US1559533A - Method of constructing sheathed filler members - Google Patents

Description

Oct-27, 1925. f 1,559,533

' L. EVANS METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING SHEATHED FILLER MEMBERS Filed Feb. 9, 1924 w/ mass/:5 4 LYNN E l AN .5 INVENTOR.

I W 5 Y W A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 27, 19 25.

UNITED STATES 1,559,533 PATENT OFFICE.

LYNN EVANS, OF CORTLAND, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE'BREWER-TITOHENER CORPORATION, OF CORTLAND, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING SHEATHED FILLER MEMBERS.

Application filedFebruary 29, 1924.. Serial No. 696,003;

To all whom it may concern:

\ Be it known that I, LYNN Evans, a citi-- zen of the United States, and a resident of Cortland, in thecounty of Cortland and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful, Improvements in a Method of Constructing Sheathed Filler Members, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates-to a novel constructive method for making metal encased core or filler blocks, and particularly such as pertain to the production ofan improved type of composite bow as applied to a vehicle top frame. The object of my invention is to provide an improved method for constructing bows and like structures wherein a laminated fibrous filler member is covered with a sheetmetal sheath conforming to the cross-sectional contour of the filler block.

The laminated wood-like filler member is preferably cut into a uniform rectangular shape" and this is fully encased on three of its sides by means of asuitable bent channel shaped sheet metal sheath strip. The projecting edges of said strip are further crimped inwardly over the fourth side of said filler to constitute a peripherally incomplete tube.

The longitudinal sheath edges are spaced apart so as to form a slot or access gap therebetween which allows of convenient access to the filler block for tacking purposes throughout the length of the bow. Underlying the spaced wing or edge portions of said sheath and servingto span said slot, I provide for a bridge strip lamination which may be made either of the same or different material from.that used for the. remainder of the laminated filler but is preferablymade of suitable sheet materialisuch as fibr'e or the like which completes said tubular sheath enclosure.

The component parts are initially formed in straight sectional lengths, and when assembled, the encased laminated wood-like filler may readily be bent cold without the need of a steaming process to give the filler increased pliabilitya By the 'use of said bridge strip in association with said other laminated core, the filler block is less liable to sliver or check while being bent into any desired shape for .the reason that the separate lamination-s tend to slip over each other while the complete confinement of the filler by the outermost lamination or bridge strip, brings a counter pressure to bear against all 'sides of thefille'r block. Furthermore, in the event that the interior or concealed fibrous tillers should show signs ofexcessive sl'ivering, the resulting splinters are held snugly encased and prevented from projecting outward from the sheath enclosure by the protective armor afforded by said bridge strip.

As applied to transverse bows for vehicle top frames, it is preferred to make the bridge strip either of perforated metal or of heavy card-board and similar fibrous sheet material that may readily be penetrated by means of tacks or nails for the purpose of securing the vehicle deck fabric parts to the liller blocks of my improved type of how while the sheath prop-er is left imperforate except for its characteristic accessory gap. The provision of a bridge strip affords substantially the same advantages as to bending the encased filler block as does a-complctely closed metal sheath but without destroying. the accessory tacking feature thereof. v f i Embodied herein are also further features of structure adapted to facilitate the application and forming'of said filler sheaths and bridge strips therefor, all of which will be set forth hereinafter.

i For a more detailed description of my invention, reference is had to the accompanying one sheetof drawings which illustrate an example of its preferred embodiment;- like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and in which drawing:

Fig. 1, illustrates an elevational view of a metal encased wooden filler block, taken in section lengthwise of a bent-or knee element of a transverse bow as used for vehicle'top frames. 1

Fig. 2, represents a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 22 of Flg. 1 to. show in further detail the rectangular filler block together with an incomplete sheath therefor and a bridge strip. spanning said Fig. 8, indicates an elevational view of a permanent top frame for a vehlcle deck and the method of applying a bent transverse bow to the side rails thereof.

Fig. 4, represents a partial perspective view illustrating a bent bow or knee element similar toFig. 1, but showing a modification in the type of bridge strip used therefor. H

Fig. 5, is a cross-sectional view of the kneeelements as taken along line -5 of Fig. 4.

by the metal sheath than is shown in the other figures.

Referring bodiment of my invention as applied to.a transverse vehiclebow, which bow comprises a crown or longitudinal element A the end portions of which are provided with the legs B and B as formed by the corner or knee elements 0 and C respectively. The legs of this bow are suitably fastened to a pair of complementary side rails; such as D and D which are intended to be supported over the vehicle bodyand covered by means of a deck fabric in the conventional manner. The subject matter of the present invention more largely resides in improved method of making the knee elements of said bows or like structures in the manner, illustrated in detail by Figs. 1 and 2.

