US1354066A

US1354066A - Signal for automobiles

Info

Publication number: US1354066A
Application number: US125793A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ferdinand C Roberts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1916-10-16
Filing date: 1916-10-16
Publication date: 1920-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1937-09-28

Description

F. C. ROBERTS.

SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16. 1916.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

WI I'M UNITED STA ES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND C. ROBERTS, OF' DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SIGNAL FOB AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Application filed October 16, 1916. Serial No. 125,793.

tain new and useful Improvements in Signals for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a signal for automobiles and to an arrangement thereof whereby the desired warnings are easily seen and whereby the license plate is likewise illuminated, all with an expenditure of a minimum amount of'electric energy.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view partially in longitudinal section and partially broken away and in elevation, of a device embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2is a view in transverse section therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic'view of the electric connections; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the device, on reduced scale:

As herein shown in preferred form a substantially rectangular main casing 1 has a longitudinal upright wall 2 therethrough which is extended forwardly as at 3, to form a signal box interior which is illuminated by a bulb 4 mounted appropriately on the wall 2. An opening over which there is a plate 5 of transparent material, such as glass or the like, is formed in the bottom of the main casing back of the partition 2 in such way that a bulb 6 that is mounted on the back wall 7 of-the casing may throw light therethrough and thus illuminate any license plate 8 that may be secured as by screws and slots 9 in a depending rear wall 10. An

arched hood 11 over the top of the casing houses the bulb 6 and the interior thereof is preferably burnished or polished to act as a reflector. A bulls eye 12 or the like is mounted in the front wall 13 of the hood, said wall being an extension of the front of the casing and being hinged as at 14, to permit the inspection of the interior. A suitably lettered translucent or transparent plate 15 forms the lower panel of the casing door in front of the bulb 4, the indicia thereon being such as to be visible by reflected light in the day time and by transmltted light at night. A suitable bracket 16 on the rear wall permits the mounting of phehpasmg in the usual position "of a tail The source of electrical energy indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 3 at 17, being in the usual ignition system or like system used on vehicles, is connected in series through the leads 18 to' the

lamps

6 and 4. A switch 19 near the operators station on the Vehicle is connected through a shunt line 20 with the leads 18 so that when the switch 19 is closed, the resulting shunt therethrough causes the lamp 4 to glow and cuts off the tail light 6. The voltage of the tail light 6 isso proportioned in relation to that of .the lamp 4, that In normally operating conditions, with the switch 19 0 en, the tail lamp 6 glows and the lamp 4 oes not. A permanent cut out swltch 21 throws the lamp 6 out of commission in the daylight.

As a result of this construction, a very efiicient, easily operated and simple signal is obtained which performs the usual function of a tail light, a traflic signal, and an illuminating lamp for the license plate. Ordinarily the'volta e of the tail light and intermittent use 0 the higher voltage lamp is no serious drain upon the source of energy, which if it is a storage battery, should not have any continuous drain of any appreciable amount upon it. I

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do 1. In tail light construction wherein a pair of lamps are supported to illuminate two independent warning signals and a license number plate, means for supporting the elements in relative positions, said means including a casing havin a body portion having a partition to divide the body portion into two compartments arranged in front and rear relation, the vertical portion of the partition carrying one of such lamps located in the front compartment in rear of one of the signals, a hood overlying both compartments and in open communication with the rear compartment, said hood carrying-the second signal, a lamp for the second signal supported by the rear wall of the easing and positioned above said rear compartment and Within the hood, said secondicompartment having a bottom adapted to permit passage of light rays therethrough, a license number plate Supported by the rear Wall of the casing to osition it in rear of such light rays, an lamp connections located within the rear compartment, the lamps and connections being so disposed as to permit substantially unobstructed passage of light rays from the second lamp to said compartment bottom.

2. Construction of the type of claim 1, characterized by means for controlling the activity of the lamps at will, said means including a pair of make and break devices within the circuit connections and operative to control the activity of the lamps individually, said circuit connections and lamp construction being operative to prevent concurrent illuminating of signals, one of said 20 devices being operative by its make and break action to select the signal to be illumi nated When the other device is in circuit closing position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 26