US1585636A

US1585636A - Instrument panel

Info

Publication number: US1585636A
Application number: US740969A
Authority: US
Inventors: Benjamin H Anibal
Original assignee: Studebaker Corp
Current assignee: Studebaker Corp
Priority date: 1924-10-01
Filing date: 1924-10-01
Publication date: 1926-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1943-05-25

Description

i and a glass cover ,which extends over and Patented May 25, i926,

UNET@ STATES instaat rari-ner ortica,

BENJAMIN H. ANIBAL, OF 'DETROX'JLE MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKER COR- PORATION, OFDETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

NSTBUMENT PANEL.

Application led October 1, 1924. Serial No. 740,969.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle bodies and refers particularly to instrument mountings thereinin which one or more instruments are mounted on a panel secured to the instrument board forming a part of the body.

It is an object of this invention to provide a removable face or scroll Aplate for an instrument panel.

lit is another object to provide an instrument panel construction in whichV the instruments are independently supported on a panel provided with a readily removable and replaceable finishing scroll or face-plate, which construction allows the-finish of the panel to be readily changed, -by changing the scroll plate, to match the finish of the panel support.

A further object is to provide a panel which ywill receive a plurality of conventional or standard instruments such as are employed in single and independentmounting without a panel, which instruments -are provided with independent lasscove'rs and are independently mounte upon the panel, the panel being provided with a readily removable inishing face or scroll plate lcovers the faceslof all the instruments. p

rlhe above being among the objects of thel present invention the same consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to Athe accompanying drawings and then claimed, having the above and other objects l in View.l

ln the accompanying drawings which show a suitable embodiment of the present invention7 and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fi re 1 is a face view of an assembledl instrument panel mounted upon an automobile instrument board. t

Figure 2is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 isa face' view of the finishing scroll'or face plate only.

Figure i is an enlarged section of the finishing scroll or face plate taken on the line 4.-4 ofliigure. v Figure 5 is a face Iview. of the instrument supporting panel only.

Figure 6 is an edge view of the instrument supporting panel shown in Figure 5. Figure/ is a view from the back ofthe `12 and projects therethrough.

panell of the lamp receiving shell or socket. Figure 8 is a broken sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 1, which View intaken on the line A-A of Figure and shows a modiied method of securing the instruments to the panel to prevent unauthorized removement, and the method of fastening the panellto the instrument board.

In the drawings is shown an instrument board 10 of the type commonly used on automobiles comprising a wooden member 10a and metal facing member 10b. The instrument board 101is provided with an opening Y 11 extending therethrough in which is positioned a panel 12` supporting various instruments and indicating devices such as are usually associated with the control of the automobile of which they forma part. T he panel 12 is preferably made from relatively heavysheet metal to a suitable shape such as is shown in ligure 5 and is provided with openings 13 for the reception of various instruments such as the clock 14,' ammeter 15, oil gage 16, fuel gage 17 and speedometer-s 18, and an opening 19 ad]a cent its top' edge through which an electric lamp bulb 20 is adapted to project. The panel 12 is also provided with outwardly vprojecting ears 21 struck back slightly from the plane of the face of the panel and provided With openings 22 for receiving fastencludes a section of the supporting panel ingmeans such as the wood screws 28 which pass therethrough and into the rear face of the wooderr portion 10EL of the instrument board 10 for the purpose of securing the panel 12 thereto.

Each of the various instruments shown is ofthe conventional type provided for single and independent-mounting upon an instrument board and each is ,provided with an independent glass cover such as is indicated by the numeral 24. in Figure 8, and a bezel or face ring 25 which is of a size and shape to conform, to the-openings 13 in the panel A Each face ring 25 is provided with an inwardly turned radial flange 2G adapted to engage the front of the glass cover 24 and hold it against its respective instrument and an outwardlyl`\ idf) low the. bar 29.

to are two studs 2S secured to the panel l2 by any suitable means, but as shown are provided with so-called llat' heads which seat in depressions formed in the front face of the panel l2. Clamping bars such as 29 extend across the back of each instrument and are received by the studs 2S and drawn down by nuts such as BO, or by a special form of nut as shown in Figure S, which secures the instruments to thepanel l2 with the. face of the instruments projectinga slight amount past its front face. The nut 3l (Figure 8) which projects through an opening in the clamp bar 29 is provided with a conical head which when drawn down into position lies flush with the outer face of the bar 29. Formed with and extending up from the face of the nut 3l is a cone-like projection 32 which is 'provided with a screw driver slot and surrounding the stud 28 from the panel l2 to the bar 29 is a tube 34 for preventing access to the nut 3l from be- The method followed in the use of this construction is to assemble the parts as shown and screwthe nut 3l down into position with a screw driver engaging the slot 33. Upon sufficient force being applied to the screw driver after the nut 3l has been screwed home, the projection breaks off at its point of junction with the nut 3l, leaving the exposed face of the nut 3l 'prace tically smooth and flush with the bar 29. This leaves no ready method of unscrewing the nuts'l to remove the instruments, and sucha construction is particularly desirable for use in securing valuable instruments to `the instrument board as these instruments are especially sought by thieves.

