US1634361A - Vehicle traffic signal - Google Patents

Description

July 5 1927- w. a. Huss/m VEHICLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL med Aug. 1o. 192s z sums-sneer 1 1,534 361 July 5 192; w. B. HussAR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Aug. 10. 1923 2 Sheets-Shout A2 wf/liar.'-

Patented July k5,A 1927. il

ummm STATES PATENT 0F FICE.

y WILLIAM B. `HUSSAR, F ST. LOIS, MISSOURI.

` l vnnrcnn TRAFFIC vsiertuin.k

Appncation nied'Augst 10,1923. serial No. e5s,e83.- 'i' rThis invention relatesto trallic signals for vehicles, and more y adapted to be applied to the frontleft'fender to indicate go left turn, right turn and stop, and, it is a distinct and practical.

provide. 'a spherical rotor` upon which the signal data vis applied; fifth, to provide meanstodisplay the stop'signal whether either the gov or turning movements 'are being displayed, and, sixth, to provide means for illuminating the signal at night.

With the above and other` objects in the invention consists in the novel features oity arrangement and combination of parts' and their equivalents, lhereinafter more fully ydescribed and finally pointed out in.v 'the' claimshereto appended, f l

Referring to the drawings forming'a part of this specification, wherein like characters of reference 'denote similar parts throughout the several views: K' *i 'n e Fig. .1, is a top plan view ot a signal device embodyil'lg the `features of my linvention, the kcase thereof and the ksignal rotor being showny in 'sectional elevation.v Fig. 2, is a top planview of the' device appliedy tothe front left mudy guard of a vehicle. o

Fig. 3, is a side elevation 'of the interior mechanism withthe casing and signal rotor in sectional elevation. y

Fig. l, is a side elevation of the interior rmechanisun of the signal device, with the casing and rotor in sectional [elevation "andk the electrical lconnection diagraminatically shown.

Fig. 5, isa fronti elevation oit the vdevice` applied to a fender.

Fig. G, yis a detail showing partofthe means for actuating the signal rotor. y

In carryingr out the aim offmy'invention, l employ a' suitable metallic casing'whichis substantially spherical and ywhich consists particularly to a signaly the rearsec'tion 1 and the front section 2 .ich are. suitably united, as at 3. f The rear section, erhalt-'ot the casing, isjprovided u th the opening -fwhichis closed by means of a suitable :transparent cover plate 5 and the f i n n int section, erhaltet the casing is'provided with the sight opening 6 .which n t closed by meansfoi suitable transparent closureplate 7., y y

Suitably d to and.extending inwardly trom'opposite sidesk of the `casing section 1, are a .pair of opposed and aligned tubularv arms lS and 9.. Arm Slisy longer than yarm t) and is providedyat its inner end with a suitablesocket for holding an elect-ric vlamp indicates' ysuitable hollow spherical moedrotor provided with ,the sleeves 13 l Lifter rotatably'. mounting the signal i or 'upon the Vtubular supporting arms 8 y l rcsjjicctively,s clearly shown'in Fie. A suitable coiled Aspring 15 is interposed between the supporting arm 9 and the rotor sleeve 151 und has one end thereof iixed to the arinfland opposite end thereof fixed to the. sleeve '1l-ttor returning the rotor t0 any predeterminal `signal position after disi'ilayinga stop" signal.' j

yA suitable solenoid 1,6 'is suit-ably fixed to and suifnported by means of suitable bracket members 17,. which bracket members 17 are suitabl fixed to the tubular supporting arm 9'." Tncsolenoidtis.vertically disposed and provided'with an armature 18 directed into the solenoid from the top thereof. A suitable cro arm '19 lined to ythe upper end otl the armature 18 and extends toa point beyond 'theiright side of the solenoid. The outer endet the arm 19 is directed down- Wardlyfto provide aA plunger member 2() for imparting a p ialrotation to the signal rotor wl'ienevei.' it is moved downwardly into contar: wi th the/teeth 21 ot the ratchet wheel 2.2 wli l 'chet wheel is lined to the inner e e signal rotorsleeve 13 disposed to thek righthand side of the solenoid. A su1t- 'able guide pin fined at its upper end to the cross-arm 19 and. directed downwardly th ireifrom with its lower endy passing through an opening in a guide plate 211 which late 'ably fixed tothe upper end o the A coiled springl encircles the and is Idisposed between the and guide platecQ-l Afor exerting-upward pressure against the`ar1n19 to nor-y lnally hold the arm and armature 18 in their uppermost position. An arm 26 having its outer end beveled, as at 27, is fixed to the upper end et the armature 1S and it is directed in an opposite direction to the crossarin 19.

