US1456923A - Traffic signal or indicator - Google Patents

Description

May 29, 1923.

A. c. FowLs TRAFFIC SIGNAL OR INDICATOR Filed March 27 1920 1 u Y Lyman...

AA. CZWMZ@ `Patented May 29, 1923.

'ra s if' TRAFFIC SIGNAL 0R INDICATOR.

Application led March 27, 1920. Serial No. 369,216.2.

To 'all lwhom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, ANDREW C. Fowns, citizen of the United States, residing at New Philadelphia, in the countyy of rfuscai'awas and State of Ohio, .have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traffic Signals or Indicators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings.

`This invention relates to an improved `traffic signal 'or direction indicator vfor use in connection with automobiles and the like and an object of theinvention is toprovide a device of this character particularly adapted for position on the side of the automobile in a suitable location adjacent the driving side and so as to not interfere with the opening and closing of the door, particularly vwhen usedbn closed automobilesand designed to be manipulated so'as to indicate thefinten'tion of the chauffeur to make a turn.

Another object is to provide a suitable housing for )the traffic signal `or uindicator preferably carried by `the'side ofthe wind shield and means rotated on'the interior'of the body ofthe automobile forjoperating the signal or indicator. y v

l Still anotherV object embodies a traffic signal or indicator "comprisinga ytubular arm consisting of two united sections,y whereby an i electric bulb may be secured in the hand section which is provided withan opening covered with suitable transparent material,

whereby. the-light from` the bulb "may beA readily seen, in combination with fo-r lighting the bulb. n y

A furtherfobje'ct involves improved means for actuating the traiic signal or direction av circuit indicator, preferably carried by the steering .columnl of the steering Lwheel and having a' wireor cable connection with the indicator for moving `it to -av late-rally extended position., 5 A still further" obj ect is the provision of an actua-tor wherein a lever is employedl for riding over a quadrant and having contactl means to cooperate with stationary contacts for closing-.an electric circuit .for lighting the bulb and beingmeans to limit the lever 1nl its Vmovement from` one portion of the `quadrantfto the other, and means for pre- ,4

too much when" y y n n 1 tudinal ed e portion lopen 'as shown to. per` venting lifting the lever moving the saine. j l

While the design and construction at present illustrated and Set forth is deemed preff erable,fit' is vobvious that as a result of a reduction of the invention toI a more practicalform for commercial purposes, the'invention may be susceptible to changes, and the right toy y,these changes is claimed, pro-v 'vided ythey are compreliendedv within the. scope of what is claimed. l

The invention Icomprises 'further features andcombination of parts, as will kbe hereinafter-set forth, `shownin the drawings 'and claimed. y y Infthedrawingst j Figure lisa viewof a pontion of a body of an automobile showing. theV traffic signal or indicator'asf applied to-:the side of Athe jwind .shield 'and Ythe actuator as carried by thesteeringcolumn.

Figure 2 isy a ,verticalsectionall view vthrough thehousing or casing sho-wing the vtraflic signal or indicator in' its normal po-v sition inl fullflines, and extendedflaterally K in dotted lines. y -A i Figure Sis a plan-view of the yacti'i'ator as carried bythe steering column and showing the actuatingv leverfor the indicator. Figure 4 is a-sectional view throughthe contacts of the Segment and, theorerate" lever, and v,showing the. diagrammatic an rangement' o-f the wiring for the'lampA inthe indicatorhand.

f Figure 5 is a sectional View on lineof Figure 2.

Figure 6 isa sectional view'on lined-6 of Figure 2. i

Figure 7 isan enlargedv detail sectional view of a portion of the hand of the indicator arm, showing the v'lamp therein andy illustratinghow the lamp; and handY are .connected tothe arm. 1 Y

Referring more-especiallyto the drawings, l'designatesa housing, which is provided with elongated loops or members 2 to engage over suitable hoo-ks?) which are carriedfby the side of the automobilepreferably on theside of the windshield, sopas to supportthev lhousing or casing` in position. VIt is ob'- yvious that the housing-or-casing /maybe' located on anyy otherpart of the body, l'suitable. to .permit thesignal or lndicator to be lseemparticularly*fromthefrear of the automobile.

.tangular information and has one-longi- The housing -or casing l'is preferablyv` rec` mit the in icator or signa14 to be displayed.

Vgin of. the tubular extension 5C.

