VEHICLE SPEED INDICATOR SYSTEM

• US 3,597,730 A
• Filed: 12/23/1968
• Issued: 08/03/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rudolph M. Mcclellan Jr, Rudolph M. Mcclellan Sr
• Original Assignee: Rudolph M. Mcclellan Jr, Rudolph M. Mcclellan Sr
• Inventors: Mcclellan, Rudolph M. Sr., Mcclellan, Rudolph M. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US04/786,291
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• US Class Current: 340/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/54 for indicating speed outside of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/103 by comparing the value of the measured signal with one or several reference values in general G01R17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/489 Digital circuits therefor

Abstract

For installation in moving vehicles, apparatus having a preferred form which incorporates an externally visible indicating means preferably seen from highway points forward of, behind, and from above a moving vehicle which indicates speed and acceleration of the vehicle to others remote from the vehicle.

Claims

1. A speed-indicating device for indicating the speed of a vehicle externally of the vehicle, comprising:

a. means for forming a pulse train having a frequency proportional to speed of a vehicle;

b. counter means connected to said pulse-forming means for storing pulses therefrom;

c. decode matrix means connected to said counter means and responsive to the count stored in said counter means falling within predetermined count ranges;

d. output means connected to said decode matrix and responsive to a count falling within such predetermined count ranges and forming a signal indicative of a particular count range; and

, e. lamp means operated by the signal from said output means and illuminated thereby to signal the speed of such vehicle in accordance with a predetermined code.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said lamp means include at least a pair of lamps adapted to be mounted externally of such vehicle, said lamps being operated either on or off and said predetermined code being a binary code.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said lamp means are adapted to be mounted at a position on such vehicle as to be observed externally and rearwardly of such a vehicle.

4. The invention of claim 1 for installation of a typical vehicle in which some portion rotates at a speed proportional to vehicle speed wherein said pulse-train-forming means include a mechanical takeoff means connected to the rotating portion and pulse generator means coupled to said takeoff means for forming periodic signals dependent on the rotational speed.

5. The invention of claim 1 further including:

a. transmitter means adapted to be located relative to a roadway on which the vehicle operates for communicating a signal thereto which encodes a speed control signal; and

, b. receiver means adapted to be carried by such a vehicle and tuned to said transmitter means for receiving its signal; and

, c. set point control means cooperative upon operation of said receiver means for controlling said lamp means dependent on the externally transmitted speed control signal.

6. The invention of claim 1 including a register means having weighted positions connected to said decode matrix means for receiving therefrom a binary signal having at least three bits, and wherein said lamp means includes one lamp for each of the bits stored in said register means.

7. The invention of claim 6 including a flasher means connected to said lamps for causing same to yield a flashing signal indicatIve of overspeed, and means responsive to the pulse train in excess of a predetermined count to initiate operation of said flasher means on overspeeding of the vehicle.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said flasher means is connected to said register means and is responsive to overflow of said register means.

9. The invention of claim 1 further including a gate generator connected to said counter means for periodically resetting it to a predetermined count.