US3514752A - Compact traffic signal - Google Patents

Description

y 970 v A. LURKIS 3,514,152

, COMPACT TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed March 23, 1967 a Sheets-Sheet 1 'nununur rnuununun I INVENTOR ALEXANDER LURKIS ATTORNEY.

May 26 I970 A. LURKIS 3,514,752

' COMPACT TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed-March 23, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 8, FIG. IO.

INVENTOR ALEXANDERLURKS 85 gm; fl g ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,514,752 COMPACT TRAFFIC SIGNAL Alexander Lurkis, 193-12 Nero Ave. Holliswood, N.Y. 11423 Filed Mar. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 625,353 Int. Cl. G08g 1/095 US. Cl. 340-84 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention pertains to a compact traflic signal wherein three or more light sources will focus on a single screen, or a single light source will produce a series of different consecutive colors.

The present invention is broadly concerned with a multicolor traflic light or other traflic signal. It is more specifically concerned with an aesthetic compact multicolor light signal wherein different colors or signals are periodically projected to an onlooker through a single plain lens or glass screen. In accordance with a specific adaptation, different signals or colored transparent means are positioned intermediate the various light sources and the single lens, and conventional cycling means are provided for successively operating said light sources.

It is well known in the art to use multicolor light signals for many purposes, such as, to control the flow of traific or pedestrians. These known signal assemblies have a plurality of lenses as a function of the number of colors to be used. Thus in a conventional traflic control signal having red, yellow and green signals, three complete light and lens systems are utilized, including large colored lens or screen lens for each color used.

In the present method of construction, the signal unit is heavy and cumbersome. Furthermore, they are large units, and are subject to heavy buffetings by wind and rainstorm. This necessitates the use of heavy and expensive rigging in order to support the units to insure safety to people who would be severely hurt by a falling unit, and to protect these signals against damage from falling.

The unit of the proposed invention is a compact lightweight aesthetic signal unit which will function better than, or as effectively as known unsightly signal units. The signal unit assembly, all using more or less conventional lens arrangements, may be fully understood by reference to the attached figures illustrating typical embodiments of the same as follows:

FIG. 1 illustrates one construction wherein light rays are projected through a clear lens, thence through a colored lens or filter element.

FIG. 2 is a section through FIG. 1 taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a modified embodiment wherein light rays are projected by a reflector behind the light source and passed directly through a colored lens.

FIG. 4 shows a further modification projecting the colored light using a series of long tubes and a single main viewing lens or screen, while FIG. 4A is similar to FIG. 4, but with a different type hood.

FIG. 5 is a still further modification wherein different colored rays are projected through a single common tube, and also showing one way to mount the unit on a pole.

FIG. 6 is another modified construction, while FIG. 7 is a view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a further modified form having a circular band of moving colors, and FIG. 8A is an identical construction with a shielding tube and hood.

FIG. 9 is a still further type using a rotating cylinder of colors while FIG. 10 is a view taken on the line 10--10 of FIG. 9.

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Referring specifically to FIG. 1, a casing or housing 10 has suitably supported therein three conventional double convex or concave lenses 1, 2 and 3. Colored light transparent lenses or filter elements 4, 5 and 6', such as glass, plastic and the like are suitably supported in front of the lenses. A hood or shade 20 is attached to the forward part of the housing so that the screen lens may be visible in bright sunlight. In a preferred adaptation a main viewing lens 30 is adapted to have reflected on it, and to pick up the colored rays from lens 1, 2 and 3 and to project these rays outwardly through the area 31 to the motorist or pedestrian.

For example, lens or element 4 may be red, element 5 may be yellow, and element 6 may be green. The relationship between concentrating convex lenses 1, 2 and 3, and the main viewing lens 30 is such that the rays projected from lenses 1, 2 and 3 periodically cover the entire area of lens or screen 30. This is illustrated by lines 7 showing the pattern of rays emitted from lens 1 and passing through lens element 4.

Light sources 11, 12 and 13 are suitably supported in housing 10 and are positioned behind lenses 1, 2 and 3 respectively. These bulbs may be quartz incandescent, the small automobile type headlight bulbs, or any narrow beam, such as, a laser element which, because of its miniature size adapts itself to a small housing. A time device 40 is electrically connected to lights 11, 12 and 13 through wires 14 so as to activate these light sources preferably successively for any desired combinations or patterns of time intervals.

While elements 4, 5 and 6 are not in the identical vertical plane as shown in FIG. 1, it is to be understood that these elements, as well as the lenses 1, 2 and 3, and the light sources may be positioned in a strictly vertical plane.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment where the direct light rays are supplemented by reflected rays. Light rays from source 11 are reflected from concave reflector 21, through a colored, flat glass lens or equivalent means 24, and thence onto and through lens 30. Additional light bulbs 12 and 13, and their reflectors 22 and 23, operate through lens 25 and 26 in the same way.

