US1554313A - Safety appliance - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,31 3

- G. WARREN ET AL K SAFETY APPLIANCE Filed Apr'124, 'i924 s sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,313

G. WARREN ET AL SAFETY APPLIANCE Filed April 24. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'f7 l 2f INVENTORS q. hlurr :Pn

o" 14]. l1, H 7i 0 ol a ATTORNEY.

Sept. 22, 1925.

G. WARREN -ET AL SAFETY APPLIANCE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed `Apri; 24, 19m- INVENTORS 6r. Warren fl/M H. 12o ola ATToRNEY.

Patented Sept. 22, 1925. Y

*UNITED lsfra'rlas PATENT orales.

SAFETY APPLIANCE.

Appuauon 'fu'ei April '24, i924. Vserial No. 708,782.

To all 'whom it" may oofnomvt.'

Be it known that we, GEORGE 'VAR'REN and VILLIA'M RH'ODA, citizens of the United States, residing at Lakeland, in the county of Polk and State of Florida, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements .in Safety Appliances, of which the following is a specificatiom reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates lto certain improvements in safety appliances andhas relation more particularly toa device of this 'general character especially designed. and adapted for use in connection with motor ldriven vehicles and yi-t is 'an object of the invention lto provide Va novel and improved device of this general character which is adapted to stop the vehicle when lin the act of sltidding either on a straight road or on a curve Another objecto'f the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of t'his general character 'comprising a `meinber supported for swinging movement 'and provided in its outer end with la 'carriage adapted tto be interposed between a wheel yof the. vehicle and the surface on which said vehicle is travelling together 'with releasafble means for maintaining `said member and carriage normally in an Zinoperative position.

Furthermore, it is an 'obj/ect of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character embodying a carriage provided with rollers for direct contact lwith the surface over which the vehicle kmay travel Vand with which a wheel of 'the vehicle engages when kthe 4carriage is in vworking position resulting in reversed rotation of the rollers of Athe carriage whereby the braking action of the device is materially facilitated.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the `combination and arrangement of the several parts of our inproved safety appliance whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, 'less expensive vand otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will Ibe hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of our invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

'In order 'that our invention may be the better understood, we willunow lproceed to companying drawings, wherein Figure l is a view partl7 in section and partly in side elevation illustrating 'a safety appliance constructed in accordance with an embodiment of 'our invention and in applied position, a 'second position Vof the carriage and the 'parts 'concomitant thereto being diagrammatically .indicated fby broken lines;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation Vand partly in section of the structure as illus-v trated in Figure l; f v

igure 3 is a view similar to .Figure l but showing the carriage and the part-s directly associated therewith in an in`terine diate position. l

yFigure 4E is .a fragmentary view in top plan of the structure as illustrated in Figure 3; v

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical .sectional view taken through the carriage as herein disclosed;

Figure 6 is a view partly in top plan and partly in section of the swinging plate as herein disclosed and the parts directlyassociated therewith;

,Figure 7 is a view similar .to Figure `6 .but showing the plate in 'a second position;

Figure 8 kis a sectional view ltaken 'substantially on the line 8 8 'of Figure 6;

Figure 9 isa fragmentary View partly in section 'and `partly in velevation of the structure as illust-rated in Figure 8;

Figure lO -is a Afragmentary View partly in section and partly in elevation of the structure 'as disclosed in Figure 8, 'the `section being taken on line 11G-,10 of Figure li.

Our improved appliance as herein disclosed comprises a carriage C adapted for coaction with 4each of .the rear or drive wheels of .a `motor driven vehicle but asjthe mounting and operationof -both of such carriages are the same it is believed that a detailed description and illustration of one is sufficient for the purposes of disclosure.

As disclosed in .the accompanying drawings, a plate l vunderlies a rvehicle spring S and Lextends inwardly thereof, one vend portion `of the plate being provided with wings 2 arranged at opposite sides ofthe Vspring and extending thereabove. Disposed through the upper portions of the wings 2,

are the holding kbolts 3.

Underlying the plate 1 is a second plate 4 extending from one end of the plate 1 to a predetermined point beyond the opposite end thereof, said plate 4 at its opposite ends being provided with the depending flanges 5, each of the flanges having its lower portion provided with an outstanding ear 6.

The plate 4 at a predetermined point intermediate its ends is provided with an opening 7 and at opposite sides of said opening 7 the plate 4 is provided with the arcuate slots 8 disposed on the same radius. Freely disposed through the slots 8 and engaged with the plate 1 are the headed shanks or bolts 9 providing means to hold the plate 4 in applied position with respect to the plate 1 yet permitting said plate 4 to have swinging movement with respect to the axis of the opening 7.

Depending from the plate 1 and disposed axially through the opening 7 is an elongated headed shank or bolt 10 upon which is mounted a sleeve or bushing 11 the upper portion 11a of which being reduced and snugly fitting within the opening 7 of the plate 4 whereby said portion 11at provides a pivotal mounting for the plate 4.

