US2133871A

US2133871A - Fender guide

Info

Publication number: US2133871A
Application number: US128103A
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel E Reed
Original assignee: YANKEE METAL PRODUCTS CORP
Current assignee: YANKEE METAL PRODUCTS CORP
Priority date: 1937-02-27
Filing date: 1937-02-27
Publication date: 1938-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 1955-10-18

Description

Oct. 18, 1938 ED 2,133,871

FENDER GUIDE Filed Feb. 27, 1937 INVENT DAV/62 5P 0 I Wm-W Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE FENDER GUIDE Daniel E. Reed, Norwalk, Conn., assignor to Yankee Metal Products Corp., Norwalk, Conm, a corporation of New York Application February 27, 1937, Serial No. 128,103 1 Claims. (01. arr-12c) This invention relates to devices normally attached to the front fenders of automobiles, trucks and the like, to indicate the position of the car relative to other cars, curbs, poles, and the like; now popularly known as fender guides.

In particular it relates to an improved fastening structure for securing ornamental indicating members to the top of. a standard. Such fender guides have proven very advantageous and are now used very extensively. However, there has been a real disadvantage or shortcoming in the fender guides heretofore provided because, so far as applicant is aware, no real practical means has been provided to hold the ornamental indicating member upon the top of the standard in a really effective manner. Screwthreaded connections are ordinarily resorted to but due to the usual vibration or shaking of practically all automobiles the threaded connection works loose and the ornament drops off and often becomes lost, usually necessitating the replacement of the complete fender guide. Also, because the ornaments are usually very attractively made of "Catalin" and other unusual materials in a wide variety of interesting shapes and forms children very often pilfer or remove the ornament, thus rendering the fender guide unsatisfactory for use and necessitating a complete replacement.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a structure for holding the ornament of a fender guide on a standard so that it cannot shake loose and cannot be surreptitiously removed.

Features flowing from the attainment of this object include the provision of a cupped and serrated washer upon the standard which may be forced into a bore in the ornament and be expanded therein to lock the ornament relative to the standard. A complemental feature is the provision of a yielding mechanism adapted to automatically compensate for any wear which might occur between the locking member and the ornament so that the device is sure to be fully effective throughout a very long period of time.

Another disadvantage inherent in most of the fender guides heretofore proposed and used is that the ornament becomes loose upon the standard and twists or turns into improper and adverse positions upon the standard so that it canobject of the present invention to provide a fender guide in which the ornament will be maintained in the preferred position upon the standard and in proper relation to the general shape of the automobile.

5 A feature of the present invention meeting this objective is the provision of a yielding structure between the standard and the ornament adapted to frictionally hold the ornament in anydesired position, and to do this despite the fact that the 10 fender and car may be subjected to much shaking and vibration.

With many of the fender guides heretofore provided it is necessary to use special tools, such as pliers, monkey wrenches, or the like, in order to 15 secure or look the ornament to the standard.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fender guide in which no special tools are required to secure the ornament to the standard.

this objective is the provision of a snap connection wherein it is merely necessary to push an ornament upon the standard of the fender guide.

20 A feature of the present invention related to Other objects, features and advantages will 25 appear hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete fender guide.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary exploded view in section 30 of the upper or ornamental end of a fender guide. Fig. 3 is a view partly in section of the upper or ornamental end of the fender guide.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, disclosing the use of an insert.

3 Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the serrated washer provided by the present invention.

Before describing the present improvements and mode of operation thereof in detail it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawing, which is merely illustrative of the present preferred embodiments, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and the phraseology employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now in detail to the drawing the 50 present invention comprises a fender guide Ill including a base I I which may be secured to a fender I2 by a clamp i3, as shown in Fig. 1. A standard It in the form of a rod or tube is suitably supported upon the base II as by a threaded 55 Cal connection IE, or by welding or riveting if preferred.

Now, coming to the particularly novel aspects of the fender guide as provided by the present invention, the standard I4 at its upper end, is preferably provided with a reduced end or shank |6 above a shoulder section l1 and a coextensive nib 8. The shank l6 and shoulder support a coil spring i9. The-standard II and shank l6 also support a plunger sleeve 20 as may be seen best in Figs. 2 and 3. A shoulder 2|, defining the shank i6 from the nib l8, supports a cupped and slotted washer 22.

