US1982293A - Frontal grille for radiators - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 27; 1934. 1, EN 1,982,293

FRONTAL GRILLE FOR RADIATORS Filed Feb. 15, 1955 s Skieets-Shet 1 Nov.27,1934. a GREEN 1,982,293

FRONTAL GRILLE FOR RADIATORS InvcqU" L Green Nov. 27, 1934. 1.. a. GREEN ,98

FRONTAL GRILLE FOR RADIATORS FiledFeb. 16, 1935 s Sheets-Shet a I 6mm A e e B, Cre 7 Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 15 Claims.

My invention relates to grilles or openingspanning guards of the louver-type class in which the guard elements extend parallel to one another, as now. commonly used in fronts of automobiles in preference to grilles of the woven wire type. In general; the objects of my invention are those of enhancing the extent towhich the grille conceals what is behind it, affording wide air passages through the grille, distributing the air more efiiciently to the cells of a radiator core behind the grille, deflecting a considerable portion of the dust in the grille away from these core cells, and enabling such grilles to afford ornamental appearances conforming with those of exterior parts adjacent to them.

As heretofore constructed, such grilles commonly consist of generally parallel, straightedged and freely spaced bars fastened at each end to a cross-bar or to an end member of a frame, the bars being freely spaced from each other by distances greater than their widths. When mounted on or within the frontally apertured radiator shell of an automobile, such parallel bar grilles serve both as guards for the radiator and as means for making the radiator cores'behind them less conspicuously visible, but still have the following shortcomings:

(1) If the unsightly radiator core is'to. be concealed to a material extent from any one facing the car either squarely or at any acute angle to the longitudinal medial plane of the radiator shell, the grille bars must be spaced so closely or else must be of so great a depth (longitudinally of the car) as to require an undesirably large number of separate bars and a correspondingly large number of welds or other fastenings to the bar-supporting members.

(2) When each such louver bar presents wide and oppositely directed faces parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car, the adjacent bars guide the admitted air directly toward the radiator core, so that this air (if not otherwise defiected) would be distributed with approximate uniformity'over the major portion of the core.

However, the suction of the engine-driven fan (which usually has its horizontal axis approxi mately in line with a medial portion of the front face of the radiator core) draws the air toward that axis, thereby preventing a fair proportion of this air from cooling both the laterally outward, the upper, and the lower portions of the radiator core. This considerably reduces the efficiency of the radiator, particularly during the hotter months. i

(3) The dust in the air also is drawn along the same paths as the air, so that a large propor- 1 tion of it impacts against the engine behind the fan, while only a quite small portion is emitted through the lateral vents in the hood over the engine.

(4). The use of parallel louver bars permits of very limited variations in the. appearance of the assembled grille, and the straight-lined bar effect will not allow the grille to harmonize adequately with the curved lines now commonly preferred for radiator. shell fronts, so that such louver bar grilles detract from instead of adding to the ornamentalappearanceof the car front.

Generally speaking, my present invention overcomes the. above recited objections tothe here- 70. tofore customary automobile radiator grilles in the following manner:

(A) By employing concentric annular louver elements (instead .of straight-edged louver blades) either with or without a central panel 75, element, spacing these to afford wide air passages between them, and forming these louver elements of such cross-sections as to obscure a view through these passages.

(B) By shaping the louver element sections so v that each thereof will deflect air, radially away from the axis of the suction fan behind the grille, thereby improving the distribution of the air to the radiator core.

(C) By also shaping the louver elements so that the dust in the air will be deflected to a still great- .er extent from the fan axis, thereby greatly reducing the amount of dust which reaches the core cells of the radiator.

(D) By providing. simple and'easily attached means for rigidly spacing the louver elements from each other and for supporting the grille from the front of the housing for the radiator.

(E) By providing. concentric louver elements which can readily be shaped to conform in their contours to the shape of the air-admitting opening spanned by the grille, and also to the desired shape of the grille front.