The sleeve or bushing 11 is locked against rotation about the shank or bolt 10 through the medium of the dowel pins 12 engaged within the opposed faces of the plate 1 and bushing or sleeve 11 or more particularly the reduced portion 11n thereof.

The outer face or portion of the sleeve or bushing 11 is provided with a recess 14 concave in cross section and the lower portion of said recess 14 is continued by a forwardly and upwardly disposed spiral or cam arm 15.

Supported by the ears 6 and bridging the space therebetween is a rod 16 on which is freely mounted the sleeve or barrel 17 carried by an end portion of an elongated arm 18, said arm 18 having its opposite end portions oli'set one with respect to the other. The sleeve 17 is arranged between the ears 6 and is of a length materially less than the distance between said ears 6 and one end portion of the sleeve is provided with a bevel 19 and pressing against the opposite end of the sleeve 17 is an expansible spring 20 encircling the rod 16 and interposed between the sleeve 17 and the adjacent ear 6. The spring 20 tends to urge the sleeve 17 in one direction.

Fixed to the rod 16 adjacent the end of the sleeve 17 provided with the bevel 19 is a sleeve 21 having a portion 22 disposed on a bevel complemental to the beveled portion 19 of the sleeve 17 so that upon requisite upward rotation of the arm 18 to a certain degree, the beveled portions 19 and 22 will be brought into overlying relation, as illustrated in Figure 7 whereupon the sleeves 17 and 21 are connected for unitary rotation. lVhen the beveled portions 19 and 22 are initially brought substantially into alignment there is but slight overlying relation effected by the spring 2O but as the arm 18 continues to move upwardly, the sleeve 17 will be caused to further travel along the rod 16 in a direction toward the sleeve 21 through the medium of the cam arm 15 which is disposed through an opening 23 in the arm 18 immediately adjacent to the sleeve 17. This movement of the sleeve 17 is desired in order to permit the arm 18 to be swung upwardly without hinderance or obstruction being offered by the spring S. This is further accomplished in view of the fact that when the sleeve 17 has had its limit of movement toward the sleeve 21, the arm 15 will coact with the arm 18 to effect a swinging movement of' the plate 4 about the extension or reduced portion 11a of the bushing 11 as is indicated in Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.

Secured to the inner wing 2 is an upwardly and inwardly inclined arm 24 extending in advance of said wing and terminating in a forwardly directed portion 25. rlhis portion 25 is provided with the spring clips 26 between which the arm 18 is adapted to be engaged and held when the arm 18 is at the limit of its upward movement. The portion 25 also provides a bearing for a shaft 27 extending transversely of the vehicle, the opposite end portion of said shaft 27 being rotatably supported by a similar arm 24 (not shown) at the opposite side ofthe vehicle. The shaft 27 is provided with a depending rock arm 28 which is positioned directly behind the arm 18 when in its raised position so that upon rocking movement of the shaft 27 in one direction the arm 28 will engage the arm 18 and force the same from the clips 26 whereupon the arm 18 will continue downwardly by gravity, such movement being further assured by the weight of the carriage C. The shaft 27 may be rotated in any desired manner to release the arm 18 but as herein disclosed, said arm 18 at a predetermined point thereon is provided with a depending rock arm 29 to the lower end portion of which is fixed a flexible member 30 or the like leading to the dash or other location within the body of the vehicle so that the same may be readily engaged by the driver or other occupant of the vehicle.

The carriage C is preferably formed of steel and is of substantially a channel formation or of such formation in cross section as to snugly receive the tread portion of a tire. Adjacent its opposite ends and at the transverse center thereof the carriage is provided with the openings 31 through which are disposed the rollers 32 the peripheries of which being serrated or otherwise roughened to assure an effective gripping action. Each of the rollers 32 is carfil Cil

ried by an axle 33 supported by the bearings 34 arranged at each side of the associated opening 81.

One end portion of the carriage C has pivotally connected therewith, as at 35, a sleeve 36 with which thel outer end portionof the arm 18 is in swivelled connection. The pivotal connection 35 permits the carriage C to have swinging movement in a directiontoward or from the arm 18 and the carriage C is automatically moved toward the arm. 18 through the medium of the retractible spring ST1-raving oneend portion secured to the carriage and its opposite end portion to the arm.

operatively connected with the hinged end portion of the carriage C is a flexible member 38 which is adapted to be secured at a suitable point to the vehicle, said member 38 operating to -limit thel downward swinging movement of the arm 18 and preferably to prevent said arm from having downward swinging movement beyond a vertical center as is particularly illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

