US1724990A - Lever control for automobile heaters - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 20, 1929. T. BovEY Er AL LEVER CONTROL FOR AUTOMOBILE HEATERS Filed Nw. 24, 1924 Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES THOMAS BOVEY AND SIDNEY J'. BOVEY,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID SIDNEY J.

BOVEY ASSIGNOR F HIS ENTIRE RIGHT TO SAID THOMAS BOVEY.

LEVER CONTROL FOR AUTOMOBILE HEATERS.

Application filed November 24, 1924. Serial No. 751,905.

The present invention relates to means for operat-ing the control valve of an automobile heater.

In heaters of this character it is well known that when the valve has not been operated for a period of time deposits of carbon will be formed adjacent the valve which will cause the same to stick and prevent the ready opening or closing of the same. The control -valves are usually of the butterfly type which comprises a metal plate mounted transversely upon a rock shaft or spindle and suitably seated in the valve chamber, so that when the accumulation of carbon has practically scaled the valve plate in its seat it is usually a dificult matter to break away this carbon deposit by an ordinary manual pull upon the valve control device, not infrequent-ly bending the rods and levers or causing other damage that results in an unsatisfactory operation of the valve. lVith the present structure the operator, by means of a gear arrangement which may be augmented by a particular form of leverage, is assisted in the initial movement of the valve plate so that the valve may be readily opened.

It is a primary object of this invention to embody, in a compact form, a structure which will carry out the above mentioned functions in a dependable manner. Another object of this invention is to provide a valve control device that is easy to operate, is simple in construction, requires but a minimum of parts, and which may be readily installed by persons unfamiliar with the use of tools and the like. It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure of this character which has few parts to assemble, which parts may be made from metal stampings so that the production cost of the article is comparatively small and the same will, therefore, not increase the cost of the heater or radiator.

lVith these objects in view, it is preferred to carry out the invention in substantially the manner hereinafter fully described and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings that form a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical side elevation of the improved control device and showing schematically its connection with the radiator control valve.

Fig.2 is a vertical elevation looking at the structure from the left hand of Figure 1.

Fig 3 is a substantially horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical side elevation showing a modified or simplified construction.

In the drawings similar reference characters have been employed to designate the same parts wherever the said parts occur throughout the several views, and by referring to Figure 1 it will be seen the structure preferably comprises a floor plate 5 of suitable shape, which, like the other elements of the device, is stamped from sheet metal of a small gauge, preferably about an eighth of an inch in thickness and which, intermediate its ends, is provided with a longi tudinally elongated slot- 6. Depending from the Vfloor plate,.and positioned in an opening 7 made in the floor boards of the vehicle, is an arm or bracket 8 that is of somewhat segmental or horn shape, as seen in Figure 1. This arm or bracket 8 extends downwardly from the under side of the plate 5 alongside the slot 6 therein and below the plane of the floor boards, and said bracket is provided with an offset portion 9 so that its lower portion alines with the slot 6 in the floor plate. At or adjacent its lower end the bracket or arm 8 carries a gear 10 by means of a pin 11, said gear being preferably of segmental shape, as seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, and has' its marginal or peripheral portion offset as at 12 in Figure 3, so that the gear is dished out to strengthen it and to bring its edge in the same plane as the lower portion of the bracket arm. A lateral finger 13, which is preferably radially disposed, is formed integral with the gear element` and upon its outer end is apertured to receive the lateral end portion 14C of a rod 15 that extends therefrom to the crank 16 upon the spindle 17 of the valve.

Positioned in the elongated slot 6 of the plate 5 is a bar 18 arranged tangentially to the gear member 10 and having upon its edge adjacent thereto serrations or teeth 19 to inter-engage with the teeth upon the periphery of the gear member 10. This gear member or bar is guided and maintained in vproper relation to the other gear member 10 by a guide-strap 20 that is formed integrally with the guide or bracket 8 and, after assembly of the parts in their proper relation, this strap 2O (originally formed straight and flat in the plane of the arm 8) is bent over the outside face of the bar 18 into close proximity to the same and said gea-r member 10, as seen in Figure 1 of the drawings. This guide-strap not only maintains the bar in the desired position, but it also tends to assist in stabilizing the gear member 10 and is a very simple and convenient structure for assembly. At its lower end the bar 18 is provided with an enlargement 21 to prevent its withdrawal through the guide-strap 20, and the teeth thereon are so tormed that, when the bar is moved upward in the slot 6 of the 'iloer plate, they will rest upon a protruding lip 22 that is punched upwardly at the adj acent end ot the slot 6 of the loor plate.

ln order to assist the operator in making the inital movement of the valve, 'the upper end of the bar 18, where it passes through the slot 6 in the floor plate, is provided with a cam extension which is normally, when the valve is closed, in the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. This cam structure, while it is in reality a lever of the secondclass, comprises an extension 28, the lower end of which is biturcated to provide spaced members 24- that straddle the upper end ot the bar 18 and are pivotally connected thereto by the transverse rivet, bolt or pin 2o, while at its outer end the extension lever is provided with a cross piece 26 that provides a ready hand grasp for operating the device. The portion of the extension 28 adjacent the iioor plate 5 is provided with an oblique edge 27, and beyond'the same is formed eccentric or cam shape as at 28 so that when the hand grasp 26 is being raised to a vertical posi- .tion aligning with the rack bar the oblique edge 27 will have been moved out of contact with the upper 'face of the floor 'plate because the extension lever will have tulcrunied on the cam bulge 28. Thus there is created additional power, due to the initially increased leverage, which is sui'licient to -impart a movement to the control devices and give an initial movement to the valve plate which will be found ample to break away the carbon and permit the operator to pull the bar 18 upwardly as tar as desired. Stop pins 29 and 8O are disposed transversely through the straddling spaced members of the extension and prevent movement thereof too tar in either direction.

Other types ot lever extensions or cams may be substituted for that herein 'shown and described, the same, of course, coming within the scope oli-the present invention. lf desired, however, Vfor the purposeof simplifying the construction, the bar 18 need not have an extension 23 thereon but may be provided with a laterally extended portion 31 just above the floor plate 5 to prevent its being moved down through the slot 6 therein, and the hand-grasp 26 may be mounted upon the upper end of the bar a slight distance above the ioor plate, as seen in the modilication of Figure et of the drawings. Also, itmay be found desirable to omit the lateral linger 13 of the gear member 10 and in lieu thereof to provide a crank member in the form of an elongated strip or" metal 52 which is separate from the gear member 10 but is mounted on the spindle 11 so that it may be adjusted by the screw 33 and holes 3ft in the gear to divers positions with respect to the gear member 10 and the crank 16 of the valve. Ot course, ii desired, the crank piece 32 may be omitted.

lllhat is claimed is i 1. A valve control device comprising an apertured loor-plate, a pinion rotatably mounted below said plate, a rack engaged with said pinion and extended through the aperture in said plate, and an arm projecting from said pinion and having operative connection with the valve, the teeth of said rack being also adapted to engage said plate adjacent tne aperture to maintain the structure in divers adjusted positions.

2. A valve control device comprising an apertured plate, curved and straight gear members interengaged with each other, the former rotatably mounted below said plate and the latter reciprocable through the aperture in said plate and its teeth adapted to engage the edge of the aperture to support said straight member, and means extended from said curved gear member and operatively connected to the valve.

3. A valve control device comprising an apertured plate, an arm depending from the under side thereof, curved and straight interengaged gear members, the former rotatably mounted on said arm and the latter reciprocable through the aperture in said plate and its teeth adapted to engage the edge of the aperture to support said straight member, and means extendedfrom said curved gear member and operatively connected to the valve.

el. A valve control device comprising an apertured plate, a bracket arm depending therefrom, a gear member rotatably mounted upon the lower portion of said arm, a rack reciprocable through the aperture in said plate and operatively engaged with said gear member, and its teeth adapted to engage the edge ot the aperture to support said rack, and means operatively connecting said gear member to the valve.

