US1065189A - Shifting bow for vehicle-tops. - Google Patents

Description

c, E. TITOHENER. SHIFTING BOW FOR VEHICLE TOPS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27, 1911.

Patented June 17, 1913.

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CHARLES E. TITCHENER, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

SHIFTING BOW FOR VEHICLE-TOPS.

Application filed. December 27, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 17 1913.

Serial No. 668,173.

To all who m, 2'6 may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Trrorr- ENER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shifting Bows for Vehicle-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shifting bows for the tops of vehicles.

In the ordinary styles of carriage and automobile sockets the front bow is usually fastened at a fixed place, either at the bottom or eye part of the main or upright socket, or about half way up. With this construction, especially with the long front tubes used on automobiles, when the top is folded or let back the front bows are so long that they extend out over the ends of the shorter bows, so that the top when thus folded is rather unsightly, and is also somewhat difficult to secure without rattling. In order to avoid this objection, the upright or main sockets are usually made with two eyes, one of which is some distance above the other, so that a stud on the front how can be shifted from one to the other. When the top is up, the upper eye is used, and when it is to be shut down, the front bow is shifted down to the lower eye. In every case it is necessary to remove the cotter pin which fastens the stud of the bow in the eye, and to replace said pin when the stud has been inserted in the lower socket; this operation being repeated when the top is put up again.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple construct-ion of these parts which will hold the front bow firmly in either its upper or lower position without the necessity of removing any cotter pins or manipulating any other fastenings. The construction is such that the bows present a neatand finished appearance from the outside of the vehicle, and the front bow shuts close against the main socket when shifted to its lower position, making a com act arrangement which facilitates the app ication of anti-rattling devices and the straps or other means for securing the bows together.

The device consists of a clip fastened to the main bow at a suitable point and on the inner side thereof, with a link or brace pivoted to it and to a clip secured to the end of the front bow and shaped to fit snugly against the front edge of the main bow in both its upper and lower positions, so as to form a firm abutment for the front bow.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l is a side elevation of my improved bow shifting device, looking from the inside of the vehicle. Fig. 2 is a cross section through the abutment clip, on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of said clip.

To the inner side of the main or upright how 1 is secured at the proper height a clip 2, which is simply a plate affording a foundation for a stud 3 upon which is pivoted one end of a link or brace 4 composed of a flat bar of metal. The other end of said link is pivoted to one side of an abutment clip 5, and preferably to an arm 6 extending backwardly along the inner side of the main bow. The clip is curved forming steadying flanges to fit around the front edge of the main bow, as shown in Fig. 2, and has an arm 7 projecting forwardly to afford a point of attachment for the lower end of the front bow 8, which is pivotally mounted upon a stud 9 passing laterally through said arm and bow.

The length of the link is preferably such that when the front bow is folded down, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the upper ends of all the bows will be adjacent, none project-ing beyond another to an objectionable degree. The width of said link is less than that of the main bow, so that it is entirely concealed behind said bow and is not visible to an observer standing outside of the vehicle. To shift the front bow to the position it must occupy when the top is up, the abutment clip is swung up from its position against the main bow below the plate 2, as it appears in Fig. l, to the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in said figure, where it abuts again against the front edge of the main bow, and firmly supports the front bow, which extends forwardly as indicated by the dotted lines. The parts are held in this position by the weight of the forward portion of the top, and also by the straps which are customarily used in automobiles to stretch the top forward. In its upper position, too, the link is concealed by the main how, so that the entire device presents a neat appearance The pivotal attachment of the clip to the link enables the steadying flanges to engage with the main bow socket in both the upper and the lower positions of said clip.

Having thus described my invention what l I claim is The combination with the main bow socket of a vehicle top, of a clip comprising a portion shaped to fit the front edge of said bow socket and having two perforated arms, one projecting forwardly and the other backwardly, a link pivoted to the inner side of said how socket and to the hackwardly projecting arm of said clip and a front bow pivoted to the forwardly pro-- CHARLES E. TITGHENER.

Witnesses N. A. BOYD, ANNA F. GUILFOYLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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