US1368798A - Traffic-register - Google Patents

Description

e. HENRY.

TRAFFIC REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1920.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET mum/e male/E1. HL- /vRY A TTORNEYS G. HENRY.

TRAFFIC REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31920 1,368,798, Patented Feb. 15,1921..

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES 73 INVENTOR {1M UM I V I GABRIEL HENRY.

A TTORNEYS G. HENRY.

TRAFFIC REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 1920.

1,368,798. Patented F61). '15, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- fic fi.

V WITNS8E8 INVE/NJOR 10% I GABRIEL ENEY ATTORNEYS G. HEX RY.

TRAFFIC REGISTER.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1920. 1,368,798. Patented Feb. 15,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- WITNESSES l/VI/ENTOR 645mm fiE/vw Mum/La Arm/mus e. HENRY. TRAFFIC REGISTER."

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. I920.

1,368,798. Patented Feb.15,-1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET s.

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I ATTORNEYS Be it known t at I, GABRIEL GABRIEL amt, or enann eunnnc; cumin To allwhomitma Comm: J

HENRI, a

I citizen of Canada, and a resident of Quebec,

provide improved means for operating a in the Province of, Quebec and. Dominion .of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Traflic-Register', of which the following is a full, '.clear, and exact descrip- -tion.

This invention relates to improvements in traflic registers, an object of the invention beinglto provide improved means for phot picture film and improved means for automatically taking plctures of the vehicles as they pass a given point on the road so that the film, when develo tained as a permanent record. The reglstering oftraflic on and more urgent because of the fact that be- I pavement'to be ado ted for it, it is necesfore deciding the amount of money to be invested in a certain road and the kind of sary .to obtain full information concerning the amount and the nature of the trafiicfon this road. p

Highwa engineers are-much handicapped by lack o proper information on the subject and the means usuall employed heretofore is to appoint specia ofiicers who take a position at a certain point on the road and make a report of the traflic. The highor less unsatisfactory.

, 'It is thepurpose of my-invention to provide a systematic, automatic and COIltlIlllous registration of the actual traffic at any point on the highway and this problem vide, an apparatus whic ,will .take a quick v believe m invention to thoroughly and'efli i'. 45 I cientl" so ve. a

It is the object of invention to prosnapshot so that vehicles of all speeds can "be photographed and also provideanap aratus which will visualize the kind of ve i cles passing and which will prevent more than a single picture bemg-taken of a single vehicle.

.It'is also the object of my invention to provide an apparatus which will take pic' ing the traflic on a street or road and can be utilized inconnection with a prqecting-device toillus-- trate the trafiicof the road and can be main- T rangements of parts as will be more fully the highways is' very important and is becoming more w rmrxc-misrnn.

;tures of all vehicles passing on any part of the width of the road and which W111" not interfere with the traffic.

- A further object, is to provide an apparatus which will be automatic so as not to Patented r al-15,1921.

require the continuous attendance of an op- I erator, but only occasional inspection and from time to time to remove and replace .fi1ms..

A further object is to provide an appa-' ratus which will be strong and durable and which will not be injured by the elements.

It is, of course, obvious that m qinventionmight be used at night as wel as in the daytime by provision of suitable lights to illuminate the highway.

With these and other .objectsin view the invention consists in certain novel features.v

of construction, and combinations and arhereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. a

In the accompanying dr wings Figure 1 is a diagram atic partly in section illustrating my invention; Fig. 2 is a view in section on the-line 2--2 ofF1g.l;

lan. view Fig. 3 is an enlargedview in section on the line 3-3 of 9;;

Fig. 4 is a perspective vlew of one of the grates 10 F'g. 5 is a 'view' in sectionon the line Fig li, showing theparts in one position; v

g. 9 is a view similar toFig. 8 showing the parts in-anotherjposition; y Y 1 FigaylO {is' a view vertical section throu h the camera boittaken on; the line Fig. 11- is, viewintransversegsectioniof 1 thecamera btixftalreri onthe line 11- 11 ofFi-g. 8; 1 q

v Fig. 1?. is a fragmentary view'm vertn'gal-v transvierse .secti n on the line 12-12 of Fig. 8'; an

' Fig.'13i's a fragmenta viewi'isection on n'off'.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, 1 represents a road or highway having a house or building 2 located opposite the same. A concrete lined trench 3 is provided across the road or highway and is preferably of a size suflicient to permit the entrance of a man to inspect and clean the same. This trench 3 preferably inclines or positinto a basin 4 having a clean-out or manhole cover 5 above the same.

