US1966880A - Reflecting signal - Google Patents

Description

July 17, 1934. F, w. BRAUN Er AL REFLECTING S IGNAL Filed Jan. 5, 1933 INVENToR FRE/15mm Wm Ff /mu/y H/w BY Syp/ww 5f/VPL yf/ff,

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Patented July 17, 1934 Lacasse ammonito SIGNAL Frederick Wolfe Braun, Newark, and Sydney Sempliner, Hillside, N. .L

Application January 5, 1933, Serial No. 650,286

16 Claims.

-This invention relates to street or roadway signals particularly for use at points where streets or roads intersect, cross, or meet at angles. The signal is especially designed for use at night and to be operated by the reflection of light rays from the lights of vehicles approaching the signal andwithout the necessity for either a lamp or an operating mechanism, whereby the light from vehicles approaching the signal from different n@ angles will illuminate the signal, to warn the driver of each of said .vehicles oi the approach of the other vehicles. i

The present application also relates to our copending application Serial No; 641,048, led Nov.

te s, 1932.

One object of the present invention is to provide a signal of the general character described embodying novel and improved features of construction including a colored lens and a at re- 2@ ector facing said lens at an angle to the axis of the lens so that light projected through the lens toward said reflector from one direction will be refracted by the lens upon the reector and produce a brilliant image of said lens on the 5 reector and be reflected from the reector in another direction, and light projected upon the reflector from the second-mentioned direction will be reflected through said lens inthe rstmentioned direction.

im Other objects are to provide in such a signal 'a novel and improved combination of such a colored lens, reflector, and a clear white planoconvex lens to increase the eiectiveness of said colored lens; to provide in a signal of the character described a concave-convex faceted colored lens which shall be capable of receiving and transmitting light rays over a wide area in front oi' the lens so that light'rays projected upon said n colored lens from various angles in one general 4@ direction, for example, throughout the width of a road, will be received by said lens and reected at other angles; and to obtain other advantages and results as will be brought out by the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which corresponding and like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views, S

Figure-l is a perspective view ci a signal em- 56 bodying our invention, showing the same located at street crossing.

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure i',

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View through one of the signal units,

(Cl. SS-D Figure `4 is a sectional perspective view of the inside of the unit, and

Figure 5 is a view Asimilar to Figure 3 showing a modified form of the invention.

For the purpose of illustrating the principles 60 of our invention, we have shown it embodied in a signal especially designed for use at the center of a street crossing, and this particular embodiment of the invention includes four identical signal units A which are shownfas mounted on a pedestal 1l at the center of the intersection of four avenues or streets 12, l13, 14 and 15.

Eachk unit A is shown as comprising a casing having two approximately right angularly disposed walls 1 and 2 which have the respective 70 openings 3 and 4 whose axes are disposed at angles to each other. Arranged in the casing and di-1 agonally facing the openings 3 and is a reflector 5 which may be in the form of a ilat mirror. Preferably, the plane of the mirror is at approx'- 75 imately an angle of 45 degrees to each of two directions whichare at approximately right angles to each other.

Within one of the openings, in the present instance the opening 4, is arranged a colored sig- 8o nal lens 6 which is preferably concavo-convex and preferably has both the concave and convex sides thereof faceted as at 7. Preferably this colored lens 6 cooperates with a` magnifying clearwhite lens 8 which is preferably plano-convex 85 and has its convex side facing outwardly of the casing. The concave side of the colored lens 6 is shown as arranged in abutting relation to the plane side 9 of the plano-convex lens 8, and both the colored lens 6 and the lens 8 are disposed 90 with their axes at an oblique angle of materially more or less than 45 degrees to the plane of the reector 5, for the purpose hereinafter described.

With this construction, when light rays, especially parallel light rays, for example, from the headlights of an automobile, are directed upon the colored lens 6 through the opening 4, some of the 'rays are reected by the facets and some are refracted upon the reflector 5 to 100 form a brilliantly illuminated image of said colored lens upon the reector 5, and the refracted light rays are reected through the opening 3. These rays and the image of the colored lens 6, thus formed on the reflector are visible through the opening 3. When light rays are projected upon the reflector 5 through the opening 3, said rays are reected by the reilector 5 through the colored lens 6 and the opening e, whereby the lens is illuminated and may be viewed through the opening 4. The magnifying lens 8 increases the effectiveness of the signal lens 6, and of course the facets 7 on the signal lens reflect light rays directed thereon so as to enhance the brilliancy of the signal lens when light rays are projected therethrough.

Upon the projection of light rays through both of the openings 3 and 4 at the same time and from sources of light at approximately the same distances from the respective openings, the red light rays from the signal lens 6 will be visible from both of the openings 3 and 4, while when light is projected inwardly through either of the openings 3 and 4 the red light rays from the signal lens 6 will be visible through only the other opening. The particular angular relation of the lenses 6 and 8 to th'e reflector, as above described, prevents a reflection of light from said lenses onto the reflector which can be seen through the opening 3 when light rays are projected into the opening 3 at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the reflector which is the most common angle.

For closing the casing 1, we may provide a plane clear glass 18 at the opening 3, and preferably this glass is inclined to the vertical so that the directions oi.' incidence and reflection of light rays projected thereupon by the lights of an automobile approaching the` signal are not coincident and no glarev in the eyes of the driver of the automobile can occur. If desired, the glass 18 may be in the form of a lens, for example, like the lens 8.

