US1548916A - Signal device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 11, 1925. 1,548,916

J. R. THOMPSON ET AL S IGNAL DEVICE Filed March 28, 1922 MMM@ Patented ug. ll, 1925.

UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE..`

JOIE R. THOMPSON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AND GEORGE AVET. HNNA, 0F AKRON, OHIO.

SIGNAL DEVICE.

Application filed March 28, 1922. Serial No. 547,350.

To all 'whom t may camera:

Be it known that we, JOE R. THOMPSON and GEORGE W. HANNA, citizens of the United States, the former residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, and the latter residing at Akron, Summit County, Ohio, respectively, have invented new and useful Improvements in Signal Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in signal devices and has particular application to a signal device adapted to be carried upon the hand or wrist of the driver of the motor vehicle, so that the driver may sivnal to the operators of other vehicles w en he is about to stop or make a turn.

In carrying out the present invention it is our purpose to provide a signal device which may be strapped or otherwise fastened to the wrist of the operator of the motor vehicle and which will be constructed in such manner as to be illuminated from the rays of light of a following vehicle, so as to be visible to the operator of the following vehicle, thereby notifying following vehicles of the intentions of the driver of the leading vehicle as regards the turning or stopping of the leading vehicle.

t is also our purpose to provide a signal device which may be manufactured and marketed at small cost, which will embrace the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and durability and which may be conveniently strapped to the wrist of the wearer.

With the above recited objects in view, and others of a like nature, our inventigi resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claim.

n the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing our 1nvention applied to the wrist of the operator.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through our improved signal device.

igure 3 is a similar view showing a modified form of signal device.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a further modified form of the device.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of another modification.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, l desi c ates the body of our improved signal device. This body is composed of glass or other suitable transparent material, and .1n the preferred embodiment of our in- Ventron is hemispherical in shape. The inner side or surface of the hemispherical body is coated with quicksilver, as at 2, or other reflecting material, while the outer surface is formed with a plurality of independent reflecting protuberances 3, which are also 1n the present instance hemispherical 1n shape, as clearly illustrated in Figures l and 2 of the drawings.

The edge of the hemispherical body 1 is formed with an outwardly extending circular flange 4 that is adapted to fit into a pocketformed in a wrist band 5 adapted to encircle the wrist of the wearer and fastened together by means of a buckle or other appropriate form of fastening device.

In the form of our invention shown in Figure 3 of the drawings the outer surface of the hemispherical body 1 is smooth as at 6, while the inner surface is formed with a plurality of independent depressions 7 that are coated with quicksilver or other reflecting material.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings our improved signal device is in the form of a flat plate 8 of transparent material and preferably circular in outline, so as to fit into the receiving pocket in the wrist band. In Figure 4 the inner surface is coated with quicksilver or other reflecting material, at 9, while the outer surface is formed with a plurality of independent protuberances 10, while i n Figure 5 the inner surface is formed with a plurality of independent cavities l1 that are coated with quicksilver or other reflecting material.

In the use of our invention the operator when moving his hand to the side of the vehicle to indicate the direction in which he roposes to travel, causes the reflecting sur aces of the body to be brought into the path of the rays of light of'a following vehicle, and these rays of light are reflected from the independent reflecting surfaces of the body, thereby causing the body to be illuminated so as to be clearly visible to the operator of the following vehicle.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that we have provided a signal device which will be illuminated during the night and when moved into the rays of light from a following vehicle, thereby effectively notifying the operator of the following vehicle of the intentions of the operator of the leading vehicle. Furthermore, it will be seenthat our device may be manufactured and marketed cheaply and worn upon the Wrist of the operator without any inconvenience.

While we have herein shown and described one preferred form of our invention by way of illustration, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit or conne ourselves to the precise details of construction herein shown and described, as modifications and variations may be made within the scope of the claim and without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

A hand signal device comprising a concave-convex transparent body of substantially uniform thickness and coated upon its concave sidewith reflecting material, one surface of the body being smooth and the other being provided with a plurality of independent reflecting surfaces, a flange formed on the edge of the body to extend outwardly, and a wrist band attached to the flange.

In testimony whereof, we afliX our signatures.

JOE R. THOMPSON. GEORGE W. HANNA.

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