US2152216A - Flashing switch - Google Patents

Description

March 1 A. B. scoTT FLASHING SWITCH Filed Sept. 21, 1936 Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLASHING SWITCH Application September 21, 1936, Serial No. 101,731

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a flashing lamp such as carried on police cars or ambulances, so as to warn traffic, or to signal to persons in front of the moving vehicle that carries the lamp.

The general object of the invention is to produce a compact construction for supporting the lamp, so that it can be normally held in an inactive position out of view, and so constructed that when the lamp is swung into view it will automatically commence to flash.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a self-contained device of this kind in which the means for interrupting the circuit through the lamp is housed in the base of the supporting post for the lamp.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple means involving the use of an oscillating armature adapted to be carried in. the base of the supporting post, and operating in such a way that as the oscillator swings to and fro, it alternately short circuits the electric current passing through the electromagnets that cause the oscillation of the armature.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an efficient flashing lamp.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, While the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a vertical section through the upper edge of the dash of an automobile, and through the adjacent wall of the automobile, and this view also shows portions of the apparatus in elevation and in section, and the dotted lines inv dicate how the arm carrying the lamp may be swung up to an inactive position. The lamp is shown in full in its flashing position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan of the connection between the post and the movable arm that carries the lamp; this view particularly illustrates the means for enabling the arm of the lamp to be held yieldingly in different positions.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the inner end of the post, and showing the circuit breaking apparatus mounted in the chamber within the post. This view also illustrates diagrammatically the wiring of the circuit passing through the lamp and the electromagnets.

Referring more particularly to the parts, I indicates a windshield of a car, and 2 indicates a portion of the forward end of the car just above the windshield. This is the point at which I prefer to mount the flashing lamp. The support for the lamp proper preferably includes a horizontal post 3, one end of which is formed integral with a base or housing 4, said housing preferably being provided with a flange 5 enabling the same to be secured readily to the wall 2 by any suitable means such as small screws 6. The base or housing 4 is preferably of substantially cylindrical form, and the chamber 1 Within the same carries the circuit breaking apparatus. This apparatus is preferably mounted on a removable insulating disc 8, which is provided with two insulated terminal posts 9 and ID, the former of which has a binding post I I that projects through the Wall !2 of the base 4 for the attachment of an electric wire [3 to supply current to the coils l4 and [5 (indicated by dotted lines) of two electromagnets I6 and I7. These magnets have metal bolts l8 passing through the same, operating as cores for the coils, and the ends of these bolts l8 are secured to an inner metal cross bar l9 attached tothe disc 8, and an outer cross bar 20 secured to the bolts I8 by suitable nuts 2|. Within the chamber 1 and directly under the outer cross bar 20 an oscillating armature 22 is provided, said armature consisting of a plate of symmetrical form, which may be cast integral with a hub 23 and an arbor 24, said arbor 24 having an extension 25 beyond the plate rotatably mounted in the outer bar 20, and having its inner end received in a bearing socket in the inner bar H) (see Fig. 1). The two electromagnets [6 and I! are preferably mounted so that their axes are parallel with the axis of the cylindrical chamber 1, which axis preferably coincides with the longitudinal axis of the post 3. The arbor or shaft 24 is mounted equidistant between the two electromagnets, and the shape of the armature 22 is such that when the magnets are energized the oscillating armature will be swung in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 3 the circuit is illustrated diagrammatically, extending from ground G through battery B, and thence by wire l3 to the terminal post 9 from which the current passes by the lead wire 26 to the coil l4, and thence by the lead wire 2? to the coil I5, and from the coil l5 by lead wire 28 through the terminal post Ml. From this point the current passes by lead wire 29 through the lamp 30, and thence to the ground G In this view the wire 29 is indicated as a single wire, but on account of the fact that a joint must be employed for enabling the lamp to be swung into view or out of view, the wire 29 of Fig. 3 must be considered as composed of several conductors illustrated in Fig. 1. These conductors will be described more fully hereinafter.

Referring again to the make-and-break apparatus in the chamber 1, it should be said that I provide means cooperating with the electromagnets, and the oscillating armature related in such a way that the circuit will be made and broken alternately, and this means preferably operates in such a way that the energizing of the coils is periodically arrested by short circuiting them. In order to accomplish this I prefer to provide a terminal post 9 with resilient means formed of a leaf spring 3| (see Fig. 3) which preferably extends past the shaft 24 over to a point near the opposite terminal post [0 and beyond the same, the free end of the said spring 3| preferably carrying a contact tip 32. The other terminal post I0 is provided with a similar resilient means or spring 33 that extends in the other direction, projecting past the terminal post 9, and being provided with a contact tip 34. The oscillating armature 22 is provided with inwardly extending arms 35 (see Fig. 1) and these arms are preferably provided with contacts 36. When the electromagnets are energized they swing the 0scillating armature 22 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, and this swinging movement is accelerated until the arms 35 strike the ends of the springs 3| and 33. When this occurs the electromagnet coils are short circuited, as the current flows between the terminal posts 9 and Ill directly through the oscillating armature 22. As soon as the circuit is broken in this way, the resiliency of the springs immediately swings the armature 22 in the other direction. In this way the lamp 30 will be flashed continuously.

