US799222A

US799222A - Vehicle-top support.

Info

Publication number: US799222A
Application number: US23619504A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sanford Mcflory Buchanan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1904-12-09
Filing date: 1904-12-09
Publication date: 1905-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1922-09-12

Description

No. 799,222. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. S. MGR, BUCHANAN.

VEHICLE TOP SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED DEG,9,1904.

Inventor At tornegs SANFORD MOELORY BUCHANAN, OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS.

VEHICLE-TOP SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed December 9, 1904. Serial No. 236,195.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SANFORD McELoRY BUCHANAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corpus Christi, in the county of Nueces and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Top Support, of which the following is .a specification.

This invention relates to an improved vehicle-top support, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device of this character adapted to form a yieldable support for a buggy-top, and thereby prevent injury to the back bows when the vehicle-top is lowered.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bracket having an angular socket for engagement with the prop-bolt of the vehicle and upon which the yieldable support is mounted, and, further, to provide means for clamping the support in position on the bracket, said clamp being adjustable longitudinall y of the support, to thereby regulate the tension of the latter.

A still further object is to provide a support having a pair of spring-arms the ends of which are bent to form a tapering hook or loop adapted to receive a cushioning pad or saddle, said pad being retained in position by means of a single rivet, which passes through the pad and engages the hook at the juncture of its converging side Walls, thereby preven ting both longitudinal and lateral displacement of the pad.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a buggy-top, showing my improved support applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the bracket and yieldable support detached. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 2, showing the pad or saddle in position and the bracket on the prop-bolt. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the tapering hook or loop and saddle.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The numeral 5 designates the vehicle-body, and 6 the top-bows pivotally mounted on the body as shown at 7,and supported by the usual hinged brace 8, the latter being pivoted at the top to the central bows and at the bottom to a prop-bolt 9, extending laterally from the vehicle-body, as shown. The prop-bolt 9 is square in cross-section and provided with a reduced threaded extension adapted to receive a clamping-nut 10. Detachably mounted on the bolt 9 is a supporting-bracket 11, the body portion 12 of which is provided with a squared socket 13 for the reception of the bolt 9, said bracket beingclamped in position on the latter by engagement with the nut 10.

The bracket 11, which may be cast or otherwise formed of metal or other suitable material, is provided with a lateral enlargement 13, which extends across the top of the bracket and terminates in a reduced cylindrical extension 14. The top of the bracket adjacent the enlargement is cutaway to form oppositely-disposed seating-flanges 15, defining a pair of spaced vertical shoulders 16, adapted to bear against the longitudinal arm 17 of the yieldable support.

The support is preferably formed of a single length of spring-wire, the opposite ends of which are bent to form terminal eyes 18, which merge into the longitudinal arm 17, the wire being then bent downwardly and forwardly, as indicated at 19, and thence upwardly and rearwardly to form a pair of spring-arms 20, the latter terminating in a forwardlyextending tapering hook or loop 21, adapted to support the pad or saddle 22.

The pad or saddle 22 may be formed of leather, rubber, or other suitable material and rests on the top of the spring-arms 20, being adapted to receive and support the back bow of the carriage-top when the same is lowered. The pad or saddle 22 is provided with a transverse opening 23, defining a pocket 24. for the reception of the hook or loop 21, said pad being locked in position on the spring-arms of the support by means of a single rivet or similar fastening device 25, which passes through said pad and engages the hook at the juncture of its converging side walls, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, thereby preventing both longitudinal and lateral displacement of said pad or saddle.

The yieldable support is secured to the bracket 12 by a pin or bolt 25, which passes through an opening in the enlargement 13 and engages the terminal eyes of the support, as shown.

Attention is here directed to thefact that the longitudinal arms 17 of the support rest on the seating-flanges 15 and are properly spaced apart by engagement with the vertical shoulders 16 of the bracket 11. As a means for retaining the longitudinal arms 19 in engagement with the vertical shoulders 16 and also for regulating the tension of the springarms 20 I provide a clamping member 26, the latter being mounted for longitudinal movement on the cylindrical extension 14.

The clamping member 26 is preferably formed in two sections, one of which is curved to conform to the shape of the extension 14: and is provided with a central opening 27 and oppositely-disposed upwardlycurved ears adapted to receive the arms 17, while the mating member or section is provided with a central recess or socket 528 and laterally extending lugs 29, which pass through the opening 27. and also engage the arms 17, as shown.

Communicating with the socket 28 is an opening in which is threaded a clamping bolt or screw 30, the threaded end of which engages the extension 14, so that by tightening said bolt the two sections of the clamp will engage the arms 19 of the support and effectuallyprevent accidental displacement of the latter. By releasing the bolt 30 and adjusting the clamping member 26 longitudinally of the cylindrical extension the tension of the spring-arms of the support may be regulated at will, thereby materially increasing the scope and utility of the invention.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a desirable and efficient saddle or rest for the support of a reclining vehicle-top and one which is adapted to absorb any jar incidental to the sudden descent of the top when it is rocked into a reclining position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is p l. A device of the class described comprising a bracket, a yieldable support carried by the bracket and consisting of a pair of spring-arms terminating in a pad-supporting loop, and means for regulating the tension of said spring-arms.

2. A device of the class described com prising a bracket, a yieldable support secured to the bracket and consisting of a pair of spring-arms terminating in a pad-supporting loop, and a clamp carried by the bracket and adjustable longitudinally of the latter for regulating the tension of said spring-arms.

3. A device of the class described comprising a bracket provided with a rectangular socket for engagement with the prop-bolt prising a bracket having a rectangular socket formed therein for engagement with the propbolt of a vehicle and provided with oppositely-disposed shoulders, a yieldable support consisting of a pair of spring-arms terminating in a pad-supporting loop, and a clamping member for locking said arms in engagement with the shoulders of the bracket.

5. A device of the class described comprising a bracket having a rectangular socket for engagement with the prop-bolt of a vehicle, a yieldable support secured to the bracket and havinga pair of spring-arms terminating in a pad-supporting loop, a pad engaging said loop, and means for clamping the support to the bracket, said means serving to regulate the tension of the spring-arms.

6. A device of the class described comprising a pair of spring-arms terminating in a tapering pad-supporting loop, a pad resting on said springarms and provided with a pocket for the reception of the latter, means for regulating the tension of the spring-arms, and a fastening means passing through the pad and loop and engaging the end and converging side walls of the loop to thereby prevent longitudinal and lateral displacement of said pad.

7. A device of the class described comprising a bracket provided with a lateral enlargement defining a pair of spaced vertical shoulders and having a rectangular socket formed therein for the reception of the propbolt of a vehicle, a yieldable support formed of a single piece of wire the ends of whichare secured to said enlargement and extended rearwardly and parallel with the spaced shoulders, the ends of said wire terminating in a pair of spring-arms adapted to support a pad, and means carried by the bracket for clamping the fixed ends of the wires in engagement with said shoulders.

8. A device of the class described comprising a bracket provided with a lateral extension and having a socket formed therein adapted to receive the prop-bolt of a vehiclebody, a yieldable support carried by the bracket, and a clamping member mounted on said extension and adapted to engage the support, said clamping member being formed in two sections one of which is provided with an opening and oppositely-disposed ears for'the reception of the support and the mating section with laterally-disposed lugs adapted to pass through said opening and also engage IIO 10 to said enlargement and engaging the seatingfianges, and a clamping member carried by the bracket for retaining the support in engagement with said flanges.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myown l have hereto aflixed my signature in 5 the presence of two witnesses.

SANFORD MOELORY BUCHANAN. WVitnesses:

B. L. CROUCH, J. G. JONES.