US3138661A - Automobile antenna mount structure - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1964 .1. GRAsHow AUTOMOBILE ANTENNA MOUNT STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 6, 1963 INVENTOR g/aJfD/f @PAW/0W Md/ZZ;

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,138,661 AUTOMGBILE ANTENNA MOUN'I` STRUCTURE Joseph Grashow, 319 St. Johns Place, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Feb. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 256,648 4 Claims. (Cl. 174-153) The present invention relates to an antenna mount for attaching an antenna to an exterior surface of a vehicle and in particular, relates to an improved antenna mount incorporating a coaxial connector for securing an automobile radio antenna to an automobile fender or like exterior portion of the automobile body and for electrically connecting the antenna to a radio cable.

With vup-to-date car designs and in particular, with compact car outlines, the radio antenna industry and in particular, antenna installers, are nding itincreasingly dicult to install radio antennas to automobiles, particularly to a completely assembled automobile.

It is therefore the principal object of the invention to provide an antenna mount capable of securing a radio antenna to the automobile wherein the entire assembly operation takes place exterior of the automobile surface such as the fender to which the antenna is to be mounted.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an antenna mount structure in accordance with the principles of the invention which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and exceedingly simple to install. In particular, the parts constituting the antenna mount invention do not require precision of dimensions; notwithstanding this advantage, the antenna mount is substantially foolproof electrically-wise and mechanically-wise upon installation by the average car owner.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an antenna mount capable of use with many of the standard radio car antennas and with standard radio cable connectors.

It is another object to provide an antenna mount which is easy to install from the exterior side of the automobile and which can be disassembled for repairs at any time, by the simplest of tools available even to the car owner, so that there is no need to have a costly installation job done at a repair shop.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an antenna mount which can be adapted to any vehicle not yet tted with an antenna, simply by providing a hole in the automobile fender or other body portion, and securing the mount therein from the automobile exterior. It is only the end of the antenna cable which has to be pulled out through the hole or inserted into the hole from this end whereas the remote end of the cable is connected thereafter to the car radio behind the dashboard.

Further objects, features and the attendant advantages of the present invention will become more clearly understood when considering the following description in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

FIG. l is an exploded perspective view of the parts constituting an antenna mount according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the assembled antenna mount during one phase of mounting same to an automobile; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation partly in section of the assembled mount taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

An antenna incorporating the invention is illustrated herein mounted to a reference body or metal mounting surface 11 such as the fender of an automobile. In order to mount antenna 10, the installer punches a mounting aperture or hole 12 in fender 11. Hole 12 may be made by any conventional punch tool.

A conventional coaxial antenna cable 13 leads from a radio receiver (not shown) and threads through hole 12 to the exterior side of fender 11. The end of cable 13 has a conventional coaxial connector 14 for connection lddl Patented June 23, 1964 with the antenna connector at the lower end of the antenna mount.

The coaxial connector end of the antenna mount includes an outer conductive tubular body member 15 provided with external threads 16 forming coupling means to attach same to a screw cap 17 of cable connector 14. Body 15 also has a through bore 18. In addition, body 15 has a relatively flat, structurally strong rectangular plate member 19 firmly secured to body 15 and acting as a clamping member. Plate 19 may be an integral part of the body casting or may be mounted on body 15 and peened thereto to render same an integral structure. Plate 19 is narrower in width, but longer in length than the diameter of hole 12. This permits insertion of plate 19 through 12 as depicted in FIG. 2. Ultimately plate 19 is braced against the interior surface of fender 11 as shown in FIG. 3, to clamp antenna 10 to the automobile.`

The plane of plate 19 is normal to the longitudinal axis of antenna 19.

The upper end of connector body 15 lits into a central bore 20 of an insulator gasket mount 21. Mount 21 is preferably made of hard rubber or other suitable electrically non-conducting material.

Mount 21 has rst and second clamp jaws or arms 22, 23 depending from opposite sides of its central opening 20. The outer surfaces 24, 25 of these jaws are curved laterally (note the elevational view of jaw 23 in FIG. 3) to follow and conform to the curvature of the adjacent side of hole 12. The outer jaw surfaces 24, 25 are also curved or uniformly tapered longitudinally (note peripheral outline of both jaws in FIG. 3) to dene a smaller 0.D. separation between the outer jaw surfaces 24, 25 at the bottom apex end of the structure. The O.D. separation between outer jaw surfaces 24, 25 in the horizontal plane of hole 12 is almost equal to the diameter of hole 12, as noted in FIG. 3. Furthermore, the peripheral edges 22a, 23a of these jaws (see FIG. l) are somewhat elliptical in shape tapering to an apex 26 at the lower ends thereof. The confronting inner surfaces 27, 2S of jaws 22, 23 are ilat.

