US3798592A

US3798592A - Intersection traffic director device

Info

Publication number: US3798592A
Application number: US00305860A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Lilly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-11-13
Filing date: 1972-11-13
Publication date: 1974-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-19

Abstract

A portable revolving traffic signal device employing telescoping, retractable arms driven through 45 degree movement by a bevel gear drive to provide normal intersection traffic control as well as sequentially controlling lights on the arms for left turn only control. The arms are retractable via separately driven jackscrews controlling telescoping sections and can be folded and held in place on a pedestal of the traffic device.

Description

limited @tates Patet [191 Lilly 1 INTERSECTION TRAFFIC DIRECTOR DEVICE Inventor: Glenford Lilly, 1728 W. Argon St..

Mesa, Ariz. 85201 Filed: Nov. 13, 1972 Appl. No.: 305,860

[52] US. Cl. 340/41 A, 340/45, 340/120 [51] Int. Cl G08g 1/095 [58] Field of Search 340/22, 41 R, 41 A, 42, 340/43, 45, 51, 84 R, 114 B, 120, 121, 122, 123,127, 128, 129,130, 131; ll6/63 R References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1959 Worsham 340/43 3/1929 Edwards 116/63 R 7/1926 Martin t 116/63 R 6/1925 Kayser .v 116/63 R [4 1 Mar. 19, 1974 1.475.024 11/1923 Morgan 116/63 R 1,462,266 7/1923 Degner 340/43 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 324.221 l/1930 Great Britain 340/130 Primary Examiner-Kathleen H. Claffy Assistant Examiner-Randall P. Myers Attorney, Agent, or FirmWarren F. B. Lindsley ABSTRACT A portable revolving traffic signal device employing telescoping, retractable arms driven through 45 degree movement by a bevel gear drive to provide normal intersection traffic control as well as sequentially controlling lights on the arms for left turn only control. The arms are retractable via separately driven jackscrews controlling telescoping sections and can be folded and held in place on a pedestal of the traffic device.

9 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTED MAR l 9 $974 SHEET 2 [IF 4 INTERSECTION TRAFFIC DIRECTOR DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The commonly used electric traffic signal lights direct traffic flow by colored lights which signal Stop, Go or Use Caution." These lights are adequate during normal traffic conditions, but may not be adequate during rush hours or under certain emergency conditions. Also in many cases for reasons of economy or traffic flow during non-rush hour times, not all intersections have permanently installed traffic signal lights. Policemen generally are used to replace or supplement the traffic light during rush hours and to provide intersection control at those intersections which do not have a traffic signal light. Often a shortage of policemen and the extra cost involved prohibit their use in many areas where extra control of traffic is needed.

Further, other prior art traffic control devices such as applicants copending application, Ser. No. 254,562, filed on May 18, 1972, now US. Pat. No. 3,757,291, issued on Sept. 4, 1973, are more suited for a downtown area where elaborate and therefore expensive devices are needed because of the excessive amount of traffic. Applicant's copending application discloses an intricate traffic control device that includes permanently extended arms along with a drive means rotating the entire tower of the device. The present invention provides a traffic control device which contains a minimum of operating equipment and which is easily retractable for placement into and removal from the intersections, all provided at a minimum of cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a compact, portable traffic control device which provides a pedestal having retractable casters with a platform rotatable in relation to the pedestal. The top section includes a beacon and telescoping, lighted arms pivoted to the top section for folding the arms into holding means on the pedestal when the arms are in a retracted position. The top section includes means for cooperating with the pivot point of the arms and a holding means on the arms themselves to hold the arms in an extended position when in the ready position. Separate drive means are located in each arm to telescope the arms to the traffic control position and to retract the arms before placement into the rest position. Timing controls are included to selectively rotate the arms through 45 degree movements, to sequentially actuate the lights in the arms, and to extend and retract the arms as needed for traffic control. The device can be operated either from a remote location such as a nearby traffic signal or by use of the controls internal to the device.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an enhanced traffic signalling device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a supplementary traffic signalling device which is synchronized to control intersection traffic.

A still further object is to provide a supplementary traffic signalling device which can be easily placed into position and removed.

Yet a further object is to provide a traffic signalling device which has retractable, telescoping arms to control and direct traffic.

A still further object is to provide a traffic signalling device which is low in cost while providing rotating, retractable, telescoping arms, rotatable through a fortyfive degree movement to aid in controlling traffic flow.

