Патент USA US2388419

Nov. 6, 1945.
E. KOMENDA
2,388,419
VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION
Filed Nov. 26, 1938
Invewíor'
_Erwi?íá'offfer/dw.
2,388,419
Patented Nov. 6, 1945
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
v2,388,419 .
.
VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION
Erwin Komenda, StuttgartÃKorntal, Germany;
vested in the Alien Property Custodian
Application November 26, 11933,~ Serial No. 242,526
In Germany November 30,V 1937
I6l Claims.
This invention relates to an improvedv vehicle
body' construction and more. particularly toa ve
hicle body'ßforme'd `with `integral air ducts for
'
CCI. S18-2)
inserts E. The bod-y is supplied with the usual
floor board 28» formi-ng with the interior of the
body tl'ie- 'passenger space 292. The engine space
atthe rear of the bod-y has been- indicated at 3.0.
It islto be understood that preferably all >oi the
body’e-lfe‘m-ents are formed from sheet metal and,
more specifically, inaccordance- with the kteach
cooling and/or heating various vehicle parts.
An objectr of this invention is to provide a
Vehicle body containing air cooling and/or heat
ing ducts formed as an integral' part of the
ings of my cci-pending application Serial Num»
ber»236,6`33, ii-led October 2.4, 1938. The princi
air cooling andi/or- heating ducts for a vehicle 10 plesof` my construction-are not, however, limited
in their application to this specific> type of body
body, formed- Wit'h a` minimum. of added parts.
which has been used merely by way of illustra
Still another object. of this invention is the
provision of avehicle body made: of individual
The body arrangement described above adapts
interconnected sheet-:metal members which, at
the same time, :form air cooling and/'or'heating 15 itself admirably to the formation of integral
bodyY construction.
’
AnotherI object of this invention is to provide
tion.
.
~
ducts'.
» `An object of' this: invention. lis the provision
hollow ducts extending longitudinally of the Vve
hicle for carrying fresh or cooling air to the
of air cooling and/or heating ducts for the e'n
gine,- passenger compartment, or windshield of
passenger compartment or engine, or for carry
a sheet metal vehicle body', formed from ‘the hol
ing heated air from the engine compartment to
20 the interior of the vehicle or to openings directed
lowspaees already present in such a body.
against the windshield.
"
more. speciiic object of this: invention is the
2, taken in connection'with Fig, 1„I prei-'er that
As best shown in Fig.
provision of air cooling and/orlheating ducts'for
theengine, passenger compartment, and wind
the-iresli air be drawn in through a suitable
opening in- the side of the vehicle, such as >the
shield of' a vehicle body formed from thehollow 25 open-ing 33- :positioned in thev wheel insert 2. An
opening so positioned is subjected to a certain
spaces» within the body' walls, windshield posts
amount of natural ai-r pressure, developed when
and roof rails- ot' such a body, preferably Amade
vehicle is traveling, which will tend- to blowv
frornfinterconnected sheet metal vparts.
the air through the ducts to the positions de
Other objectsandfadvantages or this inven
tion Will be apparent from the description of a 30 sired. For guiding the entering air, duct 34'i`s
first' readily formed between the hollow portions
single »preferred embodiment thereof taken in
existing by thearrangement of the apron I »and
connection with the-attached drawi?nfg, wherein:
theinterior strengthening leaf II. The bound
Fig. l is a side viewhof a‘vehicle body formed
aries- of the duct may be completed by insertion
in accordance with the principles of this inven
35 of small transverse leaves, such as 40.
tion;
Extending rearwardly, the-duct 34 merges into
Fig. 2' is a transverse cross~sectionalï view ‘along
theduct >35 which is formed by the hollow space
‘the lineV II-I’I' of Fig. 1;
bounded by the apron I", the windshield post '6,
f
3 is the» half of a transverse cross-sec
the strengthening leaf II, and the transverse
tional Vi‘ewalong the line 4III-III of Fig. 1;
" Fig. 4- is the half of a transverse cross-sec
tional View along the line
of Fig. l; and
Fig. «5 is a transverse cross-sectionall view- of
partV of the construction shown in‘YFig. 3, drawn
upon an. enlarged scale to 'emphasize eertainfea~
turesof my construction.
¿
»
The princi-ples of this invention areu illustrated
Ygenerally4 in Fig. ’1i as applied to -an automobile
of the type having its engine in the. rear. The
40
leaf'ML
_
'
The duct 35 will then extend upwardly through
the- hollow Windshield- post 6 and will- there merge
`into- the connecting duct 3I`.
v
-
` As best illustrated in Fig. 3, the 'duct 3l is
formed from the natural hollow space existing
between the» roof d >an-d 'the sheet metal roof rail
l. Noadditional-parts are necessary to form this
passage.