As seen from FIG. 3 of the assembled antenna, the mount structure is designed so that only a small gap or separation 29 exists between the peripheral sides of hole y12 and the adjacent OD. surfaces 24, 25 of the jaws; and a small gap or separation 30 exists between the flat jaw surfaces 27, 28 and the adjacent sides of plate 19.

The remainder of gasket mount 21 includes an upper disc-like portion 31 having a diameter sufficiently large to cover and seal hole 12 when mounted over same. Disc 31 has a shallow recess 32. The lower end of an antenna socket body 33 is seated in recess 32. Antenna socket body 33 may be of conventional design and includes an upright section 34 and a curved seat 35. A mating socket section or segment 36 is partly spherical to lit into seat 35 and has a ilat face 37' equipped to mate against the flat face of upright section 34. As known in the art, socket section 36 is rotatable about the horizontal axis of nut- bolt assembly 38, 39. Socket sections 34, 36 have aligned horizontal bores through which nut- bolt assembly 38, 39 is interconnected. The top end of socket section 36 carries an antenna whip or rod 40 (only partly shown) which may be rigid, telescoping design or any other conventional type. The relative movement between sections 34, 36 allows tilt of antenna rod 40 about the axis of nut- bolt assembly 38, 39. Rotation of socket body 33 with respect to mount 21 allows adjustment of the plane of antenna tilt. If aperture 12 is circular as shown, rotational adjustment is also available between fender 11 and mount 21.

Socket body 33 has a through bore 41 vertically aligned with mount bore 20 to receive a conductive connecting screw 42. The upper section of bore 41 denes a suficiently large opening to pass the head of screw 42 therethrough. The next section of bore 41 is tapered to seat the tapered screwhead as shown in FIG. 3. Screw 42 is mounted into, socket boreV 41jprior to assembling socket section 36 to the mating socket member 33.

A tubular sleeve 43 made of electrically non-conducting material is carried in the vertical bore 18 of tubular connector body member by means of a friction it. A contracting neck or shoulder 44 at the upper end of body 15 defines the upper position of sleeve 43 in body 15. .A conductive bushing 45 is carried in the -vertical bore of sleeve 43 by means of a friction fit. Bushing 45 has a flange 46 at its lower end abutting against sleeve 43. The diameter of flange 46 is less than the I.D. of body bore 18 to avoid electrical contact therewith. The vertical bore of bushing 45 is threaded to engage the outer threaded surface 47 on screw member 42. Screw 42 extends through bushing 45 without making electrical contact with connector body `15. The bottom end of screw 42 is elongated and has an extension in the form of a male center contact pin 48 equipped tot-connect with a mating female center contact 49 provided in cable connector 14 upon assembly of the antenna structure as depicted in FIG. 3.

The foregoing connector body parts are factory assembled as follows: bushing 45 is inserted into sleeve 43 and then the latter is pushed inside body 15. Owing to the tight iit between respective inner and outer mating surfaces of parts 15, 43 and 45, bushing 45 is securely held in suitable centralized position. Hence screw 42 may be inserted into connector body 15 and threaded therethrough without causing any damage to contact pin 48.

Once the foregoing parts are assembled, it will be noted from FIG. 3 that antenna 10 has a continuous coaxial electrical path to cable 13. For example, antenna part 40 is connected to the inner conductor (not shown) of cable 13 by the electrical path made up of socket body pended between the flat surfaces 2'7, 28 of the arms.` Antenna 1t) is tilted at an angle 50 (see FIG. 2) to pass the foregoing lower mounting structure through hole 12.

