MIROIR A SUPPORT ARTICULE POUR CAMION

RETRACTABLE TRUCK MIRROR

Abrégé anglais

RETRACTABLE TRUCK MIRROR
Abstract of the Disclosure
A truck mirror comprising a U-shaped support on
which a mirror is pivotally mounted. The ends of arms of
the support are pivoted to vertically spaced brackets that
are adapted to be mounted on the truck. Pivot means are
provided between the ends of the support arms and the brack-
ets and comprise two members of low friction material fixed
to the arms. The pivot members define a chamber in which
an axially movable member is positioned. One of the pivot
members has axially extending circumferentially spaced
grooves therein and a movable member has complementary pro-
jections. The movable member is yieldingly urged toward
the member having the grooves such that the mirror is held
in angularly adjusted position but may be readily moved to
a new angular position by manual manipulation.
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Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1.
In a mirror support, the combination comprising
a mirror,
a support on which said mirror is mounted,
a bracket,
pivot means for mounting said support on said
bracket,
said pivot means comprising a first pivot mem-
ber fixed on said support,
a second pivot member fixed on said bracket,
said pivot members engaging one another to de-
fine a chamber,
means holding said pivot members in assembled
relation,
a movable member in said chamber,
interengaging means between said other pivot mem-
ber and said movable member for guiding said movable member
for axial movement relative to said other pivot member and
restraining said movable member against angular movement
relative to said other pivot member,
one of said pivot members having a plurality of
circumferentially spaced generally axially extending grooves
therein,
said movable member having a plurality of cir-
cumferentially spaced axially extending generally comple-
mentary projections thereon,
each of said grooves and said projections having
an axis inclined to the axis of the respective members,
and means yieldingly urging said movable member
toward said first pivot member whereby said support and,
in turn, said mirror is held in angularly related fashion
with respect to said bracket but may be yieldingly moved to a
new angularly related position by grasping said support and

moving it angularly with respect to said bracket to cause
said projections to move circumferentially into engage-
ment with others of said grooves.
2.
The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein
said interengaging means comprises axially extending ribs
on one of said movable member and said other pivot member
and complementary grooves on the other of said movable mem-
ber and said other pivot member.
3.
The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein
said pivot members have telescoping portions.
4.
The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein each
of said pivot members has a groove in the exterior surface
thereof extending transversely, said bracket having comple-
mentary portions extending into said grooves.
5.
The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said
pivot members and said movable member are made of a low
friction material.
6.
The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein
said pivot members and said movable member are made of an
organic plastic material.
7.
The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said
means yieldingly urging said movable member toward said

first pivot member comprises
a spring interposed between said movable mem-
ber and said second pivot member to yieldingly urge said
movable member toward said first member.
8.
The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein
means holding said pivot members in assembled relation
comprises an axially extending bolt extending through said
pivot members and a head on said bolt and a nut threaded
on said bolt.
9.
The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein
said one pivot member having axially extending circumferen-
tially extending grooves therein is generally cylindrical
and has an axially extending recess, the wall of which is
formed with said grooves,
said movable member being generally frustoconical
and having said projections thereon.
10.
The combination comprising
pivot means comprising a first pivot member,
a second pivot member,
one of said pivot members having a plurality of
circumferentially spaced generally axially extending grooves
therein,
the other of said pivot members having a plurality
of circumferentially spaced axially extending generally com-
plementary projections thereon,

each of said grooves and said projections hav-
ing an axis inclined to the axis of the respective members,
and means yieldingly urging said movable mem-
bers toward said first pivot member whereby pivot members
are held in angularly related fashion with respect to said
bracket but may be yieldingly moved to a new angularly re-
lated position by moving one angularly with respect to
the other to cause said projections to move circumferen-
tially into engagement with others of said grooves.
11.
The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein
said interengaging means comprises axially extending ribs
on one of said movable members and said other pivot member
and complementary grooves on the other of said movable mem-
ber and said other pivot member.
12.
The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein
said pivot members have telescoping portions.
13.
The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein
each of said pivot members has a groove in the exterior
surface thereof extending transversely.
14.
The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein
said pivot and movable members are made of a low friction
material.

