US2911619A - Traffic signal controllers - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 3, 1959 c. E. BEACH 7 9 TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROLLERS Original Fi led Feb. 9. 1953 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 liliillill SIREN. "E 1 "llilliilml U U U min-411010) HG. 3 INVENTOR.

Nov. 3, 1959 c. E. BEACH TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROLLERS Original Filed up. 9. 1953 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 il/l/Y ll'I/l INVENTOR. 6 5 M 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 C. E. BEACH TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROLLERS Nov. 3, 1959 Original Filed Feb. 9. 1953 5: 2 m t 513 m Maw m m 3 m INVENTOR. flew/4,

Nov. 3, 1959 c. E. BEACH 2,911,619

TRAFFIC SIGNAL CCNTROLLERS Original Filed Feb. 9. 1953 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

STREET Cumvzw r SUPPLY Nov. 3, 1959 c. E. BEACH 2,911,619

TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROLLERS Original Filed Feb. 9, 1953 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 7b D/snuvr Jowvce or CALLS Cukkzur SUPPLY IN VEN TOR.

Nov. 3, 1959 Original Filed Feb. 9, 1953 c. E. BEACH 2,911,619

TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROLLERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 To Dusnur Seance OF CALI-.5

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SUPPLY SOURCE or Svucunomz ma lmruLszs j Sacoumnv CONTROLLER 269 I 229' FIG. |5 INVENTOR. 2 ,1 29 W 153 1Jiffi? N, 22

Nov. 3, 1959 c. E. BEACH TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROLLERS Origifial Filed Feb. 9. 1953 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 hwmmkw wmOmU E022 new bmWuQ Nov. 3, 1959 c. E. BEACH TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROLLERS Original Filed Feb. 9, 1953 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. 17

FIG. 16

INVENTOR. 6 5M United States Patent ice 2,911,619 music 'SIGNAL' CONTROLLERS Clarence E. Beach, Binghamton, NY.-

Original application February 9, 1953, Serial No. 335,965, now Patent No. 2,820,955, dated January 21, 1958. Divided and this application March 25, 1957, Serial No. "648,133

21 Claims. (Cl. 340-41) This. invention. relates to trafiic signaling systems; and more particularly, to mechanisms and needful associated current paths for such systems, which mechanisms and paths are suited for association with trafitc signal controllers embodying the structural characteristics described and shown in copending application, Serial No. 335,965, filed February' 9, 1953 (now Patent No. 2,820,955, dated January 21, 1958), of which this is a division, having been. restricted therefrom.

It is an important object of this invention to provide means whereby such a traffic signal controller may be adapted for use under any one or another of a wide variety ofv operating conditions, merely by alteration of electrical relationships between current paths, some of which may extend outside of the controller.

In the use of prior trafiic signal controllers which have been rendered subject to synchronizing impulses (as from a master controller) there have been occurrences which have caused such controllers tobecome extensively out- 'of-step with the synchronizing impulses. 'Such occurrences have, at times resulted in a long continued suspension of operation of the controller, upon the occasion of'its being retored to intended synchronized operation.

For example, in the use of prior forms of trafficsignal controllers having the foregoing characteristics, for ac-' complishing synchronization in a very simple manner, and whereby a controller equipped with synchronizing.

facilities will not be caused to'extensively' alter the duration. of. any signal aspect, even should the source of synchronizing impulses fail to operate as intended, or should there be disablement of the conductors which should bring synchronizing. impulses from their source.

It is a further object to provide in a signal controller embodying all or certain desired ones of the foregoing characteristics, provision. for accomplishing -so-called local manual control, the characteristics of which controller will. be such that the various signal aspects may be rendered effective, as by use of a push button; andwhereby, upon reconditioning the controller for the cyclic action for which it. isset, its action will be resumed as if the commencement of-the signal aspect which was being. displayed when manual. control was. relinquished had resulted from cyclic action- In other words, full timing will be givento such phase or aspect, and there will be no opportunity for confusion such as occurs in the use of prior controllers when an oflicer restores them to cyclic action at a stage such that the duration of the first displayed aspect will be so short: asv to cause confusion of drivers. of vehicles.

For thelpurpose of enabling this. invention to be more readily understood, certain embodiments I thereof are shown in the annexeddrawings and hereinafter described 2,911,619 Patented Nov. 3, 1959 for meeting the many diverse highway traflic conditions.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of the inner door or panel of a traffic signal controller constructed as described and shown in the aforesaid copending application and having par-ts of presettable members of two controlling units projecting therethrough;

. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing five presettable members, thus providing for green-amber aspects and being suited for use in trafiic responsive service in which there is provision for time extension;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing four presettable members which are located entirely behind the panel and are settable by manual push buttons; 7,

Fig. 4 is a more or less schematic side elevational view of significant parts of a presettable unit suitable for use in controllers such as contemplated by FigsQl and 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the interacting portions of the presettable and the timing disks of Fig. 4; r

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a pair of controlling units comprising parts shown by Fig. 4 associated as contemplated'by Fig. l, but with front panel removed;

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of circuit connections between parts of controllers such as shown by Figs. 1, 4 and 6;

Fig. 8 schematically and diagrammatically shows parts and circuit connections of a controller embodying features supplemental to what is shown in Fig. 7, for governing green-amber signal aspects in addition to green and redaspects which are provided for by controllers such as contemplated by Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 correspondingly shows a controller suitedfor suspended cycle traflic actuation;

Fig. 10 similarly shows a controller embodying a timeeXtension feature; I

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary side elevationalview of a preferred form of presettable units similar to those shown by Figs. 4, 6 and 7, with supplemental and revised parts and circuit connections suited for causing display of an added signal aspect responsive to distant calls;

Fig. 12 schematically and diagrammatically shows a preferred form of a controller including presettable faciliv 'tiessuch asshown by Fig. 11, and providing facilities for adding a signal aspect to a usual operative cycle responsive to impulses from a distant source;

Fig. 13 -isan enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the one of the controlling units of Fig. 12 which governs the green-amber call aspect;

Fig. 14 shows a detail to be'referred to;

Fig. 15 schematically shows significant portions of-a secondary controller having a supplemental controlling unit which is presettable for limiting extent of extension I of the operating cycle resultant from absence of timely synchronizing impulses; I

Fig. 16 is a schematic side elevational view of stepping mechanism for presetting of controlling unit disks; and

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary front elevational view of cer-i tain parts of Fig. 16.

The various aspects ofthis invention are particularly suited for utilization in association with traffic signal controllers comprising a step" switch having a plurality of switchesfor operating trafiic signals in a predetermined sequence arid a cyclicprogram timer having a plurality of:

' 16 and 17 of the annexed drawings.

Such controller mechanism may, for convenience, be referred to as of a basic or of a fundamental type.

In order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, the basic or fundamental mechanism so shown will be here briefly described; there being a more detailed description thereof in the afore mentioned co-pending application, to which reference is had.

BASIC MECHANISM Cyclic program timers embodying this invention are provided with a plurality of elements or units each of which may be or is pre-set for establishing the duration of a Go aspect (or of an Amber or Caution or other aspect for which timing facilities are desired) individually associated therewith.

Each timing unit comprises a disk 5, which may be preset to establish a desired timed duration of the signal aspect 'which it represents. Thus, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, portions of the disks and 5 extend through the front plate 1, so that they may be conveniently grasped for the purpose of rotating them to positions representative of desired timed durations of display of Go signals for a main street and for a cross street, respectively;

In Fig. 2 the disks 5 5 5' 5', and S correspondingly project through the front plate 1'.

The peripheries of the disks 5, 5 etc. are marked with numerals indicative of the timed duration for which the respective disks are set.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, disks corresponding to those shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are positioned behind the front plate 1, so that the numerals on the peripheries thereof are visible through the openings 3, 3?, 3. The disks positioned behind the front plate 1' of Fig. 3 may be rotated in one direction and the other by the use of the rows of push buttons 423, 423, etc. above'and below the frames 3; pressure of the push buttons above said frames serves to rotate the associated disk in a direction which will establish a longer timing of the represented signal aspect, and pressure of said buttons below said frames will serve to shorten such timings, through the utilization of mechanism more fully shown in Figs. 16 and 17.

Each of the presettable disks 5 has peripheral notches 125 (Fig. 4) for receiving a tooth 123 carried by the latch 121; said latch being urged by the spring'129 to carry said tooth toward said notches, for the purpose of retaining settings of the associated disk 5.

