind the car.

It will also be understood that the brackets 2 and 3 may be made of sheet metal that will spring to some extent, this being necessary as the mirrors swing forward at the middle, and the trunnion bearings, that engage with the brackets, are placed somewhat below the operating screw 11, by which the mirrors are moved in and out at the top. This tends to hold the mirrors firmly against rocking in any position to which they are moved.

It will also be understood that the mirror, instead of being made in two pieces, hinged at the middle, may be made in one single piece that extends clear across the car and will be supported on the ends by 'the trunnion bearings shown. In this case` the compound hinge at the middle may be omit-ted, but the screw for adjusting will be retained. The mirror will be supported at the ends and held against vibration in the middle. lf desired, a hinge may be used to support the mirror in the middle, but the center of rotation of thehinge must be in line with the center of the trunnion bearings at the end.

claim:

1. A mirror having two sections hinged together` end to'end, trunnion bearings for the outer ends of said sections, said sections normally standing in line with each other, means for moving said hinged joint out to make said mirrors stand at an angle to each other. p

2. A mirror having two sections hinged together end to end, trunnion bearings for the outer ends of said sections, means for rocking said mirrors on said trunnion bearings.

3. A mirror having two sections hinged together end to end, trunnion bearings for the outer ends of said sections, means for moving said hinged joint out at the top to move said mirrors angularly to each other and rock them on said trunnion bearings.

4. A mirror, having an adjustment comprising a base plate, a link pivoted thereto, a threaded nut in the free end of said link, a threaded screw mounted to turn in said nut, said base plate having a slot therein, said screw having a reduced portion engaging with said slot, said screw, when turning, causing said link to swing in or out, the end of the screw moving along the slot.

5. A mirror having an adjustment, comprising a base plate, a link hinged thereto,

said mirror having two sections, joined by a hinge, one side ofsaid hinge being fastened to said link and swinging with it, the outer ends of said sections being supported on bearings.

6. A mirror having two sections, connected by a hinge joint, trunnion bearings o'n the outer ends of said sections, means for swinging said mirror sections on said trunnionvbearings and said hinge joint, and holdin them in position.

3. mirror having a surrounding frame, an auxiliary mirror having a surrounding frame hinged at the top and bottom to the first named frame, a slotted link hinged to the irst named frame, a thumb screw and nut on the second frame engaging said link to fasten said auxiliary mirror in a variety of positions.

8. In a mirror, the combination of a base plate, a plate pivotally mounted thereon, a screw connecting said plates at one side of said pivot to rock and hold said second plate, a mirror section fastened to said plate and rocking therewith, and a pivoted support for said mirror at the end.

9. In a mirror, the ,combination of a base plate, a plate pivotally mounted thereon, mirror sections attached to said plate and extending both ways therefrom, pivotal supports at the outer ends of said mirror sections permitting the rocking of said mirrors with the plate.

10. In a mirror, the` combination of a hase plate, a plate pivotally mounted thereon, mirror sections attached to said plate and extending both ways therefrom, pivotal supports at the outer ends of said mirror sections permitting the rocking of said mirrors with the plate, said mirror sections being cut away at the corner at one end of the plate to expose the plate, a screw for rocking said plate and mirror sections, said screw projecting from the exposed part of the plate between the mirror sections. L

11. A mirror having two sections fastened together end to end, trunnion bearings for the outer ends of -said sections, a bearing supporting the inner ends of said mirror sections and permitting the sections to roc thereon.

12. A mirror having two sections joined together end to end, said mirror sections having trunnions at the end on which to rock, a screw located between the mirror sections to rock. them on their trunnions and hold them in adjusted position.

13. A mirror having two sections joined together end to end, said mirror sections having trunnions at tin` end on which to rock, a screw located between the mirror sections to rock them on their trunnions and hold them in adjusted position, a bearing supporting said mirror sections at the middle and on which they are adapted to rock.

14. A mirror having two sections joined together end to end` said mirror sections having pivotal supports at the ends on which to rock and means located between the end supports to simultaneously rock said mirrors.

15. A mirror having two sections joined together end to end said :mirror sections having pivotal .supports at the ends on which to rock and means .located 1oetween the end supports to simultaneously rock said mirror sections, said means holding them in any predetermined position.

16. A mirror having two sections hinged together end to end, trunnion bearings for the outer ends of said sections, brackets on which said bearings are supported to turn and on which they are fastened against endwise movement, means for moving the hinged joint of the mirrors outwardly and drawing the outer ends of the mirror sections toward each other and springing the brackets toward each other.

17. In a mirror, a hinge having a swinging plate and a fixed plate, a screw conneeted by its threads to the swinging plate, said screw having a head engaged below the stationary plate by which it is held against longitudinal movement, a mirror attached to the swinging plate and swinging therewith.

18. In a mirror, a hinge having a swing'- ing plate and a fixed plate, a screw connected by its threads to the swinging plate, said screw having a head engaged below the stationary plate by which it is held against longitudinal movement, a mirror attached to the swinging plate and swinging therewith, a second plate fixed below said fixed plate against which the head of the screw rests.

19. A mirror having trunnions on the ends thereof on which it can rock, a screw extending transversely to the mirror and out of line with the trunnions and having a positiveengagement with the mirror, means to hold said screw against longitudinal movement and permitting it to turn, whereby on the turning of the screw the mirror is swung on its bearings.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my si nature.

CHARLES EE.

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