US1613931A

US1613931A - Direction signal

Info

Publication number: US1613931A
Application number: US89429A
Authority: US
Inventors: William L Carter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1926-02-19
Filing date: 1926-02-19
Publication date: 1927-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 1944-01-11

Description

Jan. 11,1927. 3,931

- w. l CARTER DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Feb. 19, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l William/L. gzrter Q/vitmeomzo aria-cums Jan. 11,1927. 3, 31

, W. L. CARTER DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Feb. 19, 1,926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmuumw WU; u comm l. hrzer Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

nnirnn stares WILLIAM L. CARTER, OF WATERLOQ, IGW'A.

DIRECTION SIGNAL.

Application filed February 19, 1926. Serial No. 89,429.

This invention relates to signals, particularly those intended for use in connection with motor vehicles and has for its object the provision of a novel device adapted to be mounted at a convenient location upon an automobile or the like and manually operable to apprise the drivers of other cars, pedestrians, traffic officers and other interested parties of a contemplated turn or stop so that the others may govern themselves and their vehicles accordingly to avoid collision, the device consequently acting asa safeguard. and further serving to reduce likelihood of traffic congestion and confusion.

An important-object of the invention is to provide a signal device of this character operable to indicate a stop or a turn to either the right or left.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the movable signal member is enclosed within a protective housing when in inoperative or normal position, the housing containing illuminating means and being provided with glass covered openings so as to fulfill the functions of a parking lamp, the illuminating means acting to render the signal member clearly visible when it is moved into 30 exposed and operative position.

A further object is to provide a signal device of this type in which the housing includes a swingably mounted cover or door on which the movable signal member is mounted, an operative connection being provided between the signal member and the housing whereby the door and, signal member will swing simultaneously upon actuation of the control means, the cover or door opening and closing in accordance with actuation of the signal.

A still more specific object is to provide a device of this character in which the movable signal member is actuated by a flexible element moved by a lever within convenient reach of the operator, the pulleys about which the flexible elements are trained being of peculiar shape so as to lengthen or shorten the flexible element in accordance with movement of the door or cover carrying the signal member, the flexible element being consequently maintained reasonably taut at all times. I

An additional object is to provide a signal device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and operate, neat and attractive in appearance, efficient and durable in'service, and a general improvement in the art.

WVith the above and otherobjects and advantages in view, the invention preferably consists in the arrangement and combination of parts and the detailed structure to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: V

Figure 1 is an outside elevation of the device, 7 v I Figure 2 is a. fragmentary vertical section through the side of a vehicle showing the device mounted thereon and looking at the rearedge thereof, the parts being in inoperative position, 7

Figure 3 is an elevation from the outside of the car looking toward the device and showing it in operative or signalling position.

Figure 4.- is a section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectionthrough the device taken on substantially the line 5-5 of Figure 1, the parts being in normal or inoperative position. and

Figure 6 is a vertical section through the control or operating device. T

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A desi nates aportion of the side of a motor vehicle at the location where the signal device is mounted. It will. be observed that there is no particular indication as to whether the body is of the open or closed type. for the reason that'the invention may be applied to any and all types and at any desired point. either upon the body. top bow. windshield or other place.

In carrying out the invention I provide a casing or housing 10 of any desired size,

shape and material. and finished in any suit-- able manner to. have a pleasing appearance and to withstand the influence of the weather. This housing is located outwardly of the support A and is mounted thereon by any suitable means such, for instance. as tubular members 11 and 12 fastened to the housing and passing through the support A, clamping nuts 13 being provided for efi'ecting securing to the latter. These tubular members have another function which will be brought out hereinafter. The forward and rear edges or sides of the housing are preferably instance between spaced pair of elements 35. Both pulleys are of cam 'orniaformed with openings 14 covered by glass or other transparent or translucent material 15, the glass in the front being white and the one at the rear being red so that the device may act as a parking lamp.

