US1717970A - Auto top - Google Patents

Description

F. D. GOULD June 18, 1929.`

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UNITED STATES FRANK D. COULD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTO TOP.

Application led November 13, 1923. Serial No. 621,479.

This invention relates to an auto top provided with a plurality of slidingl windows for effecting a closure of the sides of the top, and especially to improvements in the construction and operation of the structure described in my copending application entitled, Auto top, filed September 1S, 1923, Serial No. 663,381.

The copending application above referred to discloses an auto top provided with two pair of sliding' windows, one pair in each side thereof. rllhese windows are supported from overhead tracks and are freely slidable from end to end, and each window is provided with independent locking means whereby it may be locked at any point intermediate the ends of the tracks. This arrangement has not proven entirely satisfactory as it necessitates lockingand unlocking of each individual window when opening or closing the same, or when adjusting the position thereof, and as such'is more or less bothersome.

The object of the present invention is to f generally improve the construction and operation of the window structure by providing' a common locking` means whereby all the windows may be released or locked in unison and at any point intermediate the ends of the respective tracks, and by providing a mounting and a cushioning member-which maintain the windows out of vibratory contact with the body.

One form which my invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying` drawinns` in which- Fig. 1 is a. side elevation of an automobile top showing the windows in extended position.

Fir. 2 is an enlarged cross-section on line 2-2 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the windows.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the shoes and the connected spring` arm.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the main actuating shaft.

Referringto the drawings in detail, A indicates the body of an automobile, 2 the usual form of hinge doors, 3 the hood or forward portion of the auto, 4; the windshield, and B the top proper. The top here shown consists of a permanent rigid frame secured to the body and to the windshield. The shape of the top and the detail of construction of the saine is of no particular' importance as it forms no part of the present invention, and as it may furthermore be changed to suit varying,` conditions.

Formed as a portion of the top are a permanent back sect-ion 6 and a pair of stationary or permanentv side sections 7 in which are mounted stationary windows 8, rone side section and window being disposed on each side of the auto. Also disposed on each side of the top is a pair of sliding windows 9 and 10. These windows are arranged in pairs, one pair on each side, and these windows are adapted to be moved rearwardly into alignment with the stationary windows 8 and to be extended forwardly of the stationary windows to partially or wholly enclose the auto. The mechanism employed for the purpose of supporting` the windows and for locking' the same whether `in extended vor retracted position forms the subject matter of the present application.

The windows are supported from Overhead tracks or rails such as indicated at 11 and 12, there being one pair of rails arranged on each side of the top. The top proper is channeled on each side as at 13 to receive the rails (see Fig. 2) and the rails are secured within these channeled portions in any suitable manner or as here illustrated by being fastened to longitudinally eXtend-' ingf spacing strips 11a and 12a. The track 11 supports the window 9, and the track 12 supports the window 10. The mechanism employed for the purpose of supporting the windows is identical in each instance and the description of one will therefore su'liice.

To clearly describe the mechanism, reference will be made to Fig. 3 in which 11 indicates one of the overhead rails fromwhich the window 9 is suspended in such a manner that it may be moved freely from end to end of the rail to extended or retracted position as desired7 or, in fact, assume any intermediate position. One purpose ofthe present invention is to permit locking of the window at any point whether fully extended or retracted, or at any intermediate point.k VThis is accomplished as follows:

Slidably mounted on the rail 11 is a pair of shoes such as indicated at 14 and 15, and secured to the shoes or formed integral therewith is a pair of Hat spring arms such as indicated at 16 and 17. one arm for each shoe. The inner ends of the spring armsv are secured to the upper rail of the window frame by means of screws or the like such as indicated at 19. The spring arms form a resilient support for the windows and as such permit a limited vertical movement of the same. This vertical movement is of great importance as it first of all permits the window to be lowered into partial Contact with a bottom guideway such as indicated at 20 to form a weather-proof oint between the lower edge of the window and the body, and it secondly permits tilting of the shoes 14 and 15 so that they will grip the rail 11 and thereby secure and lockl the window against movement.

The construction and mounting sol far described is substantially identical to that disclosed in my co-pending application previously referred to.

The subject-matter of the present application includes a! common means for locking all the windows in unison, and similarly for releasing them in unison and at any point, and it further includes a combined packing` and cushioning member, whereby dust, rain, etc., are excluded, and which also maintains the windows out of vibratory contact with the body, whether fully retracted or' extended, or at intermediate points.

The shoes 14 and 15 do not only serve as supports, whereby the windows are moved along the rails, but they also' form a securing or locking Vmeans for each window, the shoes 14 and 15 forming a lock when they are tilted, and they are only tilted when the spring arms 16 and 17 are iieXed during vertical movement of the windows. The means lemployed in this instance is perhaps best illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. By referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the spacing strips 11a and 12 are separated a suiiicient distance to form an intermediate vertical channel suc-h as indicated at 21, and it will similarly be seen that a horizontal ,channel is formed between the` bottom of the spacing strips and the tops of the windows, this channel being indicated at 22.

