US1194668A - Signaling device - Google Patents

Description

C. SCHATZLE 61 E. SMITH.

SIGNAUNG DEvmE. APPLIC-TION FILED SEPT. 3| i915- Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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SLGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATIQN FILED SEPT. 13, 1915 incarica UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

CHARLESSCHATZLE AND EDWIN SMITH, F PALMERTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

To all whom t may cof/acera:r

Be it known that we, CHARLES SCHATZLE and EDWIN SMITH, citizens of the United States, residing at Palmerton, in the county of Carbon, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Devices; and we do hereby declare the. following to ,be a full, clearLand exact description 4of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the y or at sharp curves and corners for the purl relatively few parts,

vso arranged pose of preventing collisions between vehicles approaching each other along intersecting ways.

In carrying out our invention it is our purpose to provide a signaling device which embodies among other features a plurality of signals which are located at the intersection of two roads or ways, or at a curve or bend in a road or way, these signals being and operated that a vehicle, such asian automobile or the like, traveling along one section of road in the directionof the signals, will at a predetermined point operate one of the signals which may be readily observed for a considerable distance by a second vehicle approaching the signal y from another or intersecting section of road or way, mentioned vehicle will be notified of the danger .of an approaching vehicle and may consequently exercisethe necessary caution,

to avoid collision or accident.

Still a further object of our invention is to provide van electric signaling device, wherein the signal may be set at danger. by the closing of the circuit when the vehicle passes over one section of the roadway, and returned to normal or clear position by the breaking. of the circuit when the -vehicle passes over another section of the roadway.

It is also our purpose to provide a signaling device which will embody the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and rehability, and whichembodying as it doesvbut may be manufactured and installed at a comparatively low cost.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, our invention consists in the construction, combination and so that an occupant of such lastw Specification of Letterslatent. Patented Aug 15, 1.916 Application led September 13, 1915. Serial No. 50,449.4 i

arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims. In the accompanying drawing: Figure l 1s atop plan view of a signaling device embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the circuit opening and closing devices of one of the signaling members in exposed-position. Fig. 8 is an end view.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4: of Fig. 1.

Before entering into a detailed description of our invention, we will briefly state that 1n the preferred form shown herein, it embodies among other features a suitable support, such as a post or the like, located at a corner, or where two sections of road intersect, this support carrying two signals, preferably electric. lamps, equipped with red bulbs or lights. A suitable shield or reflecting device is provided, which is'interposed between the two lamps in such manner that one of the lamps when lighted may be observed by the occupants of the vehicle traveling toward the signal along one section of the' road, but will be obscured from the vision of the "occupants of a vehicle traveling along the other or intersecting section of the road. Inv other words, a vehicle traveling along one section of the road will at a 'certain point, operate mechanism to display the danger signal for the opposite or intersecting section of road, and will subsequently further operate such mechanism to restore the signal to its normal clear position. In the present instance each section of the road is provided with one depressible member for closing the electric circuit and two depressible members for breaking the electric circuit of one of the signals, for the purpose hereinafter apparent.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter A indicates one section of a roadway, and the letterB indicatesv` another section of a roadway, the two sections intersecting or meeting at the corner C. At the corner C wel arrange a post '1,

is in alinement with and may be observed by a person traveling toward the signal along the road A, while the signal L may be likewise observed by a person traveling toward the signal along the road B. An approximately V-shaped shield or reflector S is mounted on the platform, as shown in theY drawings, so that the curvedsection 6 of the shield acts as a reflector for the'lamp L, while the curved section 7 of the shield acts as a reflector for the lamp L', and at the same time the apex section of the shield projects between the two lamps. As heretofore stated, these lamps are preferably inthe nature of electric lamps, and are lighted from suitable batteries (not shown).