Adjacent each disk 5, there is a timing member 107 subject to rotation independently of its associated disk, and a spring 141 is applied between each disk 5 and its associated timing member 107, to urge rotation of said timing member in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the associated disk 5 incident to setting same for a longer timing of the represented signal.

A lug 151 (best shown in Fig. 5) carried by each disk 5 projects into the path of a similar lug 153 carried by the associated timing member 107, for limiting the extent of the rotation of the timing member responsive to the spring 141, to an extent representative of the setting of its associated disk 5.

Each of said timing members has ratchet teeth of a form suited for engagement of a tooth 183 carried by an associated pawl 171 and by the free end of an as v sociated retaining pawl 173, whereby rotation of said timing member may be effected in a direction opposite 165 after the elapse of time measured from initiation of the engagement of said pawls and of extent of that represented by the numeral 7 which then appears on the periphery of the presettable disk in connection with the indicating arrows shown on the blocks 9 of Figs. 1 and 2, or by the numeral displayed through the openings 3-3 of Fig. 3.

A bell-crank lever having thearms 155 and 157 is so positioned that its arm 155 is disposed in the path of the lug 153 carried by the timing member107, and the arm 157 is so associated with the contact 163 that when the associated lug 153 swings the arm 155 clockwise (incident to rotation of the timing member 107 responsive to the actuating pawl 171) the contact 163 will be moved into engagement With the contact 165 for a purpose which will presently be more fully explained.

The step switch for governing current paths to signal lights comprises a drum mechanism having a shaft,21, upon which insulating disks 51 are mounted for rotation therewith; each disk 51 having associated therewith a contact strip 52, thus providing a plurality of switches for energizing trafiic signal lights in a predetermined-sequence.

Step-by-step advancement of said step switch is accomplished by a ratchet wheel 25, responsive to a drum stepping coil 29. The detailed characteristics of such drum mechanism, including associated contacts and magnetic actuating mechanism therefor, are well known to persons skilled in this art, and therefore do not require further detailed description herein.

For each of the retaining pawls 173, governing mecha nism is provided, which mechanism includes a spring 197,

a disk 201, and an arm 205. Said spring is soapplied as to urge movement of its pawl 'which will carry its free end into the path of the teeth of its associated timing member 107. Said arm 205 carries alug 209' whichex tends into the path of the movement of its associated pawl responsive to said spring, and said arm also carries the projection 207 for cooperation with the periphery of its associated disk 201.

The intermeshing gears 71 and 73 are fixed on the shafts 21 and 75, respectively, so that rotation of the shaft 21 will cause corresponding rotation of the shaft 75.

Notches such as 203 are formed in the peripheries of the disks 201 associated with respective units, so that the free end of the associated retaining pawl 173 of any unit may be disposed in the path of the teeth of its timing member 107 only while such a notch is presentedto its associated projection 207. a Each actuating pawl 171 carries a tooth 183 for co} operation with the teeth of its timing member 107,'whe1fe" said disk against the urge of Each of such actuating pawl governing mechanisms 'in-" cludes a hook 185, carried by the free end of its pawl 171, for engagement by a hook 187 carried by the upper end of a bar 189; which bar 189 has a slot190 through which project the pins 190' carried by the associated retaining pawl 173. Said slot 190 is of length such that said bar 189 may move lengthwise of its pawl '173 to an extent suificient to permit maintained engagement between the hooks and 1 87 throughout the lengthwise movement of the actuating pawl 171 incident'to the rotation of the eccentric 175. A spring 191 urges movement of the bar 189 away from the free end of the pawl Positioning of the notches in the disks 201 is sueh'i.

notch .20; will be p e e to i wacting pr je ti n,

207' whenever the drum mechanism. is. positioned for causing display of a Goor. green signal for the path which it is intended shall be represented by the unit wit which suchdisk is associated.

For example, when the shaft 21 is positioned forcausing display of fmain street green signal, the disk 201 of the unit-representativeof that signal willbe so positioned that a notch 203 in-the periphery thereof willbe in the path of its co-acting projection 207,, and the retaining pawl173 of that unitwill therefore be free to swing, responsive to its spring 197, so as to bring its free end into the path of the teeth of its timing member 107. Incident to such retaining pawl positioning, the hook 187 will be disengaged from the hook 185, thereby to permit the associated actuating pawl 171 to so respond to its spring 179 as to eifect actuation of its co-acting timing member 107.

Ensuing rotation of the eccentric 175 will then cause the timing member 107 of such unit to be moved, step by step, until, incident to one of such movements, its lug 153 engages the lower end of the aunt 155 .and thereby causes the contact 163 to be moved into engagement with the contact 165.

Upon such engagement, an energized current path (such, for example, as indicated in Fig. 7) is established through the coil 29, whereupon the bar 35 will be lifted far enough to carry the pawl 27 past the next tooth of the wheel 25.

When such timing member has been so moved to the position causing closure of the contacts 163, 165, the long notch 108 of said timing member will be presented to the free end of the retaining pawl 173, and the tooth 108 willbe spaced above suchfree end; so that, during 7 ensuing downward movement of the actuating pawl 171,

the retainingpawl 173 will not prevent. rotation of the timing member 107 responsive to its spring. 141, and occurrence of such rotation of said member will thereupon withdraw the lug 153 from the lower end of the arm 155, thereby permitting the contact 163 to move away from the contact 165 with resultant de-energization of the coil 29.

Upon such de-energization, the spring 33, acting through the arm'35 and'the pawl 27, will effect rotation of the shafts 21 and 75, and hence cause the disk 201 to move its notch 203 out of the path of the projection 207; thereby to cause the free end of the retaining pawl ber 107. Such movement of said retaining pawl will carry the hook 187 into the path of the hook'185; whereupon, further downward movement of the actuating pawl 171 will carry the hook 185 below the hook 187, and

- the spring 179 will thereupon swing the actuating pawl 171-so as to position and maintain the hook 185 and in engagement with the hook 187.

During such positionings of said hooks, although rotation of the eccentric 175.will continue to impart lengthwise movements to the a-ctuatingpawl 171, maintenance of the aforesaid engagement between the hooks 185 and 18'] will assure that thetoo th 183 willbekept out of the path of the teeth or the timing member 107 until such time as the projection 297 again enters a notch in the associated disk 201. 3

Upon withdrawal of the free end ofthe retaining pawl 173 and of the tooth 183 from the path of the teeth of their timing member 107, said member will be rotated clockwise responsive to its spring hi1, until its lug 153 encounters the lug 151 carried by the presettablel disk 5; whereupon, the parts will be in positionings such that, when this unit is again actuated, the elapse of time from the commencement of such activation until termination thereof, as above described, will be that for which said disk 5 is then positioned. Y

The rotation of the shaft 21 whichmesulted intermination of the main street green signal and caused "disenbelow display of the Green, Amber or other signal which should next occur in the intended sequence of signal aspects to be displayed incident to rotation of the shaft21.

Furthermore, rotation of the shafts 21 and 75 which occurred ,at the termination of the display of the main street green signal, also caused activation of. the unit which represents the new signal aspect then rendered effective, by causing positioning of the disk 201. associated with such unit so as to present a notch 203 thereinto the associated projection 207.; whereupon, the tooth 183 of the actuating pawl 171 and the free end of the retaining pawl 173 of such newly activated unit'will be permitted to and will move into the path of the 'teeth of the timing member 107 of such unit; and thereafter, actuation of such timing member will proceed as above described with reference to the unit representing the main street green signal aspect. I

At times when it is desired to use the local push button 265 (Fig. 7') the switch arm 251' should be moved from the contact 253 to the contact 255. Thereafter, the operation of the controller will be along lines such as the following;

Assuming that the switch arm 251 is movedsto itscontact 255 while the timing member 107 is being moved,

by its actuating pawl, toward the position where its lug 153 effects closure of the- contacts 163, 165, if-the push button 265 is immediately operated to first close and then interrupt the current path therethrough, resultant energization and deenergization of the coil 29 will cause the shafts 21 and 75 to be rotated. one step. Such rotation of the shaft 75, acting through the disk 201%,. will 107 to be rotated clockwise by its spring 141 until its lug 153 encounters the lug 151 of the presettable mem-,, 7

ber 5 Such rotation of the shaft 75 will also rotate thedisk 201- so as to bring one of its notches 203. into the path of the projection 207 of its associatedarm 205; thereby to permit'the associated holdingpawl173 and actuating pawl 171 to move into engagement with the teeth. of the timing ratchet 10,7

Such rotation of the shaft 21. will also cause the in,- sulating disks Sl and 51 to move their strips .53" and 53*". away from their contacts 57, and thereby ex- .tinguish, the green lamps for the main street and the red lamps for'the cross street, and the. disks 51 and 51?? will no longer support their .contactstrips 53'. These strips will'therefore move to positioningswhich, will-cause lightlamps/forthe cross street.

