US2639093A

US2639093A - Traffic counter

Info

Publication number: US2639093A
Application number: US164120A
Authority: US
Inventors: Glen R Hall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-05-25
Filing date: 1950-05-25
Publication date: 1953-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 1970-05-19

Description

May 19, 1953 G. R. HALL 2,639,093

TRAFFIC COUNTER Filed May 25, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 1 a9 38 INVENTOR. 44 EN R. HALL ATT'IT 19, 1953 G. R. HALL 2,639,093

TRAFFIC COUNTER Filed May 25, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 42 ew R. 11,44;

G. R. HALL TRAFFIC COUNTER May 19, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 25, 1950 Patented May 19, 1953 UN 1 ED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAFFIC COUNTER Glen R. Hall, Uhrichsvillc, Ohio Application May 25, 1950, Serial No. 164,120

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a traflic counter of the type used for counting and making a record of the number of automobiles, and other vehicles, which move along a street, road, or other highway. At the present time counters are in use which register the number of vehicles moving along a street but they will be operated whenever a vehicle moving along the street passes across a hollow rubber tube extending from the counter across thesurface of the street and are therefore operated by vehicles moving in either direction along the street. Therefore to count one direction it is customary to extend the hose across only :a trafiic lane in which vehicles are intended to move in one direction, but it often happens that avehicle carelessly driven or attempting to pass another vehicle ahead of it will be moving partially-in one tra-lfic lane and partiallyin a lane provided for trafiic moving in ,an opposite direction and the vehicles will be improperly counted dueto the vehicle intended to be counted failing to pass across the tube or due to the fact that a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction moves out of its lane'and passes across the tube.

Therefore one object of the invention is to provide a traffic counter of such construction that when'itis in use it may be caused to count traflic moving along a highway in one direction but fail tocounttra-flic moving in an opposite direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trafiic counter of such construction that a pair of counters may be installed at opposite sides of a highway so connected that one will count and record trafiic moving in one direction while the other counts and records traiiic moving in an opposite direction. It will thus be seen that an oilicial of a city trafiic department can obtain an accurate record of trafiic movements along a street in each direction during predetermined periods of time and determine whether one way traffic should be permitted along the street during rush hours and how long a time the one way should .be maintained during these periods.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a traific counter operated by air pressure and including avalvestructure havinginlets with which tubes are connected, the tubes being disposed across a highway inside by side relation to each other so that the wheels of a vehicle moving along the highway will pass across both tubes one after width may be soconnected with a pair of counters at opposite sides of the highway that traflic moving in one direction will cause a counter at one side of the highway and trafiic moving in an opposite direction cause the counter at the other side of the highway to be operated and neither improperly operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trafiio-cO-unter including a valve structure wherein a ball is lifted from a seat and efiec'ts closing of a circuit for an electrically energized counter and wherein air is trappedin the valve structure and thus prevented from lifting the ball when a vehicle not to be counted passes across the two tubes of the counter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traflic counter including a valve structure wherein. excess pressure exerted when a heavy truck or bus passes over a tube and forces air into the valve structure to close a valve and prevent operation of the counter will be relieved and improper operation of the counter prevented.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traflic counter having a valve structure so con-' structed that it may be readily taken apart and thoroughly cleaned and then easily reassembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve structure which may be incorporated in a traffic counter including circuit closing means of the construction shown in my copending application Serial No. 674,487 filed June 5, 1946 and issued as Patent 'No. 2,547,937 on April 10, 1951 The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the improved traffic counter showing its tubes extending across a highway.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the counter in side elevation and its tubes in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation looking at one end of the counter.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the counter.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the cover raised and showing mechanism in the cas- Fig. 6 is a view looking-down upon Figure .5.

Fig. 7 is a view showing the co-Lmter partially in vertical section and partially in side elevation.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view upon :an enlarged scale taken along the line 88 of Figure 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view upon an enlarged scale taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 6.

10 is a vertical sectional view taken alon the line I'll-40 of Figure -9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line Il-ll of Figure 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along the line I2-l2 of Figure 10.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view upon an enlarged scale taken vertically through Figure 10 along the line I3I3.

Fig. 14 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line I d-l4 of Figure 13.

