US1871341A - Spring cover - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 9, 1932. D, K. POPE, 1,871,341

SPRING COVER Filed May 2s, 1929 Irc-.1.

INVENTOR TM5-W ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1932 'DANIELE Porn, .or CLEVELAND, omo

'n SPRING comin` Appnation filed May 2s.'

This invention relates to spring covers ofv the type employed for protecting vehicleleaf springs from the moisture and for Vsupplying a lubricant between the leaves of thespring. The present invention has for its object to provide a vspring cover which is inexpensiveV to manufact-ure and Which conforms accurately to the contour of the spring to Which it is applied. j

A further object is to provide a spring cover which is formed of a vulcanizable material and Which is Water-proof and resistent to oils and greases.` Y A further object is lto provide a onespiece spring cover in Which abulge isprovided to accommodate projecting portions of the rebound clip.

A further object is to provide a one-piece cover free from all joints and seams which is molded and vulcanized to a form .such that ity ing drawing hereinafter vdescribed andV par-y ticularly set forth in the appended claims, together with such variations and modifications thereof as Will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

Reference shouldbe had to the accompany# ing drawing forming a part of the specifica- Y tion in which: Figure l is a sectional view showingthe cover applied to a spring.

Fig. 2 is a bottom planview of with a cover applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line indicated at 3 3 in Fig. 1. Y-

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the cated at l4in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section showing the material of the cover.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing a modification of the material of the cover.

The cover of the present invention is shown applied to a leaf spring 1 composed of superposed leaves 2 Which are of gradually decreasing length from the top leaf to the bottom leaf of the spring. Leaf springs emthe spring Y line indi- 1929. serial No. 366,674.

ployed forsupporting automobilevbodies are provided on the tapering'end portionsthere-` of withV rebound clips, each of Which consists of a U-shapedmeinber 3 Which fits upon the bottom'and sides of the spring with its spaced 55 armsV projecting above the top of the spring.

The projecting ends of the U-shaped member 3 are connected by aclamping bolt i Which has a head engaging the outer face of one ofthe arms and a nut `6 engaging'the 6o outer face of the other of the arms. The spring cover Which is indicated generally by the-reference numeral 7 is of substantially trapezoidal form so that it is adaptedto j Wrap about and enclose a tapered end portion of a leaf spring and Within'thecover, there is a longitudinally extending pad 8 of felt or other suitable absorbent material, which is'held in contact With overlapping leaves along the underside ofthe spring.

v At the endsthereof, the-'cover isprovided with sealing strips 9 formed of felt or similar material secured to the inner face of the' cover along the end edges thereof. The body 8 and sealing strips 9 are preferably impreg- 'I5V n'ated With a lubricating composition which is non-fluent at any atmospheric tempera-l ture yto Whichthey may be subjected in use so that the lubricant is ltransferredjfrom the pad to the` surfaces of the leaves only by'so frictional engagement of the leaves With the pad in the iiexing of the spring. The lubricating composition falso serves to render the pad and sealing strips Waterproof so that moisture Will not be drawn into them by i capill-aryattraction. Y

Thecover ofthe present invention is made from a vul'canizable composition, the cover being made from aflat piece of unvulcanized material-Whichv is molded to the desired form inria vulcanizing press. The material from Which the cover is made maybe a rubber cornposition Which is resistant to the deteriorating action of oils and gr'eases, such composi y tions new being commercially available. The rubber compsition may be strengthened Y by mix-ing fibrous material therewith, .thek fibrous material beingl indicated bythe reference numeral 10 in Fig. 5. The compostionmay, if desired, be in the form' of sheet 100 material reinforced with a loosely Woven fabric 11 such as shown in Fig. 6, the fabric l being suliiciently stretchable to permit a iat piece of the material to be molded to the desired form. If desired, any suitable rubber composition may be employed and a flexible Waterproof and oil resistant coating 12 of varnish appliedl to the opposite side thereof as vshown in Figs. 5 and 6. i In vulcanizing the cover, a transversely extending bulge 13 is moldedvthereinarrdthis bulge is of a size and shape to accommodate the projecting portions of the reboun-dl-clipl as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, In forming the cover',"1l1 is' nloldedi on the outer side thereof parallel butA spaced from one Vedge 'of the cover, the rib being molded around a reinforcing rod 15. vAt theopposite edge ofthe cover, a bea-d 16 is mold- 20v ed, about ai reinforcing rodi. 1T. Theedge portionof,l the cover upon Whichrtlie bead 14 is molded extends substantially the entire distance across the Vbottomy of the springl and the edge-off the, cover upon `Which the bead.