" ,From the foregoing it should benoted that any counter} clockwise rotation which had been imparted to the ratchet Wheel 107 previous to the operation of the push button 265, will be immediately cancelled, and counter-clockwise accumulative movement of the ratchet wheel 107 will concurrently commence.

So long as the switch arm 251 connects with the contact 255, signal aspects will be changed. only after the push button 265 has been pressed and released.

Whenever the switch arm 251 is moved from its contact 255 to its contact 253, the regular cycle of controller operation will be resumed.

' a time when themain street green aspect had already b''enj,efizective;long enough for the timing member107a 7 to be moved to a'position such'that closure of its contacts 163, 165 would be effected incident to each repetitron of thefinal' step of the actuation of said timing member, the coil 29 would be energized incident to the next ensuing closure of said contacts; or, if it so happened that the switch was so moved during closure of these contacts, said coil 29 would be immediately energized, with resultant termination of the green aspect for the main street, and, thereafter, procedure with the operative cycle in accordance with the settings of the members 5.

Had such member 107 been moved counter-clockwise but a few teeth, at the time when the switch arm 251 was restored to its contact 253, the contact 163 would not'be moved into engagement with itscontact 165 until the lug 153 of said member 107 actuates the lever 155;

hence the main street green aspect would be continued for the'remainder of the time for which the member had been set. At the expiration of such time, the operationtof the controller would proceed as if the switch arm 251 had not been displaced from its contact 253.

f :RESPONSE TO IMPULSESIFROM DISTANT SOURCE Tratfic controllers having basic or foundational types of controlling units such as hereinbefore described may advantageously be equipped with special conductor arrangements and/or supplemental mechanism, whereby to render such controllers responsive to electrical impulses from distant sources. Such sources may consist of contacts ofipads responsive to vehicle movements in a cross street, push buttons or switches manually operable when it is desired to permit pedestrians to cross a street or to permit fire or police department vehicles to drive out of quarters or at times of dismissals of schools or evacuations of other places of public assembly, or contacts for effecting synchronizationof one or more local controllers with .a master controller.

4 Suspended cycle trnfiic actuation At intersections where trafiic movements from a cross street are likely to be infrequent, in many instances it is desirable to permit vehicles on a main street to continue moving until there is a call resultant from the approach of a vehicle in the cross street.

aspects,and forestablishment of cross street green and main street redaspectsfor the time expressed by the setting of amember such as 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 shows such a conductor'arrangement and utilization of a relay responsive to impulses from a distant source supplementing what is shown in Fig. 7; use being assumed of switching means and basic orfoundational units such as shown by Fig. 4.

As here shown, separate sets of contacts 163, 165 are provided for one and the other of presettable members respectively representative of green signal aspects for main and cross streets; such, for example, as 5 and 5 of Fig. 1. I.

A supplemental disk 51*, rotates with the shaft 21, and governs the positioning of a 53 t.

- The usual contacts 57 and 59 are associated with the contact strip 53 1 l The contour of the disk51 and its association with the other disks 51 is such that said strip 53 can interconnect its said contacts only when the positionings of the other disks are such as occur during presentation of a green signal aspect for the main street; hence, it a distant call arrangement similar to that shown by Fig. 9 is applied supplemental contact strip to a traffic controller having setting disks for the timing of green-amber aspects, the contour of the disk of such controller corresponding to disk 51 of Fig. 9 should be such that the strip 53 will be permitted to interconnect its contacts when the positionings of the other disks" are such as occur during presentationof green-amber signal aspects'for either main or cross streets, as well as during presentation of the red aspect for said cross street.

The conductor 229" connects the contacts with the upper terminal of the stepping coil 29. The contacts 57 and 59 which areassociated with the strip 53 are respectively connected through the conductors 273, 275 with the contact 165 and with upper end of the stepping coil 29.

A switch comprising the contact 267 and an arm 269 is ordinarily open, but may be closed, to provide a bypass around the contacts 57 and 59 which are associated .with the strip 53 ,in the event of non-use of the distant source of calls; as on account of disability or otherwise.

A magnet 281 is provided for response to calls from such a distant'source, and the armature lever 283, which is pivoted at 285 is associated for response to said magnet.

Near the free end of the lever 233, there is a lug 287 which acts in cooperation with the strap 289; which strap is attached to the contact strip 53 The cooperation between the lug 287 and the strap 289 is such that, when the lever 283 is in retracted position, the lug 287 will be disposed in the path of the free end of the strap 289, to thereby prevent positioning of the contact strip 53 for interconnecting its contacts 57 and 59.

Engagement of the contact strip 53 by the periphery of the disk 51 causes the strap 289 to be held out of the path of the lug 287'. Even when the cut-away portion of said disk has been brought into the pathof the free end of the strip 53 the lug 287 will prevent movement of the strap 289 such as would result in closure of an interconnection through strip 53 between its contacts 57, 59 until the lever 233has moved to attracted position, whereupon said strip' will move to closed circuit positioning, and thereby carry the strap 289 beneath the lug 287.

From the foregoing it will be evident that, so long as the lever 28 3 is in retracted position, the coil 29 will not be energized responsive to closures of the contacts 163, 165 However, energization of the magnet 281, as from an impulse formulated by traffic actuated contacts,

- a pedestrian push button, or a switch at a school house (or other place of public assembly) will cause the lug 287 to permitthe strap 289 to move to the position in which the strip 53 will interconnect its contacts 57, 59.

Thereupon, the next ensuing separation of the contatcs 163*, 165 will result in deenergization of the stepping coil 29. l

In this connection it should be noted that when any timing ratchet wheel v107 is moved to a position in which its associated lug 153 acts through the associatedlevers 155, 15.7 to effect closure between its contacts 163, 165, (see Fig. 4) the long notch 108 will be presented in the path of the free end of the associated holding pawl 173, so that said ratchet wheel will be permitted to rotate clockwise, responsive to its spring 141, incident to each downward stroke of its actuating pawl 171. Hence, each revolution of the eccentric will cause the associated actuating pawl 171 to rotate the ratchet wheel 107 counter-clockwise to a position effecting closure of the associated contacts 163, 165; and downward movement of said actuating pawl incident to further rotation of the eccentric 175 will permit the ratchet wheel 107 to rotate clockwise until the ratchet tooth 108 encounters the end of the associated holding pawl. Because of'this action, the associated contacts 163, 165 will be closed, during each revolution of the eccentric 175, while the pawls 171 and 173 are in engageable relationship with the eeth of said wheel, and while the long notch 108 is presented to the free end of the holding pawl 173.

i as those just enumerated may be omitted.

i Should energization of themagne't 281 occur at a time it when the ratchet wheel 107 is not positioned for closing the'contacts 163 165 but'nevertheless at a. time when the support of the disk 51 is withdrawn from the strip 53 said strip will nevertheless'move to circuit closing position so thatwhenever, thereafter, the contacts 163 165 are closed, the stepping coil 29 will be energized.

Such stepping coil energization will result in rotation of the shaft 21, thereby to effect withdrawal of the notch 203 of the disk 2.01 (associated with timing ratchet 107 from'its projection ZiYL-and thereby cause its arm 2% tO-Cff60t disengagement ofthe holding pawl 173 and the actuating pawl 171 from said ratchet wheel Whereupon', said ratchet wheel will be;rotatedfclockwise responsive tovits spring 141 until its lug 15'3reaches the lug 151 carriedby the diskS Y j Such rotation imparted to the shaft 21 will also cause terminationof the main street green-and cross street red aspects-and establishment of the cross street green and the main street red aspects. 'The .aspect'display thus I established will be'continued for the time represented by the setting of the disk 5 I I I Inasmuch as the functional relationship established between the lever 283, its lug 287 and the strap 239, to-

gether with the strip 53 its associated contacts-57, 59 and the insulating disk 51 assure responsegto calls 'received while the ratchet wheel 107. is being advanced incident to the measurement of the duration of and prior to the completion of the minimum main street Go aspect, 'it is evident that these parts provide whatrnay betermed a memory feature. f

If such a memory feature is not desired, parts such in such an event, the conductors 273, 275 may-be .associatedwith a distant source of impulses, either directly or. through-suitable relay. i I

Incidentally, it should be noted that a controller having 7 parts and conductor arrangement such as just -descrio'ed' will ignore calls received during any parts of the'Go aspect for'the cross street; and that the controller will not shorten the main street green aspect below the time expressed by setting of the member 5 representative thereof. :v

If desired, a so-called memory feature may be added to the equipment shown in Fig. 9, whereby a calloccurring' during the very last portion ofthe Go aspect for the cross street will have result such as that which occurs in response tocalls received during the. Stop aspect for the cross street. 1

It' should be further understood thatifanarrangement similar to that shown by Fig; -9 :is appliedI.to a trafiic controller having setting 'disks for the timing or greenamber aspects, in addition to the green aspects contemplated by controllers such as shown by Figs. l,.-4 and 6, all of the contacts 165 whichare responsive't'o controlling units otherthan that representative of the main street green, should be directly connected, as'through conductor 229, with the upper terminal of the stepping coil 29.

