ma. 28, 1924.

W. R. MCGOWEN

1,513,257 _
AUTOMOBILE SIDE BUMPER

Filed Nov. 9. 1923

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23mm, @722 GOZ067g

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Patent

Oct. 28, 1924.

1,513,257
cries.
AUTOMOBILE SIDE BUMPER.

WILLIAM R. MGGOWEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application ?led November 9, 1928. Serial No. 678,639.

To all whom it may concern.

speci?cation.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. McGow element or bar is secured in place by a clamp EN, a citizen of the United States, and a res 7. The free ends of the spring are ?attened ident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and to slide along the edge of the running board State of Illinois, have invented certain new in the event of colllsion, thus assisting .the and useful Improvements in Automobile main bar to resist the force of the impact. Side Bumpers, of whichthe following is a Owlng to the location of the bumper it is
essential that its transverse dimension be re

the running board. This auxiliary spring

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and particularly the fenders and running The shaping of the end portions 2, 2 of board against damage from side collision, the bumper is important. The loops or
either in the form of direct impacts, glanc bends at the extremities of the bars 1, 1, are ing blows or side swipes. relatively shar , the angle thus formed be The object of the invention is to provide tween the attac ing ends 3, 3, and the main

This invention relates to improvements in duced to a minimum, hence the addition of bumpers for automobiles and more partic the central reinforcing or auxiliary spring ularly to a novel protective device designed element, to strengthen the main bar, which to be mounted along the sides of an automo otherwise would contact with the edge of . bile, for the purpose of protecting the same, the running board. .

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a practical and useful device which may be portions of the bar being acute, with the 75 readily applied, preferably to the running latter inclined to the ends 3, 3 and the cen~ boards of automobiles, and which are capa~ tral portion of the impact member. ble of affording adequate protection without Thus the ends of the bumper may be de being cumbersome or marring the appear scribed as pointed, with the extremities ly
ance of the automobile.

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strai ht throughout the greater part of its the ends of the running board, thereby af lengt , with one end portion bent in V fording protection for the portions of the shape, forming the two end portions 2, 2 fenders 8, 8, adjacent the points of their oi- the bumper, together with the short free fastening to the running board. ends 3, 3, spaced rearw-ardly from the main The bumper is secured to the running or outer impact portion. These free ends board by means of angle straps 9, 9, which are adapted to bear ?atwise along the edges are riveted crosswise of the extremities of of the running board 4:, of the automobile the rear end portions 3, 3 and providing and to be fastened thereto by members pres rearwardly extending members which lie ently to be described. The straight end por ?atwise along the top surface of the running tions of the bars 1 overlap each other for a board. Bolts 10, 10, pass through the free considerable distance throughout the central ends of the straps 9, 9, and the running
portion of the bumper, and are secured to~

A preferred embodiment of the invention which the bumper is applied. In this man is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, ner, sloping contact surfaces are provided at in which _ each end, so that objects striking or struck Figure 1 is a perspective view of the side by, either end of the bumper will tend. to be of an automobile with the bumper attached de?ected outward, thus diverting the force to the running board, and which otherwise might be destructive in ef Figure 2 is a detailed view in vertical sec fect. tion taken on line 2, 2 of Figure 1. BIZ reason of the overlapping of the ends The bumper consists primarily of a ?at of t e main bars 1, 1, the bumper is capable elongated loop preferably made up of one of extension lengthwise, thereby permitting or more ?at metal bars of spring steel. The it to be adjusted to di?erent lengths of run main part of the bumper consists of two ning board. As shown in Figure 1, a desira complementary bars 1, 1 clamped together to ble- position for the bumper is such that the form the complete device. Each bar 1 is extremities project a short distance beyond

ing in the plane of the surface vagainst

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gether by means of clamps 5, 5. to the edge thereof. At the center of the bumper is mounted a This method of fastening is preferred short bar or leaf 6, curved or shaped to ex since the straps hold the ends 3, 3 tightly 55 tend lengthwise and transversely . of the against the edge of the running board, and space between the outer bar and the edge of at. the same time provide a strong support,

board, thereby clamping the bumper firmly

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since any Wei ht placed upon the bumper is ing an impact bar, havin a straight central~ resisted by t e straps, which tend to ful portion extending paral oil to the edge of crum at the edges of the board, and thus re said board and end ortions inclined toward lieve the strain upon the bolts. It is obvi said edge and bent sharply inwardly through ous that ersons entering and leaving the an acute angle to form attaching portions ex vehicle W1 1 invariably step on the bumper, tending ?atwise along said edge and means for securing said attaching members to said hence the necessity of a ?rm support. runnin board. While the advantages of a device a?lord 4:. A umper adapted to be mounted along ing rotection to the sides of vehicles can be running board of an automobile, and readily appreciated, the combination of the the features herein disclosed provides a device comprising an impact bar extending parallel of practical utility and pleasing appearance, to the eel e of said board and having sloping
I claim as my invention:

end portions terminating in V-shaped bends 1. A bumper of the character described forming rearwardly disposed free ends

comprising a resilient impact bar adapted to extend parallel to and spaced from a sup porting member and having stralght and in clined portions toward the plane of said sup
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adapted to be secured in ?atwise contact against the edge of said board, and an auxil iary bar secured to the central portion or said impact bar and adapted to engage the

5. A bumper adapted to be mounted alon and inwardly turned extremities ada ted to be secured in ?atwise contact to sald sup the running board of an automobile, an
porting member.

porting member, and thence bent at an acute edge of said running board intermediate angle to form substantially pointed ends, said free ends.
2. A bumper adapted to be secured toythe to the edge of said board and having its end running board of a vehicle and comprising portions bent rearwardly and inwardly to a resilient impact bar having a central por form rearwardly disposed free ends adapted tion extending parallel with the edge or said to bear ?atwise against the edge of said board and rearwardly and inwardl bent board, and straps secured to said free ends end portions adapted to be secured atwise and extending transversely of the top sur to the edge of said board and an auxiliary face of said board, and fastening members spring bar secured midway of its ends to the at the free ends of said straps. In witness whereof, ll hereunto subscribe central portion of said impact bar and diverging therefrom to engage at its free my name this 22d day of September, A. 11)., 1923. ends the edge of the running board. 3. A bumper adapted to be mounted along WILLIAM R. MCGQWEN. the rug board of a vehicle and compris

comprising an impact bar extending parallel

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