Fig. 15 is a view taken along the line I5--I5 of Figure 13.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a valve element forming a portion of the valve structure.

Fig. 17 is a view showing the piston which carries the valve element of Figure 16 partially in perspective and partially in vertical section.

Fig. 18 is an enlarged view of an air filter mounted in each of the air inlet nipples.

Fig. 19 is a wiring diagram.

Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic view showing counters disposed at opposite sides of a highway and having the two tubes connected with them so that vehicles moving in opposite directions may be separately counted.

This improved counter has an electrically operated counter and actuating mechanism therefore enclosed in a casing I which is preferably formed of light-weight metal, such as aluminum, and has a base 2 and a cover 3 connected with the base by a hinge 4 for movement from a closed position shown in Figures 1 and 2, in which it rests ,upon the base to the raised or opened position-shown in Figure 5. An arm 5 extends upwardly from the base, midway the width of its front end, and near its upper end this arm is formed with a transversely extending opening 6 which is aligned with openings 7 formed near upper ends of ribs 8 on the cover so that an elongated shackel 9 may be passed through the openings 6 and I and a lock I then applied to the arms of the shackel. The cover will thus be held closed and the shackel may be grasped and used as a handle for carrying the counter from one place to another.

Within the casing is a mechanical counter II which is mounted upon a bracket l2 having one end secured to the base and its other end supported upon a post l3 carried by and extending upwardly from the base. The counter is mounted in such position. upon the bracket that it may be seen through a window I4 in the cover and read. without raising the cover. The counter II is of conventional construction and is operated by a crank I urged downwardly by a spring l5 and connected with the core l6 of a solenoid I! resting upon a support I8 which projects from the bracket I2, the solenoid and its core being disposed vertically. The solenoid obtains its energy from dry batteries I9 removably secured upon the base by a clamp 20 and in order to control flow of current through the solenoid there has been provided circuit closing mechanism which is shown in Figures 5, 7, and 19 and is similar in construction to that shown by my copending application 674,487 and in my Patent 2,403,277 issued July 2, 1946, but includes features of construction not found therein, and by means of which the device may be caused to count vehicles traveling in only one direction along a highway or in both directions if so desired.

- Referring to these figures it will be seen that the base carries a standard formed of brass, or other suitable material. Mounted on the standard is an insulating strip 22 and above the strip '4 of insulation is mounted a strip of thin and resilient conductive metal 23 which serves as a movable contact and is of such length that it projects beyond the free outer end of the insulating strip. A contact point 24 is carried by the resilient strip in spaced relation to the free end thereof. The standard also carries a strip of insulating material 25 which is of greater length than the insulating strip 22. This insulating strip 25 and the resilient strip 23 and the lower insulating strip 22 are held in spaced relation to each other by spacers 26 carried by the standard 2i and firmly secured upon the standard by a nut 21 applied to the upper end thereof. A contact screw 28 is threaded through the insulating strip 25 directly over the contact point 2 5 for engagement by the contact point when the movable contact strip 23 is flexed upwardly and as the screw is adjustable through the insulating strip it may be shifted vertically and thus cause it lower end to be normally spaced from the contact point 2d a predetermined distance. It will thus be seen that the time interval required for the contact 24 to engage the lower end of the contact screw may be varied. A wire 29 connects the contact screw with a binding post 38. A wire 32 connects post with one end of the coil of the solenoid and the other end of the solenoid coil is connected with a binding post 33 by a wire 34. A wire 35 connects post 33 with one side of the battery I9 which has attached to its other side a wire 36 connecting it with a terminal post or screw 31 mounted through the base in insulated relation thereto, as shown in Figure 12. The binding post 31 is located near a metal nipple 38 and carries a resilient contact arm or strip 39 which has its free end portion overlapping a collar 40 formed about the nipple, and when the contact arm or strip is forced towards the collar to a position in which its contact point M engages the collar current may flow through the base between the wire 36 and the standard 2! and a circuit will be completed through the solenoid coil when the movable contact 23 is flexed upwardly and its contact point 24 engages the stationary contact screw 28 to energize the solenoid and operate the counter I I. The resilient contact strip 39 is normally spaced from the collar 40, as shown in Figure 8, but is moved into engagement with the collar, as shown in Figure 12, when a tube is applied to the nipple 38.

