US1408386A - Glare screen - Google Patents

Description

R. T. NEWTON. GLARE SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1920. 1,408,386. Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

2 SHEEIS-SHEET R. T. NEWTON.

GLARE SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1920.

' 1,40 ,3 I Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

rs 'r FFHE. I

RICHARD T. NEWTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GLARE SCREEN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

'Apm -qation filed February 25, 1920. Serial No. 361,135.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD T. NEWTON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Glare Screens, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to glare screens, and particularly to a device of this character applicable to automobiles. The object of my invention is to provide an intermittent light interrupter which may be arranged at a suitable point in front of the drivers seat, and of such construction that it cuts off a. sufficient portion of the light rays from the lamp of an approaching car to eliminate its objectionable or blinding glare, without interfering materiall with the drivers vision. Preferably, t e screen is rotary, and may be driven either automati- .cally by the rush of air therethrough when the car is in motion, or positively by a suitable motor connection; Preferably, also, the device is in the nature of a self-contained appliance adapted to be mounted in suitable position upon-the usual wind-shield frame, and is of such construction not only adjusted to the requirements of the driver, but also moved toan out-of-the way positionwhen not needed.

In the accompanying drawings* Fig. 1 'is a perspective of portion of an automobile showing mounted on the wind I shield a glare screen 1n which my invention is embodied in one form;

Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively front and side elevations of the glare screen drawn to a larger, scale;

.Fig. 4c is a plan of a tion of the screen;

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively front and plan views of a further modified construcmodified construction of the screen;

Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively front and side elevations of a modified construction of the attaching bracket;

Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively side and front elevations of a further modification of the attaching bracket, particularly suitable for use in an enclosed car;

Figs. 11 and 12 are more or less diagrammatic side elevations showing different positive drive connections for the screen.

- To lessen the blinding glare from the head lights of an approaching car, various modifications in the construction of the lens or other appurtenance of the lamp have been that it may be from the appearance of the car in day time.

Moreover, they require a special construction of the wind shield, which adds materially to the expense of this portion of the car.

The present invention provides an inexpensive attachment, readily placed in posi-. tion or removed, and by which a suflicient portion of the light from an approaching car is cut off to shield the drivers eyes from glare. The underlying thought of the invention is an intermittent interruption of the light rays, of sufiicient frequency to elim inate glare, While at the same time insuring unobstructed vision of the roadway. The invention may be carried out in various ways, but the simplest and best embodiment appears to be in the form of a rotating screen.

In Figs. 1-3 the present glare screen in its simplest form is illustrated. As here shown it comprises an annulus 15 forming a rim between which and the hub 16 extends a series of light-obturatlng vanes 17.

The latter are set at an angle to the plane tically a third of the light rays. from, the

head light of the approaching car. This "is ordinarily sufiicient to eliminate its glare.

The hub of the screen is mounted on a bearing pin 18 carried by a swinging arm 19 pivoted on the bracket 20 and held 1n adjusted position by the clamping nut 21. The base 22 of the bracket is channelled to engage the side upright 23 of the wind shield frame and is held in adjusted position by a set screw .24. The shield is shown mounted in Fig. 1, and is adjustable. vertically or laterally to meet the requirements of the driver seated at 25. If desired the bracket arm 20 may be. pivoted to the base 22 at 26 so that the screen may be swung While I ,also restful to the eye.

after which the tion. 7

In the modified constructioi'i shown in Fig. 4, two rotary units are-used with their vanes 17 facing in opposite directions, to cause the units to rotate in opposite directions.

In Fig. 5 the screen is further modified by dividing its area into irregularly shaped spaces of different area and contours. Vanes29 may be arranged at the margins of certain of these areas to drive the screen when the car is in motion. The area of the framework may be made sufiiciently great in itself to afford the requisite interruption of the light rays. It may be, made lighter, however, if the spaces 28 are filled with colored glass, celluloid or the like. A simple method of effecting the lat ter is indicated in Fig. 6,'in which a sheet 31 of celluloid or glass (properly apertured at the spaces 32 to admit air to the vanes shield is returned to posi- 29) is secured on one face of the screen.

In a construction of this type the presence of the shield is practically unnoticeable to the driver save by the fact that at its area the glare of,the approachinglight is eliminated. The color of the shield openings may be uniform, or it may be varied to pro duce a blended colorwhen in operation, that is not only effective as a. glare screen, but Such a screen is useful on longdrives in bright daylight.

The mounting for the appliance may be of any suitable character. In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a clam 33 adapted to engage the margin of the win shield frame. Joints 342, 35 and 36 in the screen area afford manual adjustment for the screen or permit it to be swung entirely out of the way of the wind shield.

The mounting indicated in Figs. 9 and 10 is primarily designed for closed cars. A bushing 37 passed through the top of the dash 38 affords a bearing for the stem 39 of the screen arm 40, wh le a handle-tl located at the end of the stem within the car body enables the driver to-swing the screen arm on the axis of its stem.

While I have indicated that the screen may be rotated by the passage of air there through, it may also be positively rotated, and in the latter case, driving vanes 17 or 29 would not be requisite. In Fig. 11 the drive is taken through gear 42 on a spindle driven by some motor element of the car. The pinion 43 meshing therewith rotates the flexibleshaft 44;, and a bevel gear 45 at the opposite end of the latter drives the screen through a cooperating bevel gear 46 on its spindle. In Fig. 12 the screen is mounted on the spindle 457 of a small electric motor 48 carried by the arm 49 of a bracket 50 adapted to be mounted on the wind shield side frame. I

will readily occur to those skilled in the art,

without departing from what I claim as my invention.

I claim- 1. For use with an automobile or the like, a glare screen adapted to be arranged in the line of vision of the driver and comprising a rotary element subdivided into a series of light-obstructing areas of irregu lar and different shapes which serve, during the rotation of said element, to minimize glare without materially limiting vision through the screen.

2. For use with an automobile or the like, a glare screen adapted to be arranged in the line of vision of the driver and comprising a rotary element subdivided into a series of light-obstructing areas and interposed col ored translucent areas which serve, during the rotation of said element, to minimize glare without materially limiting vision through the screen.

3. For use with an automobile or the like having a wind shield, a self-contained attachment comprising a rotary glare screen,

an adjustable bracket carrying the same and adapted to mount the screen adjacent the wind shield in the line of vision of the driver, and a rotary element subdivided into a series of light-obstructing areas which serve, during the rotation of said element,

to minimize glare without materially limiting vision through the screen. a

the same adjacent the wind shield in the line of vision of the driver. i

5. The combination with an automobile having a wind shield, of a glare screen, comprising a member having light obstructing areas of irregular and different shapes, and means for rotating the same. 6. The combination w1th an automobile having a wind shield, of a glare screen, comprising a rotary member having vari-colored translucent areas.

7. The combination with an automobile having a wind shield, of a glare screen comprising a fiat disc with light obstructlng areas, means for rotating the same, and an adjustable bracket to hold the same in the line of vision of the driver.

In testimony whereof I have s1gned my name to this specification.

RICHARD T. NEWTON.

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