US1998678A - Signal light - Google Patents

Description

c. H. LARSON 1,998,678

SIGNAL LIGHT v April 23, 1935.

Fild Aug. 10. 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 1 35 J5- Qlnl H L CZ/SOTI/ C. H. LARSON SIGNAL LIGHT April 23, 1935.

Filed Aug. 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lEla/ son April 23, 1935. c, LARSON SIGNAL LIGHT Filed' Aug. 10, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 iii/@7767? fi i M gs.

Patented Apr. 23, 1935 umrso STATES SIGNAL LIGHT Carl H. Larson, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to The Adlake Company, a corporation of Illinois Application August 10, 1929, Serial No. 384,822

3 Claims.

' This invention relates to signal lights and the principalobject of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for adjusting the lighting mechanism.

' Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved signal lamp having novel mechanism for adjusting a lens and a source of light simultaneously. 7 V

A further object of the invention is the provision of a signal lamp having its lens and source of light so mounted that they may be adjusted simultaneously, independently of the lamp casing, together with novel means for adjusting the same, which is accessible from a point without the lamp casing.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a signal device disclosing the invention and with the supporting post in section; 7

Fig.2 is a front elevation thereof, with parts in section;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one of the lamps;

Fig. 4, is a section on line 4- 1 of Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the base member with the closure removed, with parts broken away; i

Fig. 6 is a section on line 68 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 7 is'a section on line l'l of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a section on line 3- 8 of Fig. 5.

In the use of signal lamps or lights at points where highways cross therailway tracks, it is common practice to employ two lamps at the side of the highway adjacent the track, and to provide means for alternately energizing the sources of light in the lamps for simulating the swinging of a lantern for indicating the approach of trains crossing the highway. 7

The present invention is shown in connection with a signal system of this type, although it is understood that it may be used in other types of signals and in other relations.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character I U designates a signal lamp support on which is mounted the usual signs H indicating a railway crossing. Attached to the support ID in any suitable manner as by the-plate l2 and clamp I3 is a cross or supporting arm 14 by which the signal lamps 15 are supported. The lamps are secured to the cross arms 14 in any suitable manner.

'As shown, each lamp ['5 is provided. Witha screw-threaded socket it in which one end of a screw-threaded suporting pipe I! engages, the other end being screw-threaded in a T-pipe connector It, the sleeve portion H3 of which is adapted to be threaded on to one of the ends of the arms i i in the usual manner. By means ofthis arrangement the lamp may be adjusted in a hor'montal plane and secured in adjusted positions on the pipe ll by the set screws 2! and 22. The lamp is prevented from swinging in a vertical plane by the set screw 23. The outer end of each of the sleeve portions 19 may be provided with a screw-threaded plug 24 for preventing the entrance of. dust, dirt and moisture intothe sleeve member. and from thence into the lamp casingf By the employment of a T-pipe connector the lamps may be attached to either end of the supporting arm I4 as may be desired and the exposed end closed by the plug 24. I

The lamps l5 are identical, so only one'need be described. Each lamp comprises a casing-25 composed of the hollow base member 28 and the closure member 21. The base member 26 is pro- Vided at its upper end with the stocket i6 by which it is attached to the supporting rod or post ii and with a hinge member 28150 which is pivotally attached a corresponding hinge mem-. ber 29 on. the closure member 2? for forming the hinge 3|. The closure member 27 comprises a cylindrical member 32 having an inturned fiange 33 against which a flange t l on a lens 35 is 7/ adapted to seat. The flange 34 of the lens is held against its seat by suitable clips 36. The lens 35 is of the type that directs the rays of light forwardly and laterally. Since'the specific features of the lens constitute no part of the present inventionit is not thought necessary to further illustrate or describe the same.