5. A valve control device comprising an apertured plate, 'co-acting 'elements below said plate operatively connected to the valve, oneot said elements extended through said aperture, and means operatively connected to said last ment-ioned element whereby the operation of said means in one direction imparts an initial movement to said elements and the further movement of said means in another direction continues to move said elements.

6. A valve control device comprising a supporting plate, co-acting elements below said plate operatively connected to said valve and one of which elements projects above the plate, and a lever of the second-class pivotally connected to the projecting end of said-last-mentioned element whereby to impart an initial movement to said co-acting elements and the bodily movement of said lever further moves said elements.

7. A valve control device comprising an apertured floor plate, a pinion rotatably mounted below said plate, a rack engaged with said pinion and extended through the aperture in said plate, an arm projecting from said pinion and having operative connection with the valve, the teeth of said rack adapted to engage said plate adjacent the aperture to maintain the structure in divers adjusted positions, and a cam operatively connected to said rack, whereby the operation of said cam imparts an initial movement to said rack.

8. A valve control device comprising an apertured plate, curved and straight gear members interengaged with each other, the former rotatably mounted below said plate and the latter reciprocable through the aperture in said plate, means extended from said curved gear member and operatively connected to the valve, and a cam operatively connected to said straight gear member,

whereby the operation of said cam imparts an initial movement to said straight gear member.

9. A valve control device comprising an apertured plate, an arm depending from the under side thereof, curved and straight interengaged gear members, the former rotatably mounted on said arm and the latter reciprocable through said plate, said curved gear member operatively connected to said valve, the plate, and a cam operatively connected to said straight gear member, whereby the operation of said cam imparts an initial movement to said straight gear member.

10. A valve control device comprising an apertured plate, a bracket arm depending therefrom, a gear member rotatably mounted upon the lower portion of said arm, a rack reciprocable through the aperture in said plate and operatively engaged with said gear member, means operatively connecting said gear member to the valve, and a. cam operatively connected to said rack, whereby the operation of said cam imparts an initial nLonvement to said rack.

11. A valve control device comprising a supporting plate, a bracket arm depending therefrom, a gear rotatably mounted on said arm, a rack engaged with said gear, a lever of the second-class pivotally mounted on said rack, said lever fulcrumed against said plate and accessible above the same, and means operatively connecting said gear to the valve.

12. A valve control device comprising a supporting plate, a bracket arm depending therefrom, a gear rotatably mounted on said arm, a rack engaged with said gear and eX- tended above said plate, a lever of the second-class pivotally mounted on said rack and fulcrumed against said plate, whereby an upward movement of said lever upon its fulcrum will initially move said rack, and means operatively connecting said gear to the valve.

13. A valve control device comprising an apertured plate, an arm depending therefrom, a member pivotally mounted on said arm and operatively connected to the valve, a reciprocable element co-acting with said member, and a cam operatively connected to said reciprocable element the operation of which imparts an initial movement to said element.

14. A valve control device comprising an apertured plate, an arm depending therefrom, a member pivotally mounted on said arm and operatively connected to the valve, a reciprocable element co-acting with said member and extended through said plate for actuating said member, and a lever of the second-class pivotally connected to the projecting end of said reciprocable element and accessible from above the plate, the operation of which lever imparts an initial movement to said reciprocable element.

15. A control device, comprising a support, a wheel having a bearing on the support, a reciprocable element having rotary engagement with the wheel, means connecting the wheel and a valve whereby the latter may be operated upon the actuation of the wheel, means'on said support engageable by said reciprocable element for holding said element in a plurality of positions, and a guide member on the support for guiding the reciprocation of said element, for holding said element and wheel in rolling engagement, for limiting the tilting of said element when said element is being engaged with the locking means on said support, and for cooperating with the wheel and means on said reciprocable element for limiting the movement of said element.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 20th day of October,

SIDNEY J. BOVEY. THOMAS BOVEY.

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