US1893950A - Spring cover - Google Patents

Description

Jal-1. 10, 1933. H, KUECHLE 1,893,950

SPRING COVER Filed Dec. 4, 1929 Patented `lan. 10, 1933 :UNTED STATES PATENT `GFFICIE" HERBERT G. KUECI-ILE, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCCNSIN, SSIGNOBI, BY MESNE ASSIG'N-- MENTS, TO I-X-L METAL SPRING COVER COMPANY, .OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,

A CORPORATION 0F WISCONSIN SPRING COVER Application led December 4, 1929.

This invention pertains to spring covers, and more particularly to metal covers adapted to be folded and locked upon a leaf spring to snugly engage the same andeffect a Acomplete housing therefor.

The'invention has primarily for its object to simplify and otherwise improve the present structures by the provision of an eX- ceedingly simple onepiece cover, easily folded and locked upon a spring and affording sufficient flexure to compensate for the action of the spring, thus materially reducing both the cost of manufacture and installation. u

Incidental to the foregoing, a more specific object .of the invention resides in the provision of a spring cover unit formed from a single blank of sheet metal locked upon the spring to snugly enclose the same, and folded transverselyupon itself to provide the necessary flexure lfor the action of the spring.

A still further object is to provide a cover of the foregoing character, in Which the sides and bottom of the cover are cut transversely intermediate the ends of the cover to provide Ioverlapping engagement of the same, While the connecting top web of the cover, adJacent the slotted sides, is folded transversely upon itself to provide a hinge.

Withthe above and other objects in vievv, which -Will vappear as the Adescription proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially ashereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come Within the scope of the claims.

lnr the accompanying drawing is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

Serial No. 411,441.

In the drawing, Figure l is a side elevation of a conventional seniifelliptic spring with a cover constructed in accorda-nce With the present invention applied thereto, parts being broken away and in section to more clearly illustrate structural features;

* Figure 2 is a bottoni plan elevation With parts broken away and in section;

Figure `8 is a fragmentary view of the blank prior to folding the same upon the spring;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line as lof Figure l;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating the hinged portion ofthe cover; and

Figure 6 is a detail section taken .on the line 6"-.6 of Figure l illustrating one method of locking the cover on'a spring.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the` numeral 1 designates a conventional semi-elliptic spring comprising a top lea-f 2 provided at its extreme ends With'th-e usual eyes '3. Underlying 'the top spring leaf 2 are a plurality of progressively shorter leaves 4 which are secured together by the Ubolts 5 which straddle the leaves and secure the same to a spring saddle 6, the latter usually forming a part of the aXle of the vehicle.

From the foregoing, -it Will `benoted :that the laminated springI l is ca able of vertical flexure when the Weight of the vehicle is placed upon the .eyes 3, and in such action the leaves will necessarily engage one another throughout their entire length and have a relative longitudinal movement as the spring is flexed.

The present invention, which aims to re.- duce manufacturing costs to L minimum, and also simplify the operation of assembling a metal cover-on a spring, provides a one-piece cover 7, preferably Aformed from a single blank of sheet meta-l of any desired length, depending upon the springto which the same is to be applied. e

Due to the fact that the cover must have a certain amount of flexure to compensate for the vertical action of the spring. The blank from which the cover is formed is slotted or cut out. transversely at 8, leaving a longitudinal connecting web 9, which, when assembled upon a spring, extends across the entire width of the top of the spring. It will thus be noted that the cut out portions 8 extend only through the sides and bottom of the cover.

In manufacture, the blank may be bent longitudinally along the dotted lines 10 to facilitate forming the same about the spring, while the longitudinal edges may be folded back upon themselves along the lines 11 to provide interengaging lips 12 for locking the cover on the spring, as best shown in Figure 4.

Prior to assembling the cover on the spring, the web 9, extending the entire width of the top portion of the cover, is folded upon itself transversely along the dotted lines 13 in Figure 3, thus forming the flexible hinge 14, as best shown in Figures 1 and 5.

In folding the web 9 upon itself, it will be seen that the adjacent cut-out edges 8 of the sides and bottom of the cover, will be brought into overlapping engagement to provide a se? cure joint between the cut-out portions, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. Obviously, in forming the cover, as many hinges as necessary can be provided, depending upon the length of spring to be covered. In the conventional spring illustrated, two folds or hinges are provided, but this number may be readily increased or reduced, depending upon the length of spring and the amount of action required of the same.

In assembling the cover upon a spring, the longitudinal bottom portions are overlapped and the lips 12 brought into interlocking engagement to secure the cover on the spring, as best shown in Figure 4. However, it is to be understood that various means may-be employed for securing the overlapped longitudinal edges of the cover together, such as for instance, welding, rivetting, or the like.