2S represents a suitable armature which is pivotally connected. as at 29, to suitable ear-s fixed to the solenoid 16. The armature 28 is vertically disposed to the left side of the solenoid 16 and has its upper end bent inwardly to provide the lock-lip or catch 30. A suitable fiat spring 31, exerting outward pressure against the lower end of the armature 2S below the pivot point 29, normally holds the upper end of the armature in its innermost position, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Disposed opposite the lower end of the armature 28 is a horizontally disposed electromagnet 32 which is suitably fixed to the lower end of the solenoid 16, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the reference characters 33, 34 and 35 represent an upper, a middle and a lower spring contact members separated by means of the insulated sci iarators 36 and fixed to the upper end of a suitable bracket 8T which bracket is suitably fixed to the tubular supporting arm 8, as shown in Fig. 6. The middle spring contact member 34 is longer than the contact members 33 and 35 and the inner end thereof is disposed in the downward path of travel of the cross-arm 19 to be engaged thereby and depressed when the armature is drawn downwardly into the solenoid for breaking contact thereof with the upper contact member 33 and making contact with the lower Contact member 35.

The mechanical means for rotating the signal rotor to indicate the movements of the vehicle, such as go,"left turn7 and right turn consists of a suitable peripherallv grooved pulley 38 fixed to the rotor 12 intermediate the casing and the signal rotor, as shown in Fig. 1, the shifting lever which is fixed to the grooved pulley 40, which pulley is pivotally connected as at 41 in a suitable case 42. The case 42 is suitably fixed to the steering post of a vehicle, or at some other convenient point within reach of the operator. A -suit-able flexible cable 43 is connected at one end to the lever actuated pulley 40, as shown in Fig. 1, and the opposite end thereof is connected to the pulley 38, as shown in Fig. 4, for rotating the signal rotor in either direction by means of the shifting lever 89. The inner end of the cable adjacent the pulley 38 passes through a tube 44 suitably fixed to the casing member 1 and is encircled by means of a coiled spring 45, one end of which engages the outer end of the tube 44 and the inner end engages a c'ollar stop 46 fixed to the cable for taking up the slack in the cable engaging the pulley 3S when the cable .is moved toward the pulley 38,thus assisting the coiled spring 15 in movement of the rotor in that direction. There are three positions indicated upon the casing 42 to represent stopping places of the shifting lever 39, namely, goj left turn and right turn and represented by the reference characters 4T, 4S and 49, re spectively.

The spherical signal rotor l2, which is in the form of a hollow inner shell, preferably made of two like sections suitably united, has its wall divided into twelve sections in the form of elongated circumferential sight openings represented by means ot reference characters 50, 51, 52, 53, 54. 55, 56, 5i, 58, 59, GO and 6l which are backed by means of transparent closures 62 bearing the signal data Go Stop, arrows representing left turn and arrows representing` right turn. The signal data is displayed and is visible in pairs through the sight opening 6, as clearly shown by the signal data Go--Go in Fig. 4. Like signal data that is displayed through the front sight opening 6 is also displayed through the rear sight opening 4, excepting it a sin gle display of the signal data instead ot in pairs` as the rear sight opening 4 is only half the length ot the front sight opening 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Besides the signal data being arranged in pairs, there is also two sets of paired signals represented upon the signal rotor or globe, as will be readily understood by the reference to Fig. 4, wherein Si stands -for stop; Go stands for go; LT stands for left turn and RT stands for right turn. Then the signal Go is visible through the front sight opening 6, the same signal is visible through the rear sight opening 4.

It will be observed that by arranging the sight openings 4 and 6, as shown, that vehicle traffic as well as pedestrians and trafiic police can see the 'front signal data from either -side of the device, as well as from the front due to the spherical shape of the signal rotor, as will be apparent trom the arrows in Fig. 2. Also that the duplicate rear signal data is visible both from the rear and 'from the outer side, as represented by arrows in Fig. 2. In fact the signal displayed is visible either at night or in the day time within a radius of approximately two hundred and seventy degrees. rlhe device is preferably mounted upon the left hand 'front mud guard represented by the reference character 63 in Figs. 2 and 5, but is also applicable to being applied to the side of the windshield, the radiator cap, or any other suitable elevated place toward the front ot the vehicle.

The electrical connections and mechanism for controlling the device as a stop signal, will now be described.

The reference character 64 represents a :Uli

suitablev battery andi the foot brake pedal a vehicle which is connected tothe movable contact member 66 of a suitable twoway switch 67 by means of suitable connec- 'Ihe switchl is terminals 69, 70and 7l. - Tlie terminals 69 and 71 are normally the movable Contact member 66. f c

Y A conductor 72 leads from one sideof kthe battery to the switch,terminalr 69. kA conductor 7 3 leads from switch terminal 70 kto c solenoid 16 and a conductor 74 leads from the solenoid to the upper spring contactA member 33 which has one end normallyiin contact with the middle spring contact mem- y ber 34 and 7 5 indicates aconductor'leading from the middle contact member to the other sideof the battery. This arrangement completes an electrical circuit through'the soleneid. whenever' the foot pedal 65 is depressed causing the contact'member 66 to breakwith terminal f71-and contact with terminal 70 thusenergizing they solenoid and pulling the armature 18 downv into same which clauses the plunger 2() tozengage one of the teeth of the ratchet and rotate the` signal rotor one c twelfth of a revolution in am upwardly ,di-Y

rection, which would bring the stop sign intofview behind the sight openings in lieu of the go7 signs, taking Fig. klias an example as illustrated, as the kgo signs "are normally in view. The circuit is opened; immediately upon; the cross arm 19'striking the middle contact member y34 iny its. downward travel which causes the middlecontact member to contact with the lower 'oontactinein` ber 35. The solenoid is held in its lowermost` position. to prevent return rotation yof the signal@ rotor 12, by means of Athe catch armature 28 engaging over the armature arm 26 and hold-ing the armature 1'8 from` upward movementl through the medium of the kcoiled spring 25, asis evident from 3. f

Thel moment that the footpedal 65 is rec leased and the ycontact member 66 engages 7l,` a new circuit isy closed the terminalt through the conductcrs 72 from the battery, contactcmember 66, a conductor 7 6 leading tov the electromagnet 32, a conductor 77 the lower spring contact member 35,. the middle contact member 34 and the conducto-r 7 5 to battery.v The moment that this circuit yis closed by releasing the foot'pedal,v the electroinagnet yis instantly energized attractingfthe lower end of the armature 28 thereby releasing the upper catch endlthereof from the armature arm 26 thereby causing the armature 18 to raise through the spring 25 andbrealr the contact between the middle Contact arm4 34 and lower Contact arm 35 for yopeningthe circuit and causing the middle contact arm 34 to again contact with the uppercontacty arm 33. The raising ofthe armature 18, and its plunger 20 permits 'the y signal rotor to revolve back, to its normal providedywithv three connected by means oiE i complete a el and 6 and the foot pedal 65should be` iessed,-tlie saine actions would take place:

the signal signs, I kemploy a conductor v72?- Y leading from one side of the battery to oneV contactwof thesoclret and provide the same with a switch 79 and I also provide a second conductor SO leading Jfrom the other Contact n to the other side of the battery which will closed circuit to the lamp` 1l wlien' the switch is closed.

It is apparent from the foregoing descriptionthatl employ a complete vehicle traiio or direction Asignal which will display the turning and go signals which are manually controlled through a shifting leverand that combined Vwith these signals are stop signal signs which are controlled electrically through the actuation of the Lfoot brake pedal. f

The ,many advantages ot the herein described invention will readily suggest themselves to rthose skilled in the art tok which it appertains.

