US1826425A - Pressed metal body frame - Google Patents

Description

0d. 6, 1931. J, L DMNKA 1,826,425

PRESSED METAL BODY FRAME Filed Nov. 18, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTUR. 7 JOSEPH Lspwmxl v FIG. I9

I r w f "ATTORNEY;

Oct. 6, 1931. JLLEDWINKA 1,826,425

PRESSED METAL BODY FRAME Filed Nov. 18, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOSEPH LEDWINKR BY W A TTORNE Y.

Oct.6, 1931.

J. LEDWINKA PRESSED METAL BODY FRAME Filed Nov. 18, 1925 5 Sheets'-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JOSEPH LEDWINKH BY 2 9 ATTORNEY.

J. LEDWINKA Oct. 6, 1931.

PRESSED METAL BODY FRAME Filed 8. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I NVEN TOR.

JOSEPH paowmxn BY W A TTORNE Oct. 6, 1931. .1. LEDWINKA PRESSED METAL BODY FRAME Filed 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOSEPH LEDWINKA FIG. 8

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Oct. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH'LEDWINKA, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD G. 'IBUDD MANUFACTURING 00., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA PBESSED BODY FRAME Application filed Novembeglfi, 1925. Serial No. 6t),734.

The invention is of great utility in connection with pleasure car bodies. This utility flows from a number of sources. The skeleton framework of the pressed metal body is greatly improved. The strength of the skeleton frame of the structure at large,

and resultantlyjthat of the unit sub-assemblies in which i is manufactured-,is greatly increased. Construction in unit assemblies is greatly facilitated. The joinder of the units to each other is simplified and cheapened. The units as such may be the more simply, efficiently, and effectively joined to each other. The :invention improves the forms of the main body side sills, the body posts, and their joinder with each other. There are yet other improvements in the posts and top rails of the structure-and theirjoinder with each other. And particularly is the structure of the so called cowl unit improved.

The main body side sills upon which the skeleton framework is founded are of channel-shaped cross section with the bottom wall of the' channel disposed vertically and outwardly of the body, the lower side wall is disposed horizontally and is of plane form, the upper margin of the bottom wall is arched inwardly and merged into the top side wall, the inner edge of the top side wall is flanged downwardly and then inwardly to support the floor boards, the cross braces have their ends entered into the mouth of the channel and are secured to both side walls thereof, and the channel section posts have their dubbed ofl' ends closed by a flange from an adjacent wall, and their side walls flanged and wrapped around the outer and upper-sur-- faces of the sill.

This construction is characteristic of the skeleton frame but it finds variation in its several portions in which the invention has been directed to meeting more exactly the varying conditions. Other characteristifs of the invention will be more fully and readily understood and the specification fore-shortened by treating them with the aid of the drawings.

Of the drawings Figures 1, 2 and 3 are the front, middle and rear parts of a vertical, longitudinal section of a closed pleasure car body.

joint of the rear or D post with the main body side sill and tonneau sill corresponding in general to that portion of Fig. 3 designated by circle 7.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section of this joint of Fig. 7 taken on line 8-8 of Figs. 3 and 7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on line 99 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the joint between the front post and the lower windshield panel appearing in Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a cross section of the lap joint between these parts taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged inside elevation of the joint between the front post and the top rail comprehended generally in the region of the circle 12 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 13 is a transverse section of the top rail adjoining the front post taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is an inside elevation of the oint between the rear or D post and the top rail taken in the region of the circle 14 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 15, 16, 17 and 18 are respectively transverse sections of the rear quarter window frame taken on the lines correspondingly designated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 19 is a detail sectional view showing the connection of the peak panel to the A- post.

The skeleton framework of the body comprises main body side sills 20, tonneau side sills 21, main body cross braces 22, a tonneau rear sill 23, front, intermediate and rear body posts A, B-C, D, a tonneau post E, body top rails 24, a lower windshield header 25, an upper windshield header 26, both extending be tween the A or front posts, and a system of bracing appearing within the tonneau. section shown in Fig. 3. p

The outer shell structure which is connected to this skeleton frame comprises the cowl or shroud panel 27 connected jointly with the body side sills 20 and the A posts and Windshield header 25, the tonneau rear and quarter paneling designated generally 28 and interconnecting commonly the D posts, the t0nneau side and rear sills, and the top rails 24, and the roof designated generally 29 and interconnecting commonly the top windshield header or peak panel 26, the top rails 24 and the forwardly arched bver top of the tonneau panel 28.