The nipple 38 is screwed into the enlarged outer end portion 42 of an opening 43 communieating with a well or socket 44 formed vertically through a thick portion d5 of the base 2. A sleeve 46 is screwed into the well through the lower end thereof and has its lower end formed with an outstanding head or flange 47 which bears against the under face of the base and is formed with wrench-engaging faces so that the sleeve may .be screwed tightly into place. This sleeve has its lower end closed by a plug 48 formed with an upstanding diametrically extending lug d9 of less length than the diameter of the lug, and a short distance above its head l! the sleeve is formed with transversely cut slots 59 located within the socket M when the sleeve is screwed into the socket. The sleeve is almost bisected by the two slots, as shown in Figures 9 and 1G, and therefore when the sleeve is screwed into the socket one of the slots will communicate with a passage 5i connecting the lower end of the well or socket M with a socket 52 formed in the base in spaced parallel relation to the 42. and into. which is screwed a nipple :3. This nipple. is also formed. with an outstanding flange. 5k whichlimits its inward movement when screwed into the socket 52 and prevents its inner end portion for blocking the passage 5 I. In addition to the sockets 42 and 52 the base also formedwith a vertically extending socket 55 which. is connected. with: the socket M. by a. horizontal passage 55, the passage 56 having comimmi-cation with the socket 44 between spaced ends ofthe; sleeve 46 and an. upper sleeve .51. The upper sleeve is formed at its upper end with a head .58 armed with wrench-engaging edgefaces and about the upper end of the bore of the upper sleeve is formed an annular seat 59 upon which rests a metal ball 50 li'his ball is of sufli'cient weight. to cause gravity" to move it downwardly onto the seat 59 and close the bore of the upper sleeve, and it is entirely free and unconfined so that it may be quickly shifted upwardly by air forced upwardly through the upper sleeve and raise the movable contact strip 23 upwardly and cause its contact point 2-4 to momentarily engage the stationary contact screw or point .28. While the freely movable and unconfined member :50 has been shown inthe form. of asphere or ball it will be understood that it could be a halfball, an inverted cone. and other specific shapes which will allow it to. have close fitting engagement. with its seat and at the sametime so engage the over.- lapping portion of the resilient strip 33 that only a slight upward. movement of the ball or member" is sufficient to close the circuit: through the battery and the solenoid and operate the counter I I. It will thus be seen. that a vehicle passes across the rubber hose Bl fitted: about the nipple 38 and. closed. at its outer end by acap 6| air is forced. inwardly through the nipple and through a passage consisting of the opening 43,. the well 44, and the bore of the upper 516981825 1 the hall or member 6.0 will be shifted upwardly and the circuitclosed.

As. the ball moves upwardly air will escape from the bore of. the upper sleeve about the ball.

and the ball will drop back ontothe seat, this.

downward movement of the ball being assisted by resiliency of. the movable contact strip which has pressing engagement with the ball. When the hose is applied to the nipple 38 it engages a, washer 62 which fits loosely about the nipple and applies pressure to a helical spring 63 and tensions the spring so that the spring shifts the washer or collar 64 along the nipple towards the inner end thereof. This collar overlaps the free end of the resilient contact arm 39 and moves it from the opened position shown in Figure 8 to the closed position. shown. in Figure 12 for grounding the wire 35. A screen $5 having a handle 63- is thrust into the nipple through the outer end thereof and serves to prevent dust, and other matter, from passing through the nipple. into the well and clogging the opening 4-3 or the. bore of the upper sleeve. During downward. movement of the ball air is drawn inwardly about the balland through the bore of the upper sleeve by'suction created as the hose expands to-refill the hose.

It. has been found that when automobiles are traveling. very fast along. the highway and in heavy city traffic the hose does not refill fast enough to be completely refilled; before another vehicle passes across the hose. For this reason the socket 55 and the opening 55 are provided, and referring to Figures 10 and 11 it will bev seen that a nipple 61 is screwed into the socket 55- and projects upwardly from the base. The upper whichthe opening. 5 t communicates.