' Overlying the face of the panel l2 is the scroll, linishing, or face plate 35 which is shaped to conform to the opening 1l in the instrument board l() "and is providedwith various openings 36 which receive the projecting front portions of the various instrun ments, the metal about the openings 36 bef,

ing rearwardly flanged, as at 37 in Figure 2, and such flanged portion is received in the openings 13 of the panel l2. The outer edge or periphery of the scroll plate 36 is formed to present a forwardly extending flange portion 3S terminating in an outwardly flanged portion 39 against which rests a glass cover plate 40, of such a size and shape as to close` the opening` 1l and extend over the faces of all the instruments. A bezel ring- 41` secured to the panel l2 by screws such as l2 or by otherl means extends forwardly therefrom and is provided with an inwardly extending r'eversely bent portion 118 forming a pocket which receives a deformable element 4t, such as a rubber strip, which contacts against the forward edge of the glass cover plateA d0 and causes it to bear against the outwardly flanged portion 39 of the scroll plate 3G, securely holding the latter in proper position between the panel l2 and glass 40. vbezel ring ll is provided with an outwardlyY extending flanged portion l5 which elliectib.

ally conceals the j'ointbetween the bezel ring ll and the metal facing 10 of the instrunlent board lO.

The upper part of the opening ll in the wooden portion l0 of the instrument board l() is Cut out to a greater 'extent than the metal face 10b and the bezel ring ll is provided with an upwardly extending pocket Il?, which is concealed behind the metal face portion 10b and into which projects the lamp bulb 20. The interior of the pocket 47 is preferably polished in order to bet-ter reflect the light from the bulb 20 on to the faces of the various instruments therebelow through the opening 48 cut in the upper portion of the flanged portion 3S of the scroll plate 3G innncdiately below the bulb 20.

Surrounding the opening 19 in the panel l).y and projecting rearwardly and downwardly therefrom is a.' sleeve member 49 whose forward outwardly Aflanged edge is secured to the panel by spot welding or other suitable means, and whose rear edge is provided with an inwardly turned flange por tion 50. An outwardly extending groove is provided on the interior of the sleeve approximately midway its length and aiwaslier 5l is positioned therein'to acts as a stop for the coil spring 52 which extends be- 'tween the same and a second washer which normally is pressed against the inwardly turned flange portion 50. The bulb 2O is secured in a socket member 54 in a con` ventional manner and the socket member 5l is provided with two radially extending diametrieally opposed pinsl55 which are adapted to be received by notches 56 in the inwardly turned flange portion 50 of the sleeve 49, The openings in the sleeve 49and washers 5l and 53 are large enough to admit boththe bulb 2O and socket 54 therein which al` lows both the bulb and socket to be removed and reinserted from the back of the panel when it is desired to change a bulb. In positioning the bulb 20 and socket 541, the same are inserted within the sleeve 49, :the pins 55 are passed through the notches 56 and are brought up against the washer 53 which is forced forward, compressing the spring 452, until the pins l55 are free of the notches 56 at which time the socket 54 is rotated to bring the pins 55 out of line with the'notches 56 and the socket is then allowed i yto move back, the spring 52 causing the pins to be clamped between the washer 53, and the flange 50, thereby holding the lamp and socket in proper normal position.

A gasket` such as 57 is preferably provided bbetween the glass cover 40 and the flanged portion 39 of the vscroll plate 36 to take up any unevenness in the joining surfaces,

A finishing ring Zl5 closely litting the` and a gasket' such as 58 is also preferably provided between the outwardly flanged portion 27 of the face rings 25 and the panel l2 to prevent entranceof dust therethrough on to the face of the instruments and scroll plate.

It will be seen from the vforegoing that the construction involved includes several novel features, the most notable of which are perhaps the readilyreplaceable scroll plate, the concealed light pocket of the bezel ring, and the lamp and socket removable from the rear Without dismantling the panel unit. The advantage of the removable scroll plate as previously described is the ability to change the, linish of the panel mounting to suit different finishes of instrument board, body interior, orother finishes. The advantage of forming the light pocket in the bezel ring to lie behind and be concealed by the metal facing of the instrument board is that a neater. and more artistic design of panel may thereby be obtained and the advantage of the lamp bulb and socket being removable from the rear face of the panel is that such a method provides a quick and easy means of replacing a damaged bulb.

