US2314651A - Wheel shroud fastener - Google Patents

Description

March 23, 1943. A. cLAuD-MANTLE WHEEL sHRoUD FASTENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 2 0, 1941 March 23, 1943. A CLAUD-MANTLE I 2,314,651y

WHEEL SHRCUD FAS TENER Filed June 20, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 23, 1943 2,314,651v WHEEL snRoUD FAsrENEa- Arthur Gland-Mantle, Tru

mbull, Conn. assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application June 20, 1941, Serial No. 398,943

9= Claims.

lIfhis invention relatesto an1 improved fastener or catch for a shroud, or panel associated with the fender of. a motor car. The shroud is in the form of a plate received in an opening at the side. of. the fender, and when assembled with the fender the shroud provides a skirt. portion concealing the wheelto a large extent.

When the wheelis to. be. removed it is `-neces- Sary to remove the shroud, and it is. manifestly desirableA that the shroud fastener be. easily, conveniently and quickly manipulable. It is also desirable that the shroud be capable of easy, convenient and quick. reinsertion into its seat in Yor on the fender structure.. It is. also desirable that the. fastener have an eiective holding or latch actionwithout looseness or play, and that the fastener devicebe easily accessible for manipulation. The fender and shroud structure should also be satisfactory from the standpoint of, appearance.

One of the objects of my invention is. to. provide a wheel shroudl fastener which meets the above mentioned conditions.

Anotherv object is to furnish a simple, compact and effective. fastener deviceA for holding in place wheel shrouds and` similar elements.

To. theseand other ends the inventionconsists in the novelfeatures and combinations of parts. to be hereinafter described and claimed.

InV the accompanying drawings:

Fig.V l is a side elevation of a` rear fender having a wheel shroud held in place therein by a fastener embodying my invention;

Fig. 2.. is a view on a larger scale, partly broken away, showing the. shroud as viewed from the inner side.

Fig. 3 is asection on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 vbut with the broken portions somewhat diiierently shown;

Fig. 4 is a partial view, similar to Fig. 3, showing the rockingrod in the released position;

Fig. 5 is an enlargedV section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 shows parts at the lower right hand portion of Fig. 2 on a larger scale;

Fig. 7 vis a section on line 1.-7, of Fig. 6;.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing the. rocking rod moved to an extent in the releasing direction;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing the rocking rod moved as far as possible in the releasing direction;

Fig. 10 is a section on line lil-l0 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 1`1Y isa detail of the mounting plate carried by the shroud;

Fig. 12 is a detaily of the rotary shaft or stud; and

Fig. 13 is a. detail section of the headportion of the rocker shaft actuated by the stud.

In the drawings, I have shown at 2i! a rear fender of a motor car, said fender being cut away at its lower portion as indicated at 2l to provide a wheel-access opening Whichunder ordinary circumstances is closed by a shroud 22. This shroud 22 is in the form of a panel or plate set in the wheel-access. opening from beneath and fastenedin, said opening, by means of a fastener indicated generally at 23.

My invention is particularly concerned with the nature, structure and arrangement of the fastener which, broadly considered, comprises a rocking rod for holding the shroud in position and a rotary manipulating member by means of which the rod is moved from holding position tothe releasing position, and vice versa.

In the drawings, the rocking rod is indicated generally at 24 and the manipulator or rod-moving, element at 25, and in this form the manipulator is located intermediate of the ends of the rod and has a manipulating portion projecting downwardly from the lower edge of the shroud at a point between the ends of the shroud.

As will be seen from Fig. 3, the fender structure 20 .is provided at the ends of the, opening 2| with flange portions 26 forming shoulders, and as will be seen from Fig. 5, a similar flange portion 26 forming a shoulder, is provided at the upper part of the wheel-access opening. These shoulder portions in conjunction provide a forwardly facing seat indicated at 21 (and preferably including a rubber seating member 28) in which the shroud plate is received, said shroud plate being provided at the upper part with an inturned flange 29 and along the ends with inturned flange portions 29. In order to reinforce the shroud plate and aid in holding it firmly in place, said plate is provided at suitable points in its length with inner transverse strips 30 suitably fastened thereto as by welding, these strips each being provided at the upper end with a hook-like portion 3l (Fig. 5) adapted to straddleV the adjacent flange portion on the fender. The hook-like portions 3l at spaced points in the length of the shroud plate serve to prevent inward or outward displacement of the upper portion of the plate relatively to the plate seat.