6 portion: of nipple 61 istormed with a. threaded stem. or neck 68 which passes upwardly through an. opening in the insulating strip. .25 and is socured by anut 691 Arubber tube 10 has one end fitting tightly about the neck of thenipple 6.1 and at its other end is fitted into the casin H of a check-valve 1.2.. This check valve 712 is disposed vertically and its casing ll is threaded externally so that it may be passed through an opening. 13 formed in the insulating strip 2 5 and secured by a nut 14. The ball .15 of the check valve is normally ina closed position against the seat 16 at the lower end of the casing H so that when air is forced inward-1y by a vehicle wheel passing across the hose Bl air will be trapped in the opening 56 and the rubber tube and full force of the air under pressureis exerted against the ball and quickly shifts, the ball BB upwardly to a cir cult closing position. When the vehicle wheel passesoil of the hose 6! and the hose expands to: draw .air inwardly and back into the hose suction exerted. the opening '56 and the rubber tube lilidraws the hall l5v upwardly to its opened position. andv air may flow through the auxiliary air passage formed by the tube; the nipple B1,. and the opening 55 into the portion of the well between the twosleeves all and 5-1 and mingle with the air which is being drawn into the hose 6! through the opening 43 and the nipple 3.8, inward. movement. or. airthrough the auxiliary air passage continuing. until the hose is fully retilled. Lugs 76 in the valve casing H limit upward movement of the ball l5 awa-y .iromits seat but do not interfere with inward flow of airthrough the auxiliary air passage.

When a. vehicle is moving along a highway its wheels not only pass. across the hose 6| but also across a. hose 1'! having its inner end fitting tightly about the nipple 53 and its outer end closed. by a cap H. An air screen 53 corresponding to the screen. 6-5 is mounted in. the nipple 53. Air which is. forced from this hose flows inwardly through the secondary air passage formed by the socket 52 and the opening 54- into the: lower sleeve 416 through. the slot 5b with This air is forced. upwardly into the pocket 18 of a piston 1.9. This piston fits snugly in the bore of. the lawer sleeve and: the lower edge of its a-nnular'wall normally-rests upon end portions. of the lugzfi. A neck: fill-projects upwardly'irom the. center or the piston. '19 and at its upper end. is formed with a socket 8|? into which fits a ball 82 extending downwardly from the center of a valve thin disc- 83; This valve disc is therefore connected with the neck of. the piston by a ball and socket joint and it may tilt free in all directions and have fiat. contacting engagement with the inner end. of the upper sleeve 5.1. and close the lower end of its bore when the disc valve lsv shifted. upwardly' to a closed position by upward movement of the piston. When the valve disc is in its lowered, or opened, position there is. sufficient space between its upper face and the lower end.

, of the upper sleeve iior air to. pass about the valve disc andkflovv upwardly through the upper sleeve to shift the ball fill upwardly and close the circuit, but when air under the piston moves the a To eliminate the possibility of this great pressure breaking the seal of valve disc 83 and causing the counter to count when it should not count a small relief hole 61a is drilled in nipple 151 as shown in Figure 11, and the opening controlled by an adjusting screw 511). This tiny relief hole has little or no effect on the counting cycle but when valve disc 83 is closed and truck or bus weight is exerted on the hose 6! the pressure is relieved sufficient to keep valve disc 83 sealed.

When this trafiic counter is in use the casing or housing containing the counting mechanism is deposited in a tree box or upon a side walk at one side of a highway and the two hoses BI and 11 extended across the highway, as shown in Figure l, outer ends of the hoses being secured by pegs or nails driven through the openings in the caps of the hoses. For convenience it will be assumed that the highway extends north and south. If it is desired to count traffic moving north, as indicated by the arrow 34, the box or housing is located at the west side of the highway and as automobiles, or other vehicles, move in a north bound trafiic lane their wheels will first pass across the hose 6| and then across hose 1'! which extends parallel to and quite close to hose 6|. As the wheels of the vehicle pass across hose 6! air is forced from this hose and through the main air passage and as it enters the space in the well between the upper and lower sleeves and flows upwardly through the bore of the upper sleeve the ball 60 is dislodged from the seat 59 and moved upwardly so that the resilient contact strip 23 is flexed upwardly and the circuit is closed to energize the solenoid and operate the counter I I. Air then flows back into the hose and also through the tube "m and the auxiliary air passage to quickly refill the hose. The wheels of the vehicle pass across the second hose l'l immediately after they leave the hose e! and the air is forced inwardly through the secondary air passage formed by the socket 52 and the opening 5i and enters the lower end of the wall where it exerts upward force upon the piston and shifts the piston upwardly to close the valve disc 83, but as air from hose 3| has already been forced upwardly through the upper sleeve and the counter operated the vehicle has been counted.