According to the invention of my co-pending application, Serial No. 530,114, filed J anuary 18,1922, I construct such a body in unit sub-assemblies as follows and join them together as units in final assembly. A cowl unit. comprising the A posts and connecting windshield headers 25 and 26 and the connected cowl or shroud panel 27. "Side units comprising themain body side sills 20 from the fore end of the shroud 27 to the base of the D post,

the top rails 24 from the A posts to the E posts and the connected B and C posts and the cross brace units. A tonneau unit comprising the tonneau side sills 21 and connected rear sill 23, the D and E posts erected thereon, and the tonneau paneling 28. This body I construct in the same unitary subassemblies and as aforesaid, my present invention in addition to its other utilities is of great utility in facilitating such sub-assemblies and their final assembly together.

The main body side sill 20 as clearly appears in Figs. 1 to 5 and especially in Fig. 5 is of channel cross section having its bottom wall 30 disposed vertically and outwardly of the body of the car. Its lower side wall 31 is of plane form. free of flanges and upstanding projections. The upper margin 32 of the bottom side wall is arched over inwardly and merged into the upper side wall 33. The inner edge of .the upper side wall 33 is flanged first downwardly as at 34 and then inwardly as at 35 to accommodate the floor boards 36 of the carwhich are extended fromv side sill 20 to side sill 20 and have their ends secured in the angle between the flanges 34 and 35. The cross braces 22 (Fig. 2) are likewise extended from sill to sill. They are of channel cross section having flanged side walls. the flanges in this case extended outwardlv. Their ends are proie ted bodil within the mouth of the channel section of the sills 20 to abut the outer bottom wall 30. The channels 22 are of a. depth corresponding to the width of the mouth and are secured commonly by welding and b rivets to both side walls of the channel section sill. They thus interbrace these side walls and stifl'en and strengthen the sill not only at the points of joinder but for a considerable distance both ways from the joinder by reason of the stiffness afforded by the angle section offlanges 34-35. The abutting of the ends of the braces against the outer side wall stitlens the brace against angular movementin the horizontal plane. Only one of these braces is shown in place. them not shown. In Fig. 5 the end of a brace is dotted in position to afford an en'- larged view.

The A, BC, and D posts are each of channel shaped cross section as clearly appears especially in Figs. 1 to 3, 6, 8 and 17. They are in common provided With dubbedoff lower ends closed by a flange from an adjacent wall and flanged side walls wrapped around the body side sills 20. Let us examine first the bottom end of the A post in its joinder with the side sill as shown in Figs. 4 to 6'. Here the dubbed-ofl' end is designated 37. It is closed by a flange 38 struck in from the bottom wall 39 of the post and seam welded at the edges to the side walls of the post. The front and rear side walls 4041 of the post at the inner corner of the dubbed-off end 37 are cut away and either or both provided with an outwardly extending' flange 42 contoured to form a jog 43 of the sh ape of the bottom and top side walls 33 of the side sill 20. Thereby the sill and post are seated upon each other as shown in Fig. 5. The bottom and top side walls of the sill are inwardly offset as at 44 to a depth sufficient' to bring the outer surface of the flange 42 flush with the threshold. In effect. the flange 42 is wrapped around the bottom and the top side wall of the sill to found the lower end of the post upon it. This ioint is spot or seam welded or both. resulting in a firm erection andconnection of the post. The arched over flange 42 and bottom wall 30 together constitute a rounded threshold face of generous area. removing the heretofore existing objectionable sharp corners at the threshold of the car. at once lessening the danger of tripping of those entering the car and providing for a. simplification and a more effective closure of the bottom thereof.

At the A post onl one such flan e. 42 is provided. the front side wall 40 of the post being otherwise sha ed for ioinder with the cowl panel 27 as will presently be described. he B and C post is p ov ded with two such flanges 42, one on each the front side wall.

40 and the rear side wall 41. The D or rear post like the A post is also provided with only one such. flange 42, in this case, connected With its front side wall 40 and wrapped around the rear end of the sill 20. Its rear side wall is differently formed to There are a number of constitute it a means of connection with the possible closer fits, and insures larger bases and better welds.

edge of the cowl panel. said edge nesting with the angular seat of the post (Fig. (5).

The bottom wall 39 of the post is very wide at its base but is narrowedgradually to the belt line where the post is of substantially umform width. This carries the line of joinder of the 'cowl panel with the post upwardly on a pleasing upwardly and rearwardly trending course. At its bottom dubbed end 37 the flange 38 closing the end is inclined upwardly along a smooth curve to make a curved joinder with the front side wall 40 and its offset 45, .with the joint object of presenting a pleasing exterior finish for the base of the post and strongly bracing the lower end ofthe joint 45l6 which lower end lies without the main body of the sill 20 as appears in Fig. 4. 'Still further. the bottom wall 39 of the post follows the transverse contour of the body to the rear of the cowl. The inward offset 45 the base of which is braced by the upwardly inclined bottom 38 of the post follows the different and more nearly vertically extending contour 47 of the cowl 27 as indicated in Fig. The entire A post is a one piece pressed at 46a metal stamping. The side wall 30 is inwardly offset to accommodate the lower ends of flanges 45, 46.