Illustrative of the employment of various features of my invention,

Fig. l is a front elevation of an automobile radiator shell of conventional shape, with a correspondingly designed flat-front louver-type grille embodying my invention and having all of its louver elements annular and of a U shaped sec- 105 tion.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig; 3 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 2.

t Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the portion of the grille within the dotted circle A in Fig. 1, showing the juncture of a horizontal cross-bar with the vertical bar of the structure which connects and supports the annular louver elements.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the upper half of a radiator shell having a V-sectioned front and a frontal opening of polygonal contour, and of a correspondingly shaped grille embodying my invention, withthe grille including a central panel and annular louver elements consecutively surrounding this panel, the alternate annular louver elements being omitted to show the cross-con.- necting members more clearly.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged and fragmentary sectio taken along the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a grille also embodying my invention, in which the louver elements are formed for advantageously deflecting air and dust, shaped to afford a V front as Well as a downwardly forward sloping stream-line effect, and in which the louver elements consist of a central panelsurrounded by concentric annular louver elements, a portion of one side of each louver element being broken away. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the grille oil Fig. '1. Figs. 9 and l0'are enlarged sections taken respectively along the lines 9-9 and 1010 of Fig. 7.

Fig-11 is a side elevation of the grille of Fig. 7. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the annular elements of the same grille.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged and fragmentary section taken along the line 1313of Fig, 7.

Fig. 14 is an enlargement of a portion ofFig.

Fig. 15 is a front elevation of the louver-supporting bar portion shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

Figs. 16 and 17 are transverse sections through grille portions showing alternative shapes of louver elements for grilles'of my here presented invention.

. Fig. 18 is a section allied to. a portion of Fig. 13, but with the cross-connecting bar omitted, showing louver elements with narrower flat frontal portions, and with dotted lines showing the defiection of air and of dust by webs of the louver elements.

Fig. 19 is a rear elevation of upperportions of a central panel member and a correspondingly contoured annular louver element, showing a sectioned construction of the'same. I

Fig. 20 is a cross-section through two adjacent louver elements formed for deflecting air and dust and ornamented by split tubes.

Fig. 21 is a cross-section showing theshutter effect secured by a different relative positioning of annular louver elements.

Fig. 1 shows a flat radiator shell front l with an air-admitting aperture 2 having the medially upper portion of its generally oval contour indented do-wnwardly. To match this shape and to avoid the inharmonius effects of straight bars spanning an opening of curved contour, I employ concentric annular louver elements (L L etc.),

desirably of uniform sectional widths and with a uniform spacing 'both between the consecutive louver elements and between the outermost (or largest diameter'ed) louver element L and the edge 2 of the frontal shell opening.

Then I cross-connect these annular louver elements so as to hold them rigidly spaced and with their most forward portions in a common surface S, which surface with a flat-front radiator shell maybe a plane as shown in Fig. 2. As here shown,

'also for supporting them from the radiator shell) even when these louver elements are formed of thin sheet metal. v

Thus, for a grille of the type shown in Fig. 1, I have found it sufficient to employ a single (medial) upright bar 3 welded (as at 5 in Fig. 4) to each of two horizontal cross-bars 4, when each of these crossebars is disposed so as to extend behind all of the annular louver elements.

Each of these bars may be of a rearwardly open channel section as shown in Figs. 2 to 4, and the annular louver elements may be fastened to these bars without any welding by forming these of louver elements to provide tabs T extending rearwardly from the rear edgesof the U -web portions which cross the louver elements, and providingthe forwardly facing channel-backs of the cross-bars with slots 7 (Fig. 4) through which thesetabs are respectively clinched. This may also be done with vsfront gril1es'such as the one partly shown in Fig. 6-when the medial plane of eachannular louver element is not at right angles to the forward face of the adjacent cross-bar 4, after the manner more fully disclosed in my copending application #646,160 entitled Louver-type grille for automobile radiators.

For interconnecting such channel-sectioned bars, I desirably bend parts of the channel webs (such as the webs 3B in Fig. 4) on one bar away from each other into the same plane. with the channel back, thereby affording a flat bearing for the back of the channel-sectioned bar 4 which crossesit; offset a portion of this latter channelback by bends 4A so as to dispose the major portions of the channel-backs of all of the connected bars in a common plane.

' With such a grille positioned concentric with the shell front opening 2, my simple and inexpensive construction' provides a grille conforming to the shape of that opening and affording a decidedly artistic appearance as distinguished from the now customary straight edged louver bar grilles; This harmonizing with the shell front of the car can readily be secured for any other-contour of the shell opening by correspondingly varying the contours of the annular grille elements, and in each case with a much smaller number of separately manufactured and assembled elements than required for a straightbarred grille.

