US1687065A - Signal for automobiles - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 9, 1928. 1,687,065

J. P. HANSON SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed June 17, 1924 Oct. 9, 1928. v v 1,687,065

' J. P. HANSON ,S IGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jun e 17, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm M w Oct. 9, 1928.

' J- P. HANSON' SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 1'7, 1924 i5 Shoots-Sheet. 3

gwuc-n Ton on motor vehicles Patented Oct. 9, 1928. v

ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 'P. HANSON, OF BUTTE, MONTANA SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILE};

Application filed June 17, 1924:. Serial No. 720,643

This invention relates to a signal device or semaphore designed primarily; for use one of the objects of the invention being to provide a compact struce ture that can be attached readily to the side of an automobile, the structure being adapted for use with machines of either the open or closed types.

vAnother object is to provide a semaphore or signal device adapted to be operated electrically through the actuation of a switch located conveniently near the drivers seat and bythe manipulation of which any selected signals can be displayed.

A still further object is to provide a semahore utilizin a rotar element COIltZLlIllIl suitable characters or symbols for indicating contemplated movements of the vehicle, said characters or symbols being duplicated within the device and so positioned that corresponding characters or symbols will be dis-.

played at both the front and back of the housing of the semaphoresimultaneously, f

thereby to warn persons 1n front as Well as back of the vehicle. A further object is to provide a novel arrangement of electronagnets cooperating with an armature extending from the rotary element so that by energizing one of the magnets the armature will be attracted thereto and bring the selected characters or symbols to exposed positions in the hous- Another object is to provide a single lamp within the housing that will be illuminated atall times while the characters or symbols are displayed. i

A still further object is to provide a novel form of switch having contacts associated therewith and controlling circuitsnot only through the electro-magnets and the lamp but also to an audible signal that will be sounded every time the switch is shifted for the purpose of changing the'semaphoro signal.

Another object is to provide means for extinguishing the headlights and illuminating the dimmers therein while the semaphore signal is being displayedysaid means being controlled by the same switch that controls the semaphore. 1 v

With the foregoing and other objects in view which'will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de parent scribed and claimed, it being understood that, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departinglfrom the spirit of the invention.

In'the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings 1 Figure lisa side elevation of a portion of a vehicle having the present "improvements combined therewith. p

Fig. 2 is a, rear elevation of'the semaphore orsignal device, the letter 'C,, indicating caution being displayed in the window of the housing. i V

Fig. 3 is'a section on line, 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-.4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section'on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, the magnets and lamp socket being shown in plan. f

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the switchboard an swi c Fig.- 7 -'s anelevation of the side of the switch board opposite to, that shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 isa' section on line 8,.8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a view showing, indiagram, the complete apparatus. 7 i

Referring. to the. figures by characterszof reference I 'designates'a cylindrical housing provided with diametrically opposed win- (lows 2 and '3 preferably closed with trans? glass as shown me. A bracket 5 is extendedradially'from the housing midway; between the windows 2 and 3 and is adapted to be fastened in any suitable manner to the side A vehicle or to the side of the body of a closed car at any desired. point. The housing has a top closure (Sand a bottom closure 6' and theseclosure's can be fastened in place by any suitable means provided for'that purpose. Secured within the upper portion of the housingl is a disk 7 constituting a par titionand on this disk is mounted an audible of the wind shield of the a '3 signal of any suitable form. In the c0nwardly from an arcuate cross head 12 eX- tending across and integral with the lower end of a cylindrical cage 13 fitted snugly within and adapted to rotate relative to the housing 1. A reinforcing arm 14: extends from the center of the cross head 11 to the wall of the cage. It will be noted that the wall of the cage includes, in the present instance, six windows arranged in three pairs, the'windows of said pairs being indicated respectively at 15, 16 and 17 -These Windows are of glass, the glass of the windows .15 being of one color, the glass of the windows 16 being of another color and the glass of windows 17' being on another color. Suitable characters or symbols are painted or otherwise displayed on the windows. For

' example 'the windows can be provided with the letter R indicating a right hand turn; the wind0ws16 can be provided with the letter L indicating a left hand turn; and windows l'icanbe provided with the letter' C indicating caution.

The top of the cage 13 is provided with a spider 18to which is connected a stem 19 journaled Within the bearing 9.' The two stems 11 and 19 aline and serve to hold the cage properly centered in the housing so that it can rotate freely. a

Secured on the bottom closure 6. are three radially disposed electro-magnets 20,

21'and 22.' An armature 26 is fixedly at tach'ea to andextended downwardly from the bottom of cage 13 and is preferably crescent-shaped in cross section with its edges or horns supported adjacent the points of the respective cores 24; while the'intermediate portion of the armature is supported normally close to the core 23. "A lamp socket 27 issecured on the bottom closure 6 and is engaged by an incandescent lamp 28 supported within the cage 13 so as to illuminate all of the windows in the cage. This lamp is interposed between the windows 2 and 3 of the housing. V For the purpose or controlling the opera tion of the semaphore and other parts of the signal system there is provided a switch heart 29 of suitable insulating material having abracket 3O providedwith a split sleeve 31' whereby the 7 said switchboard can be fastened securely to the post B of the steer ing wheel C. Onthis switch board is mount eda switch lamp 32 and secured to the switch board is a stud 33 on which a'switch lever 34' is adapted to rotate. A socket 35 is formedin the switch lever and stud 33 projects into it. A spring 36-is seated in the socket and bears at one end against the inner wall of the socket and at the other end against a washer 37' adjustably mounted on the stud 33. Thus the spring serves tohold the lever pressed firmlyagainst the switch board 293' v g Lever '34: is provided at one end with '52, 55 and 58. The

ed as shown at 70. A snap spaced contact lugs 38 and 39 and secured in a socket 40 in the other end portionof ii the lever a detachable plate 4L1 having spaced contact lugs 42 and 43. A socket lat formed in the lever and slidably mounted in it IS a plate 45 having spaced contact lugs 4-6 and a7. A sprin 48 is arranged in,

recess and presses against 45 so as to hold the lugs 46 and l? pressed firmly agamst the switch board.

