US1100207A - Semaphorical direction-indicator. - Google Patents

Description

"G. I. WATTS.

SEMAPHORIGAL DIRECTION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1913.

Patented June 16,1914.

UN STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE FREDRICK WATTS, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SEMAPHORICAL DIRECTION-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE F. WA'rrs, a citizen, of the United States, residin at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and tate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Semaphorical Direction-Indicators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' This invention relates to direction indicators for vehicles and as its principal object contemplates the provision of a selnaphorical signal which will indicate by day, as well as by night, to oncoming vehicles, the direction to be taken by the signal carrying vehicle in the event that the driver contemplates a turn.

A still-further object is to provide a device of the character above described which, besides performing the functions of a direction indicator, will also act as the ordinary rear danger light required by the laws of practically all States of the Union.

The above and additional objects are ac complished by such means as are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, de-

scribed in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice,

' and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate correspending parts: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of an automobile equipped with the direction indicator of this invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken through the indicator and illustrating in detail the interior' mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Proceeding now to the description of the drawings, the numerall desi nates the base boa rd of this invention, to WhlCh are secured,

semaphore arms 6 and 7 is similar in each of the casings, 1 and 2, it has been deemed necessary to describe only one set of apparatus.

The semaphore arm 6 is pivotally mounted slightly above the center of the casing 3 on a horizontal shaft 8, secured to the front or rear wall of the member 3, as may be desired. Fixed to the primary stem 9 of the semaphore arm 6 is a secondary stem 10, the longitudinal axis of which extends at an approximate angle of ?&5 to the longitudinal axis of the member 9. Connected to the free end of the member 10 by a link lever 11 is a lever arm 12'pivotally mounted at a point approximately midway between its Patented J line 16, 1914. Application filed April 25, 1913. Serial no. 763,689.

free terminal and its center on a horizontal shaft 13, secured to the-wall of the casing 3, and spaced about the shaft 8, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Extending longitudinally of the member 12 and arranged approximately centrally thereof is a pin slot 14 disposed to receive a connecting longitudinally exten ing slot formed in the vertical pawl rod 17. The upper terminal of the member 17 is secured to a plate 18, fixed at each terminal to the lower ends of a pair of sliding solenoid cores 19. The cores 19 are adapted to be drawn upwardly when the magnetos 20 are energized. The lower end of the member 17 carries a lateral arm 21, the lowered e of which is concave as at 22 to correspon with the rounded ter minal s' of the members 9 and 10. In the down position of the member 6, the rounded terminals of the members 9 and 10 rest in the concave portion 22 and upon upward movement of the arm 6 slide downwardly against theadjacent edge of the arm 17 As a means for locking the arm 6 in down position there is provided a laterally extending lug 23 carried by the member 9 and provided with a concave recess in its upper face, which is adapted to receive the rounded terminal of the member 17 in looking engage'ment when the arm 6 is in down'position.

The actual construction of the semaphore arm being thus disclosed, the 1 description of the operation of the semaphore andactuating m'eans therefor is taken :up as next in order. In this connection it will be observed that when the magnets 20 are energized the cores 19 will be drawn upwardly carrymg them the pull rod 17. In the initial position of the" arm 17, the pm 15 bears pin 15, operating in a r -of the slot 16 at which time the lower terminal of the rod 17 will have been withdrawn from engagement with the concave recess of the member 23, that is formed integral with the stems 9 of each of the semaphore arms 6 and 7 adjacent the pivoted terminals thereof. These recessed lugs 23 are normally in locking engagement with the rounded lower terminals of the rod 17. When the pin 15 has reached the lower terminal of the slot 16, motion is of course communicated to the arm 6 through. the members 12,11,10 and 9, and when the plate 18 has been drawn into contact with the magnets 20, the arm 6 will have reached the horizontal position indicated at 6 in Fig. 2.

Whenemploying the structure above described, during the day time, the arms 6 and 7 are normally in down position and when the driver wishes to indlcate that he is about to make a right turn, he closes the circuit through the magnet and the casing 3, consequently drawing the arm 6 into horizontal position. This will render the arm 6 discernible to the drivers of oncoming cars and will notify them that the driver of the vehicle is about to make a right turn. The

operation of the signal to indicate a left turn is of course similar, except that the arm 7 which is on the left hand side of the base 1 is employed.

As a means for making the signal effective at night when it would be impossible to see the semaphore arms in horizontal position, there has been provided an electric lamp 24, carried on the rear wall of each of the casings 2 and 3, and arranged in alinement with a preferably yellow lens 25, mounted in the front wall of each of the casings 2 and 3. At night time the arms 6 and 7 are normally in down position, at which time there is no light discernible, and the drivers of on coming cars will know that the driver of the signal carrying car is intending to pursue a straight course. When the driver of the signal carrying car desires to indicate that he is about to make a right turn, thecore 20 of the arm 6 is energized, and the arm is drawn up into horizontal position, as previously described. The electric lights in 'each'casing are shunted in the solenoid sir-- cuit and are therefore illuminated when either of the arms is drawn up into horizontal position. The lenses 25 may be marked with right and left characteristics as at 26 and 27, in Fig. 1. The manipulation of the signals to indicate a left turn is similar in every respect to the operation indicating a right turn, except that the arm 7 is moved into horizontal position, and the arm 6 remains in vertical position.

In reduction to practice, I have found' that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the-preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet, realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described the combination with a vehicle, a casing adapted to be secured to the rear of the vehicle, a semaphore arm pivotally mounted within said casing, means for swinging said semaphore arm outwardly from the cusing and into horizontal position comprising an electrically operated magnet mounted within said casing, a sliding core slidably connected with said magnet, a downwardly extended arm carried by said core, a plurality of links connecting said arms and the semaphore arm, and means for locking said semaphore arm in closed position within said casin comprising co-acting locking members ormed integrally with the semaphore and last mentioned arm.

2.-In a device of the character described, the combination with a vehicle of a casing adapted to be secured to the rear of said vehicle, a semaphore arm pivotally mounted withln said casing, a lens carried by the front wall of said casing, an electric bulb mounted within said casing rearwardly of said lens, said semaphore arm being adapted to be interposed between the electric bulb and the lens when in a down position, an electromagnet mounted within said casing, a sliding core for said magnet, a downwardly extending arm carried by said core, a plurality of links connecting. said downwardly extending arm with the semaphore arm, a laterally extending lu formed on said last named arm intermediate the ends thereof and provided with a concaved under face,.the upper terminal of said semaphore arm being rounded and adapted to engage the concaved face of the lug when the semaphore arm is in its down position and a laterally .extendin locking lug formed on said semaphore arm aving a recessed upper face and adapted for engagement with the lower terminal of said last named arm when the semaphore arm is in its down position and lock said semaphore arm.

the combination with a vehicle of a casing adapted to be secured to the rear of said veing lug having a recessed upper face formed integrally with said semaphore arm intermedlate the ends thereof and said last named lug adapted for looking engagement with r the free terminal of said solenoid arm when the semaphore arm is in down position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE FREDRICK WATTS. Witnesses:

CHARLES W. GORDON, GEORGE A. HOODWELL.

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