US2957059A

US2957059A - Parking antenna

Info

Publication number: US2957059A
Application number: US759903A
Authority: US
Inventors: William G Meredith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-09-09
Filing date: 1958-09-09
Publication date: 1960-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 1977-10-18

Description

Oct. 18, 1960 w. a. MEREDITH PARKING ANTENNA 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 9. 1958 INVENTOR.

WILLMM G. MEREDITH Oct. 18, 1960 Filed Sept. 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /34 IO 36 J y l7 l2 I l8 n t3 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM G. MEREDITH United States Patent bill PARKING ANTENNA William G. Meredith, P.O. Box 2131, Pensacola, Fla.

Filed Sept. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 759,903

2 Claims. (Cl. ZOO-61.44)

This invention relates to automotive vehicles and more particularly to an accessory therefor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for facilitating the parking of vehicles and to prevent scratching and damage thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sensing device that may be readily attached to either extremity of the vehicle so as to detect the presence of objects not otherwise visible to the driver of the vehicle when moving the vehicle in close quarters.

Still an additional object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above type that may be readily installed on new production models of vehicles or on existing models in a simple and eflicient manner.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a park ing antenna bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the various parts of the parking antenna made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a mounting block forming a part of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of an assembled parking antenna made in accordance with the present invention mounted upon a vehicle part; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the device illustrated in Figure 3 in inoperative use.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 3 and 4 thereof, a parking antenna device made in accordance with the present invention is shown in operative association with a vehicle 11, mounted adjacent to the forward end thereof. This device includes a main mounting base 12 of dielectric material, of substantially hollow cylindrical shape having a central bore 13 extending longitudinally therethrough. A shaft 14 having a threaded portion 16 at one end slidably received within the bore 13 of the base 12 has an integral stop 17 that abuts against the inside of the bottom of the base 12 so as to clamp the base 12 upon the vehicle 11 in response to the connection of a lock nut 18 therewith in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3.

A coil compression spring 20 is frictionally secured at one end to a dielectric sensing rod 21 and at the opposite end is frictionally supported upon the adjacent end of the shaft 14, whereby the sensing rod 21 is yieldably supported in spaced relationship with the sides of the main body member 12. A contact device in the form of a metallic sleeve 22 having base flanges 24 fastened to the open end of the base 12, such as by screws 33, serves as a contact element for engagement with the spring 20 in response to movement of the sensing rod 21. The enlarged central opening 28 of the base 12 allows for limited yieldable movement of the sensing device 21 relative thereto and relative to the contact sleeve 22.

In actual use, the unit is mounted upon either the front or rear, or both, extremity of the vehicle 11 with the sensing rod 21 projecting outwardly therefrom. One lead '30 electrically connects the contact sleeve 22 to one terminal of the vehicle battery 34, another such lead 32 connecting the threaded shaft 16 which is in electrical circuit relationship with the spring 20 to the audible signal device 36 which is in series circuit relationship with the battery 34. Thus, in response to a sidewise movement in any direction upon the sensing rod 21, the spring 20 associated therewith is moved into engagement with the contact sleeve 22 which closes the cir cuit through the audible signal 36 to emit a sound that is audible to the drive of the vehicle, and which indicates that an object has been engaged. It is thus possible for the driver of the vehicle to be completely confident when parking the car or moving it in congested areas since warning will be given in advance of objects and other vehicles in the immediate vicinity of the extremity of the driven vehicle. This is a particularly useful assembly for short persons when they are seated in large vehicles and cannot see objects close to the sides, front, and rear of the automobile.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a circuit closure for use with a clearance indicator for attachment upon the front and rear guards of a motor vehicle comprising, in combination, a base of dielectric material formed with a bottom and an internal cavity, a bore centrally located in said bottom of said base, a metallic shaft having an integral stop portion intermediate its ends and a threaded lower end portion, said threaded lower end portion of said shaft extending through said bore in said base and said stop portion arranged within said cavity adjacent the bottom of said base, the opposite end of said shaft rigidly arranged within said cavity spaced from the inner side walls of said cavity in said base, an electrical contact device in the form of a cylindrical metallic sleeve with a bottom flange portion fastened to the open end of said base, a metallic coil compression spring secured at one end thereof to the opposite end of said shaft within said cavity, a dielectric sensing rod having one end arranged within said sleeve, the opposite end of said coil compression spring secured to said one end of said sensing rod within said metallic sleeve, means to connect said metallic sleeve with a source of electricity, movable means threadedly carried by said threaded end of said shaft for clampingly securing a vehicle guard between it and said base and forming a fixed electrical contact device, said metallic coil spring forming means acting between said metallic shaft and said metallic sleeve whereby side movement of said sensing rod imparts movement to the upper end of said coil spring effecting contact with said metallic sleeve.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said coil spring is frictionally secured at one end to said opposite end of said shaft within said cavity and the opposite end of said coil spring is frictionally secured to said one end of said sensing rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,221,330 Schneider Nov. 12, 1940 2,508,149 Eliassen May 16, 1950 2,592,742 Rose Apr. 15, 1952