US1292709A - Automobile-signal. - Google Patents

Description

S. COHN.

' AUTOMOBIL'E SIGNAL.

'AVPPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. I917.

Patenteddan. 28, 1919.

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Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

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seminar. GOHN, 0! NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMOBILE-SIGNAL.

Application filed June 25, 1917. Serial No. 178,700.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL Conn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of the Bronx, city and State of New York; have invented certain new anduseful 1m rovements in Automobile-Signals, of w oh the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signals of the sema hore type by which a driver of an automobi e may signal to drives of cars behind or to a traflic oflicer ahead, or to both, so

that such persons will be advised as to the intention of the driver of the automobile having the signal device.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a very simple and-inexpensive device of this kind, one which can be sold almost as cheaply. as the ordinary mirror attachment used on the front of automobiles. Another object of my invention is to simplify the construction of signal devices of this kind and to reduce the number of parts to a minimum, so that the device will not easily get out of order no matter how carelessly it is used and even when it is exposed to the weather.

In the drawing forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention as applied to the windshield frame of an automo ile, 1

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device on a larger scale,

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device with one side of the casing removed to show the interior parts,

Fi 4 is a rear elevation of the device, showing one of the signal plates raised.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 8,

Fi 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7 of Fig. 8,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one corner of the casing showing the means for de-.

tachably securing-the mirror after it has been inserted in place,

Fig. 10 is an elevation of one of the mirror retaining members.

The device comprises a casing, semaphores or signals within the casing and adaptedto be projected beyond the same, and of means for'operating the signals.

The casing 1 shown herein'comprises fiat front and rear walls 2, 3, a top 4, a bottom 5 and. one end wall 6, the opposite end 7 being open to allow the signals to move into and out of the casing. The casing is preferably attached to the windshield frame 8 by means of a bracket 9 which latter may be cast integral with the casing or it may be formed separately of the casing.

At the upper portion of the casing 1, there is a transverse arbor 10 forming a support on which the several signal plates 11, 12, 18 may swing and in the drawings 1 have shown three signal plates arranged side by side on this arbor 10. There may be a lesser or greater number of such signals, but with three marked, respectively. Stop, Right and Left all the desired signals may be given to the drivers of other automobiles and to traffic oificers.

When in the retracted position the sev-.

eral signal plates 11, 12, 13 hang down in parallel relation from their supporting arbor 10 and just within the open end of the casing, as is shown in full lines in Fig. 3. To the signal plate 11 there is fulcrumed at 14 a curved rod 15 which bends at 16 and' with the plate 11 and the rod 19 bends outwardly at 20 far enough so that the verti- Speciflcation of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 28, 1919. I

cal portion, which projects through a slot in the bottom wall 5, lies to one side of the vertical portion of the rod 15. The rod 19 has a knob 21 on its lower end. There is a rod 22 fulcrumed to the signal plate 13 and it bends outwardly at 23 so that its vertical portion lies beyond both the rods 15 and 19. Otherwise the rod 22 is the same as the rods15, 19 and it passes throu h a slot in the bottom wall and is provi ed with a knob 24. I

The above arrangement is very compact and it permits of the casing being made very fiat and comparatively light in weight. It also allows the knobs to be arrange in a row conveniently near each other. It is then very easy to ull down on any one or on several of the obs for the purpose of elevating one or more of the signal plates and it is also convenient to press upwardly simultaneously on one or all of the knobs to return the signals within the casing. It will be understood that the rods are stiff or non-flexible so that the several signai plates may be operated in one d rection by a pulling action on a rod and 1n the opposite direction by a pushing action thereona I have provided simple means for holding the signal plates in either position. The arbor 10 is here shown as square in cross section and for each of the signal plates 11, 12, 13, there is a bearing sleeve 25 havln a square central aperture 26 to fit the ar or 10 and be held from rotation on the latter. The signal plates turn in circular races 27 in the respective sleeves 25 so that the sleeves form bearings on the arbor for the signal plates. Against the face of each signal plate there is arranged a spring disk 28, and one of the end plates may have a disk on both faces, as shown, though in one of these latter the sna device referred to hereinafter is prefera ly omitted. When the signal plates and their spring disks are all assembled upon the arbor 10 ready for use the several disks are under compression and forthis purpose I prefer to provide cotter pins 29 in the arbor 10 for holding the parts together with the disks under compression. The disks have square openings 30 corresponding with the shape of the arbor and therefore the disks do not turn on the arbor but remain stationary relatively to the swinging motion of the signal plates. Each spring disk is provided with one or more projections, here shown, as stamped projecting studs 31. I have shown two such studs at opposite sides of the disks and in the flattened rim portions 32 thereof. In the face of each signal plate there are provided depressions 33 into which the studs 31 snap when the signal lates are in either their raised or lowered position. There will be two sets of depressions for the studs on an adjacent friction disk. One set is so arranged that the studs on an adjacent disk will enter therein when the signal is down, or inclosed in the casing and the other set is so arranged that the same studs will enter therein when the signal plate is in the raised or signaling position. In addition to serving as resistance or friction members, the disks'also serve to keep the signal plates spaced apart on the arbor and they prevent side play of these plates on the arbor and thus prevent rattling.

The back of the casing has a flange 29 around three sides 'and through the open weaves end 7 there is inserted a mirror 31. When the signal device is attached to the forward art and to one side of the automobile, as for instance to the windshield frame 8, the driver may observe vehicles approaching from the rear by looking into the mirror.

After the mirror has been inserted into place through the open end the detachable corner plates 34 are attached by screws 35 and these plates engage two of the corners of the mirror at the open end of the casing and they hold it in place within its retaining flange.

I have shown a sim 1e arrangement at the bottom to revent t e signal plates from shifting si ewise and rattling. Near the bottom of the casing there is a cross pin 32 around which there is arranged a coiled spring 33 extending between the front and back walls. The position of the spring 33 is such that when the signal plates move down to retracted position the edge of each one will enter between different coils of the s ring. The lower ends of the signal plates can not then move laterally against each other as their lateral play is resisted by the coils of the spring 33. This forms a most effective means for preventing rattling and one which is not likely to get out of order.

To operate the device one of the knobs 18, 21, or 24 is pulled downwardly and this will raise one of the signal plates to a position at right angle to the casing as shown in Fi 1 and 2. When the knob is first moved 51 6 recesses 33 on the signal plate adjacent the particular friction disk move-away from the studs 31 on this disk and the studs then press on the smooth surface of the signal plate. When the latter has about reached its raised or signaling position the other set of depressions come to register with-the studs 31 and the latter then snap into these latter depressions making a slight sound or click which will indicate that the signal has reached its. final osition. This snap action informs the operator when the signal plate has reached its extreme upper position and also when it has been lowered into the casing and in addition, the studs 31 engaging in the de ressions 33 more firmly hold the signal p ates in one or the other of their extreme positions.

It requires a greater force to move one of casing, swinging signal members adapted to be projected from and to be retracted in said casing, operating rods in said casing connected with the respective signal members and extending laterally therefrom relatively difierent distances and thence downwardly said signaLmembers while in retracted posiand adapted to be operated from without the tion to prevent rattling and including a casing to swing the signal members. coiled spring disposed whereby the signal 1 2. In a signal device for automobiles a members will enter between and be held in 5 casing, signal members pivoted to swing spaced relation by the coils of said spring. whereby they may be projected from or re- Signed this 22nd dayscg June, 1917.

t-racted in said casing and means for holding MUEL COHN.

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