The lamp 30 is movably mounted on the post 3 so that it can be swung down into view, or swung up into a position of rest, and the construction is such that when the lamp is in the position of rest, the circuit through it will be automatically broken, and when it is swung down into its active position the circuit will be automatically completed through the lamp. In order to accomplish this, I prefer to provide a joint connection between the arm 31 that carries the lamp, and the post 3. The outer end of the post is preferably bifurcated so as to form two forks 38 between which similar forks 39 on the inner end of the arm 31 are received, and these forks are pivotally secured together by a through bolt 40. Between the forks 39 of the arm an insulating contact disc 4| is rigidly secured, and on the surface of this disc 4| a long contact plate in the form of a segment 42 is secured. One end of this segment is attached to a lead wire 29b that extends down and is connected electrically to the lamp bulb in the lamp 30, the lamp bulb being grounded on one side in the common manner. The contact segment 42 extends around through about 90, and when the arm 31 is swung down into the position illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be in contact with a yielding contact 43 preferably in the form of a ball received in an insulating sleeve 44 and pressed against the segment by a small coil spring 45, the rear end of said spring being connected to a lead wire 29a connected to the terminal post It].

In order to hold the arm 31 yieldingly in its active or inactive position, the insulating disc 4| is preferably provided with oppositely disposed sockets preferably formed by drilling holes 46 through the disc. From the outer side of each fork 38 of the post, means is provided for yieldingly pressing detents, preferably in the form of metal balls 41, into the sockets formed by the ends of the drilled holes 46. For this purpose I prefer to provide spring plates 48 that are held in place by the bolt 40. There may be as many of the holes 46, and they may be placed in any position desired so as to enable the arm 31 to be held yieldingly in any position. However, in the present instance, it is merely necessary to provide two of these holes 46. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the lower one of these holes is in engagement with the balls 47 so as to hold the arm 31 in substantially vertical position with the lamp 33 upright and directly back of the windshield An angle of 90 separates the two holes 48 so that when the arm 37 is swung up to a substantially horizontal position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the other hole 46 will be engaged by the balls so as to hold the arm in this position.

The arm 3i is preferably provided with an inner extension piece 49 that may be clamped in any desired position by means of a set screw 50 at the outer end of the arm 31. This extension l-Q is also tubular, and the electric wire 23b passes through the same before entering the rear wall cf the lamp At this point a sufficient loop of wire should be left, so as to permit the extension tongue 49 to be moved outwardly. This extension tongue it carries a yoke 52 at its outer end between the forks of which the lamp 30 is mounted on pivot pins 53.

Referring again to Fig. 3, the circuit should include a harm-controlled switch 54. It will be evident that if the switch 54 is in its closed posi- However, as soon as the lamp arm is swung down to a vertical position as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, a circuit will be completed through the lamp. When this occurs, of course, the circuit breaking apparatus illustrated in Fig. 3 will come into operation. The electromagnets l6 and I? will be energized and cause the oscillating armature to oscillate by swinging the same in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3, thereby causing the contacts 35 carried by the armature, to engage the contacts 34 of the springs 3| and 33, thereby short circuiting the coils l4 and !5, whereupon the resiliency of the springs will cause the armature to swing in the opposite direction. In this way the lamp will be flashed.

If desired, thin insulating sleeves 55 may be provided around the springs 3| and 33 at the points where they lie near the terminal posts 9 and ill.

In order to regulate the speed of flashing the lamp, I may provide a small lever 56 mounted friction-tight on one of the bolts IS (see Fig. 3). The end of this lever operates as a stop in the path of the oscillator 22. By pushing this lever further to the left, the speed of flashing may be increased.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim is:

1. In a switch for a flashing lamp, the cornbination of a pair of electro-magnets, an armature mounted to oscillate on an axis between iii.)

said magnets operating to swing forward on its axis when the circuit is closed through the magnets, separable contacts in circuit with the coils of the electro-magnets, said separable contacts including a resilient member with a contact constantly in the circuit and in the path of the armature so as to be struck by the armature in its forward swing, said armature operating to carry the current and thereby shortcircuit the coils through the same, said resilient member operating to give a return swing to the armature, thereby enabling the contacts to come together again to reclose the circuit through the coils.

2. In a switch for a flashing lamp, the combination of a pair of electro-magnets mounted with their axes substantially parallel with each other, an oscillating armature pivotally mounted to oscillate on an axis located between said magnets and substantially parallel with the same, means for establishing an electric circuit passing through the coils of the said electro-magnets and through the lamp, and means cooperating with the electro-magnets and the oscillating armature enabling the armature to break the circuit and carry the current of the circuit to short-circuit the coils when the armature swings in one direction and operating to connect the coils into the circuit when the armature swings in the other direction.

3. In a switch for a flashing lamp, the combination of a pair of electro-magnets, an oscillating armature pivotally mounted to oscillate on an axis between said magnets, a pair of insulated terminal posts mounted between the magnets, said switch operating to carry a circuit passing through one of said terminal posts and the coils of the electro-magnets and through the other terminal post, and through the lamp in series; and resilient means connected with said terminal posts engaged by the oscillating armature in its swinging movement in one direction to short-circuit the coils, said resilient means operating to swing the oscillating armature thereafter in the other direction.

4. In a switch for a flashing lamp, the combination of a pair of electro-magnets, an oscillating armature pivotally mounted to oscillate on an axis between said magnets and substantially parallel with the same, a pair of insulated terminal posts mounted on a line passing between said electro-magnets, said switch operating to carry an electric circuit connecting one of said terminal posts, the coils of said magnets, the other terminal post and the lamp, in series, a leaf spring attached to each terminal post and projecting over toward the other terminal post, said oscillating armature having means for engaging said springs during its swinging movement in one direction and thereby operating to carry the current of the circuit and thereby short-circuit the coils, said springs operating to swing the armature in the opposite direction when the circuit through the coils has been broken.

ALBERT B. SCOTT.

Images