Alongside the road section A is arranged the circuit closing and circuit breaking mechanism for the lamp L', or that lamp which acts as a signal for the road section B, while alongside the road section B is arranged the circuit closing and breaking mechanism for the lamp L, or that lamp which acts as a signa-l for the roadsection A. As the circuit opening and breaking mechanism for one lamp is identical in construc- v bars 13, 14 and 15, each of these bars being y provided with dependin coil springs 16 fitting into sockets 17 in t e bottom of its respective groove. The bar 13 when depressed is intended to break or open the circuit to the lamp L', the intermediate bar 14, when depressed is intended to close the circuit to the lamp L' to light the latter, while the bar 15, or that nearest the signal post, when depressed is intended to break the circuit to extinguish the lamp L. Pivoted as at 18 beneath the bar 13 is an arm 19, the upper end of which is adapted to be contacted with by the depressible bar 13, and pivoted to this arm 19 intermediate its ends as at 20, is a link rod 21, the opposite end of which is provided with a contraction spring 22 connected as at 23 to the intermediate ortion of the arm 24, which is adapted to e con'- tacted with by the depressible closing bar 14. This arm 24 is pivotedat its lower end as at 25, and has connected thereto as at 26, one end of the link bar 27, the opposite end of said link bar having formed therewith the extension spring 28 which is fastened as at 29=to the arm 30, pivoted as at 31. The lower end of this arm 30 is bent laterally and horizontally as at 32 and termi-` the roads, the automobilepwill first pass over the depressible bar 13 and depress the latter. However, as this is a circuit opent ing bar the lamp L' will not be lighted, for this bar is for a purpose hereinafter described. As the lautomobile continues its journey, however, and strikes the depressible closing bar 14, it will press the latter into contact with the end of the arm 24 and move the latter on its pivot, thereby pulling on the link rod 27 and consequently swing ing the arm 30 on its pivot and causing the end 32 of the arm to press the push b utton device D, and thereby close the circuitfrom the batteries (not shown) to the lamp and cause the lamp to be lighted. As the automobile in its travel passes over the circuit opening bar 15, which is substantially at the corner or intersection of the roads, it will depress this bar against the end 33 of the arm 30, and thus swin this arm on its pivot to release the push uttonto break the circuit to the lamp L'. When the circuit is v thus broken by the depression of the bar 15, the vehicle is substantially at the corner or intersection of the roads, so that it might be readily seen by the occupants of a vehicle approaching on the road B. The distant circuit opening depressible bar 13 is employed,

because when a vehicle is traveling on the Of course, it is to be understood that the velectric circuit for the lamps may be arranged in an ordinary and well known manner and that suitable batteries may be used to supply current to the lamps, but as the particular wiring of the device forms no essential part of the invention, it need not be described in detail. It is further to be understood that the circuit opening and closing mechanism, described for operating the lam L' by a vehicle traveling along the roa A, is duplicated alongside the road B, for the purpose of operating the lamp L.

It will thus -be observed that we have provided an exceedingly simple, yet positive and eflicient means by means of which the loccupants of a vehicle traveling along one section of a road which intersects or meets another road section at an angle, may be warned of the approach of a vehicle on such other road section.

lVhile we have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of our invention, we wish itl to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as modiication and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat we claimis:

1. The combination with a suitable sup,

port, of an electric signal mounted thereon and means for making and breaking 'an electric circuit for the signal, said means in cluding an intermediate pivoted arm,a pair of oppositely extending links connected with said arm,va second pivoted arm connected with one of said links, a third pivoted arm connected to the other of said links, a push button connected with the signal and operable by the third arm, and a depressible member for operating each arm.

2. The combination with a suitable support adapted to be located at the intersection of two roadways, of a pair of electric lamps each arranged to act as a signal for a respective section of roadway, a shield interposed between the two lamps, and means locatedat each roadway and operable by a passing vehicle for opening, then closing and then opening the electric circuit of the signal lamp at the other roadway. A

3. The combination with a suitable support adapted to be located at the meeting point of two roadways, of a pair of elec trically operated signalingJV devices mounted on the support, one ot said devices for each roadway, and means located at one roadway or controlling the signaling device of the other roadway, said means including an electric switch for controlling an electric circuit to said signaling device, and means for operating the switch, said means including a series of depressible bars, a member operated by the depression of each bar, connections between all of said members, and means carried by one of' said members for operating directly upon the switch to open and close the latter.

In testimony whereof, we aiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SCHATZLE. EDVIN SMITH. Witnesses:

GEO. H. CHANDLEE, RICHARD B. CAVANAUGH.

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