US2039647A - Airway beacon - Google Patents

Description

May 5, 1936. F. R. HOUSE 2,039,647

AIRWAY BEACON Filed March '7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fi'flirfi/hzlse.

. 1 AT ORNEY.

May 5, 1936. F. R. HOUSE AIRWAY BEACON' Filed March 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims. (01. 177-352) This invention relates to airway be'acons or signalling searchlights and has particular reference to the means for switching on and ofl the lamps in predetermined sequence. It has been found that airway beacons require both directional beacons which preferably point along the airway route to the next beacon and also a. re- =volving beacon to attract the aviators attention. It is also desirable to provide means for flashing preferably the directional beacons in a predetermined sequence so that the aviator may know the route number. According to my invention 1 mount both directional and revolving beacons on the same support and preierably operate the cam for flashing the directional beacons from the rotating beacon and also arrange the cam so that the stationary beacons are extinguished at the time the flashing beaeonpasses over the stationary beam. Also, prior to my invention it has go been usual to employ a master cam-operated switch or switches on the light, which in turn control a relay or relays for handling the comparatively heavy current of the lamps. According to my invention I eliminate the necessity for such a complication and in addition provide a very simple, cheap, and reliable mechanism for performing thisfunction which can operate for months at a time without any attention whatever on an isolated airway. Referring to the drawings in which my preferred form of the invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a beacon tower showing a plurality of beacons mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a largerscale of the 85 revolving beacon, the base being shown in section. I

Fig. 3 is a detailed view in'elevation of one of the tumbler switches for operating one of the flashing beacons.

Fig. 4 is an end view 01 the same.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the cam for operating the switch.

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram showing the control of both flashing beacons from the same cam.

According to my invention, Iemploy a continuously revolving beacon I such as is usual pioyed for enabling an aviator to locate mm a distance the airport and one or more sta onary directional beacons 2 and 3, which sen o t beams in a predetermined direction usually along the boundaries of the airport; The group of beacons is shown as mounted on a suitable elevoted iramework or tower 4. All oi t he beaconsare shown as1cbmprising drums 5- pivotally mounted on trunnion arms 8 for oscillation about so that when the roller of one of the stationary a horizontal axis. The base of the revolving beacon is revolubly mounted as by being secured to shaft '5 journaled in vertical bearings 89 in the fixed base it. Said shaft is shown as revolved by a suitable motor it through worm i2 on the shaft 5 thereof and wormwheei i3 on shaft 1. On said shaft is also located suitable slip rings IB and for leading current into the lamp and a cam is which controls the lighting of the stationary or flashing beacons. Preferably both of said bea- 19 cons are controlled from the same cam as by positioning the rollers ill and it? for the switches of each beacon on opposite sides oi the cam so that the two beams operate at no phase relationship. The cam is shown as provided with a 15 semi-circular raised portion dl'whioh operates to extinguish the stationary light having its camroller bearing thereon. The othersenJi-eircular portion of the cam is struck on a mailer radius lights bears thereon it is lighted. The com is so synchronized with the rotating beacon that as the beam of the rotating beacon approaches within of the beam of a stationary beacon the latter is extinguished and is lighted again as the beam of the rotating beacon leaves at the opposite 90 angle. At the same time the oppositestationary beam is lighted and extinguished as will be readily understood. The cam is also provided with raised portions 32- within the de- 30 pressed semi-circular portion so that the station'- ary beams are flashed on and oil during the period they are lighted in a predetermined sequence so as to furnish the aviator with a signal informing him of the location of the beacon 3 and/or the course to follow in approaching and leaving the beacon.

Each roller is'shown as mounted on the bell crank lever l9 pivoted at 20. At its opposite end 4 said lever is provided with a pin 2| which takes 0 in the fork 22 of a supporting clamp 23 pivoted at 24. Said clamp is provided with suitable spring clips 25, 26 and base 21 ior holding a mercury tumbler switch 28. Said switch comprises a sealed tube placedin a normally horizontal posi- 45 tion and partially lined with mercury or other suitable conducting fluid. Said tube is provided with depressions 29, 30 into each of which a wire projects. When the switch is horizontal the mer-' cury closes the gap between the two wires but 50 when the switch is tilted, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.3 or as shown at the righthand switch in Fig. 6, the mercury flows down into the larger end of the tube and breaks the circuit. Iit" should .be noted that in this type of switch,

