US3022490A - Traffic lights for controlling the flow of traffic at a traffic crossing - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 20, 1962 M. R. DOSAL 3,022,490

TRAFFIC LIGHTS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT A TRAFFIC CROSSING Filed June 22, 1960 4 Sheets-Shee't 1 s} L s 3 4 v F/G. 2

6-1 R-IZ 'INVENTOR MARTIN ROBERTO DOSAL ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1962 3,022,490

M. R. DOSAL TRAFFIC LIGHTS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT A TRAFFIC CROSSING Filed June 22, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MARTIN ROBERTO DOSAL ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1962 M R DOSAL 3,022,490

TRAFFIC LIGHTS FCR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT A TRAFFIC CROSSING Filed June 22, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR MARTiN R0 B ERTO DOSAL' BY fikg ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1962 M. R. DOSAL 3,022,490

TRAFFIC LIGHTS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF TRAFFICAT A TRAFFIC CROSSING Filed June 22, 1960 4 Sheets$heet 4 .z'r-b FIG l2 ROTOR OF E ROTOR OF TRAFFIC |.|sHT#I-#3 TRAFFIC LIGHT=R2-14 R Q \50 srposmon GREEN R 3 RED C 2 I A s e z osmou AMBER R 551% RED R #2 R A MR POS'ITION RED 6 4; 3 GREEN R *2 A R R R \W/ I POSITION RED A 4* 3 g AMBER (3 *R2 1 G INVEN OR M ART I N ROBERTO DOSAL ATTORNEY 3,622,499 Patented Feb. 20, 1962 ice 3,022,490 TRAFFIC LIGHTS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT A TRAFFIC CROSSING Martin R. Dosal, P.O. Box 53-62, Miami Shores, Fla. Filed June 22, 1960, Ser. No. 37,933 1 Claim. (Cl. 340-120) My invention consists in a new and useful improvement in traffic lights for controlling the flow of traflic at a traffic crossing. It is an improvement upon the novel traffic light disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application Serial Number 14,276 (Series of 1960). This application is a continuation in part of said application Serial Number 14,276.

The device herein disclosed is designed to display signals to control the flow of traffic in a single trafiic lane.

A plurality of such devices can be provided for controllnig traffic in a plurality of lanes, respectively, at intersections.

This device has the peculiar advantages of the device disclosed in my said co-pending application, viz. a single illuminating lamp, a plurality of colored panes, and

means for disposing said panes to display successive colored signals.

The device consists in a casing having a window, in which a light bulb is disposed, a rotor in which are carried the colored panes, and an electric motor for rotating the rotor. The casing and rotor are so related that the bulb directs rays of light through the panes and the Window to produce the signals.

Similar to the device of my said co-pending application, this device has a single operating mechanism to While I illustrate in the drawings and hereinafter describe one specific embodiment of my invention, I do not consider my invention to be limited to said embodiment, but refer for its scope to claim appended hereto.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan of the traflic light.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation. 7

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 ofFIG. 2, in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section on the line 440f FIG. 1, in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail of the mounting mean for the rotor shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4,.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectionon the line 66 of FIG. 2, in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail of a finger for moving the rotor, shown in operative position.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, the finger being in inoperative position.

FIG. 9 is a greatly enlarged side elevation of the illuminating bulb and reflector.

FIG. 10 is a greatly enlarged front elevation of the bulb and reflector.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of four traffic lights installed at an intersection of two double-lane trafiic routes.

FIG. 12 is a table indicating the colored signals displayed by the four traffic lights shown in FIG. 11.

As shown in the drawings, my improved traffic light has a casing C with a cylindrical wall C-l, a conical cover (3-2, and a bottom C-3 suitably hinged to the wall 0-1 and having a suitable keeper 0-4. The case C has a window C-S provided with a transparent pane C-6 and a protective cowl 0-7. The cover C-2 has a door C-8 to give access to the upper part of the case C.

The case C is suspended by a hanger H from a suitable support S such as a cable mounted on posts (not shown). Y

Mounted in the upper end of the wall C-l there is a horizontal plate C-9 (FIG. 6) from which is rotatably suspended a quadrilateral rotor R (FIGS. 4 and 5) by a shaft R-1 mounted in the top R-2 of the rotor R. An inverted, frusto-conical head R-3 is tapped in the upper end of the shaft R-1 and rotatably carried by a ball-bearing ring R-4 suitably mounted in the plate C-9.

