TILT-ACTUATED SAFETY DEVICE

• US 3,772,643 A
• Filed: 03/06/1972
• Issued: 11/13/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Everett A. Dodd, Laurance J. Horan
• Original Assignee: Everett A. Dodd, Laurance J. Horan
• Inventors: Dodd, Everett A., Horan, Laurance J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Habecker, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowicki, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US05/231,995
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52H,54,57,267C,53 200/51.09,51.12,61.45R,61.52,61.83T 337/5,12,13,126,127,88 180/104
• US Class Current: 340/440
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/08 having means for preventing overturning or tipping safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles B60K28/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/06 Switches operated by change of speed operated by change of fluid flow H01H35/24

Abstract

A tilt-actuated safety device for use with vehicles or other equipment subject, to tilting or canting during operation comprising a main switch closeable when the vehicle or the like attains a predetermined degree of tilt, a first relay connected to said master switch and subject to a limited time delay closing for opening the vehicle or the like ignition system, and a second relay connected to said master switch and subject to a relatively increased time delay for permitting reenergization of said vehicle ignition system during such delay.

Claims

1. A gravity actuated safety switch for use with apparatus subject to tiltable movement during operation in order to prevent attainment of a predetermined angle of tilt and having a source of electrical power, means operated by said electrical power, and means connecting said means operated by said electrical power and said source of electrical power, said safety device comprising a first conductive, pendulum-like element, a second conductive element, said first and second conductive elements being relatively movable toward each other in contact-making, circuitclosing relationship under influence of gravity, means connecting said second conductive element to said source of electrical power, a switch member interposed between, and connected to, said first conductive element and said apparatus means operated by said source of electrical power, said switch member having normally closed contacts for completion of circuitry between said electrical power source and said apparatus means operated thereby, said switch member also having normally open first and second contacts, means for effecting closure of said switch member first and second normally open contacts after a predetermined interval of continuous contact-making relationship of said first and second conductive elements, whereby said means connecting said electrical power source and said apparatus means operated thereby are disconnected with attendant discontinuance of operation of said apparatus while said first and second normally open contacts are closed.

2. A gravity actuated safety switch as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said means for effecting closure of said switch member first and second normally open contacts being a thermally controlled relay of the thermal type having a heater coil.

3. A gravity actuated safety switch as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said second conductive element having an opening of continuous curvilinear configuration being marginally unbroken, said first conductive element being a pendulum, means for suspending said pendulum upwardly of said second conductive opening presenting said pendulum in normal, axially perpendicular relationship to the plane of said opening and being of such length for contact-making relationship with the edge of said opening under influence of gravity.

4. A gravity actuated safety switch as defined in claim 3 and further characterized by means for mounting said second conductive element upon said apparatus for normal planar parallel relationship with the horizontal.

5. A gravity actuAted safety switch as defined in claim 4 and further characterized by the opening in said second conductive element having its major axis lengthwise of the device, and visual signal means connected to said switch member.

6. A gravity actuated safety switch for use with apparatus subject to tiltable movement during operation and having a source of electrical power and means operated by said electrical power, said safety device comprising a first conductive element, a second conductive element, said first and second conductive elements being relatively movable toward each other into contact-making relationship under influence of gravity, a first switch member connected to said first conductive element, a second switch member connected to said second conductive element, means effecting closure of said first switch member after a predetermined time interval subsequent to continuous contactmaking of said first and second conductive elements, said first switch member being connected to said apparatus means operated by said electrical power causing discontinuance of operation of the same upon closure of said first switch member, and control means for optionally connecting or disconnecting said second conductive element with or from, respectively, said apparatus source of electrical power.

7. A gravity actuated safety switch as defined in claim 6 and further characterized by said first and second switch members being relays and each having normally open first and second contacts, said means for effecting closure of said first switch member being a first thermal component for closing said first switch, first and second contacts upon attainment of a predetermined temperature, another thermal component provided in said second switch member causing closure of said second switch first and second contacts upon attainment of a predetermined temperature.

8. A gravity actuated safety switch as defined in claim 7 and further characterized by said first switch first thermal component and said second switch other thermal component being actuated at different temperatures whereby a differential in time intervals before closure of the first switch first and second contacts and said second switch first and second contacts is occasioned.

9. A gravity actuated safety switch as defined in claim 8 and further characterized by the first thermal component adapted to effect closure of the related first and second contacts after an interval of approximately two seconds, and said second thermal component being adapted to effect closure of the related first and second contacts after an interval of approximately two minutes.

10. A gravity actuated safety switch as defined in claim 6 and further characterized by said control means being a switch body having two positions, in the first of said positions said switch body interconnects the second conductive element, the source of electrical power and said second switch member, in the second of said positions, said switch body connects said source of electrical power and said second switch member, there being a connection between said second switch member and said second conductive element when said switch body is in its second position so that upon closure of said second switch member a circuit may be closed through said first and second conductive elements to said first switch member.