US1311418A - Planodraph co - Google Patents

Description

W. H. BOWLING.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATRON FILED MAME. ma;

1 ,3 1 1,41 8. Patented July 29, 1919.

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E MBIA I'LANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON n L.

w. H. BOWLING. I TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY28. I918.

Patented July 29, 1919.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i i Memes J0 V lL BLE my UNITED sTAT s PATENT oE-EIo WILLIAM I-I. RowLIIver; or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

TRAFFIC-SIGNAL ron MOTOR-VEHICLES.

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H; BOWLING, citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda. and; State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traffic- Signals for Motor-Vehicles, ofwhich the fOllOWing is a specification. 7

This invention relates to an traffic signal for motor vehicles and has as its primarytobject to provide a construction employing companion signaling devices which'may be connected to 'thefframe of the wind shieldof thevehicle or other convenient points thereon and adapted to be manually operated for indicating'an intenti'onof the driver toturneither to the right or left or an intention to stop. 7 V The invent'ionhas as a further object to provide signaling devices each employing a semaphore blade and wherein thesaid blade may be readily swung toea'ctive or'inactive position to be automatically locked in each of such positions.'-

And the invention' has as a still further object'to provide a construction wherein the semaphore blade of each ofthe signaling devices may be illuminated so that the'said blades may be. easily observed at nightand similar reference characters designate cor responding parts throughout the several views:

. Figure 1 is afragmentary elevation showing my improved signal applied to the wind shield of a conventional typeof motor vehicle, the semaphore blades of the signaling devices'being illustrated in inactive position,

Fig. 2 is a view similar toFig. land showing the semaphore blade of'o-ne of the signaling devices in activeposition,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary,- plan view more particularly illustrating themounting ofthe semaphore blades oflthe signaling devices,vthe frame of the wind shield being shown in SQCUOII, I V 7' 5 -Fig.- 41s a fragmentary perspective view improved -.S pecification of Letters Patent. Patented July 29,1919. Application filed May 28, 1918. Serial a... 237,019. I

showing the female bearing plate eaeh In order that theconstruction, operation and mounting of my improved signal may be accurately Imderstood', I have, in the drawingsQshoWn thesignal in connection w1th the wind sh eld 10 of 'a conventional of which is shown at 11; As is usual, the wind shield 10 is formed with a frame 12. In carrying out theinvention, I employ companlon signaling devices indicated as a whole at 13'and 1-1 respectively. Since these devices are identical in construction, only one will be described in detail, the device 13' being-shown. However, the reference numerals will be duplicated-upon both of the said devices; The signaling 'device, 13 includes a supporting bracket. comprising'a preferably tubular arm 15 to the inner ex? tremity of which are connected 'm'ating clamping members 15 adjustable toeng'age showing the male '75 type of motor vehicle, a portion of the body with the frame 12 of'the wind shield for supportin'gthe arm to project laterally at one side'thereoffi Mounted up'onthe outer extremityofsthe arm 15 to seat against its rear side is' a bearing plate or dislcl'e secured to'the said arm by spaced U-bolts 17.

This plate is, as preferably shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, provided withsubstantially V-shaped grooves 18 arranged at right angles to each other. Overlying the plate 16 to coacttherewith is a second .bearing 'plate or disk 19. This plate is formed with diametrio ribs 20 arranged at' substantially right angles to each other andadapted to engage within the grooves 18 of the disk 16 'so' that the said plates normally "seat flat against each other. Formedon the plate 19 at one side thereof is a radial wingQl and riveted or'otherwise secured to this wing'is a suitable semaphore blade 22. Tlie blade preferably formedof suitable sheet metal 22 is preferably-given-a coating-'o-fpaint or enamel to furnish a red background-forthe' representation of an .a arrows. imprinted upon the side faces of the blade. Extending radially from the plate 19 :at th'e side-thereof opposite the wing 21 and disposed at an" angle; to the 1 said? Wing iris a lever arm- 23 which, at its outer extremityis, ofl'. set away, from the bracket arm 15 Doosely fitted throughithe outer extremity of the bracket arm to extend axially throughthebearing. plates 16 and 1911s a ivot rod '245rotatably supporting the latter bea ring pla.tei, Formed on the rod to abut the arm15 is a stop shoulder 25 and -connecting the said ,rodwith the arm isv a nut 26 adjustable for rigidly clamp. ing: therod in position... Mounted upon: the outer extremity of' therod'to confront the bearing plate 19 is a concave convexgrefiectorl' 27 "open at its outerendr This, reflector is and is provided at .its inner; extremity with. a. laterally, proj ectingrlug 28 looselyr fitted upon the rod 24:. Threaded;upon:;the.adja= cent extremity of therod is. a :11ut 29 and interposed between this nut and the. lug; 28

of the: reflector isq'a. helicalispring. 30 sur.-"

rounding. therod. T1ius,.it.wilI- be:- seen that this spring; will holdi thesrefl'ector in position tightly clamped against the. bearing plate: 19.' and will also act to .yieldably hold' this bearing plate against the bearing plate- 16 to coact therewith. The. tension .of-Ithe spring may beregulated by adj ustingthe nut 29.. Threaded upontheouterI extremity of the .rodgto seat.. against thenut 29 is acan sleeve 31 formed 'at its outertend into a split socket. 32 andadjustable within this socket isthe ball l 3310f? a mirror bracket 34 carry.- ing amirror or. reflector 35 Threaded through. the socket to engage the ball '33 for holdingthe 'mirror; atIadjustment is as par ticularly shown -in Fig. 3!. of-ithe. drawings, asetscrew35l Itwill thus be seen thatthe mirror. will be supported 1 at the! outerv end of the rodi2d T in .such. position thatit. may beeasily' adj ustedwith respect to thedrivefls seat-of the vehicle for reflecting. any tra-ffic approachingfrom the rear of the-vehicle.

