US575500A - John w - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. 'W. BRITTINGHAM & L. A. STERLING. BUGGY TOP SUPPORT.

Patented Jan. 19, 1897.

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JOHN w; BRITTINGHAM AND LAWRENCE A. STERLING, OF HALE, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO J. R. HERYEoRD, or SAME PLACE.

BUGGY-TOP SlJPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,500, dated January 19, 1897. Application filed March 4, 1896. Serial No. 581,766. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN XV. BRITTING- HAM and LAWRENCE A. STERLING, citizens of the United States, residing at Hale, in the county of Carroll and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Buggy-Top Support, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to improvements in carriage-top supports, and is especially designed to prevent breakage of the bows when the top is in lowered position. Heretofore in devices of this character spring-supports have been provided having one of their ends clamped to a bow and the other end sliding thereon, but the shape of the springs have been such that a suiflcient spring action was not imparted to the bows, and'consequently when required for use the supports have failed to properly perform their functions.

It is the object of this invention therefore to provide a support of the character mentioned, the spring of which shall be so constructed as to overcome the disadvantages and objections heretofore existing and to secure, by reason of the shape of the spring, a greaterarea of yielding surface, whereby a more perfect cushion for the top is obtained when the latter is in lowered position and liability of breaking the bows reduced to a minimum.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is perspective View of a carriage-top having the improved support in position upon one of the bows. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the support removed. Fig. 3is a transverse sectional view taken through the collar.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a sectional clamping-collar, the same being formed of sections 2 3, bolts 4, having the usual nuts 5 upon their threaded ends. The collar 1 is also provided with an opening 6, through which passes the rear bow 7 of a carriage-top, the opening 6 conforming to the shape of the bow 7.

8 designates a spring, a portion 9 of which is folded back and lies in a plane substantially parallel with, but away from, the body of the spring. The extreme end 10 of the portion 9 is secured in a recess 11, formed in secured together by one side of the section 3 of the collar 1 by a bolt 12, which passes through a bolt-hole 13 in said section, and adjacent to the opening 6 the end of said bolt-hole 13 is tapered to 5 receive the head of the bolt 12, which head is concaved, so as to lie flush with the inner side of said opening 6. It will be noted that the .portion 9 is folded at a sharp angle to the body of the spring,-and said folded portion 9, after being secured to the clamping-collar l and the latter is fastened upon the how 7, extends throughout its entire length in a straight line beneath the bow 7, the body of the spring being bent outwardly and forming a deep compound curve. The folded portion 9 lies along the under side of, but slightly away from, the bow 7, and when the vehicle-top is lowered it will be seen that such folded por tion braces the body of the spring, whereby a positive cushion is insured, and from the fact that said body is in the shape of a compound curve contact thereof with the bow 7 will be effectually prevented.

At the end of the spring opposite to the folded portion 9 a spring-clip 14 is secured, the object of which is to partially encircle the bow 7 and slide thereon, thereby holding the support in operative position. The sections of the clamping-collar 1 being separated, they are placed upon the bow 7 and by means of the bolts 4 are secured thereon at any desired point, the spring-clip also engaging said how. When the top of the carriage is lowered, the spring 8 rests upon the ordinary stop 15 for limiting the downward movement of said top, and when any inequalities in the ground are passed over said spring will take up the jar occasioned thereby, thus providing a cushion for the top and preventing fracture of the bow. It will be obvious that the spring-clip 14. will slide along the bow 7, thereby provid ing for the expansion and contraction of the spring 8.

From the preceding description it is apparcut that by reason of the specific construction of the spring 8 a much more effective support has been produced, whereby a larger yielding surface is secured and one in which the spring will be held a sufficient distance from the bow to avoid direct contact therewith, and thus give satisfactory results.

\Ve claim as our invention A bu ggy-top support comprising a sectional two-part clamping-collar adapted to embrace the rear bow of a carriage-top and provided in one side with a recess and a bolt-opening leading into said recess, a pair of bolts detachably connecting the two members of the collar together, an elongated componndlycurved leaf-spring having a sliding connection at one end with the bow, and formed at its other end with an inturned straight terminal portion 9, folded or bent from the body portion of the spring at an abrupt angle thereto to form a brace for such body portion, said straight terminal portion 9 of the spring extending under the bow parallel therewith and having its tip end seated within the recess of the collar, and a bolt 12 engaging the tip end of the spring-terminal 9 and secured in the bolt-opening in the collar leading to said recess, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto afiixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. BRITTINGHAM. LAWRENCE A. STERLING.

\Vitnesses:

G. 11. TURNER, B. G. DULANEY.

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