US1485012A - Automobile inclosure - Google Patents

Description

' mssmz v Feb. 26 1924.

I G. E. BISHOP AUTOMOBILE INCLOSURE Filed Jan. 9, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 am-w G. E. BISHOP AUTOMOBILE INCLOSURE Filed Jan. 9. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 25, 1924.

GEORGE E. BISHOP, OF CLEVEL QND, OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE nvonosoan Application filed January 9, 1922. {Serial No. 527,963.

T 0 all whom it may concern 'Be it known that I, GEORGE E. BISHOP, a citizen of the United States, resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Im rovements in Auto-mobile Inclosures (Case w), of which the following is a specification,

inclosure edge in its desired relation to the door.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means embodying my invention, such disclosed means, however, constituting but a few. of the various embodiments in which the principles of my invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a simple form of the collapsible type of my invention, showing also a broken elevation of the automobile body including the doors thereof;

Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical section, taken in the plane indicated by the line II-11, Figure 1;

Figure 3 represents an elevation, similar to Figure 1, of another and somewhat more expensive form of the collapsible type of this invention, showing also modified means for stifiening the lower inclosure edge so as to insure a satisfactory lapping of the inclosure over the door and the body. Incidentally these lower stiifening means prevent the tearing of the fabric when the inclosure is under tension.

Figure irepresents a horizontal longitudinal section, taken in the plane indicated by the line IV-IV, Figure 3; V

Figure 5 represents an enlargedfragmentary transverse vertical section, taken in the plane indicated by theline V"V, Figure 3 Figure 6 represents a tragmentaryeleva tion of a second modified form of the collapsible type of my invention;

Figure 7 represents, upon-an enlarged scale, an elevation, at right angles to the elevation of Figure 6, of a portion .of the 5 supporting rod forming one of the elements of the form of inolosure shown in Figure 16.;

Figure 8 represents a transverse vertical section, also upon-an enlarged scale, taken in the planeindicated by the line VIII-,-VI II,

Fi ure 6;

-+1gure :9 represents a side elevation of a rigid frame type of inclosure embod-ying my invention Figure 10 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a fragmentary transverse :horizontal section taken in the plane indicated by the line XX, Figure 9 Figure 11 represents a fragmentary side elevation of a modified 'formof rigid frame type of inclosure; and

Figure 12 represents an elevation, at right angles to the elevation of Figure 11, of a supporting rod forming one of theelements of the type of inclosure shown in Figure 11.

Referring to the annexed drawings, in which the same elements are represented, respectively, by the same ordinals in the several views, I suggest the body of an automobile by the ordinal 1, the same having the front door 2, and rear door 3. Upon the door 2, for instance, I support one of my improved side inclosures comprising suitable fabric 4 provided with frontiand rear transparencies '5 and v6, respeotively, disposed in the door heading-and back of the door head-- ing, as plainly shown in Figures' l, 3 and '9. The inclosure is provided with strengthening means, is supported upon the door 2 so as to ride inand out with thelatter, and breaks, as it is opened andshut, in the :line ofthe door hinges 2, all as will be hereinafter fully described.

Referring to closures shown in Figures 1 to. 8, the main elements for holding the curtain taut and rigid in longitudinaland transverse planes, respectively, consist'of a metalliobar 7 and a rod 8, the latter serving also to supportthe inclosure upon the door 2; The bar 7 is secured to the fabric 4, preferably in corporated within the latter,;adjacent the top edge ofthe 'inclosure, and extends from a point contiguoustheopening edge 4 of the inclosure back to a point slightly short of thebreaking point of the inclosure as-the same is opened andshut with'the door. The transverse or vertical member for holding the curtain taut, whichis also a stretching and supporting member, is securedto the the collapsible types of in;

fabric 4, and preferably, as shown in the accompanying drawings, is secured to the lon gitudinal strengthening member 7 this connection being one that allows the removal of member 8 from member 7 or the pivotal movement of member 8 relatively to memher 7, when the inclosure is removed from the door 2, so that the curtain can be rolled or folded for convenient storage. The connection of the strengthening member 7 and the supporting member 8 is at a point removed from the lapping edge P, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6, so that the strengthening member 7, being thus connected to the support 8 intermediate of the ends of the member 7, can rock upon the support 8 in a vertical plane, for the purpose hereinafter fully described.

I provide the lower edge of the inclosure with tensioning means for holding the upper inclosure edge in its proper horizontal relation to the door and, preferably, I provide these tensioning means adjacent the closing edge of the inclosure. These tensioning means in the types of invention illustrated take the form of co-operating button elements provided upon the upper edge of the door and the lower'edge of the inclosure. As shown in the accompanying drawings, I have provided the door 2 with a button head 14 and the inclosure with a co-operating button socket it. This button fastener produces an effective stretch in the inclosure and holds the top of the curtain in its proper relation to the door. If the inclosure tends to sag, the tensioning means will rock the same upon the connection between the member 7 and support 8 and throw the rear of the inclosure up into its proper position. In order that a satisfactory lapping of the inclosure over the door and body may be obtained, I provide the fabric with lower stiffening means and preferablv incorporate the latter with the fabric in the section where the tensioning means are provided. In Figures 1 and 2, for instance, I show a thin sheet metal stiffening member 10 and in Figures 3 and 6 a section of wire netting 10. These lower stiffening means incidentally strengthen the fabric against tearing when the inclosure is tensioned.

The inclosure above described is designed to be supported upon the door 2 and to this end I provide the door with a rod receiving socket 9 or 9, referring to the two types of th same shown in Figures 2 and 3, respectively. Preferably I form the door 2 with a suitable socket in its upper edge adapted to receive the rod supporting bushing 9 or 9.