A suitable reflector andsource of light are provided for the lamp. In the form of con struction selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the source of light is electrically energized and the reflector and electric bulb are so connected as to be adjusted together simultaneously. As shown, the reflector 3? is held in position within the lamp casing by a ring member 38. The ring memberis provided with inwardly extending fingers 39 which are adapted to engage the rear surface of the reflector 31 for limiting its outward movement. The front edge or" the ring member this provided with radially extendingflugs M to whichclips 42 are se-- cured (see Fig. 5) The clips 42 extend radially inward and engage the front edge of the reflector 3'! for securing the same in position3 ainst, the

fingers '39." A set'screw 40, extending radially inward from the ring member 38, is adapted to engage a suitable recess in the lens 31 for preventing its rotation.

The ring member 38 is also provided with a depending lug d3 to which is attached the lower end of a lamp socket support 44. The lamp socket support dd is insulated from the ring member 38 in the usual manner (see Fig. 8) and is secured thereto by bolts 45 and 45. The bolt 45 is insulated from the ring member 38 and the support 4% in a manner well known in the art. The bolts 45, it, constitute binding posts for the electric wires 4'5, of the lead 6i The bolt 4-5 is insulated from the ring member but is in electrical connection with the support 44, whereby the support will constitute a portion of the electric circuit.

The upper end of the supporting member 44 is provided with an opening in which the lamp socket 453 is slidably mounted, and is frictionally held in adjusted position therein. An electric lamp or light bulb 5% is adapted to be secured in said socket in the usual manner.

The axis of the socket 49 is arranged in the axis of the lens so that in focusing the light it is only necessary to slide the socket 49 inward and outward through the opening in the support 44. The outer end of the socket 49 is provided with one or more binding posts depending on whether the bulb is a single or double contact type. As shown, the bulb is single contact and the wire or lead '48 is attached to the single binding post 5| in the usual manner. The support 44 may, if desired, be provided with apertures through which clips -52 may extend for engaging the wire 48 for holding the same in close proximity to the support 44.

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in maintaining the interior of signal lights or lamps free 'of dust, dirt, and other foreign matter. In adjusting the lens or bulb in the usual manner the hand "of the operator is likely to come in contact with the lens or bulb and befoul the surfaces of one or the other, or bother them, thereby detracting from the brilliancy of the reflected rays as well as permitting dust, dirt, rain, snow, and the like, to enter the casing while the same isopen, and be deposited on the lens.

Furthermore, when the adjusting mechanism is within the lamp casing considerable diniculty is experienced in adjusting the bulb, especially where the lens is mounted on the closure, because after each adjustment the closure must be closed to determine whether the adjustment is suificient or is too much. -It thus takes repeated efforts and considerable time to secure the proper adjustment of the bulb relative to the reflector.

The present invention seeks to avoid these difficulties by obviating the necessity for opening the casing when it is desired to adjust the direction in which the reflected rays are projected.

As shown, the base member 25 is provided with inwardly extending lugs 54 (see Fig. 6), to which the ring member 38 is adapted to be pivoted, as by means of the pivots 55 and 55, which extend through the lugs 53, 54, respectively, and are screw-threaded into laterally extending lugs 51, 58,011 the ring member 38 to form the hinges 59 and "5! for said ring member.

The hinge members 59, Eli, are arranged at each side of the ring member 38 so that said member may swing about a horizontal axis for directing the rays of light from the lamp upwardly 'or downwardly, as desired.

Means are provided for holding the ring member 38 in adjusted position. In the form of construction selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the ring member 33 is provided with a radially extending lug 62 adjacent its lower edge (see Fig. 7). A bolt 53, projecting through the base member 25, has its inner end extending through an enlarged opening in the lug 62, and is provided with a nut 54. This nut is prevented from turning by suitable projections 65 on the lug $2. The lug 52 is held in engagement with the nut-64 by a spring 66. The outer end of the bolt 63 may be provided with the usual slot or kerf, whereby the bolt may be turned by a screw driver for adjusting the lug 62 along the bolt 53 for tilting the reflector and lamp bulb.