I do not wis-h tobe understood as having limited myself' to the details of construction shown and described, but desire tok have it understood that the invention I have shown in the drawings is merely illustrative, as it is manifest that various minor changes may be made .in the exact construction and particularv arrangen'ient of parts without departing from the'spirit of my invention, hence I reserve the ri 0fht to make any such changes, or modifications as may fairly fall wit-hin the scope oii' the appended claims when fairly construed.

What I claim is: f y

l. In a traicl signal structure forapplication to the front oit a vehicle, a casinghaving a sight opening extending across the entire front of the casing andfliiaving a sight opening extending across one half of the rear of the casing, a hollow globular rotor provided with a plurality of oircuinferentially disposed go, left turn, right turn7 and Stopl signal indicia .mounted for rotation within said casing and normally positioned to simultaiieouslydisplay the go7 signal indicia through the iront and rear sight openllO and rear sight openings ol' the casing, resilient means co-acting with the manually actuated means for rotating the rotor in the opposite direction Ylor siniultaneousliv bringingl right turning' signal indicia opposite'the liront and rear sight openings oit the casing, elcctricallv actuated means 'tor revolving the rotor to a. position to display the stop signal data trom either go, lett turn, or right turn signal positions and means tor holding the rotor in said cstop7 signal position and electricall)v actuated means 'tor releasing the rotor troni said stop s .al position to permit o'i its rotation haci the signal position Ytroni which it was initiated.

2. In a tratlic signal structure, a stationary casingA having iront and rear sight openiiigst a. rotor shell mounted 'tor rotation Within the casing and provided n'itl. a plurality ot circuniterentialhY disposed go, lett turn, rightturn and stop siA nal indicia. so aro, ranged as to displzqv signal indicia through the trent and rear sight openings ot the casing simultaneouslY and normallj)7 positioned so as to displav the po signal indicia, said stop signal indicia being alternately arranged, a shitting lever lined at a convenient point adjacent the driver ot a vehicle, llexihle means counectiiil the rotor shell n'ith said lever Ytor reifolving the rotor shell to a position to display one oit the turn signals when the lever is moved in one direotion7 a coiled spring connected at one end to the rotor shell and at its opposite end to the casing t'or revolving the rotor shell to a position to display the other turn sign when the lever is moved in the opposite direct-ion, a 'toot actuated pedal and an electrically actuated mechanism controlled through the medium ot' said toot pedal when depressed for revolving the rotor shell to a position to displayY the stop7 signal indicia and when released to return the rotor to the position trom which it was initiated.

3. ln a vehicle tratlic signal structure, a separable hollow spherical casing haring front and rear si ght openings, a rotor mounted Within said casing, a plurality ot circiunierentially disposed go, clett turn, right turn, and stop signal indicizn said rotor heine' positioned to normally displayv the ;0" signal indicia and said stop7 signal indicia being alternately arrain th means tor manuallyv actuating` said ro r to displayY siinultaneousl)7 either lett turn or right turn signals through the 'front and rear sight openings of the casini;` electrical means actuated hy the depresion ot a vchicle brake pedal t'or revolving;T the rotor to display the stop signal indicia through the iront and rear sight openings, holding' ineens Ytor retaining' the rotor against return morement while displaying the Lstopll sijnals and electrical means for releasing the holding means to permit the rotor to automatically return from its stop position to the position l'rom which it was initiated.

ln a'vehicle tratlic signal structuret a separable hollow spherical 'using haring :trontand rear sight openings, rotor hearing a iLiiluralitiv ot' go, lett turn7 right turnl and stop signal indicia mounted 'tor rotation Within said casing so als to display like indicia to the 'liront and rear simultaneousl): said rotor heine' positioned to normallj?,T display go al indicia ainl haring' the stop signal indicia arrang-A alternately, ineens con v'ii-,ting ot a tlenilil i cable, a pulleyr tired to the rotor to which one end olf the lole cable is connected and a shitting lezer to which the opposite cnd ot the tierilile cahle is connected lior revolvingl said rotor to a position to display lett turn and right turn signal ind' a, electrical means actuated by the depre in ot a vchielc bralre pedal tor rotating the rotor to display stop7 signal indicia tl'n'ough the iront and rear sight openings simultaneously, ineans tor holding the rotor against return movement While the hrale pedal is depresied and electrical ineans :tor actuating; the holding` means lor relez'isin` the signal rotor to permit return movement ot the rotor to the position trom which it was initiated alter pressure on the ln'alte pedal has heen released.

