US1296088A - Finger attachment for signaling devices. - Google Patents

Description

B. J.JONES. FINGER ATTACHMENT FOR SIGNALING DEVICES.

APPLICATION FILED H P-II. I2, I9I6.

Patented MarA; 1919.

OFFICE.

Born 2;. Jones, on COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 rm: J'onEs-msHna COMPANY, or

COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION or onto.

FINGER ATTACHMENT FOR SIGNALING DEVICES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4:, 1919.

Application filed April 12, 1916. I Serial No. 90,761.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Econ J. Jones, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Finger Attachments for Signaling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to finger attachments designed for use in connection with the signaling mechanism of automobiles and similar vehicles. This attachment is designed to be applied to the finger of the wearer whereby the switch forming a portion of the attachment may be readily closed to sound a warning without the necessity of the operator reaching to a distant point to either close a switch or operate the sounding mechanism directly. The switch itself is designed to be closed by a slight pressure of the finger on the steering wheel and, therefore, is always within ready reach. This arrangement must of necessity save some time in the operation of the sounding device and while the amount of time saved may be very little, yet a small fraction of a second maybe sufficient to prevent an accident.

The main object of my invention resides in a combined thimble and switch structure, the thimble being so shaped to fit the end of the finger of the wearer and being of material suiiiciently flexible to permit the closure of the switch proper by a slight pressure on the steering wheel. i I

The preferred embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention in use,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the manner in which the thimble may be applied to the finger of the wearer,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross section taken through the thimble and switch structure,

Fig. 4; is a horizontal section taken through the structure shown in Fig. 3, and,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

The switch itself comprises an insulating strip 1 provided with a pair of rivets 2 and 3 in connection with which the wire connections 4 and 5 are attached.

These wires 4;.

shown at 6 and lead to any source of current supply. Preferably, the cord is secured in some manner to the steering column since this column is the center of rotation of the steering wheel. This manner of attaching the cord is shown at 7 in Fig. 1. Further, it is desirable to provide the cord between the attachment 7 and the switch proper with a detachable joint which has been represented at 8. By means of this separable connector, the switch member and its surrounding structure may be removed when the operator leaves the vehicle to preventunauthorized persons from operating the sounding mechanism. To the rivet 2 there is rigidly secured a switch arm shown at 9, this switch arm being bent after the manner shown and contacting at its extreme left end with the in sulat-ing strip, as is shown at 10. At the point opposite the rivet 3, it is provided with aslightly enlarged portion 11 and the arm itself is of slightly resilient material so that a slight pressure will cause the arm 9 and the rivet 3 to be elcctricallyconneeted whereby the electric circuit through the rivets 3 and is completed. I have provided a flexible thimble 12 to completely surround the switch mechanism and have also made this thimble of a size to comfortably fit the finger of the wearer. The thimble is itself made of flexible material such as rubber, leather, cloth or the like, to permit the switch mechanism to be closed by a slight pressure on the steering wheel and in order to further protect the finger of the wearer from the rivets 2 and 3, I have provided a second thimble 13 which may be termed as the internal thimble and it is between this and the thimble 12 that this switch mechanism as well as the wires leading to the rivets 2 and 3 are located.

From the foregoing description, taken in the sounding mechanism, the cable or cord 6 may be broken by means of the separable connector shown at 8 whereby the operator soundingmechanism.

hat 1 claim, is:

1. A finger attachment signaling device adapted for use in connection with the steering wheel of an automobile comprising a flexible thim'ble structure adapted to be sli )ed over and es the forward ")ortion of e finger, a pressure operated switch located within said thnnble structure so that pres sure against the finger will close said switch,

and Wire connections ieeding from said switch.

2. A finger attachment signaling device adapted for use in connection with the steer.

ing wheel of an automobile comprising an assembled double Walled fiGKllOlG thnnbie structure adapted t0 he slipped. over and fit the forward portion of a finger, a pressure operated switch located between the inner and outer pertions of said thnnble structure so that pressure by the finger will close said switch and wire ccnnecticns leading from said switch cut through. said thiinbie' structure 8. A finger attachment signaling device, adapted for use in connection with the steering; wheel of an automobile, comprising a flexible finger member for fitting over the end of e. finger, en'insulator strip within said thimble member, a pair of rivets secured to said strip, a wire connection leading to each of said rivets, and a spring switch member secured to one of said rivets and normally out of contact with the other rivet said strip and switch member being located between said wheel and the finger so that pressure by the finger will close said switch.

In testimony whercei' I affix my signature in presence of twe witnesses.

RUDD J. JONES.

i vitnesses /ALTER (I. L. B0011 A. L. Iinnnrs.

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