US1575571A - Traffic signal - Google Patents

Description

March 2 1926. 1,575,571

A. M. GRAY TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Feb. 21, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A z /"Z if @495 .NVENTOR BY Wz'a WITNBS:

ATTORNEY March 2 1926. 1,575,571

A.M.GRAY

TRAFFI C SI GNAL Filed Feb, 21., 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i fig? 4.

53m l O E AlberZ M. 6249 WITNES: ATTORNEY March 2, 1925. 1,575,571

A. M. GRAY TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Feb. 21. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 law. a

AlberZ 6 4% Ma INVENTOR WITNES: ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES ALBERT M. GRAY, OF KEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

Application filed February 21, 192-1. Serial No. 448,628.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT M. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newport News, in the county of Warwick and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traflic Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a street trafiic director, the principal object of the invention being to provide means for giving the signals by a system of lights furnished by electric lamps, the current to which is controlled by an operator from a switchboard.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for displaying a red light to act as a danger signal for stopping all traflic during a fire or other emergency.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for sounding an alarm upon the approach of a fire apparatus or ambulance.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the horizontal line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4.--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the circuits.

Figure 6 is a view of a switch-board which may be used with the device.

In these views 1 indicates a supporting post which may be provided with a suitable base (not shown) or other means whereby the post will be held in upright position. A housing 2 is suitably secured to the upper end of the post, such as by means of the reinforcement 3 on the bottom of the housing. This housing is provided with a roof 4 of pyramid shape with its lower edges extended beyond the sides of the housing, said sides flaring upwardly and outwardly from the bottom in diverging relation with housing and within the space formed by' said partitions and the sides of the housing are located tubular members 9 which have their ends connected with the partitions and the sides of the housing. Within each tubular member is located an electric lamp 10 which is secured to the partition and the wires from which pass within the space formed by the inner faces of the partitions. The wires from the lamps then pass through the hollow post 1 to the switchboard or boards which are conveniently located at any desired point. -The sides of the housing are provided with circular holes 11 which register with the outer ends of the tubular members 9 and these holes are covered by lenses 12. I arrange four holes in each side,

two of the holes being arranged in'horizontal alignment adjacent the top of the side and the other two in vertical alignment below the horizontally arranged openings, as clearly shown in the drawing. The lens 11 of the central opening is preferably colored 'red while the other three lenses are not colored, thus the rays of light passing through the central lens will be red while the rays passing through the other lenses will be white.

The bell 7 is operated by electrical means in the usual manner and the Wires from such means also pass through the interior of the housing and through post 1 to the switchboard.

I may arrange the switchboard or boards in a suitable housing or I may provide an elevated tower at the street crossing on which the housing is located, the tower containing the switchboard and being made large enough to receive the operator. I prefer to use the. switchboard as shown in Figure 6, one of these switchboards being located in each wall of the tower or housing, the switchboard controlling the traffic from the east being located on the east wall, that controlling the trafiic from the south being located on the south walland s0 on. Each switchboard is divided into a plurality of blocks, each part containing two or more push buttons 13, except the one block which contains one push button 14: and a pivoted plate 15 which is adapted to be swung over upon the ush button to hold the same depressed, tiis push button 14 being connected with the bell. In this manner the hell can be caused to ring continuously by holding the push button down with the plate or it can be pushed down by hand so as to ive short rings.

The lights are used as follows:

Two white lights appearing on any face of housing, the upper one leaning to the right, thus signifies vehicles may turn to the ri ht.

One white light appearing thus (6) signifies vehicles may move straight forward. Two white lights appearing, the upper one leaning to the left, thus signifies vehicles may turn to the left.

One red light appearing, signifies vehicles to stop, that there is danger ahead, which may be the approach of a fire apparatus or ambulance, and at the same time a short bell may be ru'ng or a long ring may add to the warning.

Three white lights appearing in a triangular formation, thus signifies vehicles must stop.

Two lights, white appearing in a horizontal plane thus (0 O) signifies vehicle may turn around in a semi-circle.

The push buttons are arranged just as the lights will appear so that the operator will know just how the lights will appear from the position of the buttons he is manipulating.

I may provide a pin 17 for preventing the plate 15 from being swun too far and thus passing entirely over the ell button.

A loop 4 may be formed at the upper end of the roof so that the device may be suspended from a suitable support.

The push buttons may be designated by letters to indicate the lamps they control. For instance, as shown in Figure 5, the button for controlling the left-hand lamps will be designated by the letter L, those designated by the letter R will control the righthand lamps, those designated by the letters St will control the lamps for indicating straight ahead, those designated by the letters Sp will control the lamps for indicating stop, those designated by the let ters S. C. will control the lamps indicating the vehicle is to turn a semi-circle or a partial turn, those designated by the letters D control the danger lamps and when the danger buttons are actuated all four of the danger lamps will be lighted. The buttons for controlling the bells are indicated by the letter B.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent,

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:-

A signal comprising a support, a housing mounted thereon and having downwardly and inwardly converging side walls, partition walls arran ed within the housing and disposed paralle with and spaced from the side wallsof the housing, inclined wall sections located in the space between the side walls and the partition walls of the housing and dividing the space into compartments, the median longitudinal dimensions of the compartments being disposed at acute angles to the axis of the support, transparent disks carried by the side walls of the housing and disposed at the other ends of the compartments and bulbs mounted upon the partition walls of the housing and disposed interiorly of the compartments.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALBERT M. GRAY,

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