US1672179A - Motor-vehicle frame - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1928.

C. R. SHORT ET AL MOTOR VEHICLE FRAME Filed April 16, 1926 a Qwmmow.

Charla: 245/701: Victor Hay/res w 351 W aa Patented June 5, 1928 v UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

cHARLEs R. SHORT, or DAYTON, OHIO, AND- VIOTOR'RUGHES, or DETROIT, MICHI- GAN, ASSIGNORS To GENERAL MOTORS RESEARCH CORPORATION, OF DETROIT,

MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MOTOR-VEHICLE FRAME.

Application filed April 16, 1926. Serial No. 102,524.

This invention ,relates particularly to chassis frames for light motor cars.

The object of the invention is to cheapenand strengthen the construction of light cars, substituting for the floor of the body,

as ordinarily constructed,'a floor of sheet metal preferably integral with the side sills of the chassis frame.

- The invention consists in the structure and combination of parts more specifically de scribed hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which I Fig. 1 is a plan view of a chassis frame made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an elevation of a fragment viewed from the rear in the direction of the arrows 3-3;

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The main body of the chassis frame, indicated in the drawings by numeral 20, is pressed preferably from one sheet of wrought steel. In the press operation, longitudinal sills 21 are struck up, at the sides of the sheet, these sills trending fore and aft at an angle to each other, as is customary in chassis frames where the sills are separate members. The vertical sides 22 of the sills are preferably perpendicular to and.

' extend above the floor 23 which connects the two sills. The top flanges 24 of the sills extend substantially at right angles to the sides 22 and the edges of the to flanges 24 are preferably turncddownwar slightly as at 25. The outer edges of top flanges 24 of the sills extend parallel with each other for a short distance at the rear of the frame as at 24: adjacent to which the rear wheels would be located on a completed car.

Also formed in the press operation. there is, as indicated at 26, running longitudinally 23, an embossed ridge 26 convex above and concave beneath. Along the center of this embossed ridge, on the underside, the propeller shaft would extend in the completed vehicle. This embossed portion 26 assists in strengthening the floor longitudinally.

- Forward of the embossed ridge 26, a member 27 i t uck p from t e l e t m tal t of the frame mid-way of the floor portion foot board terminates at the forward edge in a lip 28 which is offset from but substantially parallel with the body of said foot board. JIhrough the foot board 27 the steering post would be extended in the completed vehicle.

Forward of the foot board are two winglike members or aprons 29 and 30, pressed downward from the frame as shown to provide accommodation for the engine and associated parts and to close the space between the cnginp base and the sills. The wings or aprons'29 and 30 are formed by shearing the sheet longitudinally from the transverse edge of the opening from which the foot board 27 is struck up to the front'end of the blank. A piece may be sheared out, if necesminimize the transmission of vibrations from one to the other. The aprons may be formed in a press with small expenditure of power because they are bent to shape and do not have to be drawn. I

Rearward of the floor part 23 the metal has been removed so as to allow the side sill port-ions to project to the rear leaving an open space between them. In order to stifi'en the frame near its rear end just over the points at which the rear springs would be attached to the sills, an inverted U-shaped cross beam 32 may be riveted or welded at opposite ends to the sides 22 of the sills. Said U-shaped beam has laterally extending flanges which may be riveted or spot welded as indicated at 33 to the floor 23; it is arched and fitted snugly over the embossed part 26. The ends of the beam may have flanges turned laterally from its sidelimbs as indicated at 34, through which, and the side walls 22 .Of the sills, as shown, rivets may be passed. Tongues left by the turning away of the flanges 34 may be riveted or spot welded as at 35 to the upper surface 24 cured, said brackets serving as seats for the springs. These brackets may be riveted to the sills by rivets which secure the ends of. the beam 32.

Forward of the floor board are shown two engine supporting cross members 37 and 38. These may be of any suitable form. They are shown as channel shapes bowed downward, having their extremities riveted to the respective sills 21. Just forward of the en-- gine cross support 37 on the exterior of the ressed to the desired form from a sheet of steel without the expenditure of great power for the reason that the shaping is effected mainly by slitting and by bending each part to be shaped in parallel planes with the single exception of the fore and aft embossed portion 26 where the draft is light.

Although we have shown and described a particular embodiment of our invention in order to comply with the statute, it is to be understood that we do not intend to be limited to the specific construction shown, but

definitions of the appended floor joining said side sills, said floorhaving a longitudinal embossed portion transversely convexed-above and concaved beneath, said embossed portion stopping short of one end of said floor and serving to stiffen the latter.

3. A wrought metal chassis frame motor vehiclescomprising side sills and a floorjoining said side sills, said floor having a struck up' foot board extending transversely near its forward end.

4. A one-piece wrought metal chassis for frame for motor vehicles comprising side sills and a fioor'joining said side sills, the sills extending both rearward and forward of the floor.

5. A Wrought metal chassis frame for motor vehicles comprising side sills and a floor joining said side sills, the sills extending forward of the floor, and aprons integral with the forward extensions of the sills extending obliquely downward. between them to bridge the space not occupied by the engine.

In testimony whereof weaflix our signatures. y

CHARLES R. SHORT.

VICTOR HUGHES. i

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