However, whenthe louver elements are all annular (as in Fig. 1) ,a considerable portion of the vertical connecting bar 3 will show through the-bore of the innermost louver'element, and this bore may also admit air toofreely to the portion of the radiator-core towards which the suction fan behind the said core draws the air, thereby further reducing the supply of air to the laterally outward core cells. Hence 'Ipreferably make all except the central louver element of an annular form and employ an imperforate central element, such as the element 8 of Figs. 5 and 6, desirably with-the forward face of this central louver element in the same frontal surface with the forward edges of the annular elements L. i

For a V-fronteffect, this may mean that the forward face of the central element has each lateral halfthereof respectively inone ,of two can all be done with widely planes S and S (Fig. 6) which together form what I am here terming the frontal surface of the grille, and the central element can readily be fastened directlytoa supporting bar 4' by suitably bending the corresponding -portion of that bar forwardlyas shown in Fig. 6. 'Ihus arranged, the central element conceals a large portion of the upright bar 3, adds tothe ornamental appearance of the grille, and prevents air from being admitted through the grille close to the axis F of the suction fan, which axis usually is laterally medial of the shell front opening, as indicated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

For improving the air distribution to the radiator core cells and for concealing the radiator core cell more effectively, I preferably form my annular louver elements with only a single annular web of appreciable width, namely a web extending rearwardly and radially outward of that element from the radially outer edge of the frontal portion of the louver element, in which case each annular element may be supported merely from this annular web part. This varying contours of -the louver elements and for grilles affording various shapes of frontal effects.

For example, Figs. '7, 8 and 11 respectively show a front elevation, plan View and side elevation of a grille having a V-front which slopes forward downwardly to a gradually increasing extent and which will almost entirely conceal a radiator core behind it, each louver element of this grille being shaped to conform to the contour of the frontal opening 2 of a radiator shell, which opening is shown in a dash and dot line in Fig. '7.

In this grille, each of the concentric annular louver elements includes a frontal portion 10 ofv straight cross-section lying in the frontal surcross-section louver elements.

portion tangential supporting elements of the grille, as shown in face S of the grille, a short rearwardly recurved inner edge portion 10A which enhances the appearance and stiffens the inner edge of this element, and a peripheral web 103 extending in directions both rearwardly and radially outwardly from the radially outer edge of the frontal portionloA. The central louver element comprises a frontal portion which likewise hasits frontal portion 11A in the frontal surface S of the grille, and a peripheral web 11B of similar to the webs 10B of the annular For high effectiveness in distributing the admitted air more uniformly over the front face of a radiator core behind the grille, and for also reducing the proportion of dust which reaches the cells of this core, I preferably make each of the said peripheral webs of 'an arcuate crosssection having its center at or near the inner edge of the next larger-diametered louver element. Thus, the section of Fig. 13 shows the center 12 of the curvature of the peripheral web 103 of the smallest diametered annular louver element. I also desirably make each peripheral web of such a width as to dispose its free edge to the forward face of the connection with the cross-bar 14 in Fig. 13.

To simplify a rigid fastening of such louver elements to the bar members which connect them,

I desirably provide each such bar member of a bar-like strip with integral fingers 14A extending forwardly and radially inward of the grille, each finger being curved so as to fit against the rear face of the free edge portion of a web 1013 on an annular grille, or against the similar por-- tion of the web 113 on the central louver element. When'the grille has a quite small number of louver elements, such as the total of six in Figs"? to 11, so that each louver element is of considerable weight, I preferably provide these fingers 14A on each bar in pairs (as shown in Fig. 15), the two fingers of each pair which bear against portions of the same louver web being spaced by a quite short distance.

When each of these bar fingers is spot-welded to the web against which it bears, I readily obtain a rigid assembly of all of the louver elements and the element-connecting bar structure. And, since the peripheral web on each such web forms a rearwardly flaring-fiange-as shown on the smallest diametered annular louver in the perspective view of Fig. 12-the stiffening effect of these flanges permits the use of thin metal for the louver elements.

With the said peripheral webs shaped as in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, it will be obvious from the dotted sight-lines 15 that nothing behind the grille can be seen in a squarely frontal view of the grille; also, that while quite'narrow portions of a radiator core behind the grille might be seen between louver elements in one lateral half of the grille when viewed along the sight-line 16 of Fig. 13, the View of the same observer along a parallel sight line 163 will disclose nothing whatever behind the other half of the grille. Likewise, the sight-line 15 in Fig. 9 shows that in any ordinary viewing of the grille-which is always below the level of an erect person or of one seated in another carnothing can be seen through the upper portions of the grille. Thus, my just described grille is amply effective for concealing the radiator core cells and radiator headers behind the grille.

