US984848A - Folding wind-shield. - Google Patents

Description

E. H. PRATT.

FOLDING WIND SHIELD. APPLICATION rum) 001222, 1908.

Patented Feb. 21,1911.

' LUVNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL H. vPRATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 STUDEBAKER BROTHERS MAHU "rnc'rom'nc commmr, or some; BEND, INDIANA, 'A conronnrrou or mutant.

FOLDING WIND-SHIELD.

"984,848, Specification of Letters latent. 4 Patentedlteb, 21, 1911 Application filed October 22, 1908. Serial No. 459,012.

To all whom it may concern: 1 port 12 and each of its opposite edges ad- Be it known that I, EARL H. PRATT, a iacent to its top margin is supplied with a citizen of the United'States, residing at. hinge member 13 of channel shape at. its Chicago, in the coun v of Cook-and State lower half and of substantially angle sec- 5 of Illinois, have invented certain new and tion at its upper half above-the hinge pin 60 useful Improvements in Folding \Nind- 0r pintle 14. As is customary, this hinge Shields, of which the following is a specimember or sheathing 13 receives and ac fication. commodates the sash or framing of the My invention concerns foldable wind lower shield section. The outer face of this shields or guards such as are in common hinge member 13 at its upper end is sup- 65 use at the present time on automobiles to pli d with an outwardly-extended screwprotect the occupants of thevehicle trom threaded rod or pin 17 and a lug 18 conthe eilects of wind and dust. These shields centric therewith and forming about twoare usually made so as to be capable of foldthirds 0i three-quarters Of a truncated cone.

ing or collapsing, whereby they may occupy The upper section or part-19 of'the fold- 70 but. little space when not in use. It becomes able shield is hinged on the pintle 14 by necessary in such devices to provide some means of a strap 20 having at its upper means for securely locking the shield secend an outwardlysextended lug 21 forming tions in operative or unfolded condition, and the, remainder of the truncated cone, it be- 20 it is to improvements in this part of the deing understood that the strap or bar 20 7 vice that my invention is directed. Its aim takes the place of the portion of the hingeis to provide a locking or clamping mechamember 13 omitted above .he hinge itself, nismsimple in construction, economical to the angle part of the member 13 and the manufacture, easily operated, and ellective strap or bar '20 const tuting a cl1annel= for the purpose intended. shaped structure in which the sash or frame Whereas vmy invention is susceptible of a 15 carrying the glass 16 of the upper secvariety of embodiments, yet in order that tion 19 of the shield is accommodated. The the invention may be fully understood I member 13 being rigidly fastened to the have illustrated on the accompanying drawlower section acts as an abutment or stop to '30 ing and described below one preferred and limit the turning of the upper section 19 on desirable construction containing the imthe hinge in one direction.

provement. At each side of the vehicle, that is, at On the drawing, Figure 1 is an edge each end of the toldable guard, I pivot at view -of the front portion of an: automobile 22 a comparatively-long cylindrical brace 35 illustrating in full lines my improved wind rod 23 having thereon shoulders or stops 24 shield in vertical or operative position, the and 25, the latter being at the upper end of collapsed condition of the same being indithe brace rod. while the former is near its cated in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a fragmenlower end and limits the downward swingtar'y elevation of one edge portion of the mg of the collapsed shield, as will be readily 510 shield illustrating thc'hinged connection bcunderstood from a consideration oft-he contween the two sjc'tions, and showing also struction and operation of the parts hereinmy improved locking 0r clamping mechaafter described. On each of these brace rods nism;.Fig. 3 is a fragmentaiy vertical scc- I employ a clamp 26 provided with a cylin tion through the central portion of the drical aperture 27 accommodating the brace 45' shield sect-ions; Fig. 4.- is an' edge clevational rod. the clamp being slidable longitudinally view of the hinge connections between the on thclattcr, as will be obvious. On its in-' shield sections, showing also those parts of nor face this clamp 26 has a conical aper- 50 a horizontal section on line 5 ,my improved locking o1; clamping mcchaturo or recess 22 adapted to receive and ac- .nism which are integral therewith; Fig. 5 is commodatc the two lugs 18 and 21 unitedly 5 of Fig. 1; forming an outwafilly-extended truncated and Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line cone. 'lhc clamp 26 on its outer face has 5( of Fig. 1. a cylindrical cavity 29 intersecting theaper- The frame of the lower secti n 10 of the (are 27 so that a portion of the brace rod 23 foldable wind shield or screen is hinged at extends into the recess or cavity 29. The