A modified assembly is illustrated by FIG 4. Light rays are projected from sources either 11, 12 or 13 through a combination of convex and concave lenses which narrow the beams, and through small individual tubes 31, 32 or 33, respectively, and then through color imposing elements 35, 36 or 37 which may be colored glass or the like. These rays pass through lens chamber 50 and through lens 30 as hereinbefore described. Obviously, the color imposing elements may be positioned at the pole end of the assembly just as easily as at the signal end.

FIG. 4A shows a casing or housing 10 with diverging sides, a screen 30', a hood 20', and colored lenses 34, 35, and 36'.

FIG. 5 illustrates a modified form of the invention wherein a light focusing assembly, such as illustrated in FIG. 1, is placed within a single tube 60. The various color light rays will travel through the tube and be imposed upon the screen lens 30 as previously explained.

Several types of mounting may be used as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. For example, a pole band 67 having short supporting lugs 68 thereon, and the band being secured to an upright pole 69.

FIG. 6 is another modified assembly having an enlarged section 61. Light rays are projected from a series of sources 66, through a series of color or signal imposing elements 66', through a series of convex or concave lenses 62, 63 and 64, and through a single tube 60". At the end of tube 60' the ray passes through another concave lens 65 which focuses the rays upon a screen lens 30'. A light lens or combination of concave and convex lenses may also be located adjacent the light source to narrow the beam. The light sources and directional signal arrows are placed as indicated in FIG. 7.

In the modified form illustrated in FIG. 8, a single source of light 100 is positioned in a housing 70 having a clear viewing lens 71 on at least one side. Surrounding the light bulb, on rollers 77, and driven by a conventional motor 72 With suitable gearing is a belt 73 having a series of red sections 74, amber sections 75, and green sections 76. The length of the colored sections may be of different lengths which produces different periods for a particular color.

If desired, an extension 60', casing 10' and hood 20' may be provided in one or multi-directions as indicated in FIG. 8A. Obviously, this would be provided over a second, third, or fourth lens 71 on the remaining side of the housing.

A further modified form of rotating screen is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 wherein a single light bulb which burns continuously is surrounded by a cylinder 81 composed of various colors, such as, red, amber and green. The cylinder through a reduction gear is rotated by motor 82. The assembly is supported by any suitable means such as 83.

At spaced sections around the lamp there is provided one or a plurality of hoods or shields 84, each having a clear transparent glass or lens 85.

In the modifications illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10', it is obvious that the single lamp burning continuously (without going on or off) Will increase the life of the lamp, reduce the cost of current, and save on maintenance cost. There is also a considerable reduction in weight and size which can be supported on lighter poles and cables. Also, if desired, a stop-start device may be included in the motor circuit to stop intermittently the rotation of the rigid cylinder 81 or flexible belt '73.

In FIGS. 1-3, the lens chamber is a housing in which the lamps, sockets and lenses are contained. The outside of the housing is of a dull finish .to prevent undue reflection of light. In FIGS. 4-7 the inside of the housing and extensions are lined with a highly specular surface to direct the light rays.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusiveproperty or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A traffic control light for vehicular and pedestrian traffic comprising a single unitary housing, with or without a shielded hood, a single visual screen for said unitary housing, a plurality of concentrated light sources of the same size within said unitary housing emitting rays, said concentrated light sources in a substantially vertical plane and equally spaced from each other, two of said concentrated light sources being located closely adjacent said housing and the third of said concentrated light sources being centrally located, means for sequentially focusing said rays on said single screen wherein said rays from said plurality of light sources pass through a series of separate lenses arranged at an angle to each other, and all housed within said single unitary housing, and wherein the screen is a lens and each of said rays from each of said light sources pass through separate lenses whereby when the various rays are sequentially focused on the single visual lens screen signals will be produced which will control traffic.

2. A traffic control light as set forth in claim 1 wherein the separate lenses are differently colored to indicate conditions of trafiic flow or directions for vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

3. A traffic control light as set forth in claim 2 wherein a reflector is positioned adjacent the various light sources.

4. A traffic control light as set forth in claim 3 wherein an individual reflector is positioned adjacent each light source.

5. A traffic control light as set forth in claim 4 wherein a series of concave specular reflectors is positioned behind the light sources and said light sources consist of small automobile headlight bulbs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,370,885 3/1921 Frederick et a1 340-383 1,879,098 9/1932 Coffey 340103 2,559,415 7/1951 Field et al. 340l03 1,927,120 9/1933 Grotz et al 340-105 3,253,255 5/1966 Nagel 340'50 2,871,599 2/ 1959 Kolb 340-84 X THOMAS B. HABECKER, Primary Examiner M. SLOBASKY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 34050

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