US2381365A - Window regulator mechanism - Google Patents

Description

- Aug. 7, 1945. J. B. PARSONS 2,381,365

I WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Filed Jan. 30, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y Jakw 5.}3a Lama J; B. PARSONS- WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Aug. 7, 1945.

Filed Jan. so, 1943 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 gwua/wtom I Jahn B.Par 10n would Patented Ahg. 7, 1945 1 ass sts vvINDoW REGULATOR; MECHANISM John B.. Parsons; Toledo. Ohio, assignor to. Malcolm WLFrase'r, Toledo, Ohio, as trustee Application January 30, i943, Serial No. 474,108

I f'eoiaims] (01. 268-426) This invention relates to regulator mechanism for. vehicle 'windowssuch, tor example, as used onautomobile' bodies, but more particularly for actuating windows to positions covering and" uncovering. window openings and inwhich the opvposite edge portions of-the window are guided for reciprocatory movement.

object is to produce anew andimproved window regulator of the above type having a pair of swinging arms adapted to be connectedfor window actuation and so designedthat the structure can be manufactured inexpensively in largescale production andwhich is materially simpler in. design than similar mechanisms heretoforein use and which can .bereadily and conveniently installed and operated.

Another. object is to produce a vehicle. window 7 regulator mechanism having a pair of swinging arms which are operated'by a rectilinearly shifta-ble member movable in a plane generally crosswiseto the plane of window movement.

A further object isto produce vehicle window regulator mechanism having a pair of bell crank levers which are compactly arranged and to which swinging movement is imparted by a longitudinally shiftable member movable in a plane generally cross-wise with respect to the plane of window movement.

A still further object is to produce a vehicle window-regulator mechanism of the swinging arm will hereinafter appear and for purposes of il- I lustration-but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings-in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a regulator mechanism mounted in an automobile door, portions of the door'being broken away to show, the mechanism and viewed from. the outside of the'door'; 4 Figure- 2 is'a sectional elevation substantially on-the-l-i-ne 2e2 of Figure 1;"

Figure 3 isan enlargedsectionalview on the line 3-43 of Figure 1 showing the common pivotal mounting forthe bell crank levers and the guide for the longitudinally shiftable actuating bar Figure 4 is a side elevation of another form of regulator mechanism mounted in a vehicle door showing the window in its raised or closedposition; and I I Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4: but showing the window in its lowered or open position.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated on Figures 1 to 3 inclusive comprises a vehicle door l0 having a window opening II in which is mounted a window glass or panel I 2 for vertical sliding movements between positions covering and uncovering the-window opening. The side edges of the window glass are embraced by the usual guide channels [3 for guiding the window movement; Embracing the lower edge portion of the window glass I2 is achannel member [4 to which is secured a pair of laterally spaced depending retainers l5 and [5. Each retainer has a longitudinally elongate slot l6, provided with an enlarged opening [1 to enable assembly of the stud [8' fixed to the free end portions of the swinging arm bell'crank levers l9 and I9.

The bell cranks l9 and I9 constitute parts of'the window regulator mechanism and it will be observed that these bell crank levers are substantially identical with each other. Each bell crank lever has a relatively long arm at and a short arm 1! integrally connected by an angle portion 2. To aflord additional clearance, the longarm a: of each lever has a slightly offset or angular portiono to militate against the levers abuttingeach other during their swinging movements near the extreme upper and lower positions of the window glass. 1

The inner ends of the bell crank levers l9 and I9" are mounted for pivotal or swinging movements about'a common pivot and as shown, a stud.

20 extends through an opening in an outwardly embossed portion 2| of a mounting plate or panel Swinging movement is imparted to the bell crank levers l9 and H! by a longitudinally slid.- able bar 23 which, in this instance, is movable in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane' of movement of the window glass [2. Although the actuating bar 23 is herein shown. as being moved atv substantially right angles to. the direction of window movement, it is tobe understoodvthat this arrangement may vary butinea'ch case it may be saidthat the actuating bar moves embossing 2land the bar 23 is a washer disc 26. Washer 21 and a nut 28 engage the stud 20 on the opposite side of the panel embossing 2|. From the above it will be manifest that-not only does the stud 20 afford a common pivotal mounting for the inner ends of thebell crank levers l9 and I9 but also assists in guiding the longitudinal sliding movement of'the actuating bar 23,

Adjacent the inner end of the elongate slot 24 and fixed to the bar 23 as by welding isa cross piece 29 which is disposed at substantially right angles to the bar 23 and has portions projecting upwardlyand downwardly beyond the edges of the bar. A link 30 pivotally connects the upper end of the cross piece 29 tothe angle portion a of-the bell crank lever l9 and a link 3| pivotally connects the downwardly projecting end portion of the cross piece 29 with the angle portion .2 of the bell crank lever 19'. A stud Illa is fixed to the arm 19 and is journaled in the link 3| and a stud 29a is fixed to the cross piece 29 and is also journaled in the link 3|. g

It willthus be apparent that upon movement of the bar 23, the bell crank levers l9 and I9 are caused to swing about the stud 20 as an axis and thereby impart movement to the window glass 12, the studs l8 on the free or outer ends of the levers sliding in the horizontal slots IS in the retainers. It will be understood that upon'.

movement of the bar 23 to the left of Figure-l, the

force exerted by the links 30 and 3| cause the bell crank levers l9 and Hi to swing in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction respectively,

thereby causing'the window glass l2 to .slidedownwardly toward its fully open position. Move ment of the bar 23 to the right of Figure lcauses movement of the bell crankleversin the opposite direction to effect upward or closing movement to the window glass. I,

As shown, a spiral spring 32 has its inner end anchored to a slotted portion'of the stud 19a. The convolutions of the spring 32 from the stud Illa extend in a counterclockwise directionwith the left to cause downward movement of the win dow glass l2, the clockwise movement of the arm [9' effects a winding up or coiling of the spiral spring 32 so that when the bar 23 is actuated in I the opposite direction to effect raising of the window glass 12, the spring 32 assists in, that movement. g

The operation of the spiral spring32 and its spring arm 32a. is important inasmuch asMit greatly facilitates the action of the regulator.

Assuming that the window glass I2 is in its lowered or open position as indicated by the broken lines on Figure 1, it will be understood that the spring arm 32a exerts a downward component of force against the bell crank l9 tending to rotate it in a counterclockwise direction.

movement, and when the long arm or arm a: is

in a substantially horizontal position and the short arm y of the bell crank I9 is in an up and down osition, the spring arm 32a then exerts a downward component of force against the stud [9a but due to the position of the short arm y, such force is ineffective since it is a direct downward force against the stud 20. At that time, however, the link 3| and the short arm 1/ of the bell crank [9' are at substantially right angles affording a more favorable leverage arrangement, so that the spiral spring 32 can then exert a more effective lifting force .to the bell crank Hi. It is thus apparent that although the spring arm 32a is at this time virtually ineffective, the spiral spring 32 exerts a greater lifting force due to themore favorable leverage arrangement. As the bell crank I 9' approaches its upper limit of traveLthe spiral spring 32 gradually loses its force due to the fact that it is being unwound but the link 3| and the short arm y of the bell crank l9 gradually approach a substantially straightened toggle condition. This affords a greater mechanical advantage so that although the spiral spring 32 is weaker, the leverage condition becomes more favorable and as a result, the lesser spring force is compensated for by the greater leverage force. This greater leverage force due to the toggle condition, is to some extent offset by the downward component of force exerted by the spring arm 3211. As a result of the lever conditions, spiral spring and the spring arm, the lifting force is. substantially uniform throughout the upward travel of the window glass [2. On the other hand, the downward movement of the window glass is resisted throughout its travel by a substantially uniform spring resistance. Due to the open coil condition of the spiral spring 32, the frictional resist ance of the spring during winding and unwinding is virtually eliminated.

In this instance, manual means is provided for imparting longitudinal movement to the actuating bar 23 and for this purpose, the inner end portion of the bar is formed with rack teeth 34 onthe under side thereof and meshing with the..teeth 34- is a pinion 35 which is operated by a shaft 36 to which is fixed a crank handle 31. If desired, any clutch mechanism 38 well-known to those skilled in this art, may be employed for holding the parts in adjusted position and since the clutch or brake 38 forms no part of the present invention, detail illustration and description are not considered necessary. The pinion and associated. parts may be carried by a mounting plate 39 and fixed to the mounting plate is a stud 40 which engages in an elongate guide slot 4| on the inner end portion of the bar 23 and thereby assists in guiding the rectilinear or longitudinal movement of the actuatingbar 23. The mounting plate as shown, is adjustable vertically or at substantially right angles to the actuating dow. glass, in its channels.

,bar 23, in order to reflect-alignment of the winsimilar to thebellcranks I9 and I9 above described; it being observed that the outer or free ends of. the levers have studs engaging in horizontally elongate slots in retainer members depending from the window glass Ho. The angle portion of the bell crank lever .42 is connected by a pin 44 to an upright channel member 45 which is carried by a mounting plate 46. The inner end of the bell crank lever 42 is pivotally connected at 41 to the inner end portion of the bell crank lever 43 but at a point-spaced slightly inwardly from the extreme end thereof. The extreme'inner end of the bell crank lever 43 is pivotally connected at 48 to an actuating bar 49 which also is rectilinearly movable in a plane crosswiseof or in this instance, at substantially right angles to the plane of movement of the window glass Ila. The angle portion of the bell crank lever 43 has a stud 50 which is slidable in the channel provided in the channel bar 45.

vA helical soil spring has one end anchored to the bell crank lever 43 intermediate the pivotal point 41 and the stud 50. The opposite end of the spring 5| has a hook engaging the end por-- tion of the mounting plate 46.