The wood filler block C of the knee section such as (3,, is preferably but not necessarily madedn a'cross-sectionally rectangular shape as shown. This filler may comprise two or more laminations including the bridge strip,'which are almost wholly, encased by the metal sheath C ,and said filler preferably extends along the entire bow length. Said sheath may initially be formed in substantially straight tubular length or section'from a strip of soft sheet metal of suitable width adapted to snugly encase three sides of the laminated rectangular filler block C and at the same time dis- A posed about the fourthside of said block in such a manner as to provide for a longtudinal slot or access gap G spaced between the inwardly crimped strip edges or wing portions of the sheath, designated as 0 When rolled or drawn in one operation, the set of overhung wing parts 0 as initially formed do not bear down against the fourth side of said filler 0 but are held in a spaced relation thereto to provide room for inserting the bridge strip C shown in This long narrow bridge strip 0 serves to closethe longitudinal gap C and is preferably cut to fit the inside dimens ons of the sheath width, whereby said strip edges are.

made to' abut the sidewalls of said sheath and to fully underlie the two inturned wing portions C of the sheath. After the-various members are properly assembled, they may be runthrough a roll or press for the urpose of firmly crimping down both wings 12 against the encased filler and bridge members. r As an alternative method for forming the filler casing, the straight sheath length may initially be rolled into a channel or trough first to Fig. '3, showing an emlike cross-sectional shape. The filler block is then placedinto the bottom of said chan- .nel with the bridge strip laid upon. said block. The legs of the channel are purposely made sufficiently long to project be yond the adjacent filler sides to allow of crimping same over the edges of the assemble bridge strip and still provide for the gap C between the inner edges of the in-v turned channel legs, a

Thereupon, the assembled filled sheath lengths'may, if desired, be shaped or bent in a cold state-transversely of the fiat bridge strip, that is to say without prior steaming, to form relatively sharp curved or radius portions such as the bow knees G and C shown in Fig. 3. This operation may readily be performed by bending said assembled sheathover a suitable roll to fol-many reasonable radius desired. It is pointed. out that; the metal'sheath serves to retain and 551a the filler in the desired bent shape notwithstanding that the laminated elements of the filler propermay tend to return to their original shape. j 7

As regards the material used as filler or core members for the sheath, these are preferably but not necessarily made of strips of wood such as straight grained slippery elm or red elm, white elm, ash or oak and the like. It is customary to thoroughly soak such woods in boiling water or to steam same for a protracted period in order to soften the wood fibers prior to bending same. Without the described provision for a complete sheath, and if bent in a cold state, the

wood filler would tend to rupture and splinter badly, but by the use of the surrounding sheath and its complementary bridge strip, the filler can more readily be bent to conform to any reasonable radius should occur, the fibrous bridge strip serves to cover up and confine the splinters within the sheath enclosure so as to prevent bodily injury or other harmful effects in the use of bent shows or similar parts. In addition to providing for the described tacking facilities, the bridge strip C also neatly covers any bending flaws in the filler and presents a smooth and trimmed appearance along its entire surface. It will be apparent that the bridge strip need not run along the entire length of the how but if desired, may only be applied to the knee portions thereof.

A modified type of filler block over that previously described is shown in Fig. 6 in so far as the woo-d is laminated into aplurality of relatively'thin stripssuch as 0, ,0 and C which together constitute a bundle of filler blocksf buch divided wood strips. facilitatp the bending peration and serve to splitting 'posite sheathed members.

obviate checking or slivering, when the combined or overall thickness of the filler strips should be excessixe and beyond that suitable for a single or integral filler block. It will be apparent that the use of a filler block and its superimposed bridge strip such. as has been previously described in connection with Fig. 2, itself constitutesa laminated filler block for the com- As applied to the transverse bow shown in Fig.3, it Will be understood that the plural preferably run from end to end of said bow.

The bridge strip (J shown in Fig. 2, may

be made of any ,kind of material'suitable for the purpose described; if desired, said strip may also be made of Wood similar to the remainder of. the filler block, but when used in connection with a transverse bow, it is preferred -to employ sheet fibre, heavy card or paste-board or similar non-fibrous sheet material therefor, since this prevents easy penetration of same by means of tacks, nails or the like. In such applications, the access gap 13 of the bow is preferably made to serve as a tacKing slot for fastening the deckfabric of the vehicle top to the bow, the fabric being mounted over the exterior of the bows and side rails in the conventional manner.

