US1557331A

US1557331A - Switch

Info

Publication number: US1557331A
Application number: US747047A
Authority: US
Inventors: Reynolds Sven
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-10-31
Filing date: 1924-10-31
Publication date: 1925-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1942-10-13

Description

oct. 13, 1925.

S. REYNOLDS.

SWITCH Filed Oct. 31, 1924 INVENTOR. Wren Reyno/ds. BYd/wvm A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES Piercer oniricaCl SVEN IREYNOLDS, OF PROVIDENE, itCIDE ISLAND.

SWITCH.

Application led October 31, 192114 Serial No. 747,047.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, SvEN REYNOLDS, a subject ot the King of Sweden, residing at Providence, in the lcounty of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to an improvement in the construction of a circuit closer for direction indicator for motor vehicles; and. has for its object to provide a circuit closer for this purpose which is mounted to be operated by the steering mechanism of the vehicle, whereby the direction in which the vehicle is bein turned is automatically indicated by ilIuminated devices mounted thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tubular member having a slidable contact member mounted therein which is provided with means whereby a movement of the tube relatively to the contact member will close the electric circuit to operate the direction indicators.,

A still further object of' this invention is the provision of means whereby one of the circuit closing members is carried on' the,

cross-rod of the vehicle, and the other of said members is supported on the axle thereof, whereby a movement of one to either side of its normal central position will close a circuittodjridicate the direction in which the vehicle is; being` steered.

Vith these andother objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction` as will be more fully described, an'd particularly pointed out. in the appended cla1ms.r

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an outline of the vehicle conssis showing my improved circuit-closing device mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation illustrating the tubular housing member with the two pairs of the ldifferent circuit closing contact strips mounted therein.

Figure 3 is an enlarged .fectional elevation on line 3--3 of Figure 2 showing the circuit connection to the contact strips through the cylinder. also showing a leather covering for closing the slotted opening in the tube.`

. Figure 4 is 'a clamp for supporting said tube on the steering cross-rod of the vehicle chassis.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the core of the contact head.

Figure 6 is apair of spring contacts which are carried by the core.

Figure 7 is a perspective View of the sup porting guide blocks for the contact head.

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of fragmental portion of the contact carrying tube also a portion of the contact head mounted therein, said head being supported on an arm from the front axle of the machine.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional elevation on line 8w-8 of Figure 2 through the 'coutact head and the guide blocks mounted in the tube.,

rigure l() is a perspective view illustrating one oi the direction-indicating signals which are operated by the closing ot the ditferent electric circuits through the circuit closingy mechanism.

It is found in the operation of motor vehicles, of advantage to indicate both to the vehicle approaching from the rear and also to the one approachin tromthe front, when intending to turn s iarply either to the left or to the right so as to avoid accidents.

-It is also found of advantage to have these indicating signals operated automatically whereby the turning of the steering wheels a given distance wili` cause the indicating signals to operate and so show to the 'appreaching vehicles the direction intended to e taken by the driver. It is also found ci advantage in accomplishing this result toA mount a tubular member on the steering cross-rod and to mount a contact member on the axle thereof to extend into the contact carrying tube whereby the swinging ot the wheels in opposite directions causes the opposite circuits to be closed to light a lamp and illuminate the indicating signs; and the following is a`detailed description of the present embodiment of myY invention and showing one means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished z With reference to the drawings, l() des ignates a tubular member, preferably formed of insulating material, in which are mounted two pairs of contact strips 11 and 12, which pairs extend longitudinally of the tube on the inside thereof and on opposite sides of its center portion, which strips are arranged to leave a space 13 at the center ofthe tube between the ends of each of these pairs of strips. v

The outer ends of one pair of these strips are connected to the circuit wires 14 through the binding posts 15 and the opposite ends .of the opposite pair are connected to the c1rcuit wires 16 through binding posts 1.7. Closing caps 18 are secured to the opposite ends of the tube and a longitudinally'disposed slot 19 is formed in the tube throu h which the contact carrying arm 22 exten s. The tube 1() is preferably supported from the steering cross-rod 20 by clamplng members 21. One means of operatively supporting the contact carrying arm 22 is to bolt a flat plate 23 by means of a stud 24 to the front axle 25 and on this plate is provided a stud 26 and to this )late is fixed a tubular member 27 and in w iich is slidably mount; ed the contact arm 22. The outer end of this contact arm is reduced and extends through the slot 19 in the tube 10 and to this reduced end is secured a pair of spring con tact band members 28, which bands have their ends 29 turned inwardly to loosely fit in the slots 30 of the core member 31, whereby they are mounted to engage the strips 11 and 12 to complete a circuit between them. In order to operatively secure these contact spring members in the head member, I have mounted them between two

guide blocks

29 and 30, each of which vslides in the tube and serves as opposite bearing members to take the thrust and cause the contact arm to slide endways in its tube 2T to compensate for the curve of the swinging movement of the tube 10 on its rod 24,andanut 31 is threaded up to the end of this arm 22 to bind the members of the contact head securely together and at the same time leaving these' spring contacts free to expand and contract upon moving into and out of contact with its contact strips 11 and 12.

IVhen the steering apparatus is in its cen-l tral or normal position, as the vehicle is directed straight along the road, this contact head is in central position in the space between-the two pairs of contact strips, when upon turning to the right the cross-rod carrying the contact tube is swung to the left thus causing the contact head to engage the strips 11 and complete the circuit through wires 14, to light the direction signal 32 and indicate that the vehicle is to turn to the right, upon swinging the wheels to turn the vehicle to the left the contact head is moved from central position into Contact with strips 12 thus closing circuit through wires 16 to light the lamp in the indicator 33 to show the vehicle is turning to theV left. In steering straight neither of the circuits is closed and therefore, no direction signal is illuminated. It is found of advantage in some instances to arran e the indicating signal 34 in the front of t e car and also an indicating signal 35 in the rear of the car and by my improved arrangement or mechanism both may be lighted at the same time.

My improved indicating device is very simple and practical in. construction and effective in its operation.

The foregoing description is directed sole-` ly towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is sus ceptible, the invention bein defined and limited only by the terms o the appended claims.

v I claim:

1. In a direction indicator for motor vehicles, a tubular casin carried by the steering cross-rodof the ve icle to swingY with it, said casing having a set of contact strips, and a circuit closing member supported on the vehicle axle and having a head portion in said'tube to bridge said strips, and means whereby the operating length of said closing member may be elongated and contracted to accommodate the relative movement of said casing.

2. In a direction indicator for motor vehicles, a tubular casing carried b the steering cross-rod of the vehicle to swing with it, said casinghaving a set of contact strips, and a circuit closing member supported on the vehicle axle and having a telescoping body portion, said contact memberhaving a head portion in said tube to bridge said strips and close one circuit when the tube is moved to the right of central position and another circuit when moved to the left of center.

3. In a direction indicator for motor vehicles, a casing carried by a relatively movable member of the vehicle and housing two sets of contact strips, a circuit closer having an extendible body portion supported on a relatively fixed portion of the vehicle to compensate for a relative movement of said casing, said body carryin a head adapted to yieldingly engage and side on said strips to alternately close two different electric circuits when moved to opposite sides of center or normal position.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

SVEN REYNOLDS.

roo