US2560539A - Periodic interrupter for direction signals with voltage compensation - Google Patents

Description

July 17, 1951 B. F. BAILEY 2,560,539

PERIODIC INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS WITH VOLTAGE COMPENSATION Original Filed Sept. 25, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR. flag 0min fbai/ey ATTORNE Y July 17, 1951- BAlLEY 2,560,539

PERIODIC .INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS WITH VOLTAGE COMPENSATION Original Filed Sept. 25, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y July 17, 1951 B. F. BAILEY PERIODIC INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS WITH VOLTAGE COMPENSATION Original Filed Sept. 25, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 T R R Z 32 v JNVENTQR. fiery 0mm 550M651 70 8 k BY I y 17, 9 B. F. BAILEY 5 5 PERIODIC INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS WITH VOLTAGE COMPENSATION Original Filed Sept. 25, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 EL. 3/ 33 R.

I N V EN TOR. 58/2 00)? /i Baf/cfy ATTORNE Y Patented July 17, 1951 PERIODIC INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS WITH VOLTAGE COMPENSATION Benjamin F. Bailey. Ann Arbor, Mich., assignor,

by'mesne assignments, to The Electric Auto- Lite Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation ,of

Ohio

Original application September 25, 1944, Serial Divided and this application July 11, 1947, Serial No. 760,393

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improved circuits and circuit control means therefor for directional signals on motor vehicles in combination with warning signals, tail lamps, and stop lights and has for its object to provide a simplified flashing mechanism in a directional system in which a single fiasher is provided for the various positions 01' the control in combination with the operation 01' the tail lamps and stop signal devices. switches, and controls thereof.

In a more specific embodiment of my invention I utilize the same filament usable in connection with one of the warning signal devices as the directional signal illuminating means as will thereby save expense and greatly reduce costs 01' installation, and in a still further embodiment of my invention I employ a double filament bulb usable for one of the warnin signal devices and also as a directional signal indicator.

The present application is a division of my prior application. Serial No. 555,717 for Direction Signal and Circuits Therefor, filed September 25, 1944, which issued into Patent No. 2,456,242 of December 14, 1948. The present application is a duplicate of said prior application insofar as the embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. I through YIILX and XI of said application are concerned.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure. to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawing of various forms of the invention, one of which may be preferred. in which:

Figure I illustrates diagrammatically one embodiment of my invention: while Figures II, III, IV, and V each indicate modifications of the particular type of flashing means employed in the arrangement of Figure I.

Figure VI illustrates a modification of the invention in which. if an operator has indicated a turn to the right or to the left, the stop switch signal on the opposite sides, that is to the left or to the right, will no be energized and Figure VII is an enlarged detail of this operation;

Figure VIII is a modification of the arrangement of Figure I in which in case the operator has indicated a turn to either the right or the left and a stop signal is energized at opposite rear filament from the one energized by the directiona1 signal will also be energized by the brake pedal action;

vehicle.

Figure IX is a further embodiment oi my invention in which a double filament bulb is used while Figure X illustrates another embodiment of my invention in which separate illminating means for directional signals and stop signals are employed.

Referring to Figure I, the battery i0 is grounded at l l as shown, it being understood that the battery ii] is charged .by the generator connected thereto by a suitable relay on an automobile and therefore that ill represents a source of electrical energy for the signaling systems. The steering wheel of the vehicle is indicated at i 5 and on this steering wheel or the supporting column thereof is mounted the manually settable, automatically releasable directional signal switch indicated generally by the reference numeral 20. This switch has a handle 2i rotatable around the steering column of the motor vehicle and handle 2i carries extensions 22 and 23, each extension supporting insulated switch contacting elements for establishing the circuits hereinafter set forth.

In Figure I, I have illustrated directional signal illuminating means in the form of incandescent bulbs 30 and Si located on the rear and front left side portions of the vehicle and 32 and 33 located at the rear and front of the right side'of the A lead 35 connects the bulb 30 with a terminal 36 of the switch mechanism. Likewise lead 40 connects filament 32 with a contacting terminal 4| and lead 42 connects filament 33 with contact 43. A lead 44 connects filament 3i with terminal 38 as shown.