I contact is made and broken entirely within tube 28 so that'there are no exposed-contact surfaces to become corroded or fouled; The switch,

' thereforecan easily handle the entire lamp cur- 'rent without deteriorating so that no relays are necessary and the mechanism is lied and itsreliability increased.

greatly simpli- In accordance-with theprovisions or the patent statutesfl have herein described the princi ple and operation or my invention, together with the apparatus whichI now consider to representthe best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have out interi'ering'with the more general results outnamed beacon, a tumbler mercury-switch op-- lined, and the invention extends to. such use.

' Having'described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:v

1. In'an airway beaconithe combination with a revolving and a; stationary directional beacon,

both, adapted to project beams in substantially horizontalplanes, a cam revolving with said first erated thereby and in' circuit with said second the first beacon sweeps through a predetermined a revolving and a pair of stationary directional beacons to direct beams in diil'erent di- =rections, a cam revolving with said first-named beacon, a pair'of tumbler mercur'y switches oppositely operatedthereby and in circuit with said second beacons to extinguish one or the other of said stationary beacons as the beam of the revolving beacon sweeps past the beams of the-stationary beacons.;.

. -f 3. Inan airway beacon, the combination with a revolving and a*stationar y' beacon, a res volving with said first named beacon, a tumbler- 'mercury switch operated thereby and in circuit" with said second named-beacon to extinguish it J as the-beam oi the first beacon sweeps through 'a predeterminedv'arc, said cam alsofbeing pro .vided with additionalpnijeflons caiISe oscillation of said switch and flashing of said; second beacon within its" normalperiod. of illumina- ,tion';

4. In harm beacon, the combination with a revolving and ,a pairoistationary beacons adapted to in. difi'erent directions, a 'cam revolving with said first-named beacon. a

' pair of tumbler mercury switches oppositely operthereh d-ingcimmt with said second namedbeaconstoextingnish oneorthaotherot said stationary beacons-as the beam of the revoiving beacon sweeps. pastthe beams oi the with 2. on airway beacon, the combination withairway o,oso;oiv U inturnof eachswitch and fiashingoisaid mtionary beacons within their normal periods oi illumination.

5. In an electricairway beaconsystem, are.-

volving beacon, aistationary beacon i'or projecting a beam substantially horizontally in a predetermined direction and mounted adiaicent said revolving beacon, and means actuated by the revolution 01' said first beacon for periodi-- cally cloflng and opening the circuit through said stationary beacon.-

'6."In an airway beacon system, a revolving beacon, a plurality of stationary directional beacons mounted adjacent said revolving beacon and periodically and tionary beacons.

f -7. In an electric airway beacon systcmya revolving beacon, a stationary beacon mounted adjacent said revolving beacon, acamcarri'ed by- "(said revolving be'acon,- and.swit ch contacts con trolling the energization 01' said stationary bea:

con, said contacts being'o'perated by-said cam whereby they are periodically closed and opened ,{by the revolution oi said revolving beacon as said I revolving beacon revolves.- namedbeacon to extinguish it as the of substantially horizontal beams in different directions, a cam carried y said revolving beacon, a

plurality of sets 01 switch contacts controlling the energization of said stationary beacons, said contacts being operated by saidcam to be periodical- .ly and successively closed thereby as said revolving beacon revolves,

oi stationary searchlights'iaced in. different-d1 said stationary searchlights, means for revolving said'last-named light, at 'auniform rate, and

means operated by the rotation oi said last-named "light roe ext s is lnt each stationary lisht in andreiighting the same as said rotating beam re- Y oi stationary searchlights raced indiiferent directions to substantially horizontal beams,

a rotatably mounted-between said. mst named light at a uniiorm rate, means operatedby'therotationatsaidlast-namedlight for 'eooh, tatiomrilishtmhirh as the rotating beam approaches the m, and

meansiorfiashingsaidstationarylig'his-in roof illumination also operated by said rotary beacon comprising-a pairrectionstoproject substantiallyhorizontal beams; i a third searchlight rotatablymounted between said'stationar y 8earchlights,'mean s tor revolving R om. 7

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