US2614457A - Traffic sign projection device - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 21, 1952 A. F. WEBER TRAFFIC SIGN PROJECTION DEVICE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed July 27, 1950 Albert F. Weber INVENTOR.

Oct. 21, 1952 WEBER 2,614,457

TRAFFIC SIGN PROJECTION DEVICE Filed July 27, 1950 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Fig. 3 68 32 Albert F. Weber INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 21 1952 Albert F. Weber, Linden, N. J. Application July 27, 1950, Serial No. 176,193

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements. in sign projectors, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described which may be conveniently and effectively employed for displaying 'trafic signs, road warning signs, and other indicia including names of factories, warehouses, etc.

The above object is achieved by the provision of a projector capable of transmitting by means of light rays an enlarged'image from a slide in the projector on a flat surface where the sign is desired to appear, an important feature of the invention residing in the provision of means for supporting the projector either'vertically or hori: zontally sothat horizontal as well as vertical surfaces may be utilized for displaying a sign.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its eflicient and dependable operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture. 7

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention in use for projectin a sign on a roadway;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the invention arranged horizontally for projection on a vertical surface;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view thereof; Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 5-5 in Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of p the invention with the cover thereofremoved. Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification an throughout the several views. 7

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail. the invention consists of a sign projector which is designated generally by the reference character In and embodies in its construction an elongated housing I2 including front and rear walls l4, I6, respectively, the rear wall actually assuming the form of a hinged door which may be swung upwardly as indicated at It so dinally in the housing l2 and has a substantially frusto-conical rear end portion 22 provided at the rear end thereof with an electric lamp umt 24. This lamp is electrically connected to a stepdown transformer 26 disposed in the lower portion of the housing l2, while current to the transformer is supplied by means of a conductor 28 If desired, the portion 22 of the duct 20 may be provided with a plurality of apertures 30 to facilitate outward dissipation of heat from the lamp 24, while the housing l2 itself may be formed with suitable ventilating grilles 3 2, 34, 36, so as to prevent the mechanism in the housing from becoming overheated. Screenin 38 may be provided at the inside of the ventilator grilles so as to safeguard against the entry of insects into the housing.

The front end portion 40 of the duct 29 projects forwardly through the front wall I4 of the housin l2 and. is equipped with a slidably telescoped focusing tube 42 so that the projected image may be adjusted to'the required sharpness;

,A system of lenses 44 is provided in the duct '20 and in the tube 42 and the adjustment of the tube,42 may be effected by manipulating a finger piece or handle 46 which is provided on the tube and projects outwardly through the duct portion 40.

The light-transmitting duct is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite slots or passages 48 to accommodate aremovable sign bearing slide 50, this being so arranged that the slide extends I transversely of the duct at a point between the front wall [4 and the tube 42. By virtue of this arrangement, the slide 50 may be adjusted, removed and replaced without that access to the interior of the housing may be the necessity of gaining access to the interior of the housing l2, but it is to be noted that the forwardly projecting portion of the light-trans- It will be apparent from the foregoing that i when the lamp 24 is energized, the sign on the slide 50 will be illuminated and an enlarged image thereof will be projected outwardly through the window 54 for display upon a suitable surface such as a roadway indicated at 56 in Figure 1 or 51 in Figure 2.

Means are provided for supporting the entire projector in a position so as to facilitate proper projection of the sign on the surface 56, it being apparent that when this surface is vertical, the projector must be disposed substantially horizontally, and vice versa.

These means preferably assume the form of a suitable, horizontally extending supporting element 58, such as for example, a rod or a length of cable, which carries at longitudinally spaced points thereon a front yoke 60 and a rear yoke 62. inverted U-shaped configuration, aifording a bight portion 6 3 on the front yoke and a'similar bight portion 63 on the rear yoke, the two bight portions being provided with arched seats 68 to Each of these yokes is substantially of an,

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

1. A projector of the character'described comprising an elongated housing, image projecting means mounted longitudinally in said housing, and a pair of substantially U-shaped, relatively long and short hangers pivotally mounted on the housing at longitudinally and vertically spaced points for suspending same froma support, said hangers being swingable selectively Over the top and one end of the housing for supporting same in a substantially horizontal and vertical position.

receive the supporting element 53, as will be clearly apparent.

The front yoke Gil also affords a pair tively long side members 10 which are pivoted to opposite side walls'of' the housing l2,'as at'12,

while the rear yoke 52 affords. a pair of relatively short side members it which are pivoted-to opposite side walls of the housing, as at 16, substantially above the pivots 7 2 of'the yoke 60 (see Figure l). v

The location of the pivots '12, "It and the length of the side members Hi, '14 is such that when the device is arranged as shown in Figure 2, the housing [2 is substantially horizontal for projection upon a vertical surface. However, by simply swinging the yoke 62 as indicated by thearrow i8 and swinging the yoke 68 as indicated at 863 (after removing the cover 52) the two yokes may eventually be brought to a position Where they or relais deemed fun- 2. A projector of the character described comprising: an elongated housing, image projecting means mounted longitudinally in said housing, a

supporting cable, and a pair of substantially .U-shaped, relatively long and short hangers straddling the housing and pivotally connected to the" side walls thereof at longitudinally and REFERENCES orrnp The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 554,971 Cline Aug. 4,1896 813,336 Smith Feb. 27,1906 1,074,260 Guerrant Sept. 30, 1913 1,401,189 Reiche Dec. 27, 1921 1,666,307 *Proctor Apr. 17, 1928 1,680,619 ISbillS Aug. 14, 1928 1,953,299 Grant Apr. 3,1934 2,312,294

" Worthington Feb; 23, l9fi3

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