US692877A - Steering-check for automobiles. - Google Patents

Description

No. 692,877. Patented Feb. H I902.

H. LEMP.

STE EBING CHECK FOR AUTOMOBILES.

(Application filed Jan. 17 1901.)

(No Model.)

'W NT R1. Hermann Lem TH: nunms psi-ins ea, momljnia, wAsnmoTom n. c.

, embodying additional features.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

HERMANN LEMP, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ELIHU THOMSON, OF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEERING-CHECK FOR AUTOMOBILES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 692,877, dated February 11, 17902 Application filed January 1'7, 1901. Serial No. 43,600. (ll '0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:.

Be it known that I, HERMANN LEMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering-Checks for Automobiles, (Case No. 2,015,) of which the following is a specification.

It is now becoming common practice to provide automobiles with some form of steering mechanism into which'a positive lock enters for preventing the transfer of Wheel strains to the operating-handle. This lock is controlled, preferably, by the main steering-handle; but in some instances a separate device for looking and unlockingis provided. I have found that in certain instances it is undesirable to provide an absolute lock between the wheels and some fixed part of the vehicle, for the reason that some of the shocks due to road obstructions are Very severe and have a tendency to unduly strain the parts.

The present invention has for its object to provide a motion-checking device into which a lock enters that to all'intents and purposes will hold the wheels or other devices intheir true path and prevent the transmission of Wheel or other strains to the operating-handle, yet at the same time relieve the parts to a certain extent of the thrust, which occurs when one part tends to move suddenlywith respect to another.

In the accompanying drawings is shown an embodiment of my invention, wherein Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved check. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aplan view ofacheck Fig.4 is a section taken on line 4 40f Fig. 3. Fig. 5' is a side elevation of a cock for admitting air to the air-chamber, and Fig. 6 shows my improved check mounted on the front axle of the vehicle. l

A represents the casing or cylinder of my improved check and is arranged to be secured to the stationary axle B or other suitable support by means of clamps A. Mounted eccentrically for movement within the casing is the piston G. The piston consists of a box-like structure having an actuator D mounted therein.

downwardly-extending projection M.

On the outside of the piston are two position shown in Fig. 2, the valve in the direction of movement is positively opened and the fluidin passing from one chamber to the other opens the second valve. As soon as pressure is removed from the actuator the valves close, (1 no to gravity or equivalent means, and the piston is held in place. The piston is provided with an upwardly-extending sleeve or shoulder, to which is secured the frame I, and the latter is secured to the short axles which carry the steering-wheels by means of a rod J. The actuator is rigidly secured to the shaft K, which in turn is connected with the steeringtube L by means of a universal coupling L. Mounted within the casing A isa removable receptacle M, as shown in Fig. 4. Formed on the under side of this receptacle and arranged to fit the interior of the casing is a The inner surface of this projection is curved concentrically with the center of movement of the piston. The receptacle M is filled with a body of normally quiescent fluid, which fluid keeps the chambers G and H full by taking the place of any fluid which may leak out through the joints. The receptacle M is 'provided with a cover which is held in-place by screws. Y

I have found that in certain instances it is undesirable to make the locking between the steering-wheels and the stationary part of the vehicle absolute, because at times the strains are very severe. To obviatethis, means are provided for giving a certain cushioningeffeet between the parts of the lock or check or between the moving element and the actuator therefor. In the present instance thisis accomplished bypermitting a certain amount of fluid to flow from one chamber to another independent of the valves E and F. Aircushions may be provided against which the fluid works, either aloneor in connection with the means previously alluded to. In

carrying this out the piston may be made to make a loose working fit with the casing or cylinder, so that when a sudden thrust takes place a certain amount of fluid will pass from one chamber to another. I have found it preferable, however, to make the parts an easy working fit and to provide a by-passsuch as N, for example, Fig. 2-which may be regulated as to the extent of its opening by the screw 0. The latter extends outside of the casing and is provided with a check-nut to hold it in any given position. By reason of this a very simple adjusting device is provided and one which can be actuated by any one. When in use and the steering wheel or wheels strike an obstruction or tend to move at a rate of speed other than that due to the handle, the valves E and F close and check the free movement of the wheels with respect to the fixed axle. If the thrust is a hard one, a certain amount of normally quiescent fluid will flow from one chamber to the other through the by-pass N, and thus take up or cushion to a certain extent the shock due to the sudden thrustor impact. In Figs. 3 and 4 I have gone one step farther and provided in addition to the by-pass N an air-chamber P. In the present instance the air-chamber is shown as being composed of two tubes located on opposite sides of the casing and screwthreaded thereto. The cross-section of each tube is somewhat restricted at the point where it enters the casing. With a structure of this kind the air in the upper part of the chamber is not so liable to work back into the main chamber as where a large mouth or opening is provided. Ihave shown two of these air-chambers, one on each side of the casing, but the construction can be widely altered without departing from the spirit of my invention. The upper ends of the tubes are closed by screwthreaded plugs Q, having a rectangular opening therein for receiving a suitable wrench. In place of these plugs I may employ the aircocks R. (Illustrated in Fig. 5.) This latter arrangement has the advantage that air may be admitted to the chambers by actuating the plug B. When the piston tends to move while the valves E and F are closed-as, for example, when the steering wheel or wheels strike an obstruction-the fluid in chamber G or H, depending on the direction from which the thrust comes, will be placed under greater pressure than is the other. The particular chamber thus subjected to the increased pressure Iterm the "compression-chamber,and it is always the air-chamber which is connected to the compression-chamber that acts as the cushion for that particular thrust. Assuming that the vehicle is in operation and one of the wheels meets a road obstruction, the valves E and F will close and prevent the free circulation of fluid from one chamber to the other; but there will be a certain amount of fluid that will flow through the by-pass N and a certain other amount will flow through the restricted neck into the tube forming the air-chamber, and the amount passing into the tube will depend upon the thrust on the Wheels and the duration thereof. After the wheels assume their normal running relation the fluid contained in the chamber will return either to the chamber G or II, depending upon which one it came from. With the by-pass and air-chambers on the check one or the other of them may get out of order, due to impurities in the fluid, yet the cushioning effect will be maintained, but, of course,

to a lesser degree.

