US1289997A - Convertible body. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH S. WYETH, OF NEWARK, OHIO.

CONVERTIBLE BODY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH S. VYn'rI-I, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a convertible body for motor driven vehicle, and has for its principal object to provide a body structure which may be conveniently and quickly adjusted to assume an open or extended position, whereby the body may be utilized for commercial or delivery purposes, or to assume a folded or collapsed position to render the vehicle adaptable for ordinary touring or pleasure purposes, whereby when the body is folded to occupy this latter position, no objectionable parts thereof are exposed to the eye and the symmetry and graceful appearance of the body preserved.

In carrying out the invention use is made of a body comprising a stationary section and a swinging or movable section, said sections being so constructed that when the movable section is moved to assume its open or extended position, the body is lengthened to its maximum extent and the storage capacity thereof is correspondingly increased, whereby various commodities may be placed in the body for transportation purposes, and, conversely, when the said swinging section is oscillated to assume its folded or inactive position the same will considerably shorten the general proportions of the body by telescoping as it were within the stationary section, so that the body as a whole when in this latter position will present an incased appearance with accompanying pleasing outlines, and closely resembling the so called turtle back body commonly found upon automobiles of the roadster variety.

Another object of the invention resides in providing' the swinging section with a plurality of guides at each end thereof, which guides are adapted to receive a removable end member, whereby the latter is capable of being employed to incase the rear extremity of the body in both its folded and eX- tended positions.

Further objects are to produce a convertible body lof the character stated and of such construction as to be capable of being inexpensively and easily mounted in connection with a motor vehicle, of substantial and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led May 29, 1918.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Serial No. 237,291.

eflicient construction, and capable of being conveniently manipulated to assume its dual positions.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention accordingly consists in the novel features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and having the scope thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing, wherein has been shown the preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the convertible vehicle body comprising the present invention and illustrating the latter in its open or extended position and adapted for delivery or commercial purposes,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional vievi1 taken through the vehicle body when the same occupies the position shown in Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View disclosing the body in its folded or inactive position, and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line lf-4 of Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference denote like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring more particularly to the details of the invention, the vehicle body A comprising the present invention is preferably mounted upon the rear of an underfralne l and also to the rear of the vehicle seat 2. WVhle, it will be understood, that thc body A is preferably adapted for vehicles of the roadster class and has been thus illustrated, it is not strictly essential to adhere to this form of vehicle, as the body A with slight and unimportant modifications may be adapted with equal facility to other forms or types of vehicles, but inasmuch as the roadster type of vehicle admirably discloses the features of application of the invention` the following description will be limited to that particular form.

The body A consists of a stationary section 3 and a foldable or movable section 4,

each of the sections comprising base andv side walls 5 and 6 respectively. The stationary section 8 is adapted to be secured in any suitable manner upon the frame 1 and the forward end of this latter section lushly engages, as shown, with the rear wall of the vehicle seat 2. A ledge 7 is secured to the upper edges of the side 6 and extends transversely of the section 3 and immediately adjacent to the seat 2; the function of this ledge will presently appear. The side walls of the modified section 4: are secured to corresponding walls of the stationary section 3 by means of bolts 8, which pass centrally and transversely through said side walls, in the manner shown in Fig.` 4'. These bolts are preferably surrounded by means of sleeves 9, which permit of the free oscillation of the movable section with respect to the stationary section. Nuts or their equivalent 10 are carried upon the outer ends of the bolts S, and serve to retain the latter in their operative positionswithin the sides 6.

The movable section 4 has its sides equipped with guides 11 which latter are located at each end of said section, and are adapted to receive a removable end member 12, .which member is adapted to be shifted fro-m one set of guides to the other in accordance with the position occupied by the movable section 4. Spring locking devices 13 are carried by the stationary section and are adapted to engage with the base of the movable section when the latter is oscillated to assume its foldedv position, in order to prevent the latter from rattling.v or vibrating.

In operation, when it is desired to place the body A in condition for the reception of commodities to be delivered, or `in other words to convert the body to positions of utility, the movable section is oscillated about the bolts 8, until its base wall 5 registers or comes into contact with the rear edge of the base wall forming a part of the stationary section. This limits further rearward or oscillating movement of the movable section, and as will be observed upon reference to Fig. 1 extends or enlarges the receiving` area ofthe body A and opens the latter to receive articles for transportation. When the movable section occupies this eX- tended position, the end member 12 is moved to occupy the rear set of guides 11, for the obvious purpose of preventing articles positioned .within the body from accidentally falling out or becoming otherwise disposed. However, if the vehicle upon which the body is mounted is simply desired to be employed for ordinary pleasure or touring purposes, the movable section is oscillated to fold or telescope within the stationary section 3, in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3. This results in providing a body of standard a-ppea-rance and will not disclose the fact that the vehicle can be usedV for commercial purposes, this being accomplished by preserving the graceful appearance of vehicle bodies employed merely for passenger services. The basewall of the movable section extends beyond the margins confined by its side walls 6, so that Vwhen said movable section is moved to assume its folded position, these extended marginal portions will engage ,with the upper edges of the side walls 6 formed upon the stationary section, this results in limiting the folding movement of the movable section. Furthermore, itV )will be noted that when in its folded position, the base wall of the movable section will register with the ledge 7, thus presenting an inclosed'body devoid of objectionable spaces or gaps. Prior to the moving of the section d to assume its folded position, the end member 12 is moved to occupy the 75 guides 11 located contiguous to the bolts 8, so that when the section 4 finally occupies its folded position, said end member willbe located at the extreme rear end of the body A, as shown in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it .will be perceived that there isV pro'- vided a vehicle body of considerable utility and desirability, as it enables a single vehicle to be employedv for purposes of transporting commodities or for ordinary pleasure use, hence overcoming the objection to placing a delivery body upon an ordinary passenger car. Y

I claim:

1. The combination with a vehicle body, of a receptacle located to the rear of said body, said latter consisting of a stationary section and a foldable section, means for pivotally securing the latter section to the stationary section, whereby the foldable section may be oscillated to asume a collapsed position within said static-nary section or may be swung to assume an open and eX- tended position, and a back member separably carried by the foldable section and adapted to be inserted? in either one'of ,a pairof guides located at each end of said latter section.

2. The combination with a vehicle body, of a rearwardly situated strong receptacle mounted upon said body, said receptacle comprising stationary and foldable sections, each of said sections including base and side 110 walls,.1neans for pivotally connecting the side walls of said sections, whereby when the foldable section is movedto asume an open position said base Iw-alls will meet to limit the swinging movement of the foldable 115 section, and a removable rear member carried by said foldable section and adapted to be situated in guides formedV at each end of said latter section.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 120

RALPH S. WYETH.

Copies nl this patent may be chtamed'ior ve cents each, byA addressing thel Commissioner or Patents,

1 Washington, D.' 0.

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