US1998157A

US1998157A - Automobile signal light

Info

Publication number: US1998157A
Application number: US673364A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Joseph A Fossum
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-05-29
Filing date: 1933-05-29
Publication date: 1935-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1952-04-16

Description

p 1935 1A. FossuM,,JR 1,998,157

AUTOMOBILE S IGNAL LIGHT Filed May 29, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Irvvsrv 7017. 025.51% fOSSA/M Jfi.

A ril 16,1935. J, A, FOSSUM, JR 1,998,157

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL LIGHT Filed May 29, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 6, 1935. J. A. FOSSUM, JR

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL LIGHT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 29, 1933 vlllnrnn 1W V/V T06. JOSEPH /7. E55 11/? J.

Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNl'lEl) sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 1Claim- This invention relates to a combination backing and signaling light adapted to be mounted on the rear of a motor vehicle and controlled by the driver.

It is an object of my invention to provide a compact construction of the class referred to, including a clear lens'and means for projecting light for backing purposes and means in association with the same lens giving an illuminated backing or reverse sign when the motor vehicle is backed and for giving from the same lens an illuminated stop signal when the travel of the car is checked as by applying the brakes or releasing the clutch.

An important feature of the invention is the cooperation of a plurality of differently colored light sources with a single lens having portions colored variously, said lights being mounted in a common chamber back of said lens whereby when a certain colored light is illuminated it will have the efiect of intensifying the color transmitted through one of the portions of the lens and will serve by contrast with other portions of the lens to render the illuminating effect therefrom more or less opaque.

It is a further object to provide a combination baoking' and signaling light wherein the several elements for signaling stop and reverse, a tail light and a, backing light are compactly coordinated and mounted in a single casing adapted to'be supported at the rear of a motor vehicle.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one form of the invention detached from'the motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken centrally or axially through the casing; T

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line X-X of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the upper arrow or toward the lens;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section taken on the line X-X of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the lower arrow or toward the electric lamps;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken longitudinally and centrally through a somewhat different form of the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a front View of the same.

With reference to'the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, a suitable and symmetrical casing, indicated as an entirety by the letter C is provided (on. ii-s27) having a tapered ovoidal periphery and terminating in a closed rear end and an open front end provided with an edge to which the lenses are secured. Casing C is characterized by a lower or main portion l substantially oval shaped in cross section and an upper portion l l which may if desired be integral with the lower portion, of arcuate cross section.

A suitable reflector I2 is mounted within the lower portion I0 of easing C dividing the forward portion of the interior of the easing into upper and lower light chambers A and B respectively. The forward end of reflector I2 is open and is nested snugly, at its lower and side portions within the lower portion II] of easing C. A mounting plate i3 is secured to the lower peripheral wall of easing C and projects substantially vertically being secured to therear of reflector [2. In 'said plate three electric lamp sockets l4 are mounted, the open ends of said sockets projecting within reflector l2 and arranged horizontally in spaced relation. A colorless lamp bulb I5 is mounted in the central socket and substantially centrally of reflector l2 and electric lamps I6 and ll of contrasting colors, say red and blue, respectively, are mounted in opposite sides of the colorless lamp l5.

The rim of the lower portion ll! of the casing is provided with a. flanged lens seat IS in which a suitable lens ll! of oval shape is secured. A retaining strip 20 may be provided in cooperation with the lens seat for yieldingly securing the lens in the proper operative position.

'The greater portion of the lens I9 is uncolored to emit light for illuminating the road at the rear of the car, but in the central portion of the lens and preferably on its rear face coloring material is provided for cooperation with the various light colors produced by the bulbs I6 and I1. As shown a disk 2| of colored material (for example red 40 paint or a piece of red celluloid) is coated or aflixed to the central portion of lens l9 and at the upper portion of said disk and embracing the same an arcuate panel 22' of paint of 'a contrasting color or celluloid or the equivalent is aflixed -to the lens. The panel has somewhat opaque characters printed thereon which transmit less light than the body of the panel. As shown, the word reverse printed inversely is produced upon the panel 22.

At the edge of the upper portion ll of the casing an arcuate shaped lens 23 is mounted in a suitable flanged seat it, retained, as shown, by a strip 25. Lens 23 may be of colored glass or the rear of the car.

equivalent and is preferably colored red to act as the tail light for the motor vehicle on which my signal is mounted. A red lamp 26 is mounted directly behind lens 23 attached to a suitable electrical socket 21 which is supported from a plate 28 attached to the upper peripheral wall of the upper casing ll.

Casing C may be attached to the rear fender or back of the car in any suitable manner and as shown I have provided an inverted channel shaped supporting bracket 29 having an attachment flange 29a spot welded or otherwise secured to the rear and lower portion of casing C and having an attachment flange 291) which may be bolted, riveted or otherwise secured to a suitable supporting portion of the automobile.

The electrical service wires for the several lamps I 5, 16, I1 and 26 may conveniently pass through the rear of the casing C and through the channel 29 where they are concealed.

