US2022604A - Safety device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 26, 1935. c w RASMUSS 2,022,604

SAFETY DEVICE Filed Sept. 6, 1934 INVENTOR BY 14% 2 fawn/r60.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention has for its object the provision of an accessory which may be readily mounted on the running board of a motorcycle and operated to prevent toppling of the vehicle when at rest or when running at a low speed. It is also an object to provide a device for the stated purpose which will be normally yieldably held in inoperative position, may be readily locked in operative position, and which will absorb the shock of the support impinging upon the ground. These several objects are attained in such a device as is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be hereinafter fully described, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly defined in the appended claims. r

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the device mounted on a motorcycle.

Figure 2 is a View on a larger scale, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 2.

The motorcycle, indicated at I, may be of any known or approved form and construction. In practicing the present invention, an opening 2 is formed through the rear end portion of each foot board 3, it being understood that a foot board is mounted on each side of the vehicle. Firmly bolted to the underside of each foot board, at the front end thereof, is a leaf spring 4- which has its rear free end disposed under the opening 2 and tends constantly to lie against the underside of the board as shown in Figure 1. At its rear end, the spring has a threaded opening formed therethrough and a cylindrical box 5 is secured upon the underside of the spring concentric with said opening, said box housing an expansion spring 6 which is coiled around a plunger or rod passing centrally through the top and bottom of the box and slidable therein. A shoulder or abutment washer 8 is secured upon the plunger within the box and a collar or ferrule 9 is secured in the opening in the end of the spring 4 to guide the plunger, as shown in Figure 5, the spring 4 forming the top of the box 5 and the coiled spring 6 bearing at one end against said spring 4 and at its opposite end against the abutment 8. The lower end of the plunger carries a. yoke H1 in which is mounted a roller II adapted to at times run upon the ground. On the upper end of the plunger is a knob 62 which constitutes a stop to limit the downward movement of the plunger and the knob also provides a handle whereby the plunger may be raised, if necessary or rotated to set the roller 5 or wheel II at a desired angle.

Mounted in the forward end portion of the opening 2 is a crank or locking arm l3 having a circular head or hub 14 disposed within the opening and held therein by a fulcrum pin or 10 axle passing through a diametrical slot I6 in the hub or head and having its ends secured in the walls of said opening as shown clearly in Figure 3. Extending centrally from the hub 14 is a pedal I! having an expanded foot rest 15 [8, the pedal normally projecting upwardly, as shown in Figure 1, but adapted to lie within the opening 2 when depressed, it being noted that the opening 2 is T-shaped to accommodate the pedal and the hub. Extending through the opening 2 at the sides of the pedal are the stirrups l9 adapted to bear against the hub I4 and held thereto by expansion springs 20 seated in sockets provided therefor in the foot board, as will be understood. The stirrups are slidably mounted on the top and bottom of the foot board and held thereon by bolts 2| passing through the foot board and through longitudinal slots 22 in the stirrups.

Normally, when the vehicle is in use, the parts are in the positions shown in Figure 1, the rollers or wheels II being held up from the ground by the spring 4. In this position, the pedal ll extends upwardly and the pressure exerted by the springs 20 upon the hub through the stirrups holds the hub upward relative to the fulcrum pin l5 so that the pin is off center and the pedal will be locked in the raised position with the arm I3 disposed within the opening 2. When the vehicle is stopped or is traveling at low speed, the rider by pressing upon the pedal causes it to swing downwardly to the position shown in Figure 2, thereby rocking the arm l3 into engagement with the spring 4 and depressing the same to carry the wheel or roller II to the ground, the arm l3 assuming the vertical position and the springs 20 shifting the hub so that the fulcrum pin is at the rear end of the slot l 6 and off center thereby locking the roller H in the lowered ground-engaging position. The same action is effected at both sides of the vehicle so that the vehicle may be left standing without likelihood of falling. When the vehicle is again set in motion, the pedals are raised whereupon the leaf springs at once lift the ground-engaging rollers. When said rollers are lowered, the springs 6 cushion the impact, and they absorb the shock of traveling over rough ground if they be lowered when the vehicle is in motion.

The device does not add appreciably to the dead weight of the vehicle and, when in operative position, maintains the vehicle in stable equilibrium.

Having described my invention; what I claim is: 1. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a leaf spring, means for securing the spring to the foot board of a vehicle, a box on the free end of the spring, a plunger passing ver- 3. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, a 10' leaf spring, a ground-engaging'roller carried by 7 7 said spring and normally held from the ground thereby, a crank .pivotally mounted for normal disposal above the spring and to bear thereon when lowered for holding the roller to the ground, 15 a hub for the crank and provided with a slot re-' ceiving the pivot to slide on the latter, a pedal extending from the hub to rock the crank on its pivot to raised or lowered position, and slidablymounted spring-pressed stirrups bearing upon 20 the hub whereby to lock the crank in raised or lowered position. V

' CHRISTOPHER W. RASMUSS.

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