The foregoing and other objects are achieved in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention by a traffic signalling device which employs individually telescoping retractable arms to control traffic at an intersection through 45 degree rotation of the arms. A separately controlled driving means through bevel gears rotates the arms through the 45 degree movements. Retractable casters are located in the pedestal of the device for ease of transportation to and from the installation to direct traffic and for quick removal when desired. A second embodiment provides for folding the telescoping arms into the rotating top portion of the traffic control device and telescoping legs extending from the base. The casters in the telescoping legs can be pivoted to retract the caster with a fold-away actuating handle for the caster suchthat the retraction of the telescoping legs completely covers the caster.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention may be more readily described by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a three-quarter view of one embodiment of the traffic signalling device according to the present invention showing one arm raised and one arm in the retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1 and shows the details of the driving means;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 1 and shows the pivoting of the arm along with the bevel drive gear of the top section;

FIG. 4 is another sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 taken along lines 3-3 and shows the placement of the holding means of the arm into the top rotating section;

FIG. 5 is another sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 taken along lines 33 and shows the arm in its extended and clamped position ready for further operation;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing details of the retractable caster;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a simplified schematic of the circuitry for operational connection of the device to a traffic signal;

FIGS. 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d illustrate the sequence of the operation of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 1111 of FIG. and

FIG. 12 is a side view, partially cut away, of a tele scoping leg of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1!).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The traffic director device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a pedestal type signal tower 10 including a housing 12 supporting a rotatable platform 14 journalled by a bearing 16 to a column 18 extending above the housing 12. A beacon light 20 is mounted on the top of the column 18. The beacon light 20 may be either red or yellow depending upon the type of light desired. Supported on the rotatable platform 14L is a pair of diametrically opposed telescoping arms 22 pivotably mounted to the platform. The telescoping arms 22 are supported in the extended position by an L-shaped holding fixture 24 adapted to be inserted into a cutout 26 in the top of the rotatable platform 14. The tower 10 of the device includes a groove 28 extending around its circumference. This groove 28 acts as a shear point in the event an automobile collides with the traffic director device.

The right telescoping arm 22a is shown in FIG. 1 in an active, that is, a raised and extended position, and the left arm 22b is shown in the at rest" position in solid lines with the arm fully retracted and held into place on a base 30 of the pedestal by a spring clip 32. A similar clip 32 is shown for holding the right arm 22a when the right arm is in the at rest position. The dotted lines of FIG. 1 shows the position of the left arm 22b when in the active and extended position. A plurality of red reflective-type blinker lamps 34 are mounted along the length of the telescoping arms 22. The plurality of blinker lamps 34 are connected by wires (not shown) to cause the lights to either sequentially flash or to be all lighted at the same time depending upon the position of the arms.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the pivoting and locking action of the arms 22 is shown in more detail. Each arm pivots around a pin 36 fastened to a bracket 38 attached to the arm 22. Each bracket 38 fits be tween pin couplings 40 formed in the top platform 14. The pins 36 fit into inverted U-shaped cutouts 42 formed in the pin couplings 40.

Referring to FIG. 3, as the arm 22 is raised upward the end of the arm beyond the pivot moves downward in the direction of the arrow, pivoting around the outside and lower portion of the inverted U-cutout 42 in the pin coupling 40. Referring to FIG. 4, as the end of the arm 22 contacts the platform 14 the pin 36 is positioned in the center of the inverted U. The L-shaped holding fixture 24 enters the cut-out 26 in the platform 14 at this position of the arm. Referring next to FIG. 5, the pin 36 is positioned in the innermost groove of the inverted U of the coupling cut-out 42 and the lower lip of the L-shaped holding fixture 24 prevents the arm 22 from reverting to its at rest position. The entry of the pin 36 into the innermost section of the U-shaped cutout 42 in the pin coupling 40 forces the arm in the direction of the arrow towards the column 18 of the traffic director device. The arm is thus held in place in the active position through a positive clamping means.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the traffic director device includes drive means for rotating the platform 14 and the extended arms 22. The drive means includes a main bevel gear 44 with internally placed teeth forming a part of the platform 14. Mated therewith is a driving bevel gear 46 driven by an electrical motor 48 via a gear box 50. The electrical motor 48 may be of a type commonly known as a stepping motor. A stepping motor has controlled rotation ability and thus is capable of accurately positioning the arms at any degree in the 360 rotation by counting the number of revolutions needed by the motor to rotate the platform through a particular angle. The stepping motor is then pulsed this number of times to accomplish the degrees of rotation desired. In the present application a 45 rotation is needed in each traffic cycle, as discussed with the operation of the traffic director device in FIGS. 9a through 9d. In any case, a controlled signal must be applied to the drive means to accomplish the 45 rotation.