In operation, each cycle will proceed as in the absence of a'traflic call attachment untilthe contacts 163 165 are closed incident tocounter-clockwise rotation of the ratchet 107 Thereafter, initiation of another cycle of operation will be dependent upon positioning of'the lever aforesaid, will cause action which will resultinsuppl'ementing the main street green aspect with the main street green-amber aspect responsive to the next closure and break between the contacts 163 165*.

Then, after the elapse of the time expressed by the setting of the disk 5 representativethereof, the main street ber 5v which is representative thereof.

Following this, the main street green and the; cross street red aspects will be presented for not less than the time expressed by the setting of the member 5 following which,,the controller will again be conditioned for refsponse to an interconnection between conductors 27-3, ,275; such as results from energization of the magnet 281.

It will be noted that the ratchet wheel 25 is shown in "Fig;- 7 as having 16 teeth. Thisnumber is a multiple of the number of permissive aspects presented during-an operative cycle of the controller here shown. two such permissive aspects are there provided, for, 8

operative cycles will occur during each revolution of "the shafts 21 and 7 5. I

If there were 4 permissive aspects per operative cycle 5 (as in the case of a controller shown in Fig. 8), there would bebut 4 operative cycles per revolution of these shafts. i

If there were 8 permissive aspects per cycle, there would be but 2 cycles per revolution; and if there were 16 permissive aspects per cycle, there would be but one cycle per revolution of these shafts. I

The number of teeth in the ratchet wheel 25 may be varied, so as to provide for a different number or permiss ve aspects per cycle; or provision can be made whereby, upon suitable occasions, there will be onemore step of actuation of the ratchet wheel 25 than the number of permissive aspects presented during an operative cycle. ,Thus, in a controller having 5 permissive aspects per operative cyc1e, and a l6 tooth ratchet wheel 25,

during one of the operative cycles, such ratchet wheel would be stepped twice, at the termination of one of the permissive aspects.

For example, in the use of'a wheel 25 having 16 teeth, if there were 5 permissive aspects per operative cycle, during- 2 of the operative cycles the wheel 25 would be actuated once for each" permissive aspect in that cycle;

but, during 'a third operative cycle, the notch 203 in the disk 201, say for the mainstreet green aspect, would be of double width, and notches in the various disks 51 which are presented to their contacts 53 concurrently with the disknotch 203 associated with the main street green aspect, would also be double width. As aresult of this, whenthe lug 153v first engaged and then withdrew from the'arrn 155, thecontacts 163, '165 would be closed and then opened with resultant one step advancement of the shafts 21 and'75. However, such step of rotation would not cause any change in relationship of actuating and holding pawls nor of lamp governing contacts; Instead, the shafts 21 and 75 would rotate an extra step in every third operative cycle at the conclusion of the selected aspect.

It will be evident that, in all cases, insulating disks such as 51, should have one tooth for each of the opera tive cycles to be accomplished during one revolution of the shaft ;21. There are'8 such teeth 353, shown'in each of the disks v51 of Fig. 7, with intervening'cut-away'portions 355.

As was the case in the instances of controllers hereinbefore described, the teeth and spaces of each disk in .a given controller. are placed relatively to those'of others i so thatred aspects will be presented ineach traflic channel ,atall times other than when a.v green (orza greenamber) aspect is provided forthatchannel and, further, so that "a red aspect will be provided vfor each channel throughout all times when there is a green or a greenchannel: Y

Time extension sion, whereby the actuating and holding pawls of such unit may be withdrawn from the path of the teeth of their associated timing ratchet responsive to impulses from a' distant source, such as, from trafiic actuated contacts operable by movements of vehicles in a channel for which time extension should be provided.

When time extension is'thus provided, it would be objectionable, in most instances, if the time extension should continue indefinitely, either so long as a series of impulses continued from such trafiic actuated contacts, or in the event of a long continued closure such as might occur if a vehicle was parked where it would maintain such a closure. It is therefore desirable, in many instances, to provide means for establishing a maximum duration for such a permissive signal aspect.

In utilizing some of the more detailed features of this invention for providing aforesaid time extension and establishing maximum durations therefor, two controlling units should be associated with such permissivesignal aspect; the presettable member of one of which units'to be utilized for establishing what will be hereinafter at times referred to as a minimum and the other unit for a maximum aspect duration. Such units should be associated with the other controller parts in a manner such maximum control equipmentis shown in Fig. 10, in which the presettable disk the timing disk 107', the retaining pawl 173 and the actuating pawl 171 form parts of the minimum-time controlling unit; and corresponding parts indicated by reference charactershaving the sufiix ma form part of the maximum-time controlling unit.

It will be noted that the notches 203 in the disks 201 201 are so positioned that they will be concurrently eflective. 1

In association with the holding pawl 173", there is a lever 301, journaled on the shaft 195, and carrying a projection 303 which'is disposed in the path of, the lug 305 forming part of the retaining pawl 173 T he magnet 307 is associated with the lever 301 so that its energization will cause the projection 303 to act through end thereof. The various parts are so formed and related that, when the retaining pawl 173 has been swung away from the ratchet wheel 107 responsive to energization of the magnet 307, said latch will be moved by its spring to carry said surface 319 into the path of the pin 315, for preventing immediate movement of the retaining pawl 173 into the path of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 107 at the termination of the energization of the magnet 307.

Furthermore, the aforesaid forms and relationships should be such that when the pawl 173 is swung by the disk 201 away from its timing ratchet 107", the pin 315 will not be moved far enough to permit the surface 319 to be carried into its path. However, as already stated, energizations of the magnet 307 will swing the holding pawl 173 far enough to permit the surface 319 to move into the path of the pin 315. This arrangement is desirable in order to render it unnecessary for commencement of actuation of ratchet wheel 107 to await an ensuing up-stroke of the actuating pawl 171 following presentation of the notch 203 to the projection 207 In use, the presettable disk 51111 should be positioned to represent the minimum time for which it is desired that a permissive aspect shall be presented, and the disk 5 should beset for the desired maximum duration of any such aspect. r

In operation, when the insulating disk 51 which governs the Go signal for the traffic channel for which time extension is to be provided (say the disk 51 of Fig. 7), permits contact strip 53 to move to closed circuit positioning, notches 203 203? will be positioned for receiving projections 207 207 associated with both the holding pawls 173 and 173 Hence, the ratchet wheels 107 107 will thereafter be progressively moved toward positionings in which their associated lugs 153 will act upon their switch controlling arms 155.

In the absence of energizations of the magnet 307, the

ratchet wheel 107 will close its contacts 163*, 165m at the expiration of the time represented by the setting of the member 5 Such contact closure will result in rotation of the shaft 75, to thereby eifect withdrawal of the notches 203 203 from the paths of their projections 207 207 associated with holding pawls 173 173 I If, however, the magnet 307 is energized during any such advancement of the timing ratchet 107*, the retaining pawl 173 will be moved away from its assofciated timing ratchet 107 and the latch 311 will carry its surface 319 into the path of the pin 315, andthereby temporarily retain said pawl in disengaged positioning. If, at the time of such disengaging movement of the pawl 173 P ,the actuating pawl 171 is at or "lnearits lower position, said pawl 171 will also be then withdrawn from the path of the teeth of the timing ratchet 107 If, however, the actuating pawl 171 is not at or near its lowest position when the retaining pawl 173 is so swung outwardly, when said pawl 17.1 next approaches the lower end of its stroke, the hook 185 will thereafter ride over the end of the hook 187, and thus cause disengagement of its tooth 183 from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 107. In either event, the ratchet wheel 107 will be permitted torotate clockwise untiliits lug 153 encounters the lug 151 carried by ;the presettable disk 5 After the hook- 185 has passed below the hook187', as just described, during the next upward, stroke of the actuating pawl 171", its hook 185 will maintain engage; ment with the hook 187, thus causing the bar 189 to move upwardly, thereby to withdraw the pin 315 from engagement with the surface 319 and so to permit theretaining pawl 173 to be swung toward its ratchet disk by 7 its spring197 I V- The stop 321 will limit the movementof thelatch311', in response to its spring317, so as to facilitate'wi'th drawal of the pin315 from the path ofthe surface31'9, during upward movement of the bar 189.

