US2552503A - Door and window structure for convertible bodies - Google Patents

Description

May 8, 1951 J. w. J. AcKERMANs 2,552,503

DooR AND wTNDow STRUCTURE EoR CONVERTIBLE BODIES Filed Dec. 22, 1947 54) $55 Sg v I /6 2o M06 fo Imi-255%@ 29 IN V EN TOR.

Jon MJ C/e/"m cms.

BY l Qmewwa, Q au.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 8, 1951 PATENT OFFICE noon WINDOW STRUCTURE Fon CONVERTIBLE BODIES `John W. .-I. Ackermans,` Detroit, Mich. Application Decemter 22, 194.7, serial No. 793,272

Claims.

`This invention relates t` yeliole bodies, and

more particularly to Vehicle bodies of the fourdoor convertible sedan type such as are commonly used on automobiles.

In some present constructions of this type, a center pillar separates the front and rear idoors on each side, and above this pillar, separating the front and rear window frames carried by the respective doors, is an upper pillar which, when the top is lowered, may be either left erect, folded inwardly or wholly removed and stored until the top is to be putup again. v i

In other convertible tops of this type, the upper pillar is adjustably and replaceably iixed to the lower center pillar only. In place of the lower center pillar a ceriter panel is sometimes used. Said upper pillar may be substituted by a center window the frame of which is secured `to the lower pillar or center panel at the belt line of the vehicle. This construction,l however, is not entirely satisfactory fromthe standpoint of esthetic considerations, and also because of the difficulty of aligning the center window frame with the frames of the front and rear doors slidable, foldable or Vstatioiiary upper window frames; also because the center `window frame projects forwardly so far as to restrict shoulder room and thus interferes with easy entrance to the vehicle.

To eliminate these objectionable features, the present invention provides a heavy center window pane, without outer frane, whichis carrieduby the upper part of one of the doors,- thereby eliminating the center window frame and its inner Weatherst'rip, if desired; also only one door gap joint has to be aligned with ,the center window and the means of securing the center member to the top of the lower center pillar are no longer necessary. This combination center window and upper door channel extension makes also a more rigid construction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a convertible fourl-door sedaii type body of improved design and operability.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a body of the type indicated having improved appearance features, and wherein assembly of the parts in manufacture is facilitated.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent' from the following description, taken in connection with the appended drawings, in which; 1

i Fig. 1 is a side elevation" or a furgdoor corivertible sedan type automobile" embodying a foiin Of the inventilrlludfl' 2 ltei IIW.

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Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partlybroken away, of the center window and its associated elements, and corresponds to a view looking in 'the direction of the arrow 2 in Figure l3.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the same, taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line E-B of Fig. 2.

It is to be understood that the inventionis not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the inyention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Figures 1 to 6 illustrate a four-door sedan having a convertible topdesigned to fold into a booth at the rear of the` car body; but shown in Figure 1 in its extended or raised position and secured at its forward edge iti a substantially vertical plane to a rearward extension I2 of the windshield frame I 4. The body of the Vehicle comprises front and rear doors I6 and I8 which open toward the front, the rear door being Ahung on a pillar 20 by means of concealed hingesll The axis of the hinges is indicated in Figures 1, 3 and 4 by the reference numeral 23.

The doors I6 and i8 are provided with fixed channel frames 28 and 30, each of which contains a rubber or felt runway 29 (Figure 5) which is channeled to receive the edge of the window glass in vertically sliding relation. The frames 4i8 and 30 are fixed to their respective doors IE and i8, the panes 24 and 26 being vertically slidable therein to concealed positions in the doors, in the usual manner. The body `is also providedA with Ventilating windows 32 and windshield panes 311, which may be of usual construction; 'Ihereumay also be provided a pair of overhead panes 36in the extension I2. The belt molding of the vehicle is indicated at 38. l

Between the front and rear side windows is mounted a center window pane 4 0 `whichis formed of heavy glass of approximately the thickness of the frames 28 and 30. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 6, the pane lli) is formed with a groove in each of its edges, and a pair of inserts 42, 43, of metal orother material, are inlaid and cemented along said groove and are secured together as by dowel pins 44.

securing means for certain elements described hereinafter, and also to improve the appearance of the window by eliminating the conventional channeled metal frame. In place of the inserts 42, 43, plug-filled holes in the edges of the pane may be used.

An arm 46 is secured, as by welding, to the inner surface of the upper channel of window frame 3i1,.as indicated in Figures 2 and 5, and eX- tends forwardly thereof, being secured to theinsert 42 by means of machine screws 48. A second arm 5D is secured to the lower forward surface of the frame 3D and extends forwardly thereof, being secured to the insert 43 by means of machine screws 52.

cooperate with a series of molding strips 555 secured tothe upper surfaces of pillar 2i) and of jthe front and rear'doors, to act as a dam to minimiZe leakage between the pane 4l) and said upper surfaces while permitting lateral or angular movement therebetween.V

At the forward edge of pane 40 is secured an inner weatherstrip V58 having a forwardly projecting ange designed to t against the front window frame 28 to form a weatherproof seal. The rear edgeof pane 4l) is provided with a joint seal as `described below.

