US1220595A

US1220595A - Articulated connection.

Info

Publication number: US1220595A
Application number: US13137316A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Blackburn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1916-11-15
Filing date: 1916-11-15
Publication date: 1917-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 1934-03-27

Description

W. A; BLACKBURN.

ARTICULATED CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15. I916.

1,220,595. Patented Mar. 2?, 1917.

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W. A. BLACKBURN.

ARTICULATED CONNECTION. APPLICATI-ON FILED NOV. 15. I916.

Patented Mar. 27, 191?.

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BY I

\ A TTOR/VEV WILLIAM A. BLACKBURN, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ARTICULATED CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2'7, 1917.

Application filed. November 15, 1916. Serial No. 131,373.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM A. BLACK- BURN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Detroit, Vayne county, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Articulated Connections, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to articulated connections, and particularly casings or closures therefor. I

()ne of the objects of this invention is to provide a connection, of the class described, with means for inclosing and protecting the various movable parts in all their relative positions.

Another object is to provide an improved closure or casing, of the class described, which may be assembled and disassembled without disturbance of the operative relation of the articulated connections and their cooperating parts.

Where it is found necessary to provide a universal joint with flexible, extensible, or yielding connections, such as between the steering-gear arm and knuckle of road vehicles, considerable difliculty is experienced in properly protecting the parts in a simple and effective manner without restricting the normally free action of the various parts.

Therefore, another of the objects of this invention is to overcome the objections stated and to provide an effective and comparatively inexpensive closure or cover for joints of the class described, which may be easily assembled and disassembled without in any manner disturbing the relation of any other parts or members.

In the preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a tubular casing member having an opening relatively movable member, with a two-part cover or plate which maintains a closure for the opening in all relative positions.

These and other objects will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the front end of a road vehicle embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary lower view (with portions broken away) of the front end of the steering drag-link illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a-longitudinal vertical section along substantially the line 33, Fig. 2;

for receiving another of lubricant from the Y the members 21 F ig. 4 is a transverse vertical section along substantially the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6, respectively, are perspective views of the cover plates;

Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, are views, similar to Figs. 2 to 6, respectively, of a modified form of the invention.

Referring particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates the front end of a vehicle frame side member suitably mounted on a spring 11 and a. front axle 12. A steering knuckle 13 may be vertically trunnioned to the front axle yoke 14, and have the usual supporting wheel 15 suitably mounted thereon. The usual cross-rod 16 may be linked, as at 17, to a, forwardly-extending arm 18 of the knuckle 13. The steering arm 19, which is mounted on the frame member 10 and adapted to be actuated by the usual steering wheel (not shown), is connected to another arm 20, formed on or secured to the steering knuckle 13, through articulated and extensible joints hereinafter described as ar ranged in the enlarged tubular forward and rearward ends or casing portions 21 of a connecting tube or drag-link 22. A plate 23 may be inserted in the. tubular end 21 through the opening 2-1 and finally abutting against the shoulder 25. A spring 26. and socket member 27 may be similarly introduced in the casing 21 adjacent the plate 25. It will be noted that the vided with a lateral opening or keyhole slot 28. The enlarged portion of this slot is of sufficient size to permit the introduction of the ball portion 29 of the member 30 into the casing 21, against the socket piece 27. These parts may then be maintained in operative relation by threading another socket piece 31 in the end opening 24 of the casing 21. A packing gasket 32 may be arranged between the neck of the member 30 and the Socket member for preventing the leakage casing at this point. It will be understood that the front and rear ends of the drag-link 22 are of similar form and construction; and it will be noted that with this construction the member 30 may have a. relative universal movement with the end portions 21 of the drag-link 22 and also a relative movement lon 'tudinally therewith.

To maintain a closure for the slot 28 of the casing 21 and to prevent the entrance of dust and dirt therein, in all relative positions of and 30, I have provided a casing- 21 is pro-' closure which will now be particularly described. A normally resilient plate 33 of semi-cylindrical form, and which may be a metallic stamping, having a circumferentially-extending slot 34, is adapted to be sprung into position on the member 21, the end portion 35 of the slot being adapted to closely fit about the neck portion of the member 30. Another plate 36, having an oppositely-extending slotted portion 34:, is adapted to be sprung into position over the plate 33, the end portion 35 of the slot in plate 36 closely fitting about the opposite side of the neck portion of the member 30. It will be noted that the plate 33 may be provided with means, in the form of lugs 37, for preventing relative rotational movement between the plates. One of the plates, such as 36, may be provided with a circumferential depression or offset portion 38, the side walls of which are adapted to fit in the slotted portion at of the plate 33, for preventing relative longitudinal movements between these plates.