It will be noted that the latch 311*willserve toke'e'p "where its lug 153 can act'through ' close itscontacts 163, 165.

13 the retainingpawl 1.73 out of the path of the teeth of the ratchet 107 throughoutsuch engagement between 'the' hooks 185 and 187, until release of the ratchet disk 107 has been effected, whereby to provide opportunity 1 for thisdisk to move clockwise without interference from the retaining pawl 173 or from the actuatingtooth 183 ofthe pawl 171", until such vclockwiserotation' of said disk is otherwise arrested.

From the foregoing itwill be evident that, insofar as the timing ratchet 107? is concerned, the extendable energizations. of the magnet 307,, thereby "to prevent the timing ratcl'1et'107 from being advanced to a position 'be progressively moved toward positioning at whichit will effect closure of its contacts 163, 165; so that, at the expiration of the time for which the member 5 has 'beenset, the'contacts 1163, 165'-responsive to the timing ratchet 107 will beclosed, with resultant rotation of the shafts 21 and 75; thereby to cause-both termination of the extendable signaling aspect and initiation of theensuing aspect,"as wellas displacement'of the pawls 173 173 171 and 171 P%,-and consequently permit the timing ratchets 107 and 107 tolbe rotated clockwise to their starting'positionsby their springs 141.

An arrangement of presettable disks in association with a front plate is shown in Fig. 2, in which the disk 5- is representative of the duration of the main street green aspect, the disk 5 is representative of the green- .amber aspect for the main street, thedisk 5 is representative of the minimum duration forthe green aspect for the cross street," the disk 5 is representative of the maximum duration for the green aspect for the cross street, and the disk 5 is representative of the duration of the cross street green-amber aspect. p

, Added aspect" H1 Service conditions are, in some instances; such that it is desirable to provide facilities for adding asignal aspect to a usual operative cycle in responsev to impulses from distant sources. Examples of such service conditions are found where it is desirable to provide a so-called' pedestrian. aspect only in response to a manually operable push button,-as wellas at intersections where there is a cross street; for which permissive aspects'should be included in every operative cycle and another cross street for which the usual operative cycle should be supplemented by a permissive aspect only ii -response to closure of traffic pad contacts in such other cross street.

For convenience,. such cross streets will, at times, be hereinafter referred to as major and ,minor respectively; and, for like reasons, aspects to bepresented only in response to calls will be referred to as call aspects.

entation of call. responsive permissive signaling aspects its arms 155, 157 to' signaling aspect will be'continued indefinitely, so long as'itheholding pawl173 is withdrawn responsive to Controllers having switching means and basic or foun- 14 which are supplemental to thosejsignaling aspects which should be presented in the absence of any such calls.

Figs. 11 and 12 show a preferred formof such supplemental mechanism and of suitable revisions of the switching means, as well as a desirable rearrangement of current paths governed thereby.

A presettable unit is :shown in Fig. 11- for governing the duration of a green call aspect. Reference characters hereinafter used for denoting parts of this unit, and, at times, the unit itself, include the suffix The unit Xg includes aforesaid supplemental mechanism, together with parts which are substantially the same as those shown in the basic controlling unit of Fig. 4, and hereinbefore more fully described.

Such supplemental call responsive mechanism com-- which is carried by the timing ratchet 107 forcooperaw tion with the free end of said arm 331. Said pin is so situated that, when said timing ratchet 107 has been rotated to a position such that the free end of the arm 331 may swing into the path of this pin, the associated lug 153 will be situated in close proximity to the arm 155, in order that the next step of counter-clockwise rotation of s idfratchet 107' will cause this lug to effect closure of contacts 163, 165.

- A portion of said M331 is disposed in the path of the projection 303, so that the free end of said arm will ..be swung out of the path of said pin 333 responsive to energizations of the magnet 307. I

A comparison of the structure shown by Fig. 10 with that shown by Fig. 11 and thus far described, clearly indicates that the time extension feature of Fig. 10 may be very readily associated for supplementing the added aspect feature of Figs. 11 and 12. Howeven -if such time extension feature is not here utilized, the relative arrangement of the projection 303 and the lug 305, of Fig. 10 should not here be such that energization of the magnet 307 will cause the pawl 173 to be displaced from holding position; and the latch 311 of Fig. 10 should be dispensed with in such a case. I

Again referring to Fig. 11, a spring 337 urges the arm 331 to-swing its free end into the path of the pin 333, and a stop, 309 limits'such movement of the lever 301 away from the magnet 307 as might result from the urge of the spring 337 acting through the lever 301 and the projection 303.

As will be hereinafter more fullyexplained, should U means comprising a lever 341, journaled on the shaft 343 and having an end .345 thereof disposed in the path of the movement of the pin 333 incident to counter-clockwise rotation of theratchet wheel 107 A spring 347 urges said. lever to swing said end 345 toward saidpin 333. The latch 361 is also journaled on the shaft 343-, and its free end 363 extends adjacent-a pin 365 which is carried by the arm 331.

A spring 367 urges said latch to swing its said end 363 toward said pin 365, and a notch 369 is formed in said latch end and is positioned for receiving said pin only when said arm 331 has been swung to predetermined extent out of the path of the pin 333.

- A stud 371 is carried by the lever 341 and is positioned' adjacent to the latch 36 1. The relative positionin'gs-of the parts just described'is such that when clockwise rotation of the ratchet 107 has carried the pin 333 below the end of the arm 331, the spring 347 will act through the lever 341 and the stud 371 to cause the latch 361 to withdraw its notch 369 from the path of said pin 365; thereby to permit the arm 331 to swing, responsive to its spring 337, toward the pin 333.

If, for reasons which will be hereinafter more fully explained, service conditions are such that it is undesirable for the supplemental mechanism to respond to calls occurring during presentation of a green call aspect, intervening mechanism should be provided for suspending the'res'ponsiveness of the call responsive mechanism at such times; A preferred form of such intervening mechanism is'shown in Figs. 11 and 12, in which the contacts 293 are so associated with the arm 283 that these contacts will be separated when said arm is positioned for permitting the strips 53 53 to assume closed circuit positionings. Said contacts 293 are serially included in the energizing current path for themag'net "-307; which path extends from conductor 221 through conductors 233 and 561 to one of the contacts of relay R, from the other contact of said relay, through conductor 503 to one terminal of magnet 307, from other terminal of magnet 307 through conductor 505 to upper one of the contacts 293, and from the other one of said contacts 293 through conductor 507 to conductor 223.

If a controlling unit is provided for governing the duration of a green-amber call aspect, selectively acting mechanism should be provided whereby such unit will be rendered functionally active only following presentation of a green call aspect. i

- A preferred'form of such selectively acting mechanism which is'show'n in Fig. 12 will be most readily understood by reference tothe larger scale view of Fig. 13, in which certain of the parts of the controlling unit representative of such a green-amber call aspect are given reference numbers having the suilix Referring therefore more particularly to Fig. 13, the arm 331 is journaled on the shaft '195; and the free end of this arm is in cooperation with the pin 333 which is carried by the "ratchet wheel 107 The upper end of the bar 389 is pivotally connected to the lever 341 at 391, and the lower end of said bar has formed therein a slot 393 lengthwise of which the pin 395 may freely move. The pin 395 is carried by the extension 397 of the arm 331'. i

The upper end of the slot 393 is so positioned that the arm 331 will be moved out of the path of the pin 333 incident to movement of the lever 341, responsive to its spring 347, when a clockwise rotational step of the timing ratchet 107 causes the pin 333 to be carried away from the end 345 of said lever 341.

