US2367154A - Reflector element - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 9, 194-5. A. M. TAYLOR REFLECTOR ELEMENT Filed July 13, 1942 all/Ill). 1 7 i AUGUST MTAYLQR INV ENT OR.

Patented Jan. 9, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFLECTOR. ELEMENT August M. Taylor, Clarendon, Tex, assignor of one-half to Ben Wilkinson, Fort Collins, Colo.

Application July 13, 1942, Serial No. 450,675

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in reflectorzelements for signs of different kinds. I Since the advent of theautomobile with its powerful headlights, signs depending on reflected light from the headlights for their visibility have become very common. Signs of the reflecting type will naturally operate with any light source. I am aware that many different kinds of reflector units have been invented and patented and this invention therefore does not relate broadly to such elements but to an improved construction only;

;It is the object'of this invention to produce a reflector unit or element or such simple construction that it can be r'nanufactured and sold at a moderate price.

if Another object is to produce a reflector element that will be visible through an angle of over 180 degrees, and which'can therefore be seen I farther than reflectors that respond only to light incident through angles less than 180 degrees.

A-further object is to produce a reflector element that will be luminous over its entire exv posed surface when light rays are incident thereon.

A further object is to produce a reflector unit that can bemade of any desired size and which can be'used asclearancelights on automobiles and trucks as well as for outlining the roadways at night, and which will be particularly well suited for house numbers, for street signs and similar purposes on account of its large angular range and cheap ness. 7

The unit that forms the subject of this inventionand which will hereinafter be described in detail, briefly described, consists of a spherical member of transparent materialsuch as glass or one of the many transparent plastics, an ordinary clear glass marble is well suited for this purpose. A portion of the outer surface, less than one-half thereof, is covered with an opaque material, preferably of such material as of itself possesses reflecting properties. The redebtor is mounted in a holder in which the entire uncovered surface is exposed. Such a unit has important optical properties that will be explained in detail as the description proceeds.

Having thus briefly described the invention,

the same will now be described in detail and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompa'nying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated, and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagram showing a roadway on which there are two approaching automobiles and a reflector sign positioned to one side thereof;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a reflector element looking in the direction of arrow 2, Figure 4;

Figure 3 is a diametrical section taken on line 3-3, Figure 2; I

Figure 4 is a side view of one of the reflector elements, the supporting plate being shown in section;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a post showing one of the reflector elements secured to the top thereof;

Figure 6 is a view illustrating in .a general way a house number;

Figure 7 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 4, but showing a specifically diflerent means for securing the reflector in position in a holder;

Figure 8 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 3 and showing specifically different means for securing the reflector in the holder;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the paths of rays of light incident on a spherical reflector embedded half its diameter in an opaque reflecting substance;

Figure 10 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 9, but shows a reflector in which the reflecting element is embedded less than half the diameter in a reflecting substance; and

Figure 11 is a side view of an automobile fender showing one of the reflector elements secured to the upper surface thereof.

In the chawing reference numeral l5 designates a reflector element which, in this case, is spherical and can be made from clear glass or any of the many transparent plastics. The center of the element has been designated by letter C. This reflector element is embedded in a cementitious reflecting material which has been designated by reference numeral IS. The reflector element and the cementitious material are preferably contained in a cup-like housing I! like that shown in Figures 3, 4 and '7, or like that shown in Figure 8 and designated by reference character Ila. In Figures '2, 3 and 4, the reflector unit comprising the element 15, the reflector material [6 and the container I! have been shown as positioned in an opening in a plate l8.

In this particular construction the container ll shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 is provided with an outwardly extending flange l9, which serves or more outwardly extending projections 20a,

which pass through notches in the flange l9 and engage underneath the flange after being rotated slightly in the manner of a bayonet connection.

Referring now to Figure '7, itwill be seen that the flange l 9 of the container I1 is provided with a plurality of openings 2| through which the, 7

wires 22 extend. A metal cap 23 covers the upper polar zone of the reflector element and this has a plurality of outwardly extending lugs or ends 24 that are perforated for the reception of the wires-'22. When the reflector element is secured to the container by the means shown in Figure 7, the anchoring rib 29 or the corresponding an"- choring lugs a may be dispensed with. The cap 23 can be made much smaller than indicated in Figure 7 and the wires 22, being of small diameter, intercept a very small portion of the light and therefore the construction there illustrated is substantially as efficient as the construction shown in Figures 3 and 8, but Figure '7 does not show the preferred construction. A transpare ent spherical reflector element has certain properties that are taken advantage of in this invention and which will now be pointed out.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 9,

attention is. called to the ray of light designated side of the reflector element perpendicularly and is therefore reflected in the same direction at which it entered. This is true for all rays of light passing through the :center and thereforeany ray of light so striking the reflector element will return to its point of origin. The ray of light designated by reference numeral 26 strikes the outer surface of the sphere at an angle and is therefore refracted downwardly and is reflected from point 27, passing below the center'C and strikes the opposite surface of the reflector at point 28 from which it is again reflected and passes out of the reflector element at point 29.

