US1756994A - Steering-gear-control lever assembly - Google Patents

Description

y 6,1930. b. E. ROSS 1,756,994

STEERING GEAR CONTROL LEVER ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 11 12 p v w /3 im m? afia 1 4/4- 4 J INVENTOR.

May 6-, 1930; Ross 1,756,994 STEERING GEAR CONTROL LEVER ASSEMBLY Fil 80- 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1930 or LA FAYETTE, rnnrana,. a conr'onnrron JOFIVNDIANA }srnnnnve enanmonrnori n ssnnnnY" Application filedilieoember 27;" 19'2e; Serial udge-157,158?

This invention relates to control assemblies i for use in connectionwith the steering gears of automobiles, the controls being mounted onthe steering post abovelthe hub". of-the: steering wheel, so that the control leverscan be readily operated by the finger or thumb of the operator while his hands are engaged with the steeringwheel. A The invention provides simple and effec 1o tive means for' Idetachably attaching: the.

several controllevers totheir respectivecontrol tubes in such manner aswill permit levers and tubes of very thin cross-section to be used, andalso permit the steering wheel to '15 be removed fromthe' steering post without having to disturb thenested' con'troltubes or disconnect the steering gear.

Theinvention also provides novel-I means for mounting the horn button or other electrical signal circuit closing device'upon the up ermost control leverof the assembly.

8amminor novel features of the inven tion willbe hereinafter set forth.

The accompanying drawings 1 illustrate 1' practical embodiments of the invention, and

I willdescribe the same with reference there- :to toenable othersfamiliar with the art to adopt and use the same; andsummarize in I the claims the essentials of the invention and novel features of construction'and novel com binations of parts for all of whlch PI'OtGQtlQH is desired. V In saiddrawingsze Figure 1' is a vertical sectional view 135 through oneform of control assembly em bodying my invention. I

. Fig. 2 is a similar view at right angles to 'the section shown in Fig. f

Fig. 3 is a detail view'of one form off'control leverandmeans for attaching same to its top plan, a longitudinal section, an'datransr verse section ofa" control lever arm.. j l

, line 77 m 1 I F ig. 8 is a vertical section, similar to Fig.

Figs. 5, 5 and 5'" are respectively,-adetail DAVID E. ROSS, or LA FAYETTE NDIANA; AssIeNoR'Eno nossennna TOOL co v rANY,

Fig. 7 is aii 'erilarged al section o the 2showing a'modificationof the construction of. the upper controlle'veri '5 Figs. 9 "and-9- are respectively detailtop and side views of the upper end. of one of the control tubes, detached; and

"Fig. 10 isan enlarged detail section on line 10 10 Figs. 3and 4. i a l 1 In the drawings the invention is. illustrated as used in'connection with a type of, control assembly in general such as shown in my comusually mountedlupona stationary tube G which iscustomarilyhouse'd within the steerng tube (not shown) to which the steering wheel -is attached; the steering tube being usually rotatably mounted in an outer fixed column or casing. These features being old .andwell known, andnot forming part of this =invention'are notillustrat ed. Within tube are the nested control tubes 0 as usual. 'Each control tubeC, may have very thin walls, and is provided at its upper end with preferably oppositely disposed integral lugs Q Which may be formed by slitting the metal of the tubeand pressing the slit tongues out wardlyto form lugsCj as shown. The distance between the outer extremities panionlapplications,.filed December-15, 1926, V Serial Nos; 154,922 and 154,923.; but the present invention is not restricted to use with ofthe diametrically'opposed lugs G of each. 1 control-.tube (Fig. 9) should beless than the inside diameterof the bore of the steer-l 'ir'lg wheel-and the nut by'which the steering wheel (not'shown) is secured to the steering itube, so that thesaidnut and Wheel can be rea'dilyslipped over or'on or oif the endsof the nesteditubesat will, so that the wheel can .be put in or removed from position without disturbing the assembledv control tubes.

