US1547591A - Running board for vehicle bodies - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1925.

Filed Oct. 21, 1924 fill/11111111111111, 1

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v 1,541,591, UNITED STATES PATENT ormcs.

ALBERT L. LAMBERT, OF NARBERTH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'lO HEIN TZ MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 01? PENN SYLYAN IA.

RUNNING BOARD FOR VEHICLE nomnsl I Application filed October 21, 1924. Serial No. 744,873.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Narberth, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Run-- ning Boards for Vehicle Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to running boards for vehicle bodies, and more particularly relates to running board construction for automobile bodies.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a vehicle running board of sheet metal, to obtain a light and inexpensive construction, and at the same time to provide a running board which is rigid, sturdy, and durable, and one which will withstand the strains and stresses of use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sheet metal running board, stiffened and reenforced by a single rib, so located and designed that the rib will take the total stress due to a person stepping on the board at the middle, and also will prevent local depression of the running board when the stress is applied on either side of the rib, and whereby is obtained the reenforcement effect of two straight ribs, yet requiring only the amount of metal necessa for one rib.

Other objects of my inventlon will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In accordance with my invention, I re-' enforce a sheet metal running board by means of a tortuous rib running longitudinally along the underside of the board. This rib may either be formed by folding a portion of the metal sheet upon itself, so as to stand at right angles to the plane of the board, or a separate tortuous rib mem ber may be attached to the underside of the board, by welding or riveting or the like. The edges of the board are preferably reenforced and strengthened by flanges, which extend downward at an angle to the plane of the board. Also, if desired, a recess may be formed along the top of the board to receive a linoleum pad, which is usually ap plied. In this modification, the formed relc)ess gets as a stiffener for the edge of the oar In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying forming a part of this application trating certain invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. is a top view of a running board cmbodylng my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, and is taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of a running board embodying my invention, showing a means of applying a linoleum pad thereto;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of running board embodymg my invention, and including a recess for a linoleum pad;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of a portion of the running board shown in Fig. 4, showing one means of holdingl a linoleum pad in place on the board; an

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View of a running board, showing another possible modification of the construction.

Similar reference characters referto similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the running board in all the modifications shown in the drawings is constructed of an integral piece of sheet metal provided with a tortuous rib running longitudinally along the underside of the board. In the modification shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this tortuous rib 1 is formed by folding a portion of the metal sheet 2 on itself in such a way that the rib stands at right angles to the plane of the board. In this modification, the top of the board is straight and flat. The outer edge of the board is flanged downwardly, as at 3, and then doubled back, as at 4:, forming a stiffening and reenforcing flange along this edge. The rear edge of the board may be flanged downwardly, as at 5, and is adapted to be supported from the side splash 6 of the vehicle body, as by resting on a horizontal flange 7 formed along the lower drawings, and illuspossible embodiments of my edge of the side splash 6. The ends of the running board may be flanged downwardly, as at 8, with either a single flange or a double flange.

If it is desired to secure a pad 9 of linoleum or other material on the top of this running board, this may be accomplished,

as shown in Fig. 3, by means of securing one or more retaining strips 10 along the outer and side edges of the board, these retaining strips preferably having vertical flanges 11, which may be bolted, as at 12, to the-flanges of the running board, and hold the linoleum pad 9 in place by, means of horizontal upper flanges 13, which overlap the front and side edges of the pad 9.

Referring to Figs. 4: and 5, the running board, if desired, may be formed of an in tegral piece of sheet metal 14, with a tortu ous rib 15 running longitudinally along the underside of the board and formed by folding a portion of the sheet metal upon itself, as in the previous modification. As shown, the board may have a recess 16 formed in its top to receive the usual linoleum pad 17 This pad may be retained in place by means of angle-shaped retaining members 18, which may be secured to the outer edge flange 19 of the running board and also to the side flanges, these retaining. members overlapping the adjacent edges of the linoleum pad, as at 20.

Referring to Fig. 6, instead of forming the tortuous rib along the underside of the board by folding a portion of the metal sheet upon itself, this rib may consist-of a separate tortuous strip of sheet metal,

which is folded upon itself to form the vertical reenforcing and stiffening rib 21, and with horizontal flanges 22 disposed against and Welded, or riveted, or otherwise secured to the underside of a sheet metal plate 23, which forms the body of the running board.

It will be obvious from the above that the tortuous rib, in. either modification, will ive the reenforcing and strengthening efect of two straight longitudinal ribs, and yet requires only the amount of metal necessary for one rib. It will be noted that, in addition to this medial reenforcement, the sheet metal running board is reenforced along all of its edges, and that, when the top of the board is recessed, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the recessed portion acts as a stiffener for the ed 'es of the board.

The rib in modification shown in Fig ure 2 may be formed in the following manner:-The groove is formed open by means of a punch in the first operation and is of the same tortuous shape as shown in Figure 1, the metal designated as 2 in Figure 2 being held flat during this operation between a ressure plate and a die. Then the board 1s positioned between an upper pressure plate and slide members, and the slide members are moved inwardly to squeeze the rib walls together. The bending of the flanges around the edge of the board may be accomplished in a conventional manner.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and as many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departin from th scope thereof, it is intended that ll matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a running board for vehicle bodies comprising a plate having a tortuous rib extending longitudinally along the under side thereof, said rib comprising sheet metal folded upon itself.

2. As an article of manufacture, a running board for vehicle bodies comprising an integral piece of sheet metal folded upon itself along a tortuous line and forming a tortuous rib extending longitudinally along the underside of the board and substantially at right angles to the plane of the board.

3. As an article of manufacture, a running board for vehicle bodies comprising an integral piece of sheet metal folded upon itself alon a tortuous line and forming a tortuous rib the underside of the board and substantially at right angles to the plane of the board, the outer edge of said piece being flanged downwardly and forming a reenforcing flange along the outer edge of the board.

4. As an article of manufacture, a running board for vehicle bodies comprising a plate having a tortuous rib extending longitudinally along the underside thereof, said plate having a recess along its (top surface. a

5. As an article of manufacture, a running-board for vehicle bodies comprising a piece of sheet metal, having a tortuous reenforcing and stiffening rib extending longitudinally and medially along its underside, and having a reenforcing and stiffening depressed portion on its u per side, and having a downwardly exten ing reenforcirg and stiffening flange along its outer e ge.

This specification signed this 17th day of October, 1924.-

ALBERT L. LAMBERT.

extending longitudinally along

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