Likewise the D post is a one piece pressed metal stamping. But the form of its base is quite different from that of the A post. Its

base is formed to constitute the connecting bracket (commonly known as the post D bracket) between the body side sill 20 and the tonneau side sill 21. The flange 38 of its dubbed-oif end is inwardly extended to form the wide base plate 48 of the bracket structure. Indeed. the channel section post structure per se may be said to be erected upon the front outer end of this base plate. The rear side wall is widely flared by arching it inwardly and rearwardly to form the arch 49 of the wheel housing of the body in this region. to

connect integrally the rear side Wall 41 of the post and the rear outer edge of the base plate 48'and in its longitudinally extending rear portion 50 to form with the base plate 48 an angular seat to receive the front end of the angle section side sill 21. This front end is spot welded to the vertical face of the section 50 of the post as indicated by as applied in Figs. 3 and 7 and also riveted thereto as well as to the base plate 48. The upper edge of the merging members 4l4950 is narrowed upwardly to meet the uniform width of the upper reaches of the D post.

The structure as a whole constitutes a post D bracket of quite a novel form.

The lower windshield header is connected at its ends with the front walls 40 of the posts by a lap joint of the form shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The header is arched'over and in general conforms to the arched top ofthe cowl 27. Its lower edge is provided with an inward offset 51 in continuation of an inward offset 45 of the front wall 40 of the post and the cowl flange 46 is similarly welded thereto. The upper edge of the header 25 is flanged inwardly and upwardly as at 52 and 53 to form an angle-seat for the lower windshield weather stripping.

Su ported in rearwardly spaced relation to the header 25 is a baffle plate 54 supported by means of angle brackets 55 welded by one arm to flange 52 of the header and by, the other arm to the'body of the baffle plate. The baffle plate is extended downwardly and thence forwardly interiorly of the cowl 27 whereby jointlv to provide a forward and inward path for incoming air beneath a raised windshieldand to constitute a support for. an instrument board. The upper margin Qfbalile plate 54 extends vertically a considerable distance above the flange 53 of header 25 and preferably above the uppermost raised position of the windshield. It has its upper edge forwardly turned and beaded but spaced from the innermost plane of the windshield. Thereby, air admitted by raising the windshield may pass directly to the interior of the car past this inturned beaded edge of baflle 54.

At the top of the A post, as clearly appears in Fig. 12, the top rail 24 and the A post are interconnected by means of an angle bracket 56 secured to the bottom wall of the channel section top rail as shown in Fig. 13. and to the rear side wall 41 of the post. This angle bracket is chiefly differentiated from other constructions by being provided with a seat 57 for the upper hinge of the front door. This seat 57 is in the form of a slot registering with an opening 58 through the outer wall of the A post. The bottom end of the post arm of this bracket is thickened and widened to accommodate this slot and give am le support and foundation for the hinge. The bottom wall 39 of the post is inwardly ofl'seton its rear edge as at 59 (Figs. 5 and 12) to accommodate the front door overlap. The outer side wall 60 of the ch anncl section top rail 24 is also inwardly offset in its lower margin and the offsets of the top rail and of the post are in continuation of each other at the juncture of the top rail and the post.

This juncture is effected by butt-welding the outer side wall 60 of the top 'rail to the bottom side Wall 39 of the post along the line 60a as shown in Fig. 12. The top end 'of the bottom wall 39 is provided with a slight inward ofiset indicated at 60?), Figs. 12 and 13 to bring it into the plane 60 of the top rail, and also to provide a seating for the lower edge of the roof structure 29.

. At the top of the B-C posts the top rail 24 is joined not only by welding the abutting end of the post to the bottom wall of the channel, hut'also by riveting and welding to the bottom of the channel section of the top rail a U-shaped bracket 62 whose arms are spot welded to the side walls of the channel of the B-C posts. SeeFig. 2. This bracket 62 is characterized by the provision of a downturned flange 63in connection with the bight of the U section and interconnecting the bight with the two arms thereof. This provision greatly strengthens and stilfens the bracket and the joint between the parts of which it forms an element.

The D post at its top is like the A post also connected to the top rail throughan angle bracket. In this case, however, the bracket 64, while of the general form of the bracket 56. does not enter the channel of the top rail 24 but is either welded or riveted to the under side of the channel wall as clearly appears in Fig. 14. Like the bracket 54 its lower arm is provided with a seat 65 for the hinge, in

this case the seat communicating with a slot in the outer face of the post. This arm of bracket 64 is secured by welding or riveting to the front side wall of the D post. The upper end of the post is welded to the bottom wall of the top rail.

