US1714351A - Traffic signal - Google Patents

Description

E. D. DILLON TRAFFIC SIGNAL May 21, 1929.

Filed Dec. 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY E. D. DILLON TRAFFIC SIGNAL May 21, 1929.

Filed Dec. 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet E12. mum

ATTORNEY Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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Application fled December 14, 1988. Serial 10. 886,000.

This invention relates to a trafiic signal, one of the objects of the invention being to provide means whereby a person approaching the si a1 can tell approximately ow long the 5: signal, for mstance, has been on and approximately how long it will remain on, so that he can tell whether or not he has time to cross the intersection before the signal chan as -A in er object of the invention is to provide a si al lamp in the casing of the signal,

with dis -like shutters, driven by a single motor for controlling the escape of the light rays through the various signal windows in the casing, with means independent of the motor for giving each shutter a quick movement when the signal changes from one color to another.

A further object of the invention is to provide windows in the bottom part of the casing and means associated with the shutters for giving a flickering green light, when the Go signal is on, whereby pedestrians will know from this flickering light that the signal means indicate Go.

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 claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding arts throughout the several views, and in w ich z Figure 1 is an elevation of the casing of the improved signal means.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Flgure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view.

Figure'6 is a view of one of the shutters, looking toward the inner face thereof.

Figure 7 is a similar view, but showing-the parts in a different osition.

Figure 8 is a sectional view through Figure 6. c Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Figure 3.

In these views, the numeral 1 indicates the casin which is adapted to be supported upon a pe estal or post in the; usual manner, this casing having the usual peaked top 2, the central inner part of which carries the socket :3 for the lamp bulb 4. Each side of the easlng is formed with a air of large windows 5 and 6, these windows eing located on a horizontal plane which passes through the center of the casing. The window 5 contains a green lens, as shown at G in Figure 1, while the window 6 contains a red lens, as shown at R in said figure. An arc-shaped row of small windows 7 is arranged above the windows 5 and 6 and a similar-row of windows 8 is arranged below the said windows 5 and 6. The windows 7 contain lenses of green color, except the last window next to the window 6, which contains a yellow lens, as indicated at 7 and the windows 8 contain lenses of red color, except the last window next to the window 5, which contains a yellow lens, as indicated at 8'. A disk-like shutter 9 controls the passage of the light rays from the lamp 4 through all of the windows on each side of the caslng. These shutters are loosely arranged on the shafts 10 and 11, which are rotatably mounted in the casing and extend at rightangles to each other. The shaft 10 is driven from a motor M, mounted in the casing, and connected with the shaft b the worm gearing 12. A gear 13 on sha 11 meshes with the gear on shaft 10, so that the two shafts are driven from the motor at the same s eed.

A pm 14 is fastened to each end of each shaftand has its bent end engaging an areshaped slot 15 in each disk so that the engagement of the pin with one end of the slot will 'cause the shutter to revolve with the shaft.

Each shutter is formed with a semi-circular slot 16 therein which will register with the windows 5 and 6 durin the rotary movement of the shutter and eac shutteris also provided with a small opening 17 which will register with the small windows 7 and 8 during the rotary movement of the shutter.

Thus it will be seen that during the rotary movement of the shutter, the slot 16 will uncover the window 6 containin the red lens, a solid part of the shutter coverlng the window 5 so that no light can escape through said window. Then after the shutter has moved a slight distance, the small openin 17 therein will uncover the first small win ow in the row 8, which also contains a red lens, so that a red light will appear at the large window 6 as well as the small window 8. The small windows will. be uncovered in succession durabout to change.

ing the movement of the shutter and the large window 6 will remain lighted. After the last small window, containing a red lens, has

been uncovered, the shutter moves to a position where the opening 17 will uncover the small window 8, containing the yellow lens, which notifies the drivers that the signal is Then the slot 16 uncovers the large window 5 containing the green lens and a solid part of the shutter covers the large window 6 containing the red lens. Then during the further movement of the shutter, the small windows 7 containing the green lens are uncovered in succession by the opening 17 and just before the signal is to turn from green to red, the yellow window 7 is uncovered. Thus a person noticing which small window is illuminated will know approximately how long the signal, indicated by the large window, will stay on so that he can tell whether or not he has time to cross the intersection before the signal changes. For instance, if the first small window is illuminated, he will know that the signal has just changed, but if the last small window. next to the yellow one, is illuminated, he will know that the signal is about to change to yellow.

In order to give the shutter a quick movement to make the change from green to red and red to green without having both signals appear at the same time, a pair of weight containing tubes 18 is loosely arranged on each shaft adjacent each shutter and each tube is connected to each shutter by a pin and slot connection 19. Each tube is of substantially L-shape and contains a ball weight 20. Thus when the slot 16 reaches a position where it is about to have its ends pass over the large windows, the tubes are in such a position that the ball weights will change their positions in the tubes so that their momentum will give the shutter a movement equal to the length of the slot 15 so that the pin 14 will engage the rear end of the slot 15 instead of the front end, as shown in Figures 6 and 7 This snap movement imparted'to the shutter will cause the slot 16 to uncover one of the large windows and a solid part of the shutter will cover the other large window.

