US1790349A - Automobile curtain - Google Patents

Description

,1931. e. P. KOENIG 1, 9,3

AUTOMOBILE CURTAIN Filed Dec. 5, 1927 E l \\\\\\\\\\\\v a j /6 74 GERVASE PKoezvzG Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNITED s'rr GERvAsE 1-. KOENICfi'OF EAST cLEvELANn onIo anrromonrnn CURTAIN Application filed ilecember 5, 1927.- Serial naeamss.

This invention relates to an improved curtainfor the open type ofautomobile As one means for enclosing the open car,

there is the familiar all-weather top which 5, consists of a rigid top with windows that can be opened and closed. Thistop'is not adapted for ready removal and can not be collapsed for storage. Then, too, there are leather or fabric curtains with mica windows. of these flexible curtains, the windows are not adapted for opening; while in others, some of the windows are hinged so as to be capable of opening and closing. In this last named form of curtain,the hinged window is adapted to swing down. and comprises approximately the upper one-third portion of the curtain. And asa means of providing the hinged connection for the upper part of the window, there is a band or strip of leather or fabric extending across the curtain along the bottom of the hinged window section. This band or strip, however, constitutes an obstruction to the view of the driver or passenger and istherefore objectionable.

It is therefore the object of the present invention todevise a flexible curtain with a window which can be opened and closed without any obstruction to the view from the inside of the car.

More specifically, it is the object ofthis invention: to provide a flexible curtain with a slidable window for raising. and lowering movements to close and open the same.

Another object is to devise such'a curtain 'that can also be folded up for storage. puroses. I

Another object is to provide a flexible curtain withv a slidable window that can be set in any desired position. I

A further object is to provide means for preventing the slidable window from accidentaldisplacement from the curtain, and at the same time to devise such a slidable window that can be readily removed from the curtain. I

Another object consists in providing a single means for preventing the slidable window from accidental displacement and for holding the same in set position.

A still further object consists in providing In some volving a great cost.

a single means forholdijng the window in closed position and for excluding the natural elements which might otherwise find their way around the edge of the window.

Other objects will appear from the fol lowing description and'claims when considered together with the accompanying draw- 111g. 1 Fig. 1 is an outside elevation of an automobile equipped with my improved curtains; to Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view taken ,on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4"is an inside elevation of a portion of one of the curtains ,Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig.3 andshows a modificatiomFig. 5 is a view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4:; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the button and slot; and

Fig. 8 is taken on line 88 of Fig.7.

In the present invention the leather or fab-.

ric curtains are detachably fastened to the v car inthe same manner as the well-known curtains. And the present invention may be embodied in the curtains forthe front and rear doors as well as the curtains therebetween. a detachable curtain for the rear end of the car and a window provided therein after the same manner as in connection withthe door curtains. Also, this invention may be employed as a substitute for the slide windows in the front of the'familiar taxi-cab and in fact may be employed wherever there is desired a removable curtain or enclosurewith a window that can be opened and closed without obstruction to the view and without in- The present illustration shows only one embodiment of my invention and it is to be understood'that other forms and modifications may be adopted without departing-from the spirit. of the invention as herein described and claimed. Referring to the present drawing, the lower one-third part 1 of each curtain, or approximately so, consists of a flexible material such as leather or canvas, and this material continues about the edge portions of the upper part of the curtain, as indicated at 2. The opening in the upper two-third portion, or approximately so, of the curtain is adapted Likewise, there may be constructed 75 V to be closed by the transparent window 3 of mica or glass or by a screen. This window has its edges bound with a suitable fabric or the like, as indicated in the drawing, and is slidably mounted in the channel members 5 of mica or light weight metal, which are secured in any suitable manner along the side edge portions of the window openings. The binding on the top edge of the window is very narrow and does not obstruct the vision when the window .is open. This binding may consist of an extremely narrow strip of metal or a mica binding may be used. A like channel member 6 is secured along the upper edge portion of the window opening, this particular channel member having a deeper groove for a purpose to be explained. There is provided also a channel member across the bottom part of the curtain portion 1. vAll of these channel members are secured to the inside of the curtain, so that the window is mounted upon the inside of the curtain. When lowered to open position, the bottom edge of the window will engage in the groove of the bottom channel member 7; and when in raised or closed position, the upper edge of the window engages in the groove of the upper channel member. The window is held in closed position by means of the transverse flap or apron 8, of leather :or canvas or the like, which is hingedly connected to the marginal portion of the curtain about the bottom edge of the window opening, and which is adapted to be turned up about the bottom edge of the window, as seen in Fi 3. This flap or apron has openings 9 which are adapted to engage over buttons or projections 10 for securing the same in such position. In this way, the window is held in raised position and at the same time the apron 8 serves as a battle means for keeping out the wind, rain, etc. which might otherwise find their way about the bottom edge of the closed window.

The channel members may be omitted at the top and bottom and a narrow lip provided at the bottom for supporting the window in fully open position. This arrangement will facilitate folding or rolling of the curtains with the windows removed.