Across the top of the trench and flush with the roadway I provide a series of grates 10, one of which is shown in perspective in Fig. 4. Each grate is covered by an elastic steel plate 6 bolted at its ends to the grate as shown at 7, and the upper surfacesof the grates are depressed at their centers, as shown at 8, to allow a predetermined amount of vertical movement of the intermediate v portions of the steel plates 6 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Each grate 10 is made with a central opening 9 in which a vertically movable pin 11 is mounted and this pin ll'may be of insulation or other non-conducting material. To the bottom of all the grates metal contact boxes 12 are securedand these contact boxes contain elastic contacts 13 and 14: normally apart and positioned under the fiexible elastic covers 15 of the contact boxes. Each contact box has secured to the under face of its cover a block 16 preferably of insula- 7 tion so that when the cover the block 16 will act to force and 14: together.

I have lllustrated the contacts 13 and 14 as metal bails crossing each other and spaced apart with each bail provided with a binding post 16 which is electrically connected with my improved mechanism as will be explained.

To further insure the closing of the circuits, a strip 17 which may be 111 sections is located on top of the plate 6 so that the engagement of a vehicle wheel with this strip 17 insures a depression of at least one of the pins 11 to close the electric circuit.

In the house or building 2, I locate a camera box 18 which is so positioned that the mechanism therein contalned will operate to take pictures of thevehicles moving along the highway. The box 18 is divided by a partition 19 into two compartments 20 15 is depressed, the contacts 13 and 21 respectively. In the compartment.

20 I provide a pair of operating rolls 22 and 23 having teeth 24 thereon to engage the perforations of a film 25 to cause the film to move past an opening 26 to expose the same when a shutter 27 is operated. I have. not illustrated any particular form of shutter, but it is, of course, to be understood that at each operation the shutter opens and then closes as is true with the ordinary snapshot shutter in general use.

A plate 28 is provided to hold the film straight and flat against a perforated metal plate 29 and a block of glass 30 having spring held arms 31 is located against the film in line with the opening 26 to maintain the film perfectly flat and smooth at its point film 25 is mounted. It is obvious that the film from one reel passes onto the other and openings 37 are provided in the boxes for the passage of the film, and guide rollers 38 are also provided to properly direct the film through the openings 37.

I preferably employ reels 36 as shown in section inFig. 11, these reels being provided with metal sleeves or bushings 39 to receive the shafts and provide for pins 40 carried by the reels which project into longitudinal grooves 4:1 in the shafts to compel the shafts and reels to turn together, but permit removal of the reels as occasion may require. I also preferably provide spring plates 42 on the reels to clamp the ends of the film and insure a locking engagement therewith.

.The upper reel 36 isprovided outside of the box with a friction pulley 4:3 engaged by an elastic belt 44 secured to the box 33 so that the necessary frictional resistance is offered to the turning of the reel to prevent any slack of film in the box.

10 insure the proper enga ement of the film with the rolls 22 and 23, I provide two pairs of pivoted arms 15 and 46 and locate hubs 417 on the pivotal axes of the said arms and 46. The hubs of the pairs of arms are connected by coiled springs 48 secured at their ends to the respective hubs so that these springs exert a tension to pivot the arms and press rollers 49 at the free ends of the arms againstthe film to hold the same against the rolls. These rollers 19 are preferably grooved to allow for the projecting teeth 24 of the rolls.

The rolls 22 and 23 are fixed to shafts 50 and 51 respectively, the lower shaft 51 supporting within the compartment 21 a ratchet toothed wheel 52 and a friction pulley 53.

The lower shaft 35' also projects into the compartment 21 and is provided with a friction pulley 55 and a friction belt 56 is positioned around the pulleys 53 and- 55 compellin them to turn together.

It will e noted that the pulley 55 is appreciably smaller than the pulley 53 so as to give the necessary movement to the film at each operation of the ratchet toothed wheel 52, as will now be described.