After the foregoing phase of mounting is completed, antenna 10 is tilted vertically upright. The installer then suitably centers gasket 21 with respect to hole 12 if required and then holds gasket mount 21 with one hand against the upper surface of fender 11 over hole 12. During this phase of operation, clarnp jaws 22, 23 extend through hole 21 below the fender wall as depicted in FIG. 3. ri`he installer then threadedly tightens screw 42 with a screwdriver, his other hand is free to do same Y while the first hand continues to hold gasket mount 21 33, Screw 42 (the head thereof is in conductive pressure contact with the tapered bore of socket 33), contact pin 48, to the female mating contact 49 of cable 13. The ground side of the coaxial electrical circuit includes automobile fender 11 conductively connected to connector body 15 by virtue of the connection between plate 19 and the underside of fender 11. The lower end of body 15 is threaded to cable connector cap 17 which makes conductive connection to the outer coaxial line of cable 13. The two vcoaxial conductors are suitably insulated from one another because sleeve 43 isolates screw 42 and the parts connected thereto from outer conductor body 15; furthermore, insulator mount 21 electrically isolates the antenna socket sections 33, 36 from fender 11. It will be noted from FIG. 3 that the upper end of connector body 15 is separated from the conductive socket 33 by an enlarged bore section 41a of bore 41, whereby this part of body 15 may extend into bore section 41a upon compression of gasket 21 without developing a short.

The illustrated antenna unit 10 is used as follows: hole 12 is made in fender 11; cable 13 is threaded up through hole 12; connector cap 17 is threaded tight to the lower end of connector body 15; gasket 21 is mounted over the upper part of connector 15 wherein the individual clamp jaws or . arms 22, 23 extend along respective opposite sides of plate 19; socket 33 is seated on v gasket 21; screw 42 is inserted through socket 33 and threaded part-way into connector bushing 45. However, screw 42 is not threaded tight. This permits plate 19 to be suspended sufficiently below the bottom face of gasket 21 to permit entry of the lower portion of connector body 15 including plate 19 through aperture or hole 12. On the other hand, it will be noted that screw 42 is threaded a sufficient distance into connector bushing 45 so that prior to insertion of the foregoing parts through hole 12, the horizontal plane of plate 19 is above the lower apex ends 26 of jaws 22, 23; that is to say, connector body member 15 is held by screw 42 whereby plate 19 is sus- Vrrmly against the exterior of fender 11 to prevent rotation of mount 21 about the vertical axis. One advantage of the invention is that dimensional precision for the antenna mount parts and for the hole are not required.

The subject antenna mount is self-aligning and automatically centers itself by virtue of the geometric shape of the outer jaw surfaces 24, 25 which are suitably curved in two dimensions and shaped as described hereinbefore. This provides a very effective self-centering and alignment of the mounting structure as the gasket jaws or arms 22, 23 pass through hole 12 upon seating gasket firmly on fender 11. Upon tightening up on screw 42, its tapered head is pushed against the tapered bore section of socket 33, whereby the turning screw 42 causes bushing 45 to ride up threads 47 by reason of the fact that plate 19 is captivated within the adjacent flat jaw faces 27, 28 to prevent rotation of connector body 1S about the vertical axis. Clamp arms 22, 23 serve as a captivated wrench extending below fender 11 and into the inaccessible interior of the automobile structure, while plate 19 serves as a captivated nut held by the wrench faces 27, 28 of the jaws, thus causing connector body 15 to ride up threads 47 until plate 19 or at least the four corners 55 thereof abut and clamp firmly against the interior surface of fender 11 adjacent the edge of hole 12.

The four corners 55 of plate 19 are depicted with biting points which grip the interior face of fender 11 upon clamping gasket 21 tight to the automobile.

ln one workable embodiment of the invention, a 11/4 inch x 5/8 inch plate 19 is being employed with a one inch diameter hole 12. When plate member 19 clamps hard against fender 11, mount 21 and the antenna structure carried thereby is firmly clamped to the automobile. The foregoig clamping action also raises cable connector 14, whereby male center pin 48 electrically mates with female center contact 49 which is suitably centralized by conventional means in cable connector 14 to receive male pin 4S to complete the coaxial connection thereat. The foregoing action also exerts an upward force on bushing 45 against sleeve 43 and thus creates an upward force on sleeve 43 against connector body ledge or shoulder 44. As seen from the FIG. 3, the diameter of the disc portion 31 of mount 21 is sufficiently large to cover hole 12 and when made of a suliciently compressible material, gasket 21 seals hole 12 against dirt, snow, rain, etc.

Thus, having secured the lower part of the antenna mount to vehicle fender 11, the second socket member 36 with the antenna whip or rod 40 is secured to the rst socket section 33 by the nut- bolt assembly 38, 39 to complete the installation. It is thus seen that the entire installation is carried out from the exterior side of the automobile, requiring no more than one person with a screwdriver and is substantially foolproof against faulty installations.

