US3121582A

US3121582A - Universal bumperette assembly

Info

Publication number: US3121582A
Application number: US241353A
Authority: US
Inventors: David L Gass
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-11-30
Filing date: 1962-11-30
Publication date: 1964-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1981-02-18

Description

Feb. 18, 1964 D. L. GASS 3,121,582

UNIVERSAL BUMPERETTE ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 30, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. DAV/0 Z..GA55.

Feb. 18, 1964 D. L. GA SS UNIVERSAL BUMPERETTE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1962 INVENTOR. .DA Wu Z. 65455 United States Patent 3,121,582 UNIVERSAL BUMPERETTE ASSEMBLY David L. Gass, 2535 S. State St, Chicago, 111. Filed Nov. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 241,353 7 Claims. (Cl. 29367) My invention relates to an additional bumper guard as sembly or bumperette assembly, adapted to be fitted and attached to the various contoured bumpers of automobiles.

in the current market and for some time, bumpers are so placed on automobiles that they do not provide suflicient protection particularly against over ride or under ride.

Such bumpers should be supplemented by the attachment of one or more bumperettes. However, the bumpers on cars are not uniform or standard and difier in various rounded contours. Each contour has a different radius.

It is among the objects of my invention to solve these problems and to provide a universal bumperette assembly that may be fitted and attached to varying contoured bumpers of cars having different radii, so as to protect the cars against blows that would over ride or under ride the conventional bumpers.

Another object is to provide a universal bumperette assembly that will supply increased protection to the conventional bumper to which it is attached, and to the car for maximum prevention against damage and greater safety for the occupants of the car.

My invention also comprises such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear, and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings preferred embodiments of my invention, yet it is to be understood that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a top plan view, FIG. 2 a bottom plan view, and FIG. 3 a side elevational view of my adaptor; FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional view on line 44 of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is an inner plan view of my bumperette or metal member; FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of my bumperette assembly; FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form of my bumperette assembly in position on a bumper; FIG. 8 is a detailed sectional view on line 3-8 of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is an inside plan view of a modified form of my bumperette; FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 1010 of FIG. 9; FIG. 11 is a side elevational view; FIG. 12 is a top plan view; and FlG. 13 an end view of this modified bumperette or metal member.

The preferred embodiment selected to illustrate my invention comprises an adaptor 10 having a rounded front portion 11 converging to a small flat central portion 12 having an opening 13 extending rearwardly through the adaptor. The back portion 14 has a curved cut out portion 15. Said cut out portion 15 is irregular in that the top curve is sharper than the bottom curve which is more gradual as shown in FIG. 3. My adaptor 10 is formed of hard material such as rubber with sufiicient resiliency to function as hereinafter set forth.

A bumperette or metal member 16 has a body portion 17 with integral depending spaced side walls 18, spaced end walls 19, and front portion Zil forming upper and lower extensions 21 and 2.2, and an open rear. A screw threaded bolt, stud or rod 23 has one end attached to the center of front portion 2! and extends rearwardly therefrom. Each of side walls 18 has a forwardly curved cut out portion 24 adjacent an outwardly flared or shaped portion 25. My metal member 16 is preferably made of steel or aluminum and is of sufiicient thickness and strength to withstand substantial blows and when tight- 3,121,582 Patented Feb. 18, 15364 ened by the bolt and nut to compress the rubber adaptor to fit against the rounded contour of the bumper.

My bumperette assembly is assembled for use with metal member 16 positioned against adaptor 10 with curved cut out portions 24 and flared or bevelled portions 25 hearing against rounded front portion 11..

A hole 26 has been formed through bumper 27, so that when adaptor It) has been placed against bumper 27 with curved cut out portion '15 bearing against the curved contour of the bumper, rod 23 extends through opening 13 of adaptor 1t} and hole 26 of bumper 27. A washer 28 and a screw threaded nut 29 are then tightened on rod 23 so that adaptor It) is shifted to fit the contour of the bumper and metal member 16 contacts tightly against adaptor 10, so that metal member 16 is in fixed position and can Withstand substantial blows.

In some cars, the radius of the bumper is irregular with a sharper-incline on the top portion of the bumper. My adaptor is irregular shaped to aid in the fitting of the adaptor to the bumper when the adaptor is pressed by the bolt and nut into position against the bumper.

Bumpers differ in contour on the various automobiles. For instance, the bumper on the recent model Chevrolet differs in radius from that on the Ford or Plymouthv Other cars have still different radii. It would be expensive and require voluminous stock to have each bumperette assembly specifically designed to fit only one radius. My bumperette is universal in that may adaptor may be shifted to fit any of the differing radii in the bumpers of the existing cars. Such adaptability is new and of outstanding value in the accessory industry.

in use my bumperette assembly not only protects the bumper from damage by the supplement of the attached bumperette assembly, but protects the car from damage by a blow due to over ride or under ride. Without the bumperette assembly, a blow against the bumper may be diverted above or below the bumper, so the force of the blow causes damage to the car. This is serious where the blow causes damage to such parts as a rear motor, a gas tank, or rear fenders or lights. With my bumperette assembly in position, the added height, and depth of the bumperette catches the high or low blows and prevents over riding and under riding.

