US1666111A - Automobile bumper - Google Patents

Description

VPatented Apr. 17, 1928..

.l ritrae (star VICTOR sU'ssIN, Yois' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, Assieivoa'ro sarnwiirvr WARNER` srnnnolvr- ETER CORPQRATION, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A coIaronATIoNoF VIRGINIA. n

aUToIvIoBILE BUMrER.

Application med July e,

` v The purpose fofthis invention is L 'oprfovide an improved. construction of bumper for automobiles. It consists in the elements and' features of construction shown Vand described, as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings: y,Figure `1 is a front perspective view of a ybumper embodying this invention.

Figure 2is a top plan view ofthe same. `Figure/3 is a direct'front elevation.` c 'Figure l1 is a detail section .taken ,as indicated atiline 1 -4;, yon Figure 3.

lFig'ure 5 is a detail section taken las indicated at linea-5, on Figure 3.

Figure 6. is a detail section taken as indi.- cated at lmet-6, onFi'gure2.

A Figure 7 is a fragmental detail plan View partly insection showing the relation ofthe ornamental finishy plates tothe impact bars :20

and clamps.

The vdrawings show a bumper having. its,-

impact member composedof twofbars,yl,'1,

Vset edgewise, one directly4 above the other and spaced apart by a shortvertical distance. Each of said impact. bars has its opposite end portions, 2,l relexed forwardly 'and inwardly and lapped upon the'body-of the bar at a substantial distance from the middle point of its length and also at a substantial distance from the bend at 2,'of the' loop vformed by such reexing ofthe endl portion,.2.\" The lappedv endszof both `bars vat each side of the impact member are se- Vcured in lapped position'by clamps, B, .3, *which extend vertically 'across both impact barsl and-'have'V top and bottom flanges, f1, .which are hooked over the upper and'lower edges of. the' bars respectively.` kA single i clamping bolt, 5, extends` through each of the clamps, l3, 4and, may Vbe, fitted with spac- 'ing washers,.6, for holdingY the lapped end portions, 2, 2, in proper vertical relation. yThe rearvplate, 7 ,ofthe clamp device has inturned spacing lugs, 8, which engage V-be-f 'tween the upper andl lower bars, 1, 1', to hold Vthem-'apart at the proper distance. Ac spring assembly.

Washer 9, and nut, 10, complete the clamp f For mounting the bumper on a vehicle, I 'provide' a single bar, 11, which may be of stock similar tojthat used for the impact members,1, 1, and which has a middle portion which is arched forward` at 12, for attachment to the middle portion of theim-y y l pact members by means of a central clamp,

the' bumper ismounted at the forward end At the ends of thearched portion, 12,' he

1926. Serial No. r12 0,659\.

13, which may be in the form -of an orna-vv mental shield orfname plate, and serves principally to steady the middle portion of the impact memberV against excessive vibra- Q tion and prevent. it from rattling against the arched mounting bar at, 12. vThe for- Wardvcurving of the mounting ,barV provides space for the useof starting crank whenl of an automobile. n f

mounting. member extends laterallyl in oppolsite directions, these laterally extending por-k tions, 14, being substantially alignedy with each other and in the same lvertical plane.

' They are provided` withV one or more `aperc tures, 15,1fto receive attaching bolts, 16,' by i;

which theV bumper maybe secured to' anyk suitable form' of bracket on the vehicle frame,nnot shown.I Laterally beyond the straightv portions, 14,5the vmounting bar .in-y l cludes `-,forwardly extending portionsf 17,.y Y

which diverge. somewhat Y from each other n and terminate in perforated end portions, 18, i i which are' bent substantially' at. right anglesV tothe parts, 17, to fit againstthe-rear faces 1 ofy the impact bars, 1, 1, at points laterally'l ,K

beyond the yclamps,` 3, 3. The extreme .ends of the mounting member are reduced in 'width at]19, and bent to. fit between the upper .andllower impactbars, 1, 1, to serve as v,

spacers at this point. 1 The space between the impact members is cor'isiderablyv less than the width of the mountingbar, 11, sothat a substantial portion of the latter overlaps at the rear face of each of theimpact bars, 1,"