In addition, the above described curving of the peripheral webs of my louver elements has the following highly beneficial effect: When the car is moving forward, air entering along the dotted lines 1'7 of Fig. 18, namely parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car and likewise to the axis F of the usual suction fan behind the radiator core, will be deflected radially outward of each louver member by each arcuately curved louver web; namely, toward opposite sides in the riser portions of these webs, towards the top in the upper portions of the same webs,and towards the bottom in the lower web portions. Consequently, even the usual suction of the fan will only bend the entering streams of air part way toward the axis of the fan, so that my grille causes a larger part of the admitted air to reach the radiator core cells which are radially outward of the axis of the suction 'fan, thereby increasing the efficiency of the radiator. 1

At the same time, particles of dust, sand, loose pavement or the like entering similarly, as along the line 18 of Fig. 18, will likewise be deflected radially outward of the grille and of the suction fan axis. But, owing to the weight of such solid particles, their momentum will cause them to continue more nearly onthe lines (such as 18A) along which they are deflected, in spite of the suction of the fan. Consequently, the curvature 'of the web portions of my grille considerably rewill be evident from FigsQ'I, 13 and that this flange comprises 19 that theperiphery of the central panel element is considerably smaller than the bore of the sec- 0nd of the annular louver elements surrounding it, and that the same holds true also as to the oth-i er elements. Owingto this relation, the central panel element of the illustrated grille (which grille also includes five annular louver elements) can be formed from the same sheet with the annular elements which are respectively designated for this purpose as b anddiinthe upper portion of Fig. '7 and in Fig. 11; likewise the other three annular elements a, c and e in the same figure can all be blanked from one sheet, so that a relatively small amount of metal is wasted by the adoption of my concentric louver element construction.

However, while the just described embodiment of Figs. 7 to'l3 inclusive includes both the concentric louver elements, and the use of a central imperforate element, along with desirable louverclement-connecting means and with webs for effectively deflecting both'air and dust, I do not wish to be limited to the conjoint use of the various novel features of my invention. Nor do I wish to be limited to the particular shaping and relative disposition of various parts of my grille,

since many changes might be made Without departing either from the spirit of my invention or from the appended claims.

- For example, Fig. 16 shows a cross-section through adjacent louver elements each of which presents a frontal portion 19 of forwardly convexed semi-circular section; Fig. 18 shows the arc center'l2 of the section of a web of a louver element as disposed considerably further forward of inner edge portion of the next larger diametered element than this arc center is in Fig. 13.

Fig. 17 shows a horizontal section through the central element and two adjacent louver elements of a grille of the general type of Fig. 7,but em-' ploying a different forming of the. rearwardly clirected annular webs on these elements for the air-deflecting and for concealing what is behind the grille. In this embodiment, each annular louver element has a forwardly convexed frontal Q portion 21, from which the peripheral flange extends rearwardly first at an acute angle to frontal surface of the grille (with the angle opening radially outward of the grille) and then parallel to the vertical axial plane F of the grille, so two consecutive webs 21A and 21B.

With this shaping of the annular louver members, and when the central panel 22 is provided merely with a peripheral rearwardly extending web 22A parallel to the forward webs 21A of the annular louver elements, the forward webs will intercept a squarely frontal view along the sight line 23, while the rearward Webs 213 will intercept views along such sight lines as 24, as more fully disclosed in my copending application #657,038 on a Radiator-core concealing grille.

Moreover, since the midheight portions of the louver elements of the grille shown in Fig. 7 are approximately straight-edged and have the edges in each lateral half of the grille parallel to each other, it should be obvious without additional picturing that the air-deflecting, dust-deflecting and radiator-core concealing features of myinvention would likewise be present if the riser portions of all louver elements, in Fig. '7 were parallel andextended for the full height of the grille. p

Hence it is to be understood that my present invention -in so far as it relates to the presented general shape and arrangement of the louver elements for deflecting bothair and dus talso includes grilles of the parallel blade type; as for example'upright grilles which the horizontal cross-sectionsmay correspond to those of Figs. 13,16or20. p

So also, the arrangement for connecting the louver elements into a rigidly spaced assembly and for supporting them from a radiatorshell may be varied. In Fig. 7 this arrangement comprises two vertically spaced cross-bars 14 each and a. single medial and generally upright bar 3.

