US2388145A - Bobsled - Google Patents

Description

Patented Oct. 3 0, 1945 UNITED NsinTlzs PATENT orf-ICE f N noeste-n John W. Heagney, Minneapolis, Minn. Application `September' 28, 1944, SerlaliNo. 556,165

1 Claim. 2801`6) This invention relates to sleds, and more particularly to sleds of the bobsled type.

An object of this invention is to provide a steerable sled embodying front and rear pairs of runners, with all of the runners independently rock able.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bobsled embodying a front bolster and a` fifth wheel secured thereto with the latter limited in its turning movement.

VA further object of this invention is to provide I a bobsled which is of simple and sturdy construction so that it can be produced at low cost.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a bobsled of this type a pair of limit pins for each runner so as to limit the rocking thereof.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear,l the invention conslsts of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation partly broken away and in section of a bobsled constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view partly broken away of the device. Y

Figure 3 is asectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates generally an elongated board comprising the body or seat of a bobsled, constructed according to an embodiment of this invention. The body Ill has secured beneath the rear portion thereof a rear bolster I I, which is secured to the lower side of the body I0 by fastening members I3. The bolster I I has extending from the opposite ends thereof a pair of trunnions I2 and I4 on which are rockably mounted a pair of runners I5 and I6, respectively. Runner I5 is held against outward movement by means of a holding pin I1 and one or more thrust washers I8 are interposed between the holding member I 1 and the outer side of runner I5. Runner I1 is held against outward movement by means of a holding pin I9 and one or more thrust washers 20 are interposed between holding member I9 and the outer side of runner I6. Runner I5 on the inner side thereof has extending inwardly therefrom a pair of stop pins 2| and 22, which are disposed on opposite sides of the bolster II and normally spaced therefrom. These stop pins are provided so as to limit the vertical rocking of runner I5 beneath the body I0. Runner I6 has secured to and extending inwardly from the inner side thereof apair of stop pins 23 and 24, which are positioned on opposite sides of bolster II and normally spaced therefrom so as to limit the vertical rocking of runner I6.

A front bolster 25 is disposed at the forward end thereof and beneath the body I0. A wear plate 21 which is formed with a convex lower side 28 is secured about the stud 26 and engages the upper edge of bolster 25. Bolster 25 is formed with a cutout 29 in the lower edge thereof within .which the lower endv of stud 26 extends, and a plurality of thrust washers 30 are disposed about the stud 26 and are held against downward. movement by means of a holding pin 3I engaging through stud 26. The bolster 25 has extending from the opposite ends thereof a pair of trunnions 32 and 33 on which front runners 34 and 35 are rockably mounted. Runners 34 and 35 are independently rockable and runner 34 is held against outward movement by means of a holding pin 36. One or more thrust washers 31 are interposed between holding pin 36 and the outer side of runner 34. A holding pin 38 extends through trunnion 33 'and one or more thrust washers 39 are interposed between holding pin 38 and the outer side of runner 35.

A fifth wheel 40 is secured to the upper side of bolster 25 being formed with an annular central opening 4I within which bearing or wear plate 21 is adapted to engage. The outer edge of fifth wheel 40 is formed with a circumferential cutout 42 within which a stop pin 43 carried by the body I0 `is adapted to loosely engage. Stop pin 43 limits the rotary movement of fifth wheel 40 and recess or cutout 42 may be of any desired length to provide for the necessary steering action for steering the bobsled. Fifth Wheel 40 is provided at diametrically opposite points with a pair of outwardly extending arms 44 and 45, which project beyond the outer edge of body Ill, and in practice the forward end'of body I0 is of reduced width, as indicated at 46. The arms 44 and 45 may be either grasped by the hands of the user of this device, or may be engaged by the feet of the user to steer the lfront runner construction. y

Stud 26 is braced with respect to the body I0 by means of a downwardly and forwardly extending bracing bar 41, which is formed with a horizontal upper end 48 secured by fastening means 49 to a transversely disposed strip 50 carried by and xedly secured to the lower side ofv body l0. The lower forward end of bracing bar 41 is formed with a horizontal part 5I through which the stud 26 engages and the extension 5I engages between the two washers or thi'ust members 30,`which engage in the cutout 29. The forward end of the body I0 is rounded off, as indicated at 52, and the rear end of body I0 is cut out on a curve, as indcated at 53.

Runner 3,4.is` limitedl in its vertical rocking on trunnion 32by. means vof a pair of stop `pins A5d and 55, which engage on opposite sides of bolster 25, so as tolimit the rocking of runner 34. Runner 35 is similarly limited in its vertical rocking by means of a pair of stop pins 56 and 51, which extend inwardly from the innerside of-runrien` 35 and engage on opposite sides of front bolster *25.

With a bobsled as hereinbefore described each runner is independently rockable, and the front pair of runners are steerable, whereas the rear pair of runners have only vertical rocking movement. This bobsled can be constructed Very sturdily and being of simple construction will not readily get out of order so that the bobsled will withstand fairly hard usage.

What I claim is: i

In a bobsled, a front bolster, means pivotally mounting saidv bolster, a pair of runners rockably carried by said bolster, a disc-shaped fth wheel carriedbysaid bolster andformedwith a peripheral slot, apair of outwardly Vextending steering arms carried by and coplanar with said ftn wheel, a pair of stop members carried by the inner side of each runner disposed on opposite sides of Y Said bolster and engageable with the latter to thereby limit the rocking of said runners and a fifth wheel st op member engaging in said slot to limit the turning of said fifth wheel.

` JOHN W. HEAGNEY.

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