Suitably mounted on the plate C-9 there is a motor M (FIG. 6) such as is used to oscillate-the wiper for a windshield, with an arm M-l having on its free end a depending portion M-2 (FIG. 7) passed through an arcuate slot 0-10 in the plate C-9 (FIG. 6). A sleeve M-3 is threaded on the portion M-2, in which is slidably mounted a finger M-4 biased downwardly by a coil spring M-5 confined between the lower end of the portion M-2 and the upper end of the finger M-4 which has a collar M-6 to retain the finger M-4 in the sleeve M-3. The finger M-4 has on one side a rectilinear face M-7 and on the opposite side an arcuate face M-8.

Suitably mounted on the top R-Z of the rotor R there are four lugs R-6 (FIG. 3). Each lug R-6 has a rectilinear face R-7 on one side and an arcuate face R-8 on its opposite side (FIGS. 7 and 8).

It will be noted (FIGS. 6, 7 and 8) that the finger M-4 and the lugs R-6 are so disposed and related that, when the arm M-l is swung by the motor M counter.- clockwise (FIG. 6) the rectilinear face M-7 of the finger M-4 engaging the rectilinear face R-7 of the lug R*6 (FIG. 7) will cause the rotor R to rotate counterclockwise through and that, when the arm M-l is swung clockwise, the arcuate face M-8 of the finger M-4 engaging the arcuate face R-S of the lug R6, camming the finger M-4 against the force of the spring M-5 (FIG. 6) will cause the finger M-4 to pass over the lug R-6.

The top R-2 of the rotor R has suitable depressions R-9 (FIG. 3) co-acting with spring fingers R-10 on the underside of the plate 0-9 to hold the rotor R in adjusted positions.

Suitably mounted in the four sides R-11 of the rotor R there are four translucent panels R-12, colored green, amber, red and red, respectively.

An illuminating, electric bulb B is suitably mounted on the inner side of the bottom 03 of the case C (FIGS. 9 and 10). An adjustable reflector B-l is mounted adjacent the bulb B. A pair of supporting posts B-2 is mounted on the bottom C-3. Each post B-2 has at its top a horizontal slot B-3 (FIG. 9) through which is passed loosely a bolt B-4 having thereon a binding nut B-S. The reflector B-1 is mounted on the bolts B-4 (FIG. 10) and the nuts B-S engage the posts B-2. The foregoing described structure permits adjustment of the reflector B-l to and from the bulb B and about the horizontal axis of the bolts B-4.

An electric conduit E (FIGS. 1, 9 and 10) for current for the bulb B, and an electric conduit E-l (FIGS. 1 and 6) for current for the motor M are provided.

It is to be understood that when the hinged bottom C-3 of the case C is closed the bulb will be so registered on the axes of the translucent panels R-12 as to correctly illuminate the panels R-12 when the bulb B is energized.

For protection from the elements all joints of the case C are properly sealed.

Light 1 Route I-a. Light 2 Route II-a. Light 3 Route I-b. Light 4 Route II-b.

FIG. 12 shows the colored light signals produced by the four positions of rotor R in one revolution.

Having described the details of construction of my improved trafiic light, I will now describe its use and operation.

It is to be understood that the electric conduit E (FIGS. 1, 9 and 10) carries an electric circuit with a suitable control switch from a suitable source of electricity to the bulb B, and that the electric conduit E-1 (FIGS. 1 and 6) carries an electric circuit from a suitable source of elect'ricity 'to the motor M and that the latter circuit has a suitable switch controlled by the pr'e-set timer mechanism above mentioned.

When the bulb B is illuminated, it directs rays of light through the translucent colored panel 'R-12 (FIG;- 2) positioned behind the transparent pane C-6 of the window C-5 and through the panes R-1-2 and C-6, to display the desired trafiic signal.