The fastener device 23 previously mentioned is carried by the shroud plate adjacent the lower margin of. the. latter and is supported upon an inturned lip or flange 32 with which the plate is provided at its lower boundary. The rocking rod 24 previously mentioned is mounted within the lip or flange 32. This rocking rod has a body portion 33 and a crank-like intermediate portion 34 through which it is actuated by the rotary device 25 in a manner hereinafter described. The rocking rod 24 is further provided with crank-like extremities 35 which are extended past the ends of the shroud plate and act to fasten said plate in position in the manner hereinafter described. At certain points along the lower boundary of the shroud plate the rocking rod is provided with suitable bearings on the plate and for this purpose bearings 36 bent up from sheet metal may be employed, said bearings being secured to the lip or ilange 32 in a suitable manner as by spot welding. These bearings 35 are at the upper side of the lip or ilange 32.

The rocking rod is also mounted on the shroud plate by means of an intermediate mounting plate 31, which mounting plate serves also as a mounting for the manipulator or rod moving element 25. This mounting plate 31 is generally of angular form, having a horizontal flange 38 located above and against the iiange 32, and an upwardly extending ange 39 disposed ilatwise against the upright part of the shroud plate. The plate 31 is secured to the shroud plate in any suitable manner, as by spot welding. 'I'he mounting plate 31 extends inwardly somewhat beyond the inner edge of the ange 32, and in a region adjacent the inner edge of the ange 32 is provided with bent-up portions 40 serving as bearings for the rocking rod, these bearings 40 being located adjacent the respective sides of the crank portion 34.

At a point substantially in line With the bearings 40 the mounting plate 31 is provided with an opening 4|. this opening being provided with a down-turned rim 42, and this opening serves a bearing for a rotary shaft or stud member 43 which is a part of the manipulator 25. The stud member 43 has a portion extending downwardly from the shroud plate and adapted to be turned in a suitable manner, as by a wrench, and a portion extending upwardly into the space within the shroud plate and adapted upon rotation to shift the crank portion 34 and thereby the rocking rod to the fastening or latching position or to the released position.

In the particular form shown the stud 43 is short but of relatively large diameter and immediately below the rim 42 is provided with an integral collar 44 of greater diameter than the rim 42. Beneath the collar 44 the stud is provided with a polygonal Wrench-engaging portion 45.

At its upper part the stud 43 is provided with a diametrical bore 46 and rotatably mounted in this bore is the smooth intermediate portion 41 of a transverse rocker shaft 4S. This rocker shaft 43 serves as a means for engaging and moving the crank portion 34 of the rocking rod, and for this purpose the rocker shaft is provided at one end with a crank-engaging head 49 having a notch 59 in which the crank portion 34 is received. At the opposite end of the rocker shaft there is provided a balancing member operating in the manner hereinafter described. This member 5| may as shown comprise a disklike member adapted to bear against a washer 5|a surrounding the stud 43 and supported against the body of the mountingplate 31. Member 5| ts over a reduced portion 52 on the 75 rocker shaft and is held in place by riveting over the extremity of the rocker shaft, as indicated at 53.

The head 49 previously mentioned is of greater diameter than the body of the rocker shaft s0 as to provide a shoulder 54 bearing against one side of the stud member 43, whereas the member 5| provides a shoulder bearing against the member 43 at the opposite side of the latter. The head 49 and its connected body portion are free to turn in the stud member and the member 5| is free to turn independently of the rocker shaft so as to act as a roller support. The notch 50 is so shaped that upon rotation of the stud member the crank portion 34 will be engaged to turn the rocking rod on its axis for the purpose of shifting the latching extremities of the rocking rod. The head 49 is bevelled oi at one side, as shown at 55, and the notch 59 provided in the head is of a depth approximating the length of the head, being somewhat cut back at the respective sides of the head, as indicated at 5S and 51 respectively. In Fig. 3 is shown the position of the head 49 when the shroud plate is fastened in place, and in Fig. 4 is shown the position of the head in this particular case when the head is moved as far as possible in the releasing direction. From these views it will be seen that in this particular instance the movement of the head 49 is through substantially 180, but obviously variation may be made in this respect.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, counter-clockwise movement of stud 43 beyond the position shown in Fig. 3 is prevented by engagement of head 49 with a stop member 58 projecting upward from the mounting plate. Similarly rotation of the stud member in a clockwise direction beyond the position shown in Fig. 4 is prevented by engagement of head 49 with an inclined stop member 59 provided at the inner edge of the mounting plate.

