US3831998A — Automobile construction for safety of occupants

Claim 1

Independent Claim 207 words

In a safety construction for vehicles, the combination comprising a vehicle having a chassis, a passenger compartment releasably secured to said chassis, automatic means for separating said passenger compartment from said chassis upon an impact of at least a predetermined force at substantially any point around the perimeter of said chassis, and connecting means between said compartment and said chassis to restrain said compartment in its movement relative to said chassis upon separation therefrom, said separating means and said connecting means comprising a hydraulic system, a plurality of cylinders in said hydraulic system, and universal mounting connections at either end of said cylinders for attaching same to said compartment and said chassis for permitting relative movement of said compartment in any direction with respect to said chassis upon separation therefrom, each of said cylinders including a first compressible spring constantly in contact with and urging the piston of the cylinder to its normal position and a second compressible spring shorter than said first spring and having a greater resistance to compression than said first spring, whereby said piston contacts said second spring after said compartment has separated from said chassis and said second spring becomes useful in restraining the movement of said compartment relative to said chassis.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 207 words

In a safety construction for vehicles, the combination comprising a vehicle having a chassis, a passenger compartment releasably secured to said chassis, automatic means for separating said passenger compartment from said chassis upon an impact of at least a predetermined force at substantially any point around the perimeter of said chassis, and connecting means between said compartment and said chassis to restrain said compartment in its movement relative to said chassis upon separation therefrom, said separating means and said connecting means comprising a hydraulic system, a plurality of cylinders in said hydraulic system, and universal mounting connections at either end of said cylinders for attaching same to said compartment and said chassis for permitting relative movement of said compartment in any direction with respect to said chassis upon separation therefrom, each of said cylinders including a first compressible spring constantly in contact with and urging the piston of the cylinder to its normal position and a second compressible spring shorter than said first spring and having a greater resistance to compression than said first spring, whereby said piston contacts said second spring after said compartment has separated from said chassis and said second spring becomes useful in restraining the movement of said compartment relative to said chassis.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 113 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hydraulic system further includes a plurality of actuating cylinders disposed in alignment and spaced apart around and inwardly adjacent the perimeter of said chassis and wherein said separating means further includes a plurality of actuating bars, one of said bars being movably mounted along each side of said perimeter outwardly adjacent the distal end of the piston rods of said aligned actuating cylinders when the rods are in their normal, fully extended position, whereby an impingement at any point along the bar will depress at least one of said rods and actuate said separating means when the impingement is of at least said predetermined force.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 71 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a sectioned steering column and tension means for retaining the sections in interlocking relation longitudinally of each other to form the column as a unit, said tension means releasing the sections upon separation of said compartment from said chassis causing said column to disintegrate into its several sections, whereby said steering column is removed as a hazard to the body of the driver.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 78 words

ApparatUs in accordance with claim 1 wherein said universal mounting connections comprise releasable plates for accommodating separation of said connections when the direction of forces acting against said connections are longitudinally of the vehicle, and said apparatus further comprising additional connecting means and shock cushioning elements carried thereby for connecting said chassis and said passenger compartment so as to restrain movement of the passenger compartment longitudinally of the chassis when said mounting connections of said cylinders are separated.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said shock cushioning elements are adapted to dissipate the kinetic energy of said compartment and reduce the velocity thereof to zero at a rate of deceleration substantially slower than the rate of deceleration of said chassis upon impact.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 127 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said shock cushioning elements comprise at least one shock absorber including a hollow cylinder closed at each end and connected to said chassis adjacent one end of said cylinder, a piston containing at least one orifice adapted to allow passage of air therethrough slidably positioned within said cylinder, and a piston rod connected to said compartment, whereby movement longitudinally of said chassis causes said piston to move toward one end of said cylinder compressing the air contained therein and causing said air to pass through said orifice to convert the kinetic energy of the passenger compartment into heat and reduce the velocity of said compartment to zero at a deceleration rate which diminishes shock to the occupants of said compartment.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 75 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising hook means near the front of said vehicles and lip means around substantially the perimeter of said vehicles, said hook means disposed with respect to said lip means to interlock therewith when the front of one of said vehicles impinges against substantially any point around the perimeter of another of said vehicles, whereby said vehicles become interlocked to come to rest as a unit following said impingement.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 33 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said hook means has a nose and a portion inclined upwardly and rearwardly therefrom to assist in separating said compartment from said chassis upon said impingement.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 87 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 further comprising a movably mounted front bumper and wherein said hook means is disposed in a fixed position rearwardly of said front bumper so that the normal position of the forwardmost portion of said hook means is rearwardly adjacent an opening in said bumper, said opening being of size and shape to permit insertion therethrough of said hook means, whereby said hook means becomes a protuberance forwardly of said bumper when said bumper impinges against an object and is moved rearwardly.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-08-26	1978-02-25	1978-08-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-08-26	1982-02-25	1982-08-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-08-26	1986-02-25	1986-08-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automobile construction for safety of occupants

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