US2536053A

US2536053A - Automobile antenna

Info

Publication number: US2536053A
Application number: US49697A
Authority: US
Inventors: Grashow Joseph
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-09-17
Filing date: 1948-09-17
Publication date: 1951-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-02

Description

Jan. 2, 1951 s ow 2,536,053

AUTOMOBILE ANTENNA Filed Sept. 17, 1948 INVENTOR 77.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE ANTENNA Joseph Grashow, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 17, 1948, Serial No. 49,697

20 Claims.

, This invention relates to automobile antennas of the kind which may be szcured in an opening formed in an automobile body by means manipulated solely from the exterior of the car. The application is a continuation in part of the application of Joseph Grashow, the present inventor, relating to automobile antennas, Ser. No. 12,749, filed March 3, 1948, now Patent No. 2,509,563, granted May 30, 1950.

- An object of the invention is to provide at low cost a simple and sturdy antenna structure which clamps in a suitably located opening in the body of an automobile, the antenna being designed so that on insertion from the upper surface of the automobile body of a portion of a clamping apparatus at the base of the antenna, into the antenna opening, manipulation of other cooperating clamping means from the upper surfaceof the car is efiective to permanently secure the antenna to the car body. This arrangement is'a great time saver where automobile radios are installed on a production basis.

- :With the present invention, installation or" supporting brackets, adjusting antenna clam ing nuts in cramped quarters, for instance, underneath the cowl or fenders of a car is entirely eliminated. Assuming that a suitably located hole has been bored in which the antenna is to be inserted, and perha s a second hole in the fire wall if needed for the coaxial cable to pass through, nothing else is required but to insert the antenna, which already has a coaxial cable length attached thereto into the opening therefor and tighten an ornamental nut on an external portion of the antenna and the antenna is secured in position.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 shows a preferred form of the invention, partly in section as it appears in working position;

Fig. 2 is a section taken through 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 isan exploded view of the antenna. 'Referring now to the drawings, the antenna comprises a supporting sleeve H) formed with a threaded portion H and with flattened sides i2. A tube of insulating material I3 having a turned over top portion l4 fits snugly into the bore of sleeveill with the turned over portion l4 resting against the top of the sleeve. When thus assembled, an opening IS in the insulating tube is positioned to register with a corresponding opening IS in the supporting sleeve l0.

.- An antenna 20, preferably of the telescoping kind has a hollow base section 2|..formed with an opening 22. A short length of. metal rod 23- as a stop for the next upper section 25 of the antenna when the antenna is telescoped.

The antenna and stop 23 are assembled so that their

respective openings

22 and 24 are in register and then the base section 2| is inserted through an ornamental lock nut 39, a supporting ring 3| and a gasket 32 into the insulating tube 53, the parts being positioned so that

openings

22, 24, Hi and i6 are in register. The antenna base section 2|, the insulating tube I3 and the supporting sleeve lfl being proportioned so that these parts fit rather tightly together and they are securely held in position when once assembled 24 and 22 just referred to and which is of suchlength as to be flush with the flat sides l2 of the supporting sleeve H).

A pin 35 extends through tube 24 projecting somewhat beyond opposite ends thereof. A pair of independently movable

flat bars

35 and 31 are pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the pin 35, the pin being peaned over to retain the bars thereon and also hold the bars in contact with the respective flattened sides of the supporting sleeve i9. By forming the sleeve with fiat sides against which the fiat bars 33 and 31 rest, a compact structure is provided, and the arrangement will pass through a mounting hole only slightly larger than the outer diameter of sleeve Hi The sleeve In as shown in Fig. 1 projects beyond the end of antenna 20 and stop member 23 leaving a recess 38 at the bottom of the tube for receiving the terminals of a coaxial cable 38 the outer terminal 33 of which is frictionally held in recess 38 by punched flaps 42] which yieldingly engage the bore of the tube. The stop member 23 is bored out at 4| to receive the central terminal 42 of the coaxial cable 38 which makes contact therewith.

The antenna according to a preferred embodi-v ment of the invention is mounted as shown in Fig. 1. Before mounting the antenna, the coaxial cable 38 which connects the antenna to the radio apparatus, not shown, is first inserted in the recess 38 at the lower end of tube Ill. The antenna is thrust through the gasket 32, the supporting ring 3|, and the nut 3% in the order named. The supporting ring 3| is formed with a slanting under surface, conforming to the curvature of the automobile body, in order to support the antenna in a substantially vertical position. The latter is provided with a rubber gasket 44 which tightly fits about the antenna when finally mounted to exclude moisture. The pivoted arms or

bars

36 and 31 are then turned so that they lie along the length of tube ill to permit insertion of the greater portion of sleeve Ill aswell as the pivoted arms and the coaxial:

