US1331574A - Traffic-signal - Google Patents

Description

L. F. MAIRE.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1917.

Patented Feb-24, 1920.

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TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 911.

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U l l llTED STATES PATENT GFFHEE.

LOUIS F. MAIRE, NEAR NEW HAVEN, INDIANA.

TRAFFIC-SIGNAL.

Application filed April 12, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS F. MAIRE, a citizen of the United States, residing near New Haven, R. F. D; No. 5, Allen county, Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traffic-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to signals for controlling trafiic on streets and, highways. lllany traffic signals now in use at street intersections require the traffic officer to stand at the signal for the purpose of operating it to control the traffic at the intersection. li here the signal is located in the center of the intersection the oflicer is necessarily exposed to injury from the traffic and also to inclement weather and the suns rays.

The object of the present invention is to provide a removable signal which the traffic oiiicer may easily and effectively operate at a point removed from the same, as on the sidewalk, where he is away from the street trafiic and may be protected against the weather.

In the drawings I illustrate an embodiment of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of the signal and its actuating devices.

Fig. 2 is a plan view on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fractional plan view of the post support.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line 44 of Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section of the sig 1 30st, and

E ig. l is a horizontal crosssection through the signal and post.

Referring to the drawings 10 is a housing or box which in practice is buried or embedded in the ground with the upper surface of flange 11 on neck 12 flush with the surface of the pavement or ground. Neck 12 is integral with cover 13 of the box and a flange 14 projects inwardly from the wall of the neck at a suitable point to provide a bearing for head 15 on shaft 16, which shaft is seated at its lower end in bearing 17 in box 10. Head 15 is preferably hexagonal eXteriorly at its upper end and it is also recessed and threaded to receive an insulated plug 18 to which are secured two sockets 19 and 20. lVires 21 connect to socket 19 and wires 22 connect to socket 20, both sets of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Serial No. 161,389.

wires being extended through suitable insulated apertures 28 in head 15.

The signal post 24 is threaded at its lower end into a sleeve 25 which is shaped or formed to be engaged over the upper end of head 15 on shaft 16. A flange 26 on the sleeve bears upon flange 11 of neck 12. Plug 2'? is threaded into sleeve 25 and carries two contact plugs or members 28 and 29 to which are connected wires 30 and 31 respectively, the wires being extended above the plug into hollow post 24. Tires 31 are connected to an electric hell or other electrically operated alarm, whichis secured on post at a suitable point.

Gland 33 is threaded into the upper end of post 24 and the lower end of the signal carrying post 34 is threaded into the gland, post 34 also being hollow. The signal plate 35 of suitable color and size and lettering has two depending pegs 36 which are inserted into apertures 37 provided in gland 83, and the central portion of the plate is curved so as to pass around post 34. The engagement of the pegs and apertures hold the plate rigid yet permit of the easy removal of the plate. A lamp socket 38 is connected to the upper end of post 34 and wires 30 are connected to the socket to provide an electrical circuit to electric lamp 39 installed in the socket.

The entire signal post is removable from head 15 and to install the post it is necessary, only, to engage sleeve on the head in the proper manner to insure the engagement of plugs 28 and 29 in sockets 19 and 20 re spectively.

I Shaft 16 is rcvolubly supported in bearing 17 and segment gear 40 is secured to the shaft. A rack 41 is secured to reciprocable rod 42 and is in mesh with gear 40, the rack being guided by support 43 in box 10. llod 42 projects through pipe 44 which secured at one end to box 10 and is embedded in the ground or concrete of the pavement, the other end of the pipe being secured to a similar box or housing 45 also embedded in the ground at the point where it is desired the traflic oflicer shall stand. Rod 42 projects into box 45 and a rack 46 similar to rack 41 is secured to the rod and meshes with a gear 47 secured to shaft 48, which is supported at its lower end in bearing 49 on box 45. A support 50 serves to support and guide the rack within the box 45. Shaft 48 is extended i the stand.

upwardly through cover plate 51 of box 4:5 and through top 52 of neck 53 of the box.

Flange 54 on the neck 53 is flush with the side walk or surface of the ground about it. Stand or hollow post 55 is secured to flange 54 and shaft 4L8 is extended up through the stand and through bearing 56 in the top of Crank 57 is removably secured to the upper end of shaft 48 by which the shaft may be rotated by the officer to cause rod 42 to reciprocate and to rotate the signal post. Door 58 is hung on the stand to afford access to the interior thereof, a suitable look, not shown, being provided to prevent tampering with the interior of the stand.

Pipe 59is also embedded in the ground or concrete and is connected at one endto'boX or housing 10 at a convenient or suitable point, as to neck 12 and the other end is connected to boX orhousing 5 at a suitable point, as to flange 54. Wires 21 and 22 are led through pipe 59 and into stand or post 55. ires 21 are connected to switch 60 which is secured within the stand, service wires 61 of the lighting system of the highway being connected to wires 21 at a convenient point. Wires 2:2 are connected to battery 62 and to push button 63. Button 63 is locatedat a point convenient to be operated by the oflicer for causing the current from the battery or other suitable source of electrical energy to sound the alarm 32. Switch 6%. enables the officer to break the alarm circuit when dedirection and permit its passage in the other direction, He will sound the alarm whenever he desires. At night the entire signal 7 post may be removed from its support, or

the signal plate may be removed and the electric lamp be lighted. If an officer is on duty the electric lamp will illuminate the plate, and the bulb'may be colored to suit the taste;

sockets in the recess, a signal carrying member detachably secured on the head and having two plugs depending therefrom adapted to be engaged in the sockets, a segment gear secured to the shaft, a. rack in mesh with the gear, a reciprocable rod secured to the rack,a rack secured to the opposite end of the rod, a second shaft revolubly mounted, asegment gear secured to the second shaft and engaging the latter rack and means connected to the latter shaft for rotating it and the signal carrying member.

'2. In a traffic signal the combination of a vertically disposed revolubly mounted shaft, a segmental gear secured tothe shaft, a signal carrying post detachably and removably I secured to the upper end of the shaft, a sec ond vertically disposed revolu-bly mounted shaft removed from the first named shaft, a segmental gear secured to the lower end of the second shaft, a reciprocable rod adapted to be buried in the ground, a rack at each opposite end of the rod meshing with the segmental gears respectively and means to rotate the second shaft for causing the signal carrying post to rotate.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name this 10" day of April, 1917.

LOUIS r. MAIRE.

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