US1556860A - Flash-light traffic signal - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l J. M. LOVAAS FLASH LIGHT TRAFFIC SIGNAL;

Filed May 11,

oct. 13,51925.

Oct- 13, 1925.

-A J. M. LovAAs FLASH LIGHT TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed May 11,` 1923 2 Shveet's-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 13, 194.25.

UNITED STATES JOHN M.' LGVAAS, 01E' MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FLASH-LIGHT TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

Application inea may 11, 1923. serial No. 638,260.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN M. LovAAs, a citizen of the United States residing at Minneapolis, in the county of ennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and` useful Improvements in Flash- Light Traiic Signals; and I do hereby de- Clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which is appertains to make and use the same.

My invention provides an extremely simpley and highly efficient direction signal for use by drivers of automobiles or other motor-propelled vehicles, and to such ends, gen- 'erally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the.

claim.

The signal device is adapted to be worn on or applied to the wrist of the driver, much like a wrist watch, and it involves thc use of a small electric light bulb and suitable energizing circuit, which circuit .includes an automatic gravity-operated circuit-controllingswitch, which,v when the hand to which the device isapplied, is used inwthe ordinary way to steer a machine or perform the ordinary operations in the control of the machine, will open the circuit and cut the light bulb out of action, but which, when the hand is thrown outward and turned thumb down, which is a natural position, will cause the circuit to be closed and the light bulb to be illuminated.

In the accompan ing drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indir'cate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vperspective illus trating the use of the signal device applied to the wrist of the driver of an automobile;

Fig. 2 is atransverse section taken through the si al device on the irregular line $2- wz of ig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device with the case thereof sectioned approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig.,2; v

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2, some parts being shown in full;

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing the storage battery of the device;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view with some parts shown in full section, illustrating the lamp circuit and circuit-controlling switch; Fig. 7 is a side elevation illustratingl a modified form of the signal device; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the device shown in Fig. 47

In the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1' to 6, inclusive, the numeral 9 indicates a small metallic casing made much like the casing of a vest pocket7 flashlight, except that it has a laterally extended chamber 10 to receive and detachably hold a small re flector 11. ,VVithin the main chamber of the casing 9 is inserted a small battery 12, such as used in flashlights of the type justnoted. The reiector 11, which is of metal and, hence, an electrical' conductor, is provided with a small light bulb 13 detachably'held thereby in the customary way with its sleevelike outer contact electrically connected to the reflector 11 andwith its axial electrode 14 normally engaged with an insulated T- shaped bus bar 15. This bus bar l5 extends from the reiector receiving chamber 1() into the battery-containing compartment, but is insulated from all of the metallic parts of the casing. The battery 12 has the two customary terminal contacts 16 and 17, the former of which, when ltliebattery is in position, is yieldingly pressed into electrical contact with the bus bar 15. The terminal contact 17 4normally stands just out of engagement with the adjacent end of a metalf lic guide tube 18 that is secured4 within the casing immediately adjacent to one side of the battery. Working freely within the guide tube 18 is a sliding circuit-controlling contact 19, preferably made in the form of a smallplunger or rod section. Working through the one end of the casing is a push button 20 preferably of insulating material and the headed inner end Aof which lies normally nearly or in engagement with the terminal contact 17.

At one side, the casing 9 is concavely curved and, at its extremities, is provided with slotted lugs or projections 21. lAt said concave side, the casing is normally closed by a concave side vplate 22 that is detachably held in position-by friction or any other suitable means, andwhich, when removed, affords ready access to the battery and to the light font and enables both to be removed and replaced. a

To hold the` signal device on the wrist of Q hand outward and reverses the operator, I preferably-' employ' a wrist strap 23 which is passed through the slot lugsy 21 andis equipped with a buckle 24,.

whereby the si al device lmay be applied to the wrist as c early shown in Fig. 1

Fig.' 6 does not show the bus bar 1.5, but

the battery circuit through the light bulbI 13; and, on the other hand, when the battery is turned right side up or reversed from the position shown in Fig. 3, the plunger 19 will slide into the tube 18 out of engagement with the contact 17, thereby opening the battery circuit and cutting the light bulb or condition. existing at all times except when, for eXampleQthe operator throws his the hand and signal device substantially as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, it will be understood that the signal device, when` applied-to the wrist,l will be automatically operated without requiring the operator to give the same any attention whatever other than to give the natural signal almost universally used and which consists in throwing out the hand. Then thc hand is thrown out and the light bulb temporarily illuminated, a very distinct signal will be given to a machine in the rear, even on a dark night.

The modified arrangement of the device illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 differs ,from that already described in that the battery and circuit-controlling switch will be placed in a small casing 9n and the light font` including the elect-ric bulb, will be placed Jin a light font casing 10a. In this arrangement.

' andthe concave .removable plate the casing 9a is provided with perforated ears 21a through which a strap 23a is passed,

22a is secured to said strap by rivets 25 or other suitable means. The light font casing 10 is secured on the st-rap at a point distant from the casing 9n and the battery is connected to the light bulb through wires or circuit connections 15 in which the automatic switch, not shown,.is applied.

In thel arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the casings 9 and 10a are so spaced thatI opposite sides ofthe wearing on the push button 20l so as to force the terminal contact 17 against the adjacent end of the metallic guide tube 18.-

From what has been said,it will be understood that -the invention is capable of modification and that the generalarrangement described, with any ated switch, would be within the broad scope of the invention. .-Neverthelessfmore limportant vdetails are herein involved, .out of action, which is the normal condition WhatI claim `-is:

1. A direction signal'comprising a casing, and an electric circuit in the casing including a light bulb, a battery, a -tube grounded through Athe casing, and a gravityoperated sliding plunger in the tube, 'said battery having a normally out of engagement with the tube andin position to make contact with the end of the sliding plunger only7 when'the signal isheld in signaling position, and a non- .conducting push button in position for Inoving the said yielding terminal contact into `engagement with the end of the tube. f 2. A direction signal comprising a casing,`A and an electric circuit in said casing including a light bulb2 a battery, a tube grounded through the casing, and a gravity-operated sliding plunger in said tube` said battery having a terminal Contact normally out of engagement with said tube and in position to make Contact with the plunger only when the signal is held in signalling position, and a non-conductino` button operative to move one of the circuitforming elements and close said c1rcuit, at

will and irrespective of theposition of said signalling id'evice.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my si ature. p JOHN M. Lovgi-As..

kind of a gravity-operend of said sliding yielding terminal contact

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