cable into the opening 45 formed therefor in the car body 45. The sleeve It is inserted until the upper ends of bars 35 and 3! lie just underneath the surface of the car body 45. Some small object, such as a small screwdriver is then used to turn the bars 35 and 3'5 through a small angle so that the corners or perhaps a portion of their sides engage the under side of body 45 when tube It! is drawn upward. Assuming the bars are thus turned a trifle on their pivots in either direction, then upward manual pressure will cause the bars to turn so that depending on the curvature of the car body they will assume a position somewhat as shown in Fig. l. The gasket 32 may then be suitably adjusted to fit underneath ring 3|, and nut screwed on to the threaded portion 5 i at the upper end of sleeve ill partially clamping the antenna in position. By rotating the antenna in one direction or another about its axis, and also turning the assembly therewith, a position will be found in which the antenna will lie in substantially vertical position. When the pin 35 lies along or parallel to a substantially horizontal diameter of the hole 45 in the car body 45, the antenna may be clamped in substantially vertical position. When the antenna is set in a satisfactory position, nut 33 may be tightened securely clamping the car body it between gasket 32 and the arms 33 and 3?. It will be noted that the entire antenna is held assembled by a single pin 35 and insulating sleeve 36 and that this same pin provides a very strong pivotal support for arms 35 and Si which is desirable since the nut 35 when tightened exerts great pressure through the arms 35 and 3'? on the under surface of the car body. With this arrangement arms 3b and 3? provide the ground connection for the coaxial cable thus further simplifying the installation of the equipment and completely shielding the antenna circuit.

What is claimed is:

1. A radio antenna structure for automobiles and the like adapted to be mounted from the upper surface of an automobile in an opening in the automobile body which comprises an antenna, a sleeve adapted to be partially thrust into the opening, independent clamping means disposed on opposite sidcs of the sleeve adapted to be carried thereby through the opening operable from the upper surface of the automobile for engaging the under surface of the automobile body, and a common member for securing the antenna to the sleeve and pivotally supporting the clamping means.

2. An antenna structure for automobiles adapted to be factory assembled into a single unit for mounting without dismantling in a single round mounting hole in the body of an automobile from but one access surface thereof, said structure comprising a single straight sided metallic mounting sleeve adapted to be inserted part way into t; e mounting hole, a whip-type antemia having its butt end secured in one end of the sleeve but insulated therefrom, a coaxial conductor for connecting the antenna to a radio apparatus having one terminal connector secured in the opposite end of the sleeve, the conductor being insertable through the mounting hole in advance of the sleeve portion, a plurality of elongated clamping members on the sleeve disposed initially in co-alignment with the sleeve so as to be. readily carried thereby from the access surface. through the mounting hole, the members being thereafter displaceable relative to the sleeve to engage the opposite surface, a nut threaded on the sleeve for exerting pressure on theaccess surface to tighten the clamping members against said opposite surface, and a pin extending through the sleeve for supporting the clamping members.

3. An antenna structure for automobiles adapted to be factory asssmbled into a single unit which may be attached to the body of an automobile in a single round mounting hole from but one access surface thereof, said structure comprising a whip-like antenna, a coaxial cable for connecting the antenna to a radio apparatus, a single unitary metallic mounting sleeve adapted to be thrust part way into the mounting hole, the butt end of the antenna being secured in one end of the sleeve and in the opposite end one terminal of the co-axial cable, clamping means mounted on opposite sides of the sleeve adapted to pass with the sleeve from the access surface through the mounting opening and thereafter being eiiectivc to engage the opposite surface of the automobile body, a nut threaded on the sleeve for exerting pressure on the access surface to tighten the clamping means against said opposite surface and a pin extending through the tube for securing the butt end of the antenna thereto.

4. An antenna according to claim 1 in which the sleeve is insulated from the antenna. by a tube of insulating material.

5. An antenna according to claim 1 in whichthe clamping means comprise movable members mounted on the sleeve and adapted in response to clamping pressure to adjust themselves in accordance with the contour of the adjacent surface of the automobile body.

6. An antenna according to claim 1 in which the clamping means comprise toggle arms.

'2. A radio antenna for automobiles and the like which comprises a sleeve adapted to be partially inserted into a mounting hole in the body of an automobile, an insulating tube disposed within the sleeve for supporting the antenna, a pin extending crossways through the tube and sleeve. adapted to pass through the mounting hole when the sleeve is being installed by being partially inserted therein and clamping means mounted. on the pin for securing the sleeve to the body of the automobile.

8. A radio antenna for automobiles and the like-which comprises a. sleeve, aninsulating tube. disposed within the sleeve for supporting the antenna and insulating the same, from the sleeve; a pin extending through the sleeve, and clamping. means comprising movable members mounted on opposite ends of the pin for securing the sleeve to the body of an automobile.

9. An antenna according to claim 8 in which the clamping means comprise arms pivoted. to the pin near opposite ends thereof.

10. An antenna according to claim 8 in which the pin extends through the lower portion of the antenna but is insulated therefrom.

11. An antenna according to claim 8 in which. the clamping means comprise arms pivoted to the pin near opposite ends thereof and in which the pin extends through the lower portion of theantenna.

