US1346994A - Signal - Google Patents

Description

F. H. THONE.

SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. 1919.

1,346,994, Patented July 20, 1920.

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Application filed March 3, 1919.

make and use'the same.'

The present invention relates to signal devices, and aims to provide a novel and improved semaphore or signal device for use on automobiles and other vehicles, and operable for signaling the intentions of the operator to turn, stop or back up, thus facilitating traffic and avoiding collisions and accidents.

It is the object of the invention to provide such a device comprising a novel assemblage of elements including a signal arm and novel means for operating it under the control of an operator.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the signal showing the signal arm in depending position and latched.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in median section, showing the device with the arm raised to signaling position.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view of the electrical wiring.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a small casing 1 attached to the outer end of a rod or shank 2 which is adjustably held by a clamp or supporting member 3 which can be attached to the wind shield or other support of an automobile or other vehicle, so that the signal device projects to'one side thereof. The clamp 3 has a sleeve 4 through which the rod 2 extends and in which it can be slid and rotated to adjust the signal device to the desired position, said rod being'held within the sleeve 4 by means of a set screw or other well Specification of Letters Serial 33o. 2%,?391.

known securing element. A lever 5 extends through an opening 6 in the outer portion of the casing 1 and is of hollow form, said lever having its arms arranged at an obtuse angle, and being fulcrumed on a rivet or pin 7 extending through the casing 1 within the opening 6. The outer arm of the lever 5 terminates in an electric lamp socket 8 for the reception of an electric bulb or lamp 9 that can be used during the night time for illuminating the signal arm. Said signal arm 10 is hollow, being constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material, and being preferably in the ,form of a hand, as shown in the drawings, with perforations or apertures scattered throughout through which the light from the lamp shines, so that this hand can be seen in the dark. The inner end of the arm 10 is contracted as at 11, and secured on the lever 5 near the inner end of its socket 8, so that said socket projects into the arm.

In the preferred form, electrical means is used for operating the signal arm, and for this purpose the casing 1 has a depending sleeve 12 provided near its upper end with a collar 13 and at its lower end with a collar 14, to retain between them a solenoid coil or winding 15 wrapped around the sleeve 12. A core 16 is slidable vertically in the upper portion of the sleeve 12 and its upper end is connected,-such as by a pin'and slot connection 1! or the like, with the inner arm or end of the lever 5, this core 16 bein or" magnetic material so as to be attracted downwardly in the sleeve 12 when the solenoid is energized. This will raise the signal arm 10 as seen in Fig. 2, andwhen the sole noio is deenergized, said signal arm will swing downwardly by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby raising the core 16 partly out of the solenoid. The electrical circuit includes the conductors 18 which are connected to the lamp 9 and coil 15 in multiple as seen in Fig. 8, so that when the circuit is closed through the means of a suitable switch, the lamp is lighted to illuminate the signal arm, and, at the same time, the solenoid is energized to raise said arm to signaling position. When the circuit is opened, the lamp is extinguished and the signal arm drops down out of the way. The conductors 18, as seen in Fig. 2, are led between the flange 13 and lower portion of the casing 1 for connection with the coil 15, and

the conductors extend upwardly through the bottom of the casing 1 and thence into disposed at the lower end of the sleeve 12 diametrically thereof, and a short core 20 is slidable within the lower end of the sleeve 20 and has its lower end bifurcated, and connected, such as by a pin and slot connection 21 or the like, with .the latch 19, one end of said latch being ivoted as at 22, to the flange 14 so that sai latch can swing up and down as the core 20 slides vertically in the sleeve 12. The free end of the latch 19 which projects toward the signal arm when said signal arm is in de pending position, is provided with a cam hook 23, and the signal arm 10 has a keeper 24 to engage the hook 23, as seen in Fig. 1. Thus, when the solenoid is denergized, the core 20 will gravitate, thus permitting the latch 19 to swing downwardly, and when the signal armswings downwardly, the keeper 24 thereof will snap into engagement with the hook 23, thus holding the signal arm in place. The downward movement thereof will. be limited by a stop screw 25 threaded through the upper portion of the casing 1 and against which the inner arm of the lever 5 contracts when the signal arm is swung downwardly. The stop screw 25 thus limits the swinging movement of the signal arm toward the solenoid, and the latch 19 prevents the signal arm from swinging away from said solenoid, but when the solenoid is energized for raising the signal arm, this will raise thecore 20 and disengage the latch 19 from the keeper 24, permitting the core 16 to move downwardly and raise the signal arm. The cores 16 and 20 preferably tele- Scope together when they move downwardly and upwardly, respectively, the

core 20 being shown as cupped, and the lower end of the core 16 tapered to enter the core 20, it being noted that the attraction of the cores 16 and 20 toward one another will assist in releasing the signal arm and raising it.

In operation, it is only necessary for the operator to close the electrical circuit by means of a push button or switch, which will release the signal arm, light the lamp and then swing the signal arm to raised signaling position, thereby indicating the intentions of the operator-to turn or stop, in order that other vehicles following in rear may be warned. -When the circuit is opened, the lamp is extinguished, the signal arm dropped back to depending position and then latched.

Having thus described the what is claimed as new is A signal device embodying a casing having a sleeve depending therefrom, a lever pivoted within the casing and having a signal arm, said signal arm being adapted to swing downwardly adjacent to said sleeve and having a keeper to project under the lower end of the sleeve when the signal arm is adjacent to said sleeve, a solenoid coil on the sleeve, a tubular casing surrounding said coil and sleeve, a latch pivoted to and extending across the lower end of said sleeve within the tubular casing and having a portion to move downwardly and drop into engagement with said keeper, and a pair of cores slidable within the opposite ends of said sleeve, the upper core being connected to said lever, and the lower core engaging said latch so that when the cores move toward one another in the sleeve they will raise and withdraw the latch from said keeper and swing the lever to raise the signal arm away from said sleeve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK HENRY THONE. Witnesses:

RUTH BROWN, KEITH R. JENSEN.

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