US1731569A - Motor-vehicle semaphore - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 15, 1929. R. c. HARBoRD 1,731,569

MOTOR VEHICLE SEMAPHORE Filed Dec. 4. 1928 A TTOR EYS.

Patented Oct. 15, 1929 i, UNITEDI sTATl-:s

PATENr orFicE s BOLLA CI'IABBORD, OF SPOKNE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-TI-IIRD T HER- MAN GEST, AND ONE-THIRD T0 JAMES H. TRIIVIBLE, BO'I'H OF SPOKAI'IE, WASHING- TON MOTOR-VEHICLE SEMAPHORE Application filed December 4, 1928. Serial No. 323,655.

My invention relates to motor-vehicle semaphores and the primary objects of the invention are to provide a comparatively simple semaphore having a signal hand normally housed within a cabinet and with means whereby the hand is moved to indicate the several directions in which the vehicle is going. Other objects are to provide means for simultaneously opening and closing the cabinet door in combination with the means for' Operating the hand. Further objects are to provide electrical contact means for slmultaneously illuminating the hand in combination with the movements of the door and hand.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of the novel construction, adaptation, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. ,These objects are accomplished by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings; wherein Figure 1 is a general outline view in elevation showing the several positions of the signal hand;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation. of the device as a whole with the cabinet door open and its front cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section taken substantially on a broken line 8, 8 of Fig. 2

and showing the electrical contact means for illuminating the hand;

Fig.l 4 is a detail View in perspective of the slotted connecting plate; and

Fig. 5 is a view in transverse section taken on a broken line 5, 5 of Fig.1, and showingx the hand in the extended position.

Referring to the drawings throughout which like reference numerals designate like parts, the numeral 5 indicates a hand lever arranged for manual operation and pivoted at 6 to an indicator plate 7 which may be secured to an instrument board 8 or other convenient place in the forward part of a motor-vehicle. A finger 9 extending from said lever is arranged so that its deflected point will register with slots 10, 11, 12 and 13 in said plate for reasons hereinafter set forth.

Another finger 14 extending from the lever 5 on the underside of the plate 7 has a cable 15 secured to the end thereof in any desired manner. Said cable is fiexible and may have its deflected or bent portions enclosed by a casing V16 for protection and also for the purpose of strengthening` its rigidity of align-` purposes for which it is intended. The cabl inet is provided with a front cover 20 and a side door 21. hinged thereto at 22. In Fig. 2 of the drawings the cover membel 20 is removed for purposes of illustration. The remote end of 'the cable 15 is secured to the lower end 23 of a connecting plate 24 which is retained in slidable position by guide lugs 25. A link 26 is pivoted at 27 to an end of the connecting` 'plate and is provided with an adjustment slot 28. Said link is pivoted at 29 to a projection on a collar which is keyed to a sleeve 31 that is journailed on an aXle 32 secured to the cabinet 17 and its front cover 20 as clearly shown in Fig. 5 Vof the drawings. i w

The hub 33 of an arm 34 is key'ed or other- Wise fixed to the sleeve 31; 'Said arm comprises two'metal parts `secured together by a bolt 35 and a hollow hand 36 rigdly secured to said arm at 37 is prefer'ably made of translucent white material andflprovided lwith'a colored spot 38, preferably red, that is painted or otherwise fixed on its forward interior portion." It will now be obvious that said hand may be swung by the foregoing described connecting parts to the different pivotal positions shown in Fig. 1. w

As a means for opening land closing the door 21 synchronously with the movementsV dotted lines.

the lower end portion is defiected at right angles as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4 'of the drawings.

In the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 the pin 43 will be eXactly at the junct-ion point between the slot 44 and its deflected portion 45 and the door will bepin the open position. In this position the finger 9 is in registration with the slot 11 and the hancl 36 is in horizontal position indicating the signal rightturn. By moving said finger to slot 12 said hand will be moved down to the slanting position indicating Lstop while at the same time said pin will move to the remote end of the defiected slot portion and the door will Continue to remain open.

Now by moving the finger 9 to the slot 13 the hand 3G will assume its full retracted position within the cabinet 17 as shown in Simultaneously the upward movement of the plate 24 and its deflected slot portion 45 will pivotally move the pin 43 and its bell Crank 41 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. ri'fhus the bell Crank in its pivotal movement about the point 42 will draw the link 89 inwardly and close the door.

It is believed that the reverse movement back to theposition shown in full lines in Figs 1 and 2 will be readily understood without a description in detail. In the raised position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and indicating left turn the finger 9 is moved to the slot 10 and the pin 48 slides freely in the slot 44 as the plate 24 moves downwardly and therefore has no effect on the position of the door which will remain open.

My means for illuminating the hand 36 comprises a Contact plate 46 insulatively secured to the Connecting plate 24 and arranged to engage between a pair of spring fingers 47 mounted within the cabinet 17. A wire 48 leads from said spring fingers to the source of current and a wire 49 grounded on the metal cabinet leads from the contact plate to a lamp 50 mounted within theV hand. VVhen the door 21 is Closed and the hand is in the retracted position said contact plate will be out of engag'ement with saidspring` fing'ers as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in engagement with a stop member 51 and the light will be out as will be understood.v

It will now be appar'ent that I 'have provided a semaphore that is comparatively simple in'construction, that is compactly housed within a cabinet, which embodies means for opening' and closing' the cabinet door and displaying the signal hand in'all positions necessary for indicating the movements of the vehicle in which it is installed, and means for illuminating the signalhand simultaneously with its movements and the movements of the door.

Having thus described my invention, it beeing understood that minor changes in con- Vto displayed position Comprising a hand lever, a flexible Cable forthe lever, a slidable connecting plate for the Cable, a link plate pivoted to the connecting plate, and anarm projecting from the inner pivoted end of the signal arm plate.

2. A motor-vehicle semaphore comprising a cabinet, a hinged door, Va signal arm normally housed within the cabinet when the door is closed, means for swinging the arm to displayed position Comprisingl a hand lever, a flexible Cable for the lever, a slidable Connecting plate for the Cable, a link plate'pivoted to the connecting plate, an arm projectinfg;` from the inner pivoted end of the signal arm pivotally connected to the link plate, means for opening and closing the door syn- Chronously with the movements of the signal arm Comprising a link arm pivoted to the door, a bell Crank pivoted to said link and to the cabinet, a pin for said bell Crank slidably disposed in a slot in the slidable Conpivotally connected to the link necting plate, and said slot having' a right angular lower end portion wherein said pin receeds when the slidable connecting plateV is moved upwardly to retract the signal arm and Close the door. i I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RoLLA o. HA'RBORD.

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