US786772A - Steering-wheel for motor-vehicles. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED APR. 4,1905. 1-]. J5 LONN.

STEERING WHEEL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

- APPLlGATlON EZLBD APR. 8, 190%.

'NrTEn STATES Patented April 4, 1905.

PATENT FICE'.

\ EDWARD JULius LONN, or LAroRTE, mniANAfAssmNoR, BY MESNE AS SIGNMENTS..TO AUTOCAR COMPANY, or ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

I STEERING-I-W'HEEL FQR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming: part of Letters Patent No. 786,7'i'2, dated April 4, 1905.

' Application filed April 8, 1904. Serial No. 202.173. I

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, EnwAnn Jumps LoNN, a citizen of the-United States, residing at Le: port-e, in the county of 'Leporte and State of Indiana, have in ventedcertein new and useful Improvements in Steering-Wheelsfor Motor- Vehicles. of which the following-is e. specification, reference being hed therein to the accompanyin'g drawings.

My invention relates to certein new end useful improvements in steeringwvheels for bicycles. automobiles. or other such like veinches; and it consists. in e revo'luble hand grip or grips formed to be inserted in the rim or periphery of a steering wheel, whereto by suitable means valves or other controlling mechanisms are connected to be regulated revoluble'grip or grips situated conveniently in the rim or periphery of e steering-wheel,

end when two such grips are employed the same are preferably disposed in diametrically opposite positions in the rim or periphery of the steering-Wheel, whereby the operator may manipulate valves or other controlling means,

' in connection with the motive power of the vehicle upon which this type of stee1-ing-wl1eel is inountcd,\vitliout removing his hands from the rim of" said steering wheel; also. to construct such revoluble grip or grips and mount the same revolubly idthe periphery of the face.

wheel, so that said periphery will present a r'egulzugsmooth, end unbroken peripheral surconstruction of steering-wheel illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which similar numerals of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention of e-steering --wheel, showing the periphery thereof out out or gepped to receive my invention of e hand-grip wherein it .is remov- 'ebly mounted. Fig. 2 is en elevetionel view of the same looking in the direction of the arrow a. Fig. 3 is n side elevetionel view of the same looking in the direction of the m wt.

l e'ttein these objects by means of the (See Fig. 2.) Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view 5 of the hand-grip. Fi'g, 5isan endbearing. for thesanieL Fig. 6 is sin-enlarged detail view of one of the end bearings; showing the securing-screw in dotted lines.'-whereby said bearings are secured to the ends of the periphery of the wheel. Fig.7 is arr enlarged detail view of the lever-arm and its sleeve. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of'the'trunnions of the hand-grip. Fig. 9 is an end view of the same.

11 is an end view of the same. Fig. 12 is ,an enlerged view of the hand-grip-sleeve-bushing; and Fig; 13 is a plen viewof a steering.- wheel, showing the periphery thereof'cut out 5 or gspped on diametrically opposite sides to receive hand-grips The steering-wheel maybe of any suitable form of construction; but I prefer to c'onstru'ct the erms 1 of a suitable metal and mount on 7 the ends of the said arms a periphery'Z, preferably of wood, and the latter may 'be bolted or otherwise. secured to the ends of the arms 1, and by this form of construction a light and very strong .vvheel'is obtained. 1

The. pcriphery2 is cut out or gapped to re; ceive the hand-grip 3. and on the gappnds of the rim or periphery 2 of the steeringwheel are secured the hand-grip bearings 4. v The ends of the rim or periphery 2 of the steer- 0 ingswheel are reduced to'receive tile thimbles 5 of said bearings 4, a'nd'the.seidlthimbles 5 are accurately iitted'in the en is of the rim or periphery 2 and are secured to the latter by suiteble securing-screws 6, which pass through the ends of the rim 2 or; periphery of the steering-w heel and are screw d-jn threaded holes formed in the tlji mfil'e's'd to securely hold and retain said beari ngs 4 in their position relatively/,teeueh other and'centrally 9 with the revoluble center oraxis of the grip 3, so thattheir journeled bearings 7 WlllbB directly opposite eech other and in alinement with the axis of the grip 3 to receive the trunnions 8; y The hand-grip 3 n1ey'be of'woodor any other insulating or nop-couducting materiel, f such es vulcanized rubber, end is preferably Fig. 10 is an enlargedyiew of 1'" another form of the trunnion-bearing. Fig;

of a round form and of a larger diameter at its center and tapered gradually to its ends.

- The outer sleeve-or bushing 9 is fitted in the hand-grip 3 to extend longitudinally therethrough, and on one of the prolonged ends of the said sleeve is secured the hub 10 of the lever-arm 11. The inner sleeve '12 is fitted in the bore of the outer sleeve 9 and extends flush with the ends of the latter, and the said sleeves are secured firmly in the hand-grip 3 by means of the securing-screws 13, which pass through said hand-grip at or near the ends thereof, through the-outer sleeve 9, and are screwed into the inner sleeve 12, and the projecting end of the said screws engage the grooves 14, formed in the trunnions 8.

The trunnions 8 are fitted in the ends of the bore of the inner sleeve 12 and are arranged to slide longitudinally therein, and between the said trunnions is situated a coil spring 15, by means of which the said trunnions 8 are forced outwardly when the hand-grip 3 is placed in position to cause the trunnions 8 to enter their bearings 7 and project in said bearings sufiiciently' to forma substantial journal-support.

The bearings 4 may be made in various other, ways, one of which is illustrated in ,QFigsI 10 and 11, in which thecylindrical threaded portion 16 is screwed intothe gap 'ends of the periphery 2 of the steering-wheel till the collars 17 fit up close toandbear against the said gap ends of the periphery 2, and the hand-grip 3 is arranged tofit'between said' hearings in the manner simiiarte the bearings illustrated in' Figs. 5 and 6.

