US1544462A - Traffic signal - Google Patents

Description

June 30, 1925.

C. LAWYER TRAFFIC SIGNAL Fileqm arch 26, 1923 2- Sheets-Sheet l gmnntoz June 30, 19 25. .4

- c. LAWYER TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed March 26, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwventoz kj CaZvin ":[qk1ger Gummy Patented June 3t), 1925.

UNITED STATES CALVIN LAWYER, OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHITSETTS.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

Application filed March 26, 1923. Serial No. 627,816.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALVIN LAWYER, a citizen of the United States residing at Newburyport in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traffic Signals, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in trafiic signals and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character adapted to be carried by the vehicle and having novel and improved means whereby notice can be given to the front and to the rear of the direction in which the vehicle is to make a turn or that the vehicle is to stop.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character comprising a semaphore adapted for swinging movement in a vertical direction together with visual means carried by the semaphore to indicate the direction in which a vehicle is to turn or that the vehicle is to stop. 7 I

Furthermore it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character adapted to be supported by the frame of the windshield or other part of the vehicle together with manually operated means for adjusting a semaphore to give the desired signal or indication.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved signal of this general character comprising a plurality of separately operated illuminated signals to give the desired indication of warning and wherein the rays from said separate signals are of different colors.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved traflic signal whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the bet ter understood I will now proceed to de-' scribe the same with reference to thefaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a v1ew in perspective of a traflic signal constructed in accordance with i an embodiment of my invention, a second. position of the semaphorebeing indicated by dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through my improved signal as herein'set forth;

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the pivoted end portion of the semaphore and opposite to that shown in Figure 1, other positions of the semaphore being indicated by broken lines; t

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuits for the bulbs arranged within the compartments carried by the semaphore' As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes a flatmember or arm of desired dimension and which is adapted to be clamped or otherwise secured to the frame F of a windshield or other desired part of a vehicle. The inner orsecuring end portion of the member or arm 1 is provided with a laterally disposed arm 2 for a purpose to be hereinafter more par ticularly referred to. V

S denotes a semaphore of requisite dimension and which hasv one end portion pivotally engaged witha laterally disposed trunnion 3 carried by the outer end portion of the member or arm 1 whereby the semaphore S is capable of swinging movement in a vertical direction. Associated. with the trunnion 3 "is a nut or head' 4; for maintaining the semaphore in operative engagement with the trunnion 3.

The nut or head 4 provides a bearing for one end portion of a shaft 5, the opposite end portion of said shaft being disposed through and rotatably supported by semaphore S. The teeth 8 as herein dis-' closed are provided by producing suitable recessesin the sideface-of the semaphore Sand said teeth are also concentric to the trunnion, 3. By thismeans upon requisite rocking or turning moVement being his parted to the shaft 5, the semaphore S will 7 be raised or lowered as desired.

The semaphore S at its outer endportion is provided with a, series of transversely spaced compartments 9, herein disclosed as p three in number, eachof-said compartments "9 hav ngtheirside faces closed lay-trans parent panels Associated with each of the panels 10 is a desired warning or indication 11 such as Stop, Left, and

Rite. It is also preferred that the panels carrying: the Stop indication are red,

the panels provided with the Left llfdlfcation being green and the remaining panels 10 carrying the Rite, indication being blue. In addition to warningbeing given by. the'indications 11, a further warning is given. by the dilferent colored rays as pro duced by the various panels 10; I

Carried by the inner end portion of each of the compartments 9 is asocket 12 of a conventional type in which is adapted to beengaged abulb 14 of an incandescent type. The contact of each of the sockets is connected through the conductor a with a source of electrical energyE while a second contact of each of the sockets 12 is elec t-rically connected througha conductor 1),

with a contact member 15 carried by the in;

ner or pivoted end portion of the sema phoreS. Carried by: the outer end portion of the member or arm 1 is a contact mem-' ber 16in electricalconnection through the conductor 0 with the source E.

When the semaphore S is in its lowermost or normal position, the contact member 16' is freefrom the contact members 15. When a turn is: to be made to the left the semaphore is adjusted', upon proper rocking of the shaft 5, into a position substantially co lanar withthe member or arm 1 and o w ie'n in such position the contact member 16 engagesth'e contact member '15 to cause the bulb l wi'thinthe Left compartment 9 to burn. When a turn is tobe made to the right, the semaphore assumes a position above the horizontal and requisite contact sitions.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious" that a traflic signal constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by rea son of the convenience and facility withwhich it may be assembled and operated; and

itwill also be obvious thatmy invention is V susceptible of some change. and modification without I departingfrom the principles; and

spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wishtobe'understood as llimiting myself to the precise arrangementand formation of the several; parts herein shownin carrye 'mg out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed. a ICl2lTl'1ZT A signal of the class described comprising a supporting member providedwith a trunk nion' and with an outstanding arm,- a semaphore having one end portidnpivotal-ly en 'gagred' with the trunnion; a head engafg'eable with the trunnion for holding the semaphore in applied position; a'sh'aft carried by'the head and the outstanding arm-of -the': sup

porting member, coactingi-means' carried by the shaft and semaphore fornswinging said semaphore u'p'on rotation of the shaft; amt

a rock arm carried by the shaft,:said roclrx arm being, provided adjacent to its outer end witha laterally disposed lag in close contact with the arm carried byfthe' supporting member. s

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature LAWYEitf i

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