US1351605A - Traffic-signal for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

R. L. ATWELL.

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TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES.

APPucATmN msn MAY 24,1919.

Patented Aug. 31,1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TRAFFIC-SIGNAL FR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

Application filed May 24, 1919. Serial No. 299,419A

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, Bonnin' citizen of the United States, residin r at loit, in the county of Hock and State .of Wisconsin, have invented new and useiul Improvements in TraliieSignals for Vehicles, of which the following tion.

This invention relates to traflic signals and especially signals which are adapted to be mounted upon an automobile. motor truck or other motor propollul vehicle and by means of which the operators ot other Cars as W'll as trali'u: policemen and pedos4 trians may be advised to any change in the direction of the vehicle vontemplatml by the operator thereof without the news sity of the operator extending his arm forthat purpose thereby enabling him to use both arms and hands in the control of the machine.

The invention contemplates theuse of a pointer or indicator for the direction in which the car is to be operated. which pointer is illuminated so that it may be used after night-fall well during the daytime, combined with means for swinging said arm in vertical plane either in line with the path of travel of the machine or in a plane transverse to the direction of movement of the mruhine. thereby enabling the arrow to indicate exactly the direction to be followed by the machine.

A further object in View is to provide a traffic Si nal the several parts of which may be readi y applied to any machine either at the time of manufacture thereof or at any time subsequent thereto.

With the above and other objects in View. the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described, illustrated and. claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im proved traffic signal shown in its. all-plied relation to a motor vehiclei Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the indicator or traffic signal oper ating means.

Fig, 3 is a plan View of the cam rod.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the rack and pinion transmission mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation showmg'the vertieal position of the pointer in full lines and the right and left hand positions tlercof in dotted lines.

Fig. 8 is a face view of the pointer or inldieator.

Fig. 9 i5 a longitudinal section through the saine.

Fig. l() is a plan view of the operating lever mounted ou the head of the steering oar.

Fig. 1l is a plan view of the graduated sector.

The trafiic signal comprises a signaling arm or pointer l which is shown in the form of an arrow of hollow formation, comprising rear and front walls 2 and 3 and side walls 4, the fare wall of the pointer being composed of glass or other translucent material so as to be visible after night-fall when interior-ly illuminated by means of electric lamps or bulbs 5 which are disposed at intervals throughout the length of the burner and within the base or hub portion thereoiz as shown in the drawing, the wires leading to said lamps or bulbs passing through an opening (i in the body of the arm or pointer as shown The pointer or arm l is mounted upon an oscillatory or partially rotatable support or hub 7 having a journal H which is mounted rotatably in u bearing t) carried by an arm 10 supported in a manner hereinafter particularly described, the hub or support 7 being mounted between the arm l0 and another arm ll, the latter being employed for imparting a partial rotary or rocking movenient to the support 7 as will hereinafter appear.

`he arm 11 is connected integrally to or suitably fastened in fixed relation to a rotaitable cam rod 12 which is journaled in a main supporting bearing 1B, having an attaching base 14 by inuaiis of which it is fixedlysecured to the vehicle. The cam rod 12 has a cam groove 14 extending longitudinally thereof and comprising a straight longitudinal portion 15 and inclined portion 16 leading ofi therefrom, and a reversely inclined portion 17 of greater extent than the inclined portion 16. The cam roove 14Jis engaged byl a pin 18 having a Xed connection `with the stationary bearing 13, whereb as said cam rod is shifted longitudinally tli'rough the bearing 13, a partial rotative movement is imparted thereto first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. The longitudinal portion 15 of the cam roove ermits the cam rod to be shifted on itudinally to a certain extent or degree without any turning movement of said earn rod.

