US1777379A - Direction signal for traffic officers - Google Patents

Description

0d. 7, 1930. W L ET AL 3377,37?

DIRECTION SIGNAL FOR TRAFFIC OFFICERS Filed Feb. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet "l Edwin 77 PouleZZ Oct. 7, 1930. J. T. POWELL ET AL 1,777,379

DI'RECTI ON SIGNAL FOR TRAFFIC OFFICERS Filed Feb. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Edwin 7? P0 2092 Z Patented Oct 7 193G mare JOEE! T. POWELL AND EDWIN i. POWELL, WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COBRA .DIBEC'I IOII EIGNJQL FOR- TMEIC OEEICEM a ncaaenmea February as, was. Serial as. sealer.

This invention relates to signals and more particularly to a si nalespeciall adapted to be worn by a tra c oilicer to acilitate: his work when directing trafic at a street intersection.

One object of the invention is to provide a signal including a harness having lamps mounted thereon which are illuminated when the device is in use and by means of which the oficer may indicate the direction he desires trafic to move across a street intersection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a harness which may be conveniently worn by a trafic oficer, and quickly adjusted to fit the officer Wearing the same and further to so form the harness that red lights may be mounted at the front and back and green lights upon the ofiicers arms, thereby allowing the ofiicer to display red lights while facing a street upon which trafiic is'to stop and green lights in the direction in which trafiic is to move.

Another object of the invention is to provide a harness which willnot interfere with free movements of the oficers arms and thereby allow him to use his forearm to in dicate special directions to pedestrians or drivers of automobiles while the green lights so remain substantially stationary.

Another object of the invention is to provide the lights with shields which will conceal them when viewed from either side but allow the lights to be easily seen by persons facing them and thereby revent confusion which might occur it hot green and red lights were visible.

Another object of the invention is to pro-= vide a harness which will be simple in its construction and comfortable when worn.

The invention is illustrated in the aecom panying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a traffic oficer wearing the improved signaling means, 7

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fi 1 but lookin at the back instead of the ont,

Fig. 3 is a view of the: improved signaling apparatus laid out flat,

: W Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section al view through one of the signal lamps, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the battery holders with a battery disposed therein.

lhis improved trafic signal includes a harness having shoulder straps 1 and 2 which are curved lon itudinally and joined at their ends thereby orming an elongated loop or yoke through which a traific ofiicer passes his head so that the straps rest upon his shoulders and extend downwardly at the front and back, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2. Straps 8 and 4 are secured at the frontand rear ends of the yoke or loop and the strap 3 is folded upon itself in order to form a loop which may be adjusted by moving the bill of its buckle 5 from one opening formed in the strap to another. This loop is adaptedto have passed through it the ertorated end of a belt 6 which extends a ut the ofiicers waist and approximately midway its ends carries an upwardly extending strap 7 to the upper end-of which is secured a buckle 8 for engagement in a selected opening formed in the strap 4. The strap 7 is rigidly secured to the belt 6 and, therefore, the belt'will alwaysbe retained in proper relation to the strap 4 and rear end of the loop or yoke and after the yoke is in place the perforated end of the belt may be passed through the loop 3 and engaged with the buckle 9 at one side of the loop, as shown in Fi l.- Gases 10 in which batteries 11 are to e carried are suspended from the belt and each case is preterably slidably connected with the belt by a strap 12 so that the cases may be moved along the belt and disposed at the oficers sides where they will not interfere with tree movement of the oflicers arms and be meat in appearance. Side straps 13 which are rigidly secured to the shoulder straps l and 2 extend transversely therefrom and are of sufi cient length to extend across the oficers shoulders and partially down his arms. These straps terminate in eyes or loops 1% 95 through which are passed narrow straps 15 adapted to be secured aloout the oficers arms and firmly retain the straps 13 inpro er engagement with his arms. It will thus e seen that the harness is so formed that it may be 106' oflicer to easily easily ap fit proper y and remain in its proper position when worn.

In order to'attract attention and allow the direct traflic across a street intersection at night, there has been provided lights 16 at the ends of the yoke and other 1i hts 17 at the lower. ends of the straps 13 w 'ch may be referred to as arm straps. These lights are of a duplicate construction and one has been illustrated in detail in Fig. 4. Referring to this figure, it will be seen that the light includes a hollow body or casing 18 formed with a base flange 19 through which fasteners 20, such as rivets, are passed in order to firml secure the casing to the strap to which it is applied. This casing receives a reflector 21 formed with a central socket 22 to receive the base of an electric bulb 23 and when the reflector is in place and secured by the cap 24 which is threaded upon lied and adjusted so that it the casing and overlies marginal portions of .the lens 25 the contact at the. inner end of the base of the lamp will bear against a terminal 26 carried by the strap to which the casing is secured. A second terminal 27'is carried by the strap and from this terminal extends a contact arm 28 which bears a inst the reflector in order to complete a circuit through the lamp. Y About the cap 24 is secured an annular shield 29 which projects outwardly beyond the lens and serves to conceal the lens when the lamp is viewed from one side.