1, while a clamping' late, 20,is lapped over the forward faces o `.the bars and held by"v a clamping Figure 6. ,A l l v The .purpose of this construction is, first, to form the impact members-withksmoothly bolt, g 21 yas clearly indicated in lroundedends which shall be somewhat" flex- Y ible so as to slip .clear of 'any obstruction vwhich may be encountered bythem in movement ofthe vehicleeither forwardorback` v ward; and, second,.to provide animpact ysurfaceby means ofthe flexed end portions, 2, which .Shall not be directly attached to the supporting bar, `11, and which, therefore, may/flex or yield slightly 'before' transmitting the forcevof yimp-actfto themounting 'l Vmember. Thus these reflexed end portions,

2, will serve to cushion slight shocks such as those experienced in backing orparking a securing this effect is to paint or enamel the impact members in a dark color so that the end portions, 2, will be dark, and then to cover the middle portions with ornamental nickeled plates or strips, 22, which are preferably formed with upper and lower flanges, 23, engaging around the edges of the bars, l, so as to practically conceal the impact bars themselves throughout the middle porti-on of the bumper. It is much more Veconomical to plate and polish these thin finish plates, 22, than to apply such a finish to the heavier impact bars, l, and of Course the addition of the ornamental plates in no way impairs the efficiency of the bumper for its prima-ry purpose. The plates, 22,- are firmly :held in position by the grip of clamps, holding them firmly under the overlapped ends, 2, of the 'impact bars, the lornamental strips, 22, being` cut of such a length as to extend slightly beyond the clamps, `3, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3,'and as also seen in plan in Figure 7. This arrangement results in a very vhandsome bumper which is an ornament as well as protection. to the vehicle..

l' claimtA l.. ln a bumper for motor vehicles, an impact member comprising `a flat spring bar mounted edgewise vertically `and having its opposite vend portions looped by being flexed outwardly and then toward. each other, and lapped against the impact sid-e of the bar; a 'finish plate lapped upon the middle portion of said :bar at said impact side and engaged between the lapped ends of the loops and the boc y Aof 'the bar, together with clamping means `applied at the lap of the loop ends for closing` said loops and holding the Vfinish plate in position.

:2. A bumper for motor vehicles comprising a 'flat spring impact bar mounted edgewise vertically and having its opposite endy portions looped by being flexed forwardly and inwardly and lapped against the forward surface of the bar, clamps applied over the lap lof Vthe loop ends for closing said loops, and spring bar supporting means attached to the rear portions of the fend loops intermediate their extreme outer portions and the said clamps. Y

8. A bumper for motor-vehicles comprising a flat spring impact bar mounted edge* Ywise vertically and having its opposite end portions looped by being flexed forwardly Vand inwardly and lapped against the forward surface of the bar, clamps appli'e'dover the lap of the loop ends for closing the loops and a mounting bar having a middle portion mounted cdgewise vertically, lone above the other, and space-d apart vertically, each barl having its Aopposite end portions looped by being lleXed forwardly and inwardly and lapped against the forward surface of the bar; clamps applied across the spaced bars at the lap of the loop ends thereon for se curing the bars rigidly together in spaced relation, `and closing the loops, together with a mounting bar havin-gl :a middle por-tion arched forwardly and :connected to the impact member the middleof its wid-th, and end portions attached to the rear parte of the respective endA loops `of the impact ineinber intermediate their extreme ou-ter ends and the said clamps.

5. ln' the combina-'tion'defined in claim 4,*

vsaid mounting bar having porti-onsv intermediate its ends and the arched middle portion, which aro'fiezred rearwardly and ifnclude perforated sections extending transversely ofthe vehicle to receive securing bolts for attz'tching the bumper to the vehicle frame. u

6. ln a bumper for motor vehicles', an ini- .pact member comprising a flat spring bar mounted eil-gewiss vertically and having yits opposite end portions looped by being. flexed forwardly and inwardly Iand lapped against the forward surface of the bari; tinish pl-ate lapped upon the middle portion of vsaid bar at its forward side and engaged between the lapped ends of the loops and tliebody :of the bar, clamps applied at the. lap of the Vloop ends for closing :said loop `and holding the 'finish plate in position, said plate having-'ra marginal 'flange fitting over the `edge of the impact bar, and the clamps having bent fend `portions vengaging said edfge of the bar, the llange of the.v plate terminating kadjacent .said end portions 'of the clamps `abutting thei'n to spa-ce said yclaim-ps laterally on the ban: the face of the plate extending beyond its flanges for `seciirement under the loop ends.

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