US1868527A - Signal operating switch - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1932. A. J. GERHART SIGNAL OPERATING SWITCH Filed May 19. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY July 26, 1932. A. J. GERHART SIGNAL OPERATING SWITCH Filed May 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. UW Q;

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 26, 1932 UNITE STATES ARTHUR J. GERHART, OF LORAIN, OHIO SIGNAL OPERATING SWITCH Application filed. May 19,

tion is to provide a signal operating switch that is so constructed and mounted for attachment on an automobile as to permit the proper actuation of the switch by the operator of the vehicle without necessitating the removal of the hands from the steering wheel thus enabling the vehicle to be maintained under proper control at all times.

A further and salient object of the present invention is to provide a signal operating switch that is operatively connected with the accelerator foot pedal, the switch being normally locked in an operative position when the accelerator foot pedal is in its normally raised position,the locking means for the switch being released when the accelerator foot pedal is depressed, thus enabling the operator to effectively actuate the circuit closing means to either of the direction signals mounted on the vehicle for warning approaching as well as pursuing drivers when a turn in either direction is about to be made. A further and important object is to provide a signal operating switch that includes a stationary contact mounted in the floor board at each side of the accelerator foot pedal, a pivoted foot engaging plate being mounted adjacent each stationary contact and carrying co-acting contact so that when the foot of the driver is moved to either side to selectively actuate the pivoted plate, the contact carried thereby will be brought into electrical engagement with the adjacent stationary contacts to close the circuit to the V appropriate direction signal.

. Other objects and advantages A further object is to provide a signal operating switch of the above mentioned character which is of such construction as to permit the same to be readily and easily installed on an automobile without necessitating any material alterations, the switch being at all times positive and eiiicient in its operation as well as strong and durable yet inexpensive in its manufacture.

of the present invention will become apparentfrom the 1930. Serial No. 453,598.

following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the signal operating switch embodying my invention showing the same in its locked inoperative position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the accelerator foot pedal depressed and one of the foot engaging plates in its operative position and with one pair of contacts in electrical engagement.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of Figures 1 and 2. r v r Figure 5 is a similar view taken approximagely on the line 55 of the same figures, an

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the direction signal per se.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodimentof my invention, the numeral 1 designates ail-automobile foot accelerator pedal that is adapted for vertical movement through the floor board 2 in the conventional manner. For the purposes of the present invention, a pair of opposed lugs 3 extend laterally from theshank of the foot pedal, it being understood, of course, that the floor board 2 is cut out to accommodate the lugs 3 and'this feature is clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

My improved signal operating. switch in cludes a pair of stationary contacts denoted by the numerals i and 5, respectively, the same being mounted in the floor board- 2 at opposite sides of the foot accelerator pedal 1 and being further supported in insulating blocks 6 secured in suitable openings in the floor board as suggested more clearly in Figure 3. The lower ends of the stationary contacts are in electrical connection with left and right turn signallights 7 and 8, respectively, which signal lights are mountat their lower edges adjacent the stationary contacts 4 and 5, respectively, and the movable contacts are supported on the respective foot engaging plates by suitable brackets such as is shown at 1 1-. The movable contacts 10 are electrically connected to the storage battery 15 which constitutes the source of electric energy and the electrical connections between the contacts and the signal lights and the source of current supply is clearly illustrated in the wiring diagram shown in Figure 3.

"A sectional bar affords an operative connection between the respective foot engaging plate and the foot accelerator pedal, the bar that is arranged on the left hand side of the foot accelerator pedal being denoted by the numeral 16 while the opposite bar is designated generally by the numeral 17. The segments of each bar are hingedly con nected together and the outermost segment of the bar 16 is hingedly connected to the lower end of the foot engaging plate 12 in the manner as is more clearly shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5. An axial coil spring 18 encircles the pintle 19 that passes through the registering apertured ears associated with the adjacent ends of the segmental bar and the foot engaging plates 16 and 12, respectively, one end of the axial coil spring engaging against the outer face of the foot engaging plate 12 while the other end engages with the upper face of the floor board 2 for normally maintaining the foot engaging plate 12 in a vertical position. A stop forming lug 20 is associated'with'each'foot engagingplate to limit the inward swinging movement thereof. The foot engaging plate 13 is connected to the outer end of the sectional sliding bar 17 in the same manner as the outer endof the segmental bar 16 is connected to the foot engaging plate 12.