16' is. molded extends partially across the underside of the springoverlying the first mentioned edge,.so thaty the two beads extend parallel with eac-h other along thelength, of`A the springthe beads-being preferably spaced 30. apart a sufficient distance to permit the slack. in thercover torbe taken up. as the lubricating padiscompacted'.-A i The cover is secured in plane on the springY by means of spring fasteners which` are 35.-,connected to the reinforcing rods, 15 and. 1.7

'the reinforcing composition being removed from. the rods vat spaced points. along the length of. thecofverV Each of fastening ele; ments 18 isformed of a spring Wire' which iscoiled about one of the rods,extends.longi.

Itudinally ofthe rod' from. its point'of-V attache ment, to. a spring coil 19,. the oppositeend of the Wire. extending from the'y coil 19 i-n the;

formof an L-s'hapedarm 20' which: terminates 45, ina hook 21 which engagesthe otherfrod.

'llh'fastening elements yahich-.aredeseribed and, claimed in my copendingapplication Se ria'lrNfoj.. 3415,97C 1,. filed March 11, 1929, which has matured, into Iatenti No. 1,799,864-, dated` April ,1\931,serve tomaintain a: spring ten-1 sion o n the cover and to automatically take up; any'slack which wouldotherwise form inlthe cover due tothe eompacti-ng of the lnbfiemngpad, Y 1

I-t Willbe apparent that the'voover ofthe present invention may be. formed completelyposed of an oil resistant and Waterproof vulcanized rubber composition and of a size and shape to be Wrapped about and enclose a vehicle leaf spring with the opposite side edges of the cover overlapping along the bottom ofthe spring, said cover having a molded longitudinal bead formed along one side edge thereof, anda second longitudinal bead molded on the outer face of the cover parallel with and spaced from the opposite edgexko'. providiearliat edge portion which is overlapped by the beaded' edge whereby said beads-erre positioned in parallel spaced relation along -the under vside of the spring, and resilient fast'eiiingmeans detachably connectifngsaidbeadsto ,maintain a tension on the cover. l n n 2j.A A onepiece` mold-edspri-ng cover coi-nposedofanoil resistant and. waterproof vu'lcanized rubberV composition and of a. size and shape to be Wrapped. aboutand enclose a vehicleL leafli spring with the opposite side edges ofthe cover overlapping along the bottom of the spring, said cover having. a molded tubular bead. formedI along, one sideedge thereof,` and a second!- tubularfbead molded on-4 theouter face-,off theaoover parallel with and spaced from the opposite side edge.,portions` o f` saidbeadsi `bein-g cut away at intervals along thelength thereof to. provide openings, aV reinforcing rodfitting infeach of sai-d beads and extending across the openings thereof, and.' resilient. fastening members connecting the rods at spaced intervalsalon-g the length` of the-,cover and engaging, saidl rods in said Orr/ninas i 3. A spring cover radapted-to-Ibelvralvped.

about andfencliose a vehicle leaf spring and formed: in one piecefof flexible vnlcan-izable sheet .Inateriahl said cover haring molde d .loingitudinalx beads adijaeen-t the.- opposi-te edges thereof/,v-fone'- of saidbea'ds being at one edge of tlecover and ,thev other being parallel-.Withandfspa'ced from; the opposite ed1g,e,; whereby the beaded..edgenay overl-ap. thel opposite edge. to.- disposefthey beads parallelspaced rel'atifonfvbeneafthrthe spring, areinforcing rod embedded in each bead to stiftenthe lcover andgpreventjsagging@thereofalong the-.bottom of tlie spring, and resilient fastening ele ments `connexiting, v sai-drodsI at spacejdg points along' the lengthwofathey covento maintain, a`

tensonon thecoyer Y,

In testimony whereoflfaivxfmy signature, i n .DANIEL K. POPE.

inl the. vnl'eanizing press with thel exceptijon-iV l of@ theattachnnent` of the fastenr'mg device,

the. bulge to accommodate the spring` clip- Qf being mol-ded in the cover in the=vulcanizing press: andf reinforcin-g4 rod'fs` being, eInbeddedE therein soy that no` sewing or otherV vfinishing operationsfarerequi-red. L

,What I claim is 55.?. .1, A one-piece molded.springA covercolnie: I

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