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Tucker Tuesday – Blue Prints

I'll try to post some interesting history about Tucker and the autos every Tuesday for a while.

Here are some of the blue prints filed in 1947 to build this innovative auto.

The Swigart Museum 12031 William Penn Highway in Huntingdon, PA 16652 and the AACA Museum at Hershey, PA are both close to each other in PA. Visit both for the ultimate Tucker experience.

http://www.swigartmuseum.com/cars.html

http://www.aacamuseum.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/tucker48/about/

Consider joining the Tucker Club of America

http://www.tuckerclub.org/

Here is the information for the Steering Wheel Patent:

March 29, 1949. P. T. TUCKER 2,465,825

STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED INSTRUMENT PANEL Filed March 24, 1947

INVENTOR PRESTON TUCKER March 29 1949, P. T. TUCKER 2,465,825

STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED INSTRUMENT PANEL Filed March 24, 1947 3 Sheets- INVENTOR PRESTON T. TUCKER ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 29, 1949 STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED INSTRUMENT PANEL Preston t. Tucker, Ypsilanti, Mich., assignor to The Tucker Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 24, 1947, Serial No. 736,882

12 Claims. (Cl. 180-78) This invention relates to the instrument panel of a motor vehicle and is concerned primarily with a novel arrangement whereby the panel is mounted within the conventional steering wheel.

In accordance with the precepts of modern automotive engineering an automobile ordinarily includes several instruments which have their gauge faces mounted in a position where they may be seen by the driver. Among such instruments might be noted the ammeter, oil pressure gauge, engine thermometer, and the gasoline gauge.

Moreover, it has been the usual practice to mount these several gauges on the dashboard just below the windshield. With this arrangement at least some of the gauges are removed an appreciable distance from the driver at one side and oft times considerable difficulty is experienced by the driver in reading the gauges as he is driving.

With the foregoing conditions in mind this invention has in view, as its foremost objective, the provision of an instrument panel of the character indicated which is designed for assembly and mounting within the steering wheel of a motor vehicle. With the instrument panel so located the driver of a car is enabled at all times to squarely view the various gauges with a maximum of visibility. Moreover, the instruments may be easily read with a minimum of distraction from the driving operation.

In carrying out the above noted idea in a practical embodiment the invention contemplates taking advantage of the features of the steering column construction which are adapted to this mounting of the instrument panel. Of necessity, the steering wheel is rotatable. It is, therefore, carried on a rotatable sleeve which extends to the steering connections. This sleeve encloses a stationary steering column and is surrounded by another stationary casing.

In accordance with the present invention the free end of the sleeve carrying the wheel is enlarged so as to define a large open cup-shaped well to which the steering wheel is attached. The free end of the stationary steering column is formed with a complementary well structure and the instrument panel of this invention is mounted within this well of the steering column.

A highly important object of the invention is the provision, in an instrument panel mounting of the character aforesaid, of means providing for the detachable assembly of the panel itself within the well.

More in detail, the invention has as an object the provision, in an instrument panel mounting, of complementary electrical connections, one half of which are permanently affixed to the stationary well structure and the other half of which are secured to a removable panel.

Inasmuch as an instrument panel ordinarily includes a gauge for indicating oil pressure, it is necessary to provide a conduit which communicates with the gauge face on the panel.

Another important object of the invention is the provision, in an instrument panel of the type indicated, of a breakable connection for such an oil conduit and in attaining this end it is necessary to provide means for closing each end of the conduit at the point where the connection is broken.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in an instrument panel assembly of the character indicated, removable means for holding the instrument panel in assembled position within the well. This means may take the form of a snap ring which is positioned in a groove formed on the inner cylindrical surface of the well.

From the foregoing it is evident that the removable panel must be accurately positioned in angular relation with respect to the stationary well structure. Thus, another highly important objective in view lies in the provision of means for positively insuring that the panel is properly positioned. This end may be achieved by providing complementary interfitting elements on the panel and well structure, respectively.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with a steering wheel mounted on a rotatable steering column, an instrument panel which includes a plurality of gauge faces that are operatively connected to various elements in an automobile.

More in detail, an object is to provide an instrument panel of the type identified in the preceding paragraph which is removable and in which the various gauge faces are connected to the elements in the automobile by electrical connections that are readily breakable to facilitate this removal.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention such as arise in connection with carrying out the above noted thoughts in a practical embodiment will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention, therefore, comprises an instrument panel which is removably mounted within the steering wheel of an automobile together with mechanisms providing the various electrical and conduit connections to the several gauge faces on the panel and means for accurately positioning the panel and holding it in such position for a full and more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a steering wheel with an instrument panel mounted therein in accordance with the principles of this invention;

(sic)