After the spring is and plunger sleeve 2|! are placed upon the shank l6 the cupped and slotted washer 22 is placed upon the nib l8 and shoulder 2| whereupon the end of the nib is mushroomed as by riveting to provide a head 23 which will retain the washer upon the top end of the standard i4 between the shoulder 2| at the stop of the shank l6 and the head 23. The washer may be locked upon the shoulder 2| by the head 23 but is preferably rotatable between the head 23 and shoulder 2|.

Fig. 6 discloses a plan view of the slotted washer 22 prior to its being cupped and shaped as shown in Figs. 2 through 5, inclusive. The slotted sections of the washer in the form of fingers 26 provide a resiliency to the washer and permit it to be forced into bores of smaller diameter than it is. The cupped washer 22, after it is secured upon the standard I, overlies the sleeve 20 and spring I! to retain them upon the standard I at all times.

An ornament 30 of any suitable configuration, provided with a bore 32 may be forced over the cupped washer 22, as seen best in Fig. 3 whereupon the lower ends of the fingers 26 slide over the wall 33 of the bore 32 until the lower section of the ornament is pressed down on the face 34 of the sleeve 20 a sufficient extent to compress the spring i9 somewhat. When downward pressure on the ornament is released the spring i9 immediately forces the face 24 and ornament 33 upwardly whereupon the fingers 26 which are snug against the wall 33 are caused to bite or cut into the wall 33 of the bore 32, as can be seen best in Fig. 3, to securely lock the ornament 30 to the standard ll.

Preferably the shoulder II and shank l6 entering bores l1 and 32 of the sleeve 20 and ornament 30 respectively are provided to better centralize the ornament relative to the connection and to the standard H.

The yielding support 3| comprising the spring I! and sleeve 20 pressing against the underside of the ornament 30 and forcing the washer 22 into the ornament 30 serves to frictionally re-' strain the ornament 3!] from rotating upon the top of the standard I6, and thus maintains the ornament 30 in the proper arcuate position at all times relative to the standard I4 and relative to the general shape of the fender and automobile. Furthermore, should the rattle, vibration or shaking of the car cause wear between the fingers 22 and wall 33 of the bore 32 the yielding support 3| automatically moves the ornament 3|! upwardly to compensate therefor and to spread the fingers 26 upwardly a greater extent to a larger diameter and thus compensates for such wear. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the device automatically compensates for any wear that may occur upon the fastening or hold-. ing structure.

Figs. 4 and 5 disclose a slightly modified form of the present invention differing from the forms just described only in the provision of a metal insert 38 which may be in the form of a metal sleeve molded or otherwise secured in an enlarged bore 39 of a "Bakelite, Catalin" or like ornament 30'.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a fender guide the combination of a standard; an ornament for the top of said standard having a bore; a washer at the top of said standard adapted to be forced into said bore; and a yielding support upon said standard for moving said ornament relative to the washer.

2. In a fender guide the combination of a stan; dard; a shank upon said standard; a spring on said shank; a sleeve on said shank; a washer on said standard overlying said sleeve and spring; and an ornament having a bore adapted to be forced over said washer and to be yieldingly held to the latter by said spring and sleeve.

3. In a fender guide the combination of a standard; an ornament for the top of said standard having a bore; expansible means at the top of said standard adapted to be forced into said bore; and a yielding support upon said standard for moving said ornament relative to said expansible means.

4. In a fender guide the combination of a standard; an ornament having a bore with a wall; a cupped washer rotatably secured to the standard and having a force fit with the wall of said bore; and spring means for frictionally maintaining said ornament in desired position upon said standard.

5. In a fender guide the combination of a standard; an ornament having a bore with a wall; a shank on said standard; a shoulder on said standard; a spring on said shank and shoulder; a sleeve having a bore to receive said spring and shoulder; a shank on said sleeve entering the bore in the ornament; and expansible means on said standard entering said bore in the ornament and J gripping the wall of the bore in the ornament to fasten the ornament to the standard.

6. In a fender guide the combination of a standard; an ornament for the top of said standard, having a bore with a wall; fingers on and extending downwardly and outwardly relative to said standard, adapted to be forced upwardly into said bore; and spring means supported by said standard for urging said ornament upwardly to cause the fingers to bite into the wall of the bore.

'7. In a fender guide the combination of a standard; an ornament for said standard and having a bore with a wall; a slidable connecting member on the standard and in the bore; and yielding means on the standard tending to retract the standard from said bore to spread the connecting member into gripping engagement with the wall of the bore.

DANIEL E. REED.