It will be noted that the reflector 12 is directed downwardly and rearwardly and that the lens 19 at the outer end thereof is inclined with respect to the vertical to some extent to more efliciently transmit light rays in a desired direction rearwardly of the-motor vehicle.

The electrical circuit for the colorless backing light I5 preferably includes a hand switch which may be conveniently mounted on the instrument board to facilitate control by the driver.

The electrical circuit for the red Stop light l6 includes preferably a suitable switch of conventional type operated upon depression of the clutch the gear shift lever when the same is thrown into reverse position.

In operation when the speed of the motor vehicle is. checked as by releasing the clutch or putting on the brake, the red light I 6 and reflector I2 will be illuminated, causing red light rays to be emanated from the clear portion of the lens 19 giving a noticeable red signal at the The central red disk 2| will stand out prominently since the color of the light passing through the same (red) is the same as that of the disk itself. On the other hand the arcuate reverse signalling portion 22 of the lens will be rendered more or less opaque due to the fact that red light rays pass through the blue arcuate portion of the lens blending to form a deep purplish color which is not seen for any great distance from the device.

When the blue light I! is illuminated by the shifting of the gears into reverse speed then the arcuate panel 22 of the lens indicating reverse will show a solid blue color and the entire body of lens l9 will be a faint blue and at this time the blue rays passing through the red disk 2| at the center of the lens will cause the disk to appear more or less opaque or a dark purplish color which will not be readily noticed.

When it is desired to use the backing light it is only necessary to throw the hand switch, whereupon a beam of light is thrown rearwardly and downwardly from the back of the car illuminating the highway and ditches to facilitate backing.

Lamp 26 in chamber A functions in the usual manner of a tail light.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a somewhat different form of the invention is illustrated comprising a symmetrically shaped casing C which may be secured to the rear fender or other portion of the. rear end of a motor vehicle by suitable means such as a bracket 30 of the type described in connection with the first form of the invention. The lower portion within casing C is provided with a somewhat downwardly directed reflector 3| in which is mounted a backing light 32. A clear lens 33 covers the front of reflector 3| and is secured in a suitable flanged seat.

The central portion of the interior of casing C is divided into a tail light compartment 34 by means of the upper portion of reflector 3| and an angular partition 35. A mounting plate 36 as shown is affixed to the rear of the interior of casing C and extends upwardly and forwardly terminating in a flange which is secured against the bottom of the angular partition 35. A tail light 31 is mounted in a suitable socket 31a which is supported by a depending aperture at the extremity of the mounting plate 36. A narrow lens 38 extending across the face of casing C and secured in an appropriate flanged seat completes the tail light chamber and is preferably colored red.

The angular partition 35 divided ofi the upper portion of the interior of easing C to form a signal chamber 39 wherein electrical lamps 40 and 4! of contrasting colors are mounted. Said lamps are connected with suitable sockets 42 mounted in the rear and vertical portion of the angular partition 35. As shown the lamp 40 is colored red while the lamp 4| is colored blue. The lens 43 for the signalling compartment may be frosted and is preferably uncolored throughout the greater portion thereof but has disposed upon the rear surface thereof two panels 44 and 45 respectively indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The panels may be constructed of paint or other coloring material such as celluloid and the upper panel 44 as shown is colored red and has somewhat opaque characters printed thereon indicating the word Stop. The lower panel 45 as shown is colored blue-and has printed thereon the word Reverse in somewhat opaque characters.

When the red lamp 40 is illuminated the red panel 44 emanates a bright red light being of similar color to the said light rays and the blue panel 45 is rendered more or less opaque or of a deep purplish color which is not noticeable a considerable distance from the rear of the car. When the blue lamp 4| is illuminated the blue panel is intensified in color while the upper red panel 44 emits little light and is rendered more or less opaque by the contrasting color of the light rays and the red panel of the lens.

The operation of the backing lamp 32 and its reflector and light chamber is similar to that described in the first form of the invention.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have invented a very compact combination backing and signalling light adapted to automatically signal stop or reverse at the appropriate times, further functioning as a -tail lamp as well as providing an efficient light for backing purposes. It further will be seen that by the cooperation of the contrasting portions of the signal lens with the colored rays of light emitted from the lamp, color transmitted through one of the portions of the lens is intensified while another portion of the lens is rendered more or less opaque.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement, of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth and in the novel parts and combinations-of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:--

-A signal of the class described having in combination, a light chamber, a lens associated with said chamber having the greater portion of its body substantially colorless and adapted for substantially unobstructed passage of light therethrough, said lens having a relatively small portion thereof colored to constitute of itself a signal when certain light rays are'passed therethrough and having another relatively small portion closely adjacent said first portion colored a contrasting color to of itself constitute a second signal when certain light rays are passed therethrough, at least three lamps within said either of said colored lamps is lighted the signalling portion of a color similar thereto will appear brightly illuminated, the signalling portion contrasting therewith will appear more or.

less opaque and whereby when said white lamp is lighted the greater and transparent portion of said lens will freely transmit light therefrom to brightly illuminate objects within thefield of distribution of the transmitted light.

JOSEPH A. FOSSUM, JR.

selectively lighting said lamps whereby when