US2269071A

US2269071A - Horn control system

Info

Publication number: US2269071A
Application number: US240080A
Authority: US
Inventors: White Joe; Falconer John Willard
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1938-11-12
Filing date: 1938-11-12
Publication date: 1942-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 1959-01-06

Description

Jan. 6, 1942. J WHITE E TAL I 2,269,071

HORNCONTROL SYSTEM Filed NOV. 12, 1938 Patented Jan. 6, 1942 v HORN CONTROL SYSTEM Joe White, Anderson, and John Willnln'l` Falconer;

Middletown, Ind., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application November 12, 193s, serial No. 240,080

2 Claims.

This invention relates to automobile horn control systems of the type in which a long blast may be obtained for country and a short blast for city driving under normal conditions. However, there are certain conditions of city driving which makes it desirable to sound a long blast, as in case of emergency when the driver of a car suddenly applies the brakes to avoid a collision or to avoid striking a pedestrian.

It is, therefore, an aim and object of the present invention to provide means responsive to the application af the vehicle brakes for disabling the short blast control circuit so as not to interfere with the giving of a long blast.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

The figure of the drawing is a wiring diagram y of a system embodying the present invention.

In the drawing 2U designates the automobile horn or pair of horns grounded at 2| and thereby having a ground connection with the negative terminal of the storage battery 22. I'he positive terminal of battery 22 is lconn'ectible with the horn through a long blast control circuit which comprises wire 23, armature 24,

contacts

25 and 26, wire 21, armature 28, normally closed

contacts

29 and 30 and wire 3|. The normally

open contacts

25 and 25 are closed by the excitation of relay magnet coil 32 which is connected with the battery 22 by closing the horn button switch which comprises a movable contact 33 engageable with

stationary contacts

34 and 35 connected respectively with magnet coil 32 and ground 2|. If

contacts

29 and 30 remain closed the horn 20 will be sounded as long as switch button 33 engages

contacts

34 and 35.

Whenever relay coil 36 is provided with a ground return to the battery it will be excited by the closing of the horn button switch since one end of the coil 36 is connected with the Wire 2l and the other end to a relay armature 40 carrying a contact 4| normally engaging a contact 42 connected by a manual switch 43 on the automobile dash which is connected with contact 44 of an air switch having a vane 45 normally engaging contact 44 and connected with the ground 2| At city driving speeds the

switch parts

44 and 45 are engaged. The dash switch 43 is normally closed. Therefore, when driving in the city the contacts 29 will be separated from contact 30 a fraction of a second after pressing the horn button 33 into engagement with

contacts

34 and 35. Thus, when driving in the city under normal conditions only a short blast Will be sounded by the horn 20. When the brakes are applied as in an emergency the circuit of the relay coil 35 is automatically opened so that there will be no interference with giving a long blast of sound by the horn 20. Where a hydraulic braking system is employed we prefer using the hydraulic stop light switch to control the circuit of the relay coil 36. The hydraulic stop light switch is indicated at and comprises a movable contact 5|, for

bridgingstationary contacts

52 and 53 connected respectively by wire 54 to the battery 22 and by wire 55 to a grounded stop lamp 56. The relay which includes the armature 40 and the normally closed contacts 4| and 42 has a magnet coil connected with wire 55 and ground 2|. Therefore, when the brakes are applied, iluid pressure within the switch case 50 will build up to cause the diaphragm 5|a therein to movethe contact 5| (insulated from ground) into engagement with

contacts

52 and 53, also causing the stop light filament 56 to burn and also causing relay coil 60 to be excited thereby effecting separation of conta-ct 4| from contact 42 thereby interrupting thek ground connection of the relay magnet coil 36 and thereby preventing interruption of the horn circuit to the battery so long as the horn button is closed. In this Way the circuit which would normally produce a short blast signal when driving in the city is rendered ineiective in case the driver desires to apply the brakes and give a long blast Warning signal in an effort to avoid an accident.

At speeds above legal :driving speeds for city driving, for example above 35 miles per hour, the air vane 45 will be separated from contact 44 due to the action of the air current represented by the arrow 10 which is produced by the automobile engine air cooling f an 1|. The separation of

contacts

44 and 45 disconnects the magnet coil 36 so that the horn signal will be continuous so long as the horn button 33 is pressed.

The disconnecting of the relay coil 36 canbe elected manually by opening the switch 43.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the-claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A horn control system for automobiles comprising an electric horn, a current source, a series circuit comprising only the current source, the

horn, a manually controlled, normally open switch and a pair of normally closed relay contacts, and a circuit .paralleling the relay contacts and the horn and including, in series, a magnet coil for opening the first-mentioned relay contacts, a switch opened automatically in response to the application of the vehicle brakes and a switch opened automatically in response to the attainment of a certain vehicle speed.

2. A horn control system for automobiles comprising an electric horn, a current source, a series circuit comprising only the current source, the horn, a manually controlled, normally open switch and a pair of normally closed relay contacts, and a. circuit paralleling the relay contacts and the horn and including, in series, a magnet coil for opening the first-mentioned relay contacts and a second pair of relay contacts, a second magnet coil for opening the second pair of relay contacts, a stop signal lamp in parallel with the second magnet coil, and a switch responsive to the application of Vehicle brakes for making a connection between the current source and the lamp and second magnet coil.

JOE WHITE. JOHN WILLARD FALCONER.