US2031324A - Radiator grille - Google Patents

Description

Feb, 18, H936; c. l.. LEWELLEN RADIATOR GRILLE Filed March 5, 1934 ATTO RNEYS Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNETED STATES RADIATOR GRILLE Chester L. Lewellen, Detroit, Mich., assignorto Motor Products Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of New York Application March 5, 1934, Serial No. 714,207

11 Claims.

This invention relates to radiator grillesl and refers more particularly to grilles of the type employed in association with radiators of motor vehicles.

More specifically, this invention concerns itself with that type of grille having a frame and louvers or blades secured. in lateral spaced relation to each Vother within the frame by means of supports or bars extending transversely of the blades. One of the principal objects of this invention is to simplify the construction of grilles of the general type set forth above and reduce the cost of manufacture thereof by providing a connection between the blades and supports rendering it possible to appreciably reduce the assembly time.

In accordance with this invention expedient assembly of the blades with the bars is achieved by providing a snap engage-ment therebetween and it is a further object of this invention to provide such a connection wherein accidental or unauthorized removal of the blades from the bars is prevented.

Still another' object of this invention resides in the provision o-f a construction of the foregoing character wherein they bars assume a position between the front and rear edges of the blades in the assembled relation thereof. This construction no-t only enhances the general apn pearance of the grille, but at the saine time: offers the possibility of supporting means in engagement with the rear edges of the blades.

With the foregoing as well as other objects in View, the invention resides in the peculiar construction of the grille which will be made more. apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational View of a grille constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of one of the cross supports illustrating a blade in assembled relation therewith;

Figures 3, 4, and 5, are sectional Views taken substantially on the planes indicated by the lines 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5 respectively, on Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 6 5 of Figure 1;

Figure 'l is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the blades.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective View of one of the bars for holding the blades in assembled relation.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be noted that there is illustrated in Figure 1, a radiator grille II) comprising a marginal frame Il and a plurality of louvers or blades I2 secured in'lateral spaced relation Within the frame by means of suitable bars I3 extending transversely of the blades.

The cross bars I3 are preferably stamped from sheet metal to form a plurality of scallops i4 in opposite longitudinal edges thereof and the apeXes of the scallops are fashioned during the stamping operation to form opposed wedge shaped ears or lugs I5. Although the bars may be bent to con,- form to any suitable shape of grille, nevertheless, they are substantially flat in cross-section and the lugs or ears I5 are disposed in the same plane as the body portions of the bars'.

In the specic embodiment of the invention selected herein for the purpose of illustration, the blades I2 are substantially U-shaped in crosssection having the free edges thereof bent inwardly to form terminal flanges I6 and having portions of the free edges cut away at longitudinally spaced points to form slots Il. The length of the slots Il corresponds to the width of the cross bars I3 between the shoulders I8 formed by the Wedge shaped ears I'and the depth of these slotsv is substantially equal to the thickness of the bars I3 plus the thickness of the terminal flanges vI 6. The width of the space between the terminal iianges l5 is substantially less than the width of the base portions of the lugs I5, but is sufcient to receive therebetween the apexes of the wedge shaped lugs I5, and the metal from which the blades are formed possesses the inherent resiliency required to snap the terminal anges lI6 over the base portions of the wedge shaped lugs I5. Inasmuch as the length of each of the slots Il in the blades is equal to the distance between the shoulders I8 associated with the opposed lugs l5 on the cross bars, and in view of the fact that the depth of the slots Il is equal to the thickness of the wedge shaped ears I5 plus the thickness of the terminal anges I5, it necessarily follows that the portions of the latter flanges adjacent opposite ends of the slots may be snapped over the base portions of the ears in the manner clearly shown in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive. The shoulders I8 will, of course engage the opposite ends of the slot to prevent longitudinal displacement of the blades relative to the cross bar and the Width of the base portions of the ears is so determined as to prevent lateral displacement of the blades relative to the bars. Consequently, a snug connection between the blades and cross bars results and accidental or unauthorized removal of the blades is positively prevented byyirtue of the fact that the fianges overlap the base portions of the ears. However, in the event it is desired to remove one or more of the blades from the cross` bars, the terminal flanges may be spread apart sufliciently to disengage the same from the ears by inserting a suitable tool between the flanges adjacent the ears. It will further be appreciated that by reason of the foregoing construction, the portions of the cross bars attached to the blades lie in a pla-ne between the front and rear edges of the blades. As hereinbefore stated, this feature is desirable since it enhances the general appearance of the grille and provides for supporting the grille with the rear edges of the blades in contacting relation with a surface.