Still referring to FIG. 2, located internally to each of the two arms 22 is ajackscrew 52 reversibly rotated by a drive motor 54. The internal telescoping section 22c of the arms 22 includes threads 56 for mating with the threads of the jackscrew 52. A stop limit 58 is included at the end of the jackscrew 52 to prevent overextension of the telescoping arm 22c. By actuating the motors 54 to drive in one rotational direction, the telescoped portion of the arm 22 will be driven in an outward direction until the stop limit 58 is reached. Reversing the rotation of the motor 54 causes the telescoped portion to return to the retracted position.

In order to roll the traffic director device from place to place and yet to permit the positive placement of the device in the center of an intersection, means such as the casters 60 shown in P10. 2 must be provided to roll the device around and means such as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 must be provided to retract the caster. Referring now to FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, the means for activating and deactivating the caster wheels 60 include a handle 62 fastened to the locating pin 64 of the caster. The caster 60 via the locating pin 64 isjournaled to the base 30 of the pedestal. In the rollabout position as shown in FIG. 2, the handle 62 is held in place by a clip 66 fastened to the top of the base 30. In order to solidly place the traffic director device, the handles 62 are rotated out of contact with the clip 66. The weight of the device will cause the caster wheel 60 to retract into the base 30 eventually ending as shown in FIG. 7 with the handle located outside of the clip 66. To again activate the wheels, the reverse steps are taken to push the handle 62 in a downward direction while lifting the traffic director device and the handle 62 is again rotated into contact with the clip 66.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a simplified schematic for activating the device is shown. In FIG. 8 a piug 68 is shown for connection to a nearby traffic light for the intersection if the option is taken that the traffic director device of the present invention is to be used in an intersection already containing a standard traffic signal. The timing mechanism of FIG. 8 is activated by each signal change in turn to cause a rotation of the motor and thereby cause a 45 degree rotation of the arm. The activation of the timing mechanism to cause intermittant 45 degree rotation of the arms via the electrical motor is well known in the art. Still referring to FIG. 8, the beacon 20 is illuminated by any power applied to the device. A switch 70 located on the base of the device activates the motors 54 driving the jackscrew 52. Rotation of the motors S4 in one direction causes the arms 22 to telescope into their extended position, the extend direction. Activation of the motors 54 in the reverse direction causes the arms 22 to retract.

The sequence of operation of the traffic director device is disclosed in FIGS. 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d. These figures show the position of the arm in relation to the traffic flow and show the 45 of relative movement of the arms from one figure to the next. With the left turn traffic flow of FIGS. 9a and 9c, the lights in the arms could be seuentially activated to show the flow of traffic required to complete the left turn. Thus in FIG. 9a the traffic heading in an easterly direction and tending to make a left turn to head north could be directed by sequentially activating the lights 34 on the side facing this traffic flow from the southwest most position of the arm, lighting each light 34 in turn along the arm onto the next arm heading in a northeasterly direction until the light in the end of the arm in the far northeasterly position is lit at which time the sequence is repeated. The lights on the arm facing the traffic heading in the west direction on FIG. 9a could be lighting sequentially in the opposite direction directing the flow of traffic onto the south bound lane of traffic.

To control the flow of traffic heading straight through, referring to FIG. 9b for an east-west direction of traffic flow, the lights 34 on the arms 22 could be a steady red and in an extended position to prevent a north-south flow of traffic. Similarly the lights could be sequentially operated in FIG. 90 to direct the left turn lane of traffic and kept a steady red opposing the eastwest direction of traffic in FIG. 9d. The control of the sequentially operated lights is well known in the art as evidenced by the operation of turn signals in a sequential manner on many of the popular cars presently being built. It is therefore not believed to be necessary to show in detail a circuit for use to control the sequential operation of the lights.

