US1489963A - Chain applicator for automobiles - Google Patents

Description

April 8 1924. 1,489,963

E. E. PEARRE CHAIN APPLICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES FiledMaroh 31, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ZZZ PCZ/V' BY W ATOR A ril 8 192% maww E. E. PEARRE CHAIN APPLICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed March 31, 1923 Fatented Apr. 14.

CH APPLIGATGB F AUTGEIQBILES.

' Application filed time at, rem. serial no. team. a

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ennnn'r Es'rrn PEARRE, a citizen of the United States, residin at Fulton, in the county of Callaway and tate of Missouri, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Chain Applicators for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to im rovements in devices for appl ing anti-ski chains to the tires of motor driven vehicles while the vehicle is in motion, and has for one of its objects to im rove the construction and increase the e ciency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character whereby the chains may be quickly applied while the vehicle is in motion and without the necessity for the operator to dismou or handle the chains, and whereby the chains may be simultaneously applied to both rear wheels and without removing the wheels.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be adapted to motor driven vehicles of various forms and construction and size, and without material change either in the apparatus or in the vehicle.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointedout in the claims, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suficient portion of an automobile structure to represent the construction and application of the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view, of the structure illustrated in Figure 1, but including both sides of the automobile.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line H of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a lon 'tudinal section of the structure shown in igures 3 and a.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a detail in section on the line 77 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a lan view of one of the yieldable clamp evices for initially holdlng thechain upon thewheel, rim and tire.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the chain, detached, and on a smaller scale than the remaining fi ures.

Fi re 0 is a detached detail of the coup ing yoke device of the winding chain.

In the drawings rtions of the right and left hand runnlng boards are represented at 10, a portion of the floor of the body at 11, the tires of the rear wheels at 12, the rims of the rear wheels at 13, the rear axle casing at 14, and a part of one of the fenders at 15, these parts being of the usual and conventional construction.

The improved device which is the subject matter of the present invention includes a casing 16 supported respectively upon the running boards 10 at their rear ends and close to the tenders, as shown. The casings contain the mechanism for holding the chains when not in use, and one of the casings will be arranged upon each of the running boards, but as they are alike except that they are rights and lefts, the descri tion of one will sufice for both.

ounted for rotation throu h each of the casings 16 is. a main shaft 1. having one end extending beyond the casing and of other form than round, and provided with a crank 18 by which it may be rotated from outside the casing.

Mounted upon each of the shafts 17, within the casing and rotative therewith is a hollow outer drum 19, and mounted loosely upon each of the shafts within each of the outer drums is an inner drum 20 and surrounding each shaft within each smaller drum is a spring 21 attached at one end to the shaft and at the other end to the inner drum.

A ratchet disk 22 is formed on one end of each of the outer drums, and a yieldable member 23 is attached at one end at 24 to the adjacent wall of the casing and limited in movement in one direction by a stop pin 25 attached to the casing. Extending through one wall of the casin is a stub shaft 26 having an operating Fever 27 on the outer end and a pawl 28 on the inner end within the casin and in position to engage the ratchet. t its larger end the pawl 28 is formed with two flat surfaces 29 and 29' adapted to alternately engage the adjacent art of the yieldable member 23 and thus hol the pawl yieldably in either operative or inoperative position. By this means the shaft 26 may be rotated to release the pawl from the ratchet and yieldably held disconnected from the ratchet by the action of the flat end of the pawl bearing against the member 23, or held in yieldable engagement with the ratchet teeth b the same means, as will be obvious. T e paw1 215 may thus be held out of action b disposing the shaft 26 in one position or eld 1n 0perative osition relative to the ratchet wheel 22 by isposing the shaft in another position.

One of the non-skid chains is represented in distended position in Figure 9, and com rises spaced side portions 30 and connectmg transverse portions 31 of the usual con-: struction.

At its ends and at one or more intermediate oints the chain members 30 are connects to clip devices adapted to automatically couple the chain members 30 to the rim 13 and the tire casing 12. One of the clip devices is re resente enlarged in Figure 8, each being ormed of a yoke portion 32 conforming substantially to the outer transverse face of the tire casing 12 and with the terminals 33 bent to conform substantially to the outer transverse faces of the beads of the rim 13.

The clip portion 32 is thickened at the outer portion and the side portion reduced toward the rim engaging portions 33, as shown more particularly in Figure '8, so that the sides of the clip devices will yield laterally and enable them to be forced over the tire casing from the outside and engage the rim and be held coupled thereto by friction, as will be obvious.

One of the terminal clip devices is formed with a segmental portion 34 conforming to the outer portion of the tire casing and coupled to the body of the clip by arms 35. Each of the arms 35 terminates in an outwardl directed latch portion 36 with which the ot er terminal clip e ages as the chains are engaged around the tire casing and thus automatically lock the same to the tire casin% as will be hereafter explained.

xtending transversely of the vehicle is a rod 37 projecting at its ends into both of the casings 16 and thence directed rearwardly as shown at 38 and each terminating in a yoke device 39. Rising from each side of each of the portions 32 is an ear 40, each ear having an aperture or seat to receive one of the inturned ends 41 of the yoke 39, and thus yieldably couple the yokes to the clips. The inturned terminals 41 are inclined at one side and at right angles to the bodies of the pokes at the other side.

By t is arrangement the sides of the yokes will be distended when forced over the clip and the terminals 41"snap into the sockets in the ears and thus yieldabl couple the yokes to the cli the straig t or right angled sides of t e terminals enabling the Attached at one end at 42 to the smaller' drum 20 is a smaller chain 43 adapted to be wound upon the smaller drum by the action of'the spring 21, as shown in Figure 3.

