US1178046A

US1178046A - Signaling apparatus.

Info

Publication number: US1178046A
Application number: US82328914A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold B Anderson; Paul Justus; Blanche M Anderson
Original assignee: EDWARD C RANNEY
Current assignee: EDWARD C RANNEY
Priority date: 1914-03-09
Filing date: 1914-03-09
Publication date: 1916-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 1933-04-04

Description

H.` BL ANDERSON & P. JUSTUS` s. M. ANDEnsoN. AoM|N|sTnATmx or H. a. Munson, nzc'u.

SIGNALING APFARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED HARK 9;.194 1,178046. Patented Apnnfl. 1916;

2 SHEEIBw-SHEET 2.

20a, f7-1H In lxCvrv'frsfsgES.' [NVE/v 'roms' UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

HAROLD B. ANDERSON AND PAUL JUSTUS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO; BLANCHE M. ANDERSON, ADMINISTRATRIX -OF SAID HAROLD B. ANDERSON, DECEASED, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO EDWARD C. RANNEY, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO.`

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that We, HAROLD B. ANDER- soN and PAUL J UsTUs, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improve ment in Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to alarms, and more particularly to alarms of the type that are intended to operate automatically to call attention to the extinguishing of a signal light. An alarm of this kind is particularly useful in connection with the rear or tail li ht of an automobile; also in connection with the lights which are placed on the rear ends of trains and suburban cars.

It is the general object of this invention to provide an automatically operating alarm of the character set forth which, while simple of construction and economical of production, is particularly eliici'ent in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of this character which, while including a normally open electric circuit for the alarm signal will prmit of a convenient testing of this circuit from time to time to ascertain Whether it is broken.

Further and more generally speaking, the invention may be dened as consisting of the combinations of elements embodied in the claims hereto annexed and illustrated in the drawings forming part hereof, wherein- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of that part of the alarm signal which is located at the observers station; Fig. 2 a vertical central sectional view through the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a view corresponding approximately to the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a diagrammatic view of the circuits whereby the signal alarm circuit is automatically closed upon the breaking of the lighting circuit; Fig. 5 a view, similar to Fig. 4, of an alarm device wherein the `circuit is thermostatically controlled; and Fig. 6 a View, similar to Fig. 5, of a further modication wherein the circuit including the thermostat has an electric lamp therein.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated herein, 1 denotes a.

casing which contains the alarm signal and 1ts operating mechanism. This casing is shown as frictionally fitting over the outer reduced cylindrical end 2 of a base 3, said base being of insulating material and being secured to the support 4 in any convenient manner. In the case of an automobile, the support 4 preferably will be the dash.

The reduced end 2 of the base carries a segmental metallic plate 5 which '1s adapted to contact with the inner surface of the casing 1, as will appear more clearly from Fig. 3. The casing l is preferably of metal and has provided in the face which is viewed by the operator a lens 6 of any desired color, such as red. Back of the lens there is located an electric lamp 7, the socket of the lamp being supported on the insulating base. Within the casing and supported on said base is an electromagnet" 8, preferably comprising a pair of cores and coils and having an armature 9 connected by a flat curved spring 10 with a post 11. When the magnet is deenergized, the armature is adapted to engage a contact 12 on an L-shaped post 13 which preferably rests upon the metallic base of the lamp 7 both the lamp base and the post 13 being conveniently connected to the insu- .lating base by means of a common screw 14.

15 denotes a ring which is mounted within the casing 1, being conveniently supported by a pair of posts 16 from the base 2, 3.

17 denotes a curved spring switch arm connected at one end to the casing 1, between the ring 15 and the casing, and having its other end provided with a push button 18. The switch arm 17 will preferably be concaved whereby, when out of operation, it will lie against the inner surface of the cas- 19 denotes a post from which the coil winding 20 extends, the opposite end of the winding extending to the post 21 and to the plate 5. o

22 denotes a conductor extending from the post 13 to one of the posts 16, whereby the conductor is in electrical contact with the ring 15.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, it is contemplated that the alarm shall be used in connection with the tail lamp of an automobile or the rear lamp or lamps of a car or train, to light the lamp 7 and illuminate the lens 6 when the former lamp or lamps are extinguished. The way in which this result is accomplished will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 4, wherein a rear lamp is indicated at 23 and the batteries or other source of electric energy at 24.

The tail lamp circuit will now be described.

20 denotes the conductor extending from one side of the battery (or other source of electrical energy) through a switch 25 to and through the lamp 23, thence around the cores of the electromagnets 8 and through the

conductors

26 and 27 back to the battery. It will be evident that, as long as the circuit through the lamp 23 is closed, the magnets 8 will be energized and the armature 9 be held against the cores thereof. Should, however, this circuit be broken, the spring 10 will throw the armature against the contact 12, establishing the alarm signal circuit, whereupon current will flow through the circuit including the conductor 28, lam 7, contact 12, armature 7, conductor 29 an conductor 27, back to the battery.

Should the operator desire to test the alarm signal circuit, it is only necessary for him to press inwardly upon the push button 18. This will bring the switch arm 17 into engagement with the ring 16, whereupon the alarm signal circuit through the lamp 7 will be closed through the switch 25, conductor 29, lamp 7, ring 16, switch arm 17, casing 1, plate 5, and

conductors

26 and 27. Owin to the small resistance of this circuit, su cient current will How through this circuit to illuminate the lamp unless the circuit be broken in some manner, as by the breaking of the lamp filament.

