US1291010A - Safety-indicator and license-bracket. - Google Patents

Description

Patenfed Jan. 14, 1919.

Ni M. JOHNSON & T. 'S'. QUINl SAFETY INDICATOR AND UCENSEBRACKET.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY s1 .j vehicles and has `for itsobject the provision narran sra'rns refrains ernten.

NELS TVI. JOHNSON AND THOMAS S. QUIN, OF CHCAGO, ILLINOS.

SAFETY-INDICATOR .AND LICENSE-BRACKET.

'- jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-indicators and License-Brackets, of which the following 1s a -specitication This invention relates to an indicator for offa device adapted to normally serve as a tail light for the vehicle and which is readily controllable to indicate to persons in the rear of the vehicle the intended movements of the driver thereof.

A further object of our invention is the provision of means for electrically controljling'a device of the character above described whereby the driver et the lvehicle may indicate his intention with a minimum .of ei'iort.

A further object of our invention is the provision of means for utilizing the indicater to support and illuminate a license plate.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating` the preferred embodiments thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a `front elevation, partially in section, of an indicator according to our invention;

Fig 2 is a section on the line 2-2 `of Fig. 1;

Fig. Fig., l;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical circuits.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, 1 indicates a casing which may be of any suitable construction andwhich preferablyv presents a semi-cylindrical front portion as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. An opening 2 is -provided in the semi-cylindrical front portion which is covered by a glass 3 secured b v suitable clips 4to the casing.

-The end 6 of the casing 1 is provided with a socket 7 to receive and support an 3 is a section on the line `3--3 of Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 14k, g.

l Application filed July 31, 1916. Serial No. 112,253. u

electric lamp 8 which projects into the casing 1 and is supplied with current through the conductors 9 from any suitable source. The end G is further provided with a bearing 10 to receive a trunnion 11 formed on av segmental end 12 to the periphery of which a semi-cylindrical member 13 is secured.

The opposite edge of the member 13 is secured to a segmental end 14 fastened to a shaft 15 which is journaled in a bearing 16 in the end 17 ofthe casing 1. The semicylindrical member 13 is thereby rotatably mounted in the casing 1.

'.llhe semi-cylindrical member 13 is providedl with cut out symbols 18, 19, 20 and 21 spaced apart about its periphery, the symbol its' being merely an elongated opening, the symbols 19 and 2O being leftV and rightJiand arrows, respectively, and the symbol 21 being` the word Stop The-symbols are adapted to be selectively interposed between the lamp 8 and the opening 2 in the casing v1 and when so interposed an illuminated signal is displayed whichdndi- Cates to persons in the rear of the vehicle the intention of the driver thereof.

The 'means for rotating the member 13 to selectively display'the symbols comprises a solenoid 22 supported on a suitable bracket 23' fastened to the interior of thel casing 1 and a core 23 adapted to cooperate with the solenoid 22 and secured at one end to an arm 24 fastened to the shaft 15. A. spring a 25 surrounding the shaft 15 is secured at one end tothe end 17 of the casing 1 and at the other to the arm 24 and serves to retain the member 13 in position with lthe elongated opening 18 interposed between the lamp S andthe opening 2 in the Casing 1. This is the ordinary tail light and with my device indicates that the driver intends to continue in motion or at rest asthe Iease may be.

' Secured to the end 17 of the casing 1 in spaced relation are a pair of solenoids 26 each provided with a core 27 which is normally held in the position indicated in Fig. 1 by a spring 28 surrounding the core. The inwardly directed ends of the cores 27 are adapted when-the solenoids 26 are energized to project into he path of the arm 24.

and selectively limit the rotation of the arm 21 and consequently of the member 13 to interpose the left or right hand arrows 19 and 20 between the lamp 8 and the opening 2 in the casing l.

To control the operation of the solenoids 22 and 26 a switch 29 is located preferably on or adjacent the steering column and is provided with a plurality of buttons 30.' 31 and 32 adjacent which the symbols Stop and the right and left-hand arrows are marked on the switch 29. The buttons 30 and 32 are connected by conductors 33 and 34 to the solenoids 26 and 22 in series. From the solenoid 22 a conductor 35 leads to a battery 36 or other source of current which is in turn connected by a conductor 37 to a bar 38 on the switch 29 with which the buttons 30 and 32 are adapted to contact to close the respective circuits. The button 31 is connected by a conductor 39'to the solenoid 22 alone, whence the current passes through the previously described path to the bar 38.

From' the foregoing description of the structure it will be apparent that when the button 81 is depressed current from the battery 36 will energize the solenoid 22 and the core 23 will consequently be drawn into the solenoid to thereby rotate the member 13 until the symbod 21, indicating that the driver is about to stop, isinterposed between the lamp and the opening 2in the casing 1. If the driver intends to turn to the right the button 30 is depressed and one of the solenods 26 will be energized simultaneously with the energization of the solenoid 22. The core 27 will thereupon be projected into the path of the arm 24 and inasmuch as the path of movement of the core is very much less than the necessary movement of thefcore 23 it will be apparent that the arm 24 will be arrested at the desired position with the symbol 20 interposed between the lamp 8 and the opening 2 in the casing 1. When the button 32 is depressed the operation will be similar, the other solenoid 26 being energized and the symbol 19 will be interposed between the lamp 8 and the opening 2 in the casing 1.

,The portion of the lamp 8 facing the opening 2 in the casing 1 may be suitably colored, for example thelusual red, so that the signals will appear in this color. Brackets 40 are provided on the casing 1 adjacent vthe rear thereof to support a license plate 41 and an opening 42 in the vbottom ofthe casing 1 permits illumination of the plate41 by the lamp 8.

It will be readily appreciated that I have perfected a safety indicator and license bracket for vehicles which by reason of its simplicity of construction and easeof operation is extremely desirable and will prevent before described being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

l7e claim: A

1. In an indicator for vehicles, the combination of a casing provided with a transparent portion, an electric lamp projecting into said casing from one end thereof, a member -having a plurality of signals thereon and mounted to swing in said casing between the transparent portion thereof and the lamp, a

sha-ft at the other end of the casing rigid with said member, an arm on said shaft, a

main solenoid having a core connected to said arm and adaptedV to be operated to rock said shaft, auxiliary solenoids having their cores arranged to project in the pathY of movement of said arm, land means for encrgizing the main solenoid alone or in combination with one of said auxiliary solenoids.

2. In an indicator for vehicles, the combination of a casing provided with a transparent portion, an electric lamp projecting into said casing from 011e end thereof, a member having a plurality of signals thereon and mounted to swing in said casing between the transparent portion thereof and the lamp, a shaft journaled in the other end of said casing and connected rigidly to the adjacent end of said member, an arm on said shaft, a main arcuate solenoid having an arcuate core connected to said arm and adapted to be operated to rock said shaft, auxiliary solenoids arranged in an angular relation to the main solenoid with their cores arranged to project in the path of movement of said arm, and means for energizing the main solenoid alone or in combination with one of said auxiliary solenoids.

3. In an indicator' for vehicles, the combination of a casing ,novided with a transparent portion, an electriclamp mounted in one end of said casing and projecting into the casing, a member having a plurality of Vshaft connected to the end of said core, a solenoid alone or in combination with one pair of auxiliary solenoids mounted in the 'of said auxiliary solenoids.

upper portion of that end of the casing in NELS M. JOHNSON. which the shaft is j ournaled, sprinlgT pressed THOMAS S. QUIN. cores in said auxiliary solenoids adapted to Witnesses:

be projected in the path of movement of ERNEST H. MERCHANT,

said arm, and means for energizingthe main W. T. WESTERBERG.

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