In order to activate the traffic director device from the at rest position in storage for instance to the active position in the center of an intersection, references is first made to FIG. 1. In the at rest position both arms 22 are retracted and held into place by the chips 32 fastened to the top of the pedestal base 30. This position is the solid lines of the left arm 22b. The traffic director device is rolled out to the center of the intersection while the arms 22 are at the at rest position to prevent damage to the arms. When the device is placed in the center of the intersection the casters 60 are raised to the uppermost position out of contact with the ground by rotating the handles 62 fastened to the caster pins 64. Once thus steadied, each telescoping arm 22 is removed from the clips 32 in turn and locked into place as previously described in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Once both telescoping arms are in the extended position the jackscrew motors 54 internal to the arms are activated by the switch 70 to cause the telescoping arms 22 to extend to the outermost position. The traffic director device is then sequenced to operate in synchronism with the traffic light in the intersection or the internal timing device is activated to start the operations. The internal operating device could be of the type described in applicants aforementioned copending application, Ser. No. 254,562, now US. Pat. No. 3,757,291, issued on Sept. 4, 1973. Although a more sophisticated device is controlled by the copending application, it can be easily adapted to control the present operations. The device is then ready to sequence through the operation shown in FIGS. 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 show an alternate design of the traffic director device according to the present invention. The second embodiment discloses a tower type device 72 having vertical recesses 74 for the storage of the arms 22 while in a folded position. In this embodiment the entire tower 72 rotates around the pedestal base 30 thereby insuring that the arms 22 can be folded into the at rest position during any sequence of operation. The first embodiment requires a specific sequence before the arms 22 could be retracted to be held into the clips 32 in the pedestal base 30 (see FIG. 1). The entire tower assembly can be a shell assembly mounted over the pedestal tower shown in FIG. 1. A beacon light 20 is similarly mounted on the top of the traffic director device.

A telescoping leg 76 is shown extending from the pedestal base 30. The telescoping leg 76 is shown in a working position, having been manually extended through the use of a slot 78 in the end of each leg. A top position of the extended leg 76 is shown in FIG. 11. A closeup view of the activation of the caster 80 in the telescoping leg 76 is shown in FIG. 12. In FIG. 12 the caster 80 is shown at rest in the solid line position and activated for rolling around in the dotted position. The casters 80 are pivoted to the telescoping portion of the leg. A handle 82 is fastened to the caster 80 for the purpose of extending or retracting the caster. Thus, when the handle 82 is flush with the telescoping portion, the caster 80 is in a retracted position. When the handle 82 is in the raised position by the arrow in the dotted line, the caster 80 is in the extended position for rolling the traffic director device to the required location. At least three telescoping legs 76 are necessary for the rolling about of the device, see FIG. ll.

While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in the illustrative embodiment, there will be many obvious modifications of the structure, proportions, materials and components without departing from these principles. For instance, a non-rotating beacon 20 is disclosed in the present invention. It would be obvious to replace the non-rotating beacon 20 with a rotating light for better sightability. Also each arm 22 includes one telescoping section. It would be likewise obvious to include several telescoping sections each driven by a telescoping jackscrew and prevented from extending beyond the confines of the jackscrew by a limit. Likewise limit switches could be located in the telescoping arm to turn off the jackscrew motor when the limits of the arm whether extended or retracted is reached. Switches may also be used to control the 45 rotation cycles of the traffic director device. An activation of a standard electric motor can include a cam actuating a switch keeping power applied to the electric motor until a 45 rotation has been accomplished. Reactivation of the drive motor causes the cam to again close the switch to keep power applied to the motor until the next 45 rotation is accomplished. The cam could be formed around the circumference of the platform and includes a lobe every 45. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover these and other modifications obvious to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. A traffic director device for use with a source of electrical power, said device comprising:

a pedestal tower;

a rotatable platform journaled to said tower;

a pair of diametrically opposed telescoping arms pivotally connected to said rotatable platform;

first drive means coupled to said rotatable platform for rotation thereof;

second drive means within each of said telescoping arms for extending and retracting said telescoping arms;

resilient means mounted to said pedestal tower for holding said telescoping arms when in a retracted pivotally folded position;

clamping means for holding said telescoping arms perpendicular to said pedestal tower when in an extended position;

reflective means mounted along both sides of both telescoping arms for signalling the location of the telescoping arms; and

control means for coordinating the rotation of said platform in order to control traffic entering an intersection.