A vehicle traveling along the south bound lane,

as indicated by the arrow 85, will also pass across the two hoses but the counter will not be operated. This is due to the fact that the wheels of the vehicle will first pass across the hose H and then across hose 61. As the wheels pass across hose H air is forced through the slot 50 and upwardly under the piston so that the piston is shifted upwardly and the valve disk seated in its closed position against the lower end of the upper sleeve. Flow of air upwardly through the upper sleeve to close the circuit is thus prevented when air is forced into the space between the two sleeves by the wheels of the vehicle passing across the hose 6|. It will thus be seen that north bound traific will be counted but south bound trafiic not counted. All north bound traffic will be counted even if a vehicle traveling in this direction would move partially or entirely into a south bound traffic lane while passing another vehicle moving in the same direction or is traveling along a center lane provided for vehicles to pass each other while traveling in either direction. If a street has been designated to be a one way street and it is desired to count the number of vehicles traveling along the street and thus determine whether the number of vehicles 8 using it justifies use as a one way street the hose ll may be detached from the nipple 53 or merely not stretched across the street and vehicles moving north or south in all of the traffic lanes will all be counted by the use of hose 6| only.

If south bound traffic is to be counted instead of north bound trafiic the hoses may be crossed close to the box or housing before being stretched across the highway, thus causing south bound vehicles to pass across the hose 6| first instead of north bound vehicles, or the counter may be placed at the other side of the street or highway. If it is desired to count separately and at the same time vehicles moving in both directions two of the counters are used and set in place at opposite sides of the street. The two hoses Bi and T! are extended across the street and their caps 51' and TI removed so that the hoses may each have one end connected with a nipple 38 of one counter and its other end connected with the nipple 53 of the other counter, as shown in Figure 20. A vehicle moving in either direction will then first pass across a hose from which air is forced to close a circuit and effect operation of the counter il in the housing at one side of the street, but the counter in the other housing across the street will not be operated. Therefore traffic moving in both directions may be separately counted and records made of how many ve-- hicles are traveling north and how many are traveling south. This would be very desirable in order to determine whether a street should be reserved for one way trafiic during rush hours and in which direction the traffic should be allowed to move along the street.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a traffic counter, a base formed with a vertical pocket and with a first air passage communicating with the pocket intermediate the depth thereof and a second air passage communicating with the lower portion of the pocket, means for connecting a hose pipe with the outer end of the first air passage, means for connecting a hose pipe With the outer end of the second air passage, a sleeve in the upper portion-of said pocket having seats about its upper and lower ends, a sleeve in the lower portion of said pocket formed with a side opening with which the second air passage communicates, the first air passage communicating with the pocket between the sleeves, a valve member between the sleeves normally in a lowered open position and movable upwardly to a closed position against the lower' end of the upper sleeve by action of air forced inwardly by a Vehicle wheel passing across the hose connected with the second air passage, a counting unit having electrically actuated operating means, a circuit for the operating means including a contact spaced from the upper sleeve, a movable contact normally spaced from the first contact and having a portion extending across the upper sleeve, an unconfined ball entirely free from and normally resting upon the seat of the upper sleeve and being freely movable upwardly off of the seat by air forced from the hose connected with the first air passage by a vehicle wheel passing across the said hose and flowing upwardly through the upper sleeve, the

ball when so moved having direct engagement with the movable contact to momentarily hold the movable contact in engagement with the first contact and close the circuit to energize the operating means, said ball while moving upwardly allowing rapid and unobstructed escape of air from the pocket about the ball and also allowing return of air about the ball through the pocket into the first mentioned hose during return movement of the ball, said base being also formed with an auxiliary air passage communieating with the portion of the pocket under the valve between the upper and lower sleeves, a tube connected with the outer end of the auxiliary air passage, an outwardly closing check valve for said tube normally closed and being opened by the vacuum created in both hoses after the passing of a vehicle over the hoses to quickly refill the hoses with air, said tube being formed with a small side opening constituting a relief opening, and a screw mounted transversely of said tube and constituting an adjustable closure for the side opening.

2. In a traffic counter, a body formed with a pocket, a counting unit having electrically activated operating means, a circuit for said operating means including a contact spaced from said pocket and a second contact movable towards and away from the first contact and having a portion extending across the pocket, a seat about said pocket, an unconfined contact-operating .v

member free from and normally resting upon said seat and overlapped by the movable contact and being freely movable away from the seat for applying pressure to the movable contact by di rect engagement therewith and momentarily holding the movable contact in circuit-iclosing engagement with the first contact, a normally open valve in said pocket, said body being formed with an air passage adapted to have a hose connected with its outer end and having its inner end communicating with the pocket in position for air to flowfrom the hose through the pocket and out of the pocket while dislodging the contact operating member and thereby efiecting closing of the circuit, the body being-also formed with a second 4 air passage adapted to have a second hose connected with its outer end and having its inner end communicating with the socket in position for closing the valve when air is forced from the second hose and shutting off flow of air from the first hose through the pocket to act upon the contact-operating member, there being an auxiliary air passage in the body, a tube leading from-the auxiliary air passage and controlled by an outwardly-closed check valve serving to prevent escape of air through the auxiliary air passage during dislodgement of the contact-operating member but allow inward flow of air during reseating of the contact-operating member and refilling of the'first hose, said tube being formed with a small opening in one side, and an adjustable closure for the side opening.

3. In a traffic counter, a body formed with a pocket open at its top, a counting unit having electrically actuated operating means, a circuit for said operating means including a contact spaced from said pocket and a second contact movable towards and away from the first con tact and having a portion extending across the pocket, a seat about the open upper end of said pocket, an unconfined contact-operating member entirely free from and normally resting upon said seat and over-lapped by the movable contact and being freely movable upwardly away from the seat for applying lifting pressure to the movable contact by direct engagement therewith and momentarily holding the movable contact in circuit-closing engagement with the first contact, a normally open valve in said pocket movable upwardly to a closed position,

a piston under said valve, the body being pro-,- vided with means for delivering air under pres: sure from a vehicle-compressed hose into the pocket above the piston and forcing the air up wardly past the valve and through the pocket to dislodge the contact-operating member and move the same in a circuit closing direction, and the body being also provided with means for delivering air under pressure from a second vehicle compressed hose into the said pocket at a point under the piston to shift the piston upwardly and thereby close the valve and temporarily interrupting flow of air between the control operating members and the first hose.

In a traffic counter, a body formed with a pocket, a counting unit having electrically activated operating means, a circuit for said operating means including a contact spaced from said pocket and a second con-tact movable towards and away from the first contact and having a portion extending across the pocket, a seat about said pocket, an unconfined contact-operating member free from and normally resting upon said seat and over-lapped by the movable contact and being freely movable away from the seat for applying pressure to the movable contact by direct engagement therewith and momentarily holding the movable contact in circuit-closing engagement with the first contact, a normally open valve in said pocket, a piston in said pocket spaced from connected with said valve, the body being provided with means for delivering air under pressure from a vehicle-compressed hose into the pocket between the piston and the valve and forcing the air past the valve and through the-pocket to dislodge the contact-operating member and move the same in a circuit closing direction'when the hose is compressed by a vehicle moving in one direction, and the body being also provided with means for delivering air under pressure from -a second vehicleecompressed hose into the pocket back of the piston for shifting the piston toward the outer end of the pocket and closing the valve to prevent movement of the contact=operating membe lf fil i is or ed frQm the .i 11059 bya vehicle moving in an opposite direction and pa os b th hoses- 5. A pair of traffic counters disposed at op:- p t s d s of a hi hwa a d each ha in a body and a counting unit carried thereby and having n e a ly a tuated op atin a iru t for the pera ing vm a i clu in m -mast nd a sec nd con t m b into and ut-of en gagement with the first contact and normally spaced therefrom, a contact operating member movable from a normal position to a positiontor oment rily h g h m a l co tact in a circuit closing position, the body being provided with a p ck t no mally blocke by the 094132.501 operating member, said body being formed with an air passage through which air may flow into the pocket and move the contact operator to a circuit closing position, a valve in said pocket movable from a normally open position to a closed 7 position for preventing flow of air from said passage through said pocket, a valve-closing piston slidable in said pocket under the valve, the body being also formed with a second air passage through which air may flow into the pocket under the piston and move the piston upwardly for shifting the valve to a closed position and temporarily prevent closing of the circuit, and hoses extending across the highway and each having one end connected with the first air passage of one tratfic counter and its other end connected with the sec- '11 nd air passage of the other trafiic counter whereby one traflic counter may be rendered inoperative for counting flow of traffic in one direction while the other counts trafilc flowing the said direction.

6. A pair of traflic counters disposed at opposite sides of a highway and each having a body and a counting unit having an electrically actuated operating means, a circuit for the operating means including a normally open circuit closer having a pneumatically operated operating member movable from a normal position to a position for momentarily closing the circuit closer, said body being provided with a pocket normally blocked by the operating member and through which flow of air is controlled by a normally open valve, a piston in said pocket operatively connected with said valve, and vehicle operated air ejecting members extending across the highway between the trafiic counters and each having one end communicating with the pocket of one trafiic counter above the piston therein for flow of air through the pocket past the open valve to actuate the operating member and its other end communicating with a portion of the pocket of the second trafiic counter below the piston therein for shifting the piston upwardly and closing the valve and thereby preventing operation of one counting unit to count flow of traffic in one direction and allow the other trafiic counter to count traific flowing in the said direction.

7. In a trafiic counter, a body formed with a pocket, a counting unit having electrically actuated operating means, a circuit for said operating means including a contact movable into and out of circuit closing engagement with a second contact, a contact operating member normally blocking the pocket and movable in a direction to shift the movable contact into engagement with the second contact by action of air forced through the pocket and about the contact operating member, a pneumatically operated valve in said pocket normally open and movable to a closed position for preventing fiow of air through the pocket to effect closing of the circuit, pneumatic means for forcing air past the open valve and through the pocket to move the contact operator in a circuit closing direction including an air ejector adapted to have air forced from it by a vehicle passing across it, and a second-pneumatic means for forcing air into the pocket in position to act upon and temporarily close said valve including an air ejector adapted to have air forced from it by a vehicle passing across it.

8. In a traffic counter, a body having a pocket, a counting unit carried by said body and having electrically actuated operating means, a circuit for said operating means including a contact and a second contact movable into and out of circuit closing engagement with the first contact and normally spaced from the first contact, a contact operating member movable relative to the pocket into and out of position to momentarily hold the movable contact in engagement with the first contact, pneumatic means carried by said body and including an air ejector extending from the body in position for a vehicle to pass across it and force air from the ejector to act upon. the contact operating member and eifect closing of the circuit, a valve in the pocket movable from a normally open position to a closed position in which it interrupts flow of air into engagement with the contact operating member, pneumatic means for actuating said valve carried by said body, and an air ejector extending from said body in position for a vehicle to pass across it and force air therefrom into the pocket in position to act upon the pneumatic means to act upon and move the valve to a closed position for preventing closing of thecircuit.

9. In a traflic counter, a body having a pocket, a counting unit having electrically actuated operating means, a circuit for said operating means including a contact and a second contact movable into and out of circuit closing engagement with the first contact and normally spaced from the first contact, a contact operating member movable relative to the pocket into and out of position to momentarily hold the movable contact in engagement with the first contact, pneumatic means includin an air ejector communicating with the pocket and disposed in position for a vehicle to pass across it and force air from the ejector to act upon the contact operating member and eifect closing of the circuit, a valve in.

the pocket movable from a normally open position to a closed position in which it interrupts fiow of air into engagement with the contact operating member, a pneumatically operated operating member for said valve in said pocket, and a second air ejector communicating with said pocket and disposed in position for a vehicle to pass across it and force air therefrom into the pocket in position to act upon the pneumatically operated operating member and cause the said pneumatically operated operating member to act upon and move the valve to a closed position for preventing closing of the circuit.

GLEN R. HALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,166,090 Cooper July 11, 1939'- 2,340,634 Wiley Feb. 1, 1944 2,403,277 Hall July 2, 1946 I