US1363537A - Traffic-signal - Google Patents

Description

mmmm

E. A. SCOTT.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED APR.26, 1919.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. A. SCOTT.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED APR. 26. I919.

Patented Dec. 28,1920.

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neeaaea To all whom it may concern Be it known thatl, Ennnns'r A. Sco'rr, citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Sunnnitand gtate of @hio, have invented certain new useful Improvements in Trafic-Eiignals, of

' which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an revs trafiic signal for motor vehicles andhae-asits primary ob ect to provide a construction whereby a, driver may, with the use Ofilfilgnaling lamps employed, readily signal an intention to turn either to the right or leift ortostop. i

And the invention has as a further object toprovide an approved signal lamp of such nature that the signal lights will be visible in the day time as well as at night and w rein reflection from the signal lamps :educcd to a ininiinu i so ps will not reflect the 1 lights of a vehicle a; the rear deceive vehic e. 'Uther and incidental- 1 hereinafter. the s:

a Figure l. is a side elev conventional type of motor ve with my improved sigiirai, Fig. 2 is a diagrammaticview the s ystein employed, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View through one of the signal-lamps, and

Fig. 4; is a sectional View taken at substantially right. angles to Fig. 3.

in carrying the invention into eirlect I employ companion signal lamps which, for

convenience, have been indicated as a whole in Fig. 2 of the drawings at 10 and 11 re spectively. These signal lamps are mounted adjacent the rear end of the vehicle at opposite sides thereof, as suggested in ig. 1, this View showing my improved signal in connection with a conventional type of'motor vehicle 12. Since the signal lamps are identical in construction only one will he described. 7

Referring now more particularly to 'Flgs.

5 and 6 of the drawings, it will be seen that to vided with a flared annular extension 15 7 electric lamp 29.

Specification of teamma e.- E r g 11a ga magi) Application filed April as,

rare. serial no. ceases.

which carries a red transparent pane l6;

screw :"Eor adjustably securing the lamp upon the post. Projecting radially inward from the wall of the cap 14, adjacent the inner end of said cap, is a plurality of spaced spring clips or brackets 20, and removahly held by these brackets is a lens 21 which is preferably colored green. lhe brackets 20 are each preferably formed from a length of suitable resilient sheet metal connected at one end to the wall of the cap and its intermediate portion rebent into substantial lei-shape to engage the of the le s, the brackets remoi 'ahly sustaining the l In place. Abutted against the brackets the space between the periphie lens and the walls ring is formed from suit hast and is removably fitted in As will be seen, ring will is of light around the of lens. its outer end, ec'uipped with a flanged rim of which is seated a clore pa e it which is preferably of clear glass and is removaloly held in place by a resilient clamping ring. 25. As will be ob-. served, the rim, together with the pane 24: and the ring 25,-inay' be removed as a whole from the outer end of the cap. Projecting Within the body 13 of the casing at its lower side'is a medial annular flange 26 which carries a set screw 27 and supported by this flange is a lamp socket 28 held by the set screw. The lamp socket may be of, any approved type and r'ernov'ably receives an The interior of the lamp casing, that is, the body 13 as well as the cap 14, is preferably coated black so that there will be no light reflection by the interior walls of the casing. Furthermore, particular attention is directed to the fact that' owing to the length of the cap 14 and the mounting-of the lens 21 adjacent the inner end of said cap, the cap will tend to shade or screen the lens so that, under ordinary circumstances, day-- of the cap is Consequently, when the lamp 29 is energized through the front pane 16, a similar light through the side pane 18, while a green colored light will be seen at the rear end of the casing.

For controlling the lamps 'of the signals 10 and 11, I employ switches disposed in a preferably oblong casing 30 which is secured upon the steering post 35 immediately adjacent the steering wheel 36.