The length of the slot 393 is such that the pin 395 will not act against the lower end of said slot resultant from movement imparted to the lever 341 by the pin 333 incident to maximum intended counter-clockwis rotation of the timing ratchet 107 In addition to provision of mechanism such as thus far de'scribed which is supplemental to basic controlling units, the switching means and conductors governed thereby should include parts and rearrangements difiering from and supplemental to those shown by Figs. 1, 4, 6 and 7, as follows:

, As diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 11, the strips 53 and 533 respectively govern current paths for green and amber components of permissive aspects for the minor cross street, and the contact strips 53 and 53 cooptact strips 53 53 or, alternatively, said contact strip '53, responsive to cut-away portions of their respectively associated disks, which facilities are governed by positionings of the timing ratchet 107; to the endth'at during placements of said ratchet which effect positionings of its pin 333 such that the arm 331 cannot obstnictclockwise rotation'of said ratchet, said strips 53 and 53? will be free to move to closed circuit positionings upon presentation thereto of the cut- awayportions 355, 355 of their disk-s 51 ,"51 and the contact 53 will then be retained in open circuit positioning; and so that when the positioning of saidpin is such that the -free'e'n'dof said arm 331 may obstruct clockwise rotation ofsaid ratchet, the strips 513 553 will be held against movement to closed circuit positionings, and the strip 53 will then be permitted to assume such positioning upon presentation thereto of the cut-away portion 355' of the disk 51*.

Such facilities will be hereinafter at times referred to A as alternative contact governing mechanism.

Preferred structure for accomplishing the results just described as shown in Fig. 11 and'diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 12, includes the straps 289 and 289*, which are respectively associated with the contacts 53 and 53, in a manner corresponding to that of the strap 289 of Fig. 9. -Ihese straps cooperate with-the lug 287 in a manner corresponding to: the cooperation of similar parts shown in Fig. 9. The arm 283 is pivoted at 285 and carries the lug 287 nearthe free end thereof. Said arm is connected'through the -link 381 with an endof the lever 341 hereinbefore more fully described.

It is important that a' yielding element shall beprovided wherebythe end 345 of said lever may be moved. by the pin 333 at times when said arm 283* is not free to.

respond to such lever movements. For this reason, a slot 383 is formed in the lower end of the link 381, and the pin 385 which is carried by'the arm 283 projects through and is freely movable lengthwise. of this slot. A spring 387 is applied between said pin 385 and said link 381 in a manner such that counter-clockwise rotation of the timing disk 107 may act through the pin 333, the lever 341, said link 381 andsaid spring to urge the arm 283? to position its lug 287 in the path of the straps 289 289 and out of the path of the horizontal portion 291 of the strap 289*. Because of this relationship, displacements of the lever '341, by the pin 333 may merely tension the spring 387 when occurring upon occasions when, and/or to extents such that, the straps 289*, 289 prevent corresponding displacement of the arm 283 The length of said slot 383 is such that when counterclockwise rotation of the timing ratchet 107 moves the pin 333 to an intended extent away from the end of the arm 331, the arm 233 need not be correspondingly displaced. 7

As best shown in Fig. 14, the relationship between the strap 2.89 and the lug 287 is'such that when the arm 283 is in its lower position, thetransverse portion 291 of "said strap may pass above said lug to permit movement of the strip 53 to closed circuit positioning. Said relationship is further such that when said arm 283 is positioned to permit the straps 289*, 289 to move to closed circuit positionings of their associated stripsf53 l, 53, said lug 287 will obstruct movement of said strap 289 suchasvwould permit the strip 53 to move to closed circuit positioning.

It should be here noted that the lever 341, which is shown in Figs. 11 and 12 in association with the ratchet 107 is again shown in Fig. 13, as well as in Fig. 12, in association with the ratchet 107 Although this lever is thus twice shown, there actually is but one lever 341 (whichlever is pivotedat 343), although this lever is shown in front of the ratchet V107 in Figs. 11 and 12 and it is shown behind the ratchet 107 in Figs. 12 and 13. In other words (as best shown in Fig. 14), the lug 287 extends substantially perpendicular to the arm 283 7 17 t, andis so positioned that it may be disposed'in the paths of the straps 289 and 289 or of 289. V "Ihe arrangement of other parts here shown is such as will provide for the presentation of the permissive call M aspect immediately following termination of, the main street amber aspect." Needful rearrangement of' parts tacts, as of traffic 'padsrin' a minor street, or of pedestrian operable push buttons. a a a The current path provided for energization of the magnet 307, which extends from one to theother of the current supply conductors 221,223, serially includes the ordinarih open contacts of the relay R, the winding of the magnet 307, and the contacts .293 which are asrelay R occur while said arm 283 is holding closed said contacts 293.

OPERATION, FIG 12 Operative stage shown :The proportioning and relation-ships of parts vshown in =Fig 12 are suchlas would-be provided for operative 7 cycles each havingld permissive aspects (e.g.,i main street green, main streetgreen-amber, minor street green, minor street green-amber, major street green, and major street green-amber); and provision is made for two operative cycles during each revolution of the shafts 21, 75.

Hence, the ratchet wheel 25' moves in steps of one twelfth .of a revolution, and each disk 201 is shown as having two diametrically opposite notches such as 203, and

they would have attained upon an occasionwhen :there,

had been no energization of the-magnet 307., during a'half q I 18 such aswould have'carried their-lugs 15.3 more than a mere clearance from their contact governing arms 155. a As operation thereafterproceeds, the next; up-stroke of the'associated actuating pawl 171. will rotate the tim- "in g ratchet 107 to a position in which its lug 153 will effect closure of the contacts 163, 165, with resultant energization of the coil 29. During the ensuing downstroke of said pawl, said ratchet will be permitted to sociated with the arm 283 so that said magnet will be energized only when closures of the contacts of said revolution ofsaid shafts 21, 75- immediatelypreceding astep of such rotation which caused the disk201 to present its notch 203 to the associated projection 207;

such step of rotation-having occurred responsive to de-' energization of the coil 29.

-. This deenergization occurred after the timing ratchet 107 was moved by the up-stroke of its actuating pawl 171 to a position effectingclosure of the associated contacts 163, 165; and, thereafter, when .sa'idratchet has permitted separation of said contacts incident to the ensuing downstroke of said pawl.

The stepof rotation just described, effected position- I ings of the insulating disks 51, of the notched disks 201, and of the lugs 151, 153, as shown in Fig. 12.; the relay R and the magnet 307 beingdeenergized, and'it'he' contacts 293 closed. Because therrelay R remained deenergized throughout the operative cycle which terminated when the parts attained the positionings here shown, the

arms 331, 331 have remained in the paths of their pins 333, 333', for" reasons hereinbefore more fullyexplained.

. .No call cycles Assuming that no calls were received during acomplete operative cycle which started when parts were conditioned as shown in Fig. 12, the arms 331, 331' will have remained in the paths of their associated pins 333, 333;

thereby having prevented clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheels 1077 and 1'07 responsive to their springs 141,

At'fhe conclusion of the aforesaid down-stroke thereof,

said actuatingpawl will cause its hook 185 to ride over and reengage the hook .187 of the holding pawl 1 73 and,

incidentally, will releasesaid timing ratchet forclockwise rotation responsive to its spring 141.

'Incident to the step of rotation of the shafts 21, 75 just referred to, the disk 201 will be positioned to 'pre sent its .notch 203 to its projection 207, thereby to permit its associated holding pawl 173 to move into engagement with" the teeth of itstirning ratchet 107 Ensuing rotation of'the eccentric'175 will thereafter cause said timing ratchet 107 8 to effect another closure and opening of contacts 163, 165, with resultantenergization and deenergization of the coil 29; thereby to effect another step of rotation of the shafts 21, 75, in a manner and with, results correspondingto those more fully just described in connection with the timing ratchet 107.

The step of rotation'of the shafts 21, 75 thus effected, will cause said last named holding pawl 173 to be moved away from said ratchet, and the notch 203 in'the disk 201 of the associated controlling unit'will be rendered effective. a a 1 The major cross street-green aspectwill thereupon be presented, and the operative cycle will thereafter proceed as if'there had been no provision for displaying permissive call aspects.

During actuations of thetiming ratchets 107 107*,

as just described, the pin 333 willhave acted through the lever 341 to cause the arm 283 to maintain its lug 287 of the strap 289 the contact strip '53 is permitted.

(by the cut-awayportion 355' of the disk 51*) to move to closed circuit position, thereby to provide a current path for' rnaintaining the red .call aspect during that portion of-the revolution of the shaft 21when the raised portion of the disk 51 positions the. strip 53 to open the current path therethrough.

' Response to calls .In the-use of a controller having-parts as shown in Fig. 12, calls are characterized by closures of the contacts of its relay R;

.flhrbugho'ut presentation of a green aspect for minor or cross street, the arm 283 of such a controller will be so positioned'that its contacts 293 will be open.-

Hence, closures of said relay contacts then occurring will. not result either in energization of. the magnet 307. nor in presentation, upon a later occasion, of an additional green call aspect.

