US1521462A - Traffic signal - Google Patents

Description

H. V. MADDOX TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Aug. 28, '1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 30, 1924- l ,52l,462

H. V. MADDOX TRAFFI C S GNAL Filed Aug. 28,. 1925 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Bec. 3G, l924l.

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HOHER V. EVADDOX, OF LOS NGELES, CALZTORN.

TRAFFIC SGNAL.

Application filed August 2S, 1923. 'Serial No. 659,312.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, HOMER V. MADDOX, a citizen ot the 'United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county ot' Los Angeles and State ot' California, have invented certain new and useful` lmprovements in Traffic Signals; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and enact description ot' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to vehicular signal devices and has for its object to provide a signal which may be applied to motor driven vehicles oi" the open or closed type and which may be readily operated by the driver to signal the intention ot' turning either' to the right or to the lett, going ahead, stopping or reversing, the construction being such as to admit ot the signal being readily installed without requiring any change in the construction or arrangement ot' parts ot the vehicle.

@ther objects and advantages will be ap- 5 parent and suggest themselves as the nature otl the invention is understood.

While the drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention it --is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different it" conditions and requirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details or construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature ot the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part ot the application:

Figure l is a top plan View of a vehicle signal showing the same attached to the standard ot the usual windshield, the dotted lines indicating an adjusted position, of the J indicating arm and operating handle,

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view on the line 2 2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 8-3 ol Figure l,

iii Figure Ll is a detail sectional view on the line P-l oi' Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a detail view of an arrangement adapting the signal to a closed car, and

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view on the 50 line 6 6 of Figure 5, parts being broken away.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views oir the drawings 55 by like reference characters.

The numeral l designates a tube which is adapted to be attached to the vehicle-in any convenient and determinate way. The numeral 2 designates a part ot the vehicle to which the signal is attached and the same may consist ot a standard tor supporting the windshield or an iqaright. n arm 3 is secured at one end to the support Q and is provided at its opposite end with a bearing 4: in which the tube l is mounted, said bearing being split and adapted to be contracted whereby to grip the tube l more or less tightlj.7 to n nally hold the saine in the required position and yet admit ot said tube being turned in the searing upon the application ot sutlicient force thereto. A handle is provided at the inner end ot' the tube l and serves as convenient means 'for turning the tube when it is required to adjust the same. rin elbow 6 is provided at the outer end ot the tube l and a branch thereof normally entends vertically. A. horizontal shaft 'l is mounted in the tube l which forms a housing there tor. rl. shatt t3 perpendicular to the shalt 7 is mounted in a bearing t) applied to the outer branch ot the elbow 6. llevel gearing l0 connects the adjacent ends ot the sha'lts T and 'lhe handle 5 is tubular and receives a shaitt ll which is journaled therein and connected at its inner end with the inner end of the shalt 7 by means oiQ bevel gearing l2. A handle 13 is fast to the outer or projecting end ot t-he shatt ll and when operated etlects a turning ot the shafts ll, i and 8. in indicator lll is tast to the projecting end ot the shalt 8 so as to 'turn therewith. lnthe preferable term the indicator la has the outline ot an arrow, but in practice it may be oit any configuration. Lamps l5 are provided at opposite ends ot the indicator to render the same plainly visible zitter dark. These lamps preihrably consist of electric bulbs which are included in a circuit represented by the wires lll in Figlia-e il. rlhe lamps may be of any pi'eterred color to meot various requirements.

Rotation ot the handle i3 elta-:cts a corresponding movement of the indicator lllwhich muy be turned to point to the right or to the lett, or Jr'oNwardljf r rearwardly to designate the intention ot the driver to turn either to the right to the lett, or to go forward or reverse. rlovement ot the handle etects rotation ot the tube l to (ill lll)

cause the indicator 14 to pointY upwardly or downwardly, accordingly as it is the intention of the driver to reverse or stop.

When the signal is applied to a closed car,

an arm 17 is clamped to the inner1 end ofV the tube 1 and a wire 18 is connected to the outer end of the arm 17 and passes through a guide 19 applied to the support 2 and is provided at its inner end with a button 2OV to; bev operated thereby, means 'for operating the shaft to eect adjustment o said indicatlor, a support including a bearing in whichthe saijd tube is mounted?, means Jfor creating a tension between said bearing. and

tube whereby to hold the latterv in the required adjusted position, a handle projecting from the tube and serving as means for turning the same in the adjustable bearing, and means associated with the handle whereby to eltect adjustmentV of the tube.

Y 2. A vehicle signal comprising a tube,

elbows at opposite ends of thetube andfeX- tending in different directions with respect thereto, means connecting the tube and elboW,a shaft journaled.V in said means, means 'i operable to rotate the shaft, a handle eX- tendingg from one ofk they elbows in which the last mentioned means is disposed, a gear-V ing connecting the last mentioned means with the shaft and located in the last men.;V

tioned elbow, signalv supported on the other Y elbow, a; gearing connection from said shaft to the last'mentioned Yelbow tothe sig-nal,

In testimony whereof I aliixvmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOMER V. MADDOX. lNitnesses:

,PEARL Grt'. HAMILTQN,

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