' Rotatably mounted in. anyapproved m ner upon the instrument board .of the. vehi cle and. extending. freely. tlfroughthervehicle cowl fat zthe adjacent side thereof is shaft 36" provided at its. outer end"v with acrank 37 connected J with, the free end of the. lever arm 23by a link 38'. Eormed'l on :theihner end of the said shaft is. an operating crank 39' and in this. connection it will be observed that-the operating cranks of bothflof the sig: nalingdevices confront each}. other" centrally of the instrument board o f 'the vehicle so accessibleafrom the driverb'seat.

Formed 0ntheperiphery of he bearing plate 16 are spacedradial stop lugs 40 and sear AVAILABLE COPY wardlyi'therefronr over tlre edge of the plate 16 is a stop arm 42 adapted to selectively cooperate with thesaid lugs.

As will now be clear, the operating crank of the sign-aling device 13 may, bexreadily grasped bythe driver of the vehiclefor r0- tating the bearing'plate 19 of this signaling device upon the bearing plate 16 thereof-rand consequently swinging the semaphore blade 22. of. the. device: from. normal I inactive position. as. shown in' Fig...1 to horizontal active position,;.as. shown.. F 2... WVhen' the semaphore; blade. is ,thus swung. upwardly theiribs 2O of 'the bearing,plate 19 will be; caused to ride out oflthe. grooves 18 of'the plate. 16..and, when. the semaphore blade reaches its active. position, will then be. caused by. the spring. 30 to again engage; within. the. saidf grooves for locking; the semaphorebl-adeiinsuch position. VVhens0 disposed i this signaling. dvicefwill then in. dicate an intention, of' the driver to turn to the le-ft,'.andf it illb e seen tlfatfu-p'ward movement, of the semaphore blade will be limitedby the engagementoffthe stop arm 42 ofthe bearingplate l9'fwith 'thestop l'O' of the :bearingplate 16. so thattlie'saidblade thus can notv be swung beyond its-active po sition. Reverse movement of: the operating crank'of the signaling device will, of *course, again swing the semaphore blade down wardly to inactive position to'be locked. in such position by the engagementofthe ribs 20of'the bearing plate '19; in the glf0oves -18 of the bearing plate 16. Downward move= ment ofthe semaphore blade will be limited by the engagement of the stop arm42 with' the stop 4.1 so th'at'the saidIbl-ade thusCan not' be swung. beyond I itsv inactive position. In like manner the operating'cran'kofthe signaling device 14 may be actuated for swinging. the semaphore blade of this device upwardlyto a'ctive position forindica'ting an intention of thedriver to turn to the right; The blade .ofthe signaling devicel l will, of course," be. lockedin itsla'ctive; and

inactive positions in the manner'described I a signalwhichmay beeasily operatedfrom V the drivers. seat forindicating an intention ofthe driver to turn'either'to the right-or left or anintention'to stop; The reflectors 1 25 v 27 r of the signal-ingdevices are adapted to support' suitable" lamp sockets therein and that both of the said-cranks will'be easily semaphore blades of the said devices will be illuminated by the said lamps. The inner sides and outer ends of the reflectors being open, light from the said lamps will be reflected along the semaphore blades so that the arrows thereon will be easily discernible.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A trafiic signal for motor vehicles including a supporting bracket having an arm,

a bearing plate fixed against one side of the arm, a rod engaged with the arm and extending through said plate, the rod locking the plate against movement about the arm, a second bearing plate rotatably supported by the rod, a signal arm carried by the sec ond plate, means for adjustably rotating the second plate to swing the signal arm, and coacting means between the plates for locking the second plate in adjusted position.

2. A traffic signal for motor vehicles including a supporting bracket, coacting bearing plates carried thereby, one of said plates being fixed and the other of the plates being rotatable upon the bracket, a signal arm carried by the second plate, means for adjustably rotating the second plate to swing the arm, coacting means between the bearing plates for locking the second plate in adjusted position, spaced stop lugs proj ecting from the periphery of the first plate, and a stop arm carried by the second plate and projecting across the first plate to selectively cooperate with said lugs for limiting the second plate in adjusted position in its swinging movement.

3. A traffic signal for motor vehicles including a supporting bracket having an arm, a bearing plate rested against one side of the arm, U-bolts extending around the arm and connecting the plate therewith, a

rod-extending through the plate and arm,

said rod being fixed to the arm and locking the plate against movement about the arm, a second bearing plate rotatable upon the rod, means for rotating the second plate, and a signal arm carried by the second plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM H. BOWLING. [n 3.

Copies 01' this patent msy be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. 0. i

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