,As seen in Figure 3, .the top I0 comprisesa rigid side rail extending longitudinally of the vehicle and comprising members 62 and 64 which are permanently secured together and act to support the fabric wall 66 of the top which, as indicated at 61, extends downwardly along the outer surface of the rail to form a weatherproof seal, in known manner.

A retainer GBHis secured to the members 62 and 64 and serves in turn to secure a channel- Y shaped eXible weatherstrip 10, of known conit and the pane 46 to clear the lower edge of il' member 64. Y

j In the embodiment thus far described, it will be seenthat the pane 40 is xed to and carried by the rear door I8, so that as the door i6 is opened,

i l it and the pane 40 will rotate about the hinge aXis 23nfrom the positions shown in full lines in Figures 3 and 4 to the positions shown in broken lines in the same gures. ward portion of the pane will bend the inner flange 12 of the weatherstrip 1| out of its path,

TheV Y chief function of the inserts 42,43 is to furnish A flexible rubber weatherstrip 54 of channel shape is interposed betweenthe arm 50 and the insert 43 and is designed to` In so doing, the for,-

4 the front edge of channel 30 by screws 19 as shown in Figure 6. Y

Although the invention has been described withV reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it maybe embodied in other forms within the skill of artisans in 'this art, andV is not limited eX- cept by the terms of the following claims.

and similarly the rear portion of the pane will`V bend the outer flange 14 out of its path. The weatherstrip 54 at the lower edge of the pane will also be deformed to permit it to pass the molding strip 56. The flanges of both these weatherstrips are sufiiciently resilient to ,return to normal position after deformation.

As will be seen in Figures 4 and 6, the pane 40 does not lie in the plane of pane 24, nor in the plane of pane 26, but in a plane disposed at a small angle. thereto, so as to follow the side contour of the body. The joint space between the pane 40 and the frame 36 is sealed by means of a wedge-shaped rubber seal 18 which is compressed between the rear edgeY of pane 4Q and I claim: Y

1. A vehicle body having at each side a lower center pillar and two doors provided with windows spaced from each otherlongitudinally of the body, a permanently erected transparent panel disposed between said windows and having edges formed with a groove, an insert in said groove, supporting means on one of said 'Y 2. A vehicle body having at one side a lower center pillar and two doors provided with slidable windows, a permanently erected transparent panel longitudinally disposed between saidV windows and having'edges formed with a groove,

an insert in said groove, supporting means onV one of said Ydoors xedly securing said panel to one of said doors, said insert comprising fastening mechanism along at least one of said Y edges for retaining removable weatherstripping, and d removable fastening mechanism coacting with said insert to retain said weatherstripping in place, said panel being capable of withstanding breaking under normal use of said vehicle body, said supporting means including a runway channel to receive Van edge of the slidable window associated with said one door.

3. In a vehicle body comprising a roof, front and rear doors, and a pillar separating said doors, a vertically slidable window carried by one of said doors and movable to a point above the top of said pillar, supportingrmeans comprising a runway channel for at least one edge of said window secured to one of said doors, arms connected to said supporting means, a transparent Ipanel "carried by said arms and constituting an extension of said pillar, Ythe edges of said panel being formed with grooves, inserts in said grooves substantially flush with said edges, and removable fasteners engaging said supporting means, arms and said inserts to secure them together.

4. A vehicle body having at one side a lower center pillar and two doors provided with spaced windows, a permanently erected transparent panel disposed between said windows and having edges formed with recesses, inserts vprovided with fastening mechanism positioned in said recesses, supporting means on one of said doorsV for carrying said panel, removable fastening mechanism coacting-with said supporting means and with said inserts forretaining saidV panel, and

f' weatherstripping along at least one of said edges secured to said inserts bysaid removable fastening mechanism, said supporting means comprising a guide channel for slidingV one of said Windows from a closed to an open position. Y

5. In a vehicle body having a'main body portion Vterminating in a longitudinal belt line, a 1 collapsible top for said body,V frontV and rear closures at one side of said body including doors terminating at said belt line, a pillar separating said doors and terminating at said belt line, said 5 closures including longitudinally spaced slidable windows carried by said doors and movable t0 a level above said belt line, supporting means fixed to one of said doors including a runway channel for one of said windows, a panel of sub stantial width supported by said supporting means and forming a closure for the space between said windows above the pillar when the doors are closed, and means operative to form a weather seal between said panel and the other closure when said doors are closed.

JOHN W. J. ACKERMANS.

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

OTHER REFERENCES Janoir Body, article on pages 26, 27 and 28 of Autobody of January 1928.

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