12. In a radio antenna, a supporting device posite sides thereof, movable clamping members mounted on the respective flattened portions adapted to pass through the mounting hole when the sleeve is partially inserted therein and thereafter to be displaced manually from the upper surface of the automobile body to engage the under surface of the automobile body, and a nut disposed on the threaded portion of the sleeve for bringing the clamping members into engagement with the under surface of the automobile body to clamp the sleeve thereto.

13. In a radio antenna, a supporting device adapted to be attached to the body of an automobile by clamping the same thereto immediately adjacent to a mounting hole provided therein which comprises a supporting sleeve adapted to retain the butt end of the antenna formed with a threaded portion near its upper end and flattened lower portions on opposite sides thereof, movable clamping members mounted on the respective flattened portions adapted to pass through the mounting hole when the sleeve is partially inserted therein and thereafter engage the undersurface of the automobile body, a nut disposed on the threaded portion, a supporting ring having a slanting under surface to compensate for curvature of the automobile body disposed on the sleeve immediately under the nut, the nut when tightened being effective to clamp the automobile body between the clamping members and the supporting ring thereby securing the sleeve to the automobile body.

14. In a radio antenna, a supporting device adapted to be attached to the body of an automobile by clamping the same thereto in the area immediately adjacent a mounting hole provided therein which comprises a supporting sleeve adapted to receive the butt end of an antenna formed with a threaded portion near its upper end and with flattened lower portions on opposite sides thereof, an arm pivoted to each flattened portion adapted to fit closely against the fiattened portions so as to pass through the mounting hole when the sleeve is inserted part way therein and thereafter to be displaced on their pivots crosswise of the hole to engage the under surface of the automobile body, and a nut disposed on the threaded portion of the sleeve for clamping the arms against the automobile body.

15. An antenna structure adapted to be mounted on the outer surface of the body of an automobile provided with a mounting hole extending therethrough, which comprises an antenna, a mounting sleeve therefor having a threaded upper portion, clamping means movably mounted on the sleeve below the threaded portion, the clamping means being movable to pass through the hole on the insertion of a portion of the sleeve therein while the threaded portion of the sleeve is kept above the upper surface of the automobile body, a nut on the threaded portion of the sleeve effective to cooperate with the clamping means when tightened to grip respectively portions of the upper and lower surfaces of the automobile body therebetween and thereby secure the sleeve to the body, and a pin extending through the sleeve for securing the clamping means thereto.

16. An antenna structure adapted to be mounted on the outer surface of the body of an automobile provided with a mounting hole extending therethrough, the structure being designed to be attached from the upper surface of the automobile which comprises a mounting sleeve, an antenna having its butt end disposed therein, clamping means comprising a pair of movable members pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the. sleeve adapted to pass through the hole on the insertion of a portion of the sleeve therein and thereafter being displaceable to engage the under surface of the automobile body adjacent to the hole, means operable from above the upper surface of the body of the automobile for bringing the clamping means into tight engagement with the under surface of the body of the automobile and a common means for fastening the antenna and pivoting the clamping means to the sleeve.

17. An antenna mounting for automobile antennas and the like comprising a sleeve, toggle members pivotally supported by the sleeve on opposite sides thereof, a single insulating tube extending from one end of the sleeve part way along the interior thereof for supporting the butt end of an antenna and connector means at the opposite end of the sleeve for receiving a terminal plug of a coaxial conductor.

18. An antenna mounting for automobiles and s the like comprisin a sleeve, a toggle bolt device comprising a pair of arms respectively pivoted to opposite sides of the sleeve for securing the same to the body of the automobile, an insulating tube closely fitting the interior of the sleeve extending from one end the greater part of the length of the sleeve for supporting the butt end of an antenna, and connector means in the opposite end of the tube including the portion of the sleeve beyond the insulating tube for receiving a coaxial conductor.

19. An antenna mounting for automobiles and the like comprising a sleeve, toggle members comprising independent pivoted arms carried by the sleeve on opposite sides thereof, a single insulating tube extendin from one end of the sleeve part way along the interior thereof for supporting the butt-end of an antenna, connector means in the opposite end of the sleeve for receiving a terminal plug of a coaxial conductor l and a pin extending through the sleeve but insulated from the antenna for securing the antenna and toggle members to the sleeve.

20. An antenna for automob les and the like including a supporting structure comprising a generally straight sided sleeve, toggle members carried by the sleeve on opposite sides thereof, a single insulating tube extending from one end of the sleeve part way along the bore thereof for supporting the butt end of the antenna, connector means in the opposite end of the sleeve including the portion of the sleeve beyond the insu ating tube for receiving a coaxial conductor, and a common member for pivotally supporting the toggle members and fastening the antenna to the sleeve.

JOSEPH GRASHOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,939,983 Karitzky Dec. 19, 1933 2,224,023 Sayen Dec. 3, 1940 2,252,671 Ludwig Aug. 12, 1941 2,365,886 Lehmann Dec. 26, 1944 2,468,391 Cejka Apr. 26, 1949 2,473,141 Friedberg June 14, 1949