Although but one embodiment of the present inventioniis shown and descn'bed, it is understood that the same is eapableof various modifications and reiinements, as for instance, the use of a tvvo `piece scroll plate comprising'a rim and face portionV instead of the one piece construction shown, Without departing from the spirit and substance of 4the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

:What I claim is:- I

1. In combination with an instrument board having an opening therethrough, a supporting panel closing said opening, instruments supported by said panel, a removable finishing plate provided with openings through which said instruments are visible overlying said panel, Aand a single glass cover overlying all of said instruments.

v2. In combination with a supporting element having an opening therethrough, an instrument supporting panel closing said opening,. instruments supported by said panel, a separate finishing member overlying said panel provided with openings through which said instruments project, a

l single glass cover extending over the faces of all the instruments, and a' bezel ring secured to said panel for clamping said glass cover. and said finishing member in operative position. f p

3. In kcombination with an instrument board provided with an opening, a supporting panel closing` the rear face of said opening and secured to said board, Aand instruments having independent glass covers projecting through and supported by said panel,

of albezel ring secured to and projecting forwardly from said panel engaging the periphery of said opening, a glass cover extending over all of said instruments, and a iinishing member for the face of said panel clamped between said bezel ring and said panel.

4. In combination with an instrument board provided with an opening, a panel secured -to said instrument board overlying said opening, and instruments projecting through and supported by said panel, of a bezel ring secured to said panel terminating at its front edge in a reversely bent portion providing a pocket for a resilient gasket member, and a removable scroll plate and a panel cover glass clamped between said resilient gasket member and said panel.

j 5. In combination Withv an instrument board .having -an opening therethrough, an instrument supporting panel closing said opening, and a plurality of instruments supported therein, a bezel ring supporting each of said instruments in said panel, 'a 'finishing plate adjacent the face of said instru ments covering the exposed face of said supporting panel, a glass plate covering all ported therein, a detachable finishing platel for said panel, a glass plate covering all of said instruments and said iinishing plate, a bezel ring secured to said supporting panel for clamping said glass plate and finishing plate in operative position, and illuminating means supported by said supporting panel and concealed by said linishing plate` for il luminating said instruments.

7. In combination with an instrument board having a metal face portion and a backing portion, an instrument,supporting panel mounted in an opening in said instrument board, instruments supported on said panel, a single glass cover extending over the faces of all of said instruments, and a. bezel ring clamping said glass cover in position, said' bezel ring being provided With an offset pocket concealed behind said metal` through and supported by said plate, a glass plate closing said opening in said metal face, and a bezel ring' for holding said glass plate in position, said bezel ring being provided with an outwardly extending pocket concealed by said iiietal face and lying' in said cnt-out poi-tion of said Wooden back or receiving illuniinating means for said instruments.

9. In combination with an instrument board comprising a wooden baek and a metal face having a symmetrical opening' therethrough. an instrument supporting panel, a removable inisliing plate adjacent the front face of said instrument panel Closing. the opening in said Wooden back, a glass plate closingthe opening in said metal face, a bezel ring secured to said instrument panel supporting` said glass plate and provided with a lamp-receiving pocket positioned to be concealed by said linishing plate, a lainp positioned in said pocket, and means for supporting said lamp whereby it may be removed from said pocket- Without removing vsaid' bezel ring, glass plate, and finishing. plate.

10. In a device for supportingl instruments to the instrument board of an automobile, the combination with an instrument supporting` plate and a glass cover for said plate, of a finishingr plate ldetaeliably secured between the tace ot' said plate and said glass, said finishing plate being held in operative position by pressure applied thereto by said glass.

Signed by me at Detroit, Michigan, U. S.

A., his 26th day of Sept. i924.

BENJAMIN H. ANI BAL.

DISCLAIMER.

1,585,636.Benjafrrizn H. Anibal, Detroit, Mich. INSTRUMENT PANEL. Patent dated May 25, 1926. Disclaimer tiled November 19, 1927, by the assionee The Studebaker Uoeporatz'on. b i cIC-Iereby enters this disclaimer to Claims 6 and 1Q, to v vt:

.6. In Combination with an instrument board having an opening therethrough, an instrument supporting panel Closing said opening, and a plurality of instruments supported therein, a detachable linisliinzg` plate for said panel, a Glass plate covering all of said instruments and said finishing plate, a` bezel rin;` secured to said supporting panel for clamping said glass plate and finishing plate in operative position, and illuminating means supported by said supportine' panel and concealed by Said finishing plate for illuminating said instruments. D

1 0. In a devie for supporting instruments to the instrument board of an automobile, the combination with an instrument supporting plate and a glass cover for 'said plate, of a finishing; plate detaehabl y secured between the face of said plate and said Glass said inishine plate beine held .in o erative osit-ion b applied thretoby said glass?? D p p y preqme [Oficial Gazette December 1927.]