In the rear quarter window the inside window retaining and finish frame 67 is a unitary structure of rectangular form having rounded corners, set as a unit into the window frame formed of the D and E posts and the top rail 24. The sides of this unitary frame 67 are in general of channel cross section as clearly appears in Figs. 15 to 18. It is secured in place removably by means of clips (not shown). The form in general is similar to that forming a part of my application filed November 14, 1925, Serial No. 69,012 covering door and window frame construction.

The roof construction is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, '3. and 13. In detail it is covered in my application, Serial No. 69,246 filed November 14, 1925. It coacts with the skeleton frame and body construction of this application through its connection with the peak panel 26 andtop rails 24. The sides of the roof are lapped over-the outer side Walls of the channel section top rails 24 and preferably removably secured thereto. The roof is an all metal construction and effectually interbraces the top rails 24 which form the top of the skeleton frame. At the front the roof is provided with a visor section 69 the bottom wall 70 of which is welded directly to the peak panel 26. The peak panel 26 at its ends'is welded directly to the A post as shown in Fig. 19. At the point of juncture of the visor 69 with the body of the roof is this structure is removably attached an inner peak panel 72 having its ends removably attached to the A posts. Through its connection with the A posts it braces ,the roof. On its interior is intended to be supported a windshield regulator mechanism in the manner shown in my copending application, Serial No. 69,011 filed November 14, 1925. At its rear end'the roof 29 includes the forwardly arched-over portion '73 of the upper tonneau 'panel,'the central section 79 belng connected therewith by the flanged joints 74.-

This body at large possesses great staunchness. Yet its members are in the main of very regular form. Theirjoints with each other are straight forward and generous in their overlapping telescoping seating relations. Moreover, both the elements and the joints are open. These factors are not only of local advantage in each region of the structure but of general advantage not only for the reasons stated but also by reason of the fact that the sub-assembly unit construction is facilitated and final assembly of the con structed units is-achieved,

The frontface of the D post rises substantially rectilinearly from the main body side sill. I combine this feature of my invention with another device to the end of reducing the number of door stampings required. This very feature consists in the making of the front left and rear right door frames of the same contour and dimension. Likewise, I make the front right and rear left door of the same contour and dimension starting from the A and D posts respectively as bases. Stated in other terms the front and rear doors on opposite sides of the car are syma transverse flange or rib structure 71. fTo

metrical with respect to the transverse plane 2. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, a body side sill, a tonneau sill, and a channel section post all of stamped metal, one side wall of which post is flanged and connected with the side sill through the flange, and the other side wall of which is widely flared inwardly and rearwardly and at itsbase is connected with the'tonneau-sill.

3. In a pressedmetal vehicle body, in combination, a body side sill, a tonneau sill, and a channel section post all of stamped metal, one side wall of which post is flanged and connected with the side sill through the flange. and the other side wall of which is arched widely inwardly and rearwardly to form a flange on the post flush with the threshold portion of the wheel housing and is at its surface of the sill.

base connected with the tonneau sill.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiz'z my 4. A post D bracket comprising a stamping signature.

having a horizontally disposed base flange, an upwardly'extending substantially rectilinear channel section at the front outer edge thereof, an inwardly and rearwardly arched extension of the rear wall of the'channel section connected with the base and adapted to form a part of a wheel housing.

51 A post D bracket comprising a base flange, a rectilinear channel section erected at the forward outer end thereof, and a rearwardly deep channel flange connecting the rear end of the base flange and the rear wall of the channel and adapted jointly to form a side wall of the wheel housing and a connection with the tonneau side sill.

6. A pressed metal vehicle body, a windshield frame comprising body posts, a roof extending from post to post and a windshield peak panel structure having front and rear walls, the front wall of which is supported directly from the posts and the rear wall of fwhich is supported directly from the mo 7. In a pressed metal vehiclebody, in combination, channel shaped main body side sills having the bottom wall of the channel vertically and outwardly disposed, the lower side wall of plane form, the bottom of arched form, in its upper margin merging intothe top of the side wall, the top side wall downwardly and inwardly flanged, body cross braces having their ends inserted between the plane form bottom side wall and the flange of the upper side wall and secured thereto, and body posts having flanged lower ends wrapped around the arched bottom and top walls of said body sills.

8. In combination, a main body side sill and a pressed metal body post of inwardly presenting channel section extended .down without substantial change of cross section outwardly of the sill and terminating at the bottom substantially in the plane of the bottom of the sill, the main body of said post having a jog fitting over the outside wall and the top of said sill and formed with a laterally projecting flange at said jog wrapped around the side and top of the main body side sill and rigidly secured thereto.

9. In combination, a main body side sill of pressed metal having a threshold section of inwardly presenting channel form, a pressed metal body post of inwardly presenting channel form having an integrally flanged jog fitting over the side and top of said threshold section and forming a flanged bottom connection therewith both on the side and the top of the sill, said sill being formed with an offset in the'contiguous walls of the side and top thereof of a depth suificient to bring the

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