Attention is called to the fact that the ray of light, impinging in the manner illustrated by ray 26, does not return to the point of origin, but emerges in a substantially opposite direction. For the purpose of efficiency, reflector signs should be so constructed that the light from the automobile headlights 30, Figure 1, are reflected back so as to strike the eye 3| of the driver. To obtain the desired return path of the rays of light, the reflecting material H5,- in accordance with this invention, terminates a short distance below the equator of the reflector so as to leave a zone like that indicated by reference numeral 32 in Figure 10 between the reflecting material and the equator.

Referring now to Figure 10 attention is directed to the ray of light designated-by numeral 33 which impinges on the outersurface of the reflector element at an angle and whichis therefore downwardly refracted as it enters the reflecting element and strikesthe opposite surface of the reflecting element at point 34 from which it is reflected and strikes the other side of the reflector at point 35, which is located above the upper surface of reflecting material [6. The major portion of the light due to ray 33 therefore emerges in the direction of the line indicated by 33a and returns substantially to the point of origin. Of course there is some internal reflecting at the point 35 which causes light to emerge from the opposite side in the manner explained in connection with Figure 9. Since the light does not strike the reflecting element as a single ray, but as a beam of some area, it is evident that rays of light will strike the reflecting element in manydifferent points over the entire surface exposed to the'light beam. A major portion of this light will'return towards the point of origin and other portions thereof, due to internal reflection, will serve to make the entire element luminous so that it may be seen from almost any position where its outer surface is visible.

Particular attention is called to the fact that by the simple expedient of exposing more than one-half of the spherical reflector element a greatly-improved result is obtained over a construction likethat shown in Figure 9 where only one-half of the spherical reflector element is exposed and with greater force does this apply if the reflecting material I6 extends above the equator.

Referring again to Figure 10, attention is directed to the ray of light designated by refer-;

ence numeral 36 which has its origin below the equator plane and which, if it approaches in such a direction that it passes through the center C is reflected back in the opposite direction and from this it can be seen that a reflector element positioned with more than one-half of its surface exposed will be visible through an angle of over degrees.

Reflector units constructed in the manner above described can be used for various purposes, some of which will now be pointed out.

Referring to Figure 6 it will be seen that a number of these units have been arranged so as to form the number l0 and this illustrates a house number and can also be employed for any other purpose. Instead of forming numbers,

letters can, of coursefbe formed in the same.

manner.

been positioned. Any light striking this reflector unit will be visible from all directions due to the In the above description several uses have been pointed out,- but it is not the object of this.

specification topoint out every use to which'the whether specifically enumerated'or not. the reflector elements 15 are spherical and can be made-of clear glass, they have the appearance of an ordinary marble and are mostly of the size invention can be put, as it is believed that all, uses not herein pointed out will be covered- Since;

of ordinary marbles, varying from one quarter inch in diameter to any desired size.

An elementponstructed in the manner shown in Figure 4 or 7 can be made with a reflector element of four. inches or more in diameter and r can be placed on a, roadway in the manner now referred to as reflector material may be, plaster of Paris, sulphur, a low melting metal alloy or any other suitable material. The light is reflected from the inner surface of the spherical reflector element and does not depend entirely on the reflecting properties of material I6.

A light reflecting unit comprising a spherical body of transparent material having a polar zone of less than 180 degrees embedded in an opaque cementitious material, the uncovered surface, including the zone between the covered surface and a diametrical plane, serving to intercept rays of light which, after refraction and internal reflection, are projected therefrom, a cup-like member in which the cementitious material is contained. A cap in engagement with the central portion of the exposed polar zone of the spherical body and tension members connecting the cap with the outer edge of the cuplike member, for holding it in place in the oc- Having described the invention what is claimed 15 titi material,

as new is: 5

AUGUST M. TAYLOR.

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