The switches are controlled by levers 4:8 and 49 which project from the switch casing in opposite directions beneath the steering wheel 36 and are preferably of a length to terminate at their outer ends beneath the rim of the wheel, so that the heads of the levers may, without removing the hands from the steering wheel, be readily grasped by the fingers ofthe driver of the vehicle. Fixed to the outer side Wall of the casing 30, adjacent opposite ends of said casing, are lamp sockets which receive pilot lamps 54 and 55. I

' In Fig. 2 I have diagrammatically shown the wiringsystem employed between the switches, the pilot lamps and the signal lamps. A wire 57 leads from one terminal of the switch controlled by the lever 48 to.

pilot light to one terminal of the signal 11,

is a wire 62. A wire 63 leads from the other terminal of the signal 11 and is connected with the battery 60. Bridging corresponding terminals of the switches is a bridge strip 64, and leading from the bridged.

terminal of one switch to the battery is wire 65.

Assuming now that the lever 48 is .actuated to close the corresponding switch, current will then flow from the battery through the Wire 59 and through the lamp of the signal 10 and thence through the, Wire 58 and through the pilot lamp 54:, thence through the wire 57, through the switch, the bridge strip 64 and wire 65 to the batmeager tery. The lamp of the signal 10 and the pilot lamp 54 will accordingly be simultaneously energized, the energization of the signal lamp indicating an intention on the part of the driver to turn to the right. The pilot light will indicate to the driver that the signal is being displayed and will serve as a reminder to shut off the flow of current to the signal lamp after the turn has been made. Furthermore, should the lamp of the signal burn out or, for any other reason, fail to properly operate, the pilot lamp would then also fail to operate so that the driver would be immediately apprised-ofthe failure'of the signal. Since the pilot lamp 55 and the lamp of the signal 1,1 are electrically connected in a manner similar to the pilot lamp 554 and the lamp of the signal 10, the pilot lamp 55 will serve like functions in connection with the lamp of the signal 11. Upon movement of the lever 49 to close the switch, current will then flow from the battery through the wire 65, the switch and through the wire 61 to the a socket of the lamp 55, thence through this socket and through the wire 62 to the lamp of the signal 11, and then return to the battery through the wire 63. The pilot lamp 55 and the lamp of the signal 11 will accordingly be simultaneously energized, the signal indicating an intention of the driver to turn to the left. A signal to stop may be given by energizing both signal lamps. It will accordingly be seen that I provide a very effective type of signal which is adapted for use in connection with substantially any conventional type of motor vehicle and which, when applied, may be readily operated from the drivers seat of the vehicle.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a trafiic signal, a signal lamp including a lamp casing comprising a body having light-transmitting openings at both ends, an elongated non-reflecting cap extending from the rear end of the body, means for supporting a lamp within the body, and a lens mounted adjacent the inner end of said cap to cover the rear end of the body.

2. In a trafiic signal, a signal lamp including a lamp casing comprising a body having light-transmitting openings at both ends, an elongated non-reflecting cap normally closing the rear end of the body, means for supporting a lamp within the body, brackets projecting inwardly from the wall of the cap adjacent the inner end of said cap, and a lens carried by said brackets to cover the rear end of the body.

8. In a traflic signal, a signal lamp including a lamp casing comprising a body having light-transmitting openings at both ends, an elongated non-reflecting cap normally closing the body, means for supporting'a lamp within the body, brackets projecting inwardly from the wall of the cap adjacent the inner end of said cap, a lens carried by said brackets to cover the rear end of the lamp'body, and a ring removably abutting the brackets and closing. the space between the periphery of the lens and the wall of the cap.

4. A tratlic signal comprising a substantially cylindrical lamp easing having a plurality of windows, one window being arranged to transmit light laterally and two windows being in alinenlent with each other and at an angle to the window transmitting light laterally, an elongated non-reflecting cap normally closing the rear end of the body, a lens mounted within the cap adjacent the inner end of the same to cover one of the alined windows in the casing, and a transparent pane closing the outer end of the cap, the cap preventing daylight playing upon the lens adjacent the inner end of the same and cutting oil the lateral diffusion of light from the lens.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EARNEST A. SCOTT. [11. s.]

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