Patent GB-229185-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automobile bodies and method of making same
IPC: B62D25/00
Filed: 1924-07-17
Abstract: 229,185. Dehn, F. B., (Budd Manufacturing Co., E. G.). July 17, 1924. Bodies. - An all-metal automobile body comprises side panel units 11, Fig. 1, which are connected at their front ends by a cowl unit 10 and include a body sill, a door post, and a metal shell applied externally thereto, a tonneau frame unit which connects the rear ends of the side panel units and includes a cross-member and door-posts in line therewith, and a tonneau unit 12 applied externally to the tonneau frame unit. A front seat unit 14 braces the front ends of the side panel units 11. Each side panel unit 11 comprises a sill 35, Fig. VII, formed with laterally extending flanges, the lower flange 37 supporting the front door post 44 of the rear door 15, and the posts 46, 50 of the front door 16, whilst the upper flange forms the threshold 36 of the rear door and a part 10 of the threshold of the front door and supports the door posts which are welded to it. The door posts 44, 46 are formed with ledges which act as stops for the front and rear doors respectively. An inclined support 65 for a toe board is secured to the front of the sill 35. A side panel 58 covers the outside of the framework. At the rear end of the sills 35 a flange 38 forms an abutment against which the tonneau frame unit rests and to which it is secured. The tonneau frame unit comprises channel-section side sills 82, Fig. XXII., connected at the rear bv a sill 86 and at the front by a cross-member 89. This member 89 is in line with the rear posts 90 of the rear doors and the posts are secured at their feet to the side sills 82. Upon the side sills rests and is secured the seat pan 92 which is bent upwards at its rear end to form a seat support 94 and downwards at the front to adapt it to rest on the lower flange of the side sill 82, an intermediate shoulder 104 being provided to support the flange 106 of a heel plate 107 the upper part of which is bent forwards to form a shoulder to which a front support 101 for the seat is secured. The side supports for the seat rest on the front and rear supports 101, 94. A rear floor 111, secured to the flange 106 of the heel plate 107 rests on the cross-member 89. To secure the tonneau frame unit to the side panel units, inset portions 85 at the front ends of the side sills 82 are placed against the flanges 38 of the sills 35 and secured to them. At the rear of the tonneau frame unit a brace 79, secured to the rear sill 86, forms a means of attachment for the tonneau unit which encloses the tonneau frame unit. The tonneau unit comprises a tonneau panel 12, Fig. IV., the front edges of which are bent inwards forming flanges adapted to be secured to the front of the posts 90. The lower portions of the sides of the panel 12 are cut away to accommodate wheel housings 13. These housings are secured to the side sills 82 of the tonneau frame unit and to an inwardly-extending flange 21 on the tonneau panel, this flange also supporting the mud-guards 20. The wheel housing 13 and the upper part of the tonneau panel 12 are braced together by members 25 secured to a stiffening rail 29 in the top of the panel 12. The cowl unit 10 is shown in near elevation in Fig. XVI. It comprises a cowl panel 114 secured at the front to a cowl pan 116 provided with a plate 118 forming a support for the front of the toe board. The rear edges 123 of the cowl panel are bent inwards to adapt them to be secured to the rear faces of the front door posts 50, flanges 129 of members 127, adapted to support an instrument board, being secured to the front faces of the posts. The lower edge 125 of the cowl panel extends rearwards and is secured to the side sills 35, portions 126 of the edge being bent over to complete the thresholds of the front doors. The front seat unit comprises a seat pan 131 of which the front and rear portions are bent upwards, the rear portion 132 constituting a support for a curved seat back 134 formed with a ledge 137 to which is secured the rear support 147 for the seat. A heel board 139 bent round at the sides to cover the exposed parts of the front seats, rests on the upturned front portion 133 of the seat pan 131 and carries at its upper edge the front support for the seat. The seat is given additional support by a cross-bar 145 secured to U-shaped members 48 in the door posts 46. The door posts 44, 46 are provided with devices to prevent rattling. The ledge or stop portion 47, Fig. XXX., of the post 46 is cut away at one part to accommodate a convex plate 155. Into the space thus formed a rubber buffer 156 is inserted with its ends 157 projecting up and down behind the stop portion 47.