US1946578A - Scraper for automobile running boards - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 13, 1934- A. GLAUBER ET AL 1,946,578

SCRAPER FOR AUTOMOBILE RUNNING BOARDS Filed April 20. 1951 22 23 INVENTORS.

AuGL/s'r GLAUBE/Z 21 564 EM/l. f." GLAUBE/Z Patented Feb. 13, 1934 SCRAPER FOR AUTOMOBILE RUNNING BOARDS August Glauber and Emil F. Glauber, Lafayette,

Calif Application April 20, 1931. Serial No. 531,472

4 Claims.

. ing type which is applicable to the running board of an automobile.

An object of our invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and eifective scraper for use on automobiles which can be conveniently secured to the underside of a running board.

Another object of our invention is to provide a novel type of scraper that can be disposed upon the underside of an automobile running board and which can be moved into an inoperative position where it will not project beyond the out r edge of the running board.

A further object of our invention is to provide an efiective scraper for running boards which can be connected to a running board in a permanent manner and which has a scraper element that can be extended out beyond the limits of the running board into an operative position and pushed back under the running board into an inoperative position and out of danger of striking objects when the automobile is in motion.

In the art to which our invention pertains, it has been customary to provide a stationary scraper upon or along the outer edge of a running board. In some instances there has also been provided a slit in the running board through which the mud or other dirt may drop from the scraper. In another type of scraper, the scraping surface has been formed upon a flange which extends slightly outward from the edge of the running board so that the dirt can fall down free of the running board. The former type of scraper has been open to the objection that it would generally leave an accumulation of dirt on the running board and the latter type of scraper has been open to the objection that by reason of its construction it must project outwardly beyond the edge of the running board where it is liable to be damaged should it engage any obstacle while the car is in motion. Therefore, it is another object of our'invention to provide a foot scraper for the running board of an automobile that can be extended outwardly bev yond the edge of the running board when in use lustration and not of limitation preferred embodiments thereof.

In the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a portion or a running board with a scraper constructed" in accordance with our invention attached thereto,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the device 11- lustrated in Figure 1 with the scraper in its inoperative position,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the scraper in its extended and operative position, and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figures 2 and 3 showing a modified form of. our invention.

In the drawing 10 designates the scraper element of our improved device. The scraper element 10, as shown, has rearwardly projecting arms 11 which are disposed between suitable vertically extending supports 12 that will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The supports 12 may be secured directly to the underside of a running board 13 or they may, as shown, be secured to a plate 14 which is adapted to be applied to the running board 13. The running board 13 as illustrated is provided with the usual tread material 15 and a protecting strip 16, as is the general practice.

The rear ends of the arms 11 are shown in this figure of the drawing as being held in proper spaced relation by a reenforcing bar 17 so that the ends thereof will be held in cooperation with the supports 12. Springs 18 are shown as connected in tension between the bar 17 and upturned hooks 19 formed upon the member 14."

By referring toFigm'es 2 and 3 of the drawing it will be seen that each of the supports 12 is provided with diagonally disposed and parallel extending slots 20 and 21. Each of the rearwardly projecting arms 11 of the scraper element 10 is also shown as carrying outwardly projecting members 22 and 23 which respectively engage the slots 20 and 21. In this embodiment of our invention the projections .22 are round in cross section and the projections 23 are made square in cross section. At the lower ends of the slots 21 we also provide recesses 24 into which the members 23 may engage for the purpose of holding the scraper element 10 in its inoperative position. I

In order to insure that the members 23 will engage the recesses 24 we may also provide springs 25 which will serve to bias the members 23 upwardly when the latter are in their I is to the running board of an automobile.

lowermost positions in the slots 21. The springs 25 may be mounted in any suitable manner. As shown, they are disposed between a plurality of outwardly projecting pins; 26.

When the scraper element 10 is pushed into its inoperative position, as shown in Figure 2, it will be seen that the springs 18 will be under tension and as a result if an upward pressure sufficient to rotate the arms 11 about the pins 22 is exerted against the scraper element 10 by the foot of the operator the members 23 will disengage the recesses 24 and thus permit the springs 18 to move the scraper element 10 outwardly and into the position illustrated in Figure 3 where the scraper will be exposed to view.