From the battery ill, leads i2 and i3 connect the source of energy with an arc-shaped terminal 24 for connection with the proper illuminating means to indicate directional turn of the vehicle. Intcrposed between the leads i2 and i3 is an automatic flashing device indicated generally by the numeral 50. This device includes the make and break contacts 5i and 52, 52 being connected with the wire i3 leading to the main control switch 20, while the other contact 5| is connected through flexible connector 53 with coil 54, with lead I2 and battery iii, the coil thereby being in series I with the source of energy ill. The armature 55 of the device is weighted as indicated at 55' so as to reduce the periodicity of the action of the make and break, the armature being so mounted as to move toward and away from the core of the coil 54. The armature 55 carries the make and break contact 5i with it as indicated so that as the coil 54 is alternately energized and deenergized. a make and break in the circuit at 5| and 52 occurs, the weight of the arm 55 returning the contact 5| to closed position.

Bridging the contacts and 52, I have provided a condenser 60 to not only prevent arcing, and hence deterioration of the points 5| and 52, but also as a means in which energy is stored and returhed to the system in the operation of the mechanism.

It will be understood that the extension 22 carries a bridging electrical conductor 25 for bridging the are shaped terminal 24 with either contact 36 and 38 or 4| and 43 depending on the position of the switch 20.

, The brake pedal of the motor vehicle is indicated at '85 and has a pivotally connected rod 58 for controlling a switch 61 which connects the source of energy In with the stop signals of the motor vehicle. To this end the lead 68 is connected to a terminal block and the extension 23 of switch has a cooperating insulated areshaped switch plate H. In normal position for switch 20, the switch blade connects both rear filaments and 32 with the source of energy ill to form a non-flashing stop signal at both sides of the car in the rear if switch 61 be closed by an operation of the brake pedal 65. When the switch 20 is moved to either one of its right hand or left hand settable positions, the sweeping contact II will bridge the other rear stop signal filament (left hand) 30 or (right hand) 32 as the case may be. To this end, terminals 15 and 16 are connected by leads TI and 18 with leads 40 and which, in turn, are connected with the filaments 30 and 32 at the rear of the vehicle. Specifically. lead 11 connects terminal I5 with terminal 4| while on the other side lead 18 connects terminal 18 with terminal 36, 4| being connected with as stated and 36 being connected with 35 as indicated.

It is understood that the steering wheel I 5 has a depending finger l8 adapted to contact the handle 2| of the control switch and automatically return the same to neutral position, after it is moved to the right or to the left as the case may be. This is done when the vehicle has completed the turn.

Finger l8 as a cut of! may be replaced by an apparatus surrounding the steering column which maintains the energization of the directional signal as long as the steering wheel is not turned backward in a direction to straighten out the wheels, as upon the completion of a turn.

I through the flasher 50 and the operation on the In the operation of the system, when the switch 20 is in normal position an operation of the brake pedal will cause a non-flashing si nal to be indicated at both rear filaments 30 and 32. To make a left hand turn, the operator turns the handle 2| of the switch 20 to the left. In this case switch contact 25 connects terminal 24 with contacts 36 and 38, which in turn connect the same with the filaments 30 and 3| on the left hand side of the vehicle. Arc-shaped contact 24 being connected through leads I 3 and Hi to the battery, energy is supplied through the flashing device 50. and both filaments 30 and 3| will give a flashing periodically interrupted signal to indicate that the driver is turning toward the left. When the high point of the turn has been reached. the wheel |5 will be so turned that the finger |6 will contact the handle 2| returning it to normal position. The wheel is then straightened out. Thereafter, when a turn is desired to be made to the right, the operator moves the handle 2| to the right so that contact 25 now bridges contact 24 to connect the same with contacts 43 and 4| which, in turn, energizes the filaments 32 and 33, the current likewise passing also used. When a break occurs at the points 5| and 52 even in a 6-volt system on an automobile. the induced voltage in the strong magnetic field in the air gap and in the iron of the magnetic circuit may run as high as 30 to 50 volts, and of course, is in a direction to try and keep the current flowing, which might arc across the breaker points. By connecting the condenser 50 across the points, a new path for the current resulting from the relatively high induced voltage surges into the condenser and the energy of the magnetic field is thus stored therein and thereupon returned to the system instead of being wasted in arcing at the breaker points.