It will be seen that three electrical circuits are provided, one of which includes the tail or rear lamp and the windings of the electromagnet, one of which includes the armature of the electromagnet and the alarm device, while the third is a test circuit which includes the alarm device but includes neither the electromagnet windings nor the armature.

In Fig. 5, there is shown a modification of the invention wherein the lamp, the eX- tinguishment of which is to be indicated by the alarm, is not necessarily an electricV lamp. In this modification, the lamp 30 may be an oil lamp, the llame whereof is arranged to heat a thermostatic switch 31, so constructed that, by the heating of the thermostat to a certain temperature, one end thereof will engage a contact 32. Assuming that the lamp 30 is burning properly, the current will flow from the source of electrical energy 24 through conductors 33, 34, contact 32, switch 31, conductor 20a, around the cores of the electromagnets 8 and back to 24 through the conductor 35. The alarm circuit will then be broken by the armature 9 being retained against the cores of the electromagnets. Assuming, however, that the flame of the lamp 30 1s extinguished, or that it burns so low as to be ineffective, the cooling of the thermostat will cause the foregoing circuit to be broken by the flexing of the thermostat away from the contact 32. This will denergize the magnets 8, and the alarm circuit will then be established as, heretofore explained, through conductors 33, 29a, lamp V,7 contact 12, armature 9, conductor 28a and conductor 35. To test the signal circuit it will be necessary only to push in the button 18, whereupon this circuit will be established through

conductors

33, 29", lam 7,.,r`1ng 16, switch 17, casing 1, block 5, an conductors 36 and 35.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a still further modification of the invention wherein the circuit of the electric lamp which is to be protected is thermostatically controlled and wherein the alarm signal circuit will be automatically closed not only as by the breaking or deterioration of the filament of the electric lamp, but by the substantial ineffectiveness of the lamp which heats the thermostat. In this embodiment, the current from the source of electrical energy 24 flows to the electric lamp 23 through the conductor 37, contact 32, thermostat 31I1 and conductor 38, thence through conductor 2Ob around the cores of the magnets 8, and through

conductors

39 and 40 back to 24. Assume, however, that the circuit including the lamp 23 is broken, as by the breaking or deterioration of the lamp filament or through the lowering or extinguishing of the lamp 30. In such event, the circuit through the alarm signal will be established through conductor 41, lamp 7, contact 12, armature 9, conductor 28J and conductor 40.

The alarm circuit may be tested in the same manner as in the two preceding embodiments of the invention, viz: by pressing inwardly upon the button 18, whereupon the circuit will be established through conductor 41, lamp 7, ring 16, switch 17, casing 1, block 5, and

conductors

42, 39 and 40.

In all three embodiments of the invention disclosed herein two circuits are provided, one of which operatively includes and is controlled by the lamp to be observed and the other of which includes the signal alarm, with connections whereby the second circuit will be automatically closed through the opening of the first circuit, and vice versa; also that, in all three embodiments of the invention a testing circuit including the alarm signal is provided, the testing circuit being in shunt with the first circuit.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an electric circuit, a lamp therein, a second electric circuit, an

alarm signal therein, connections whereby the alarm signal circuit will be closed through the opening of the first mentioned circuit, a test circuit for the alarm signal, and a source of electrical energy common to the first and last mentioned circuits.

2. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an electric circuit, a lamp therein, a second electric circuit, an alarm signal therein, connections whereby the alarm signal circuit will be closed through the openings of the first mentioned cirlcuit, and a test circuit for the alarm signa 3. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an electric circuit, said circuit including a lamp and the winding of an electromagnet, a second electric circuit including an alarm signal and the armature of said magnet and adapted to be closed by the movement of the armature away from said magnet, a manually operated test circuit including the alarm signal, and a source of electrical energy common to said circuits:

4. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an electric circuit, said circuit including a lamp and the winding of an electromagnet, a second electric circuit including an alarm signal and the armature of said magnet and adapted to be closed by the movement of the armature away from said magnet, and a manually opereted test circuit including the alarm signa 5. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an electric. circuit,

a second electric circuit, an alarm signal therein, connections whereby said alarm signal circuit will be closed through the opening of the first mentioned circuit, and a test circuit for the alarm signal.

6. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an electric circuit including a lamp and an electromagnet, a. second circuit including an alarm signal and the armature of said magnet and adapted to be closed by the movement of the armature away from the magnet, a casing for the electromagnet and the alarm signal, a switch carried by the casing, a testing circuit for the alarm signal including said switch, and a source of electrical energy common to all of said circuits.

7. Inv an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of an electric circuit including a lamp and an electromagnet. a second circuit including an alarm signal and the armature of said magnet and adapted to be closed by the movement of the armature away from the magnet, a casing for the electromagnet and the alarm signa a switch carried by the casing, and a testing circuit for the alarm signal including said switch.

In testimony whereof, Iwe hereunto aflix our signatures in the presence of two witnesscs.

HAROLD B. ANDERSON. PAUL J USTUS.

Witnesses:

W. A. WALKEMEYER, O. M. WHITERBERGER.