.Each of these bars has its ends projecting beyond the outer louver element and has each end provided with an eye 27 through which a hook finger 28 on the radiator shell can be clinched as shown in Figs. 9 and 10,'after the manner described in my copending application #646,161. Instead of using bars which all extend either horizontally or vertically, some ofthe bars might extend in other directions,- asshown for exampleby the bars 29 in Fig. 5, so astoadd to the appearance of the grille in case the louver elements are so widely spaced as to expose appreciable portions of these bars.

Moreover, it should be understood that my invention is not limited to a radiator-front finishing attachment in which the concentric louver members are fixedly held in consecutively spaced positions so as to afford air spaces between them, since the heretofore recited positioning is merely that in which these louver members jointly function as a grille. This same functioning would still occur if part or all of the louver elements were movable with respect to adjacent members, thereby permitting the spaces between them to be either partly or entirely closed so that the same elements would serve as a shutter.

For example, Fig. 21 shows a section allied to By using concentric annular blades, I secure the following advantages even with widely varying cross-sectional shapes of the blades, in comparison with the substantially straight-edged upright blades as heretofore commonly mounted on the fronts of automobile radiator shells:

Since such a grille on an automobile usually has even its, uppermost portion considerably lower than the eyes of a man in front of it, regardless of whether he is standing on the road or sidewalk or is seated inanother car, he can see through the spaces some of the usual upright grille blades for the entire height of the opening spanned by the grille. On the other hand, with a grille having my annular blades, the upper and lower parts of the blades (namely, which extend more nearly horizontally than vertically) intercept such a viewing of the usually dirty radiator core behind the grille, and lower blade parts particularly deter him from seeing the mud and the like which collects on the so called apron which underhangs the space between the grille and the radiator core.

Moreover, even with blades of relatively short depth (longitudinally of the car) the upper blade portions reduce the extent to which the air admitted between them is drawn downward toward the mid-height portion of the radiator core, be

air admitted between them frombeing drawn,

the blade parts 7 freely upward by the suction of the fan.- Con-.

sequently, the upper and lower core cells of the radiator core receive a more adequate share of the air drawn through the grille, thereby increasing the cooling efficiency of the radiator.

In addition, my annular-blade grille permits a large reductioninthe needed number of grille parts and a corresponding reduction in the number and cost of the fastenings of the grille parts to the cross-member, and also allows the grille to harmonize with any desired shape of the aperture spanned by it.

I claim as my invention:

1. A louver-type grille comprising coaxial and consecutively radially spaced annular members of progressively increasingbores, the said members presentingthe front faces of their radially inward portions substantially in a common surface and having their radially outward portions offset rearwardly from the said surface; and connecting means extending behind and secured to said radially outward rearwardly offset portions of the said members for holding thesaid members v rigidly spaced in relation to one another.

2. A grille comprising concentric and consecutively radially spaced annular louver elements, a central non-annular member disposed within and freely spaced from the bore of the smallest diametered annular elements; and a structure connecting all of the said elements for holding the said members in their said relatively spaced disposition and with'frontal portions of all of the said elements disposed substantially in a common surface.

3. A grille comprising concentric and consecu tively spaced annular louver elements, a central non-annular member disposed within and freely spaced from the bore of the smallest diametered annular elements; and a connecting structure extending behind all of the said elements, the said structure comprising bar members each including a bar directly engaging the central member and fingers projecting from the bar and engaging the annular members.

4. A grille comprising concentric and consecutively spaced annular members each of which members includes a peripheral and rearwardly flaring web; and a connecting structure including bars extending behind the said elements, and fingers projecting from the bar and fastened to the peripheral webs of the said elements, the said fingers being formed to fit against the rear faces of the webs to which they are fastened.

5. A grille for guarding the frontal opening in a generally upright radiator shell front, comprising a. plurality of concentric annular members conforming in the contour of their inner and outer edge portions substantially to the shape of the bore of the said opening, and supporting means rigidly connecting the said members to each other and to the said shell; the outermost of the annular members being generally freely spaced from the said shell and the other annular members being consecutively freely spaced from each other; each annular member including an annular frontal portion and an annular peripheral flange extending both radially outward and rearwardly of that member, the flange on the largest diametered annular member presenting itsradial- 1y outward portion behind the part of the shell front bordering the said frontal opening, and the flange on each other annular member presenting its radially outward portion behind the radially inner portion of the next larger diametered an- 755 nular member.