5. ln a trallie signal structure for application to the front oit a vehicle, a easing.,v haring a sight opening extendingl across the entire iront ot the casing and having a sight opening' extending;T across one halt ot the rear oit the easing, a hollow globular rotor provided with a plurality ot cireuniterentialljf disposed go, lett turn, ifit turn, and stop signal indicia n'iounted lor rotation Within said casing and normally positioned to simultaneously displaiY the go signal indicia through the front and rear Erht openings ot the casing, said stop signal indicia being alternately7 arranged, manually actuated means 'lor revolving the rotor in one direction lor simultaneously bringing lett turn signal indicia opposite the t'ront and rear sight openings ot the easing', resilient means co-acting with the u'ianualljy' actuated means tor rotating' the rotor in the opposite direction Afor simultaneously lil-inging' right turningl signal indicia opposite the 'iront and rear sight openings ot the casing', a foot pedal, electrically actuated mechanism controlled by depressing' said pedal tor revolving` the rotor to simultaueousl)7 hrinp; stop signal indicia opposite the 'lront and rear sight openings ot the casing; and hold the rotor in such Stop position Whether the rotor displayed go, lett turn or right turn prior to rotation to display the stop7 signal indicia. and means tor electrically releasing the rotor from stop signal posii in one direction for ing a sight opening extending tion to permit return movement thereof to the position from which it was initiated.

6. In a traffic signal structure for application tothe frontk of a vehicle, a casing havacross the entire front of the casing and having a sight opening extending across one half of the rear ot the casing, a hollow globular rotork provided with a plurality of circumferentially disposed go, left turn, right turnf,` and stop signal indicia mounted for `rotation within said casing and normally pon sitioned to simultaneously display the go signal indicia through the 'front and* rear sight openings of the casing, saidv stop signal indicia being alternately arranged, ,manually actuated means for revolving the rotor simultaneously bringing left turn signal vindicia opposite `the front and rear sight openings of the casing, resilient meansy co-actingiw'ith the Amanually actuated means for rotating the rotor in the opposite direction for simultaneously bringing right turning signal indicia op osite the front and rear sight openings of t e casing,

a battery, a foot pedal, a two Way switch connected i ith said foot pedal, a solenoid including an armature, said armature, resilient means for' normally holding the armature in its-outer position, a ratchet wheel carried by and within the rotor havingfits teeth disposed in the inward path of travel of said plunger, a closed electrical Circuit including the Winding of the solenoid kestablished through one contact of the switch by depressing the brake pedal for moving the armature into the solenoid f and causing the plunger to rotatethe rotor to a new signal position to display stop a plunger carried by signal indicia simultaneously through the n front and rear sight openings of the casing,

av holding'l device for holding the rotor in said stop signal position, an 'electromagnet for releasing the holding device and a circuit therefor including the other Contact of the two way switch, means for opening said first electric circuit and closing one break in said second circuit during inward movement ol the armature andthe second circuit being completed through the switch by the release of said foot pedal for actuating the holding device for releasing the rotor and permitting automatic return rotation of the rotor to its normal go signal position.

7. In a vehicle traliic signal, a hollow globe shaped casing having a front sight opening and a rear sight opening, a hollow globe shaped rotor having a plurality of goy signal indicia, a plurality of left turn signal indicia, a plurality of right turn signal indicia and a plurality of stop signal indicia so that the signal indicia will be displayed to the front and to the rear of the case sin'iultaneously, said latter indicia being alternately arranged and said rotor adapted to normally assume go position, manually actuated means for revolving the rotor from go position to either left turn or right turn signal position, manually controlled electrically actuated means for revolving the rotor to stop signal position from either go, left turn, or right turn signal position and means for returning the rotor from stop signal position to the signal position from which it was initiated.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto rsigned my name to the specification.

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