The innermost segment or section of each bar is 'slidable through a guide strap 21 that is secured to the floor board on each side of the foot accelerator pedal and as is shown very clearly in Figure 1 the slidable segmental bars are not in alinement with each other and the inner opposed edges of the inner ends of these bars are notched out to cooperate with the locking lugs 3 when the foot accelerator pedal 1 is in its raised'posisay. the foot accelerator pedal. 1 is raised so that the lugs 3 are disposed within the respective notched out portions'of the sliding bars.

When the foot pedal 1 is depressed to the position shown in Figure 3 so that the lugs 3 are out of engagement with the notched inner ends of the sliding bars 16 and 17, the segmental bars are then free to slide longitudinally and the hinged connections afiord a break joint arrangement between the sections and when the operator moves his foot to the left, then to engagement with the foot engaging plate 12, said plate will swing downwardly so that the contact 10 will be brought into engagement with the contact 4 thus closing the circuitto the signal lamp 7 and indicating that a left hand turn is about to be made. In a similar manner, when a right hand turn is to be made, the operator moves his foot to the right into engagement with the plate 13, causing said plate to move downwardly and to bring the contact 11 into electrical engagement with the'stationary contact 5 and this will close the circuit to the signal lamp 8 to give a signal that a left hand turn is to be made. The oil spring 19 will return the foot engaging plate and the contact carried thereby to its normal position when the foot is again brought into position on the foot accelerator pedal 1 when the car is standing still, and the foot accelerator pedal is in its raised position, the lug 3 will then be arranged in looking engagement with the notched inner ends of the sliding bars, 16

and 17. 7

It will thus be seen from the foregoing de scription that I have provided a signal operating switch that is controlled-by the foot of the operator eliminating the necessary of having to remove the hands from the steering wheel when it is desired to give a signal that a turn in either direction is to be made. Furthermore the simplicity of my switch enables the same to be readily and easily installed on a vehicle without necessitating any material alteration and the same will at all times be positive and efficient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the size, shape andarrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is: g c

1. A signal operating switch comprising in combination with an automobile foot accelerator pedal, a pair of stationary contacts arranged on opposite sides of the pedal in spaced relation thereto, movable foot engaging members mounted adjacent the respective stationary contacts, and contacts carried by the foot engaging members for, selective engagement with the respective stationary contacts, and co-acting means between the foot accelerator pedal and the foot engaging members for locking the latter against movement when the pedal is in its raised position.

2. A signal operating switch comprising in combination with an automobile foot accelerator pedal, a pair of stationary contacts arranged on opposite sides of the pedal in spaced relation thereto, movable foot engaging members mounted adjacent the respective stationary contacts, contacts carried by the foot engaging members for selective engagement with the respective stationary contacts, slidable bars operatively connected at their outer ends to the respective foot engaging members, and co-acting means between the inner ends of said slidable bars and the foot accelerator pedal for locking the bars against sliding movement when the foot accelerator pedal is in its raised position.

3. A signal operating switch comprising in combination with an automobile foot accelerator pedal, a pair of stationary contacts arranged on opposite sides of thepedalin spaced relation thereto, movable foot engaging members mounted adjacent the respective stationary contacts, contacts carried by the foot engaging members for selective engagement with the respective stationary contacts, slidable bars operatively connected at their outer ends to the respective foot engaging members, and co-acting means between the inner ends of said slidable bars and the foot accelerator pedal for locking the bars against sliding movement when the foot accelerator pedal is in its raised position, said last mentioned means including lugs extending laterally from the shank of the foot accelerator pedal, the inner opposed ends of the slidable bars being arranged on opposite sides of the shank and being notched to receive the respective lugs.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

ARTHUR J. GERHART.

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