US2498270A - Combined traffic signal and guard - Google Patents

Description

' Feb. 21, 1950 J. E. HAWLEY 2,498,270

COMBINED TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND GUARD Filed March 29, 1948 Patented Feb. 21, 1950 STATE S I E YQQMBINEPYIRAEFIC SIGNAL AND GUARD E- r e i e ls Idem A ueauen March29, twig.

rent ls. (CL-1,7773%?) 1 his invent on ela esto new and useful nr rements and tr ctural refinements intr o t q lins I de ices more spe ifically, devices for qn q ns. pe es rian; ams in s nch onization .W hve icul tra i en rol, and the p ncipal bi q of the inv ntiqn is. to w rn pedestrians a a st andtodiscoura e. them, from. messin street tinte sections whi e v hicula afii is ,fiOW pe pe dicular. r ctio h s obiestisaehievedbvthe.n evisien oiw at may be referred to as a com ed traiiic signal a guard, where nacq laps wind. seek, conne edwtaanai .b qwsa isngrmallvdisposed. in ac l ansed et aln sitipatut is .prgi ctib e to an inflated, horizontal position transverselypf the pedestri n r f c-w thereb notqnln ndic tin i :nede triansth t hevshaul refrain from 'qs inath inter ection. bu la so by virtue. of i thp fiz ntally:.nr iegt d;.nb ti n,. diseouragin h m-r m ed r din Another important ,featune; o f the invention resides. in.=. -9 Tm the wind sock from translucent material and providing an electric lamp, preferably of; a'r'edcolor, 'inthe'wind sock, whereb th inflat d. ra sverse proje ted p si on of the wind sock may be readily observed at ,night.

An additional feature of the invention lies in its simplicityof constructionandin itsadaptability for coaction withvehicular trafilc controls alreadyin existence.

' Withthe'above more important objects and features in view and-such other Qbjects. and; features as-may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention in its inflated, horizontal position,

Figure 2 is a perspective view, similar to that shown in Figure 1, but illustrating the device in its collapsed, vertical position,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical apparatus used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a combined trafnc signal and guard designated generally by the rel-dense s ara ter th me ml gdrin ind sqn tr eiien u i h iu a a fi a F [2 having its lower end portion em' tieddedin, an dsa er i n .Q idew s or s es r an ram ],4, \vhi1e a suitable electric motor 16, equippedwith amounting socket I8, j is; secured theatre Inert a 9 h standard means of a transversely extending pin 20 as} will b leariransa n T at e rr d p as nair blowe .22 isjcarr ed't t. mo or? i he lower' zziindi ins a duct, ,zt'm which is;r otatab 1e a ran, at t'd-upon the a matu're28 bfthe motor 16,

I, iurs ay of struck outpor- 0 defining 'air nlet. 'openin g s; 32, f and the destisahapro ided .1 diarnetr cau ext nd ing' brace 34"carr'y'ing'an' electric lamp 35' mounted a, suitable socket. .38. Whatmay. 'e referredto as a, cgllapsible windeirpa l irr'om trans cent material, has aifl rniehd pb tiq i th r f n ably ur he'duct ,24 gr blower 2.2. b mean or gab d aw ri is t4; s tha th z d. ...h ow "i reta n in li a ion .q hemq r U5 v m anso a tab e "clamp '46-, and it 'should-be understood that the lamp 3filw'hich; is preferablyred in color, is connected' in" parauer to the" motor {6, I so that is energizable simultaneously therewith. The motor 16 itself receives its supply of current through the medium of a suitable conductor 48 extending through the standard 12.

When the motor 16 is not energized, the windsock 40 rests in a collapsed, substantially vertical position as shown in Figure 2, but when the motor and the blower 22 are in operation, the wind-sock becomes inflated by the pressure of air from the blower and assumes a horizontally projected position, as indicated in Figure 1.

It should, of course, he understood that the entire device is mounted at one side of the pedestrian traffic-way or sidewalk and when the windsock 40 is in its horizontally projected position, it will not only indicate to pedestrians that they should refrain from crossing the intersection, but it will also effectively discourage them from so doing.

Simultaneously with the energization of the motor It, the lamp 36 will become energized and the light rays emanating therefrom will be fasteners "42, and the remaining, jiree', end

h r in ay be nbre s d r 3 dispersed through the translucent material of the wind-sock 40, so that the entire wind-sock, when horizontally projected, will become illuminated by the red light from the lamp, so that the signal is clearly and distinctly visible at night.

The instant signal and guard is intended for controlling pedestrian trafiic in synchronization with a conventional vehicular traffic control, matters being so arranged that the wind-sock 40 is horizontally projected and the lamp 36 energized when vehicular traffic flows perpendicularly to the direction of travel of pedestrians, as will be readily understood.

If desired, the signalling effectiveness of the device may be substantially enhanced by providing a representation of a hand on the wind-sock 40 as indicated at 50, and the purpose of the aforementioned drawstring 44 is, of course, to

increase or decrease the air escape opening in the outer end of the wind-sock, in accordance with the capacity of the particular fan 26 which is being used.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A combined traific signal and guard comprising an air blower, and a collapsible wind sock having an open end portion connected to said blower, said sock normally resting in a collapsed, vertical position and being projectable to an infiated, horizontal position upon actuation of said blower.

2. In association with a traffic-way to be controlled, a combined signal and guard comprising an air blower disposed at one side of said trafiicway, and a collapsible wind-sock having an open end portion connected to said blower, said sock normally resting in a collapsed, vertical position and being projectable transversely of said trafficway to an inflated, horizontal position upon actuation of said blower.

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3. The device as defined in claim 2 together with adjustable air escape means provided at the free end portion of said sock.

4. A combined traffic signal and guard comprising an upright standard, an electric motor on said standard, an air blower connected to said motor, a collapsible wind-sock formed from translucent material and having an end portion connected to said blower, an electric lamp carried by said blower and disposed in said sock, said lamp being energizable simultaneously with said motor, said sock normally resting in a collapsed, vertical position and being projectable to an inflated, horizontal position upon actuation of said motor, and adjustable air escape means provided at the free end portion of said sock.

5. In a combined traflic signal and guard, the combination of an electric motor having a substantially horizontal armature shaft, an openended tubular duct secured at one end thereof to said motor and formed in the wall thereof with a plurality of air inlet openings, a collapsible signalling and guarding member having an open ended tubular configuration and connected at one end there to said duct, and a blower fan secured to said shaft and rotatable in said duct whereby a current of air may be forced through said member for projecting the same from a downwardly collapsed to a horizontally extended and inflated position.

6. The device as defined in claim 5, together with a drawstring provided at the outer open end of said member for adjusting the size of the opening therein.

7. The device as defined in claim 5, together with a diametrical bracket mounted in said duct adjacent said member and an incandescent lamp carried by said bracket and disposed entirely in said member, said lamp being energizable simultaneously with said motor.

JOE E. HAWLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,736,109 Barton Nov. 19, 1929 1,742,574 Breedlove Jan. 7, 1930 1,913,672 Huking June 13, 1933 2,270,753 Fikes Jan. 20, 1942

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