The crank-like extremities 35 of the rocking rod cooperate with i'lxed parts on and within the fender structure 2i) in xing the shroud plate in position. In the p-articular case illustrated, the fixed parts referred to are constituted by lugs 69 carried by the part 20 in a concealed position adjacent the lower edge portions of the wheel-access opening 2|. The lugs 60 may advantageously be of angular form having flanges 6| suitably fastened, as by spot welding, to flange portions 62 extending along the lower boundary of the fender body, the lugs 60 also being provided with upright parts 63 which are adapted to be engaged by the crank portions 35.

One of the lug portions 63 is shown in Fig. 5, and it will be observed that at its upper inner part it is bevelled 01T to provide an inclined edge portion 34 with which the end portion of the corresponding crank portion 35 is adapted to cooperate. The lug parts 63 with their inclined surfaces 84 provide abutments in the fender structure at opposite sides of the wheel-access opening on which the latching extremities of the rocking rod are adapted to ride for giving the shroud plate an upward thrust, and it will be noted that the rocking rod being relatively long and made of light stock is adapted to be placed under a torsion action as hereinafter described.

For assisting in the latching action as hereinafter described the rim portion 42 extending downward from the mounting plate is provided with diametrically located downward projections 65 which are adapted to be engaged by .recessedportions 66 providedk in the upper surface of the collar 44.

In placing the wheel shroud in position in the fender, thefastener device is preliminarily in released position such as shown in Fig. 4. In such position the intermediatey crank portionv of the rocking rod is disposed toward the inner side of the mounting plate. Such a position is also shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 9 tion between the intermediate crank portion and the crank extremities, this being an offset rela.- tion. In this particular case the crank extremities are oiset almost 45 from the intermediate crank portions so that when the intermediate crank portion has thefposition shown in Fig. 9, in which it extends inwardly and' somewhat upwardly, the crank extremities have positions in which they extend inwardly and somewhat downwardly. 'The fastener being in such a position, the shroud plate is. engaged with its seat in the fender in an obvious manner.

The stud 43 is then engaged by a suitable wrench and turned in a counter-clockwise direc- -tion with reference to Fig. 4. In the following operation the head 49 travels from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 3, moving meanwhile-over a restricted part ofthe crank portion 34, said restricted part being a portion lying almost wholly to onev side of the crank center and beingl indicated in the drawings at 34a.

also shows the rela- As the'stud 43 is turned in the digently curved rection above stated, the head 49 in being moved ,n

in anv arc turns on its axis and, traveling over thepart 34a in one direction, cams the crank 3A upwardly until it lies directly over the upper end of the stud 43. Then, as rotationv of the stud is continued the head 49 begins to move in the reverse direction over the` part 34a and swings the crank portion 34 over to the position shown in Fig. 3, where further movement is arrested by the stop 58. In these movements the rocker shaft is well balanced and supported by the roller 5l bearing against the washer Sla. While these movements have been taking place the crank extremities 35 have been lifted from the position the crank of Fig. 9 to the position of Fig. 5 where extremities are fully engaged with the surfaces G4, with the rocking rod under a considerable degree of torsion. As the rocking rod is placed under torsion the crank extremities engage the fixed inclined surfaces in a resilient manner and, the rocking rod being bodily carried by the shroud plate, the latter is forced home upwardly into its seat in a very effective manner.

As the shroud plate reaches the fully seated position, where it is resiliently held under a strong upward thrust, the recessed portions or notches 55 of the stud member snap into engagement with the projections 65 carried by the plate structure, with the result that the shroud plate is very eiiectively retained in place and any inadvertent or accidental dislodgement or displacement thereof effectively prevented. When, however, it is desired to have access to the wheel, the shroud plate can be easily. conveniently and quickly removed from the fender l by applying a wrench to the stud member from y below and turning the stud member in the opposite direction to that above mentioned. By a reversal of the operations previously described the crank extremities are moved rearwardly away from their cooperating inclined surfaces, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 5, and as soon as the crank extremities are clear of the upper ends of the lugs B0 the shroud plate is free vorder to remove it fromthe: fender structure.-

The easy. convenient and quick removal andreinsertion of the shroud plate is an important advantage of my invention. The fastener device has a very eiective holding or latch action without looseness or play which would cause noise. Furthermore the construction is simple, compact and strong. The number of parts isy reduced to a minimum. As the stud memberY projects downwardly from the lower edge of the fender structure it is conveniently accessible and at the same time, it is so small and unobtrusive that a fender structure of pleasing, attractive appearance can be provided.