The arm lll is provided at its inner end with u sleeve lo having one or more grooves 19 to receive a corresponding number of keys or ribs 2() on the arm 11 where it passes through said sleeve 18a. The sleeve 18" is provided with annular grooves`21 having spiral portions 22 which open out at the inner.end of the sleeve and working in the grooves 2l are the inturned end portions 22 of a pair of vokes or studs zll which are adjustably secured by means of nuts Z1 and 25 to oppositely extending lugs 26 on the fixed or stationary bearings 3l. The mem bers 23 thus serve to prevent any movement of the sleeve 1H longitudinally with respect to the axis of the bearing member 13 whilc the longitudinal portion l5 of tht4 cam groove is moving along the pin 18. lVhen however, the pin 18 enters and moves along the inclined portions of the cam groove, the sleeve 1S is partially rotated until the mem- -bers 255 pass out of engagement therewith and release the sleeve lf'r.

The cam rod 12 is formed with a bore 27 which receives an operating push rod Q8 adjustable in the bore 2T to provide for properly adjusting the traliic operating mechanism in relation to the motor vehicle upon which it is mounted. The push rod 28 may he connected by any suitable means such as a lever or link to an operating shaft 257 extending upwardly through the steering cohnnn J-Wof the machine and having secured to its z ipper end an operating lever 3l designed to sweep over an arcuate graduated plate or sector 32 having suitable cmblems thereon to designate such direction as left, right` turn and stop as maybe found desirable by the manufacturer. lt will now he understood that by operating theV lever 3l, the push'rod 28 is moved longitlulinally thereby imparting a correspoiuling movement to the cam rod 12` causing tlie latter to slide through the bearing 13 and causing the cam groove of said rod to engage the fixed pin 13, thus imparting a partial rotary movement to thecam roil during the longitudinal movement thereof.

Normally the signal arm or pointer 1 lies in a horizontal plane pointing ill a straight forward direction or in a direction of travel of the machine. lnythe initial rearward movement of the cam rod, the straight portion 15 .of the cam groove engages the in 18 so that said cam rod is not rotated iut moved rearwardly, carrying with it the arm 11. Said arm 11 is provided with a rack face 33 which engages a gea-r face 34 on a' short stub shaft or journal 35 extending from the ad'aeent edge of the support or hub 7 above escribed. As a result a partial rotative movement is imparted to the support 7, causing the pointer or indicating arm to travel through an a rc of ninety degrees or from a straight forward horizontal polsition to an upright position, said arm or indicator moving in a vertical planeA in line with the direction of movement of the ve hicle. In the further rearward movement of the cam rod 12 the pin 1S engages the inclined portion 16 of the cam slot or groove thereby imparting a partial rotative movement to the arm 11 and turning the indicator or pointer to an are of ninety degrees so lthat it occupies a horizontal position and points laterally to one side of the machine. lu the further rearward movement of the cam rod 12, the pin 18 engages the longer and reversely inclined portion l of the cam groove and thereby turns the signaling arm or pointer to an are of 180 degrees So that said arm occupies horizontal position pointing directly toward the opposite side of 'the machine. lly returning the lever 31 to its initial position` the movements hereinabove described are reversed and the indicating arm or pointer is returned to its normal position in which it pointsstraight forward and lies in a horizontal p'lane! In Fig. l of the drawing, l have illus trated the indicator arm or pointer as mounted and arranged to operate at the rear of the motor vehicle but it will of course be apparent that said signaling arm or pointer may be arranged at the front of the vehicle or in any other desired position, the main feature of the invention residing in the means for swinging said indicating arm or pointer in a plurality of vertical planes s0 that it may be disposed in several positions to indicate clearly and unmistakably the direction in which the vehicle is about to travel. This is a great assistance to the` drivers of other vehicles especiall')I those traveling in rear of the vehicleequipped with the signaling apparatus and the mechanism is also useful to traffic policemen and pedestrians as they serve to advise the trailic in general as to the intended movement of the vehicle. The motion transmitting means between the initial operating lever 21 and the push rod 28 ma be varied in accordance with the type of ve iele in conjunction with which the traffic signal is to be used, for example electrical means may be employed .and I therefore do not desire to be restricted to any particular form of operating connection for that purpose. 1t will also be apparent that the particular means for imparting a partial rotative movement to the support 7 may be varied without departing from the prineiple nl' the invention as other nii-uns than the rack and pinion mechanism shown and described may be resorted to.