6. A grille for disposition across, an air-admitting opening'in' a substantially uprightwall of a housing, comprising a plurality of consecutively radially spaced annular louver elements consecutively surrounding each other and conforming substantially in the contour of both their inner and their outer edges to the contour of the said opening, and a central non-annular member disposed freely Within the bore of the smallest diametered annular member, the largest diametered annular member being generally freely spaced radially of that member from the bore wall of the said opening, and a rigid structure connecting all of .the said elements,pthe structure having portions thereof projecting radially outward of the largest diametered'annular member and. adapted to be-fastened to the said wall.

7. A grille as per claim 6, including a rigid structure connecting all of the said elements, the structure having portionsthereof projecting radially outward of the largest diametered annular member and adapted to be fastened to the said wall.

8. A grille for dispositionacross an air-admitting opening ina'substantially upright wall of a housing, comprising a plurality of consecu tively spaced annular louver elements consecutively surrounding each other and conforming substantially in thecontour 'of'b'oth their inner and their outer edges to the contour of the said opening, and a central non-annular member disposed freelywithin thebore of the smallest diametered annular member, the largest diametered annular member having its peripheral portion of smaller contour than the said opening and extending rearwardly through the said opening.

9. A grille for use at the frontal opening of an automobile radiator shell which has a radiator core behind the said frontal opening and a suction fan disposed behind the said core with the axis of the fan substantially at right angles to the general plane of the said opening, comprising in generally upright disposition an imperforate central louver element extending across the axis of the fan, and a plurality of generally freely spaced and concentric annular elements consecutively surrounding the central element; the central element including a rearwardly flaring peripheral flange the outer edge portion of which is disposed behind the inner edge portion of the innermost annular element, and each of the annular elements having a similarly shaped peripheral flange.

10. A frontal finishing assembly for an automobile, comprising a radiator shell including a front provided with an air-admitting opening; and a grille comprising generally freely spaced annular louver elements concentric with the contour of the said opening and presenting their forward portions in a common surface; each of the said louver elements having a rearwardly flaring peripheral flange, the said flange on the outermost annular louver element presenting its outer edge portion behind the portions of the shell from adjacent to the said opening, and the peripheral flange on each other annular louver element presenting its outer edge portion behind the inner edge portion of the next larger-diametered annular louver element.

11. In an automobile, a radiator shell having its front provided with an air-admitting opening, a radiator core disposed behind the said opening and having air passages extendingsubstantially at right angles to the general plane of the said opening, a suction fan disposed behind the radiator core with its axis substantially parallel to the said passages and with the said axis extending through a central portion of the said opening; and a grille comprising an imperforate central panel extending across the said axis and having its periphery spaced substantially uniformly from the contour of the said opening, and a plurality of concentric annular louver members interposed between the central panel and the edge of the said opening andjointly spanning the annular space between the panel and the edge of the said opening, the said annular members being generally freely spaced'from each other.

12. A- grille comprising coaxial and consecutively freely spaced annular members of counterpart radial section having progressively increasing bores and presenting their frontal portions in a common surface, and rigid means connecting the said members to hold them in their aforesaid disposition; each annular member having its radially outward portion offset rearwardly from the said surface, whereby each two consecutive annular members define an uninterrupted tubular air passage coaxial with all of the said members.

13. A grille comprising coaxial and consecutively spaced and generally tubular members of substantially uniform inner and outer configuration; and an imperforate central member coaxial with, disposed within and freely spaced from the bore of the smallest diametered one of the said generally tubular members, the central member corresponding in its peripheral configuration to the said configuration of the annular members, whereby the spacing between each two consecutive members affords a tubular passage of uniform radial width.

14. A generally upright radiator grille comprising a plurality of concentric and consecutively freely spaced annular members, all of the said members presenting frontal face portions in a common surface in. each lateral half of the grille, each of the said members including as its major portion a tubular, and rearwardly flaring flange extending rearwardly from the laterally outward edge of its frontal portion.

15. A generally upright grille affording a V- front appearance and comprising a plurality of concentric and consecutively freely spaced annular members of progressively increasing exterior and interior diameters; each annular member having an interior diameter intermediate that of the interior and exterior diameters of the next larger member, and having its radially outward portion extending behind the radially inward portion of the next larger member, the forward faces of the radially inward portions of all the said members lying substantially in-two surfaces diverging rearwardly from the vertical medial plane of the grille; and means rigidly connecting the said members to hold them in their above recited relative disposition.

LEE B. GREEN.

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