15.
The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein
said pivot and movable members are made of an organic
plastic material.
16.
The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein
said means yieldingly urging said movable member toward
said first pivot member comprises
a spring interposed between said movable member
and said second pivot member to yieldingly urge said mov-
able member toward said first pivot member.
17.
The combination set forth in claim 16 wherein
said means holding said pivot members in assembled relation
comprises a bolt extending through said pivot members and
said movable member,
a head on said bolt and nut threaded on said
bolt.
18.
The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein
said one pivot member having axially extending circumferen-
tially extending grooves therein has a generally cylindri-
cal wall with a frustoconical inner surface in which said
grooves are formed,
said movable member being generally frustoconical
and having said projections on the periphery thereof.

Description

~7~3
This invention relates to truck mirrors and ``~
particularly to adjustable truck mirrors.
Background o~ the Invenkion
In truck mirrors~ which are required by law ~n
- 5 many governmental jurisdictions, it i5 common and desir~
able to provide for initial ad~ustment of the mirror to ` ;~
accommodate the driver and at the same time to provide a
construction wherein the mirror can be readily retracted
or moved out Or its projected position for clearance and
thereafter readily moved back to its adJusted position
without the use of tools. Various designs have been here-
tofore proposed which required compllcated construotions.
Another problem with respect to the such constructions has `;
been that of corrosion after prolonged use.
In the United States Patent No. 3,784,149,
issued January 8, 1974, having a common assignee with the
present application, there is disclosed and claimed a truck -
mirror wherein the mirror is supported on a U-shaped sup-
port. The ends of the arms of the support are pivoted to
vertically spaced brackets that are adapted to be mounted
- 20 on the truck. Pivot means are provided between the ends
of the support arms and the brackets and comprise two mem~
bers of low friction material. One of the members has
axially extending circumferentially spaced grooves therein
and the other of the members has complementary projections.
The members are yieldingly urged toward one another such -
that the mirror is held in angularly adjusted position but
may be readily moved to a new angular position by manual ~ -
manipulation. Such a ccnstruction has been found to be
`~ very effective but may be obJectionable in that it has an
~ 30 exposed external spring.
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A~.ong the aspects o~ the present invention are
. to provide an ~mproved novel truck mirror ccnstructlon
wherein the angular position Or the rnirror can be readily
ad~usted~ chan~ed ror clearance and retulned to its ori-
ginal position ~/ithout the use of tools and i~hich obviates
the aforementioned ~roble~.s.
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S~ ary of the Invention
Accordingly, this invention provides
. the combination comprising pivot means com~
`. 1~ prising a first pivot member, a second pivot member, one of
j said pivot members having a plurality of circumferentially
c. spaced generally axially extending grooves therein, the other : ~
of said pivot members having a plurality of circumferentially :~:
spaced axially extending generally complementary projections
thereon, each of said grooves and said projections having an : .
axis inclined to the axis of the respective members, and means ~ ~:
yieldingly urging said movable members toward said first .
.. pivot member where~y pivot members are held in angularly
: related fashion with respect to said bracket but may be
yieldingly moved to a new angularly related position by
moving one angularly with respect to the other to cause said
projections to move circumferentially into engagement.with
. other~ of said grooves. . . -
`~ Descr~pt.on of the Drawin~s
--: F~go :L is a fragmentary-perspective view of a
.~ . . . . .
.- truc~ mirror construction embodying the invention.
- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary e;~ploded vie~J of a por- . :
tlon of the mirror. ~:
~: - Fig. 3 ~s a fragmentary transverse sectional view.
. 30 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig.3 ~ ~-
~` sho~sing the parts ~n a different operative position.
"
Description
Referring to Fig. 1, the mirror construction em
bodying the invention is adapted to be mounted on a door or
. :
other portion of a truck or similar vehicle and comprises
;- ¢ a
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an elongated mirror housing 11 which is pivotally sup~
ported at its ends on a U-shaped support 12 compr-ising ~-
spaced arms 13 connected by vertical portion 14. Braclc-
ets 15 are rixed at vertically spaced points on the door
10. Each bracket comprises a base 16 and angularly rela-
ted legs 17 that have flattened erlds 18 t~at overlap one
another. ~e ends of the arms 13 are flattened as at 19
Pivot means 20 are provided between the braeket
arms 17, 18 and the support arms 13 at each bracket or at ~
only one bracket. -~ -
Each pivot means 20 comprises pivot members 21,
22 and a movable memher 230 Pivot member 21 ineludes a
generally cylindrical wall 24 and a base ~5. The inner
: surfaee 26 of cylindrieal wall 25 is frustoconieal and has
eireumferentially spaeed axially extending grooves 27 there- .`
in, the axes of whieh are inelined to the axis of the mem- ~:~
ber 21. Pivot member 22 is generally eylindrieal and in- :
eludes a generally eylindrieal wall 28 and a base 29. Mov- :~
able member 23 is generally eylindrical and telescopes with-
in wall 28. The wall 24 of pivot member 21 telescopes with-
in the wall 28 of pivot member 22 and abuts a shoulder 30.
The upper end of movable member 23 is generally eonical and ~
has an inelined outer peripheral surface 31 t~hich is frusto~ ; , . .
eonieal and generally eomplementary to surface 26 and is
formed with cireumferentially spaeed projeetions 32 that
are eomplementary to the grooves 27 and have axes inelined
: with respeet to the axis of the member 22. The configura-
tion of the grooves 27 and projeetions 32 is generally U-
shaped but is sueh that when the grooves and projeetions ~ ~ :
3 are in engagement as presently deseribed~ the apex of eaeh .
projeetion 32 is spaeed from the base of eaeh groove 27 ~
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The periphery Or the cylindrical portion of
movable member 23 is formed ~ith axial ribs 33 which en-
gage complementary grooves 34 in wall 28 to guide the
movable member for movement axially and restrain the mov-
able member agalnst movement angularly relative to the
pivot member 22.
Pivot member 21 is formed with a transverse
groove 35 into which the flattened portion 19 of arm 13
extends. Similarly, pivot member 22 is formed with trans~
verse groove 36 into which the flattened portion 18 of the
leg 17 extends. A bolt 37 having a head 38 extends through ~`~
openings 39, L~o, 41 in members 2~, 23, 22 and a nut 42 is
threaded on the end of the bolt 37 . Washers 43, 44 are
interposed bet~een head 38 and leg 13 and between the nut
;~ 15 37 and leg 15. A compression sprin~ 45 is interposed be~
tween wall 2 and movable member 23 thereby providing a
compressive force such that the movable member 23 and pivot
member 21, 22 are urged axially toward one another. ~;
llhen assembled~ the manual manipulation of the
support 12 causes the pivot member 21 to be rotated angu-
larly with respect to the support member 22. During this
movement, axial compression of the spring ~5 is achieved
so that grooves 27 move successively into engagement with ;-
projections 32. When it is desired to re-adjust the mirror
for clearance or ~or use by drivers of different physical ;~
proportions, the support 12 is again grasped to move the
mirror to the desired position. In any position, the mir- -
ror is firmly held in its adjusted position.
The pivot members 21, 22 are preferably made of
3 a lo~l friction material such as plastic~ A satisfactory
material comprises nylon.
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Since ~he entire cperating mechanism ls within ~`
a chamber defined by the pivot me~.bers 21J 22~ the mech-
anlsm is protccted rrom the elements and dam ge.
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