2. A traffic direction device as defined in claim 1 wherein said reflective means includes:

a plurality of lamps mounted behind reflective lens and wherein said control means includes means for sequentially activating said plurality of lampsv 3. A traffic direction device as defined in claim 1 wherein said second drive means includes:

a reversible electrical motor located within each telescoping arm;

means to connect said electrical motors to the source of electrical power for actuation thereof;

a jackscrew connected to each of said electrical motors for rotation therewith;

thread means fastened to the telescoping portion of each arm to mate with said jackscrew to extend and retract said telescoping arms; and

limit means for limiting the extension of said telescoping arms.

4. A traffic direction device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first drive means includes:

an electrical motor connected to said control means for actuation thereby;

a bevel gear having internally placed teeth and fastened to said rotatable platform; and

a driving gear mating with said bevel gear and fastened to said motor for rotation therewith;

and wherein said control means includes means for controlling the actuation of said electrical motor to cause said rotatable platform to move in 45 increments.

5. A traffic direction device as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said pedestal tower includes retractable casters mounted in the pedestal for ease of placing the traffic directing device into an intersection.

6. A traffic director device as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said resilient means includes spring clips mounted to the top of the pedestal of said pedestal tower.

7. A traffic director device as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping means includes:

cutouts formed in the top of the rotatable platform adjacent to each of said telescoping arms, and

an L-shaped holding fixture fastened to each of said telescoping arms;

each of the holding fixtures cooperating with one of said cutouts for holding said telescoping arm in said extended position.

8. A traffic director device as defined in claim I further including:

a shell for completely covering said pedestal tower, said shell having recesses formed therein adjacent to and covering the length of said telescoping arm when the arms are in said folded position.

9. A traffic director device as defined in claim 5 wherein said retractabie casters include:

a plurality of telescoping sections with a caster pivotally mounted in each section, and

a handle fastened to each of said casters for pivoting each caster into the extended position and into the retracted position.

Claims

1. A traffic director device for use with a source of electrical power, said device comprising: a pedestal tower; a rotatable platform journaled to said tower; a pair of diametrically opposed telescoping arms pivotally connected to said rotatable platform; first drive means coupled to said rotatable platform for rotation thereof; second drive means within each of said telescoping arms for extending and retracting said telescoping arms; resilient means mounted to said pedestal tower for holding said telescoping arms when in a retracted pivotally folded position; clamping means for holding said telescoping arms perpendicular to said pedestal tower when in an extended position; reflective means mounted along both sides of both telescoping arms for signalling the location of the telescoping arms; and control means for coordinating the rotation of said platform in order to control traffic entering an intersection.

2. A traffic direction device as defined in claim 1 wherein said reflective means includes: a plurality of lamps mounted behind reflective lens and wherein said control means includes means for sequentially activating said plurality of lamps.

3. A traffic direction device as defined in claim 1 wherein said second drive means includes: a reversible electrical motor located within each telescoping arm; means to connect said electrical motors to the source of electrical power for actuation thereof; a jackscrew connected to each of said electrical motors for rotation therewith; thread means fastened to the telescoping portion of each arm to mate with said jackscrew to extend and retract said telescoping arms; and limit means for limiting the extension of said telescoping arms.

4. A traffic direction device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first drive means includes: an electrical motor connected to said control means for actuation thereby; a bevel gear having internally placed teeth and fastened to said rotatable platform; and a driving gear mating with said bevel gear and fastened to said motor for rotation therewith; and wherein said control means includes means For controlling the actuation of said electrical motor to cause said rotatable platform to move in 45* increments.

5. A traffic direction device as defined in claim 1 wherein: said pedestal tower includes retractable casters mounted in the pedestal for ease of placing the traffic directing device into an intersection.

6. A traffic director device as defined in claim 1 wherein: said resilient means includes spring clips mounted to the top of the pedestal of said pedestal tower.

7. A traffic director device as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping means includes: cutouts formed in the top of the rotatable platform adjacent to each of said telescoping arms, and an L-shaped holding fixture fastened to each of said telescoping arms; each of the holding fixtures cooperating with one of said cutouts for holding said telescoping arm in said extended position.

8. A traffic director device as defined in claim 1 further including: a shell for completely covering said pedestal tower, said shell having recesses formed therein adjacent to and covering the length of said telescoping arm when the arms are in said folded position.

9. A traffic director device as defined in claim 5 wherein said retractable casters include: a plurality of telescoping sections with a caster pivotally mounted in each section, and a handle fastened to each of said casters for pivoting each caster into the extended position and into the retracted position.