p On the upper end of the tube G is mounted a supporting member or yoke 1 which is .adapteclto carry the operatiye parts of the control assembly said yoke being preferably constructed-as described in my aforesaid apv plication Serial No. provided with an annular depending jskirt 1, a

r shown. Each controllever preferably has a handle 4 andanannular portronji..&ghtly Mounted upon the yoke l-is a base member 2 which has an'arcuatevertical flange pertion 2 extending. through an arc of approximately 110 degrees, as describedin my said applicationr v H x l J r Thecontrol-levers l are rotatably mounted axially of the yoke 1 and the arcu ateportipn 2 ofbase member Q Qthree siuch llevers heing larger in interior diameter than the exterior v diameter of the arcuate portion-2F ofglbase member 2. Each control lever shown as provided with a radially disposed inwardly projecting arm which engages the -control tube and such arm may be formed integral may be formed separatelyzthenefrom'as shown at 4 in Fig-4; in 'which latter case the annular portion 4a of the lever may betproyided with a series of slots 4P with-anyone of-zwhich the outer end of the arm ft lca n :be"detachably engaged. V p I l Each arm :(APOD 4 hashl: circular head s at its inner end providediiwith an axially disposed opening 4-adapted:to receive :the upper end of its .respective;control tube ar rangedzaxially of and'avithintu'be .G. j r l The head 4 3" of each :leverz arm riis provided with slots4 :*(Fig. 6)acorrespondinglin location to the lugs C on .thecontrol:tuhe: with 'whichthe head is to be engaged; zthese slots permit the head 4* to beifieeLy slipped :onto

the tube C, the lugs G passing :throughthe slots d. v Theheadz l is also providedwith slots 4 in itsupper sidemcorrespondingfi'n positionito the lugs O on the related tube,

' head is also preferably provided with threaded bores 4" "for the engagement. of"

but disposed at an angle to ithe slotsiflf The screws 16 by'which a retainerror cap; 6 is p secured :to the iheadasshoiwn in {Fi gs.' 3, it;

The retainer 6' is shown as iorinedvofua disk of metal-conforming-in size'to thei'rh'ead,

and said retainer is provided with inwardly projecting lugsb which correspond 111 .piositioniwith the slotsC in the 'relatedl -control' tube Cfand with countersunk bores 16? to registerwith the bores i inheads r4;

Preferably the slots P, 'n-thezhead are slightly-less, in depthfthan the thickness of thelugs C*, see Figsv'l and lOfsothat when the retainer is in place and the-screws 6? tightened, the'controllever. 4 is fix ed securely against both 'rotatorial and longitudinal movement on the control tube a i The control lever may bewreadily, engaged with the control tube by slipping *the head 4! over the end of the related tube, thelugsf' C passing through the; slots A; then the control lever is'turneduntil tlie lugsCfi register with'the recesses P. in; thetihead 1 l; and

also preferably -,roughenedor slightly sertubes employed;

of spring 9 makeelectricsl contact with the the lever is raised until the lugs C areseated in the recesses 4: then the retainer 6-is ,applied over the head 4, its lugs 6 engaging r the slots G the tube above the lugs C 5 and then the screws 6 are tightened securely fastening the lever to the tube as shown.

.The lug gtsgtQ and 6 pro'vide' a' su'fiiciently l ge Contact surface between the lever andwe e 0 B WQLFB YQi ,.0f. etu e bythe lever. The-countersunk ends-oftheopenings 75 inltheregister fi are "preferably roughened V or'serrated as indicated invFigs. 5 and 5 and thefunderside fo'ftheheads of screws 6 are ratechso that the screwswill-not loosen when g v tightened.- 1': 1 *1" Three controlzlevers (are-shewn'inrthe'drawings,:but obviously on'e or;=morerthancone may belusediaccordingzto:themumhergof control jItis desirable to proyiilejamelectric signal 1 attachment :or-circuitcloser at :the'etop @Ltzthe assembly- In the. construction ShOWIDiD Figs. land 21a cap Erpiece 7fisrattachedztostheIbase member 2; in any suitable' manner, :as by 010 screws FZF. A button" 8;. i'seloosely. confined v within a central ropenin'gcin the cap zmeinber' thus push button samy have :a peripheral fla1'igej8 ;on,' its Elowier edge; of. ilarger diameterrthanrthe opening initheacapfl' ts. z retain 515 the button in positionitn said npening.