Due to the fact that the sides and bottom of the cover are brought into overlapping engagement, when the cover is assembled upon a spring, the interengaging tongues 12 must also overlap and, therefore, one of the bottom seams is bent downwardly, as shown at 15 in Figure 5, to receive the adjacent seam 16.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that a very simple and inexpensive cover has been provided which can be readily assembled upon a spring with a minimum effort, thus materially reducingr both the cost of manufacture of the cover and installation of the same.

At the present time, the majority of metal covers in use comprise not only a plurality of sections, but each sectional unit consists of a plurality of elements. Thus, in assembling the cover on a spring, the operator is required to handle numerous parts of different sizes which must all bc assembled in correct relative positions, thus requiring a high degree of precaution and consuming considerable time, which is an important item in present production methods, particularly the automobile industry where assembling is effected through continuous, progressive operations.

In operation, it will be quite apparent that the folded hinge 14, in cooperation with the overlapping sides and bottoms of the cover, provides a lexure which will readily compensate for the vertical action of the spring and at the same time affords an especially tight and secure housing.

While the same forms no part of the invention, it is to be understood that in assembling the cover upon a spring, the spring may first be wrapped with the usual lubricant retaining fabric or cover, thus insuring proper lubrication of the spring, as well as completely housing the same against moisture and dirt.

I claim:

l. A one-piece metallic spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top, sides and bottom of a spring, and provided with a transverse fold in its top portion intermediate the ends to compensate for vertical tlexure of the spring and cause the adjacent portions of the cover to overlap transversely in alinement with said fold, and having its longitudinal edges secured together along the bottom of the spring.

2. A one-piece metallic spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top, sides and bottom of a spring and provided with a transverse fold in its top portion intermediate the ends to compensate for vertical flexure of the spring, and having its remaining portions overlapping each other in transverse alinement with said fold, and means for securing the lon tudi nal edges of said cover together along le bottom of the spring.

3. A one-piece metallic spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top, sides and bottom of a spring and provided with a transverse fold in its top portion intermediate the ends to compensate for vertical exure of the spring, the side and bottom portions of said cover being cut transversely in alinement with said fold and the adjacent portions being overlapped upen each other, and means for securing the longitudinal edges of said cover together along the bottom of said spring.

4. A one-piece metallic spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top, sides and bottom of a spring and provided with a transverse hinge in its top portion intermediate the ends to compensate for vertical flexure of the spring, said hinge being formed by folding the top portion back upon itself, the side and bottom portions of the cover being cut transversely and the portions adjacent said cut being overlapped, and means for securing the longitudinal edges of said cover together along the bottom of the spring.

5. A spring cover adapted to snugly tit the top, sides and bottom of a spring and formed from a single blank of sheet metal and provided with a transverse fold in its top portion intermediate the ends of the blank to compensate for vertical ieXure of the spring and cause the adjacent portions of the cover to overlap transversely in alinement with said fold, and having its longitudinal edges secured together along the bottom of the spring.

6. A spring cover adapted to snugly lit the top, sides and bottom of a spring and formed from a single blank of sheet metal and provided with a transverse fold in its top portion intermediate the ends of the blank to compensate for vertical fleXure of the spring, the side and bottom portions of said cover being cut transversely in alinement with said fold and the adjacent portions being overlapped upon each other, and means for securing the longitudinal edges of said cover together along the bottom of said spring.

7. A spring cover adapted to snugly t the top, sides and bottom of a spring and formed from a single blank of sheet metal and provided with a transverse hinge in its top portion intermediate the ends to compensate for vertical fiexure of the spring, said hinge being formed by folding the top portion back upon itself, the side and bottoni portions of the cover being cut transversely and the adjacent portions overlapping each other in alinement with said fold, and means for securing the longitudinal edges of said cover together along the bottom of the spring.

8. A spring cover adapted to snugly fit the top, sides and bottom of a spring and formed from a single blank of sheet metal having its side and bottom portions cut transversely, the top portion of said cover being folded back upon itself adjacent said cuts, causing j the side and bottom portions of the cover adjacent said cutout portions to overlap each other, and means for securing the longitudinal edges of said cover together along the bottom of the spring.

9. A cover for a vehicle springk consisting lie one side of the spring and having a plurality of edge sections formed from the central portion in overlapping relationship, said edge sections on opposite edges of the spring being wide enough so as to bend over and cover the other side of the spring, and means for locking the initial free edges together.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin HERBERT G. KUECHLE.

of a single sheet of metal formed channelshaped for embracing two sides and both edges of the spring, 'means for providing overlap of the metal along the edges of the spring, and one side, said free edges of the channel being locked together to hold the cover on the spring.

l0. In a spring cover comprising a single piece of metal, an uninterrupted web portion and having portions of its side overlapping when in a straight line position and adapted to maintain said overlapping relation under spring fiexures to either side of normal position.

l1. A one-piece metal cover for vehicle springs comprising al central portion to over-

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