Antenna 10 may be disassembled from fender 11 for repair or maintenance purposes. This is accomplished easily by disconnecting socket segment 36 and loosening up on screw 42 with one hand while holding gasket 21 withrthe other hand to prevent gasket rotation around the vertical axis until plate 19 drops down a sufficient distance to permit removal of the lower portion of the antenna assembly upo tilting same as depicted in FIG. 2.

The manual pressure on screw 42 with a screw driver while loosening screw 42 will maintain its screwhead braced against the tapered section of bore 41. During such unscrewing operation, connector body rides down threads 47 by reason of the wrenching action imparted to member 19 by the surrounding flat jaw faces 27, 28. It will be understood that none of the parts constituting the antenna mount require replacement upon disassembly of the antenna mount in order to carry out a repair, for example, replacement of socket section 36 with an equivaient. It is assumed for this example, that the antenna rod 40 required replacement. After the parts are reassembled, the antenna may be reclamped to the same mounting hole as described hereinbefore.

It is noted from the iigures that the improved antenna mount described herein is adaptable for use with many standard antenna structures. The antenna structure constituting socket sections 33, 36 is a popular exterior type of radio antenna. However, other equally popular and familiar radio antennas may be used with the disclosed improved antenna mount by seating its base in gasket recess 32 and employing gasket 21 and connector body member 15 with its clamping plate 19 as described hereinbefore.

The assembly of brass bushing 45 into sleeve 43 and then the latter into body 15 as described herein, col. 3, lines to 428 is factory assembly. Reference 51 in FIG. 2 depicts the clearance space between plate 19 and the flat bottom face of gasket disc 31 in preparation of inserting plate 19 through hole 12 as mentioned herein, col. 3, lines `65 to 70. A burr may be made on thread 47 of screw member 42 or the mating thread on the LD. of bushing 4S may be used to limit the separation depicted by reference 51 desired for making installation of the antenna mount and yet assuring that for such separation, clamp plate 19 is still suspended in captivated fashion within clamp jaws or arm 22, 23. Furthermore, as seen from the figures, the depending side walls 52 of plate member 19 are inclined at the four corners 53 to facilitate passage of clamp plate 19 through aperture or hole 12. The inclined corners 53 clear the structure to prevent same from catching the edge of hole 12 upon passage of member 19 through hole 12.

The portion of O.D. diameter of jaw surfaces 24, 25 immediately below the iiat bottom face of disc part 31 and thus coplanar with hole 12 is almost equal to the hole diameter. As seen in FIG. 3, this O.D. dimension is reduced to a narrower dimension between the apexes 26 of the two jaws 22, 23 so that the latter provide selfcentering characteristics as noted hereinbefore. I aw edges 22a, 23a are tapered to form the apexes 26 in the plane of the paper as observed in FIG. 2 so that the lateral chord 54 (see FIG. 2) across each jaw 22, 23 close to apex 26 is less than the O.D. diameter of connector body 15. This arrangement prevents the edges of jaws 22a, 23a bearing or butting against the edge of hole 12 upon inserting the mount through hole 12 when mounting the antenna to the reference body 11.

At this stage of the operation, the antenna is tilted as shown in FIG. 2, whereby the forward end of member 19 is inclined and partly under fender 11 as depicted in FIG. 2. It is thus desirable at this time that the forward portions of gasket jaw edges 22a, 23a avoid touching the hole edge. When this structural relationship is brought about, one iinds from experience that the upper and rear part of plate member 19, which is above fender 11 (see FIG. 2), very easily passes through such hole 12 to prepare the mount for the iinal tightening operation.

