US984340A - Vehicle-top-bow holder. - Google Patents

Description

S. T. ALLEN. VEHICLE TOP BOW HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1910.

Patented Feb. 14,1911.

w D $4M Q MT- Q W M @mflwmzsz m lTE gl- SHERMAN T. ALLEN, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

VEHIGLE-TOP-BOW HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. It, .19! .1.

Application filed June 20, 1910. Serial No. 567,797.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SUERWAN T. ALLnN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of lVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-Top-liow Holders, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact: description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to vehicle top bow holders, and has for its object an improved device of this type adapted to tirmly hold the individual bows of the top against rattling when the top is lowered, and to space the bows from one another and to relieve the lower bows ot' the weight of those above them when the top is lowered.

In the drawings :-Figure 1, is a side elevation of a portion of the tonneau of an automobile with the top in lowered position and the bow-holder shown in position thereon. Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the bowholder showing the heads 01" the bolts engaging through the side. Fig. 3, is a plan view of the open side of the bow-holder showing the relative position of the various parts. Fig. 4, is a sectional elevation along the line a-a of Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is an elevation of the bolt-engaging key with the cross sections of the bolts shown in relative position thereto. Fig. 6, is a vertical plan View of the holding bracket as it appears when in its normally oblique position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. '7, is an enlarged cross sectional elevation of the bracket, the bow clip and the locking parts.

1, represents the tonneau of the vehicle, to a bracket 2 of which is pivoted the top of the vehicle, which consists of several individual bows 3, 4:, 5 and 6, and fabric cover 7. Attached to the tonneau is the bowholding bracket 8, through the medium of the projecting knuckle 9, a complementary piece on the outer face of the tonneau, and the bolt 9. The bracket 8 is kerfed lengthwise, or rather divided into two kerfs lying alongside of one another, by a rib 10, which is preferably, though not necessarily, integral with the side portions of the bracket. That one of the kcrfs or channels on the outside of the bracket, that is, farthest removed from the knuckle 9, is formed into a series of pockets by means of transverse wall portlons 11. Each of these pockets tapers from a. relatively wide portion 12 at the top to a narrow portion 12 near the bottom, which narrow portion is just of sullicient width to admit between its walls the projecting tongue 13 oil the clip piece ll, one of which is attached to each of the vehicle bows on the inner side, in such position that, as the top is lowered, and the bows swing into proximity with the holder, each one of the clip members will swing its projecting tongue portion 13 into its appropriate wedge-shaped slot or pocket in the bracket.

Engaging transversely of the bracket at these narrow points 12 oi. the slots are bolts 15 whose enlarged heads 16 engage through the inner wall 17 of the bracket member, the top of these heads nornullly lying flush with the outer surface thereof. 'lhese bolts are normally and yieldingly held in position with the heads in the described position, and with their stem portions engaging eompletely across the several wedgeshapcd pockets. In the inner one 18 of the horizontal channels, however, is hinged or pivoted a bolt-engaging key 19, from whose inner or lower edge project bolt-engaging points 20, which face one on each side of the relatively thin stem of the bolt, and under the enlarged head of it. I11 response to the pressure of the springs 21 which are held in place by some such means as the screws 22, the key lies normally closely against the central rib 10, but when twisted, through the medium of key 23, or any other medimn, such as a wrench, or, if the key is long enough, without any such member, the key bar swings on its pivot pins 2 1- and actuates the head. of the bolts away from the interior of the bracket, thus withdrawing their stems from their normal position across the tongue-containing pockets. In this position the various tongue pieces which are supported by the individual bows are permitted to slip down to the extreme bottom of their several pockets instead of being stopped short of such position by the presence of the bolt stem thcreacross. The inner ends of the bolt stems may, if desired be beveled, so that when the vehicle top is lowered and the clips slipped into their pockets they will of their own impetus force the bolts back far enough and long enough to admit the clip ends. When the release of the tongue members, and thereby of the bows, is desired, the key is again actuated, and while the bolts are in retracted position, the hoisting of the top raises them out of the pockets, after which the release of the actuating movement of the key permits them to return to their normal positions across the pockets.

To prevent the accumulation of dust in the several pockets a hole 26 may be provided at the bottom of each transverse wall 11, through which the dust will fall from one pocket to another and finally entirely outside of the bracket.

If desired, a stop arm 27 may be pivoted on the under side of the bracket piece 8, as

shown in Figs. 3 and 4t, this to be swung to horizontal position before the top is lowered, in order to catch the top and prevent it from falling too far, if by any chance, such as the insecure pivoting of the top to the bracket 2, the bows do not fall in the exact vertical plane which will throw their clip members into the pockets of the bracket 8.

What I claim is 1. In a vehicle top bow holder, the combination of a supporting body piece, a plurality of transversely arranged locking bolts, a plurality of clip members carried by the bows of the vehicle top and adapted to be swung by the lowering thereof to engaging position with respect to said body piece and locking bolts, and a bolt-engaging member whereby said bolts may be swung from their normal locking position to permit the reception or the release of said clip members, substantially as described.

2. A vehicle top bow holder, comprising a longitudinally recessed receiving member, clip members carried by the bows of the vehicle top and adapted to engage in the recessed portion of the receiving member when the top is lowered, a set of locking bolts engaging transversely of said receiving member, whereby said clip members may be locked in position, and a key member whereby said bolts may be actuated to permit the reception or release of said clip members, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a plurality of vehicle bows, each provided with a lateral projection intermediate its ends, a supporting bracket member within a receiving portion of which the ends of said projections are adapted to fit when the bows are lowered, a plurality of bolt members normally lying in locking position with respect to the receiving portion of said bracket member, and a bolt-engaging key whereby said bolt members may be actuated, substantially as described.

4. In a vehicle top bow holder, in combination with a receiving bracket, bolt members engaging transversely thereof, clip members carried on the several bows in position to engage said bracket, and a key member whereby said bolt members may be withdrawn from looking position with respect to the clip members, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

SHERMAN T. ALLEN. lVitnesses WILLIAM M. SWAN, CHARLES 0. JENNINGS.

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