A bracket 57 in the compartment 21 sup- 66 which has a notch 67 in its face receiving I m issecured ports a rocker shaft 58 and an electric below the same. A. crank arm 60 mature 61 is p 58 and is adaptedto be attracted by the magnet 59 to return the crank arm, 60' to normal position, which is shown in Fig. 8.

This crank engages the toothed wheel 52 and is also connectedby a link 63 with a bell crank lever 64 operating the shutter 27.. A pawl 62'. holds the wheel 52 from revolving reversely.

A crank arm 65. is fixed to the shaft 58 and is held in normal horizontal position,

as shown in Fig; 8, by means of an armature the endof the arm 65. The armature 66 is supported by a spring 68 and is controlled by a relaymagnet 69. l 4 A pulley .70 is securedon the rocker shaft 1 58 and a' coiled s ring 71 is extended around this pulley and xed thereto at one end and at its other end is fixed to the lower portion v of the bracket 57. This spring 71 exerts a Above the arm 65 a bell crank lever 75 is I pivotally mounted as shown at 76, and at vwhen the arm 65 ismoved downwardly.-

one end engages the plunger 77 of a dashpot 78, while a coiled sprmg79 'connectsthe plunger 77 with a fixed art of the box and exerts a continuous pul thereon holding.

the lever 75 in the normal position shown m Fig. 8. A coiled spring 80 connects the :lever 75 with the arm 65 so that the'arm and.

the lever are compelled to move together A contact ca g arm 81 is an ported on and movable with thelever 75. 4

its. free end has a block of insulation 83 and which engages the contacts and'compresses j them betweenthe said block 83 and a roller or other insulated member Sit-on the arm 65.

The contacts 82 are lconiiected by wiresi 85 'an'd186with the magnet 59 and-1 include intheir circuit a batteryor other source of electricity 87.

: Theo eration of my im roved apparatus fis as fo lows: When 'a 'v icle:v asses over he strip 17, the weight of the ve icle s the closing I I dium pt t e contacts in gym f lttheflwnztacty to the rocker shaft 58 and an aralso secured to the rocker shaft arm carries a pawl 62which;

is arm 81 at its free-end carries a pair of spring con-Q tacts 82 normally a art and these contacts are forced together y the lever 75 which at of the circuit through the me- 1 a I at liberty to make boxes 12 to energize the relay ma ets 69. When this magnet 69 is energiz it will attract the armature .66 releasin the arm to allow the spring 71 to partia yturnthe rocker shaft '58 and. move the arm 60 and the other parts to the osition shown in Fig. 9. This movement 0? the arm 60, throu h the medium of the link 63 and bell crank lever .64, causes the operation of the shutter 27 to take a picture of the passing vehicle .on

"the filmi-25.

- When the. arm 65 turneddown, the

,roller 84 withdraws from the pair of spring contacts 82 by the fact that the movement of the lever 75 and of the arm 81- attached to it is made slower by the dashpot 78. It is pressed by it against each other and against the block of insulation 83 and that the circuit is closed, thus allowing the lever 65 the tlme necessary for coming tothe position of F ig, 9 and to operate the shutter 27 before being turned up by 'the armature 61, As soon as the contact in 82. ismade the armature 61 is attracted and the leven65' is returned to the position shown in Fig. 8 but it is only a few seconds later that t e dash- ,pot allows the lever to come back completely to its former position and to'open the contact 82, the arm 65 at that time being held in position by the notch in the armature 66.

Inshort, by the disposition adopted the- ,followin results are obtained. 1st. he. shutter is operated arm 65 being turned down vWithoutits movement being hinderedtby any current in the circuit. I

2nd'.--Between the time of the closing of the roads circuit and the time when the arm 65 is restored to its former position. no picture of the rear wheels of thevehicleican be taken. I s Y Y 3rd.-The contact 8 2 is opened only when the arm 65 is held position by the notch quickly, the

;only a few seconds later that the springs 82 r come in contact. with the roller 84, are

in the armature 66 so avoiding undue oscillation or virbation'of this arm 65. 7

It will thus be notedthat my improved apparatus is entirely autematic'in its opera-,. t1on and that the passage'of a vehicle over:

the strip 17 causes the taking of the icture of such vehicle and hence, exery vehie e -thatpasses over-the-stri is-photographed jand as the picture's'are ta en upon a moving film,

the are maintained in their regular order an the film will give a permanent record of the trafiic on the road for lanygivenperiod of time.