Attached to the outer end of the smaller chain 43 is a yoke device 44 having inturned terminals 45 adapted to yieldably engage in the sockets in the cars 40 of the other terminal clip as indicated in Figures 3 and 5.

Preferably an anti-friction roller 47 will be located within the outer drum in position to guide the smaller chain 43 in-its movement.

Pivoted at 48 in the floor 11 at a convenient point to the operator, is a lever 49, the lower end of the lever being coupled at 50 to the rod 37 by a link rod 51. By this means the operator can operate the device from his seat and without halting the vehicle.

With an apparatus thus constructed the operation is as follows:

Initially the main chains 30-31 are wound upon the outer drum 19 and the terminal clips connected respectively to the yoke devices 39 and 44.

The outer terminal clip is thus disposed just within the casing 16 and opposite an opening 52 in the casin s and also opposite a small opening 53 in t e fenders 15. The chains 30-31 are thus entirely concealed and protected from the elements when not in use.

When the chains are to be applied to the tirev casings, the operator merely actuates the lever 49 to cause the link rod 50 to move the rod devices 37-38 rearwardly which movement causes the yoke devices 32 to project the outer terminal clips into engagement with the tire casings, and carrying the chains 30-31 with them and unwinding said chains from the larger drum 19 and rotating the latter with it through the connection of the other terminal clip with the smaller chain 43. As the vehicle moves forwardly the chain 30-31 is wound around the tire casing.

The outer drum 19 will be so proportioned that when revolved to a sufiicient extent to bring the other terminal clip opposite the openings 52-53, the opening 54 in the outer drum through which the yoke 44 if the smaller chain projects will be also opposite the openings 52 and 53, hence the other terminal clip will be drawn outwardly by the motion of the vehicle wheels and coupled to the tire casing in close proximity to the first clip, the final movement of the last clip causing its sides tobe distended and pass over the latch devices 35 and thus be coupled anes to the first clip and correspondingly lock the terminal clips together and also lock the chain 303l upon the tire casing. As the wheels continue to revolve the yoke devices 44 will be forcibly released and the chains 43 returned to the casing by the reaction of the spring 21.

By this simple means the chains 3031 can be quickly applied simultaneously to the rear tire casings and without being handled by the operator and without stopping the forward movement of the vehicle.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be manufactured at a small expense and enclosed in relatively small casings mounted upon the running boards of the vehicle in close proximity to the rear fenders, as shown, and will not detract from the appearance ofmhe vehicle, or encumber the latter in any manner.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawings and set forth in the specification, but it will be understood that modifications within the scope of the claimed invention may be made in the construction without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a supporting shaft, an outer drum mounted to rotate with said shaft, an inner drum loose upon said shaft, a flexible element attached at one end to said inner drum and adapted to be wound thereon, a spring operating to maintain said flexible element normall wound upon said innor drum, an anti-s 'd tire chain adapted to be initially wound upon said outer drum, clip devices connected to the opposite ends of said chain, means for locking said clip devices together upon a tire casing, a yoke device detachably coupled to one of said clip devices and to the free end of said flexible element, a yoke device detachably coupled to the other clip device, and means operative to force said last mentioned clip device into engagement with the tire casing and the rim 0 a wheel.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, an enclosing casing, a supporting shaft mounted in said casing, an outer drum mounted to rotate with said shaft, an inner drum loose upon said shaft, a flexible element attached at one end to said inner drum and adapted to be wound thereon, a spring operating to maintain said flexible element noll wound upon said inner drum, an anti-ski tire chain adapted to be initially wound u on said outer d, clip devices connecte to the opposite ends of said chain,

means for locking said clip devices together upon a tire casing, a yoke device detachably coupled to one of said clip devices and to the free end of said flexible element, a yoke device detachably coupled to the other clip device, a push rod connected to said last mentioned yoke device, and means for actuating said push rod to force said last mentioned cli device into engagement with the tire casing and the rim of a wheel.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a supporting shaft, an outer drum mounted to rotate with said shaft, an inner drum loose upon said shaft, 9. flexible element attached at one end to said inner drum and adapted to be wound thereon, a spring operating to maintain said flexible element normally wound upon said inner drum, an anti-skid tire chain adapted to be initially wound upon said outer drum, clip devices connected to the opposite ends of said chain and each provided with yieldablevfingers to detachably engage the flanges of a wheel rim, means for locking said clip devices together upon a tire casing, a yoke device detachably coupled to one of said clip devices and to the free end of said flexible element, a yoke device detachably coupled to the other clip device, and means operative to force said last mentioned clip device over the tire casing and the yieldable fingers over the flanges of the rim of a wheel. I

4-. In an apparatus of the class described, an enclosing casing, a supporting shaft mounted in said casing, an outer drum mounted to rotate with said shaft, an inner drum loose upon said shaft, a flexible element attached at one end to said inner drum and adapted to be wound thereon, a spring operating to maintain said. flexible element normally wound upon said inner drum, an anti-skid tire chain adapted to be initially wound u on said outer drum, clip devices connecte to the op osite ends of said chain, a ratchet disk carried by said outer drum, a stop pawl swinging upon said casing in position to engage said ratchet, means for olding said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet, means for locking said clip devices to ther upon a tire casing, a yoke device etachably coupled to one of said clip devices and to the free end of said flexible element, a yoke device detachably coupled to the other clip device, and means operative to force said last mentioned chp no I device into engagement with the tire casing ture hereto.

ELBERT ESTIL PEAR 2'

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