Instead of the apron 8, the bottom edge of the windows might be provided with tongues forming a groove which is adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the curtain portion 1. The tongue 11 on the outside is of sufficient dept-h to prevent the natural elements from beating in about the bottom edge of the window; and the inner tongue 12 is of less depth so as to permit the operator to observe the outer tongue as he raises the window and disengages the tongues from the edge of the curtain portion 1. Upon so disengaging the lower edge of the window, prepara-tory to lowering the same, the lower edge portion of the window is pulled inwardly so as to clear the edge of portion 1, and then. lowered. In carrying out this operation, there must be provided a certain clearance for the tongue 11 as it is moved inwardly; and for this purpose, the upper channel member 6 may be made deeper than the others. Also, the tongues 11 stop short of the channel members, as a 3 so asto permit the engagement of the groove over the edge of the portion 1. Upon lowering the window with the tongues, both ofthe tongues may be inserted in the groove of the channel member 7 or only the outer tongue 11.

As a means of preventing the window from being. accidentally displaced from its slide grooves, I have provided the buttons whose shanks 13 are long enough to extend through the slits 14 in the .inner side wall of the side channel members 5. These buttons are carried by the bound edge portions of the window,.one on each side. The swivelled heads 13 of these buttons are long and narrow so as to be readily insertible through the slots 14 when turned to the proper position. The heads of these buttons may be spring actuated towards engagement with the channel members and may have seating engagement in depressions or seats formed in the contacting surface of the channel member. In this way, the window can be set and held in any position desired. The channel members may be covered on the outside with any suitable fabric, and such a covering will facilitate the gripping engagement between the button head and the channel member. In the drawing, the button head is adapted when turned, to engage the cam shoulders 13" of the narrow, spring metal member which has its ends 13 engaging the channel member. This spring member may be mounted about the shank 13 and is sufficiently narrow to be insertible through the slit 14:. Or, the spring member may be removably inserted through an opening in the shank 13, as illustrated in the drawing. Upon removing the window, the spring metal members are first removed. The reverse procedure is followed when the window is inserted. Or, instead of either of the above, the head 13 may have a cam undersurface for binding engagement with the face of the channel member upon turning the button so as to extend across the slot 14.

hen the curtains are not being used, as for instance during the summer, they may be entirely removed and stored away. And the lower part of the grooved member is, in each case, separate from the upper part so as to permit the lower part of the curtain to be folded when the window isin closed position. In other words,- the grooved members are broken, as indicated at 16, although the gap is .not so great as to interfere with thet sliding of the window. And these members may be broken wherever desired for folding purposes.

Or, the curtains may be kept on the car,

and the windows removed by. turning the the doors and body except for the one top 7 button at the front, according to the present illustration, and the curtains'can then be swung up under the roof of the ear and secured there in any suitable manner. For instance, there may be provided a strip along he middle part ofthe underside of the car roof and suitable buttons provided thereon for engaging the holes in the bottom ends of the curtains, and a snap fastener 17 may be provided on the edge of the automobile top 18 or on a depending flap 18 for attachment of the other top corner of the curtaln when folded up under the car roof.

The curtains for the front doors may or may not have the extensions between the doors and the glass windshield; they may be formed as separate curtainsQ It is to be understood, of course, that the shapes and styles of curtains vary with the different makes and styles of cars, and that the same principle of invention, as herein set forth, may be employed in all cases. 7

Thus, I have devised a. readily detachable and collapsible flexible curtain with a slidable window without obstructions to the vision; The window can be set in any position desired and is ensured against accidental displacement. Also, the curtain is practically proof against the entrance of the natural elements. With all these advantages, and others hereinbefore mentioned, there may be realized practically all of the advantages of the closed car and the open car without any series disadvantages or inconveniences of either.

Other advantages resulting from this 1nvention will be apparent to those who areskilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is 1. An automobile curtain comprising a and collaspsible slide means secured to said v body portion along the margins of said opening, and a removable window closure having slide engagement with said slide means,

3. An automobile curtain comprising a body portion of flexible material, said body portion having a window opening with a slide-way, a readily removable window closure therefor slidably mounted in said slide way, and a single means engaging said slidewayfor preventing accidental removal of said window and for holding the said window in any position desired.

4:. An automobile curtain comprising a body portion of flexible material, said body portion having a window opening, a 'win- .dow closure therefor. slidably mounted on said body portion, and a single means located at the edge of the window for holding said window in closed position and for preventing entrance of weather at the edge of said window.

5. An automobile curtain comprising a body portion of flexible'material, said body portion having a window opening, a window closure therefor, channel members secured to the marginal portions of said opening, said channels having one wall' slotted, securing means carried by said window for removable insertion in said slot and detachable engagement with said channels so as to permit ready removal of the window or securing of the same in any set position in said channels.

6. An automobile curtain comprising a body portion of flexible material, said body portion having a window opening, a window closure therefor, channel members secured to the marginal portions of said opening, said'channels having one wall slotted, and means carried by the marginal portions of said window for readily removable engagement in said slots to prevent accidental disdow from its opening and to permit clamping of said window in any position desired.

8. An automobile curtain comprising a body portion of flexible material, said body portion having a window opening, a window closure therefor slidably mounted on said body portion, a flap at the-bottom of said opening, and means for securing said flap about the bottom edge of said window so as to hold the same in raised position and to serve as a sealing means.

In testimony whereof, I hereby affix my signature.

- GERVASE P. KOENIG.

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