At this point it should be stated that the angle of disposition of the slots 20 and 21 and the ofiset illustrated in the arms 11 are such that when a straight outward force is exerted upon the scraper element 10, as when cleaning the sole of a shoe, the scraper will have no tendency to move downwardly and thus interfere with its effective use. By the provision of a downwardly extending lip 27 on the scraper element 10, the lower extremity of which lies in alignment with the projections 22 and 23 on the arms 11, it will be possible by applying a slight inward force at this point to easily push the scraper back into its inoperative position, as shown in Figure 2. When the scraper is thus pushed in the members 23 will again engage the recesses 24 and retain the scraper within the outer limits of the running board 13 and out of danger.

In a simplified form of our invention, as illustrated in Figure 4, instead of providing projections 22 and 23 upon the arms 11, we may provide a pair of round rods 28 of similar construction which extend completely across between the supports 12, they being provided with suitable shoulders that will serve to space the arms 11 properly and permit their ends to project into the supports 12.

In this last construction, instead of providing square recesses 24 at the lower ends of the slots 21 we provide comparatively deep circular recesses 29 having an outline corresponding to the cross section of the corresponding pins 28. With this arrangement it is also possible to eliminate the springs 24 as the springs 18 will effectively function to draw the ends of the rear member 28 into their respective recesses 29 as soon as the outer member 28 reaches the lower end of its slot 20.

From the above it will be seen that we have provided a scraper which can be easily applied It will also be evident from the above that the scraper can be moved from its inoperative to its operative position and vice versa in a simple and convenient manner by the foot of the operator.

While we have, for the sake of olearness and in order to disclose our invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements, we desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves, in view of this broad disclosure, to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is broadly new and it is desired to claim it as such so that all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a foot scraper for the running board of an automobile, the combination of a pair of spaced supports each having two parallel and diagonally extending slots therein which extend transversely beneath the running board, one of said slots having a retaining recess in its side adjacent its lower end, a scraper blade disposed parallel with the running board having inwardly extending 35 arms at each end thereof, means carried by said arms for engaging said parallel slots and said retaining recess, and a single spring means connected between the inner ends of said arms and the forward ends of said supports and adapted to urge said scraper blade outwardly into an exposed position adjacent the running board when the means carried by said arms is out of engagement with said retaining recess, said spring being adapted to also cooperate with said retaining re cess to hold the scraper blade in a concealedposition beneath the running board when the means upon said arms engages said retaining recess.

2. In a foot scraper for the rimning board oi.

an automobile, the combination of a pair of spaced supports secured transversely upon 'the underside of the running board, each of said supports having parallel and diagonally extending slots therein, the innermost one of said slots have ing a retaining recess in its side adjacent its lower cess in said supports, a single spring means nected between the inner ends of said arms and the forward ends of said supports and adapted to urge said scraper blade outwardly into an exposed position beyond the edge of the running boardwhen the means upon said arms is out of engagement with said retaining recess, and a downwardly extending lip upon said scraper blade against which pressure may be applied, whereby the means upon said arms will be urged intosaid.

retaining recess when the scraper blade is-moved 0 into a concealed position beneath the running board.

3. In a foot scraper for the running board of an automobile, the combination of a supporting member having diagonally disposed guideways which extend transverse to the running board, a scraper blade having projecting arms which slide in said guideways and permit said scraper blade to assume both an exposed position adjacent the running board and a concealed position beneath 1 0 the running board, a spring means connected between said supporting member and the projecting arms of the scraper blade for biasing the scraper blade into its exposed position, said spring means being so disposed with respect to said guideways that it will also bias the inner ends of said projecting arms upwardly when the scraper bladeis moved into its concealed position, and means at the lower end of said guideways adapted to cooperate with the inner ends of said projecting arms when said spring means is exerting said lat ter bias for holding the scraper blade in its concealed position.

4. In a foot scraper, the combination of a support which can be secured to the underside of a tread, said support having a pair of guideways at each end thereof which extend diagonally in a vertical plane transverse to the tread, a scraper member having arms disposed adjacent said guideways, projections upon said arms extending 1'50 the edge of said tread, and a means cooperating with the projections upon said arms for latching the arms and the scraper member in a concealed position when the scraper member is pushed beneath the tread.

AUGUST GLAUBER. EMIL F. GLAU'BER.

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