Each shutter is formed with a flange 21, half of which is formed with the spaced slots 22 and a small window 23 is placed at the center of each side of the bottom of the casing. As these windows come under the flanges, no light will pass through them when the solid portions of the flanges are over the windows, but when the slotted portions of the flanges are passing over the windows, the rays of light will be intermittently cut off from the windows so that a flickering light will pass downwardly from the bottom of the casing from the windows. These windows have lenses therein of green color and the slotted portions of the shutters are so arranged that they will come opposite the windows 23 only while the green signal is on so that pedestrians passing under the signal and seeing the flickering light will know that trafiic is going the same direction that they are going and it is, therefore, proper for them to make the crossing.

I also provide means for giving an oral signal just as the lights are changing. Such means comprises a bell 24 arranged in the casing and having its clapper 2'5 adapted to be engaged by a pair of projections 26 on the shaft 10, so that every time the shaft makes a halt revolution, the clapper will be caused to strike the bell, thus notifying persons that the signal is about to change from green to red or red to green.

From the foregoin it will be seen that I have. rovided a tra 0 signal having means where y one can tell approximately how long the signal has been on and how long it will remain on, with the conventional yellow light appearing just before the change of signals. It will be also seen that I have provided means for indicating to the pedestrian when the green signals are on, these pedestrian signals being'visible as the pedestrian passes under the device, with an oral signal for indicating the changes of the signals.

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

It is to be understood that changes may be made .in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the seopeof the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A traflie signal comprising a casing having a pair of large windows therein, a red lens in one window and a green lens in the other window, a row of small windows above the large windows, a row of small windows below the large windows, one row of windows having lenses of red color therein and the other row of windows having lenses of green color therein, a lamp in the casing and a rotating shutter in the casing for controlling the passage of light rays through the windows, said shutter having a substantially semi-circular slot therein for registering with the large windows and a small hole therein for reglstering with the small windows.

2. A trafiic signal comprising a casing having a pair of large windows therein, a red lens in one window and a green lens in the other window, a row of small windows above the large windows, a row of small windows below the large windows, one row of windows having lenses of red color therein and the other row of windows having lenses of green color therein, a lamp in the casing and a rotating shutter in the casing for controlling the passage of light rays through the windows, said shutter having a substantially semi-circular slot therein for registering with the large windows, a small hole therein for registering with the small windows and means for giving the shutter a snap movement to cause the slot to quickly uncover one large window and a solid part of the shutter to cover the other large window.

3. A traific signal comprising a casing having a pair of large windows therein, a red lens in one window and a green lens in the other window, a row of small windows above the large windows, a row of small windows below the large windows, one row of windows having lenses of red color therein and the other row of windows having lenses of green color therein, a lamp in the casing, a small window having a yellow lens therein at the end of each row of small windows and a rotating shutter in the casing for controlling the passage of light rays through the windows, said shutter having a substantially semi-circular slot therein for registering with the large windows and a small hole therein for registering with the small windows.

4. A trafiic signal comprising a casing having on each side thereof a pairs of large windows, a red lens in one window and a green lens in the other window, a row of small windows above each pair of large windows, a row of small windows below each pair of large windows, one row of windows having lenses of red color therein and the other row of windows having lenses of green color therein, a lamp in the casing, a pair of shafts rotatably mounted in the casing and arranged at right.- angles to each other, a motor in the casing for rotating the shafts, a shutter on each end of each shaft for controlling the passage of light rays from the lamp through the window-s in each side of the casing, each shutter having a semi-circular slot therein for registering with the large windows and a hole therein for registering with the small windows and means for giving each shutter a snap movement to cause the slot to quickly uncover one large window and a solid part of the shutter to cover the other large window.

5. A trafiic signal comprising a casing having on each side thereof a pair of large windows, a red lens in one window and a green lens in the other window, a row of small windows above each pair of large windows, a row of small windows below each pair of large windows, one row of windows having lenses of red color therein and the other row of windows having lenses of green color therein, a lamp in the casing, a pair of shafts rotatably mounted in the casing and arranged at rightangles to each other, a motor in the easing for rotating the shafts, a shutter on each end of each shaft for controlling the passage of light rays from the lamp through the windows in each side of the casing, each shutter having a semi-circular slot therein for registering with the large windows and a hole therein for registering with the small windows, means for giving each shutter a snap dows, means for giving each shutter a snap movement to cause the slot to quickly uncover one large window and a solid part of the shutter to cover the other large window, small windows in the bottom of the casing, one at the center of each side thereof, the shutters having flanges thereon, a half of each flange having slots therein whereby when the solid portions of the flange cover a window in the bottom of the casing, light rays will be prevented from passing therefrom, but when the slotted portions are passing over the window, a flickering light will pass through the window and means for sounding an alarm as the signals are changing.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

EMORY D. DILLON.

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