«
vehicle body is illustrated as being formed of a 50 Toward the rear of the vehicle where the> roof
rail» extends into the sheet-metal side walls 8, the
frontv apron I having a wheel insert 2 and inter
ductsl is formed by the vhollow space bounded on .
connected With- a roof portion 4'. AVilindshiel'd
lopposite sides and at the bottom by the outside
posts 6 are provided at the ïfront edge vof Athe
lwall itself and the inner lining I9, as shown in
roof 4» and they roof' isv vitself supported by roof
rai-1s>` 11. The latter extend rearwardly into the 55 Fig. 4. v The top of the duct at this point con
side walls 8 which are formed with rear' wheel
sists of the transverse roof strengthening' mem
2_.
2,388,419
ber | 1. At this rear portion of the vehicle the
duct 3| will communicate with the rear engine
space 30, and there may be arranged in any suit
able manner so as to guide cooling air to the en
gine 50. It will thus be seen that the various
hollow spaces 34, 35, and 3| will form a continuous
air conducting duct from the front of the vehicle
back tothe rear engine.
.
If it is desired to provide heated air to the
passenger compartment or to play upon the windshield to prevent the formation of frost or ice,
a similar duct 32 extending forwardly from the
rear of the vehicle may be provided. This duct
can be formed by the connection of the roof, roof
rails, and side walls similarly to the duct 3|. As
shown in Fig. 1 and the left hand portion of Fig. 2,
the duct 32 will connect with a duct V36 formed
utilized, if desired. Variations in the duct sys
tem are also apparent.
Accordingly, I do not intend that the scope
of this invention be limited to the exact features
shown and described, but only as may be required
by the claims which follow.
IV claim:
Y
l
v
Y
l
1`.f In a vehicle body, in> combination, a sheet
metal roof for said vehicle, a sheet-metal member
interconnected with said roof to form a closed
hollow longitudinal roof rail, means for connect
‘ ing one end of the interior of said rail to the
outside air near one end of the body, means for
the connecting of the other end of the interior
of said rail to form an outlet within the body,
said rail is formed with a small slit between the
' sheet-metal member and the inside of said roof,
in the other windshield post by the apron I, the
and removable compressible means mounted for
strengthening leaf | |, the windshield post 6', and
` closing said slit while providing access to the in
the transverse member 4|. A't the lower end of 20 terior of said rail.
the windshield 6' preferably in the vicinity of
2. In a vehicle body, in combination, a sheet
the floor board 28, a suitable opening .39 may be
metal roof for said body, a sheet-metal member
provided through which the heated air may pass
interconnected with said roof to form a hollow
_into the interior of the vehicle. At the position
roof rail extending along the greater part of the
of the windshield, slits 31 may be provided in 25 length of said roof, a forward vertical sheet
the Windshield post 6’ for properly directing the
metal windshield post, a forward sheet-metal
heated air against the windshield. Obviously,
apron, a forward sheet-metal strengthening
cool air could be similarly directed through slits
member inside of said apron, a sheet-metal con
31 or opening 39 in the post 6, and in Fig. 1, the
necting leaf, said windshield post, apron and
direction of the cooling air has been indicated 30 strengthening and connecting leaves being so in
by the arrow in solid lines while the direction
terconnected as to form between them a hollow
of the heated air has been indicated by the arrow
canal communicating with the interior of the roof
in dotted lines.
rail to form a continuous air duct, and air inlet
The manner in which the air may be heated at
and outlet means connected to said duct.
the rear of the vehicle is of unimportance with 35
3. In a vehicle, in combination, a sheet-metal
regard to this invention but it may be done in any
roof for said body, a sheet-metal member inter
of several manners known to the art. AFor ex
connected with said roof to form a hollow roof
ample, the air may obtain its heat from the en»
rail extending along the greater part of the
gine exhaust, from the hot engine cooling water,
length of said roof, a sheet-metal rear outside
or by some separate air heating device which 40 panel for said body interconnected with said roof,
may be regulated to control the temperature of
a transverse body member mounted beneath said
the air supplied. By way of example, and par
roof, a lining panel interconnected between said
ticularly to illustrate a suitable location, a sep
transverse member and said outside panel, said
arate air heating device 49 is diagrammatically
outside panel, roof, transverse member and lining
45
shown in Fig. 1. Heated air therefrom enters
panel forming between them a hollow canal com
the duct 32 through a suitable connection as
municating with the interior of the roof rail t0
at 48. Suitable air filtering means (not shown)
form a continuous air duct, and air inlet and
may also be used for both the cooling and heated
outlet means connected to said duct.
