Safety frame for automotive vehicles

Claim 2

A safety frame for automotive vehicles, particularly for passenger vehicles having a passenger compartment, which safety frame is constructed in the zone of the passenger compartment to be deformation resistant and at least in the zone of the vehicle front end to be susceptible to deformation, comprising first and second longitudinal vehicle frame members extending from said passenger compartment for supporting vehicle parts, each frame member being formed of telescoping parts which support the vehicle parts, vertical support members Mounted against said vehicle passenger compartment and supporting one end of each of said longitudinal vehicle frame members, fracturable fastening means in each frame member for securing said telescoping parts to one another to prevent relative displacement thereof, and deformable means disposed within one of the telescoping parts for absorbing the energy required in displacing one telescoping part into the other telescoping part upon fracture of said fastening means.

Claim 3

A safety frame as defined in claim 2, wherein said frame members include a transverse shock-absorbing member interconnecting the ends of said frame members.

Claim 4

A safety frame as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame members as secured to said passenger compartment by way of vertically disposed supports mounted on one side of said passenger compartment.

Claim 5

A safety frame as defined in claim 1, wherein said deformable means is provided in the form of a foam material filling one of said telescoping parts.

Claim 6

A safety frame as defined in claim 1, wherein means for mounting torsion spring plates and steerage members of the vehicle are supported on one of said telescoping parts.

Claim 7

A safety frame for automotive vehicles, particularly for passenger vehicles having a passenger compartment, being constructed in the zone of the passenger compartment to be deformation resistant and at least in the zone of the vehicle front end to be susceptible to deformation, comprising longitudinally extending frame members extending from said passenger compartment and including at least one frame member formed of telescoping members for supporting vehicle parts, fracturable fastening means for securing said telescoping members to prevent relative displacement thereof, and deformable means disposed within one of the telescoping members for absorbing the energy required in displacing one telescoping member into the other telescoping member upon fracture of said fastening means, wherein said frame members include at least four frame members formed of telescoping parts disposed in pairs one above the other.

Claim 8

A safety frame for automotive vehicles, particularly for passenger vehicles having a passenger compartment, being constructed in the zone of the passenger compartment to be deformation resistant and at least in the zone of the vehicle front end to be susceptible to deformation, comprising longitudinally extending frame members extending from said passenger compartment and including at least one frame member formed of telescoping members for supporting vehicle parts, fracturable fastening means for securing said telescoping members to prevent relative displacement thereof, and deformable means disposed within one of the telescoping members for absorbing the energy required in displacing one telescoping member into the other telescoping member upon fracture of said fastening means, wherein said frame members include at least four frame members formed of telescoping parts disposed in pairs one above the other.

Claim 9

A safety frame as defined in claim 6, wherein the outwardly disposed members of the superimposed frame members are integrally joined to form a single approximately U-shaped part.

Claim 10

A safety frame as defined in claim 7, wherein said frame members further includes a transverse shock-absorbing member interconnecting said approximately U-shaped parts.

Claim 11

A safety frame for automotive vehicles, particularly for passenger vehicles having a passenger compartment, being constructed in the zone of the passenger compartment to be deformation resistant and at least in the zone of the vehicle front end to be susceptible to deformation, comprising longitudinally extending frame members extending from said passenger compartment and including at least one frame member formed of telescoping members for supporting vehicle parts, fracturable fastening means for securing said telescoping members to prevent relative displacement thereof, and deformable means disposed within one of the telescoping members for absorbing the energy required in displacing one telescoping member into the other telescoping member upon fracture of said fastening means, wherein said frame members include at least two frame members formed of telescoping members, and wherein said deformable means is provided in the form of hollow disc washers disposed within one of said telescoping members.