To apply the hand-grip to the steeringwheel, all thatis necessary to be doneis to press the trunnions 8 inwardly and insert the handgrip 3, equipped with its lever 11, in position in the gap of the periphery of the steeringwheel, and when the same is p aced centrally therein the spring 15, situated between thesaid end trunnions 8, will force the trunnions 8 outwardly to enter and form a sufiicient ournal-bearing in the bearings '7. An-arm 11, as previously described, is secured on the sleeve 9 to turn with the .haudgrip 3 and in position thereon to be situated at one end of said sleeve 9, and consequently -at one end of the hand-grip 3, and to the free "endpf the said-arm is secured a rod or some other connecting means to'connect with suitable valves,'levers, or othercoptrolling mechanisms," whereby thelatter may be manipuiated. Afsimilar hand-grip'maybe' inserted 'in the periphery 2 of'the steering-wheel, as shown in dotted lines, (see Fig: 1,) on the side directly opposite the first-mentioned handgrip and to be manipulated in the same way, it

will be observed, so that the operator may readily grasp bothhand-grips when manipulating the steering-wheel, andtherehy control two valves or controlling mechanisms without removing his hands from the rim or periph cry of the steering-wheel.

It is clear that by the means above described the more important controlling mechanism may be connected to thehand-grips, and said mechanism can be readily manipulated with out the necessity of the operator removing his hands from the steering-wheel to divide his attention, which in the matter of highspeed vehicles is necessarily required to be concentrated on the steering-wheel mechanism in order that the vehicle be safely manipulated and guided. This is such an ohvious fact that further description is unnecessary.

Having thus fully described this my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to cover by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is-- 1. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with the rim thereof, of ahand-grip revolubly mounted in said rim.

'2. In a hand steering-wheel, the comhinationwith the rounded rim thereof, of a handgrip inserted and revolubly mounted in said I rim to form a regular contour.

3. Controllingmeanscomprisingasteermgwheel and an independently-movable handhold therein whichis adapted to be connected to an operative device. I 4. Controllingmeanscomprising'asteiermgwheel and a pair of independently-movable handholds therein which are adapted tube confnected to operative devices.

, 5. In a' nand steering-wheel, the combination with an annular rim thereof provided" with a hand-grip-receiving gap, of a handgrip fitted to extend longitudinally in said gap to'dlose the' same, and means forrevolubly supportingsaid hand-grip therein.

6. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination-with the rim thereof provided with-a in said gap, trunnions on the ends of said grip and thimbles securedto the gap, ends of the rim. y

7. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with the rim thereof provided with a hand-grip-receiving gap.-thimbles fitted and hand-grip-receiving gap", of a hand-grip fitted secured to the gap ends of said rim. of a-handgrip fitted to andextendinglongitudinally be tween said thimloles, and hand-grip trunnions mounted in said thimble's.

8. In a hand steering-wheel, the combinetionwiththe rim thereof provided with'a hand-grip-reizeiving gap, thimbles fitted and secured to the gap ends of said rim, of a handgrip fitted and extending longitudinally betweensaid thimbles, hand-grip trunnions in said thimbles and a lever-arm connected to said hand-grip.

' 9. In a hand steerin'g-wheel-,'the combin ation with the rim thereof provided with a hand-grip-receiving gap, thimbles fitted to and rim and means connected to each of said revoluble hand-grips vl1ereby controlling mechanisms may be operated independently.

- 11. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with'the rim thereof provided with a plu- 'rality ofhand-grip gaps, of a grip mounted in each of said gaps and means connected to each of the said revoluble hand-grips whereby the controlling mechanisms may he operated independently.

12. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with the rounded rim thereof provided with a plurality of hand-grip gaps, of a hand grip fitted and revolubly mounted in eachof said gaps to form a continuous and unbroken peripheral contour.

13. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with the rim thereof provided with a hand grip-receiving gap, thimhles [itted to and secured to the gap ends of said rim, of a sleeve fitted and extending longitudinally between said thimbles, a lever-arm secured on one of the ends of said sleeve, a hand-grip mounted on said sleeve, end trunnions mounted in the ends of said sleeve and arranged tolaccurately [it in said end thimhles.

14. In a hand steering-wheel, the comhina tion with the rim thereo" provided with a handgrip-receiving gap, thimhlcs fitted to and sesaid thimbles a lever-arm securedon one of the ends of the said sleeve, a hand-grip monnt-. ed on said sleeve and encircling the same, end

trunnions yieldingly mounted in the ends of said sleeve and arranged to be moved into said thimbles when said hand-grip is placedin position.

15. In a hand steering-wheel, the combinati on with the rimthereof provided with a handgrip-receiving gap, thimbles fitted to and secured to the gap ends of said rim, of a sleeve fitted and extending longitudinally between said thimbles, a lever-arm secured on one of the ends of the said sleeve, a hand grip mounted on said sleeve and encircling the same, end trunnions mounted in the ends of said sleeve, and a spring situated in said sleeve between said trunnions for moving the latter longitu: dinally.

16. In a hand steering-wheel, the combination with'thc rim thereof provided with ahandgri 'i-receiving gap, thimbles fitted to and secured to the gap ends of said rim, of an outer sleeve fitted and extending longitudinally between said thimblcs, a lever-arm secured on one of the ends of the said outer sleeve, an

inner sleeve mounted within the aforesaid sleeve, a handgrip mounted on said outer sleeve and enc1reling the same, end trunnions mounted in the ends of said inner sleeve,

means for extending the said trunnions and presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD JULIUS LONN.

Witnesses:

W. R. SMITH, EsTnLLA ANDERSON.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in r

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