It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna mount for securing a radio antenna carried by a socket body to an exterior wall of an automobile or the like, said wall having at least a partly curved mounting hole for installing said antenna thereat, the cornbination comprising, an insulator gasket having a first surface for mounting against the exterior side of said wall and to cover said mounting hole, said gasket having a second surface for seating said socket body wherein said antenna is held substantially erect wtih respect to said wall, said gasket having spaced depending arms extending through said mounting hole and into the inaccessible interior side of said automobile wall, a conductive connector member supported within said gasket and extending lengthwise between said arms into the inaccessible side of said wall, a conductive clamping member secured rigidly to said connector member, said clamping member extending along a plane substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise axis of said connector member and being a size to pass through said hole from the exterior side of said wall, said clamping member also having one dimension greater than the size of said hole for bracing said clamping member in clamped relationship against the interior side of said Wall adjacent opposite edge portions of said hole, said arms having curved surfaces facing in opposite directions, said arm surfaces being in close spaced relationship with respective confronting peripheral edge portions of said hole, said arm surfaces being curved in a lengthwise dimension to provide a diametrically tapered separation between said arm surfaces for guided and selfalignment insertion of said gasket arms into said hole during antenna installation, opposite sides of said clamping member being closely spaced from respective ones of said arms, whereby said arms serve as a Wrench to prevent turning of said connector member about its lengthwise axis during installation and detachment of said antenna with respect to said wall, and means for mechanically interconnecting said socket body and said gasket and said connector member, whereby said socket body and said gasket are braced in clamped relationship against the exterior side of said wall and said clamping member is braced in clamped relationship against the interior side of said wall.

2. In an antenna mount as deiined in claim 1 wherein said mechanically interconnecting means comprises, an axially conductive pin-like member extending co-axially within said connector member and co-operating therewith for deiining an electrical co-axial connector for connecting said antenna to a radio receiver, said connector member defining the outer conductor of said electrical connector and said axial pin defining the inner conductor thereof.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including, an insulator sleeve in said connector member for electrically insulating same from said inner conductor pin, said axial pin having a threaded portion, a bushing supported in said sleeve and having a threaded surface for threaded connection wtih said inner conductor pin for clamping said antenna.

4. Apparatus as deiined in claim 3 wherein one end of said pin has means for electrical and mechanical connection with said socket body for bracing same and said gasket in clamped relation against said wall, said connector member having a shoulder engaging one end of said sleeve for retaining said insulator sleeve therein, said bushing having a portion engaging the other end of said sleeve, wherein said bushing and said sleeve are captivated in said connector member upon clamping said antenna.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,444,189 Finneburgh et al June 29, 1948 2,758,151 Spector et al. Aug. 7, 1956 2,870,243 Stewart et al. Jan. 20, 1959 2,946,842 Chadowski July 26, 1960 2,953,630 Cejka Sept. 20, 1960

Claims (1)

1. AN ANTENNA MOUNT FOR SECURING A RADIO ANTENNA CARRIED BY A SOCKET BODY TO AN EXTERIOR WALL OF AN AUTOMOBILE OR THE LIKE, SAID WALL HAVING AT LEAST A PARTLY CURVED MOUNTING HOLE FOR INSTALLING SAID ANTENNA THEREAT, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, AN INSULATOR GASKET HAVING A FIRST SURFACE FOR MOUNTING AGAINST THE EXTERIOR SIDE OF SAID WALL AND TO COVER SAID MOUNTING HOLE, SAID GASKET HAVING A SECOND SURFACE FOR SEATING SAID SOCKET BODY WHEREIN SAID ANTENNA IS HELD SUBSTANTIALLY ERECT WITH RESPECT TO SAID WALL, SAID GASKET HAVING SPACED DEPENDING ARMS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID MOUNTING HOLE AND INTO THE INACCESSIBLE INTERIOR SIDE OF SAID AUTOMOBILE WALL, A CONDUCTIVE CONNECTOR MEMBER SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID GASKET AND EXTENDING LENGTHWISE BETWEEN SAID ARMS INTO THE INACCESSIBLE SIDE OF SAID WALL, A CONDUCTIVE CLAMPING MEMBER SECURED RIGIDLY TO SAID CONNECTOR MEMBER, SAID CLAMPING MEMBER EXTENDING ALONG A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LENGTHWISE AXIS OF SAID CONNECTOR MEMBER AND BEING A SIZE TO PASS THROUGH SAID HOLE FROM THE EXTERIOR SIDE OF SAID WALL, SAID CLAMPING MEMBER ALSO HAVING ONE DIMENSION GREATER THAN THE SIZE OF SAID HOLE FOR BRACING SAID CLAMPING MEMBER IN CLAMPED RELATIONSHIP AGAINST THE INTERIOR SIDE OF SAID WALL ADJACENT OPPOSITE EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID HOLE, SAID ARMS HAVING CURVED SURFACES FACING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, SAID ARM SURFACES BEING IN CLOSE SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECTIVE CONFRONTING PERIPHERAL EDGE PORTIONS

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