It should here be noted that functional responses'to calls occurring during presentations of the green call asthe advancement of the timing ratchet pect would prove objection able in instances whenthere were no vehiclesawaiting opportunity to emerge from the minor cross street upon the occurrence of another green call aspect during the next operative-cycle.

Closures of said relay contacts, which occur upon. other occasions inclusive of during green-amber aspect for the minor or cross street), will result in displacement of the arm 331 from the path-of its pin 333.

.During, an operative cycle in which there were no previous calls, if a call occurs while the pawls 171, 173

As the parts will thereupon be positioned, the pin 333 I will have been moved by clockwise rotation of the timing ratchet 107 from support of the end 345 of the lever 341, and, as a consequence, the 311111331 will have been --withdrawn from the path of the pin 333,:andthe ratchet 107 will have rotated until its lug153-has encountered the associated lug 151.

Following the operative steps just described, various are in engaging relationship with the teeth of their timof such displacement ofthe arm 331. Nevertheless, said f arm will, be then retained in disengaging positioning by the latch 361. Suchretention ofsaid arm 331 thereafter jwill continue, not only until the associated disk 201 has acted to swing said retaining pawl 173 out of the path of the teeth of said ratchet, but will further continue,

both until the associated hook 185 rides over the hook 187 carried by said retaining pawl 173, and until the bar 189 is moved thereafter (incident to the ensuing upstroke of the associated pawl 171) so as to withdraw the pin 365 from engagement with said latch 361.

It will be evident that, before such withdrawal of said 1 pin, the timing ratchet 107* will have been permitted to rotate responsive to its spring 141 until its lug 153 encounters the lug 151 carried by the associated presettable disk 5.

"Such clockwise rotation of said timing ratchet 107 withdraws the support of the pin 333 from the end 345 i ofthe, lever 341; whereupon said lever will be swung I path of its pin 333' will notimmediately result in the associated timing ratchet 107* being rotated clockwise to a significant extent, as the teeth of said ratchet then will be subject to engagement by its pawls 173, 171.

'" Because of such engagement by said pawls during the next revolution of the eccentric 175, the ratchet 107* i will act then to cause closure and separation of contacts 1163,.165.

This will result in another step of rotation of the shafts 21, 75, and consequent presentation of the green aspect for the major cross street and starting of 107 which governs the duration of that aspect. 1

I At the time when the support of the pin 333 was with- Howlug would remain in the paths of said straps 289*, 289 untll the cut-away portions 355',355 have thereafter been .withdrawn incident to the last named rotative step of the "shaft 21.

Withdrawal of said cut-away portions at this time, as

, sured that the green-amber call aspect would not be even I momentarily displayed.-

The aforesaid last named step of rotation of the shafts :21, 75 caused the disk 51 to act through its raised portion to effect positioning ofthe transverse portion 291 .of the strap 289* out of the path of said lug 287*; whereupon said arm 283 was moved by the spring 387 so as to position said lugin the path of said transverse portion and out of the paths of said straps 2 89 289 aspects of the usual cycle will be presented in the intended order and for the durations represented by the settings of their respectively associated disks 5; whereuponthe shafts 21, 75 will havebeen rotated to positionings which result in presentation of the notch 203, of the disk 201 to its projection 207, and the cut-away portions 355 of the disks 51 and 51 'will be presented to their contactstrips 53 53 the contact strip-53 will move to closed circuitposition, to effect presentation of the green call aspect, and the raised portion of the disk 51 ratchet 107 is subjec'tto actuation during said green 7 amber aspect and, at the expiration of the tune represented will move the strip 53 to open circuit position, thereby to terminate the red call aspect. v

At such time, the contact strip 53*". will be prevented from moving to closed circuit position because, as already explained, the lug 287 will be disposed in the path of the transverse portion 291 of the strap 289, and the teeth or" the timing ratchet 107 will be engaged by its pawls 171, 173 for effecting counter-clockwise rotation thereof, in a manner hereinbeforemore fully explained. When such counter-clockwise rotationof said tim'ing ratchet 107 has carried its pin 333 abfove the endof the arm 331, said arm will be moved into the clockwise path of said pin by its spring 337 (Fig. 11). Thereafter, continued counter-clockwise rotation of said ratchet will cause its lug 153 to effect closure and opening of contacts 163, 165, with resultant additional step of rotation ofthe shafts 21, 75. I I Such additional step of rotation'will-result in with- .drawal of the notch 203 of the disk 201*. from the path of its associated projection 207, thereby to effect movement of the associated pawls 171, 173 away from the teeth of the ratchet 107". However, inasmuch as the arm 331 will then be in the path of the pin 333, said ratchet will only be permitted to rotate clockwise to an extent which will carry its lug 153 to a position which will result in separation of contacts 163, 165.

It will be noted that when the counter-clockwise rotation of the ratchet 107 g carried the pin 333 to a position permitting the arm 331 to move into'the path thereof, said pin also acted through the lever 341 to move the link 381 downwardly;- although, at that time, the arm 283 was prevented from responding to such movement because the strap 289 was then in the path of the lug 287 Correspondingly, during the further counter-clockwise rotation of said ratchet incident to the action of the lug 153 in effecting closure of contacts 163, 165, said pin 333 further displaced the lever 341 and the link 381. The movements so imparted to said lever and to said link were not impeded by the non-response of the arm 283 because of the length of the slot 383 in said link, but such link movement merely served to further extend the spring 387.

The step of rotation imparted to the shaft 21 resultant from the counter-clockwise rotation of the ratchet 107, as just referred to,resulted in presentation of the cutaway portion 355 of the disk-v.51 .to the strip 53*, while continuing to present the cut-away portion 355. of the disk 51 to the strip 53 thereby to etfect presentation of the green-amber call aspect.

For reasons hereinbefore more fully explained, the

by the setting of the associated disk S another step of rotation was imparted to the shafts 21, 75, thereby to 'withdraw the cut-away portions 355, 355 of the disks 51 51 from theirassociated' strips 53 53 for effecting termination of presentation of the green-amber call aspect. Said last-named rotative step also'caused withdrawal 'of' the raised portion of the strip, 53, thereby to reestablish the red call aspect.

. SYNCHRON IZINGY FROM MASTER CONTROLLER disk 51* from the Where operating Conditions are such that synchronization of one or more so-called secondary controllers with a master controller is desirable, switching means and basic or foundational controlling units such as'hereinbefore more ,fully described may be utilized in such secondary "distant sources.

Formulating of synchronizing impulses may be readily accomplished by equipping a master controller with contacts subject to actuation at one or more suitable stages ofthe operative cycle of its switching means, For such secondary controllers,'suitable supplemental features may be'added to the structure which would be otherwise provided, whereby the over-all cycle time will be subject to variations responsive to impulses from a master source. Such variations may be accomplished by increaslng the duration of a preselected one or more of the permissive "signaling aspects governed thereby,in order to minimize deviations from intended times of occurrence of such aspects.

controller may be usedwhich is constructed in accordance with aspects of, thisinvention which provide for suspended cycle operation as hereinbefore more fully described andas shown in Fig. 9; making such controller responsive to synchronizing impulses from a suitable source, such as a master controller.

4 However, in the use of any such controller arrangement, objectionable results will be experienced in the event of suspension of operation of the source of synchronizing impulses, or of disablernent of the current path therefrom. In any such event, a controller merely having facilities such as shown by Fig. 9' will continuously cause presentation of the signaling aspect which is subject to revision from) synchronizing impuses, until'such disablement is repaired, unless a cut-off switch in the secondary controller is sooner manually operated. It is therefore desirable to provide facilities at secondary controllers whereby operation will be automatically continued, notwithstanding disablement'of or isolation from the source of synchronizing impulses. A preferred manner of providing such facilities involves use of ja supplemental controlling unit which may be preset to cause utilized for the the source. of .synchronizing impulses (and which is incontinuance of operation of its controller in the absence of timely synchronizing impulses. j j r Fig. 15 shows the relationships of the significant per tions of a secondary controller having such a supplemental controlling unitfin association with a source of synchronizing impulses, which source comprises an insulating disk 51 and an associated contact strip 53 together with a current path between said strip and a v relay R which relay is connected for response to synchronizing impulses from said source. I

Said relay controls a current path between the ste mum timing for .a one of the signahaspects which it is desired'to render subject to extension when needed for attaining synchronization.

