US1331691A - Traffic-sign - Google Patents

Description

G. W. BENNETT.

TRAFFIC SIGN.

APPLICATION EILED DEC-23| |918.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

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TRAFFIC-SIGN. v'

This invention relates to traiiic signs' and is designed for use particularly at streety crossing intersections where the normal traffic is heavy to suchan extent that confusion would ordinarily arise without some directing instructions as to the propercourse to pursue. Specifically, my inventlon-is designed for use in the city streets for intermittently presenting stop and go signs.

In this connection, another object of m invention resides in a structure'wliereby al of the functions performed by the sign are accomplished automatically and further whereby the time interval of display of one sign may bevaried as may bei desired with respect to the succeeding display.l In this manner, the thoroughfare having the greater amount of traic may be permitted the lgo sign a` longei` time interval than the intersecting thoroughfare having perhaps a less amount of normal trailic.

With these objects in view, my inventlon consistsy in the combination and arrange- A one embodiment ofwhich is illustrated in the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein similar charactersof reference designate corresponding parts andwherein, l Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of vmy improved structure with one side of the in-vy closing casing structure' removed, J y

Fig. 2 is a view taken at right anglesfrom that shown in Fig. 1, also with a portion of the casing removed, and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line33of1`i. 2..'Av I haveA found it desirable to suitably in close all o f the gearing and driving mechanism employedv inmy invention and to this end, the casing 1 has beenprovided which also serves as the base or pedestal 11 n which the display sign 2 isY mounted, is display sign, as shown, is of square forma.- tion and has been illustrated as bei provided with glass faces 3 -npon whic -the traffic legends are printed. Inasmuch ans square signv Imember has been Shown, it follows that this particular design is lpsifecmmn o f hun. Patented Feb. 24, 1920. i Application illed Deoeinber', 1918. kahl No. 261,940.

gluitcablefor two intersecting thoroughfares the invention is notlimited to this as the style of display membermay very readily-be changed to be`in accordancel with local conditions. Also, I preferably provide elec- .tric illinnination for the interior ofthe sign inasmuch as the present embodiment u has been illustrated 'as being driven by an electric motor. The wires leading to the electric bulbs loc ted Within the sign member pass through he centrally disposed conduit 4' whi1e the hollow shaft 5 upon which the sign member itself is directly mounted is caused to pass through the hollow post. securely' fastened at its lower end to the casing member 1 and being provided at Kits upper en d with a bearing portion upon which the display member 3 may rotate.

As stated, the entire structure is illustrated as being driven by an electric motor 7, but the specific type of prime mover is not essential. The armature shaft` 8of this 'motor is extended vand provided with a wom 9 which in turn meshes with a worm gear 10 suitably mounted upon the shaft 11. This shaft llis journaled in suitable bear!v ing members 12 ycarried by the base of the casing and is further provided with a worm,

18 at its opposite end. This worm in turn meshes with a second worm gear 14 mounted u nA the upright counter shaft 1 5 also 'suita ly journaled within the interior ofthe casing as shown at 16 and 17. Thiscountershaft 15 in present instance, ,carries a 'pa-ir of segmental gears18 and 19 designed to mesh with pinions 20 and I21 respectively mounted upon the lhollow drive. shaft 5. segmental gears 18 and .19 are shown .as .being designed for the uare type ofjdisplay sign and to thisy en their groups of teeth 22 are arranged Idiametrically op site eachother and are of -a number-whgh corresponds to one-quarter ofthe number of i teeth on the pinions 20 and 21. By arrang-l ing the groups of `teeth 22 diametrically opposite each other, "itfollows that one cointime through one-quarter revolution. gears 18 and 19 are suitabl mounted upon their shaft 15 by means of he set screws 23 so that the relative arrangement of the variou'sgroups of teeth 22 may be altered in order that the time interval of dis lay of one tx'lic legend may be varied wit respect to plete revolution of each of the .gears 18 and 19 causes the sign lo-be moved twice,Teach hese',

the succeeding display. In other words, by properly locating these groups-'of teeth 18 and 19, .the go sign for one thoroughfare may be in position twice as long as the stop sign for the same thoroughfare. It will of course be understood that this time arrangement may be varied to suit conditions. 1

From the fo 'g description, taken in connection with t e accompanying sheets of v drawings,- it will be ap arent that Ihave provided a type of tra c sign which does not require the personal attention of an attendant, usually apoliceman. When once set in operation, the driving motor continues in-such operation and the display legends may beautomatically presented in any desired manner. By this is meant that the 2,'In a traic sign, a display memberl ca v.

time interval of one display may be varied with respect to the succeeding display by the proper arrangement ofthe gears 18 and 19 u n their shaft. v at I claim is: p

v 1. In a trailic sign, a display member capable of assuming a -plurality of display positions, means ifor intermittently and .au-

tomatically moving said member from one displa position to another, and means where y the time interval of one display may be varied with respect to the succeed-` ing display.

pable of assuming a plurality of display positions, a driving motor, gearing from said motor to said member, and a plurality of segmental gears 'forming apartof said' 'gearing Whose teeth are arranged to intermittently and automatically change said l `member from one display position to' another, said segmental gears being mounted so that their positions may be varied to corres ndingly vary the time of one display wit respect to the succeeding display.

3. In 'a traffic signal, a casing, a continuously driven actuator mounted in said casing, a shaft disposed tobe continuously rotated by said actuator, a rotatable signal operating member mounted in parallelism A,

with said shaft, andA adjustable means cooperative with said shaft and said member for intermittently rotatin the flatter and to render uniform or irregu ar the time intervals between the shifting operations-of said member.'

4. In a traiii'c signal, a casing, a continuously driven actuator mounted in said-casing, a pair of gear elements driven by said actuator, said elements beingprovided with .spaced groups of teeth, a slgnal operating

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