US1249634A - Top-bow clamp. - Google Patents

Description

W. G. KAISER. TOP Bow mum. APPUCATION FILED MAR l9 119111.

Patanted 11, 1917..

INVENTOH WITNESSES:

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"Withhtttm ISEIEt, F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E. BOWEN.

TDP BOW CLAMP.

Patented Dec. 11,, 1917.

Application area March 19, 1917. Serial No. 155,657.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM G. Karena, a citizen oi the United States of America, and resident of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of lndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Top liow Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in top bow clamps of that class used for supporting and securing automobile tops when collapsed. The object of the improvement is to so construct the device that its securing hock will automatically move out of the path of the bowswhen released and thus al-- low the top to be raised and lowered quickly and without interference by the securing means.

The object of the invention is accom plished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

ll igure l is an elevation of the device in central section;

lhig. 2 is an elevation of the movable hook member;

ll ig. 3 is an elevation of the device shown in a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a detail view showing a crosssection of Fig. 2 on the line as -m;

lFig. is adetail view showing a cross section of l ig. 1 on the line 31- 1 the springs being omitted;

1F lg. 6 is a plan view of the yoke;

li ig. 7 is an elevation of the yoke projected iroin l ig. 6;

l ig. 8 is a plan view of the yoke applied to the hook-member, the section being the same as Fig. l; 1

i i g. 9 is an elevation of the spring for actuating the hook-member;

Fig. is a bottom plan of the spring shown in Fig. 9'. and

Fig. 11 is a cross-section of Fig. 1 on the line zz thereof.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and having reference now to the same:

i is a hollow bracket casting having bear ings 2 and 3 in its upper portion for guid ance of the hook member 4 that is arranged in the bracket to have both vertical recipro eating and turning movement therein. The bracket hasalso a laterally projecting cha1nbered extension 5 in which is secured a spring supported rest 6, there being a coil spring 7 contained within the extension that acts upwardly against the rest. The hollow extension has a series of openings 8 in its upper face adapted for the entrance therethrough of a corresponding series of lateral projections 9 on the lower end of the rest, the purpose being to permit the introduction of the extending lower portion of the rest into the extension, so that the rest after its introduction may be turned to normal position against the pressure of the spring 7 and be secured in the extension. The lateral projections 9, bear upwardly against the inner face of the extension 5 at points between the openings 8 therein and prevent unintentional dislodgment of the rest when normally positioned. Also, from the innerface of the extension extend pendant lugs 10 between which one of the projections 9 normally extends and prevents the restfrom being turned far enough to admit of its withdrawal from the extension 5 when held by the spring in its uppermost position. The movable hook-member 4 has in its overhanging portion 11 a cushion l2, and the upper face of the rest 6 has a covering of leather 13, the intention being to hold the bows of the top (not shown) between the leather faced rest and the cushioned hook so as to eliminate scutfing of the bows at the respective contact points.

The hook-member 4 has two series of ratchet-teeth 14: and 15 respectively. The edges of the. teeth of one series coincide with the edges of the corresponding teeth of the other series, and the two series of teeth also extend in planes at right angles to each other.

A throat 16 is made in the shank of the hook-member at a point beneath the ratchetteeth, the lower webbed portion 17 of the shank being united with the upper portion by the eccentric neck 18. Ayoke 19 having a recess 20 made therein is adapted to extend into the throat and-fit in the neck so that its periphery will be concentric with the stem of the hook member. The actuating spring 21 has a vertical extension 22 formed at its-'up-- per end adapted to fit into the outer portion of therecess in the yoke, and the lower end of" the spring is formed with a'fiat extension 23 so as to fit in the socket 24 correspondingly shaped in the lower end of 1,249,ese

from the hook-member by applying pressure to its knob whereupon the hook-member thus released will be forced upwardly and also turned by the expansion and torque actions of the spring :21. Thus, the bows may be raised without interference of the hookmember.

