US1358451A - Heated steering-wheel - Google Patents

Description

S. P. KAY.

HEATED STEERING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4. 1920.

1 ,358,45 1 I I Patented Nov. 9, 1920 INI/E/VTOR' 5a mue/ P Ray Anon/15F PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL I. KAY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

HEATED STEERING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

Application filed February 14,1920. Serial No. 356,227.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL P. KAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heated Steering- Wheels,of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved form of steering wheel, one that will be heated sufficiently to keep the o perators hands, or more especially his fingers, warm in'eold weather.

Another object is to take the heat from the exhaust of the engine without interfering with the operation'of the wheel.

This and other objects of the invention will be illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claim at the end thereof.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the steering wheel. 1

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2X2X of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3X-3X of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4:X4X of Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates the wheel built up with the spider 2 carrying the' wood rim. 3. On the top of this wheel is carried the tube 4 which extends around the wheel and is connected with the tubes 5 and 6. These tubes terminate in an annular shell 7, having a flange 8 thereon. This plate is fastened to and turns with the wheel and steering head. Below this shell is the annular shell 9 having the flanges 10, 11 and 12 thereon, between which are formed two concentric channels or passage ways extending clear around the shell. The flanges 8 and 12 make a close fit with each other and the flanges 10, 11 and 12 make a close fit with the shell 7 to prevent the leak of gases.

Below the channels and communicating therewith are the tubes 13 and 14, the tube 13 communicating with the exhaust pipe close to the engine. Through the tube 13 the hot gases of the exhaust pass into the outer channel and from that to the tube 6 into the tube 4: and around the steering wheel and then out through the tube 5 and the inner channel in the shell 9 and tube 14 to the atmosphere.

By reason of the annular channels with which the lower and upper sets of tubes connect, a continuous flow of gases is secured into and through the rim of the wheel so that the rim of the wheel may be kept Warm. In the tube 13 is provided a valve 15A by which the flow of gas through the rim of the wheel may be regulated so that it may be kept at the desired average temperature.

The shells 9 and 7 are each made of two semi-circular sections so that they may be placed on the steering wheel post and connected up without taking off the wheel. In order to hold the semi-circular sections of the shells 7 and 8 together, clamps 15 and 16 are placed around the sections of these shells which hold the sections tightly together on the steering column after they have been properly located thereon.

It will be understood that while the channels inclosed between the flanges 11- and 12 run clear around the steering wheel, it will be suflicient if they extend only partially around as it is well known that during 95% of the driving the position of the steering wheel does not vary more than a'few de.

grees and it is sufficient if the connection between the lower and upper tubes be maintained during only a portion of the time.

I claim:

In a heating device for heating a steering wheel, the combination of a stationary shell and a movable shell, each of said shells made up of two semi-circular sections, one of said shells being adapted to be held stationary on the steering column and the other of said shells being adapted to rotate with the steering wheel, clamps to hold the semi-circular sections of each of said shells together and fasten said shells to the steering wheel column, said stationary shell having a pair of channels therein, the open side of these channels being adapted to be closed by said movable shell, an inlet and an outlet for each of said shells to convey the exhaust gases through said shells into a tubing and back again, said tubing being adapted to be fas tened to the periphery of the steering wheel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SAMUEL P. KAY.

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