At the expiration of the proper interval for flow of traffic on the lane controlled by said signal, the circuit to the motor M is momentarily closed by functioning of the switch controlled by the timer mechanism above mentioned. The motor M, thus energized, swings the arm M-l counter-clockwise (FIG. 6) and its portion M-Z engaging lug R-6 of the rotor R turns the rotor R. The parts are so dimensioned and related that the rotor R is moved 90 thus movingthe above-mentioned panel R-12 from the window 05 and disposing the succeeding panel R-12 in the window C-5. When the rotor R has been thus moved, it is held in adjusted position by the spring fingers R-10 in the depressions R-9. The rotor R being thus immobilized, the arm M1 being swung clockwiseby the motor M causes the finger M4 moving away from the lug R-6 which has turned the rotor R, passes over the next lug 'R-6 and is positioned for the next turn of the rotor R.

From the foregoing, it is seen that each time the motor M is energized it swings the arm M-l counter-clockwise to move the rotor R, and clockwise to re-set the armlVi-l for the next turn of the rotor R.

As illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 11, trafiic lights 1, 2, 3 and 4 can be installed at the intersection of routes I and II having trafiic lanes I-a and I-b and IIa and 1142, respectively, the flow of traffic on which is controlled by lights 1, 2, 3 and 4.

It is to be particularly noted (FIG. 11) that my improved lights 1, 2, 3 and 4 are especially adapted for use at an intersection of two trafi'ic routes which are not relatively disposed at 90. It will be seen (FIG. 11) that each light is so disposed relative its *traific lane that the path of light rays from the bulb B, through the panels 4 R-12 and the window (3-5 is aligned with the lane This desirable result is achieved by providing means for adjusting the case C about the vertical axis of the hanger H so that regardless of the angular position of the support S and the hanger H relative the trafiic lane the case C can be so adjusted that the light rays are properly projected.

'FIG. 12 indicates the signals produced by lights 1, 2, 3 and 4 during one complete rotation of the rotor R of each light, viz. (1) lights 1 and 3 show green to permit trafiic to flow in lanes I-a and I-b while lights 2 and 4 show red to stop the flow of trafiic in lanes II-a and 11-1: (2) lights 1 and 3 show amber to stop flow of traffic in lanes I-a and I-b while lights 2 and 4- show' red to maintain stoppage of flow of tratfic in lanes II-a and H49, (3) lights 1 and 3 show red to stop flow of traffic in lanes La and I-b while lights 2 and 4 show green to permit flow of traffic in lanes II-a and 11-1), and (4) lights 1 and 3 show red to maintain stoppage of flow of trafiic in lanes I-a and I-b while lights 2- and 4 show amber to stop flow of traific in lanes II-a and II-b.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

In an apparatus for displaying lights for control of flow of trafiic in a single traffic lane, the combination of a casing adapted to be disposed above said lane and having a window so disposed as to be observable from said lane; a quadrilateral rotor journaledin said casing; translucent colored panes mounted in said rotor, comprising a green pane, an amber pane, a first red pane, and a second red pane, said panes being adapted to be disposed in said window by rotation of said rotor; a light source so mounted in-said casing as to direct light rays through said panes and said window when said panes are disposed in said window; and means mounted in said casing and adapted to dispose said rotor in successive positions for four rest periods to so dispose said panes as to diplay a green light during one rest period of said rotor, an amber light during the second rest period, a first red light during the third rest period, and a second red light during the fourth rest period, said means to dispose said rotor comprising an operating arm journaled in said casing for oscillation, an electric motor in said casing adapted to oscillate said arm when energized, means adapted to energize said motor, a depending finger on said arm having a slidable portion biased outwardly, said portion having a rectilinear face on one side and an arcuate face on the opposite side, four lugs symmetrically disposed on the top of said'rotor, each of said lugs having a rectilinear 'face on one side and an arcuate face on the opposite side,

said slidable portion and said lugs being-so relatively disposed that, when said arm-ismoved in one direction, the rectil near face of said portion engages the rectilinear faces of said lugs to move said rotor, and, when said arm is moved in the opposite direction, the arcuate face of said portion passes over the arcuate faces of said lugs without moving said rotor.

References llited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,757,050 Johnson May 6, 1,930 1,827,481 Mosher Oct. 13, 1931 2,107,930 Braun et al. Feb. 8, 1938

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