The train(- signal eliminates the necessity of ille operator using: the arm to signal the limotion in wliirli lic is about to iurn thereby leaving; his arms nmllmnrls free to manipulaiic. the control of the nim'liine. The mechanism is not only simple Init is strong nml re liable in volvingr no delicate parts liable to get ont of order and therefore it is able to stand the strains of rough usage, especeinlly adapted to all` types of commercial ears whether iis-eci for pleasure or industrial use.

That 1 claim is 1. In i1 vehicle carrier] traffic signal, a signal supporting member, a. direction indifating and pointing member ha ving an articulated connection with said supporting member adapting it to be swung in s vertical plaine in line with the direction of movement of the vehicle and also in a vertical plane et substantially a right angle to tile direction of movement of the Vehicle, und means for swinging said direction indiu eating mem'lier in either of said. verticali plaines, the last named, means: comprising: u roclmblc element by which said incliiiting member is married, including n push rod geared io sani lockable dement, and means including s snm clei'iee 'for ro ing said eieinem. on en axis sniismntiziily :it e righi :ingle in ifs mejor mili, sind e munuiiily operable element conirolling boil; oi the lest named innert.

i2. lil .fi ieliiffie cnrrieil irnilio si nl, :i signi-di sizn.oi.iin; member, u iiiifecmnn in iicfiting unf] pointing niemiier having' un :ii'iimalsiieii renne i'ion wiiii seid supporting member niiniing' it to iie swung; in :i vertir'ni. mine in line 'with time i Cioli of Inoveineilt oi iin iiirle :mijl nino in a vertical dini-div n righi: :ingle tio riie n'errv'ei'i'zezi of iiie Vehicle, :mii meses im* swinging nifl iiiieoion indi #.iing: iii-inner in either fr? sani veriiual pinnen iziiv minier! means fnlvising' e. iiwfla-.ihic cienwnt by wiiieii s, indicating meniiwr is vari d, ineens im roffking seid nieuwe! mi the maior axis. :in erm support ing im@ nini of said element and adapte to turn the same end for end, and another arm zulnpteil to turn said element on its major axis.

3. In. a vehicle carried traic signal, a signal supporting member, n direction indi-I cating inni pointing member havingr :in a1- ticnluteil vonncotion with said supporting member adapting it to be swung in n vertical plane in line with the direction of movement of the vehicle and also in a. vertical plane ai substantially a right angle to the direction of movement of the vehicle, and means for swinging seid direction indicating memin either of said vertical planes, the last named means comprisin a rockgible element by which snirl indicating member is carried, means for rocking said element on the major axis, an arm supporting one end of said element and adapted to turn the same end for end, and another arm adapted to turn said element on its major axis, and a single manually operable element con trolling both of said arms. x

4. A sigiml device for Vehicles comprising n support adapted to be secured upon a vehicle, :i member slidnble :mil rotatable through ,anni support, an arm Carried by :aid member mil having rack teeth thereon, :i bracket :n'rn having slidnlile connection with sniil member, a pointer having a. hub orti-Jil ionrnnleii in the free emi of seid infnckct firm, mui n pinion extending from liiili :mil inceliingr with sind rank.

which? vermeil signal comprising' si enpjiori adapted o be eecureci upon dv vehicle anni ii. ring si. here. n. rml sliialnle :mil roi'nnfile ,'Jiliin said bore :imi having a nam groove, u pin witiiin ille bore engaging within the groeve, an firm secured to nml iroiecing from one end oi sniil rml. und iormezi with ruck ieciln n bracketaim having one e-ini 'formell to sliiliibly reizeive said ruim :n1-1l' having spire! grooves, yokes projecting from sani support. :mil haring angular envie engaging within .seid spi ail grooves. n, minier having i heb member ji'inrneled ai; one enti in rile 'free end of said bracket: een, :mii pinion at the other end if said .in il portion meshing: with said reci( teeiii In testimony whereof i niiix mj :einem me.

ROBERT L. A T'JJ.

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