US1496569A - Disappearing foot rest - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1924.;

. 1,496,569 G. T. VON GERMETEN ET AL DISAPPEARING FOOT REST Filed Sept. 21 1923 Patented June 3, 1924.

TES

GEORGE T. VON GERMETEN AND C ARL F. HANSEN, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN.

I DISAPPEARING FOOT REST.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE T. VON GER- METEN and CARL F. HANSEN, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Disappearing Foot Rests; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to disappearing foot rests for automobiles. It is an improvement over that disclosed in our copending application for disappearing foot rests filed February 16, 1923, Serial Number 619,399 and has in general the same objects as those enumerated in such application.

In foot rests for automobiles, as heretofore constructed, difficulty has been expe rienced in preventing the heel of the user from catching in the recess which normally houses the support or rest proper. Further than this, foot rests for automobiles have frequently been objectionable in that they rattled, bounced out of position and were not easily operated. This invention is de signed to overcome the above noted defects and objects of such invention are to provide a foot rest which is so constructed that no cavity is exposed for the heel of the user to catch therein, which is resiliently retained in either its elevated or retracted position and held against rattling or bouncing out of position, which may be easily drawn upwardly and backwardly into operative position, and which may be locked in operative position in a simple and effective man ner without the use of auxiliary locking means.

An embodiment of the invent-ion is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of an automobile showing the relative position of the foot rest and rear seat.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View through the foot rest showing the rest in its elevated or operative position and corresponding to the position shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that illustrated in Figure 2 showing the rest in its inoperative or retracted position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan View of one end of the casing.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the casing partly in section.

Figure 6 is a view of one of the end members or arms of the rest proper'or support.

Figure 71's a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view on the line X-X of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the central portion of the casing.

The foot rest comprises a casing which includes end members 1 having laterally extending secured flanges adapted to rest upon the floor of an automobile with the depending portion of the casing inset within such fioor. These flanges are provided with suitable apertures 23 for the reception of screws or other securing means. Each of the end members is provided with slightly depressed flanged portions 3 which project towards each other and receive the central portion 4 of the casing (see Figure 9). portion is riveted welded or otherwise secured to the end portions so that the casing as a whole is of substantially U-shape, as may be seen from Figure 1. The casing is reenforced as indicated at 5 and is provided with an aperture 6 through which a pintle pin 7 is passed. A second aperture 8 is provided below and in front of the aperture 6 and receives the spring retaining pin 9. It is to be noted that adjacent the rear end of thecasing an overhanging port-ion 10 is provided for a purpose hereinafter to be described. The rear'portion is further provided with a recess or cut out 13 which terminates in a rear slanting face 14 (see Figures 2 and 5). The lower portion of the casing is generally downwardly slanting, as indicated at 12 in Figure 5.

The arms or end members of the support or rest proper are indicated at 11 and are shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7. They comprise right and left hand memberseach provided with a socket 15 adapted to receive a transverse bar 16, such bar being of wood or other suitable material.

It is to be noted that the end members are provided with elongated slots 17 adjacent oneend and with a projecting portion 18. These slots may be formed in a thickened This central a manipulating member 27 which may take the form of a projecting lip or loop, as illustrated in the drawings.

In using the device, the foot rest is rocked upwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 bymeans of the manipulating member 27. In this position, it is slid downwardly, asshown in Figure 2, so that the projecting portion 18 engages the slanting surface let and thus holds the rest in elevated position, the spring 21 aidingin thissecure retention of the foot rest in operative position. It is to be noted that when the rest is in this position that there is no danger of a heels catching in the recess, as the recess is "forwardly of the support, and as there are noexposed recesses. I WVhen it is desired to close the foot rest, it is merely necessary to slide the support 11 upwardly from the position shown in Figure 2 and, thereafter, to allow it to rock downwardly into the position shown in Figure 3. The spring will securely hold the rest in either its elevated orretracted position and will prevent rattling or bouncing of the foot rest out of position.

It is to be noted that the overhanging ledge or shoulder prevents inadvertent operation of the foot rest by stepping upon the projecting portion-18, as such portion is normally housed beneath the ledge 10. It will thus be seen-that a foot rest has been provided for automobiles which does not position, and which will remain in either elevated or retracted position without dan ger. of either bouncing or ratth ng.

' Although one form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it is be slid beneath a portion of said casing when said support is rocked into an elevated position, and a spring attached to said casing and said support and tending to rock said support into a substantially horizontal position within said casing.

2. A disappearing toot rest for automobiles adapted to be inset within the floor. of such automobiles, said foot rest comprising an open casing having supporting marginal flanges, a support adapted to be rocked downwardly into said casing and having end members each provided with an elongated slot adjacent one end and with a projecting portion extending beyond said slot, and pivot pins carried by said casing and passing through said slots, said casing having a recessed portion into which said projecting portion is adapted to be slid when said rest is rocked into elevated position.

3. A disappearing foot rest for automobiles adapted to be inset within the floor of such automobiles, said foot rest comprising an open U-shaped casing having supporting marginal flanges, a U-shaped support adapted to be rocked downwardly into said casing and having end members each provided with an elongated slot adjacent one end and with a projecting portion extending be yond said slot, and pivot pins carried by said casing and passing through said slots, said casing having a recessed portion into which said projecting portionis adapted to be slid when saidrest is rocked into elevated position.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hand at Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin.

GEORGE T. VON GERMETEN. CARL F. HANSEN.

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