IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MUD FLAPS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

1,253,816. Mudguards. R. CUEVAS. 12 Dec., 1968 [22 Dec., 1967; 21 Oct., 1968], No. 59135/68. Heading B7J. A vehicle wheel mud flap comprises a flap portion 11 attachable to a vehicle wing 6 by means of a ball-and-socket joint formed by two substantially trapezoidal jaws 1, 2 each having a concave part and a flat base part with a U- shaped spacer 8 placed between the jaws, and screws 4, 5 passing through the jaw 1 and one leg of the spacer to bear upon the other leg, thus clamping the wing 6 between two flat surfaces. A square hoop 3 acts as a retaining pivot so that when the screws 4, 5 grip the edge of the wing 6 the ball 7 of the joint is gripped between the concave parts of the jaws 1, 2. The ball 7 is mounted on a tube 9 in which is fitted a bead 10 on the flap portion 11. In a second embodiment (Fig. 3, not shown) lugs are situated on the leg of the spacer where the screws bear such that when the screws are tightened the lugs grip and slightly punch the wing. Also in this embodiment an inwardly projecting lug is mounted on a jaw which lug will penetrate slightly into the ball. Moreover the flap portion has slots connected by screws to an arm carried by the ball.