US563938A - Alvin j - Google Patents

Description

(N 0 Model.)

A. J. MUNSON. ORNAMENTALV INDICATOR FOR WEATHER VANBS.

No. 563,938. Patented July 14, 1896i UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ALVIN J. MUN SON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

' 'ORNAMENTAL INDICATOR FOR WEATHER-VANES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,938, dated July 14:, 1896.

Application filed. OctoherlQ, 1895. Serial No. 566,217.. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN J. MUNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ornamental Indicators for WVeather-Vanes, of which the following is a specification.

As an ornamental device for indicating the four points of the compass, I have produced a cluster of bodies, hanging loosely and each having an initial letter showing the relation of the weather-vane to the points of the compass, and giving a beautiful effect in swinging to the wind. YVhile the balls are free to swing to the wind, they may also be free to be retated by the wind, and I may also make them the carriers of weather-vanes to indicate the direction of the wind.

In the drawings my ornamental device is shown as mounted upon a standard to which a lightning-rod is secured, but the devicemay be used upon towers, housetops, or other elevated structures, or it may be mounted upon the rod itself.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows my ornamental indicating device as it is applied to a brace or standard for a lightning-rod. Fig. 2 shows the indicator device as it is applied to a lightning-rod, and Fig. 3 shows the angular standard on which the indicating device is fitted. Fig. 4 shows one of the hanging balls provided with the index letter and surface win gs or fins by which it is rotated under the action of the wind, and Fig. 5 shows one of the hanging balls provided with the index letter and an indicating-vane.

The rod has the usual receiving and conducting point 1, and may have the weathervane 2, and the rod is suitably secured by a standard 3 to the roof or other part of the building.

The ornamental indicator consists of a fourarmed hanger 4, having balls or bodies 6, preferably of different colors, forming swinging pendants to the arms, each ball being preferably provided with an initial letter indicating the east, west, north, and south, respectively.

The ornamental bodies are hung to the arms by a j oint-link that will permit them to be free to swing in every direction to the wind, and the C E 77 6S 77 (6 N 77 C s 79 rigidly connected to the lower side of the balls to indicate the compass-points. The surface of the balls may be provided with wings or fins 14, arranged to rotate the ball by the action of the wind, and when so designed I hang the balls by joints 13, that will permit of both the swinging and the rotation of the balls, as shown in Fig. 4:. Any simple form of joint may be used for this purpose. The surface wind-wings may be dispensed with and each ball may be provided with an arrow 15, preferably fixed to the lower part of the index letter to indicate the direction of the wind, as shown in Fig. 5. I11 this function the arrow will turn the ball and the latter will at the same time be free to swing, because of its swiveled free joint, so that each ball will indicate a point of the compass by its initial letter, the direction of the wind by its arrow, and swing as an ornament. These pendent bodies may be made of glass, colored on the inner side and properly sealed, but they may be made of wood, paper-pulp, or any suitable material, and painted. They can be made with or without the surface fins and the arrows. These swinging bodies present an object of beauty and attract attention not only to the weather-vane, but the letters to show the course of the wind and the points of the compass.

The hanger has a central collar 5, by which it is secured upon the standard, or upon the rod, as may be desired.

I prefer to make the hanger-arms of wire strands twisted together and bound around the collar, making a cheap attachment and easily applied.

The lightning-rod is fastened and braced by the standard- brackets 7 and 8 through guides in which the rod is fitted.

I make the standard of angular cross-section and the hanger-collar 5 of corresponding form to fit thereon, so that the hanger device cannot revolve.

In addition to the cluster of balls the rod may have a ball 9, resting upon the top of the standard. A tube having a scroll 10 maybe fitted on the standard as a support for the cluster-bracket, and a collar 16, having a clamp-screw, supports the tube. Asecond two-armed hanger 121nay be supported upon the lower bracket-guide 7 and provided with pendent bodies hung so as to be free to swing to the wind. These several ornaments are adapted to be fitted upon the square standard by sliding them thereon from the top, and for this purpose the top bracket 8 is made removable, thus making it convenient and easy to mount the bodies.

In mounting the ornamental device upon the lightning rod, as in Fig. 2, the ball 9 serves to support its tubular collar 5, which may be clamped upon the rod, while the weather-vane rests and turns upon said collar.

It will be understood that the rod is properly insulated at its connection with the standard-brackets and that a weather-vane maybe mounted upon the rod or upon the standard and used in connection with the ball-vanes, or the arrow 2 may be dispensed with.

I claim as my improvement 1. The herein-described compass-indicating ornament for lightning-rods and weathervancs consisting of an armed hanger, and a support therefor, each arm having a ball hung free to swing in every direction and having fixed thereto an initial letterpvhereby to form a cluster of balls indicating the points of the compass.

2. An ornamental compass-indicating device for Weather-vanes or lightning-rods, consisting of an armed hanger and a support therefor, each arm having a ball hung free to swing in every direction and to turn upon its connection With said hanger and having fixed thereto an initial letter and awind-indicator, whereby to form a cluster of balls each of which indicates one of the points of the compass and the direction of the wind.

3. An ornamental device for 1i ghtning-rods and weather-vanes, consisting of an armed hanger and a sup port therefor, each arm having a ball hung free to swing in every direction and to revolve, and provided with surface ribs or fins whereby they are caused to be rotated by the wind.

4. For lightning-rods and weather-vanes, an ornamental device consisting of a cluster of balls each hung free to swing in every direction, and having an initial letter fixed at its lower side.

ALVIN J. MUNSON.

Vitnesses .TNo. W. KEALING, HARRY BoWsER.

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