Normally the arm 18 is inv its raised position, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 1 but when the vehicle starts to slrid, either on a straight road or on a curve, the operator imposes pullr upon the member 30 and thereby effects a release of the arm 18 and said arm will drop downwardly. In suchV initial downward movement the plate 4 will have such swinging movement and the arm 18 have desired movement along the rod 16 to bring the carriage C intocontact with the tread portion of the tire of the associated wheel as particularly illustrated in Figure 3, said carriage being maintained in such contact by the spring 37. As the wheel revolves and the arm 18 moves downwardly, the carriage C will assume a position, illustrated in Figure 1, between the wheel and the surface upon which the vehicle is travelling, with the tire of the wheel in direct contact 'with the rollers 13 causing said rollers to rotate in a reversed direction to that of the direction of the wheel whereby an effective braking action is provided and the further tendency to skid avoided. After the vehicle has been brought to a stop the wheel is caused to rotate in reverse whereupony the carriage C will be forced outwardly from below the wheel whereupon the arm 18 will be manually returned to its normal position indicated by broken lines in Figure 1.

Vith the carriage C in its working position, as illustrated in Figure 1, power is reversed without the necessity of changing the gear shift and in practice, the faster the vehicle may be travelling, the quicker it will be caused to stop.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a safety appliance constructed in accordance with our invention is particularly well adapted'- for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that our invention is'susceptible of some change and `modification without depart-ing from kthe principles `and spirit thereof and for this ytread of the wheel and the surface on which it traverses when the arm .is in its lowered position, means for normally maintain-ing the arm in a raised position, means for releasing the arm from its normalpositi'on,

Vsaid carriage lbeing pivotally engaged with the arm.y a roller carried Ythe carriage and riding' upon the surface when the carriage is positioned between the tread of the wheel and the surface, said wheel also contacting with the roller. y

2.1An apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination with a vehicle and a wheel therefor, an arm supported by the vehicle for swinging. movement vin a vertical direction, a carriage carried by the arm, said carriage extending between the tread of the wheel and the surface on which it traverses when the arm is in its lowered position, means for normally maintaining the arm in a raised position, means for releasing the arm from its normal position, said carriage being in swivelled connection with the arm, and spaced rollers carried by the carriage, said rollers contacting with the surface when interposed between the tread of the wheel and the surface, the tread of the wheel also contacting' with the rollers.

8. An appliance of the class vdescribed comprising, in combination with a vehicler and a supporting wheel therefor, a rod op'- eratively supported by the vehicle, an elongated arm pivotally connected with the rod and having movement lengthwise of the rod,

a carriage carried by said arm and adapted when the arm is in one position to engage between the wheel and the surface upon which the same traverses,a sleeve fixed to the rod to one side of the arm, the adjacent portions of the sleeve and armv having complemental bevels adapted to overlie when the arm is moved a desired distance in one direction, and means for imparting movement to said arm to effect such overlapping of the bevels. t

llO

4. An appliance of the class described comprising, in combination with a vehicle and a supporting wheel therefor, a rod operatively supported by the vehicle, an elongated arm pivotally connected with the rod and having movement lengthwise of the rod, a carriage carried by said arm and adapted when the arm is in one position to engage between the wheel and the surface upon which the same traverses, a Sleeve fixed to the rod to one side of the arm, the adjacent p-ortions of the sleeve and arm having complemental bevels adapted to overlie when the arm is moved a desired distance in one direction, said arm being provided with an opening, and a cam arm operatively supported by the vehicle but disposed through the opening of the first named arm to cause said first named arm to have movement lengthwise of the rod when said first named arm is swung relative to the rod.

5. An appliance of the class described comprising, in combination, with a vehicle and a Supporting wheel therefor, a plate supported by the vehicle for swinging movement, an arm operatively engaged with the `plate for swinging movement in a vertical direction, a carriage carried by the arm, said carriage extending between the tread of the wheel and the surface on which it traverses when the arm is in its lowered position, means for normally7 maintaining the arm in a raised position, and means for releasing the arm from its normal position.

6. An appliance of the class described comprising, in combination, with a vehicle and a supporting wheel therefor, a plate supported by the vehicle for swinging movement, an arm operatively engaged with the plate for swinging movement in a vertical direction, a carriage carried by the arm, said carriage extending between the tread of the wheel and the surface on which .it traverses when the arm is in its lowered position, means for normally maintaining the arm in a raised position, means for releasing the arm from its normal position, and means for imparting swinging movement to the plate upon the initial downward movement of the arm.

7. An appliance of the class described comprising, in combination, with a vehicle and a supporting wheel therefor, a plate supported by the vehicle for swinging movement, a rod operatively supported by the plate, an elongated arm pivotally connected with the rod and having movement lengthwise of the rod, a carriage carried by said arm and adapted when the arm is in one position to engage between the wheel and the surface upon which the same traverses, a sleeve xed. to the rod to one side of the arm, the adjacent portions of the sleeve and arm having complemental bevels adapted to overlie when the arm is moved a desired distance in one direction, and means for imparting movement to said arm to effect such overlapping of the bevels.

in testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

GEORGE VARREN. VILLIAM H. RHODA.

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