. 30 which are releasab y clearly visible to Therefore, when an oflicer is standing in the center of a street intersection, the drivers of automobiles movin along a street faced by the officer will be a le to easily see the lights at the front or back which will have red lenses and the lenses of the lights 17 which are n will be concealed from view but will be rsons approachin the street intersection a on a cross street. Vires connected with the terminals of the batteries 11 so that new batteries may be easily substituted when those in use have become exhausted extend alon the under faces of the belt and straps with their ends secured to the terminals 26 and 27 of the lights and it should be noted that the wires leading from one batte with the rear light 16 and left hand light 17 are connected.

whereas the wires leading from the other batteries are connected with the terminals of the ri ht hand side light 17 and front light 16. herefore, ample electric energy will be rovided for the four lights.

en the improved dlrection signalin apparatus is in use, the oflicer passes his hea through the oke and secures the belt about his waist. he straps 15 are then secured about his arms and the apparatus is ready for use. By turnin the switches of the bat teries on current wi 1 be supplied to the lights and the bulbs will be illuminated. Since the lights at the front and back have red lenses and the lights upon his arms have green lenses, an oflicer when standing in the center of a street intersection ma ace the street upon which he wishes vehic es to stop and display red li hts to the drivers of automobiles approac ing the street intersection along this street. At the same time the side lights upon his arms will display green lights to the drivers of automobiles approac ing the street intersection along a cross street. In view of the fact that the straps 15 are secured about his arms above the elbow, they will not interfere with free movement of his arms and he can indicate s ial directions to drivers of automobiles wishing to make a turn at the intersection. In view of the fact that the strap 7 is rigidly secured to the belt it will always remain in its proper position in alinement with the rear end of the yoke and thereby insure a neat appearance at the rear while adjustment of the loop 3 and belt 4 will cause the harness to accommodate itself to oflicers of different sizes and the belt'may be adjusted at the front to properly fit about an officers waist.

Having thus claim: I

1. Trafiic directing means comprisin nose to be worn by a person and inclu ing a oketo extend acrosst e shoulders and downwardly at the front and back, side st-ra 5 extending from said yoke and of suflibient length to extend partially, down a persons arms, means to secure said straps in place against the outer sides of a person s arms electrically energized lamps carried by the stra and front and rear lam s carried b said yoke emitting rays of a co or to readi y distin ish them from the lamps carried by the side stra s, means to shield each lamp and prevent o servation of its light from a osition transversely thereof, and means carried by said harness to supply ener to the lamps.

. 2. radio directing means comprisin harness to be worn by a person and inclu ing a yoke to extend across the shoulders and downwardly at the front and back, side straps extending from said-yoke and of suflicient length to extend partiall down a persons arms between the sho ders and elbows, means to secure said straps in place against the outer sides of a persons arms above the elbows, electrically energized lamps carried by the straps and front and rear portions of the yoke, the lamps carried by said yoke described theinfvention, we

har-

' emitting rays of a color to readily distinguish portions of the yoke, t e

yoke and straps, the lamps carried by said yoke emitting rays of a color to readily distinguish them from the lamps carried by the side straps, a waist-encircling belt, a strap firmly secured to the belt intermediate its ends and extending upwardly therefrom, a companion strap secured to the rear end of said yoke and depending therefrom, means to adjustably connect the companion straps of the yoke and belt, a strap depending from the front end of said yoke and slidably engaging the belt to support the belt at the front, and means carried by the belt tosupport a source of electric energy for the lamps. 4. Traffic directing means comprising-harness to be worn by a person and including a yoke to extend across the shoulders and downwardly at the front and back, side straps extending from said yoke and of sufficient length to extend partially down a persons arms between the shoulders and elbows,

means to secure said straps in place against the outer sides of a persons arms above the elbows, electrically'energized lamps carried by the oke and straps, the lamps carried by said yo e emitting rays of a color to readily distinguish them from the lamps carried bythe side straps, a waist-encircling belt, shields carried byeach lamp to prevent observation of its light from a position transversely of the lamp, means for connecting said belt with the rear end of said yoke firmly secured to the belt intermediate the'ends of the belt, a belt support depending from the front end of the yoke, and means carried by the belt to support a source of electric energyfor the lamps. I

5. A device of the character descrlbed comprising a harness adapted to be worn by a person and including a belt, a yoke adapted to extend across a persons shoulders with end portions depending at the front and rear and engaged with said belt, side straps extending from said yoke and of suflicient length to extend partially down a persons arms, means to secure said straps against a persons arms,

and signal elements carried by the straps and front and rear portions of said yoke, sald signal elements at the front and back be ng duplicates and contrasting with those at the sides and each including a shield pro ect1ng outwardly a suficient distance to prevent observation of the signal from, a position transversely thereof.

6. Trafilc directing means comprismg hanness to be worn with portions at the front,

2 back and against the arms of a person, signaling elements carried by the said portions to emitting light of the same color and the lamps at the sides emitting light of the same colorbut contrasting with light emitted by the front and rear lamps, and a shield carried by each lamp and projecting outwardly therefrom to prevent observation of its light from a position transversely of thelampn 8. Traffic directing means comprising harness to be worn by a person and including a yoke to extend across the shoulders and downwardly at the front and back, side straps extending from said yoke and of'suflicient length to extend partially down a persons arms, means to secure said straps in place against the outer sides of a person 5 arms, light emitting signal elements carried by the straps and front and rear portions of the yokes, the

signal elements carried by saidyoke emitting tures.

JOHN T. POWELL. EDWIN T. POWELL.

the signaling

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