' Various slightclianges may be made in the general form' and arrangement of parts described without departing from the invention,

and hence I do not limit myself to the 1 precise details set forth but considermyself I such changes and altera- 1 80 the grates, means connecting the plates and.

the contacts in the boxes, whereby the passage of a vehicle over a plate causes the cloalng of the contacts in the box connected therewith, a camera, and electrically operated means for the camera nected with said contacts;

2. The combination with a highway havi g a trench across the same, of grates at the upper portion of the trench, elastic plates above the grates, contact boxes below the grates, means connecting the plates and the electrically concontacts in the boxes, whereby the passage of a vehicle over a plate causes the closing of the contacts in the box connected therewith, a motion picture camera located adja- 4 cent the highway, electrically operated means for the camera, and a relay controlling said last-mentioned means and electrically connected with said contacts.

3. The combination with a highway hav ing a trench across the same, of a series of grates at the top of the trench flush with the highway, elastic plates on the grates, contact boxes below the grates having contacts therein normallyapart, vertically movable pins supported by the grates and adapted to be moved by the plates to close the contacts in the boxes, an electrically operated camera near the highway, and a relay controlling the operation of the camera operating means and electrically connected with said contacts.

i 4. The combination with a highway having a trench across the same, of a series of grates at the top of the trench flush with the ighway, elastic plates on the grates, contact boxes below the grates having contacts there in normally apart, vertically movable pins supported by the grates and adapted to be moved by the plates to close the contacts in the boxes, an electrically operated camera near the highway, a relay controlling the operation of the camera operating means and electrically connected with said contacts, and a strip extending across the highway above all of said elastic plates.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a camera box and means therein for supporting a movable film, of aratchet wheel adapted to move the film, a rocker shaft, an arm on the rocker shaft, a pawl on the arm engaging the ratchet wheel, a spring for moving said arm in one direction, and a magnet for moving the arm in the other direction,

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a camera box and means therein for supporting a movable of a ratchet wheel adapted to move the film, a rocker shaft, an arm on the rocker shaft, a pawl on the arm engaging the ratchet wheel, an armature on said rocker shaft, a magnet controlling the position of the armature, a spring adapted to move the shaft in a direction opposite to the movement imparted by the magnet, and an electric relay controlling the operation of the rocker shaft.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a camera, of a motion picture film in the camera, a rocker shaft, a spring tending to turn the rocker shaft in one direction, and an electro-magnet tending to turn the rocker shaft in the other direction, means on the rocker shaft for imparting a step-by-step feed to the film, and a relay magnet controlling the operation of the rocker shaft.

8. The combination with a motion picture camera, of a rocker shaft controlling the operation of the camera, a sprin tending to turn the rocker shaft in one direction, an armature on the rocker shaft, a magnet adapted to attract the armature and turn the rocker shaft in a direction opposite to the motion imparted by the spring, an arm on the rocker shaft, an armature engaging said arm and holding it againstmovement, a relay magnet controlling the last-mentioned armature, a pivoted lever, a spring connecting the pivoted lever and the arm, and a pair of electric contacts included in circuit with the first-mentioned magnet and moved together by the said lever when the said arm is released from its engagement with the armature.

9. The combination with a motion picture camera, of a rocker shaft controlling the op eration of the camera, a sprin tending to turn the rocker shaft in one c lirection, an armature on the rocker shaft, a magnet adapted to attract the armature and turn the rocker shaft in a direction opposite to the motion imparted by the spring, an arm on the rocker shaft, an armature engaging said arms and holding it against movement, a relaymagnet controlling the last-mentioned armature, a pivoted lever, a spring connecting the pivoted lever and the arm, a spring connecting the arm and the lever compelling them to move together, said contacts located between the free end of the lever and the arm and moved together by the pressure of the free end of the lever when the arm is released from its engagement with the arma- -tnre, a dashpot controlling the operation of net.

GABRIEL HENRY,

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