While I have shown herein only one form which vmy invention may take it is to be understood that the invention can be embodied in many and various forms and that various changesand modifications: in ther organization of parts and in the details; can be made without departure from the principles of the invention orl the scope or' the claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a fastener for relea'sably securing a shroud plate in the wheel-ac-cess opening of a fender, in which the1 fender carries at opposite sides of the .wheel-access opening fixed latching parts and the shroud plate carries latching means cooperating with said parts, a longitudinally disposed rocking rod carried by theV shroud plate at its inner` side and having crank-like' extremities cooperating withA said latching parts and also having an intermediate crank-like operating portion, and a rotary' actuating member'forl said rocking rod carried by the shroud plate and turning,r on an axis approximately parallel to the general plane of the plate and connected to said, operating portion so that upon rotation of said rotary actuating member the rocking rod is turned on its axis for latching or releasing the shroud plate.

2. In a fastener mechanism for securing a plate in an opening, a longitudinally disposed rocking r-od carried by the plate at the inner face of the latter and having crank-like latching extremities projecting beyond the plate, said rod having an intermediate crank-like operating portion, and a rotary actuating member turning on an axis substantially at right angles to said rod and approximately parallel to the general plane of the plate, carried by the plate and connected with said operating portion of the rod so as to turn the rod on its axis and thereby swing its crank-like extremities, said rotary actuating member extending to and beyond one of the lengthwise edges of the plate and provided with a projecting portion by means of which it can be manipulated.

3. In a latching mechanism for a panel in which a torsion rod is employed having an intermediate bent crank portion at the rear of the panel` actuating means ior the rod comprising a stud member mounted behind the panel for rotation on an axis parallel to the general plane of the panel and operably connected to said crank portion, said stud member projecting beyond one edge oi' the panel so as to be accessible for manipulation.

4. In a latching mechanism for a panel in which a torsion rod is employed having an intermediate bent crank portion at the rear of the panel, actuating means for the rod comprising a stud member mounted behind the panel for rotation on an axis parallel to the general plane of the panel and operably connected to said crank portion, said stud member projecting beyond one edge of the panel so as to 'be accessible for manipulation, and

said stud member being mounted in and projecting through a flange formed on one edge of the panel.

5. In a latching mechanism for a panel member in which mechanism a torsion rod is employed having an intermediate bent crank portion at the rear of the panel and adjacent one edge of the panel, Vactuating means for the rod comprising a stud member operatively connected to said crank portion and mounted for rotation on an axis substantially parallel to the general plane of the panel, said stud member projecting beyond the adjacent edge of the panel and the projecting portion having wrench faces.

6. In a latching mechanism for a panel member in which mechanism a torsion rod is employed having an intermediate bent crank portion at the rear of the panel and adjacent one edge of the panel, actuating means for the rod comprising a stud member operatively connected to said crank portion and mounted for rotation onA an axis substantially parallelA to the general plane of the panel, said stud member projecting beyond the adjacent edge of the panel and the projecting portion having Wrench faces, and means associated with the outer end portion of the stud member for preventing dislocation after the torsion rod has been moved to the latching position or the releasing position.

'7. In a latching mechanism for a panel member adapted to be inserted into a notchlike opening and having an inwardly directed ange at that edge of the panel located at the outer side of the opening, a torsion rod disposed behind the body of the panel and extending longitudinally of the panel adjacent the flange at the inner side of the vlatter and having cranklike latching extremities, members on the flange serving as bearings for the rod, and rod turning means extending through the flange from the outside and connected to the rod intermediate of its ends.

8. In a latching mechanism for a panel member, a torsion rod mounted at the rear of the panel member and having cranklike latching extremities and a cranklike intermediate operating portion, a rotary shaftlike operating member for the rod having its axis generally perpendicular to the rod, said shaftlike member having an operating end remote from the rod,' and a rocker shaft journaled in the other end portion of said shaftlike member and adapted to turn therein on an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said shaftlike member and provided at one end and at one side of the shaftlike member With a fork operatively engaged with the cranklike operating portion of the torsion rod.

9.v In a latching mechanism for a panel member, a torsion rod'mounted at the lrear of I'the panel member and having cranklike latching extremities and a cranklike intermediate operating portion, a rotary sha-ftlike operating memberfor the rod having its axis generally perpendicular to the rod, said shaftlike member having an operating end remote from the rod, a rocker shaft journaled in the other end portion of said shaftlike member and adapted to turn therein on an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said shaftlike member and provided at one end and at one side of the shaftlike member Withv a fork operatively engaged with the cranklike operating portion of the torsion rod, and means at that end of the rocker shaft which is opposite the fork for supporting the rocker shaft against lateral thrust.

ARTHUR CLAUD-MANTLE.

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