Additionally, I provide raised side and end walls 39 around front portion 2!) to provide a recess 31 within which is seated a rubber covering member 32. attached to metal member 16 by screw threaded bolts 33 extending through spaced openings 34 in front portion 20, held by screw threaded nuts 35.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the adaptor id is the same as shown in my preferred embodiment, but I provide a metal member 36 or bumperette having a body portion 37 rounded and shaped to fit over the rounded front portion 11 of adaptor 10;. My rounded body portion 37 has inwardly bevelled edge portions 33 to aid in contacting adaptor 1G, and a central inner flat portion 39.

Extending outwardly from body portion 37 is extension ltihaving front portion 41 and integral depending spaced side walls 42, end wall 41-3 and an open rear.

A screw threaded bolt, stud or rod 44 is attached at one end to metal member 36 within central flat portion 39 and extends rearwardly therefrom. In use rod 44 extends through opening 13 in adaptor it? and hole 26 of bumper 27 and this embodiment is attached to bumper 27 of the car, the same as heretofore set forth for my preferred embodiment.

When it is desired to protect the bumper to which it is attached for over ride, I attach this embodiment of my bumperette assembly to the bumper so that extension 40 extends upwardly. In the event it is desired to protect :3 against under ride, I attach the bumperette assembly to the bumper so that extension 4% extends downwardly.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim: 1. A universal bumperette assembly for attachment to the bumpers of automobiles and for adjustably fitting said bumperette assembly to varying curved bumpers comprising an adaptor formed of hard resilient material having a rounded front portion with an opening extending through the adaptor, and a back portion having a single curved part conforming to the general shape of a bumper to seat and engage the bumper throughout the single curved part of the adaptor, a bumperette having a flared body portion, the surface of which is contiguous with and engages the rounded front portion of said adaptor, securing means attached at one end to said bumperette and extending through the opening in said adaptor whereby said bumperette assembly is adapted to be attached to the bumper of an automobile having a hole therethrough with the curved back part of said adaptor positionable contiguous with the bumper and said securing means extendable through the hole in the bumper, and adapted to be tightened so that said adaptor is shifted to engage the bumper so as to prevent movement of the adaptor and so that said bumperette is held tightly in fixed relationship against said adaptor.

2. A universal bumperette assembly for attachment to the bumpers of automobiles and for adjustably fitting said bumperette assembly to varying curved bumpers comprising an adaptor formed of hard resilient material having a rounded front portion with an opening extending through the adaptor, and a back portion having a single recessed part conforming to the general shape of a bumper to seat and engage the-bumper throughout the single recessed part of the adaptor, a bumperette having a flared body portion, the surface of which is contiguous with and engages the rounded front portion of said adaptor, securing means attached at one end to said bumperette and extending through the opening in said adaptor whereby said bumperette assembly is adapted to be attached to the bumper of an automobile having a hole therethrough with the back recessed part of said adaptor positionable contiguous with the bumper and said securing means extendable through the hole in the bumper, and adapted to be tightened so that said adaptor is shifted to engage the bumper so as to prevent movement of the adaptor and so that said bumperette is held tightly in fixed relationship against said adaptor.

3. A universal bumperette assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the single curved back part of the adaptor is irregular, with a gradual curve in one section and a sharper curve in another section of the single curved back part.

4. A universal bumperette assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the bumperette has an inner front portion which the adapter abuts when the bumperette assembly is in position on the bumper of an automobile and the tightening means has been tightened.

5. A universal bumperette assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the bumperette has a recessed top portion and a hard rubber member is positioned within and attached to said recessed top portion.

6. A universal bumperette assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the bumperette has extensions which when the bumperette assembly is attached to the bumper of an automobile extend above and below the bumper to protect against blows over riding and under riding the bumper.

7. A universal bumperette assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the bumperette has an extension which when the bumperette assembly is attached to the bumper of an automobile extends either above or below the bumper to protect against blows in that direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,930,189 Barbara Oct. 1 0, 1933 2,039,004- Iandus et al Apr. 28, 1936 2,214,514 Walklet Sept. 10, 1940 2,230,333 Painter Feb. 4, 1941 2,614,877 Banian Oct. 21, 1952 2,646,308 Ferrell July 21, 1953 2,858, 159 Borah Oct. 28, 1958

Claims

1. A UNIVERSAL BUMPERETTE ASSEMBLY FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE BUMPERS OF AUTOMOBILES AND FOR ADJUSTABLY FITTING SAID BUMPERETTE ASSEMBLY TO VARYING CURVED BUMPERS COMPRISING AN ADAPTOR FORMED OF HARD RESILIENT MATERIAL HAVING A ROUNDED FRONT PORTION WITH AN OPENING EXTENDING THROUGH THE ADAPTOR, AND A BACK PORTION HAVING A SINGLE CURVED PART CONFORMING TO THE GENERAL SHAPE OF A BUMPER TO SEAT AND ENGAGE THE BUMPER THROUGHOUT THE SINGLE CURVED PART OF THE ADAPTOR, A BUMPERETTE HAVING A FLARED BODY PORTION, THE SURFACE OF WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS WITH AND ENGAGES THE ROUNDED FRONT PORTION OF SAID ADAPTOR, SECURING MEANS ATTACHED AT ONE END TO SAID