Disposed. in the channels 21 and 22, and having a limited longitudinal and vertical movement therein, is a pair of T-shaped iron bars 23, there being one bar for each pair of windows. The base portion of each T-iron is sufciently wide to engage the tops of the adjacent window r'ails, while the. leg of each T-iron is suiiiciently high to extenda considerable distance upwardly into the vertical channel 21. The web of each leg is angularly slotted at two or more point-s as indicated atA 24 and pins 25, supported by the spacing j strips 11 and 12, yextend through the angular slots 24 and as such form a support for each individual T-iron. Meansare employed for imparting a longitudinal movement to the T-irons in unison and this movement is in turn transmitted into vertical movement, due to the position Vunison as illustrated in this instance.

cerned, is comparatively tical downward movement of the T-irons in unison, thus causing the base sections of each T-iron to engage the top rails of the windows, thereby forcing them in a downward direction. Such downward movement is permitted due to the resilient action of the spring arms 16 and 1'?, and as they flex a tiltingmovement is imparted to the shoes 14 and 15 and the windows are thereby locked. The T-irons may be independently moved if desired, but they are preferably moved in This is accomplished as follows:

Journaled crosswise of the top and positioned adjacent the forward end of the same is a main actuating shaft 30. Secured on each end of the shaft is a short crank arm 31, and forming a connection between each c ank arm 31 and the adjacent T-irons are links 32. The actuating shaft 30 is also provided with a pair of operating levers 33, one at each end thereof, and either lever may be grasped when it is desired to secure or release the windows. The operating levers 33 are disposed within convenient reach of the driver or any other person occupying the front seat of the auto, and they may therefore be readily and quickly manipulated.

If the windows are locked and it is desired to adjust their position, for instance, to completely open the sides, it is only necessary for the driver to grasp the most convenient lever 33'and swing it upwardly towards the top. This causesthe cranks 31 to exert a forward pull on the links 32 and the connected T-irons, and as the T-irons ride on the pins 25, it can readily be seen that the T-irons will be lifted vertically, thus relieving the windows of pressure and freeing them. The windows are thus all released in unison and may be moved about or adjusted to suit the wishes of the occupants, and when so adjusted they are again locked by merely pulling downwardly on the lever 33. This forces the T-irons rearwardly and, at the same time, downwardly against the top rails of the windows, thus exerting sullicient pressure to flex the spring arms 16 and 17, and simultaneously the shoes 14 anello. with the result that all windows are locked in unison. The. downward movement imparted, as far as each window is conslight as the downward movement required should only be sufficient to impart a tilting movement of the shoes. There is no necessity of .forcing the lower rails of the windows into' contact with the bot-tom of the guides 20 as the locking action of the Win- CIJ dows is not dependent thereon. It is, however, desirable to maintain a weather-proof joint between the guides 20 and the lower rails of the windows, and I therefore employ a pair of resilient rubber strips such as indicated at 40. These strips extend from end to end of each window as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and are preferably constructed of a fiat rubber tubing; this tubing' being,y sufiiciently resilient to avoid any resistance against vertical downward movement of the windows. The strips are, however, sul'liciently compressed duringdownward movement of the windows to maintain a weatherproof joint, and the results desired are thus obtained. The flexible tubing' or strip employed is not only important as a packing,` medium to exclude rain, dust, etc., but it also serves the function of maintaining; the windows out of vibratory Contact with the bottom guideways or, in other words, the body proper. This is exceedingly important as it provides a window mounting which is substantially rattle-proof.

For the purpose of reducing` friction to a minimum, as far as the T-irons are concerned, I wish it understood that the pins 25 may be provided with rollers, and that rollers such as indicated at l2 may be placed on the top of each window for the T-irons to engage when they are exerting a downward pressure. The reduction of friction at these points permits a. freer movement of the operating levers 33 and as such requires comparatively little strength, as far as the operator is concerned. The T-irons when elevated are entirely clear and free from the windows, and the rollers carried thereby, and they are held in rigid engagement therewith when the windows are locked. Rattle and vibration are thus reduced to a minimum, and, as the lower rails of the windows are cushioned by rubber strips, rattle is also here reduced to a minimum.

While certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically illustrated, I wish it understood that various changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. I similarly wish it understood that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand.

One of the levers 33 is preferably placed exterior of the top and on the curb side as indicated at 33a. This is particularly convenient when it is desired to lock or release the windows from the exterior side.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In an auto top of the character described, an overhead rail, a window, a pair of shoes slidably mounted on the rail, a resilient connection between each shoe and the window from which the window is suspended, said resilient connections permitting a limited vertical movement of the window and imparting a tilting' movement of the shoes to cause the shoes to grip the rail and lock the window against sliding movement, a bar disposed in parallelism with the rail and adjacent the same, and engageable with the top of the window, and means for imparting a longitudinal and vertical movement to the bar, said vertical movement of the bar being` transmitted to the window to lock the same.

2. In an auto top of the character described, two pair of overhead rails, one pair in each side of the top, a window for each rail, a pair of shoes for each window slidably mounted on each rail, a pair of spring arms for each window, said spring` arms being secured at one end to the shoes and at their opposite ends to the windows, said springarms permitting a limited vertical movement of the windows, and also imparting' a tilting;` movement to the shoes to cause them to grip the rails and lock the windows against sliding movement on the rails, a pair of bars, one in each side of the top and positioned in parallelism with the rails, saidv bars having` elongated angularly disposed slots formed therein, pins proj ecting through the slots and supporting the bars with relation to the top, said bars engaging the tops of the adjacent windows, an actuating shaft disposed crosswise of the top and journaled therein, a pair of crank arms secured thereon, one at each end, a link forming a connection between each crank arm and each bar, and an operating' lever secured to the actuating' shaft for imparting a turning' movement thereto, said turning` movement being transmitted through the crank arms and links to move the bars longitudinally and vertically and thereby transmitting a vertical movement to the windows to lock the same in unison.

FRANK I). GOULD.

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