US1557911A - Radiator cap - Google Patents

Description

. .J. F. WHITE RADIATOR CAP Filed June 30, 1921' Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOHIN' F. WHITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T'O 'NHITE PRODUCTS COMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. I

1,557,911 PATENT OFFICE.

RADIATOR CAP.

Application filed June 30, 1921. Serial No. 481,510.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. harm, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Radiator Caps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in closures of a sort especially designed and adapted for use as caps for closing the nipple of automobile radiators in which employment it is specially adapted also to function as a retaining connection for an ornament, and an operative mounting and securing means for a display device such as an ornament or an indicating device of the sort known in the trade as a motometer.

The general purpose of the invention is the provision of an improved form of closure adapted specially for the purpose described, which may be quickly and easily removed when desired, and yet may be readily secured in place so as to effectively prevent unauthorized removal.

A more particular object of the present improvement is the provision of a 'closure having these characteristics, which is adapted to form a tight and elfective closure for the radiator tube, so as to insure proper operation of a condensing cooling system, when utilized, and to assure accurate operation of a Inoto-meter supported on the I closure in the customary operative association wit-h the radiator nipple.

Another particular object of the present invention is the provision of such a closure which is adapted for use upon the various sorts and sizes of radiator nipples now employed in difierent makes of automobiles, without requiring any special fitting or modifications of the radiator nipple, and without any modification of'the external appearance thereof, other than that contributed by the form of the closure itself and the instrument or ornament carried upon the same.

Another object of the invention is the provision ofsuch a closure having the aforementioned characteristics, and which in addition thereto adapts itself to graceful and pleasing contour and design, sothat in itself it constitutes an eifective and ornamental finishing mounting for the hood of an automobile.

Another object is the provisionof such a closure which can be manufactured at low cost and installed with ease.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinsideration of the latter, it is to be under,-

stood that while I herein disclose two forms in which the invention maybe embodied, the same are presented for the purpose of illust-ration merely, and are not intended to be exhaustive of the possible variations in its embodiment; nor is the disclosure of these particular forms to be considered asa limitation upon the invention as hereinafter claimed such as would operate to restrict it short of its true and most comprehensive scope in the art.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an automobile radiator cap embodying my invention, showing the closure in place;

Fig. 2 is a detail in the nature of a similar section showing the manner in which the cap is operated in placing it in position and in removing it;

Fig. 3 member;

.Fig. 4 is a section on the line'4:4: of Fig.1;and

is a bottom view of the cap Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of ""modi- V fied form.

, In the provision of a fully successful closure cap for automobile radiator tubes it is important that the device be effective to form a tight closure, and at the same time be readily removable when desired. It is important to have the closure tight, not only to prevent the leakage of water about "the nipple, and the consequent fouling and disfiguration of the radiator and hood, but also in the event a moto-meter-is depended upon' to show the engine condition, that there be no steamf leakage, as otherwisethe moto-meter will (not T register accurately.

Furthermore, when the cooling system is of the condensing type, it is essential 'that'the closure be absolutely leak proof in order to keep the condensing system" operative. Inasmuch as the fitted: parts are subjectedto moisture both internally and externally,

most frequently to Water which is fouled with rust, .it is important that :the arrangement of the-closure be such as to prevent its, becoming stuck to the radiator tube by touling, so that it may be readily removed by hand when desired, thus avoiding marring the appearance of the closure by use of atool. Because of the portability and attractiveness of the moto-meters or other ornaments customarily mounted on radiator caps, they are particularly susceptible to the-5ft, which circumstance renders it highly desirable that the connection of the radiator cap be such as to prevent its unauthorized removal. The improvements constituting thesubj'ec't-matter of the present invention accomplish these several advantages in a highly StitlSfaC'tOIfY manner. I As illustrated 1n the drawing, the inventionicontemp la'tes the provision of a suitable b oss or nipple 1 which constitutes the mount ing upon which the clesure cap is secured.

This nipple maybe the -radiator tube itself, .or it may be in the nature of a collar adapted for permanent-connection to any form of tube by screw threads or other means. The latter form is illustrated in 1. This nipple is in the nature of a tubular member of circular cross-section and ischaracterized byhaving its upper portion of reduced diameter with the upper niarg1n of its wall plane to constitute a packing surface, below which there is -a peripheral oyerhanging portion constituting a retaining ledge 3. Below this retaining ledge 3 the v nipple is reduced by an annular circumfferen'tial groove 4 of arcuate cross contour, .so :as'lto .a'iford an inclined re-entrant wedging surface on the under side of the retaining ledge. The-closure cap has a top portion 5 carrying a depending skirt portion 6 of cylindrical internal form, and of size'to encompass closely the cylindrical outerwall portion of the nipple 1. The top portion *5 preferably is aper'tured axially to accomimodate the -1nounting of a suitable ornament or instrument M, and said cap member isdiurther qualified "to retain a gasket '7 of material held in face contact againstthe top portionb and of suitable size to cover the .end of the nipple '1. Projecting inwardly from the skirt portion'ti is a retainingmember Z8, disposed asufiic'ient distance below the toplporztion 5 to accommodate the upper imarginal portion of the nipple 1 between said retaining mem'b'eriand the gasket '7 whenilt'he .-latter is somewhat compressed. 'mhej'mner portion of this retaining "member pmrerab1 is shaped to facilitatefits riding upon the curved surface or" the annular groove 4. Atanother point on the skirt portion-6, preferably diametrically opposite the retaining member 7, is a movable retaining member '9, which is mounted on the cap member in any convenient 'mannersuch as will permit its being moved inwardly to project into the interior of the cap, or retracted from such position. This movable retaining member is adapted, when in proj ected position, to occupy substantially the same relationship to the 'top portion 5 as does the retaining member 8, so as to ac.-

