FLARE DISPENSER

• US 3,635,189 A
• Filed: 03/26/1970
• Issued: 01/18/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lawrence C. Whittemore
• Original Assignee: Lawrence C. Whittemore
• Inventors: Whittemore, Lawrence C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Capozi, Louis J.
• Application Number:
  US05/022,983
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 116/28,63,124,132,114 102/37.4 180/82 340/331,366 89/1.5 67/3 221/4,143,147,144 246/215,211,473,477 124/26 219/214
• US Class Current: 102/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/545 for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/38 using flashing light

Abstract

A flare dispenser for mounting on a vehicle such as an automobile or motorcycle supports a stack of conventional cylindrical flares each with an ignition tip at one end. The dispenser has an electrical igniter and an electrical solenoid for controlling the gravity descent of the flares in the stack, so that the lowermost flare is moved to a lowered position and then moved endwise to contact with the igniter to light the flare, which then falls to the highway. A wind deflection shield mounted on the vehicle in advance of the flare dispenser forms a pocket of relatively calm air into which the lighted flare falls. Remote controls on the vehicle operate the solenoid and the igniter, so that the flares may be ignited and dropped one at a time at desired intervals, while the vehicle is moving.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing lighted flares from a moving vehicle, comprising in combination:

a frame having means for storing a stack of horizontal cylindrical flares, means whereby said frame may be secured to a vehicle, feed means mounted on the frame and movable between a first position and a second position, said feed means in first position supporting the entire stack of flares, said feed means in second position supporting the lowermost flare in the stack at a position spaced below the others, an electrical igniter mounted on the frame for igniting one end of the latter said flare, and means for moving said feed means between said first and second positions.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which an electrical solenoid moves the feed means from first to second position, and a return spring moves the feed means from second to first position.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 together with a wind deflector shield adapted for mounting on the vehicle at a location in advance of the dispensing apparatus so that the lighted flare may drop into a zone of relatively calm air behind said shield.

4. Apparatus for dispensing lighted flares from a moving vehicle, comprising in combination:

a frame having laterally spaced guide plates for storing a stack of horizontal cylindrical flares between them, means whereby said frame may be secured to a vehicle, feed means including laterally spaced finger supports each pivotally mounted on the frame for turning movement about a vertical axis, each finger support having a series of three vertically spaced radially extending fingers, the fingers being movable into the space between the guide plates upon turning movement of the finger supports, means for simultaneously turning said finger supports between a first position and a second position, in the first position the middle finger on each finger support projecting into the space between said guide plates for supporting the entire stack of flares, and the other fingers on each support lying in a retracted position with respect to said space, in said second position said middle fingers lying in a retracted position with respect to said space and the top and bottom fingers projecting into said space, the bottom fingers in each series projecting into said space to support one of said flares in a lower position spaced below the stack, and the top fingers in each series projecting into the space to support the remainder of the stack, and an electric igniter mounted on the frame for igniting one end of the latter said flare.

5. Apparatus for dispensing lighted flares from a moving vehicle, comprising in combination:

a frame having laterally spaced guides for storing a stack of horizontal cylindrical flares, means whereby said frame may be secured to a vehicle, feed means mounted on the frame and movable from a first position engaging the lowermost flare in the stack to support the stack of flares to a second position permitting the lowermost flare only to descend by gravity to a position spaced below the stack, an electrical igniter mounted on the frame, pusher means for moving a flare in said spaced lower position endwise against the igniter to ignite the flare, said feed means acting to release the ignited flare for gravity descent out of the frame upon return of said feed means to said first position, and means for moving said feed means between first and second positions.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which common means are provided on the frame to actuate both said feed means and said pusher means.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which said common means includes an electrical solenoid.

8. Apparatus for dispensing lighted flares from a moving vehicle, comprising in combination:

a frame having laterally spaced guide plates for storing a plurality of horizontal cylindrical flares between them in stacked relationship, means whereby said frame may be secured to a veHicle, feed means including a pair of finger supports turnably mounted on the frame and each having fingers adapted to project between the plates, said fingers being movable from a first position engageable with the lowermost flare in the stack to support the stack of flares to a second position in which the lowermost flare only is permitted to descend by gravity to a location spaced below the stack, an electrical igniter mounted on the frame for igniting one end of the latter said flare, the finger elements acting to release the ignited flare for gravity descent out of the frame upon return of said finger elements to said first position, an electrical solenoid mounted on the frame, and means whereby said solenoid may actuate said feed means.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 including pusher means for moving a flare in said lower location endwise against said electrical igniter, and means whereby said electrical solenoid may actuate said pusher means.