Similar results may be obtained by the use of a perforated bridge stri C such as is shown in Figs. 4- and 5. his modified bridge strip is made of perforated sheet metal having closely spaced holes 0 which facilitate the penetration through said metal strip by tacks or other fastening means without having to pierce the sheath metal; A close mesh wire screen may similarly be utilized as a bridge strip, but in }all such cases the function is substantially identical With that of the fibrous material previously described in connection with the bridge strip C In Fig. 5, C illustrates a deck fabric for a Vehicle top which is intended to cover 'the transverse bow and this may be secured to the wood filler C by means of suitably spaced tacks such as (1, which pass through the bridge stfip inthe: manner indicated.

While the assembled sheathed filler blocks may be bent in a cold state as described in order to save the trouble and expense of steaming prior to bending, it will be evident that when wholly encased within a" metal sheath and bridge member, the wood filler proper may still be partially or fully steamed, should this step be desired. In certain cases, it may be expedient to resort to a steaming process for the filler, especially when it is necessary to prevent all checking or rupture of the filler fibers or when it is preferred to utilize somewhat cheaper grades of wood filler blocks which are partially cross-grained or not entirely free from knots.

especially so I filler strips are and at the same'time admits of It will be apparent that the use of'the reenforcing metal sheath imparts 'a largemeasure of strength *tothe enclosed filler block for anygiven external dimensions, and that this allows of making the parts considerably smaller and more compact as compared to an unsheathed wood bow or like 7 part 'Furthermore, the described incom-.

plete tubular sheath member may be readily and economically formed, and since the bridge strip. extends across and laterally braces the side walls of the tube adjacent to the gapC this rcenforcement practically brings the filler sheathup to its fully closed tubular strength.

It is pointed Qutthat the sheath and itsbridge strip need not necessarily be rectangular in cross-sectional shape, but instead these members may readily be given a circular or modified contour, if so preferred.

Furthermore, if is not essential for the longitudinal gap (3,, to extend along the entire sheath length as described, and 111- stead a series of suitably spaced openings cut into either edge of the sheath would likewise serve accessory purposes. It will be understood therefore that the'described sheath structure for filler blocks may readily be modifiedto serve different conditions and purposes, and that various, changes in the details of my method may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of any invention, heretofore described and more, particularly pointed out in the ap-.

pended claims.

Claims:

1. The method of constructing composite members, which method :consists of introducing within a longitudinally continuous but peripherally incomplete unitary sheet metal sheath, a laminated filler block-including a bridge strip made of material differing from that in the remainder of said laminated block and adapted to cover and conceal said remainin laminations within said incomplete sheat said sheath belng disposed to grip and hold together all the filler-laminations without need of supplementary securin means. v

2. The metho of constructing bent composite members, which method consists of introducing within a longitudinally continuous but peripherally incomplete unitary sheet-metal sheath, a laminated wood-like or similar ingrained fibrous filler block having the major portion of its superficial surface encased by said incomplete sheath and gripped thereby to hold together the filler laminations -without need of supplementary securing means, and; thereupon bending the assembled composlte member aforesaid.

3. The method of constructing bent composite members, which method consists of introducing within a longitudinally continusheath provided 'iibrous filler block,

posite members, which method consists of introducing into the b0tt0m 0f a cross-sectionally channel-shaped metal sheath, a laminated wood-like or similar ingrained then crimping over both legs of said channel upon said filler to constitutea gap between the longitudinal edges of said sheath, and thereupon bending the assembled composite members aforesaid into a knee or radius shape.

5. The method of constructing bent composite members, which method consists of introducing into a longitudinally continuous but peripherally incomplete sheet-metal sheath provided with an access gap between the edges'thereof, a laminated. filler block including a bridge strip which strip is disposed to underlie the spaced longitudinal edges of said sheath, and is made ofa material differing from that of the remainder of said laminated block, and thereupon.

bending the assembled composite members aforesaid.

6. The method of constructing bent composite members, which method consists of introducing within a longitudinal continuous but peripherally incomplete sheet metal sheath provided with an access gap between 1 the longitudinal edges thereof, a laminated '7. The method of constructing bent com-' posite bows, which method consists of introducing Within a longitudinally continuous but peripherally incomplete sheet-metal [sheath provided with an access said sheath, a laminatedwood-like or similar ingrained fibrous filler block including a bridge strip which is superimposed upon the vre-mainder of said laminated block and adapted to span said gap, and thereupon bending the end portions of the assembled composite bow member into a set of knees to form the respective legs for said bow.

8. The method of constructing bent composite bows, troducing within a longitudinally continuous butperipherally incomplete sheet-metal sheath provided with an access gap between gap through which method consists of in-' the longitudinal edges thereof, a laminated LYNN EVANS.

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