Patent GB-413793-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in lifeguards or obstruction removers for road and other vehicles
IPC: B60R21/34
Filed: 1933-02-27
Abstract: 413,793. Vehicle lifeguards. SAFETY BUMPERS, Ltd., and CLIFFORD, V. J., 15, Princes Row, London. Feb. 27, 1933, Nos. 5939, 5940, 5941, 5942, and 6515. [Class 103 (ii).] In a lifeguard for road and other vehicles of the type in which an elevated roller carried in a frame in front of the vehicle is adapted to be lowered and rotated in an opposite direction to that of the road wheels when the roller itself or some projection comes into contact with an obstruction, or when operated by the driver, the roller comprises a tubular shell or shells rotatably supported at one or more places by means of one or more short stub spindles fixed to the roller and carried in bearings on the frame. In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 the frame 12 comprises a pair of box-like members 13 formed with lugs 14, 15 for connection respectively to a transverse supporting tube 16 and side tubes 17 pivoted to fixed brackets 11. The frame is held in its normal raised position by the engagement of projections 22, Fig. 1, on spring-pressed latchmembers 23 with notches 24 in a pair of framesupports 20 which pass through the boxmembers 13. Each stub-spindle 36 is rotatably carried in a ball-bearing 37, the housing of which has an extension 38 slidable in the boxmember 13 and carrying a projection 39 pulled by springs 40 to force the roller 35 forwardly. When the roller is struck the whole or the corresponding end of the roller, together with the extension or extensions 38, moves rearwardly and closes a switch 41 co-operating with the projection 39 thus operating a relay for starting a motor (not shown) which drives the roller. During the first rotation a cam 49 rotating with the roller presses the latch 23 rearwardly and separates the projection 22 from the support 20 so that the frame drops under its own weight until it rests against flanges 25 on the supports 20. The frame is retained in the lowered position by the boxmembers 13 engaging elongated notches 26 in the supports. For raising the frame after use a bell-crank 27 is pivoted to one of the boxmembers 13 and carries a roller 29 bearing against the corresponding support 20 so that, when pulled by a cable 28, it first presses the support rearwardly and then raises the frame. The motor rotates the roller through a flexible drive, a pinion 42, and a bevel wheel 44 carried by a driving sleeve 45 which has a radiallyslotted flange 46 engaging a driver pin 48 on the roller to permit a slight eccentricity between the sleeve and the stub spindle 36 when the roller is struck. The roller comprises a central corrugated tube and side extensions for protecting the front wheels, the ends of these parts adjacent the box-members 13 being screwed to reinforced flanges 56 on members 55, 55<a> screwed or keyed to the spindle 36. The driving apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2 may be arranged on each side of the vehicle, or on one side only, in which latter case the cam 49 may be mounted directly on the stub-spindle. In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the driving motor 65 forms part of the transverse stay 16 of the frame and drives the sleeve 45 through sprocket wheels 71, 72. The sleeve is formed with the cam 49 which is drilled radially to engage loosely a pin 73 on the spindle 36 to allow for the slight rearward movement of the roller when struck. Also for permitting this movement the spindle 36 is mounted by means of a ball-bearing 74 in a housing 75 slidable longitudinally against a resilient buffer 77 in a main housing 76. The latch-members 23, 23<a> in this case encircle the supports 20, 20b and are acted on by compression springs 78. The supports may each comprise two interengaging serrated parts which permit variation of the lengths of the supports and vertical adjustment of the roller. Fig. 8 shows a modified driving device which also permits rearward movement of the roller. A spider 83 secured to the driving member, e.g. the sleeve 45, has arms 84 connected by tension springs 85 with pins 86 on the roller. Fig. 9 shows a modified form of cam-release, each support 20 having a V-shaped notch 87 engaged, when the roller is raised, by a spring-pressed trigger 88 on the frame 12, the trigger being released by the latch-member 23. Reference is made on the first Provisional Specification to Specification 333,536, [Class 103 (ii)]. According to the fifth Provisional Specification the roller may be directly driven, or speed-controlled, by the road wheels of the vehicle.