With this construction, it will be understood that these plates may be sprung into position without disturbing the articulated joint connection, or members 30 with the steering arm 19 and the knuckle arm 20, respectively. With this construction, at least one pair of

plates

33 and 36, respectively, are caused to rotate with any relative rotational movement between the member 30 and the casing member 21, and .to slide longitudinally of the latter with any relative longitudinal movements.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 7 to 11, respectively, it will be noted that instead of forming the slots in the

plates

33 and 36 circumferentially, similar slots are arranged longitudinally thereof, and instead of forming lugs 37 at the edges of the plates, lugs 37 are struck up at intermediate portions of the plate 33, and the plate 36 is provided with complementary openings 37 While I have described what I deem to be preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope hereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination, with a casing member and another member having a neck portion adapted to enter the first member for relative movement therewith, of a plate having a slotted portion about said neck portion, and another plate adapted to be secured to said first plate, for closing said slot.

2. The combination, with a casing member and another member having a neck portion adapted to enter the first member for relative movement therewith, of a plate havthe connection of the having an openmg therein,

' a pair and another plate adapted to be secured to said first plate, for closing said slot.

4.. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an opening therein, of another member having a portion extending through said opening, said members being adapted for relative movements, a plate conforming to said tubular member and having a slotted portion about said portion of said second member, and means, comprising another plate, detachably secured in position over said slot.

5. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an opening therein, and another memberhaving a portion extending through said opening, of a two-part cover plate exteriorly of and conforming to said tubular member and closing said opening.

6. The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateral opening therein, and another member extending through said opening and adapted to move relatively to said first member, of a pair of complementary slotted members exteriorly of and conforming to said tubular member and having portions surrounding the projecting portion of said first member.

7 The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateral opening therein, and another member extending through a said opening and adapted to move relatively to said first member, of a pair of complementary slotted members, said complementary members being sprung into position on said tubular member, for maintaining a closure for said opening.

8. The combination, with one member and another member extending through said opening,

adapted for relative movement therewith, of

of superposed plates conforming to said first member and adapted to seal said opening in all relative positions of the said members.

9. The combination, with a pair of cooperating members having connections for relative universal movements, of a pair of superposed complementary plates conforming to one of said members, for sealing the interior of the latter in all relative positions of the members.

10. The combination, with a tubular casopening ing member having an opening therein, and another member extending through said opening and having universal connection in the interior of said first member, of a plate conforming to said first member and having a slotted portion fitting closely about the exteriorly-extendin'g portion of said second member, and another plate detachably arranged over the slotted portion of said first plate.

11. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an opening therein, and another member extending ,through said opening and having universal connection in.

the interior of said first member, of a plate conforming to said first member and having a slot formed therein extending from one of its edges to an intermediate point therein, and a superposed plate having a complementary slot, said slotted portions of said plates being adapted to closely fit about the extending portions of said second member and said plates being adapted to close the opening of said first member.

12. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an opening therein, and another member extending through said and having connection for relative unlversal movement with said first member, of a cover for said opening, comprising a cylindrical slotted plate conforming to said first member, and a superposed plate having an oppositely-formed slotted portion and a circumferential depression formed therein, said depression being adaptedto fit within the slotted portion of said first plate.

13. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an opening therein, and another member extending through said opening and having connection for relative universal movement with said first member, of a cover for said opening, comprising a cylindrical slotted plate conforming to said first member, and a superposed plate having an oppositely-formed slotted portion and a circumferential depression formed therein, said depression being adapted to fit within the slotted portion of said first plate, said first plate having lugs arranged thereon for preventing relative rotation between said plates.

14. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an opening therein, and another member extending through said opening and having connection for relative universal movement with said first member, of a cover for said opening, comprising a cylindrical slotted first member, and a superposed plate having an oppositely-formed slotted portion and a circumferential depression formed therein, said depression being adapted to fit within the slotted portion of said first plate, one of said plates being provided with means for preventing relative rotational movements bet een said plates.

15. The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateral opening therein, of another member extending through said opening and having connection interiorly thereof for relative universal movement, and a cover for said opening comprising a pair of resilient superposed plates conforming to said first member.

16. The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateral opening thereplate conforming to said in, of another member extending through said opening and having connection interiorly thereof for relative universal movement, and a cover for said opening comprising a pair of resilient superposed plates conforming to said first member and having oppositely-disposed slotted portions.

17. The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateral opening therein of another member extending through said opening and having connection interiorly thereof for relative universal movement, and a cover for said opening comprising a pair of resilient superposed plates conforming to said first member and having oppositely disposed slotted portions, one of said plates having an offset portion fitting within the slotted portion of said other plate.

' In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.