March 27, 1956 A. G.

SCHILBERG 2,739,822
X-FRAME CONSTRUCTION
Filed June l8, l954
FIG..

INVENTOR,
ARNOLD G. SCHILBERG

Attorneys
 United States Patent Office
2,739,822
X-FRAME CONSTRUCTION
Arnold G. Schilberg, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to A. O.
Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of
New York
Application June 18, 1954, Serial No. 437,743
3 Claims. (C. 280-106)
This invention relates to X-member frames for auto
mobiles and the like, and more particularly to the central
structure for such frames.
Heretofore, when X-member frames have been made
of converging I-beams secured together at the center by
upper and lower plate members, it has been found diffi
cult to provide adequate clearance for the main drive
shaft which passes rearwardly between the plates. This
has been due to the fact that the I-beam webs extended
to a point very close to the geometric center of the
central structure, thereby blocking or interfering with
the passage of the drive shaft therethrough.
To obviate this difficulty, the webs of each I-beam
were crimped outwardly, but the I-beam structure was
thereby weakened.
In addition, a substantial amount of metal Was Wasted
in that the I-beam flanges extended inwardly almost to
the center of the securing plates for purposes of rigidity.
Any attempt to reduce the amount of metal used served
to weaken the central structure.
The present invention eliminates the above difficulties
and provides a central structure for an X-member frame
that allows sufficient clearance for the drive shaft at all
times, and in which a substantial saving of metal is made,
all without sacrifice of stiffness or rigidity.
The invention contemplates the use of I-beams having
webs which are longer than the flanges at the central
portion of the frame. These portions of the webs are
bent outwardly and welded to the upper and lower plates.
The flanged portions of the I-beams need only extend a
short distance underneath the plates, and are welded
thereto. Thus a material saving of metal is accom
plished.
The accompanying drawing illustrates the best mode
presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out
the invention.
In the drawing:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vehicle frame having
an X-member in which the invention is incorporated;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the central struc
ture for the X-member frame, with parts broken away;
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the structure taken
on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the structure taken
on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.
Referring to the drawing, the X-member frame com
prises four I-beam members which are secured at their
outer ends to the side rails of a vehicle frame in any
suitable manner, and which converge inwardly toward a
pair of horizontal plates 2 and 3 disposed in vertically
spaced parallel relationship.
Each I-beam comprises upper and lower vertically
spaced flanges 4 and 5, joined by a web 6 which is dis
posed along the longitudinal axis of the flanges and
which is perpendicular thereto. Web 6 is secured to
flanges 4 and 5 by suitable welds.
The inner end of each I-beam is flared outwardly on
2,739,822
Patented Mar. 27, 1956
2
one side and is inserted between plates 2 and 3 so that
flanges 4 and 5 abut against the inner surfaces of plates
2 and 3 respectively. The inner end of flange 4 is welded
to the lower surface of plate 2 at weld 7, and in addition,
the outer edge of plate 2 is welded to the outer surface
of flange 4 at weld 8. Flange 5 and plate 3 are secured
together in a similar manner at welds 9 and 10 respec
tively. Thus, a strong union is made between the I-beams
0
and the central plates and the flared portions of each
I-beam provide with the plates 2 and 3 a central box-like
structure of substantial strength.
Flanges 4 and 5 need not extend for any substantial
distance within the central box-like structure, for reasons
which will appear later. Heretofore, the flanges extended
to a point much closer to the center of the plates. Due
to the present invention, the resultant saving of metal
will be substantial.
Webs 6 adjacent plates 2 and 3 are bent outwardly
at all and extend inside the plates but parallel to the
longitudinal edges of plates 2 and 3 and at an angle to
the web portion approaching plates 2 and 3. The webs
have an extension 12 beyond the ends of flanges 4 and
5 inside the plates and terminate at or near the center
25 line of plates 2 and 3. In order to dispose the web ex
tension 2 flush with the inside surfaces of plates 2 and
3, the extension 12 is heightened, as at part 13, a distance
corresponding to that of the thickness of flanges 4 and
5. Welds 4 join the web 6 to flanges 4 and 5 and welds
30 i5 join the portion 13 of web extension 12 to the plates
2 and 3. The web extensions 2 thus provide increased
vertical support for the plates and the extent of flanges
4 and 5 within plates 2 and 3 may be decreased without
weakening the frame.
35 The resulting control structure is economical to pro
duce and eliminates the defects of prior structures. Since
the webs are straight instead of crimped, as in prior
structures, the flanges work to their full efficiency to
produce very great rigidity. The saving of material is
40 substantial, and no problems are encountered in passing
the drive shaft of the vehicle through the center of the
frame.
In addition the entire frame is of greater stiffness than
conventional structures. It has been found by tests that
the invention provides a central box-like section which
is approximately 6% stronger than prior structures, and
one which will better withstand the torsional twist on
the X-member in service.
Various modes of carrying out the invention are con
50 templated as within the scope of the following claims
particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the sub
ject matter which is regarded as the invention.
I claim:
1. in an X-frame for a vehicle, a pair of I-beam mem
55 bers provided by spaced flanges joined by a central web
and disposed in cross-relationship to each other, a central
structure for said frame comprising a pair of vertically
Spaced horizontally disposed plates, weld means securing
the upper and lower flanges of said I-beam members to
60 the inner surfaces of the plates, the webs of the I-beams
extending beyond said flanges and being bent outwardly
to a position substantially parallel with the longitudinal
edges of said plates, and weld means securing the webs
to the plates beyond said flanges to provide a central
65 structure which will withstand torsional twist of said
X-members.
2. The structure of claim 1 in which the extension
of the web beyond said flanges has a part corresponding
in height to the thickness of the flanges to dispose the
70 extension substantially flush against the inner surface of
each plate.
3. In an X-member vehicle frame, a pair of spaced
 2,739,822
3 4.
parallel plates disposed horizontally at the approximate
midsection of the frame, I-beams comprising upper and
lower spaced parallel flanges joined by a web member
perpendicular to said flanges and secured thereto, said
I-beams converging to said plates, welds joining the 5
upper and lower flanges of the I-beams with the upper
and lower plates respectively relatively near the plate
edges, web extensions extending beyond the ends of said
flanges and bent outwardly from the center of said plates
at an angle to the longitudinal axes of said I-beams, said 10
extensions having a part thereof substantially as high
as the thickness of said flanges to abut the inner surfaces
of said plates, and a weld securing the web extensions
with the extensions disposed substantially parallel with
the outer longitudinal edges of said plates.
References Cited in the file of this patent
UNITED STATES PATENTS
2,118,365 Sherman --------------- May 24, 1938
2,246,245 Eckhart --------------- June 17, 1941
2,609,217 Hess ------------------ Sept. 2, 1952
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