US1987463A - Toy automobile - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1935. Q A BRETHEN 1,987,463

TOY AUTOMOBILE Filed June 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR E' C/karZes H ,Breferz ATTORNEY Jan. 8, 1935. c. A. BRETHEN 1,987,463

TOY AUTOMOBILE Filed June 19, 1953 2 Sheetsheet 2 WWW ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY AUTOMOBILE Application June 19, 1933, Serial No. 676,513

' 8 Claims. (01. 46-48) This invention relates to toy automobiles and the object of the invention is to provide a toy automobile in which the entire automobile including streamlined wheel housings is made from one piece of sheet metal with the exception of the wheels and axles which are assembled afterwards.

Another object of the invention is to provide a one piece toy automobile in which the outer edges of the wheel housings form the supports for the axles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy automobile formed from fairly heavy gage sheet metal in which the blank is arranged so that the wheel housings are formed integrally with the body and yet provide apparently separate wheel housings for each wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy automobile in which the wheel housings are formed integrally with the body and provide separate streamlined pockets for each wheel.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is a plan view of the blank from which the toy automobile is made.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the flat blank taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the automobile body and wheel housings formed from the blank shown in Fig. l. I

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the completed stampmg.

Fig. 6 is a section through the formed automobile body taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

40 Fig. '7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3 and showing the front axle and wheels in position.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 3 and showing the rear axle and wheels in posi- 45 tion.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the completed toy automobile.

Fig. is a bottom view thereof.

The blank from which the toy automobile is made is shown in Fig. 1 and comprises a body portion 1, a radiator portion 2 and a series of four portions 3 which when formed up are shaped to provide streamlined wheel housings which are more commonly known as wheel pants. Each portion 3 is connected to the body 1 by an intermediate narrow portion 4 and an aperture 5 is provided in the outer edge ,of eachportion 3. This blank is flat as indicated in Fig. 2 and is ready for the forming operations. In the forming operations, the body of the toy automobile is formed from the body portion 1 of the blank and an opening 6 is provided from which the displaced metal is bent to form a seat 7 as shown in Fig. 6. At the same time, the cowl 8 at the opposite edge of the aperture 6 is flared upwardly, as shown, while the rear end 9 of the body is shaped to a streamline contour. Also in the forming operation, a transverse rib 10 is provided to form a hood-line while simulated exhaust pipes 11 are pressedout of each side of the body near the bottom edge. At the same time, the louvres 12'are formed and the radiator portion 2 is formed to provide a V front as shown.

The streamlined wheel housings 3 are also formed to the contour shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 9 and the intermediate narrow portions 4 connect these wheel housings integrally with the body. When the wheel housings or wheel pants are formed, it will be noted from Figs. 4, 6, 7 and 8 that the outer edge of the wheel housings containing the apertures 5 extends below the intermediate portion 4 and below the inner edge of the respective wheel housing so that the apertures 5 provide bearings for the axles 13 of the toy automobile. The intermediate portions 4 which connect the wheel housings or wheel pants to the body are flat and as the blank is made of fairly heavy gage metal, these portions 4 firmly connect the housings 3 to the body.

With the body completed as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 it is only necessary to position the wheels 14 in the respective wheel housings or wheel pants, at which time, the axle 13 may be inserted through the apertures 5 in the outer edges of the wheel housings and through the Wheel centers afterwhich the ends of the axles may be riveted over thus securing the axles in place and also securing the wheels 14 in the respective wheel housings or wheel pants. At this time the toy automobile is completed and ready for use, as shown in Fig. 9. As will be noted from Figs. 7, 8 and 10, the axles extend just beneath the flat intermediate portions 4 connecting the body and the wheel housings so that should too much weight be placed on the body the portions 4 rest on the axles and assist in supporting the body. At this time the axles would be supported at four points in their length and it would take considerable pressure under this condition to bend the axles. Also by providing the bearings for the axles in the outer edges of the wheel housings, extreme ease in assembly is provided as well as neat appearance.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, '7 and 9 brackets 17 are provided on each side of the radiator 2 which are pressed to conical or cup-shaped form to simulate headlights. These brackets are first formed in the blank shown in Fig. '1 and then are pressed to cup-shaped form shown in Fig. 3 and twisted slightly to bring them into a vertical plane. These may be provided as integral parts of the radiator, if desired, or left off altogether.

From the foregoing description it becomesevident that the device maybe simply and'cheaply manufactured, may be stamped entirely from one piece of metal with the exception of the wheels and axles, provides integral wheel housings or wheel pants firmly connected to the body and provides a device which accomplishes the objects described.

Having thus fully described my invention its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is-- i I 1. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metal body member, a series of wheel housings formed integrally with the body member, the outer edges of the wheel housings extending downwardly and a pair of axles rotatably mounted in the outer edges of the wheel housings.

2. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metal body member, a series of wheel housings formed integrally with the body member, the metal being shaped to provide flat portions connecting the body and the respective wheel housings and a pair of axles rotatably supported by the wheel housings and extending beneath said flat portions.

3. In a toy automobile, 'a one piece sheet metal body member, a series of wheel housings formed integrally with the body member, axles rotatably supported by the wheel housings and a wheel in each wheel housing rotatably mounted on the respective axle.

4. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metal body member, a series of wheel housings formed integrally with the body member and axles rotatably supported by the wheel housings.

5. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metal body member, a series of wheel housings formed integrally with the body member and a wheel rotatably supported by each wheel housing.

6.. In a toy automobile, a sheet metal blank having 'enlargedportions on the opposite sides connected to the body of the blank by narrower portions, the blank being shaped to form a toy automobile body and the side enlargements being formed to enclose the upper side of a wheel, the outer edges of said enlargement extending slight- 1y beneath the remainder of the toy automobile and a series of axles rotatably supportedby said outer edges.

. 7. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metal body member and a series of wheel housings formed integrally with and spaced from the sides of said body member, each wheel housing being shaped to enclose the upper half of a wheel, a pair of axles rotatably supported by said wheel housings and a wheel in each wheel housing supported on the respective axle.

8. In a toy automobile, a sheet metal body, a pair of wheel housings extending from opposite sides of the body and an axle rotatably supported by the wheel housings.

CHARLES A. BRETHEN.

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