Various modifications of the flasher or interrupter 50 illustrated in Figures II to V include, in Figure II, for example, the use of a copper plate 56 arranged so that induced current would slow up the speed of the vibration.

In Figure III, copper rings 51 around the terminals of the magnet would have the same effect of slowing the vibration.

'In Figure IV I have shown a dash pot 58 connected with the vibrator of the interrupter 50 as indicated so as to slow down the vibration thereof, and in this connection an adjustable valve 59 is employed to vary the size of the outlet for the air so that the number of vibrations per second of the interrupter 50 may be thereby modified as desired.

I desire to point out that in Figure IV, in particular, I have thus shown special means (which may be used in the other modifications) to change at will the periodicity of the interruptions and contemplate in addition the use of various electrical means such as the provision of sectional wirings in the relay with a series of corresponding terminals to any one of which the line can be connected. Hence the number of eifective turns of wire can be varied by a suitable adjustment to change the magnetic power and hence periodicity of the interrupter. I also propose to use a bimetallic alternately expanding and contracting type of automatic flasher energized by the circuit |2|3 for controlling the points 5| and 52, and the periodicity may be varied as stated.

In Figure V I have shown a still further modification which will operate as a "quick break" arrangement. In this case the movable breaker point 5| is attached to a separate pivoted piece 62 adapted to be contacted by the armature 55 of the interrupter 50 as it is pulled toward the magnet. Spring 63 normally holds the contacts 5| and 52 in contact with each other. The arm 62 is of insulating material 01' insulated from the circuits as is the contacting piece on the arm 55 which operates 62 in the embodiment of Figure V. Insulation, of course, will be used where needed in the other parts of the mechanism which are merely diagrammatically illustrated in the annexed drawings.

A modification of the system illustrated in Figure I is shown in Figure VI in which the switch 20 is so arranged that when the handle 2| is turned so as to make a left turn, for example, the

stop switch control blade H is disconnected altogether from passing current to the right hand rear filaments 32, but when switch 20 is in normal positiomcurrent passes to both filaments 30 and 12 upon an application of the brakes causing the brake pedal 85 to close the switch 61. To accomplish this, the terminals 15 and 16 in the embodiment of Figure VI are directly connected to the leads 35 and 40 respectively, by leads 80 and ll as shown. Moreover, the terminal blocks 15 and 76 are so spaced with respect to the length of the switch blade II that when the operator turns the handle to make a left hand turn, for example, the space A occurs as shown in Figure VII between the blade H and the terminal I8. Hence, no current will pass to the right hand filament 32 even though the switch 81 is closed. I'he fact that under these conditions the blade II also contacts terminal 15, as shown in Figure VII, has the added effect of supplying a continuous current to this filament 30 as well as supplying the flashing signal through the flashing mechanism 50. Current is supplied to the filament 30, for example, due to the energization of the flasher directional circuit and also due to the closure of the switch 61 in case the brake pedal 65 is pressed downward while the operator is making a left hand turn.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure VIII, I have shown a modification of the arrangement of the system illustrated in general in Figure X. In Figure VIII, an application of the brakes after the directional signal switch 20 has been turned to the left or to the right as the case may be, supplies energy for stop signal indication to both the rear filaments and 32. In this instance. the terminals H5 and 16 are located so close to the terminal block 10 and the length of the blade H is such that regardless of the position of the switch 20, terminal 10 will be connected with both contacts 15 and I6. I also provide an arrangement in which the blocks 15 and 18 are adjustable so that any one installation of the invention, as shown in Figure VI, for example, or the arrangement of Figure VIII may be used as desired without changing the rest of the mechanism.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Figure IX, I here show a double filament lamp 3!) instead of the single filament bulb 30 of Figure I, likewise a double filament bulb 82' at the other side and in the rear of the vehicle as shown instead of the single filament bulb 32 of Figure I. In Figure IX one filament is for the directional signal and the other filament of the two filament bulb is for the stop signal. In this case, instead of lead 11 connecting terminal block I5 with terminal 4|, the lead 11 connects block 16 with the second filament 30 on the left hand side of the vehicle and the lead 18' connects the block 15 with the filament 32 on the right hand side.

