US2402206A - Traffic light - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1946. F. T. POWERS i l TRAFFIC LIGHT Filed April 5. 1943 Patented June 18,- 1946 UN l'T ED VSTAT ES PAT-EN T OF FIC E 'IRfAFFIC LIGHT `Frank "1. Powers, Glen Cove,IN. Y.

lApplication April 3, 1943, SerialNo. 481;169

1 Claim. (Cl. WFL-329)` The present invention .relates .tonew and :useful improvements in tramo and -other' signal lights.

Objects and advantages of 4the invention will be set forth in .part hereinafter and in part will be vobvious herefromor may be learned by practice with the invention, the same ybeing realized and attained by means of theinstrumentalities and combinations lpointed out in theappended claim.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements .herein 'shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred'to herein and constituting 4a part hereof, illustrates -one embodiment'of the invention, and together with ,the description, serve to explain the ,principles of the invention.

Of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a rfragmentary perspective Vview 'of a traflic light constructed in kaccordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal :sectional AView of a portion of the traffic light shown 'in Figure 1'; and

Figure 3 isfa v'front elevation of the .part shown in Figure .2.

The present invention has .for its object the provision of a novel Aand improved 'signal 'or traflic `liglrt :particularly adapted for use in dimout areas, and which may be allowed to remain illuminated even during blackout without increasing noticeably the surrounding illumination. A further object is the provision of an improved traiiic light which requires only small wattage lamps, and is more effectively hooded or shielded from sunlight. so that its signals are more readily distinguished even when the sun is shining directly at .the light.

In accordance with the present invention, the traino light or signal light comprises a conventional light source, such as an electric incandescent lamp, a usual reflector and a colored lens or filter, over which is fixed a hood or tapered cone of outwardly diminishing diameter. Between the open end of the cone and the filter or lens, is mounted a sheet of transparent or highly translucent material having its outer surface formed as a reticulated surface, such as a plurality of relatively small outwardly projecting.-

pyramids, which prevent the outer surface of the sheet from reflecting ,out of the `hood any substantial part of the small amount of sunlight which enters through the open end of the cone. At the same time it serves to prevent any ,2 direct rays'of the sun from passing through the lens or vlter and being reflected yback into the eyes of the observer soV as to `cause the impression that the lamp `is lit. The under side of the cone is preferably apertured so as :topermit pedestrians more readily `to observe the signal, and at the same time to permit snow, rain, etc., to drain away from rthercone, lens and interposed transparent sheet. VIf desired, vthe interposed transparentsheet .may be made partispherical `or curved to lessen,^even `more,the `reflection of the incident light.

It will be understood that the `foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail tothe illustrative ein` bodim'ent 'of theinvention as shownin the accompanying drawing, `there is shown -altrafc light for an intersection which may have 'upper red signals and lower green signals, as is customary. Within the casing l0 are the `usual incandescent lamps H and reflectors |2 'which :are covered with the usual 'colored lters or lenses Iii so that the light visible from the exterior is ofthe desired color when the corresponding .lamp is illuminated.

Attached over each of the colored lenses land 4extending outwardly therefrom is` a hood :or

shielding cone made of substantial, opaque material, tapering Afrom a Asize :sufiicient 'to enclose the colored lens at its base to a relatively small external aperture, approximately one-half of the diameter of the base, the length of the cone being preferably three times the diameter of the exterior opening, from approximately twice to four times the diameter of the external opening. Preferably the cone does not extend with its axis horizontal, but has its axis inclined downwardly so that the upper edge of the external opening is not greatly above the center of the lens, thereby minimizing the angle above the horizontal from which any illuminated portion of the light is visible.

In the drawing, the cone is designated as I5, having its external opening I6 and its base l1, which is provided with a flange i8 by which it may be affixed to the traffic or signal light over the lens. The lower portion of the cone is provided with a long, narrow, longitudinally extending slot or aperture i9 through which the light is visible to the pedestrain from below, also serving to drain rain, snow, etc., away from the cone and the other parts of the light.

Between the lens, and the external opening IE, and preferably closer to the lens than to the opening, is a diffusing member 20 which may comprise a sheet of glass having its internal surface smooth, while its outer surface is reticulated, forming sharply intersecting surfaces having practically no portions substantially parallel to the back surface of the glass, and is preferably forrned as a plurality of pyramids 2| projecting beyond the surface of the glass. Member 2li is held in placebetween the flange 22V .andlugs 23 on the interior of the cone I5. Sucha glass may be of the type commercially known as Factrolite and the pyramids are preferably from ef to 11e of an inch across. Other materials may be employed, of diiferent sizes of reticulation`,"but the material should be transparent or translucent, although it is not capable of transmitting light without refraction. The memberZ acts in a double capacity; it reects the sun or other light entering the cone through the external aperture to one side or the other,V thereby preventing reiiecton of any substantial part of the incident light back through the external aperture and into the eyes of the observer; also, the material serves to break up the incident rays of light so that they are refracted before they can enter the reiiector to be again transmitted through the material.

The member 20 also prevents any direct vision of the lter or lens element, and when' viewed by the observer, the materialvwithin the hooding cone I5 causes the interior to look gray, rather than red or green, thereby enhancing the ccntrast between an illuminated and an unilluminated light.

While different forms of the member 20 may be employed, the front surface is recticulated and is in the form of pyramids or other shapes`s that only a very small portion of the front surface lis parallel to the member itself or normal to the light entering through the front end of the hood or cone I 5.

In certain cases; the color lter I3 may be omitted as a separate element and the transparentmaterial of which the member 2B is made may be colored, as claimed, thereby combining its diifusing, non-reflecting and color-filtering functions, and under such conditions the member 20 may be positioned in place of the lens or usual color lter I3.

In actual practice, the external aperture of 4 the cone may be approximately three or four inches, the cone may be from ten to fourteen inches, more or less in length, while the base of the cone will usually be from seven t-o nine inches in diameter, the transparent diffusing member being positioned two to four inches from the color filter element or lens, and. Vbehind the aperture I9 through which pedestrians may view the light. The lugs 23 areprovided for holding the member 20 in place, .and permit it t0 be replaced in case of breakage.

In actual tests, the traffic light of the present yinvention has proved to be more readily visible both in daytime and nighttime using only a l wattlamp for the red signal and a 25 watt lamp forl the green signal, than the conventional lights using the standard 67 watt lamp and provided with either the usual cross type of shield or thc crescent opening at the -upper part of the trafc light lens, whether provided with the conventional type of hood or not.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described'but departuresmay be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claim without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

A trailic or signal light including a relatively long cone of circular cross section and having open ends, the outer smaller end being approximately half the diameter of the inner larger end, a source of light, and an intermediate diffusing member between the transverse center of the coneand its inner end and the source of light, said diffusing member having its outer surface provided with a multitude of pyramidal projections for intercepting incident light rays entering through the outer end of the cone and ren fracting `the same laterally against the inner surface of the walls of the cone, the upper and lower walls of the cone converging outwardly at different angles and at such angles as to dispuse the axial center of the outer end oi the cone below the axial center of the inner end of the cone and axial center of the diifusing member. said lower wall 0f the cone being provided with an observation and drain slot extending longitudinally between the ends thereof.

' FRANK T. POWERS.

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