US3813113A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Retraction mechanism for a protruding part of a vehicle
Assignee: UK Secretary of State for Defence
•
Filing: 1971-03-12
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Granted: 1974-05-28
•
Expires: 1991-03-12
Abstract
Abstract A retraction mechanism for protruding parts of vehicles such for instance as mascots, and comprises a toggle spring or springs connected between the part and the vehicle and arranged to retract the part when the part is struck with a predetermined force, thus avoiding possible damage to pedestrians.
Inventors
- 👤 H Burnham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:39
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R13/00; B60R13/005; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S248/00; Y10S248/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A vehicle having a part, said part having a protruding position and a retracted position, a housing located in said vehicle adjacent to said part and arranged to at least partly house said part when said part is in its retracted position, at least one toggle spring having two end connections, means connecting one of said end connections to said part and the other of said end connections to said vehicle, said end connections exerting a force away from one another and having a line of action of said force being such that when said part is in said protruding position said end connections act to hold said part in said protruding position and when said part is moved by a predetermined extent, one said end connection and said line of action of said force being moved such that said force acts on said part to move it to and maintain it in said retracted position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
A vehicle having a part, said part having a protruding position and a retracted position, a housing located in said vehicle adjacent to said part and arranged to at least partly house said part when said part is in its retracted position, at least one toggle spring having two end connections, means connecting one of said end connections to said part and the other of said end connections to said vehicle, said end connections exerting a force away from one another and having a line of action of said force being such that when said part is in said protruding position said end connections act to hold said part in said protruding position and when said part is moved by a predetermined extent, one said end connection and said line of action of said force being moved such that said force acts on said part to move it to and maintain it in said retracted position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A vehicle as in claim 1 having a sEating normally arranged to cover said housing, said seating comprising a loose part arranged to fall away on initiation of the retraction and to leave a sufficiently large hole through which the protrusion can be retracted into said housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 and in which said loose part has projections which engage in slots and constrain movement of the loose part to a predetermined direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A vehicle as claimed in claim 3 and in which there is a stop or stops which allow only predetermined amount of movement of the loose plate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 and in which there are four said toggle springs mounted substantially symmetrically with respect to the direction of retraction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A vehicle as claimed in claim 5 and in which said four springs comprise two pairs each made up of a single length of spring material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 and in which said protrusion comprises the mascot of a motor vehicle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1479428A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-27 | 1977-11-26 | 1978-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-27 | 1981-11-26 | 1982-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-27 | 1985-11-26 | 1986-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |