US2681033A

US2681033A - Traffic warning signal

Info

Publication number: US2681033A
Application number: US260547A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nancy F Mears
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-12-07
Filing date: 1951-12-07
Publication date: 1954-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 1971-06-15

Description

June 15, 1954 N. F. MEARS TRAFFIC WARNING SIGNAL Fig. 4

Filed Dec. 7, 1951 INVENTOR. Nancy F. Mears 2/4, m

HE R ATTORNEYS Patented June 15 1954 UNITED STATES TRAFFIC WARNING SIGNAL Nancy F. Mears, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application December '7, 1951, Serial No. 260,547

6 Claims.

This application relates to a traffic warning signal, more particularly a signal which will warn of local icing conditions on a road.

Whenever atmospheric temperatures are near the freezin point, dangerous icing conditions frequently occur on roads, in that ice forms along certain stretches of a wet road but not on other stretches of the same road, with the result that a motorist is driving along a wet, but not slippery, road, and then suddenly finds himself on an icy road. This is particularly likely to happen at night when the car lights reflect ice and water in the same manner. I have invented an extremely simple but, nevertheless, effective device which will advise motorists of local conditions along a road. The device is sensitive to the specific conditions at the place where it is positioned and, if a series of these devices is placed along a road, a motorist is warned of icing conditions s he drives along.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a present preferred embodiment of my invention, in which Figure l is a front elevation view of my device with the signal forming part of the device in one operative position;

Figure 2 is a similar view with the signal in another operative position;

Figure 3 is a similar view of a modification of my invention;

Figure 4 is a section alon the lines IV-IV of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a view of a portion of the device shown in Figure 4 on an enlarged scale.

My device comprises a base 6 and two signals I and 8 which move across the base in accordance with variations in temperature, as will be hereinafter described. A shield 9 comprising two

curved portions

9A and 9B secured to the edges of the base 6 but spaced forwardly therefrom extends across the base and generally follows the are formed by the two signals I and 8 as they move across the base. A rod 90 reinforces the shield at its center. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, each of the

portions

9A and 9B have sufficient width to cover one of the signals and each is curved to cover one of the signals through half of its movement across the base. Thus the portion 9A of the shield covers signal 8 during the first half of the movement of the signals and the portion 9B of the shield covers the signal I during the second half of the movement of the two signals. Depending upon the position of the signals, therefore, the signal I or the signal 8 can be seen from the front of my warning device.

The signals 1 and 8 are preferably colored light reflectors, one reflector showing green when the headlights from an automobile strike it, and the other reflector showing red. Alternatively, the signals may be suitably colored electric lights, as shown in Figure 3, in which case my warnin signal carries a source of electric current such, for example, as the battery I!) with wires H to the two electric lights 12 and IS.

The two signals 1 and 8 are swung in arcs across the base 5 by a mechanism which is responsive to changes in the ambient temperature. Thus they are both mounted on a rod l4 which is pivotally mounted at one end of a shaft 15 which extends through the base 6. The base s carries on its rear side a conventional coiled bimetallic strip [6, one end of which is secured to the shaft it. A bracket ll, also mounted on the rear side of the base 5, secures the other end of the bimetallic coil. As is well known, changes in temperature will cause a coil of bimetallic strip to wind or unwind. In the present case, since one end of the bimetallic coil is fastened to the base and the other end is fastened to the shaft l5, changes in temperature will cause the coil It to wind and unwind and thereby swin the rod M (and the signals 1 and 8) across the face of the base *6. The coil is adjusted and secured to the shaft l5 so that when the ambient temperature is above freezing, the rod M will be somewhere on the righthand side of the base 6, as shown in Figure 1. Also, as is shown in Figure 1, the signal I, which is preferably a green reflecting mirror or a green light, is then exposed and the signal 8 (preferably a red signal) is covered by the portion 9A of the shield 9. When the ambient temperature approaches the freezing point, the bimetallic coiled strip rotates the rod It to the left until it is in the position shown in Figure 2. As appears in Figure 2, the signal -8 (preferably a red signal) is exposed to view and the signal 1 (preferably a green signal) is covered by the portion 915 of the shield 9.

Figure 4 shows an arrangement whereby my device can be positioned beside a road. A sleeve l8 secured to the base 6 forms a pocket into which a post H) can be inserted and held in place by screws 20. Ihe post can be, of course, driven into the ground along the side of the road or wherever the signal is to be placed.

If my warnin device is placed on the side of the road, it will be sensitive to temperature conditions in its immediate vicinity and, if it is placed so that the signals 1 and 8 will reflect light from the headlights of passing cars and so that it can be seen by the drivers of the cars, it will warn the drivers of icing conditions in its immediate vicinity. If the ambient temperatures are above freezing, the green signal 7 will show. If, however, freezing temperatures are prevailing, then the red signal 3 will show. My device is extremely simple and inexpensive and, therefore, a large number of these devices can be placed alon a road to advise and warn motorists as to the varying conditions along the road.

While I have described certain present preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it may otherwise be embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A traffic warning signal to indicate icing conditions on roads comprising a base, a rod pivoted at one end on the base, a bimetallic strip carried by the base and operatively connected to the rod whereby variations in ambient temperature will cause the rod to turn about its pivot, a color signal visible in day and at night on the rod away from its pivot point, and an opaque shield for the signal covering a portion onl of the arc described by the signal when the rod pivots whereby the signal will come into view when the ambient temperature reaches a value at which icing occurs.

2. A trafiic warning signal to indicate icing conditions on roads comprising a base, a rod pivoted at one end on the base, a bimetallic strip carried by the base and operatively connected to the rod whereby variations in ambient temperature will cause the rod to turn about its pivot, two color signals visible in day and at night secured to and spaced along the rod away from its pivot point, and an opaque shield covering the signals from view through a portion only of the arcs which each travels upon motion of the rod, said shield covering one signal through the first portion of the movement of the rod, and covering the other signal during the latter p rtion of the movement of the rod whereby a change of signals will occur when the ambient temperature reaches a value at which icing occurs.

3. A traffic warning signal to indicate icing conditions on roads comprising a base, a rod pivoted at one end on the base, a bimetallic strip carried by the base and operatively connected to the rod whereby variations in ambient temperature will cause the rod to turn about its pivot, two color signals visible in day and at night secured to and spaced along the rod away from its pivot point, and an opaque shield covering the signals from view through a portion only of the arcs which each travels upon motion of the rod, said shield having two curved portions extending from opposite ends of the arcs described by the signals to the center of said arcs, said portions each having sufdcient width to cover one of the signals, one curved portion being spaced from the pivot point of the rod to cover one signal during the first half of the movement of the signals across the base and expose the second signal, the other curved portion being spaced from the pivot point of the rod to expose the first signal during the second half of the signal movement and cover the second signal whereby a change of signals will occur when the ambient temperature reaches a value at which icing occurs.

4. A traffic warning signal to indicate icing conditions on roads comprising a base, a rod pivoted at one end on the base, a bimetallic strip carried by the base and operatively connected to the rod whereby variations in ambient temperature will cause the rod to turn about its pivot, a light reflector on the rod away from its pivot point, and an opaque shield for the reflector covering a portion only of the are described by the reflector when the rod pivots whereby the reflector will come into View when the ambient temperature reaches a, value at which icing occurs.

5. A trafiic warning signal to indicate icing conditions on roads comprising a base, a rod pivoted at one end on the base, a bimetallic strip carried by the base and operatively connected to the rod whereby variations in ambient temperature will cause the rod to turn about its pivot, a light source on the rod away from its pivot point, and an opaque shield for the light source covering a portion only of the are described by the light source when the rod pivots whereby the light source will come into view when the ambient temperature reaches a value at which icing occurs.

6. A traihc warning signal to indicate icing conditions on roads comprising a base, a rod pivoted at one end on the base, a bimetallic strip carried by the base and operatively connected to the rod whereby variations in ambient temperature will cause the rod to turn about its pivot, a color signal on the rod away from its pivot point, an opaque shield for the signal visible in day and at night covering a portion only of the are described by the signal when the rod pivots whereby the signal will come into View when the ambient temperature reaches a value at which icing occurs, and a support for said base whereby the warning signal can b placed at the side of a road in position to be viewed from vehicles passing on the road.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 884,973 Ayers Apr. 14, 1908 1,144,009 Swanson June 22, 1915 1,403,432 McGilvray et a1. Jan. 10, 1922 1,563,279 Hartley Nov. 24, 1925 1,886,986 Ruths Nov. 8, 1932 1,903,482 'Senseney Apr. 11, 1933 2,115,271 La Londe Apr. 26, 1938 2,597,939 Lamb May 27, 1952