US2453421A

US2453421A - Lamp box type direction signal

Info

Publication number: US2453421A
Application number: US724737A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dyer George
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-01-28
Filing date: 1947-01-28
Publication date: 1948-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 1965-11-09

Description

Nov. 9, 1948. G, DYER 2,453,421

I! LAMP BOX TYPE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Jan. 28, 1947 2 sheets-shes; 1

Nov. 9, 1948 I G. DYER 2,453,421

' LAMP BOX TYPE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Jan. 28, 1947 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 19 It? i 2] 3 7% W .79 l

j I). 7 [I I 32 I Patented Nov. 9, 1948 LAlVIP BOX TYPE DIRECTION SIGNAL a George Dyer, Cheyenne, Wyo. Application Jamis ys, 1947, Serial ivbqzzingv l 1 i The invention relates to automobile turning signals of the general type having a plurality of translucent signalling members of colored glass orthe like, to be selectively illuminated to indicate the drivers intentions.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel signalling device having a right-turn? arrow, a left-turn? arrow, a through arrow, and a letter U indicating a U-turn, or a letter S to indicate that a stop will be made. The U is preferred but the S may be used in cities which prohibit U-turns. i i

Separate illuminating light bulbs are provided within a casing which carries the signalling members, for the purpose of selectively illuminating said members, and a further object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and effective construction withinsaid casing for defining a plurality of cells which contain the light bulbs and are allotted individually to the signalling members, insuring that when any one of the sig nailing members is to be illuminated, the others shall, remain unilluminated.

Yet another object is to provide a construction which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured, profitably sold at a reasonable cost, maybereadily mounted in any of a number of locations on an automobile or other vehicle, and will be effective and reliable. j

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front elevation and a rear elevation, showing that both front and rear of the device may be made to give duplicate signals, and this ,is preferable to permitone devicto sufiice for a car instead of having one at the front and another at the rear.

2 Claims. (01. 177-429) ripheral wallj ll], said front and back Walls being detachably secured to said peripheral wall by means of screws H extending through said front and back walls and threaded into apertured lugs 12 which project inwardly from said peripheral Wall. p p a An attaching bracket I3 is providedfor the casing 1, said bracket having a .contractable band I 4 surrounding the peripheral wall iii, between being provided to contract the band it frietionally two heads It on the latter, a bolt or the like it around the casing. When this bolt is loosened, the band l4 may rotate on the casing to dispose the bracket 13 for attachment either to a sub stantially horizontal surface of a car, or to an.

approximately vertical surface. After making this adjustment, the bolt [6 is tightened. The construction described in this paragraph is claimed in my divisional application Serial No.

of these signalling members are constructed from translucent colored glass or plastic and they are secured in suitable slots in the casing walls, in

? anypreferred manner. Forillustrative purposes, I have illustrated angle brackets 2i secured. to

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with the front wall removed, a number and in section,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional viewon line 4- 4 of Fig. 3.,

of parts being brokenaway Fig. 51s a vertical sectional view on 1ine5-;--5

of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View showing aiportlon of the cell-forming means.

A preferred construction has been illustrated and will be specifically described, with the understanding, however, that variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

A easing 'l is provided having a front wall .8, a back" wall *9, f and a prefe'rably cylindrical pethe casing and. securing the signalling members a in place.

The turn arrows Hand 18 are horizontal and radially disposed and havetheir heads at their outer ends; the through arrow I9 is centrally" and vertically. disposed above said turn arrows I1 and lfl and the latter 2B is vertically disposed centrally under saidturn arrows H and it. This relation is compact and attractive and makesfthe signalling. members readily readable when illuminated, with no. chance ofmisunderstanding the drivers intentions.

Within the casing I, I provide a plurality of light bulbs allotted individually to the signalling,

members J1, l8, l9 and 20. The bulbs for the member l1. are shown at Hi those for the member [8 at l8; those for the member H3 at 19'; i

and those for the member 20 at 20'. The sockets for the bulbs. H are illustrated. at Ila; those All of these sockets and bulbs are preferably of the single contact type, and the wiring from the various sockets may extend to the interior of the car to a suitable control switch, through a suitable passage 22 in the bracket I3, the casing side wall I being formed with an opening 23 communicating with said passage 22, and the band l4 being formed with a plurality of openings 24, any of which may be alined with the opening 23, according to the angle at which the bracket extends from the casing (horizontal or vertical).

In order that the illumination provided by the various bulbs may be confined to the signalling members to which they are allotted, I provide a novel cell-forming construction within the casing providing one cell lib for the bulbs ll; one cell l8b for the bulbs l8; one cell lfib for the bulbs l9, and one cell 2% for the bulbs 23'. Two

horizontal cell-forming members 25 form the cells Ill) and i827, each of said members having a top wall 26, a bottom wall 21, a pointed outer end wall 28,and an inner end wall 29. Each of these cell-forming members may well be formed =fromv and shaped to fit against the socket Hla, are two partitions 32 which may be secured to said end walls by solder or the like 33 to further rigidly connect them. The top walls 26 of the. two cellforming members 25 carry the sockets Ila, and [8a which may be soldered or otherwise secured to them. These members 25 completely surround the translucent signalling members I! and I8 and have their pointed outer endsdisposed at the casing wall it, said pointed ends being notched at 34 to receive wires extending to the bulb sockets from the passage 22 of the bracket iii.