,
air.
v 4. In a Vehicle body, in combination, a sheet
Since the cooling or heating air is liable to con
metal roof for said body, a sheet-metal mem
tain moisture or other ingredients which may
ber interconnected with said roof to form a hol
affect and rust the interior of the ducts, it is
low roof rail extending along the greater part
advisable that these be so formed that they are
of the length of said roof, a forward sheet-metal
accessible for cleaning or covering by paint. To
windshield post, a forward sheet-metal apron, a
that end, the ducts may be preferably formed 55 forward sheet-metal strengthening member in
with small slits indicated in Fig. 3 as 42, in Fig. 4
side of said apron, a sheet-metal interconnecting
as 43, and still more clearly shown in Fig. 5. By
leaf, said windshield post, apron, and strengthen
means of a special device the ducts may be cleaned
ing and interconnecting leaves being so inter
or sprayed through these slits or, if the body is
connected as to form between them a first hollow
painted by the dipping method, the slits permit
canal communicating with the interior of the roof
entry and withdrawal of the paint from the ducts.
rail, a sheet-metal rear outside panel for said
After the painting operation has been performed,
body interconnected with said roof, a body mem
I prefer-to cover these ducts with suitable com
ber mounted beneath said roof,’a lining panel in
-pressible means indicated at 44, such as soft rub
terconnected between said transverse member
ber, artificial resinous material, or felt. This ma 65 and said outside panel, said outside panel, roof
terial maybe in the form of pads which at certain
transverse member and lining panel forming be
places within the vehicle body can advantageously
tween them a second hollow canal communicat
cover the edges 45 of the interior decorative cov
ing with the interior of said roof rail to form
ering 46. The parts will press against the edges
with it and said first hollow canal a continuous
and thus tend to hold them in place by a clamp 70 air duct, and air inlet and outlet means con
ing action.
nected to said duct.
While in the form of invention illustrated and
5. The combination according to claim 2 in
described above only two ducts have been shown,
Awhich said apron is formed with a front wheel
it is obvious that others formed in accordance
insert, and the air inlet means is open to the out
with the principles of this construction may be 75 side air at said wheel insert.
2,388,419
6. The combination according to claim 4 in
which said apron is formed with a wheel insert,
in combination with a third hollow canal com
municating with said ñrst hollow canal and
formed by said apron, and strengthening and in
terconnecting leaves, the air inlet means con
necting said third canal to the outside air at said
wheel insert.
7. The combination according to claim 2 in
3
and in which said air outlet means is in the form
of one or more slits in said windshield posts for
directing air against the inside of said Windshield.
l2. The combination according to claim 4, in
combination with a windshield and floor board
for said vehicle, and in which said air outlet
means is in the form of a plurality of openings
in _said Windshield post, one of said openings
communicating with the interior of said vehicle
which said air outlet means is in the form of an 10 at substantially the height of the floor board, and
the other positioned to direct air against said
opening in said Windshield post communicating
windshield.
with the interior of the vehicle.
13. The combination according to claim 2 in
8. The combination according to claim 2, in
which said duct is formed with a small slit, and
combination with a windshield for said vehicle,
and in which said air outlet means is in the form 15 removable means mounted for closing said slit.
14. The combination according to claim 3 in
of one or more slits in said windshield posts for
which said duct is formed with a small slit, and
directing air against the inside of said windshield.
removable means mounted for closing said slit.
9. The combination according to claim 2, in
l5. The combination according to claim 4 in
combination with a windshield for said vehicle,
and in which said air outlet means is in the form 20 which said duct is formed with a small slit, and
removable means mounted for closing said slit.
of a plurality of openings in said windshield post,
16. In a vehicle body made of a plurality of
one of said openings communicating with the in
interconnected sheet-metal parts having inter
terior of said vehicle and the other positioned
connecting hollow slitted openings therein to
to direct air against said windshield.
10. The combination according to claim 4, in 25 form a continuous duct extending substantially
the length of the body, a covering on said parts
combination with a ñoor board for said vehicle,
for the interior ofthe vehicle, and a removable
and in which said air outlet means is in the form
pad of compressable material closing Said slits
of an opening iri said windshield post communi
and lying over the edges of said covering, for
eating with the interior of the vehicle at sub
stantially the height of the floor board.
30 holding said cover in place and providing access
to the interior of said duct.
11. The combination according to claim 4, in
ERWIN KOMENDA.
combination with a windshield for said vehicle,