The button-8yissdpperted' zupon theihead 4 of'athej upper;co ntrol.;lever, iwhi'ch headis I showirasofdargerrli ameteivthan'theheads @If the underlyingtleverszbelow-at,Lbutris'zdetahr 1200 I r j ably attachable :totherrelated controlztube in the vmanner kabove iClGSbI'lbGd'f 1 I :Trhe chub or head 4 of'thefnppm 'dever :(Eigsi 1 %and mayhave an iritegral annular (flange-:4! adapt-- ed :to "coact'with an amiula-rw depending flange 5;

8 onf biutton 8. f. The button '8 may-'beesuppeBtedbya coiled spring :10 insertedbetiveenztheybutton:andthe j I enlargedvhead 4: 'onwthezhub of the uppercontrolV-lever, 'saidr springsbei-ngpreferabty :aretlo rangedwentenior atfo-xthe annularmfla-nge. AHmd tends to hold the button in raisediqaosition'. The button 8 may fllSQ-flJCaStl'IlPGItGd hy'an ordinary convol'ute ,--electric push button springQ QF-igs. 2 and '8!) which ,issuppot-ted B131 5 i usual manner."-- Theipushehuttoineonstnnc- U3 V est tion resembles an'ordinary electric door hell I push button, and does not require any screws for fastening the wire.v

In the construction shown in Fig. 8 the: annular peripheral flange of base 2 and the" cap piece 7 are omitted; and thebutt'on 8? is} made large enough to also serve asa cover for the underlying control levers. "This button 8 is centered. by the flanges 8 and 4 on the .head and button respectively, as in Figs. 1'

;-and-i2, and headless screws 8. are tapped button, and loosely engage relatively 1 wide through the lower portion of the wall of the slots or grooves 4 in the peripheryof the head 4 0f the upper control lever-, as shown.' In this case the horn button 8" fioatsflupon Friction disks 15, such as shown in my above mentioned applications, may be'provided being shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8 to hold the levers in adjusted position; although any suitable frictional devices may be USGClltO hold the levers in adjusted position.

wsembl ed within the, fixed tube G; and the Any desired number of control tubes constructed as described can be nested and assteering wheel and wheel nut canbe put in place over the ends of the control tubes and a before the levers 4: are attached. The respective' levers 4 can then be readily connected with their respective control tub-es,' as hereinbefore described.

The device can readily be disassembled when desired, or if it is necessary to remove the wheel this can be done without having to remove the tubes by detaching the control levers from the tubes. 7,

Obviously the number of control tubes and levers used may be varied according'to the number of different controls whichit is desired to have assembledv at the center of the sional application.

'I claim 1. .In a control assembly, a control tube", provided with projecting lugs; a controllever arm having a head provided with a bore to receive the upper end of the tube, and with recesses in which the lugs are adaptedto be seated; and means on the arm for holding the lugs in engagement with the recesses.

seated a retainer adapted to be secured to the head to retain the lugs in position in the recesses; and screws for attaching the retainer ;to the head.

1 4. In combination; with devices as set forth in claim 3,'a lever having an annular portionfprovided 'with notches adapted: to be detachably engaged with the lever. arm.

7 5. In a-control assembly, a control tube provided with projecting lugs; a control lever arm having a head provided with a bore to receivetheupper end of the tube, and with slots in the bQIQ'COI'I'GSPOIldlIlg inposition with the lugs onthe tube to permit the head to pass the tube and with recesses corresponding in position. with the lugs on the tube and in whichthe lugs are adapted to be seated, and

means on the arm for-holding the lugs in en- 7 gagementwith the recesses;

6.111 a control'assembly a controltube pro vided with projecting lugs; and a control le 'verfa'rm having ahead provided with a bore to receivethe upper end of the tube, and with slots in i'the bore corresponding in position with the lugs, on the tube topermit the head to pass the tubeandwithrebesses iii-its face corresponding in positionwiththe lugs onl the tube anjd in which the lugs are adapted to be seated; aretainer adapted to be secured to the head to retain thelugs in: position in the recesses; and screws for attaching the retainer to the head."

'7; In a control assembly vided with projecting lugs and slots above the lugs; a control lever varm having a head provided with a here to receive the upperend of the tube and with'slots in the bore corresponding in position with the lugs on the tube and with recesses in its upper face correspond- 'ing' in .position with the lugs on the tube and in'which recesses the lugs areadapted to be seated; a retainer adapted to be secured to the head to retain the lugs in position in the recesses and provided with lugs engaging the slots in the tube above the lugs; and means for clamping the retainer to thehead.

8. Incombination with devices asset forth in'claim 7,a lever having an annular portion provided with notch-es adapted to ,be detachably engaged with the lever arm.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own, I afi'ix my signature. DAVID E. R088.

a control tube proably engaged with the lever arm. V

3. In a control assembly, a controltube provided with projecting lugs; a control lever arm having a head provided with a bore to receive the upper end of the tube and with re-' cesses in which the lugs are adapted to be

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