US1600511A - Top construction - Google Patents

Description

H. S. PIERCE ET AL TOP CONSTRUCTION Sept. 21,1926, M 1,600,511

Filed Jan. '7, 1925 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21,1926.

' UNITED STATES PATENT orricr. I

HODGSON S. END JOSEPH H. 'BOUBGON, OF DETROIQ MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO THE STUDEBAKER CORPORATION, OF SOUTH BEND, ENDIANA, *ANED DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY;

TOP CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed January This invention relates to tops for motor vehicles and the like and particularly to of the permanent type, and has for one of its objects to provide a top :of novel and improved construction, the main por- :tion-of which is composed of sheet metal make it strong and durable, and to which the various other top members adjuncts may be applied to form a permanent uni-- l0 itary'struoture.

Another object is (to provide :a top frame constructed 'dirom a continuous sheet of metal of such 'a construction that the top of which it vforms a part will not be subject to the drumming or crackling usually associated with metal taps.

Another object is to provide-asheetmetal top frame :with a plurality of longitudinally extending relatiwely dong and narrow slots or openings in the uppery'su-r-faee' thereof.

' Another object is to provide a top frame -;constnuoted from ia continuous sheet of metal which 'risprovided "with a plurality of relatively long and narrowslots oropeni-ngs Tin the upper surface thereof extending xlengthwi se of the :top, the metal at 'the edge of such openings displaced in the operation of forming the same being bent downwardly :to form stiffening :fi'anges.

Another object is to provide atop as desoribed above in which the relatively long and narrow openings :are spaced in overlapping position transversely *of the top.

' Another object is :to provide an automo- 1 I=n the accompanying drawings which illust-rate :a suitable gembodiment 'ozf'ithte :pres- 'ent invention, :and in which "like numerals refer to like epalrts throughout the several views.

Figure .1 "is a perspective 'yiew of a completed top constructed in accordance-with sbile top frame constructed mainly from 7, 1925. Serial no. 1,041. i

spective view of a portion of the :top frame of Figure 2, showing the. .top inner lining secured in place.

. Figure 4 is a .transyerse section of the top frame of Figure 2, showing a transverse rib member .in place and they siderails or top covering tackingstrip inplacfe, the top inner lining being omitted.

Figure 5 is a dongltudinal sectional view of the top illustrated inFigure 2, showing the top inner lining in place therein.

The top frame as shown in FigurelQ,

which .is an improvement ;of top frames heretofore used, is formed preferably from single continuous sheet of metal into the desired shape and contour,lbut in the fol lowing description and claims which may refer to the top frame as being constructed from .a continuous sheet rof metal, it will :he kept-in mind that the present invention is not limited .to a metal top frame whichpis constructed from :a single sheet of metal, .as

it is applicable toand includes those .con-' structions where the same .are made up .of a

plurality of units welded,,riveted .or otherwise suitablysecured together .to form a continuous sheet, and has the same practical results and effectswas a frame constructed from a single sheet. i

Top frames constructed from a continuous sheet of metal have had but a limited use in the past due to the fact that these early designs .had atendency to vibrate in unison, to a highly objectionable degree, with other vibrations present in the automobile of which they formed a part, or with the explosions of the engine, in much the same way that a drum head may be made :to vibrate in sympathy with independent yibrations. Another great objection to the former tops occurred when the top was distorted or by weaving as the automobile of which it formed apart traveledtover rough oruneven surfaces, :becauseof stresses of various characters being set up .in the metal with the resulting tendency for the metal to temporarily change its shape, which frequently caused snapping or crack ling sounds much the same as are produced upon pressing the bottom of an oil can. In

the present invention such disadvantages and objections as appeared in the former type of top have been eliminated and a structure is provided which will prevent flexibility with the body but not lose the advantage of a permanent top.

As mentioned above the metal of the top, which provides a top frame 10, is formed from a continuous sheet into the desired shape and contour, that is, to the shape of tops as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or otherwise, but preferably such that no flat spots are present anywhere on its surface to better eliminate any drumming sound that may develop. V

To further prevent any drumming and to prevent any crackling sounds, a plurality of relatively long and narrow slots 11 extending lengthwise of the top are provided in the upper surface thereof. These slots 11 are preferably in overlapping relation transversely of the top and the metal displaced in the forming of the same is preferventing the drumming of the top as similar openings .cut in a drum head would have upon the drum. In addition, particularly when the slots 1.1 are overlapped as shown, a great amount of flexibility is imparted to the top which allows it to weave without setting up the distortional stresses responsible for the crackling sounds which have heretofore been present in metal tops. By turning down the metal at the edge of the openings to form the flanges 12, the strength of the top perpendicular to its upper surface is decreased little, if at all. by reason of the openings 11, but to further strengthen it in this direction and to provide tacking strips for the top inner lining 1 13 it may be preferable to provide ribs such asr14t which extend transversely of the top and are secured thereto by screws 15. The ribs .14 are preferably of wood and slots 16 are provided in the upper surface thereof to receive the flanges 12 so that the ribs 14 may seat tightly against the inner surfaceof the metal frame 10. The ribs 141 may :be secured in place either across the overlapping portion of the slots 11, or across the non-overlapping portion as may be con- I si dered *most advisable.

In order to properly hold the same in place, a connecting member 20 is provided as shown in Figures 2 and 5. This connecting member 20, as shown, may be a casting, although it may be produced in a different manner such as from stampings, and is shaped to form an attaching flange for receiving and to which is riveted the forward outer edge of the sheet metal frame 10.

lVhile we have illustrated a top adapted Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing' from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims. i

What we claim is 1. In a motor vehicle, a top frame formed from a continuous sheet of metal having a plurality of rows'of longitudinally extending slots therein, the metal displaced in the forming of said slots being bent downwardly about the edge of said slots to form slots of greater depth than the thickness of the metal, and ribs'secured to the under side of said frame extending transversely thereof, said ribs extending into said slots to lie substantially flush with the under side of said frame. l

2. A vehicle top frame having a sheet metal roof portion, said roof being provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending relatively long and narrow openings therein, the metal displaced in the forming of said openings being bent downwardly to form flanges about the edge of said openings, ribs extendingtransversely of said top and secured thereto, said ribs having slots therein to receive said flanges, the upper face of said ribs being flush with the underside of said frame. I

3. A vehicle top frame constructed from a continuous sheet of metal, the upper portion of said frame having a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending long and narrow openings therein, the openings" in each row overlapping the openings in the adjacent row, and the metal displaced in the therein, lying longitudinally of said frame and spaced in overlapping relation trans versely of said frame.

5. A vehicle top frame having a sheet metal top portion provided with a plural-' ity of longitudinally extending relatively long and narrow transversely overlapping openings therein, and ribs secured to the underside thereof transversely of frame across the overlapping portion of W said said openings, said ribs extending into said openings. 7 I

Signed by us at Detroit, Michigan, U. S. A., this 31st day of December, 1924:]

HODGSON S. PIERCE. JOSEPH H. BOURGON.

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