It should be understood that the ears I5 are properly spaced so that when the blades or louvers are subsequently engaged therewith, the latter will naturally assume the proper spaced relationship in the assembly. The provision of the snap-on connection previously described in detail not only insures a durable grille construction, but at the same time enables the grille to be quickly assembled, and for this reason materially reduces the cost of manufacture.

The principles involved herein may be obtained by various different specic constructions and reservation is made to make such changes in the construction as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar having a projection extending from one longitudinal edge thereof in the plane of the same, and a louver blade extending transversely of the bar and having portions shaped for snap-on engagement with said projection.

2. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar having its opposite longitudinal edges shaped to provide projections arranged in pairs spaced longitudinally of said bar with the projections of each pair disposed opposite each other in a common plane, and a plurality of louver blades having portions shaped for snap-on engagement with pairs of said projections.

3. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar having opposed projections extending in opposite directions from the longitudinal edges thereof, and a louver blade having flexible marginal edge portions fashioned for snap-On engagement with the projections aforesaid on the bar.

4. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar having opposed projections extending in opposite directions from the longitudinal edges thereof, and a louver blade substantially U-shaped in cross-section provided with means at the longitudinal edges thereof adapted for snap-on engagement with said projections.

5. In a radiator grille, a blade, a supporting bar extending transversely of the blade and having projections extending from the longitudinal edges thereof in the same direction as the blade, and means upon said blade fashioned for snapon engagement with said projections.

6. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar, a louver blade extending transversely of the supporting bar and slotted to receive the same, and projections extending from opposite longitudinal edges of the bar cooperating with portions of the louver blade at the ends of the slot to secure the blade to the bar.

7. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar, a louver blade extending transversely of the supporting bar and slotted to receive said bar, projections extending from opposite longitudinal edges of the bar, and means on said blade at the ends of the slot fashioned for snap-on engagement with said projections.

8. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar, a louver blade extending transversely of the bar and slotted for receiving the same, shoulders at opposite longitudinal edges of the bar engageable with the ends of the slot to hold the blade against longitudinal displacement, projections extending from the shoulders, and means at the ends of the slot in the louver blade fashioned for snapon engagement with the projections.

9. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar having substantially wedge shaped projections extending from opposite longitudinal edges, a substantially U-shaped louver blade having terminal iianges at the free edges thereof fashioned to snap over the wedge shaped projections.

l0. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar having shoulders at opposite longitudinal edges thereof, a substantially U-shaped louver blade having the free longitudinal edges thereof slotted to receive the supporting bar with the shoulders on the latter in engagement with the ends of the slot, projections on said supporting bar extending from the shoulders beyond the ends of the slot in the louver blade, and terminal Iianges projecting inwardly from the longitudinal edges of the louver blade at opposite ends of the slot and extending in overlapping relation to the projections.

1l. In a radiator grille, a supporting bar having shoulders on opposite longitudinal edges thereof, a substantially U-shaped louver blade extending transversely of the bar and slotted to receive the latter with the shoulders thereon in engagement with the opposite ends of the slot in the blade, wedge shaped projections extending from the shoulders beyond the ends of the slot, and inwardly extending terminal flanges at the longitudinal edges of the louver blade fashioned to snap over the wedge shaped projections.

CHESTER L. LEWELLEN.

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