Claim 12

A safety frame for automotive vehicles, particularly for passenger vehicles having a passenger compartment, being constructed in the zone of the passenger compartment to be deformation resistant and at least in the zone of the vehicle front end to be susceptible to deformation, comprising longitudinally extending frame members extending from said passenger compartment and including at least one frame member formed of telescoping members for supporting vehicle parts, fracturable fastening means for securing said telescoping members to prevent relative displacement thereof, and deformable means disposed within one of the telescoping members for absorbing the energy required in displacing one telescoping member into the other telescoping member upon fracture of said fastening means, wherein said frame members include at least two frame members formed of telescoping members, and wherein said deformable means is provided in the form of hollow disc washers disposed within one of said telescoping members.

Claim 13

A safety frame for automotive vehicles, particularly for passenger vehicles having a passenger compartment being constructed in the zone of the passenger compartment to be deformation resistant and at least in the zone of the vehicle front end to be susceptible to deformation, comprising longitudinally extending frame members extending from said passenger compartment and including at least one frame member formed of telescoping members each member being adapted for supporting vehicle suspension or engIne parts, fracturable fastening means for securing said telescoping members to prevent relative displacement thereof, and deformable means disposed within one of the telescoping members for absorbing the energy required in displacing one telescoping member into the other telescoping member upon fracture of said fastening means, wherein said fracturable fastening means include a bolt passing through both telescoping members of said frame member and being formed to fracture under a limited shearing force load.

Claim 14

A safety frame for automotive vehicles, particularly for passenger vehicles having a passenger compartment being constructed in the zone of the passenger compartment to be deformation resistant and at least in the zone of the vehicle front end to be susceptible to deformation, comprising longitudinally extending frame members extending from said passenger compartment and including at least one frame member formed of telescoping members each member being adapted for supporting vehicle suspension or engIne parts, fracturable fastening means for securing said telescoping members to prevent relative displacement thereof, and deformable means disposed within one of the telescoping members for absorbing the energy required in displacing one telescoping member into the other telescoping member upon fracture of said fastening means, wherein said fracturable fastening means include a bolt passing through both telescoping members of said frame member and being formed to fracture under a limited shearing force load.

Claim 15

A safety frame as defined in claim 10, wherein said fracturable fastening means include resilient means interposed between said telescoping members.

Claim 16

A safety frame for automotive vehicles, particularly for passenger vehicles having a passenger compartment, being constructed in the zone of the passenger compartment to be deformation resistant and at least in the zone of the vehicle front end to be susceptible to deformation, comprising longitudinally extending frame members extending from said passenger compartment and including at least one frame member formed of telescoping members for supporting vehicle parts, fracturable fastening means for securing said telescoping members to prevent relative displacement thereof, and deformable means disposed within one of the telescoping members for absorbing the energy required in displacing one telescoping member into the other telescoping member upon fracture of said fastening means, wherein said fracturable fastening means include a bolt passing through said telescoping members, annular discs inserted into bores in one of said telescoping members through which said bolt passes, a shearing bushing surrounding said bolt, an elastic sleeve surrounding said shearing bushing and an outer bushing surrounding said elastic sleeve and mounted in one end of said other telescoping member.

Claim 17

A safety frame for automotive vehicles, particularly for passenger vehicles having a passenger compartment, being constructed in the zone of the passenger compartment to be deformation resistant and at least in the zone of the vehicle front end to be susceptible to deformation, comprising longitudinally extending frame members extending from said passenger compartment and including at least one frame member formed of telescoping members for supporting vehicle parts, fracturable fastening means for securing said telescoping members to prevent relative displacement thereof, and deformable means disposed within one of the telescoping members for absorbing the energy required in displacing one telescoping member into the other telescoping member upon fracture of said fastening means, wherein said fracturable fastening means include a bolt passing through said telescoping members, annular discs inserted into bores in one of said telescoping members through which said bolt passes, a shearing bushing surrounding said bolt, an elastic sleeve surrounding said shearing bushing and an outer bushing surrounding said elastic sleeve and mounted in one end of said other telescoping member.

Claim 18

A safety frame as defined in claim 12, wherein said bolt is provided with at least one annular groove to render said bolt fracturable under a limited shear load.

Claim 19

A safety frame as defined in claim 13, wherein said other telescoping member serves as a piston and is provided with a transverse plate mounted on the free end thereof.