It will be noted that the arrangement of the controllingthe contacts 163 165 '22 units and conductors here shown resembles, in many respects, that shown inFig. 9; differing therefrom principally in that interconnection between the conductors 273, 275 is here governed by the relay R instead-of beinggoverned (as was the case in Fig. 9 bythe contact strip 53 which was there indirectly governed by the magnet 281. v a

A timing 'ratchet l07 and an associated disk 5misl are hereshown'as representative of a controlling unit which is pres ettable for establishing a minimum duration for the signaling aspect which is subject to f-s'ynchronization; and the timing ratchet 107 and an as sociated disk S 'are representative ofa controlling unit which is presettablefor establishing a maximum duration for such signaling aspect;

As in the instance of Figl'9, a switch 267, 269 is provided for interconnecting the conductors 273, 275 in the event of the non-use or disablement of a synchronizing connection.

In use of the synchronizing arrangement or Fig. 15, provision should be made for formulation of synchronizing impulses at a frequency corresponding to the duration of the desired over-all cycle of "the secondary controller or controllers. v "In use: the disks 5 of the'various controlling units of such a secondary controller, exclusive of the disk 5 should beso set that the over-all time of an operative cycle comprising all'jof the component aspect durations expressed by-such settings will be appreciably less than that desired (and, hence, less than the over-all cycle timing established by thefso'urce of synchronizing impulses); and the secondary controller disk 5 should be so set'that the time represented by its setting, when added to the sum of the times represented by the settings of all other controlling units (exclusive of that of the disk 5") will appreciably exceed that which is intended .to be established by the synchronizing impulses.

For example, if the over-all cycle time established by tended for "the secondary controller) is 60 seconds, the settings of the various disks 5 of the secondary controller, inclusive of the disk 5 but exclusive of the disk 5 2 may be 50 seconds; and the setting of the disk 5 should be such that, in the event that closure and separation of the contacts lfi3 failsto result in energization and deenergization of. the coil 29, the actuation of ratchet 107 will neverthelessfresult in energization of said coilZQ after 70 seconds. I

vAs a result of such settings,,lthe timing ratchet 107 will cause its contacts 163 165 to attempt to close and break the current path through the coil; 29 during each of such revolutions of the 'eccentric175 as occur after the elapse of 50 seconds from the commencement of an operative cycle. If the secondary controller is in synchronism with the source of synchronizing impulses, the relay R will be energized by synchronizing impulses from the distant source when the contacts 163 165 are'closed immediately following the expiration of 60 seconds from'the'commencement of the current operative cycle. The stepping coil 29 will then be energized and deenergized, with resultant termination of the "*thenefiective signaling. aspect.

It should be noted that the disk 51 of the source of synchronizing impulses should be of contour such that the strip 53 will be permitted to remain in closed circuit positioning,- for efiecting energization of the relay R for a time longer than that required for one revolution of the eccentric but best results will be obtained by g providing synchronizing impulses the duration of which approximates the time which elapses, when there are no synchronizing impulses, between the'first closure of s and closure of "the contacts 163 165 7 a 7 From the foregoing it will be evident that, any energ'ization ofthe relay R which is effective'during a end.

;disks may be viewed. openings has a glass piece 401 snugly fitted therein, for exclusion of moisture and dust.

417, extending rearwardly from the panel 1'.

'tions between the forward portions of the plungers 411 limiting forward plunger movement.

I closure of the contacts 163 165 will result in energization followed by deenergization of the coil 29; whereupon the then-effective signaling aspect will immediately If the secondary controller is operating 20 seconds or more out of step with the source of synchronizing impulses, closures of the contacts 163 165 will not occur during such energizations. However, inv that event,

the secondary controller will have 70 second operative cycles. In other words, closures of said contacts 163 165 will commence 70 seconds later in each cycle; and,- as a result, after not to exceed six such operative cycles, one or more closures of said contacts 163 165 will occur during an energization of the relay R whereupon the secondary controller will be brought into synchronism with the source of synchronizing impulses.

It will be understood that an extensive lack of synchronization may result from causes such as temporary disablement or suspension of operationof a secondary controller, intervention of an added aspect resultant from use of features such as shown by Fig. 12, intervent1on of a time extension feature as contemplated by Fig. '10,

temporary disablement of the current path between the source of synchronizing impulses and the secondary con- 'troller,ior temporary interiuption of current supplyto either the master or the secondary controller.

STEPPI NGIMECHANI SQM 'FOR PRESETIING In constructing embodiments of this invention in which the presettable members of the various units are located I entirely behind the front panel (as, for example, the arrangement shown in Fig. 3), extraneously operable facilities may readily be provided whereby presetting may be accomplished Without exposing the mechanism either to "unfavorable weather conditions or to handling by persons not qualified for having free access thereto.

A preferred form of such facilities utilizes some of the more detailed features of this invention in association with basic presettable units in a manner' such that settings may be altered by manual actuations of push buttons, or by electrical impulses.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 16 and 17; presettable disks such as 5 are situated behind the front panel 1', which panel has openings 3, through which indicia carried by the peripheries of respective presettable (See also Fig. 3.) Each of said Fig. l6.shows parts which are supplemental to or differ ,from those of a basic controlling unit, such as that shown fin Fig. 4; such supplemental and differing parts includdisk 5', and has teeth so formed that they may be utilized I either for imparting rotation to said disk in one direction or the other, or for cooperating with the latch 121 for.

retaining said disk inset positionings.

Each of the plungers 411 is mounted in supporting structure comprising a foot 413 and a brace 415 having openings through which the associated plunger may free- 1y slide.

Each of said plungers includes an enlarged portion The juncand the rear portions 417 provide shoulders 419 for Said plungers and the openings therefor in said supporting structures 413, 415, are of rectangular form, so that said plungers are held against rotation.

litxtensionsprings 42 1 are applied for urging forward fully explained.

'movement of said plungers 411, and the buttons 423 are secured to the forward ends of said plungers for facilitating manual rearward actuation thereof. (See also Fig. 3.)

Pawls 431 are attached to respective plungers 411 by t the pivotal pins 433. Each of said pawls has a tooth '435 for effecting actuating engagement with teeth of the associated ratchet 403, and a spring 437 urging pawl movement toward its ratchet.

Guides 439 cause respectively associated pawls 431 to be held clear of the teeth of their ratchets during forward positioning of their plungers.

The leading pawl ends 441, and the portions of the sur- 1 faces 443 of the braces 415 which are in the paths of rearward movement of said ends, are so formed and arranged as to effect an accurate limitation of the extent of rotation which can be imparted to the associated ratchet responsive to rearward movement of its associated plunger 411; said formations and arrangements resembling those of the pawl 27 and the spring 45 shown in Fig. 4, and hereinbefore more fully described." a Various types of mechanism may be provided for utilizing electrical impulses for effecting operation of ratchet stepping plungers, such as 411. That illustrativelyshown in Fig. 16 comprises levers 451, each of which-levers is journaled. on a respective one of the shafts 453, and has an end thereof connected through its link 455 with the pin 433, for actuation of the associated plunger 411.

vElectromagnet structures schematically indicated at 457 are connected to .the other ends of said levers 451,

for acting responsive to energizations thereof toeffect functional rearward actuation of associated ratchets.

Inasmuch as various well-known forms of electromagnet structure may be utilized for effecting actuation of said plungers, such structure is only schematically indicated in the drawing, and will not be herein described in further detail.

The locating latch 121, is journaled on the shaft 127',

and a spring 129' urges said latch to carry its tooth 123 I into the path of the teeth of the ratchet 403.

OPERATION, FIGS. 3, 16 AND 17 In the use of a controller having presettable disks 5' situated entirely behind the front panel (as contemplated by Fig. 3) and having controlling units such as shown by Figs. 16 and 17, when it is desired to revise the setting of any of these disks, the appropriate one of the plungers 411 associated with that disk should be moved rearwardly until its movement is interrupted, as hereinbefore more For example, referring to Figs. 3 and 16, if it is desired to lengthen the duration of the main street green aspect, the plunger 411 which is situated above the window 3 representative of that aspect should be moved rearwardly once for every two seconds of desired lengthening. Thus, if such plunger is moved rearwardly five times, the main street green aspect duration will be increased from 30 seconds to 40 seconds.

If it is desired to shorten the duration of this aspect the plunger 411 below that window 3 should be correspondingly actuated. Thus, if it. is desired to shorten this aspect to 24 seconds, the plunger 411 below that window 3 should be moved rearwardly three times.

Such rearward plunger movements may be accomplished either by pressing against the appropriate one of the buttons 423 or by energizations of suitable ones of the electromagnet structures 457.

Incident to each such rearward plunger movement, the tooth 435 of the associated pawl 431 will ride over the end of its guide 439 and, responsive to its spring 437,

will enter thespace between adjacent teeth and impart

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