A vertical cell-forming member 35 contains the two bulbs i9 and surrounds the signalling member 59. This member 35 is formed with a pointed upper end wall 35 and with two vertical side walls 3'5, these side walls being soldered or'otherwise secured at 38,. at their lowerends, to the top walls 26 of the horizontal members 25. One of the walls 3! carries the socket illa for the uppermost bulb l9.

A lowercell-forming member 39 encloses the bulbs 2d and the signalling member 20, said member 39 having an outer end wall 40 and vertical side walls M, the upper ends of the latter being soldered or otherwise secured to the'lower side walls 2] of the horizontal members 25, as seen at 42. The side walls 4| have outwardly ofiset portions 43 carrying the sockets 20a, and the end wall M is by preference slotted as shown at 44 to prevent it from interfering with the wires extending through the openings 23 and 24.

The various side and end walls of the

cellforming members

25, 35 and 39, are of such width that they extend to and contact with the front and

rear sides

8 and 9 of the casing ,1 to prevent leakage oflight, and as said width is greater than the diameter of the light sockets, the plates 32 extend from the lowermost socket Illa to said front and back sides of the casing to here prevent any leakage of light.

Wires are diagrammatically shown at 45 in Fig. 3, said wires being suitably connected with the various sockets of the light bulbs. The

notches 34 and the openings 23, 24 and 44, accommodate these wires between the sockets and the bracket passage 22. The wiring is connected with an appropriate switch forming no part of w the present invention, which switch is active to illuminate the bulbs Ii when a left turn is to be made, the bulbs #8 when a right turn is to be made, the bulbs l9 when it is to be indicated that the car will go straight through an intersection, and the bulbs 20 when the driver intends to make a U-turn. In cities where U-turns are prohibited, the letter S, it will be recalled, may be substituted for the letter U, for the signalling member 29, and the bulbs 26 will then act to illuminate this stop indication. 5

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that lrovel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying outthe objects of the invention, and while preferences have been disclosed, attention :isagain invited to the possibility of making variahaving front and back walls and a peripheral Wall; two radial horizontal cell-forming members in said casing and each having upper and lower side walls and inner and outer end walls; ave'rtically .disposed'bulb socket between said inner end walls of said cell-forming members and secured to these inner end walls to unitarily unite them; a vertical cell-forming member in said casing having an outer end wall and side walls,f

the latter being secured at their inner ends to aforesaid side walls of said horizontal cell-forming members; a light bulb held in the aforesaid socket and disposed in the cell formed by said vertical cell-forming member; other light bulbs in the cells formed by said horizontal cell-forming members; and sockets for these bulbs secured to aforesaid side walls of said horizontal cel1 forming members; said side and end walls of said cell forming members having front and rear edges I abutting said front and back walls of said casing; L

said end walls of said cell-forming members being disposed at said peripheral wall of said casing;

at least one of said front and back walls of said casing having translucent signalling members allotted to the cells formed by said cell-forming members, said signalling members indicating dif- 'ferent movements of the vehicle.

2. In an automobile turning signal, a casing having front and back walls and a peripheral wall; two radial horizontal cellforming menu.

bers in said casing and each having upper and lower side walls and inner and outer end walls;

a vertically disposed bulb socket between said inner end walls of said cell-forming members and secured to these inner end walls to unitarily unite them; an upper vertical cell-forming member" "above the inner end portions of said horizontal cell-forming members, said vertical cell-forming member having an upper end wall and vertical side walls,the latter being secured at their lower ends to said upper side walls of said horizontal cell-forming members; a lower vertical cellforming member having a lower end wall and side 7 walls, the latter being secured at their upper ends to said lower side walls of said horizontal cell-forming members; a light bulb held in the aforesaid socket and disposed in the cell formed by one of said vertical cell-forming members;

other light bulbs in the cells formed by the others, 1 of said cell-forming members; and sockets see curecl to aforesaid side walls of the last mentioned 5 cell-forming members and holding said other light bulbs; said side and end walls of said cellforming members having front and rear edges abutting said front and back walls of said casing; said end walls of said cell-forming members being disposed at said peripheral wall of said casing; at least one of said front and back walls of said casing having translucent signalling members alloted to the cells formed by said cell-forming members, said signalling members indicating different movements of the vehicle.

GEORGE DYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Riggs Sept. 17, 1918 Heartsill June 3, 1919 Ballard Sept. 1, 1925 Schlotterbeck Apr. 13, 1926 Bosworth Oct. 4, 1927 Katt Oct. 29, 1929 Stone Aug. 16, 1936 Gingras July 27, 1937 McCready June 14, 1938