The base member 23 may, if desired, be provided with sight members 6? and 68 (see Fig. 6), which have their line of sight diverging forwardly from the lamp forming an angle substantially bisected by the vertical plane of the axis of the reflector, whereby the held of illumination of said lamp may be determined by said sight devices Without energizing source of light. By means of this arrangement, the proper position of the casing when the lamp is installed or adjusted is determined. A side member at is provided with a groove on its outer surface as indicated at the dotted line in Fig. 6, as the side member 68 is provided with a V-shaped edge which constitutes the bead in sighting along the groove in the .member B1.

The closure'member 25 is provided with an .annular recess 6.9 for containing fibrous .or other material l! which is adapted to be clamped against the flange T2 of the base member 26 for constituting a dust-tight and weather-proof joint between the closure and the base member. Any suitable means maybe provided for clamping the closure member 25 to the base member'25. As shown, the closure member 25 has pivoted thereto alink 13 to which an eccentric latch is pivotally connected. The latch '14 is adapted to have its nose .15 engage .a lug 16 .on the base member 26 when the parts are in clamping position. The free end of the latch is provided with .a slot 11, through which a staple 18, on the base member, is adapted to extend'when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4. The latch may be locked in operative position by a padlock, or the like, engaging the staple 18 in the vusual manner.

The sides of the casing may be" provided with lens or bulls eyes T29, 81 for permitting rays-ofjlight to pass laterally from'the casing to indicate signals to an observer opposite thelamps. The casing may also be provided on its lower side with a ventilating opening 80, having wire mesh 9i] extending across the same for preventing the entrance of dirt and other foreign matter.

If'desired, the closure may be provided with .a visor'82 extending about the upper and side portions of the lens, as is usual in :such constructions.

In adjusting the lamps their horizontal adjust ment is obtained by 'looseningthe set-screw 2| and turning the casing about the pipe I! to the desired position, the sight members 68 and '61 being employed for indicating the proper position to which the lamp should .be turned. If it is desired to elevate .or lower the beam of light the ring member 38 is rotated about its horizontal axis by turning the screw 33 in the proper direction. It will thus be seen that therays of light proj ected from the casing maybe adjusted eitherlatera'lly or vertically without the necessity of opening the lamp casing. 1 7

I claim as my invention:

1. In a signal light, a casing comprising a shallow base portion, a deep closure for said base portion, a transparency in the front of said closure, a reflector, a combined bulb and reflector support, horizontally arranged pivots adjacent to the forward edge of said base portion for adjustably 'mounting said support on said base portion with the forward edge of said reflector adjacent to the plane of the forward edge of said base portion,

said support comprising an arm extending upwardly and forwardly of the forward edge of said base portion, a light bulb supported by said arm forwardly of said base portion within said closure, and means extending from the rear of said base portion exterior thereof for adjusting said support about said pivots.

2. A signal lamp comprising a two-part casing including a shallow stationary portion opening forwardly and a deep closure portion hinged to said stationary portion and containing a transparency in its front wall, a source of light, a reflector for reflecting rays from said source of light through'said transparency, a common support for said reflector and source of light, said support secured within said stationary portion and extending forwardly into said closure portion, the front edge of said reflector being supported substantially in the plane of the forward edge of said shallow stationary portion and said source of light being supported substantially forwardly of said plane, whereby access may be readily had to said support, reflector and source of light when said 010- sure is opened.

3. In a signal lamp, a casing, a frame pivotally mounted in said casing, a reflector and a source of light mounted on said frame, means extending from said frame to the exterior of said casing at the rear thereof for adjusting said frame about a horizontal axis, a support, means for adjustably connecting said casing to said support to swing about a vertical axis and with it said reflector and. source of light and a pair of sight devices on said casing, the lines of sight of said devices diverging forwardly of the lamp and forming an angle substantially bisected by the vertical plane containing the axis of said reflector, the angle between the sight devices being substantially the angle of the spread of the beam from 'said source of light, whereby the field of illumination of said lamp may be determined by said sight devices without energizing said source of light.

CARL H; LARSON.

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