commodate the upper marginal portion of jected and retracted positions. In the em bodiment illustrated in Fig. 1,-the closure cap is shown providedwith laterally extending arms 10 terminating in ornamental knobs 11. In addition to providing an at: tra'cti've design, an-dailording means where- 'by the closure cap may be manipulated, these arms aiiord mounting places foroneor both of the retaining members '8 and 9,-providing a liberal amount of metal as supporting seats for said members. VVhch'the 'shiftable retaining member is so 'mounted, the arm 10 and knob 11 may be bored longitudinally, part of the former being screwthreaded-toreceive the screw-threaded portion of the shiftable retaining member, and the knob being bored to form mounting for a lock cylinder 12, and slotted to provide seats '14: for the lock tumblers 15. The lock cylinderasshown carries an axial shai t "16 projecting into the bore of the arm and carrying aretaining collar 17 and slipcoupling member 18; A suitable pin 19 seated in the arm, by cooperation with the collar 17, prevents withdrawal o i theilock cylinder. The slip-coupling member 18 is adapted for cooperation with a coupling portion 20 at-the outer extremity of the shaft of the s'hiftable retaining member, so

that rotary movement may be transmitted to the shift-able retaining member :upon rotation of the look cylinder 1'2, to accomplish longitudinal shifting of the retaining member while the "longitudinal position of the lock remains unchanged. The-lock is of .a familiar tunibler type which, in *loeked position, is held against rotation by the seating of the tumblers 15in one or both of the seats 14, from which position the tumblers are Withdrawn upon insertion of a suitable key K whereupon the lock cylinder :may be rotated freely in its seat, to accomplish the longitudinal shifting'o f the shi'ftable retaining member'9,'as stated. v

r In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, the retaining member 8 is formed as a "cast lug on the inner wall of the skirt portion .6, while the shiftable retaining memberi9 is constituted of the inner extremity of a screw which is seated in the skirt portion 6 and is manipulated through instrumentality of its knurled head 21.

Other features of the construction of the device will be understood from Fig. 2 illustrating the manner in which the closure cap is applied to the nipple and removed therefrom. From this it will be obvious that the dimensions of the parts are such as to permit the closure cap being placed upon the nipple when the shiftable retaining mem her is retracted. This may be accomplished by tilting the closure cap in'such relationship as to permit the retaining member 8 to move into the groove 4:. As the cap is then pressed down to its horizontal position the inner portion of the retaining member 8 is rendered effective upon the wedging surface of the nipple to compress the gasket 7 between the packing surface 2 and the top portion 5. When the closure is in position to permit the shiftable retaining member to align with the groove 4:, said member is moved to its projected position by manipulation as above described, in the course of such movement becoming effective upon the wedging surface in the groove 4 to compress the gasket 7 between the packing surface 2 and the cover portion 5. With the parts in such relationship, the cap affords a tight closure for the tube, and is-securely retained in place. In the event the shiftable retaining member is lock-controlled, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the cap is retained against removal until the proper key is inserted for operation of the lock. Although the cap is thus secured in place and consti tutes a tight closure, it is susceptible of angular adjustment upon the nipple upon application of suflicient force, whereby the ornament or instrument M or the manipulative arms 10 may be placed in the desired position. This capability of the closure cap for rotation upon the nipple constitutes one safeguard against injury, as it prevents the arms being subjected to injurious strains in an effort to remove the cap by rotary move ment.

In the event the nipple 1 is applied to a radiator tube as an adaptor, it is desirable that the skirt portion 6 of the cap envelop the nipple to an extent precluding its engagement by an instrument effective to remove it. This is not necessary, of course, in instances where the permanently mounted tube itself is shaped to form the nipple 1. In the event a moto-meter is supported on the cap, its bulb is retained in proper operative position within the radiator tube when the cap is in secured position, while its dial is supported in the intended position for inspection from the vehicle.

Features herein disclosed but not claimed are claimed in my co-pending applications, Ser. No. 411,255, filed September 18, 1920; Ser. No. 419,402, filed October 25, 1920; and Ser. No. 420,549, filed October 29, 1920.

I claim:

1. In a closure of the sort described, the combination of a nipple affording a mounting, and a cap affording a closure for the nipple, said cap being provided with oppositely-extending arm portions whereby it may be manipulated, said nipple being provided with a peripheral retaining ledge, retaining members on said cap in alignment with respective arms'thereof, said retaining members being engageable with said retaining ledge to hold the cap against removal from the nipple, and means operable in one of said arms for shifting one of said retaining members on the cap to permit removal of the cap from the nipple by movement imparted to the cap through the instrumentality of an arm.

2. In a closure of the sort described, the combination of a nipple aflording a mounting, and a cap affording a closure for the nipple, said cap being provided with oppositely-extending !arm portions whereby it may be manipulated, said nipple being provided with a peripheral retaining ledge, re,

taining members on said cap in alignment with respective arms thereof, said retaining members being engageable with said retaining ledge to hold the cap against removal from the nipple, shifting means operable in one of said arms for shifting one of said retaining members on the cap to permit removal of the cap from the nipple by movement imparted to the cap through the instrumentality of an arm, and locking means for controlling said shifting means.

JOHN F. WHITE.

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