The outer end portion of the actuating bar 49 has rack teeth 52 with which a pinion 53 is engageable. It will be understood that a similar ation may be efiected without departing from the pirit of the invention especially as defined in t appended claims.v

. What I claim is v Vehicle window regulator mechanism comprisinga. pain of bell crank levers for slidingengagement at the free ends thereof with a window between said actuating member and an interme- V diate portion of. each bell crank lever.

crank handle (not shown) may be employed for operating the pinion 53, the latter being carried by a mounting plate 54. An embossed portion 55 on the mounting plate 54 provides a tongue engaging the upper side of the actuating bar 49 and a stud 56 engages the opposite side of the bar thereby to guide the longitudinal or rectilinear movement of the bar.

In operation of the regulator mechanism above described, it will be understood that swinging movement of the bell crank levers 42 and 43 is effected in response to longitudinal movement of the bar 49 in one direction or the other thereby raising or lowering the window glass l2a. During this movement the lever swings about its pivot 44 and the stud 50 carried by the lever 43- slides vertically in th channel provided by'the guide bar 45. Upon downward movement of the window glass 12a, the spring 5| is placed under tension thereby to assist in the upward movement of the window glass lZa.

From the above description, it is manifest that I have produced an exceedingly simple and emcient regulator mechanism which can be manufactured on a production basis at a relatively low cost. The structure occupies a minimum of space within the door or-body structure and'can be readily and conveniently mounted in position of use. The arrangement is such that throughout the up and down travel of the window glass, ap-

e proximately the'same movement is imparted at all times to the glass for the same movement of the crank handle, thus eliminating objectionable jerkiness in window movement which is an objection inherent in window regulators presently in use. The counterbalancing spring feature is outstanding because it does not render the regulator diflicult in operation at one point and extremely easy in operation at another point. On the contrary, the regulator operates substantially uniform throughout itsentire movement.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and opera 2. Regulator mechanism for a vehicle window guided for sliding movement between positions covering and uncovering a window opening, said mechanism comprising a pair of interconnected bell cranks engageable at their free ends slidably with the window, a common pivot for the opposite ends of said bell cranks, means to impart conjoint swinging movement in opposite directions to said bell cranks, said means including a bar movable rectilinearly in a direction crosswise to the plane of window movement, and an articulated connection between said bar and the angular portion of each bell crank.

3. Regulator mechanism for a vehicle window guided for sliding movement between positions covering and uncovering a window opening, said mechanism comprising a pair of swinging bell crank arms, pivotal mounting means interconnecting the adjacent ends of said arms, means on the free ends of said arms adapted for engagement with an edge portion of th window, spring means associated with at least one of said arms adapted to be placed under tension upon movement of said arms in one direction thereby to'assist in movement thereof in the opposite direction, an actuating member connected to operate said arms and mounted for shifting movements in a plane crosswise to the plane of movement of the window, and link means providing a connection between said actuating member and the angular portion of each bell crank arm.

4. Regulator mechanism for a vehicle window comprising a pair of bell crank levers adapted for engagement at their free ends for window movement, a common fixed pivotal mounting for the opposite ends of said levers, a'rectilinearly shiftable actuating bar, said bar having an elongate slot to receive said pivotal mounting for assisting in guiding the movement of the bar, means providing operative connections between said bar and the angle portions of said bell crank levers respectively, and spring means for counterbalancing said levers.

able actuating bar, a cross piece projecting from opposite sides of said bar, links pivotally connecting projecting portions of said cross piece with angle portions of said bell crank levers respectively, and a spiral spring having one end anchored to the angle portion of one bell crank lever and having its opposite end anchored to the adjacent link.

6. Regulator mechanism for a vehicle window comprising a pair of bell'crank levers adapted for engagement at their free ends for window movement, a common fixed pivotal mounting for the opposite ends of said levers, a rectilinearly shiftable actuating bar, a pair of links providing operative connections between said bar and the angle portions of said levers respectively, an open coil spiral spring having its inner end anchored-to the angle portion of one lever, an integralarm on the outer end of said spring having its opposite end anchored to the opposite end ofthe adjacent link, and said armbeing 'bowed'in a direction toward the window thereby to tension same.

JOHN B.- PARSONS.

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