Referring to Fig. 6, 13 represents the fixed front axle of the vehicle, and S the short axles pivoted thereto and carrying the steeringwheels T. The short axles are connected to the frame I of the steering-check by the rods J. The steering-handle U is connected to the vertical steering-tube L. By changing the angular position of the handle the angular position of the wheels is correspondingly changed. The first movement of the handle U is to open one or the other of the valves E or F, depending on which way it is moved from a central position. Continued movement in the same direction will move the vehicle-wheels. As soon as the pressure is removed from the handle the valves automatically close due to the springs or gravity, and the wheels will be held in the position left by the steering-handle, except for some slight movement permitted by the cushioning device and caused by an obstruction in the road.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a device forcheeking motion, the combination of a stationary element, a moving element, a body of normally quiescent fluid for holding the elements in any definite relation, a valve for regulating the relative movements of the parts, and a relief-passage which is always open for permittingasmallamount of fluid to escape from the compression-chamher to decrease the shock or thrust between parts.

2. In a motion-checking device, the combination of elements movable with respect to each other, abody of normally quiescent fluid acting as a lock between the elements,a means controlling the action of the elements, and means for cushioning the effect of a thrust between the elements, which means operates each time a thrust takes place.

3. In a motion-checking device, the combination of a casing, a piston movable within the casing, abody of normally quiescent fluid located in chambers on each side of the pis-' ton, a valve for regulating the passage of fluid from one side of the piston to the other, and a by-pass around the piston which is never closed.

4.. In a motion-checking device, the combination of a piston movable within the casing, a body of normally quiescent fluid located in chambers on each side of the piston, a valve for regulating the passage of fluid from one side of the piston to the other, a by-pass 5. In a motion-checking device, the combination of a casing, a piston pivotally mounted therein and arranged to make a working fit, a by-pass formed in the casing which shunts the piston and is never closed, and means, adjusted from the outside of the casing, for varying the opening in the by-pass.

6. In a motion-checking device, the combination of two elements movable with respect to each other, a body of fluid forming a lock between the elements, and an air-chamber which is in communication with the fluid and so arranged that the thrust of one part on the other forces fluid into it and compresses the air therein.

7. In a motion-checking device, the combination of two elements movable with respect to each other, a lock for looking the elements together, and an air-compression chamber forming a part of the lock for decreasing the efiect of the thrust when one element tends to move suddenly and independently of the other.

8. In a motion-checking device, the combination of a piston, a cylinder, a body of normally quiescent fluid on each side of the piston, a valve for controlling the transfer of fluid from one side of the piston to the other, and an air-chamber into which the fluid is forced when the piston and cylinder tend to move suddenly with respect to each other,=

which fluid compresses the air in the chamber.

9. In a motion-checking device, the combination of a piston, a cylinder, bodies of normally quiescent fluid on each side of the piston, a valve for controlling the transfer of fluid from one side of the piston to the other,

and an air-chamber on each side of the piston,"

the chambers and pistonsbeing so arranged that the fluid on the compression side of the piston will enter the chamber on that side and compress the air therein whenever the piston and cylinder tendto move suddenly with respect to each other. I I

10. In a motion-checking device,tho combination of twoelements movable with respect to each other, a body of normally quiescent fluid, "an air-chamber, and aby-pass, the relation of the chamber and bypass to the ele- .ments being such that when one element tends to move suddenly with respect to, the other fiuid circulates under pressure therein.

11. In a motion-checking device,the combination of a cylinder, a piston, air-chambers. each consisting of a tubular structure with a restricted neck where it entersthe cylinder, the two chambers being located on opposite sides of the piston, and a body of fluid located on each side of the piston and inconstant communication with an air-chamber. r 12. In a motion-checkin g device,tl1ecomb1- nation of two elements movable with'respeot to each other,'a body of fluid forming a lockbetween them, an air-chamber arrangedto receive fluid when the elements tend to moveindependent of each other, and means for admitting air to the chamber.

13. In a steering mechanism, the oombination of a' fixed support, a pair of short axles carried thereby on which the steering-wheels are mounted, connecting means between the axles, a steering-handle, a locking mechanism for preventing the transmissionofwheel strains to the handle, and an air-cushion to take up a certain amount of thethust when the wheels meet a road obstruction.

14. In a steering mechanism, the combination of a fixedsupport, apair of short axles pivotallymounted thereon,- connecting means between the axles, a double-acting lock, one element of which is connected to the wheel and another element to the support, means for operating the lock, a steering-handle, and

a cushioning device between the two rela-" tively-movable parts of the lock for'absorb-' ing, to a certain extent, the thrusts due' to road obstructions.

In witness whereof I have hereunto setmyhand this 15th day of January, ll.

HERMANN LEMP.

Witnesses: Y

DUGALD MoK. MoKILL'oP, JOHN J. WALKER.

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