' The shank of the hook-member may be slightly, enlarged at its upper end as indithe bracket 1. By thus forming the spring cated' at 31 so that it will lit snugly in the its lower; end is anchored so that it cannot turn i'n't'hesocket, while its upper end has connection with the yoke sothat. torsional strain is applied to the spring when the hook member is: manually turned to securing po-' sition.. The. springQ]: also; acts upwardly againsttheyoke 19 and thus forces the hookmember to its uppermostpositionwhen releasedJ 'Ehe: yokeserves also as a stop to limit-the upward movement of the hook-4 member :by' coming into-contact with the lower faceof the bearing 3; V 7

A sliding ratchet extends horizontally 1 into an opening 261 made in the bearing 3 id: is adapted to engage the teeth of one or the other of the series of'ratehet-teeth lt or 15 accordingly asthe hook member isturned. The outer end of the ratchet has a knob 27 bymcans of which-the ratchet-member maybe pressed. from enga-gement with the teeth. A springflQS acts against the ratchet and holds it normally in. engagement with the teetho-f' the hook-member; The drift of the teeth Hand 15 aresuch when engaged by the ratchet, that, the hook-member may-be forced: downwardly but will= be prevented by the ratchet fromi retractinguntil released.

The bracket 1: may be attached tothe sid'e "ofthe vehicle in any suitable manner, F or instance:- The bracket may have a perforated lug 29: with. a set-screw 80 for attachment-to a stud (not shown) that is; ordinarily: provided? o1r automobiles for the purpose; U

"In using the device thehook-member is turned so that its: overhanging portion will extend? out of the path of the bows, hus allowing the-latterto be lowered onto the The hook-member is then turned outwardly: and forced downwardly so that the bows are held! between the rest 6 andthe overhanging portion'of the hook. By applying downward pressure to the bows and hook-member at the same time, the

spring 7 is: made toyield' somewhat and the ratchet is admitted into: theteeth 14c successively as. the hook-memben is lowered; Vhen manual pressure is withdrawn from the bows, they"are held upwardly against the overhanging portion of the hook by the spring-pressed; action-of the rest. and: are thereby preventedfrom rattling:

v 'Wlhen it is: desired to releasethebowsas in. raising thetop, the ratchet: is=disengaged upper. bearing of the bracket when the hookmember is forced down into idle position. This will have the, effect of preventing rattling Vibrations of the hook-member in the bracket.

What I claim is 7 1:. In a device of-the class described, ahollow bracket having hearings: in its upper portion, and: a lateral hollowextension at its base; a hook-member having vertical: and turningmovement in said bracket and having an overhanging portion at its upper end, the shank of thehook-member having made therein two: adjacent series of ratchet notches extending respectively in] planes at rightangles to each other; a yoke secured on the: stemv of the hook-member adapted to limit the upward play; thereof; a spring secured at its lower end against turning movement in the lower end: of the bracket and also having COIll'lGCt'lODi with the yoke at its upper end so as to be turned thereby v said spring being also. adapted to bearupwardly against the yoke a. ratchet in: the bracket adaptedi toiengage the-teeth of one series-or the other accordingly: as the hook-member is positioned; and a spring supported rest secured i111 the lateral. extension of the bracket.

2; In: a device of the class described, a bracket; a hook-member having vertical and turningmovement' in the bracket, the stem of the hook-member. having a series of ratchet-teethmadetherein a yoke secured onv the-stem; a ratchet in the frame adapted to engage the teeth in thestem; :1 spring secured at its; lowercnd against turning in the bracket and, having connection at its upper end with the yoke so as toturn therewith and: a rest yieldingly supported at the lower. portion of the bracket.

3. A bracket having a rest at its lower end ;v a hook-member having vertical and turning movement in the bracket; a spring secured in. the bracket and: being adapted to actuate the hook-member vertically and turn the same out of: securing position; and ratchet mechanism for holding the hoole member in securing positiom 4a In a; deviceof the class described,. a: bracket having a lateral extension: at its lower end; a yieldingly supported rest socured in the extension; a hook-member having vertical; and; turning;v movement. in the hi'acket, the shank of which has ratchet- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature teeth made therein; a ratchet for engaging in presence of two Witnesses. the teeth and holding the hook-member in WILLIAM G. KAISER. adjusted positions; and a spring acting to Witnesses:

5 move the hook-member Vertically and turn Meme A. HARTMAN, the same out of securing position. MATH-DA Mnvrimm ttmptet at this taatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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