In the embodiment of Figure X, instead of using the double filament bulb of Figure IX, I use two separate bulbs 30 and 30' on the left hand side and also two separate bulbs on the right rear of the vehicle, one (30) for the fiashing directional signal as in Figure X, and the other (30') for the stop signal. Moreover, I also combine the lamps, filaments, and circuits as in Figure X, and in all my embodiments, the tail light filament either as a double filament bulb with the tail light filament combined with one or the other of the directional or stop signal bulbs, or as a separate tail lamp bulb and in every case with appropriate bulb casings, housings, brackets and supports therefor.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. An electro-responsive circuit interrupter device adapted to be interposed between a source of energy and the illuminating devices of a direction signaling system for automobiles, said interrupter including an electro-magnet having a. winding adapted to be connected on one side to the source of energy and on the other side with the movable contact of said interrupter, a condenser connected across the contacts of said interrupter having one end connected to the winding and the other end connected to the outlet lead from said interrupter, an armature actuated by the energization of said winding to operate said movable contact to circuit open position, a spring means to move the armature in the opposite direction to operate the movable contact to circuit closing position, fluid damping means connected to said armature to retard the vibration of the movable contact, and a manually operated control to vary at will the action of said fluid damping means to change the periodicity of the vibration of the movable contact of said interrupter and compensate for voltage variations in the system.

2. An electro-responsive circuit interrupter device adapted to be interposed between a source of energy and the illuminating devices of a direction signaling system for automobiles, said interrupter including an eleetro-magnet having a winding adapted to' be connected on one side to the source of energy and on the other side with the movable contact of said interrupter, a condenser connected across the contacts of said interrupter having one end connected to the winding and the other and connected to the outlet lead from said interrupter, an armature actuated by the energization of said winding to operate said movable contact to circuit open position,. means to move the armature to operate the movable contact to circuit closing position, a dashpot having a bleed opening cooperating with said armature to retard the vibration of the movable contact, and a valve operable to control the area of said bleed opening to vary at will the action of said dashpot to change the periodicity of the vibration of the movable contact of said interrupter and compensate for voltage var':ion'= n the system.

3. An electro-responsive circuit interrupter device adapted to be interposed between a source of energy and the illuminating devices of a direction signaling system for automobiles, said interrupter including an electro-magnet having a winding adapted to be connected on one side to the source of energy and on the other side with the movable contact of said interrupter, a condenser connected across the contacts of said interrupter having one end connected to the winding and the other end connected to the outlet lead from said interrupter, an armature actuated by the energization of said winding to operate said movable contact to interrupt the energization of said winding, means to return the armature operating the movable contact to effect the energization of said winding, a dashpot provided with a bleed opening coacting with said armature to retard the vibration of the armature and contact operated thereby, and an adjustable valve to control the area of said bleed opening to vary at will the for voltage variations in the system.

BENJAMIN F. BAILEY.

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

Number 8 UNITED STATES PATEN'IB Name Date Ouzoonlan Sept. 25, 1923 Pollock Nov. 1, 1927 Swartw'out Sept. 11, 1934 Curtlss Dec. 15, 1936 Bell July 5, 1938 Murray July 2, 1940 Murray, Jr. Q.-- June 1, 1943 Bailey Dec. 14, 1948

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