The inclosure is provided with a valance shown and described by me in previous patent applications, and particularly patented'to me in U. S. Patent, No. 1,244,692, and this valance consists of a portion 15 disposed above the door heading, separable from the portion of the inclosure adjacently below, as the inclosure is carried in and out with the door, and a portion 15 disposed laterally of the door heading and integrally secured to the inclosure portion immediately below, all as plainly shown in Figures 1 and 3. The valance portion 15 serves as a bumper for the door section of the inclosure when the same is closed. The inclosure is secured to the canopy frame by means of button elements 12 secured to the lateral portion of the valance and a button element 13 secured to the valance portion 15, as plainly shown in Figures 1 and 3. The portion ofthe inclosure laterally of the door heading is also secured to the automobile body 1 at the rear lower edge of the inclosure by means of the button elements 11.

In Figures 1 to 8, I have shown three forms of the collapsible type of my improved inclosure and the differences reside in the form of the supporting rod and in the relative arrangement and co-operation of the same with the door 2, the fabric 4 and the longitudinal strengthening member 7. First describing the type shown in Figure 1 which is an inexpensive and simple form, it will be noted that the supporting rod 8 is pivotally secured to the rear face of the strengthening member 7, intermediate of the ends of the latter and is mounted in the tubular bushing 9 carried in the socket of the door 2, the rod 8 being disposed interiorly of the fabric 4. Due to the fact that the overhang of the canopy often extends beyond, or lies within, the vertical projection of the outer edge of the body, I have shown the rod 8, Figure 2, bent in the section where the same enters the door socket, to allow for this canopv irregularity.

n the type of curtain shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, a more expensive type and probably of more pleasing appearance, the supporting rod 8 is incorporated'in the fabric at, the latter being formed with a vertical slot l for so receiving the rod 8'. Furthermore, the rod consists of two sections, the main supporting section 8 and an upper tip section 8 which is secured to the fabric and preferably is pivotally secured to the longitudinal strengthening member 7 the tip section 8 being formed with a tubular recess for receiving the upper cylindrical rod section 8. In such a form of supporting rod it is necessary, of course, to obviate the turning of the rod section 8 in the bushing 9 and to this end the cylindrical rod section 8 is formed with a lower end 8 having plane milled side faces which closely register with similar surfaces formed in the bushing 9, this end 8 of the supporting rod and the bushing 9 being co-operatively formed in a manner best suited to this purpose, as shown, described and claimed in my pending application for U. S. Letters Patout upon mounting for automobile side inclosures, Serial No. 554,462. Oftentimes, the supporting rod is mounted in the door 2 so that it cannot extend in a vertical plane to its point of attachment with the fabric 4 or with the longitudinal strengthening member 7 because the rod would then lie too far from the closing edge 4 of the inclosure. Therefore I form an offset in the rod to meet this condition, or some other equally good provision is made and for the purpose of illustrating this expedient, I have shown the supporting rod of the type in Figure 3 provided with an offset 8 The type of inclosure shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 is also one in which the supporting rod 8 is incorporated within the fabric 4 but no part of the same is permanently s ecured either to the fabric 4 or the longitudinal strengthenin member 7 nor pivotally secured thereto. his form of rod is formed with an upper open-ended recess 8 adapted to receive the longitudinal strengthening member 7, as plainly shown in Figure 8, the fabric stitching below strengthening member 7, and intermediate of the ends of the latter, being broken or omitted to allow the entrance of the upper end of the rod 8 The inclosure thus can be rocked upon the upper end of the rod 8 for the purpose of holding its upper edge in its proper horizontal relation to the door. In the forms of inclosur of Figures 3 and 6, of course, the supporting rods 8' and 8 when the inclosures are removed from the door 2, are completely separated from the other inclosure portions and rolled up with the fabric 4 or otherwise suitably stored, when the inclosure as a whole is rolled or folded for storage.

In the forms of inclosure shown in Figures 9 to 12, I have embodied my improvements in a rigid frame type. In Figures 9 and 10, I have shown the same form of supporting rod that is illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5. In Figures 11 and 12, I have shown the same form of supporting rod that is illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8. Instead of providing a lower stiffening element, such as the sheet metal plate 10 of Figure 1 or the wire netting 10 of Figure 3, I have incorporated flat rod strengthening elements both with the vertical closing edge 4 of the curtain and with the bottom edge 4 thereof, these strengthening element sections being indicated by the ordinals 7 and 7 and being in fact one continuous member with the upper longitudinal strengthening member 7, thus forming a rigid three-sided frame. In an. inclosur thus stiffened by a rigid frame, I have not provided other stiffening means such as the sheet metal plate 10 of Figure 1 or the wire netting 10' of Figure 3.

What I claim is:

1. In an automobile inclosure adapted to be mounted upon the automobile door, the combination of suitable curtain fabric; fabric strengthening means; a supporting .member connected to the strengthening means so as to permit a rocking movement of the latter in a vertical plane; and fabrictensioning means consisting of cooperating elements respectively secured to the fabric and to the automobile door or other support, whereby the upper edge of the-inclosure may be held in its proper horizontal relation to the door.

2. In an automobile inclosure adapted'to be mounted upon the automobile door, the combination of suitable curtain fabric; fabric strengthening means disposedadjacent the upper edge of the fabric; a supporting member pivotally connected to said strengthening means intermediate of the ends of the latter so as to permit a rocking movement of said strengthening means upon said support; and fabric-tensioning means consisting of cooperating button elements respectively secured to the fabric and the automobile door or other support, whereby the upper edge of the inclosure may be held in its proper horizontal relation to the door.

Signed by me this 23rd dayof December 1921. i

GEORGE E. BISHOP.

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