55 its-bottom edge at 1.1 to any suitable supwall between the recesses 28 and 29 is perforatedor apertured at 30 to accommodate the threaded rod or pin 17, the threaded end portion ofwhich projects outwardly beyond the clamp, as is clearly shown in F ig. 6. Encircling this pin or rod 17 and bearing at its'opposite ends against the lug 18 and a shoulder 31 in the clamp, I employ a coil expansion spring 32 which by pressing against the face of-the lug tends to push the clam away therefrom, thereby unlocle ing and reeing'the shield sections. lilithin the recess 29 I use a cylindrical ax1allyapertured gri ping member 83 beveled or rounded oil a 34 so as to have an effective bearing on the cylindrical convex snrfaee of the brace rod 23. On the outer end or the threaded pin or rod 17 a nut 35 is supplied,

the same. being equipped with a knurled handle portion 36 to facilitate its manual turning. The hub of this nut is of sh 'htly less diameter than'the recess 29 and against the outer face of the gripping member 33. By turning the nut the gripping member is forced into firm contact with the brace rod and the clamp 1s carried inwardly against the expansive action ofthe spring 32, so that its conical recess 28 receives both lugs 18 and 21, the wedge action of the clamp-on the lugs forcing the same firmly together,- whereby the upper and lower hin e-sections of the shield are securely 10c ed in straightened or operative vertical position.

Assuming that the shield or guard is in the folded position indicated in dotted lines in Fig.1, and that the nut 36 1S screwed on to the-pin or rod '17 so that the member 33 is in firm engagement with the brace rod and the clamp is forced over the lug 18, thiscondition of the parts holdingthe folded screen or shield hrmly and securely in substantially horizontal position and against objectionable vibration and move ment, and it is desired to erect or unfold 45 the shield into vertical operative position, the operator loosens the nut 36 by turning the same manually, thereby permitting the spring 32 to expand and shift the clamp 26 away from the larger lug 18, the pressure of the gripping member 33 on the brace rod 23 at the same: time being removed, the screen or shield is then brought to vertical position, the lower section 10 turning on the hinge 11. the upper section 19 turning on the hinge pin 14, it being" understood that the clanip 26 slides on the brace rod 23 from the stop shoulder 24: up to the end abutment matching position forming a complete trun- 25. The two lugs 18 and 21 are now in outed cone, and the operator by turning the ,nut 35 forces the beveled surface 34 of the gripping member 33 into firm and gripping 'coptact ivith the brace rod. the clamp at the same time being pushed mu'ardlv ovcr ihcftwo lugs and wedged thcrcovcr, duc to BELTS act-ion of said spring,

the action of the inclined or beveled surfaces he lamp n of the lugs. and the recess 0 which they are accommodat'j is now rigidly held in ver'tic" sition without likelihood of becoming accidentally or unintentionally unlocked or unclamped. The reverse of the above-dc The? shield.

operative poscribed operations take place in the folding or collapsing of the shield into inoperative position and need no further description.-

ll'hereas Ihave described in detail the preferred embodiment of the invention, the latter is not limited strictly to the precise structural features shown and described, and theseinay be modified within comparatively wide limits without departure from the spirit and essence of my invention.

1. In a wind shield, the combinationiofa pair of shield sections hinged together,--and means to lock said sections in unfolded or operative position, including alugon each of said sections, said lugs unitedly formin a truncated cone when the shield-is unfol ed,

and an adjustable clamp having 'afconical recess adapted to accommodate bothjof said lugs and lock the shield sections in operative position, substantially as described 2. In a wind shield, the-combination a pair ofshield sections hinged together, a lug on each of said sections, saidil'ugs unitedly forming the shield is unfolded,a ivoted brace-rod, an adjustable clamp slidab rodand having a cone-shaped recess adapted 1to Ireceive within it both ofsaid lugs "and 0c: a spring tending to move said clamp away from said lugs, and means to force said clamp over the lugs in opposition to the substantially as describedthe shield sections in operative position,

a truncated cone [when lev on said brace- 3. In a wind shield, the combination of a pair of shield sections hinged together, 51 each of said sect-ions, forming a truncated cone unfolded or in operative. position, a pivoted brace-rod, an adjustable clamp slidable on :1 lug said lugs, unitedly When't-he shield is' said brace-rod and having a conical recess adapted to accommodate both of said lugs and lock the shield sections in operative position, a threaded-rod rigid with one ofsaid position by'the brace-rod, substantially as described.

4. A folding shield of the class described comprising upper and lower shield parts, each consisting of a frame and a transparent plate mounted therein, hinge. members connecting said shield parts, each of said hinge members consisting of upper and lower eastings having oil-set hinge lugs, a hinge pin extending through said lugs, projections extending laterally fromeach of said hinge castings, and those upon the adjacent castings together forming a frustp-(onical memher, an elongated projection extending fromthe lower projection of said frusto-conical member and in axial alinement therewith, a cup member slidably mounted on said elongated projection and adapted to fit snugly over the first said projections. and means for engaging or disengaging said cup mem -g her and the first said Pl'OjQCtlODs.

l ARL H. PRATT.

\Vitness'es ALLEN ll". Mooma, lVALrnn M. Fmmnn.

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