In mounting a plurality of the signal units A for use at a street crossing, as shown in Figure l, the units are so arranged that one opening 4 of one unit and one opening 3 of another unit face in each of four directions. With the unit so mounted, assuming that an automobile is approaching the signal on avenue 14, light rays from the headlights 16 will be projected into the opening 3 of one unit and the opening 4 of the next adjacent unit. The light rays which are projected through the opening 3 of the firstmentloned unit will be refiected at right angles through the opening 4 of said unit in the direction of the avenue 15, while the light rays projected into theopening 4 of the second-mentioned unit will be reflected through the opening 3 thereof in the direction of the avenue 12. The signal will operate similarly with automobiles approaching the signal on any of the avenues 12, 13, 14 or 15, the light rays being reflected in each case at approximately right angles to the direction in which the rays are projected upon the signal by the approaching headlights. Accordingly, the lights from vehicles approaching the signal from different angles will illuminate the signal to warn the driver of each of said vehicles of the approach of the other vehicles. If desired, a oodlight l0 may be mounted on the top of the signal to illuminate the assemblage.

Should the state laws prohibit the signal standing in the center of the intersection, then the four units can be so spread apart from each other as to allow one unit to be set up on each of the corners of the intersection. The convexity of the magnifying lens 8 permits this by enabling the unit to pick up light rays over a wide range.

1f the device is used on a T intersection or an L intersection, only the necessary number of units need be employed, i. e., on a T intersection, two units, on an L intersection, one unit.

The signal also effectually operates WlJhOllf the plano-convex lens 8 and utilizing only the colored light transmitting signal device or lens, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing. Here the signal is in general of the same construction as that shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, including a casing having openings 20 and 21, corresponding to the openings 4 and 3, with their axes approximately at right angles to each other, and a reector 22 diagonally facing said openings, but the magnifying lens is omitted and the concavo-convex light transmitting device or lens 19 is arranged with its axis approximately coincident with the axis of the corresponding opening 20 in the casing and oblique to the plane of the refiector. Also preferably the colored light transmitting device 19 is arranged with its concave side 23 facing outwardly of the casing and its convex side 24 facing the reflector. 'Ihe use of a concavo-convex colored signal lens so arranged hasimportant advantages. The concave surface 23 being disposed at angles other than'. ninety degrees to the rays of light which are normally projected from the lights of a vehicle approaching said device, does not reflect said rays back toward the vehicle to cause glare, and the device is practically invisible under such light rays; and yet when rays are projected into the opening 21 of the casing, the colored signal device appears brightly illuminated from the side -of the casing in which the device is mounted.

Furthermore, the convex side of the signal device 19, except possibly one or two facets thereon, does not reflect onto the refiector, rays of light projected into the other opening 21 of the casing, and accordingly the device 19 is substantially invisible through the opening 21 except when light rays are projected through the opening 20, whereupon a brightly illuminated image of the signal device can be seen through said opening 21. The concave-convex form of the device 19 enables it to "pick-up or receive and transmit light rays over a wide area at either side of the device for example throughout the Width of a road, which enhances the utility of the signal. Both sides of the device 19 are preferably faceted so as to provide a diffused reflection of light to enhance the brilliancy of the device. The operation of this form of the signal is otherwise similar to that of the signal shown in Figures 1 to -inclusive.

Our signal is therefore less complex, less expensive, and more effective than known signals for similar purposes, such for example as shown in Patent No. 1,610,948 dated December 14, 1926. Ihe colored light transmitting devices or lenses 6 and 19 and their arrangement, are important features of our invention making possible such a simple, inexpensive and effectual signal.

While we have shown and described our invention as embodied in certain details of construction, it should be understood that this is for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention, and that many modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim is:

1. In a signal, a casing having two openings with their axes at angles to each other, a reflector in said casing diagonally facing said openings, a plano-convex lens in one of said openings, and a colored concavo-convex light-transmitting device between said lens and said reflector having its concave side abutting the plane side of said lens, the convex side of said lens facing outwardly.

2. in a signal, a casing having two openings with their axes at angles to each other, a reector in said casing diagonally facing said openings, a plano-convex lens in one of said openings, and a colored concave-convex light-transmitting device between said lens and said reiiector having facets on both its concave and convex sides, the concave side of said light transmitting device abutting the plane side of said lens and the convex side of said lens facing outwardly.

3. In a signal, a casing having two openings with their axes at angles to each other, a reector in said casing diagonally facing said openings, and a colored concavo-convex light transmitting device in one of said openings with its axis at an oblique angle-'to the plane of the reflector.

in a signal, a casing having two openings with their axes at right angles to each other, a reector in said casing diagonally facing said openings, and a colored concavo-convex light transmitting device in one of said openings having facets on both the concave and the convex sides thereof.

5. The signal set forth in claim. 4 wherein said redactor' is hat.

6. In a signal, a casing having two openings with their axes at angles to each other, a reector in. said casing diagonally facing said openings, and a colored concave-convex light transmitting device in one of said openings, with its concave side facing outwardly. Y

7. In a signal, a casing having two openings with their axes at right angles to each other, a reiiector in said casing diagonally facing said openings, and a colored concavo-convex light transmitting device in one of said openings with vgrees to the intersecting roads, and a colored concavo-convex light transmitting device disposed with its axis at approximately forty-five degrees to the plane of said reector and with its concave side facing away from said reflector and its convex side facing toward said neector.

10. A Asignal for road intersections comprising a substantially at reector disposed at and in oblique relation to a highway intersection, and a colored concavo-convex light transmitting device disposed with its axis oblique to the plane of the reflector.

FREDERICK W. BRAUN. SYDNEY SEMPIJNER.

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