Patent GB-501640-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to vehicles
IPC: B62D21/10
Filed: 1937-06-26
Abstract: 501,640. Vehicle bodies and undercarriages; mounting motors. SMITH, S. June 26, 1937, No. 17845. [Classes I03.(ii), 108 (i), and 108 (ii)] [Also in Group XXXI] A chassis-less vehicle has a sheet-metal body forming the main load-carrying part and comprising base 11, side walls 10, and roof 12, the body being reinforced by members which extend longitudinally for the length of the vehicle along the lower parts of the side walls and into the wheel housings and which form part of the anchorage for the front and rear wheel suspension means. The reinforcing longitudinal members may be continuous or in two parts separated adjacent the rear wheel axle. As shown the longitudinal members, consisting of L or angle-section plates 16, 17 increase gradually in depth at their forward ends where they are secured to transverse internal members 21, 22, Fig. 3, of open rectangular form reinforcing a rectangular frame 18 extending from. the front 13 of the body, the frame being further reinforced by similar external members 23, 24. In the vicinity of the door opening or openings, the plates 16, 17 engage each other closely and are spaced from the side wall 10 which is flanged inwardly at the lower edge of the door opening to form the. lower part of the door jamb, the flange 19, Fig. 5, being extended over a flange 20 on the plate 16 and preferably welded thereto. At the rear of the dooropening or openings, the rear ends of the plates 16, 17 are spaced apart to form a housing for each rear wheel spring 47, the two sides of the housing supporting the anchorage and shackle pins 51, 53 on which the ends of the spring are mounted. The plate 17 rests on a widened part of the lower flange of the plate 16 while the vertical portion of the plate 16 is extended at 54 and secured to the interior surface of the wheel arch 50 to reinforce the side wall around slots 49 through which extends the rear axle 48. The portion 54 also forms an anchorage for the housing of a shookabsorber 55 which is connected to the axle 48. Around the front reinforced frame 18 a cradle member 25, Fig. 3, of similar-shape is secured which forms a support for the front-wheel. driving engine and gear unit 27, 26 and an anchorage for a pair of transverse leaf-springs 32, connected at their outer ends to the upper ends of the front wheel carriers 33, the lower end of each carrier being connected to the cradle by a wishbone link 34. The gear-box 26 and rear end of the engine 27 are inserted in the open end of the frame 18, the engine being supported, e.g. on rubber balls or blocks while bearings or lugs may be provided on the exterior of the gear-box and/or upon the rear end of the engine casing to engage, preferably through rubber &c. blocks, supports within the reinforced forward end of the body. To the front of the cradle 25 are secured two forwardly-extending arms 28, Fig. 1, for supporting the bumper 29, the radiator, the front of the engine cover, and, if desired, the forward end of the engine. Alternatively, the major portion of the weight of the engine may be disposed further rearwardly in which case the rear end of the engine may be supported within the body on a transverse member secured between the plates 16, 17 on opposite sides of the body. The leaf-springs 32 may be replaced by a single leaf-spring or by cantilever springs. A housing for a spare wheel 39 and tools &c. is provided beneath the front seats and the opening 40 therefor, normally closed by a cover 44, is disposed beneath the driver's seat 41 which is pivoted at 42 to a transverse member 43 so that the seat together with any guides and adjustment means may be hinged rearwardly to give access to the opening. The member 43 may be pressed forwards at 46 to form a footrest. A sheetmetal pressing 60 fixed within the front of the vehicle forms a toe-board for front seat passengers and has a detachable cover 61 at its centre giving access to the starter and rear end of the gear-box. In another rear-wheeldrive construction (a) the housing for each rear spring is formed by a recess in each rear wheel arch, reinforced by the longitudinal plate members and by plates closing the recess, the spring-supporting pivots extending between the arch and plates ; (b) the forward end of the body is of U-shape and carries a cradle comprising front and rear frames which support the wheel mountings ; (c) the front of the body is reinforced by a sheet-metal pressing constituting a footboard which connects together the sides, base, and top of the front portion ; (d) the engine rests in the U-shaped forward end of the body between a pair of side arms and above a base portion formed with openings through which project the engine sump and the lower portion of the gearbox, to permit cooling and facilitate removal of the sump; and (e) the rear of the engine is supported in a resilient bearing including a ring of rubber balls supported in a housing. At its forward end the engine is supported by arcuate rubber pads 101, Fig. 9, vulcanized or otherwise secured between the ends of a transverse plate 102 and plates 103 bolted to a plate 104 riveted or welded to the front frame of the cradle. Each front wheel is supported on the outer ends of a pair of wishbone links 78, 79 mounted on pivots 81, 84 on the cradle frames, the arms of the upper link being extended to bear on coiled springs 83, which are supported on the forward end of the body and may be adjustable to permit variation of the suspension. Preferably, the arms of the upper link are of unequal length. A further construction is illustrated which shows front wheel suspensions embodying leaf-springs. It is stated that both wheel suspensions may include coiled springs, tor- , sion bars, or rubber members, and that the rear wheel suspension may be of the kind described in Specification 412,195. Specifications 321,417 [Class 108 (i)], and 411,881, also are referred to. The Provisional Specification refers also to Specifications 412,203, and 450,603, [Group XXXI].