Patent GB-540566-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in metal vehicle bodies
IPC: B62D23/00
Filed: 1940-03-09
Abstract: 540,566. Vehicle bodies and frames. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. March 9, 1940, No. 4435. Convention date, March 18, 1939. [Classes 103 (ii) and 108 (i)] [Also in Group XXXI] A metal vehicle body construction of the type in which there is no separate chassis frame comprises (1) a front underframe, Fig. 29, which carries the engine and extends over the front wheels, (2) a main understructure or underpan, Fig. 25, resiliently connected at its front end to the rear end of the front frame which is connected also to the front pillars 108 by a pair of braces 56, (3) front, centre and rear pillars secured to the main understructure, (4) lower rear panels 16 forming also wheel housings secured to the main understructure and to the rear pillars, (5) an upper part comprising in one piece, the side windshield parts 6, the scuttle or cowl top 8, the roof 4 and the rear quarters 10, and (6) a transverse reinforcing frame and instrument panel 126 which extends between the tops of the front pillars at the belt line and is secured to the windshield parts 6 and to the front end of the roof. The front frame comprises on each side a pair of channel members 24, Fig. 29, forked at the rear part which is secured to the transverse member 30. A transverse member which serves as an engine mounting comprises a pair of members 34, 36 united at the middle part 38 and forked at each end. This frame is resiliently connected to the side sills 82 of the main understructure or underpan by a cup 76, Fig. 5, bolted at 80 to the sill 82, a rubber spool 74 being disposed between the cup and the edge of an. aperture 68 in the member 24. A pair of tubular braces 56 extend from brackets 44 on the front frame to the members 110, Figs. 4, 8 of the box-section front pillars. The flanged end of the bracket 44 is disposed between a pair of rubber washers 50, Fig. 2, bolted to the end of the brace 56. Each front pillar comprises a channel member 108, Figs. 4, 8, secured at the part 109 to the side sill 82 and closed by a strip 110. A transverse frame includes as a single pressing lower parts 124 which fit over the reduced end 122 of the pillar members 108, side members 128 that are welded to the windscreen side parts 6 and an upper transverse part 130 shaped as in Figs. 7, 8 and welded to the front part of the roof 4, the upper edge being formed with tongues for this purpose. A filler strip 120, Figs. 8, 11 is welded to the part 128 and to the top part 116 of the pillar part 110. The bracket 136, Figs. 4, 8 which reinforces the pillar at the point of connection of the brace 56 serves also to carry a door hinge. The part 134, Fig. 8 forms an inner filler part for the part 124. The sides 12 of the bonnet or cowl are welded to the front frame members 24, to the scuttle or top 8 and to the front pillars and is shouldered t 94 where it is attached to the front fender. A front panel secured to the front edge 176 of the scuttle 8 and to ledges 98 on the sides 12 extends, vertically downwards at its upper part and inclines rearwardly at its lower part to provide the foot board. The centre pillar 14 is of box section comprising a channel member and a closing strip bridging the inwardly directed edges of the channel. It is welded at its flanged and flared ends to the sill 82 of the underpan at 450, Fig. 25 and to the upper side rail which comprises a reinforcing strip,194, Fig. 15 formed at' one edge with tongues 198 welded to the inside of the roof 4 the other edge 216 being welded to the roof edge where a drip channel 214 is formed. The strip 194 is shaped as shown to receive the top edge face of the door. The rear quarter panel 10 has a flanged edge 218, Fig. 17 for welding to the upper flanged edge of the side panels 16 the lower edge of which is secured to the edge 252, Fig. 25 of the underpan. The panels 16 are pressed inwardly at the lower part 232 to form a rear wheel housing forming a shoulder at 237 to which the rear fender is attached. The wheel housing part 254 extends over the rear end of the sill 82 of the underpan to which and to the transverse rear seat support 318, Figs. 17, 25 it is welded. A pair of rear seat back supporting plates 238, Fig. 23 extend one at each side from the upper edge of each panel 16 to the underpan and are welded along one edge to the panel, A tray 224, Fig. 17, is supported on the upper flanged edges 220 of the panels 16 and is flanged at 242 over the plates 238 and a back supporting ribs 241 which are secured at the lower end to the channelled part 248 of the underpan. The tray 224 has an extension 226 and with, the panels 16 the seat back and the underpan forms a luggage compartment provided with a door 230. The rear door pillar at the lower curved part is formed by bending over the edge 256, Fig. 16, of the wheel housing part 232 of the panel 16, to channel section and closing this channel by a strip 260. The short upright part of the pillar is formed by the marginal part of the panel 16 which is bent as at 290, Fig. 23, and by bent plates 268, 274, the plate 274 having a rear extension welded to the seat back supporting plate 238. The parts 268, 274 are continued upwardly a short distance above the belt line, as shown in Fig. 24, to meet a downwardly inclined extension 286 of the member 194, Fig. 15, of the upper rail, a part of this member being continued further downwardly to meet the bent edge 290 of the panel 16 at the belt line. The underpan is in two sections each comprising a floor plate 18a, 18b, Figs. 25, 34. The rear floor 18a is formed with a channel 248 for the rear axle. A curved back plate 342 extending the width of the vehicle is secured to the floor 18a at the upper part and at its lower inwardly curved edge 356 to an inner transverse plate 352 which is secured at its upper part also to the plate 18a, the plates 342, 352 thus providing a rear member of box-section. Brackets 358 serve for the attachment of the rear springs. An opening 334 is provided for a petrol tank. The front floor 18b is welded at a lower level to a vertical flange 326 at the front edge of the rear floor and has welded to it a transverse rear, seat support 318. Braces 384, 388 extend from the floor 18a to the upper edge of the support'318 and to the floor 18b respectively. The floor 18b is reinforced underneath by a number of longitudinal channel members welded to it the ends of the two outer ones being also welded to the flange 326 and to these outer ones are secured brackets for. the attachment of the rear springs. Transverse braces 406, 404, Figs. 32, 33 are welded to the upper and lower faces of the floor 18b respectively. These taper as shown towards their ends. The side sills 82-' are formed by bending the edge part of the floor as at 416, 418, Fig. 33 and by vertical and horizontal plates 422, 426. An imitation running board 430 may be added. Rails 412 for the rollers of an adjustable front seat are secured to the floor. The rear wheel housing 232 is welded to the edges 378, 380 and to the end of the sill 82. The fron flange 444 forms the lower part of the foot board. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 comprises also the following:-The .doors which are all of the same construction though of differing contour, each comprise inner and outer panels, 454, 452, Figs. 39, 41 cancelled, and a rib. 468 the limbs 482, 484 of which are welded respectively to one edge face of the door and to a channel 483 spaced from the other edge face 456. The channel 483 serves as a hinge mounting. The rib 468 is formed with channels 478, 474 for the window and a weather strip respectively. At the upper part of the rib the part 456 is bent over into the plane of the door for abutting on the body framing. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.