US1200562A - Side frame of collapsible go-carts. - Google Patents

Description

G. L WISER.

SIDE FRAME 0F COLLAPSIBLE GO-CARTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-8, I915.

Patented 00t.10,1916. 4

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. WISER, 0F ELKHART, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 'IO SIDWAY MERCANTILE COM- PANY, OF ELKHART, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

SIDE FRAME OF COLLAPSIBLE GO-CARTS.

Application filed January 8, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE L. WVIsER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elkhart, county of Elkhart, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Side Frames of Collapsible Go-Carts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to collapsible gocarts for children and has special reference to improvements in the collapsible, wheelbearing side-frames of such go-carts.

In the construction of a collapsible gocart two longitudinally disposed sideframes are pivoted on the main rectangular body-frame of the vehicle. The pivots are close to the main frame, whereas the wheel axles are remote therefrom, being attached to the lower parts of the side frames.

As lightness is an essential factor in such carts the side-frames are made as slender as consistent with the stresses and strains to which they are subjected. The wheel axles are mere studs which extend outwardly from these slender frames. Opposite studs are not joined as by a long axle and they, therefore, exert a relatively powerful leverage and twisting strain upon respective side-frames. Any deviation from a true perpendicular is immediately noticeable in the distorted positions of the parts and particularly in the wabbling of the wheels. Many remedies have been suggested for overcoming these difficulties and for attaining the requisite rigidity in the parts, but according to my observation this has not been attained without unduly increasing the weight of material used or without excessive cost in material and labor.

The object of my invention is to provide wheel-bearing side-frames of a form that will admit of their being kept within reasonable limit of weight and which will afford that degree of rigidity between the side frames and the stub or stud axles which will insure the continuous alinement of the axles and the wheels.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the appearance of the side-frames of collapsible go-carts.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the improved structure and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Serial No. 1,139.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and in which,

Figure 1. is a side elevation of a go-cart embodying my invention, the nearer wheels being removed to disclose the construction of the side frame; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of one bend of a side-frame and its axle fastening; Fig. 3 is a vertical section onthe line 00 w of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side view of a side-frame and axle fastening of modified form; and, Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line Y -Y of Fig. 4L.

In the drawings, I have depicted only those parts of a collapsible go-cart which are directly related to my present invention, making no attempt to illustrate the seating arrangement or the mechanism employed for actuating the folding side-frames.

Referring to Fig. 1, a, represents the horizontal rectangular main frame or body frame of the go-cart. The lower end of the folding handle or pusher, b, is pivoted to the rear end of the frame at points, 0. On each side of the main frame there are two depending rigid brackets, d, d, to which the side frames, 6, e, are pivoted.

My novel side frame, 6, comprises the horizontal bar portion, 1, the bends, 2, 2, and the upright portions, 3, 3, are attached to the brackets, cl, d, by pivots, f. It is clear that the side frame being thus pivoted on the main frame may be folded laterally beneath and upwardly against the main frame, a.

Each side-frame proper may comprise a single piece of metal tubing, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or it may comprise a flat bar, 6, bent to the described shape, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The axles, g, for the wheels, 71,, are attached to respective side-frames by means of fastenings, 2'. These fastenings, i, in turn, are attached to the horizontal reach bar, 1, of the side frame, close to the bends, 2, thereof. The fastenings occupy reverse positions, to the end that they may present a symmetrical appearance, but otherwise they are identical, and a description of one will serve for both.

The principal member of each fastening, 2', is a metal saddle, the top, 4, of which rests upon and conforms to the parts, 1 and 2, of the side-frame. The sides, 5, of the saddle hang on opposite sides of the memher, 1, and at a point directly beneath the member 1. Said sides, 5, 5, are provided with openings, 6, and 7. The inner end of the axle, g, tightly fits these openings, 6 and 7. The extreme inner end of the axle is reduced in diameter and shouldered (see 8) to fit the smaller hole 7. The axle is secured in the saddle by the riveting of its shouldered end, 9, in or against the inner side, 5, of the saddle. The saddle is rigidly attached to the sideframe by a vertical rivet, 10, and by a hori zontal rivet, 11.

It will be noted that the widely separated sides, 5, 5, of the saddle, together afford a long or wide bearing for the inner end of the axle, g. The device is extremely rigid and the axle cannot become loose in the saddle; indeed, before the parts can fall, the side-frame itself must have been bent.

A particular advantage of my invention is that the fullstrength of the side-frame is preserved. This is not the case where an axle is secured directly in the side-frame. These fastenings are small and inconspicuous. That is, they are little if any larger than the wheel hubs, 72,, and consequently are virtually covered and concealed by the hubs, it, of respective wheels. And so, the structure as a whole presents a neat, symmetrical, and pleasing appearance.

here I employ side-frames that are made.

from flatbar material, as in Figs. 4 and 5, the tops 4, of the saddles, 5, are made fiat, to rest upon the top of the bar; and the sides, 5", 5, of the saddles are arranged to receive the axle 9, close to the bottom of the bar, 1. In this case two vertical.

rivets, 9, 9, serve to rigidly fix the saddle on the side frame.

It is obvious that the middle portion of the reach bar, 1, may be made in various shapes Without modifying the construction or functions of the wheel axle fastenings, and Without lessening the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent In a collapsible go-cart a main horizontal frame, in combination with side frames having upright portions pivoted to the sides of said main frame, the upright portions of each said side frame having their lower ends integrally and rigidly joined by a longitudinal bar portion, axle fastenings riveted to said longitudinal bar portions at their junctures with respective upright portions, each said fastening comprising an inverted U-shaped. metal saddle which fits and straddles the top of its longitudinal bar portion and has sides which extend below the bottom of said bar portion, the depending sides of said saddle in each case containing axle openings in horizontal alinement just below the bottom of the respective bar portion, a stud axle tightly riveted in the openings of each said saddle and extending outwardly therefrom, and wheels on said axles, having hubs that substantially conceal respective saddles.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto setmy hand, this 1st day of December, 1914:, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

F. D. FrnLDs, F. WERK.

Copies of this patent may obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

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