form of a tubular arm) comprises a' body sectionV 5 and a hand section 6, wherein an electric light bulb 8 is located. The body section 5 adjacentifwhere it connectsA to the hand section is provided with a transverse Wall 5a, from which a tubular extension 5C extends. This tubular extension constitutes a lamp socket, in the bottom orF which a contact 5d is mounted. One side of the lead 14 connects with the contact 5d, While the vother side of the lead 14 is grounded at 14? to the body section; The plug (which is provided with an annular flange or collar 9) of Vthe electric light bulb engages in the socket and connect-sl with the ycontact 5d. The plug. of the bulb is in turn grounded to theI Wall of the socket in the usual manner, so as to complete the circuit through the bulb. In order to assemble the bulb and the hand section, the plug of the bulb is first inserted in the socket, the collarV or flange 9y resting. upon the margin of the tubular extension 5 (which constitutes the socket) after which the hand section 6 telescopes the bulb, so that its` threaded extension 7l will connect with the threaded interior of the Wall of the body section 5. In other Words the extension 7 of the hand' section engages.betweeny the outer Wall of the body section and the tubular extension 5C. The hand section when so connected acts to hold .the bulbl inY position, by means 'of an internal flange 6a, which bea-rs upon the collar or flange 9-and holds it against the niar- The hand section hasvoppo'site openings 10 in its opposite side Walls, which are closedrby glass or other transparent material 11 so that the light from the bnl-bI can be readily seeny vfrom the front or from the rear. The body section of the arm indicator or signal is movable with a tubular pivot 12 which' is mounted in bearings in the liront and rear walls of the housing or casing, This tubular pivot' comprises the opposite sections which: are connected; tjo the opposite sides of the indicator or signal arm. One of the sections of the tubular pivot is provided with an opening lthrough which the usual electrical conductors 1:4:V pass-so as to` conneetl With the bulbV in the hand section.

rlhe pivoted end of the body section'of the direction indicator or armn @has integral therewith a projection or lug 15, Which'extends from.Z thegbody sectioni at an angle such as will! lpermit the arm or indicator to be moved lon its pivot to a lateral position ,with relation tothe housing or casing. In order to move the arm to such a position, a

.Wil-e; ercable 16 is eonnected'ito the lug or projection andi' isl in: turn connected at 17 tof a short .arm 18 of a leverv 19 which is pivo'ted at20- on'` a quadrant and by moving` the lever over fthe quadrant, a pulling action may be imparted to the Wire or cable 16 in order to tilt or move the indicator arm or signal to a lateral position, which Will indicate the intention of the chauffeur to turn the automobile'.

The quadrant 21 carrying the arm 19 is mounted or connected to the steering column at Q2 belovv the steering Wheel by means of a suitable clamp 23. The quadrant has an arcuate portion over which the lever 19 moves, there being shoulders Qet and 25 adjacent the opposite ends of the arcuate portion so as to limit the lever in its movenient. lVhen the lever is in contact With the shoulder 25, the circuit is open, but when the lever is moved, as shown in dotted lines to engage the shoulder 24;, the circuit is' closed, as there are contacts 2S, carried by the lever engaging contacts 27 of the arcuate portion or' the quadrant. One of the leads 0r conductors 14 of the4 bulb is connected to any suitable source of electrical energy such as a battery, While the other lead or conductor 14 is connected; to one of the contact-s 27. The other contact 27 is in turn connected to the battery o-r other source o electrical. energy.

The lever 19 is provided With contacts'QB,

Which are carried by a conductor plate 29. f

T his conductor plate is insulated from the lever 19 by means of the block of insulation 19a. The contacts 27 are insulated from the arcuate portion of the quadrant by means, of the insulation 30a. when the' lever 19 is moved from its normal positionv to its operative circuit closing position, the contacts 28 will engage the contacts 27 and close the circuit, lthereby lighting' the bulb. 28 cooperate with the contacts 27 and the circuit is closed, the lever moves the signal or indicator to a lateral position extending from thehousing or casing. A gu-ide 30 is carried by the arcuate portion of the quad-I rant and extends over lthe lever 19, thereby guiding the lever and preventing` the lever from being raised too high from the arcuate curved portion.

It is the aimv to employ the light carried by the hand section of the indicator at; night only and in such an instance, the switch-31 carried by the lead or conductor 3.2ro1n the contact 9,7 to the battery may be opened,

It Willl be noted* that.;`

.At the sametime the contacts thereby preventing thecircuit from being-` closed When the lever is moved to an operative position.

The invention havin@` been `set forth,what i is claimed as new anduseful is 1. In a socket forl a; signal arm for altI-allie signal, having means Jfor actuating the arm, said arm comprising' a body section provided at oneV end with 'internal threads and a transverse disc Wall at the base "of the threads, atubular lamp socket projectingI from said wall and spaced from the internal threaded surface of the end of the body sec- CFI tion, an electric light bulb having its plug end provided With an annular eollarto en'- gage the margin of the wall of said socket When the plug end of the bulb engages Within said socket, a vhand section having an extension connected with the internal threaded surface of the end o the body section and Vfitting around the Wall of the socket, said hand section having an internal flange bearing upon they collar of the plug and hold-ing it upon the Wall of the socket7 and electrical means for lighting the bulb when the arm is actuated.

2. A lamp socket comprising in combination with a signal arm for a tralic signal having means for actuating the arm, said signal arm comprising a body section provided With internal threads at one end and a transverse disc Wall at the base of said threads, a 'lamp socketprojectingazrially:

from-the Wall and spaced romthe internal threaded ,surface of the endof the 'body section, a lampy `includin a' plug yengaging said socket, said plugk aving an. annular collar engaging the margin `of the vWallfor` the socket, a hand section pro-vided with an axial extension `engaging* the y internal threads of the end of the body section and fitting around the Wall of said socket, said hand section 'having ank internal shoulder bearing upon the 'collar of the Lplug to retain'V the lamp rigidly in position, and electrical means for lighting the bulb When the arm is *Y actuated. c c y In testimony Whereofl hereunto ax my signature.

ANDREW C. roums.`

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