The outer side of the housing is open and normally closed by a door or cover 16 hinged to the forward edge of the housing indicated at 17 Under ordinary circumstances this door is closed and protects the mechanism to be described. The numeral 18 des m nates the movable signal member which y conveniently be formed as the representation of a human hand, though naturally there is no particular limitation in this respect. This signal member is carried by a grooved pulley 19, and both are pivoted upon the inner side of the door as by #0 a bolt or other element 20 so as to be capable of swinging in a vertical plane from inoperative to operative position, and vice versa. Pivoted at one end within the housing, as upon a bracket 21, is a link or arm 22 pivotally connected with the signal member 18 at a point eccentrically thereof, as shown at 28, so that swinging movement of the signal member will result in swinging ot' the door 16.

Suitably mounted within the housing is a socket or holder 24: for an incandescent lamp 25, which supplies illumination, enabling the device to be used as a parking lamp and which also acts to throw light upon the signal member for rendering it clearly visible at night. The conducting wire or wires 26 for supplying current to the lamp are brought through the lower tubular member 12, and of course extend to a suitable source of current and control switch, both not shown, will be readily apparent.

For operating the device, I provide manual control means comprising a bracket structure 27 mounted on the support A and extending within the vehicle at a convenient point to be reached by the operator. T iis bracket may be attached in any desired manner and carries a fixedly mounted cover 28 having its major portion spaced away from the bracket. Located between the bracket and the cover is a grooved pulley 29 having an operating handle 30, projecting laterally beyond the bracket and movable along the space bet-ween the bracket and the cover member. This pulley is pivoted as upon a bolt 31 or the like, which may also serve to hold the cover 28 in place. ?611Dl161 ally engaged about both

pulleys

19 and 29 and preferably secured to on thereof, is a flexible member 32 which e1 ands through the tubular members 11, and over and under guide pulleys or rollers and 34c respective ly, suitably mounted in the housi g for s transve e 1': tion, and are represented as being of elongated or substantially elliptical shape and are pivoted somewhat eccentrically as disclosed in Figures 4: and 6.

ln the operation it will be apparent that under normal circumstances the door 16 is closed, and the signal member 18 is confined v-xithin the housing; If the operator wishes to signal a contemplated stop, it is intended that he grasp the handle 30 and swing it toward the right to a point where the cover is inscribed with the letter S, it being ob served that adjacent this letter. are other letters L and R. Gbviously, any other indicia might be provided to indicate the ditierent signalling positions, such details being immaterial. When the handle is thus swung to the right, it is clear that the flexible element 32 will be moved by the cam pulle r 29 and will correspondingly move the cam pulley 19 which carries the signal mem; ber 18. As the cam pulley 19 is turned the signal member 18 will of course be swung upwardly, while at the same time its eccentric connection at the point 28 with the link or arm 22 will cause the door 16 to swing open. If movement of the handle 30 be stopped opposite the letter S, the door will not be entirely open and the signal member 18 wi l be inclined slightly downward ly. To signal a turn to the left, the handle 30 is moved somewhat farther and to a point opposite the letter L, the door being opened and the signal member 18 being swung upwardly, as above described, but to a greater extent so that the signal member will project outwardly in a horizontal position. A contemplated turn to the right is signalled in identically the same manner, but the handle 30 is moved still farther and to a point opposite the letter R, the signal member in this instance projecting in an upwardly inclined direction; Obviously the light from the lamp 25 will be cast upon the i nal member when it is in any of its signal- 0 positions, and the signal will consequently be clearly visible even at night. Quite naturally, in day time there is no necessity for the employment of the lamp and the current thereto may be cut oft by whatever switch is provided in the circuit.

After a signal has been given, and it is desired to restore the parts to normal position, the handle 30 is pushed back into its initial or upright position as indicated in Figure 2, the si nal member 18 of course swinging downwardly and the link or arm 22 acting to draw the door into closed position, the door closing at the same time the signal member comes into registration therewith. A feature of importance is the shape of the

cam pulleys

19 and 29 together with their eccentric pivotal mounting. By this part cular arrangement it will be apparent that the stretches of the flexible element between the cams will be lengthened or shortened in accordance with the positionof the door and signal member so that the flexible element will always be kept taut and prevented from sagging or slacking, while at the same time there will be no binding.

WVhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that the disclosure is merely illustrative of a convenient and suitable arrangement, and that the right is re served to make all such changes in the construction and combination as will widen the field of utility and adaptability of the invention provided such variations constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a housing adapted to be mounted upon the side of a Vehicle, the housing being equipped at its outer side with a horizontally swingable hinged door, a signal member pivotally mounted on said door for movement in a vertical plane, and means located within the vehicle for simultaneously swinging the door horizontally and the signal member vertically.

2. In a device of the character described, a housing adapted to be mounted upon the side of a vehicle, the housing being equipped at its outer side with a horizontally swingable hinged door, a signal member pivotally mounted on said door for movement in-a vertical plane, means located within the vehicle for simultaneously swinging the door horizontally and the signal member vertically including a puley on the signal member, 21 second pulley having a handle for moving the same, and a flexible element trained about both pulleys.

3. In a device of the character described. a housing adapted to be mounted upon the side of a vehicle, the housing being equipped at its outer side with a horizontally swingable hinged door, a single member pivotally mounted on said door for movement in a vertical plane, means located within the vehicle for simultaneously swinging the door horizontally and the signal member vertically including a pulley on the signal member, a second pulley having a handle for moving the same, and a flexible element trained about both pulleys, both pulleys being of cam formation and eeeentrically pivoted whereby the flexible element will be automatically shortened or lengthened in accordance with the position of the door and signal member.

l. In a signal device of the character described, a housing, means for mounting the same upon the side of a vehicle, the outer side of the housing being open and provided with a hinged door swingable horizontally, a signal member pivot-ed on the inner surface 0f the door and swingable vertically, a pulley carried by the sinal member at its pivot, a bracket structure mounted within the vehicle, a pulley rotatably mounted on the bracket str cture and having anioperating handle, guide elements within the housing, a flex ble element peripherally engaging the pulleys and said guide elements. and means connected with the housing and the signal member for moving said door inaccordance withmovement of the signal member.

' In a signal device of the character described, a housing, means for mounting the same upon the side of a vehicle, the outer side of the housing being open and provided with a hinged door swingable horizontally, a. signal member pivoted on the inner surface of the door and swingable vertically, a pulley carried by the signal member at its pivot, a bracket structure mounted within tie vehicle, a pulley rotatably mounted on the bracket structure and having an operating handle, guide elements within the housing, a flexible element peripherally engaging the pulleys and said guide elements, and means connected with the housing and the signal member for moving-said door in accordance with movement of the signal member, said means comprising a link pivotally mounted at one end within the housing and having its other end pivotally connected with the signal member at a point spaced from the pivot thereof,

6. In a signal device of the character de scribed, a housing, means for mounting the same upon the side of a vehicle, the outer side of the housing being open and provided with a hinged door swingable horizontally, a signal member pivoted on the inner surface of the door and swingable vertically, a pulley carried by the signal member at its pivot, a bracket structure'mounted Within the vehicle, a pulley rotatably mounted on the bracket structure and having an operating handle, guide elements within the housing, a flexible element peripherally engaging the pulleys and said guide elements, means connected with the housing and the signal member for moving said door in ac: cordance with movement of the signal memher, and means for automatically shortening or lengthening the stretches of the flexible element between the pulleys in accordance with the position of the door and signal member.

7. In a signal device of the character de scribed, a housing, means for mounting the same upon the side of a vehicle, the outer side of the housing being open and provided with a hinged door swingable horizontally, a signal member pivoted on the inner surface of the door and swingable vertically, a pul ley carried by the signal member at its pivot, a bracket structure mounted within the vehiole, a pulley rotatably mounted on the bracket structure and having an operating handle, guide elements Within the housing, a flexible element peripherally engaging the pulleys and said guide elements, and means connected with the housing and the signal memher for moving said door in accordance with movement of the signal member, both pulleys being of substantially elliptical shape, correspondingly arranged and eccentric-ally pivoted for shortening or lengthening the 15 a housing adapted to be mounted upon the side of a vehicle, the housing being equipped at its outer side With a horizontally swingable hinged door, a signal member pivotally mounted on said door for movement in a vertical plane, and means located Within the vehicle for simultaneously swinging the door horizontally and the signal member vertically and illuminating means Within the easing for casting light upon the signal member When in operative position.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

VILLIAM L. CARTER.