US1720108A - Automobile signal - Google Patents

Description

July 9,1929. D. D. VAN OSDOL AUTOMOBILE S IGNAL Filed Jan. 23,. 1928 BEE IHVEHTOR, D4 wson 0 Win Qsdol,

Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES DAWSON D. VAN OSDOL, F BUSHVILLE, INDIANA.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

Application filed January 23, 1828. Serial No. 248,581.

My invention comprises a new and novel signal especially adapted for use on automobiles though having application in all instances where a visible signal is to be employed. The invention is described herein as installed on an automobile.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1, is a fragmentary front elevation of my signal as applied to the upper left-hand corner of an automobile;

Fig. 2, a side elevation of the signal from the outer side;

Fig. 3, a top plan view of the signal;

Fig. 4, an elevation of the inner end of the sign holder;

Fig. 5, an elevation of the signal control sector;

Fig. 6, a side elevation from the outer end of a modified form of the signal;

Fig. 7 a vertical section on the line 7-7 in Fig. 6; a

Fig. 8, a vertical section on the line 88 in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9, a detail in fragmentary elevation on an enlarged scale of the signal position retaining means as employed in the modified form in Fig. 6.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

I form a box-like structure 10 with a plurality of faces 11 here shown as four in number, in which are formed characters 12 that may be illuminated from within. In installations where it is desired to present the same indication to the rear as well as from the front of the signal as in an automobile, I place the same word on the opposing faces so that regardless of how the box 10 is rotated on its longitudinal axis, the same sign will be observable from the rear as from the front, as in Figs. 1 and 3, where the word presented is Right to indicate a right hand turn, the word being visible from both fore and aft of the automobile.

The box 10 is carried from its inner end by a base 13 preferably made of an insulating material. A receptacle 14 is carried on the base 13 to receive a lamp 15 within the box 10.

A wire 16 leads from the receptacle 14 to without the base 13 to be in permanent electrical contact with the bar 17 which extends substantially along one side of the base 13 and angularly down on the adjacent face, the barbeing spaced back slightly from the edge of the base 13. I

The base 13 is carried by the arm 18 which extends diagonally from the base 13 to be pivotally attached to the bracket 19, which bracket has a forwardly depended leg 20 against which the bar 17 may be contacted and a rearwardly depended leg 21 which also may be contacted by the bar 17 when the box 10 is swung rearwardly. From the rear end of the leg 21 is extended a foot 24 which is at tached to a suitable post 25 on the automobile 23. The under edges of the legs 20 and 21 are so positioned in respect to the pivot point of the arm 18 that in swinging the box 10 from the leg 20 where the word Right is displayed fore and aft from the vertically positioned faces, the box 10 will be revolved substantially degrees to bring the adjacent faces to vertical positions in which are found the word Left and-the faces having the word Right therein are lying in horizontal positions-this position being indicated by the dotted line position of the box 10', Fig. 2.

The box 10 normally tends to hang in the position 10, midway between the Right and Left indicating positions. In this mid-position, the box 10 has all faces turned to 45 degrees to the horizontal so that while a both the words Right and Left are presented from both front and back of the box 10, the angle of inclination of the words is such that they are not readily discernible and do not present any definite signal.

In order to attract attention and increase the visibility of the signal, the lamp 15 is supplied with current to illuminate the words in the box faces only when the box 10 is rocked to either its extreme fore or aft positions when the signal Right or Left respectively is given. A second wire 22 leads from the receptacle 14 to any suitable source of current supplied by the automobile 23, such as a storage battery 27. A wire 26 in permanent electrical connection with the bracket 19 through its foot 24 also is in permanent connection with the battery. The electrical circuit is completed from the battery 27 through the lamp 15 whenever the box 10 is swung either forwardly or rearwardly to bring the bar 17 into contact with the bracket 19 through either leg 20 or leg 21.

To swing the box 10 to show the desired signal, I pivotally attach the rod 29 to the arm 18 and carry it back into the automobile where it is pivotally secured to the arm 30 of a bell crank, and a rod 31 interconnects with the arm 32 of the bell crank and the operating lever 33. The lever 33 is actuated in association with the sector 34 whereby the lever 33 may be held at any one of three positions corresponding to the three positions of the box 10 as indicated in Fig. 2.

In some cases, there is not suflicient room for the bracket 19, and the modified form as shown in Figs. 6, 7 8 and 9 is employed. In this form the same box 10 is employed, but is carried by a base 35 which has a spur gear 36 formed at its inner edge. A bracket 37 is attached to the automobile 23 and has a hollow spindle 38 over which the base 35 is revolvably fitted. A retaining thimble 39 passes through the spindle 38 and has its inner and outer ends flared to retain the base 35 on the spindle 38. The lamp 15 is carried within the box 10 in the receptacle 40 and has one of its lead wires 41 passed back through the thimble to the storage battery 3 27. The bracket 37 is also in permanent electrical connection with the battery. The base 35 is preferably made of'insulating material and has three buttons 42, 43, and 44 inserted on its inner face.

A spring tongue 45 extends outwardly from the bracket 37 to press normally and yieldingly against the face of the gear 36 in the path of the buttons. The buttons are so spaced that button 42 is under and in contact with the tongue 45 when the box 10 is in the position as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, being the position when the word Right is in the vertical position on both the front and rear faces of the box 10 (Fig. 8). Button 43 is spaced from button 42, so that when the box 10 is revolved on the spindle 38, to the position corresponding to 10 in Fig. 2, the button 42 comes into contact with the tongue 45. Button 44 is spaced around from the button 43 to be contacted-by the tongue 45 when the box 10 has been further revolved to carry the word Right to the horizontal positions and the word Left to the vertical positions. The tongue 45 is cupped (Fig. 9), on its contacting end to fit over the buttons to yieldingly re tain the box 10 in any one of the three positions. The second lead wire 47 from the receptacle 40 is permanently connected tothe button 42, and a wire 48 leads from the button 42 to the button 44. The button 43 serves merely as a stop and is not in any electrical circuit.

To revolve the box 10, a rack bar 46 is slidingly carried by the bracket 37 to mesh with the gear 36, and a rod 49 extends from the bar 46 to any suitable actuating mechanism such as the lever 33 in Fig. 2.

Having described my invention in minute detail, it is obvious that considerable variation from the structure shown and described may be made within the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise structure, nor any more than may be required by. the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an automobile signal device, the combination with a four-sided rockable case having like indicia on its diametrically opposite sides legible from .two opposite directions, said case standing normally with its indicia oblique to the direction of movement of the auto-mobile, of manually controlled means for selectively rocking the case in either direction to a position presenting two of said sides at right angles to the direction of movement of the automobile.

In an auton'robile signal device, the combination with a rockable case having four sides with like transparencies on its diametrically opposite sides, said case standing normally with its sides oblique to the direction of movement of the automobile, saidcase having means for illuminating the transparen-. cies, of manually controlled means forseleetively rocking the case to present two of said sides at right angles to the direction of movement of the automobile.

3. In an automobile signal device,.the combination of a supporting bracket, an arm pivotally hung fro-m the bracket said bracket having a leg extending to each side from the arm, a four-sided case carried on the arm having like indicia on its diametrically opposite sides legible from two opposite directions, said case standing-normally with its indicia oblique to the direction of movement of the automobile, and means for. swinging the arm selectively toward and upwardly and against either of said legs to a position presentingtwo of said sides at right angles to the direction of position upon release of saidswingmg means. r

In testimony whereof I'afiix my signature.

DAWSON D. VAN OSDOL.

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