Secured within the switch board 29 is an arcnate contact 4-9 havingoutstanding 'ter the contacts of one group being. indicated at i 52, 53 and 54. The contacts of another group have been indicated at 55, 56 and 57,

The contacts of the third group havebeen indicated at 58, 59 and 60. Disposed between the contacts 52 and 55 and between the contacts 55 and 58 are additional contacts 61 located in the same'arc with said contacts contacts 5 1, 57 and60 are adapted to be engaged by the lug l6 while contacts 53,56 and 59 are adapted to be engaged by hip; 47. Contacts 52, 61, 55 and, 58 are adapted to be en 'aged by lug (l3. Lug l2 is adapted to engage additional contacts 62 carried by the switch board. Two of these contacts 62 are located adjacent and project beyond the ends of contact 55 while the other contacts 62 are located adjacent the contacts 52 and 58 respectively and extendaway from said contacts 52 and 58in the direction of the intermediate contacts 62. Thus it will be seen that when lever 34 is moved for example, in the direction indicated by the arrows, lug 42 will engage contact 62 before lug l3 leaves contact 55 and will remain in engagement with contact 62 after lug 13 leaves contact 55.

The headlights of the vehicle have been indicated at D and the stop light has been indicated at- E. A source of electrical energy has been indicated at F,'and is grounded as shown at 63. A conductor 64 extends from the battery or other source of electrical energy indicated at F to the elongated contact 49. The contacts 51 are electrically con there is, an elecnected asshown at 65 and trical connection 66 between these contacts and the stop light E which, in turn, is grounded asshown at 67. The contacts 61 are electrically connected as shown at 68 and are connected by a conductor 69 to the headlights D. These headlights are groundswitch 71 or the like can be provided on the switch; toard of the actuation of the semaphore.

-for separately controlling the headlights, or,

in other words, for turning the headlights off and on independently of the actuation of lever 34.

The contacts 54, 57 and 60 are electrically connected as shown at 72 and a conductor It will be understood that under normalf conditions lever 34 can be brought to any position where the lugs 46, 47 43 and 42 are not in engagement with any of the contacts. When it is desired to caution nearby drivers or pedestrians, lever 34 should be shifted to the intermediate position shown in Figs'G and 9. During this movement lug 42 will firstcome into engagement with one contact 62, thereby completing the circuit to the audible signal 18 and giving warning Shortly after the circuit to the audible signal 18 has been closed the lug 43 will move onto the contact and the lugs 46 and 47 will move onto the contacts 57 and 56 respectively. Thus a circuit will be completed from contact 49 through lever 34 to contact 55' and thence to magnet 20 which will be energized and hold the armature 26 firmly in place with the caution signals C displayed through the windows 2 and 3. At the same time a circuit will be completed through contact 56 to the lamp 28, which will thereby illuminate the semaphore. Another circuit will also be completed through contact 57 thereby'closing a circuit to the dimmer lights provided switch 74 is closed.

When it is desired to warn of a right hand turn the lever 34 is swung to bring its contacts in engagement with the respective contacts 62,58, 59 and 60. Contact 62 will cause a preliminary sounding of the alarm 18. l Contact 58 will close the circuit through magnets 21' and cause armature 26 to be attracted thereto, thereby bringing the letter R to exposed position in each extreme position, contact 51 to the stop light E. Should lever Window 2 and 3. Contact 59 closes the circuit to' the lamp 28 while contact 60 closes the circuit to the dimmer lamps provided switch 74 is closed. WVhen lever 34 at this it closes the circuit through 34 be moved to its other extreme position A the foregoing operation would be the same with the exception that the letter L would be displayed a left hand turn. If the switch 71 is closed the lever 34, when in its normal position will close the circuit through contact 61 to the headlights but obviously whenever the lever is moved out of this normal position to its intermediate or either extreme positionthe headlights will be turned off, the dimmer lights turned on, the audible signal sounded and one or theother of the letters be displayed and illuminated in the housing 1. y

WVhat is claimed is A semaphore for motor vehicles including a housing having diametrically opposed windows, top and bottom closures for the housing, a bearing on the bottom closure, an upper bearing within the housing, a cylindrical cage mounted for rotation between the windows, means extending therefrom for engagement with the bearings, said cage including an arcuate lower cross head, a plurality of windows carried by the peripheralportion of the cage for exposure successively through the windows of thehousing, separate radially disposed electromagthe control of the operator for energizing any one of the electromagnets, thereby to attract-the armature thereto and rotate the cage to a predetermined position, said lamp projecting past the cross-head.

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

JOHN P. HANSON.

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