VEHICLE ATTITUDE WARNING DEVICE

• US 3,798,594 A
• Filed: 11/28/1972
• Issued: 03/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Francis Claire Funk
• Original Assignee: Francis Claire Funk
• Inventors: Funk, Francis Claire
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US05/310,114
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52H,53,61,65 200/61.45,61.52
• 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: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

A system is provided for warning an operator of the fact that his vehicle is approaching an undesirable degree of tilt. The system includes a pendulum or gravity-responsive member which is mounted for universal movement in a housing which also supports a conducting ring in surrounding relationship to a stem or pin portion of the pendulum. The pendulum stem is also made of conducting material and cooperates with the conductor ring to define a switch which is normally open but which is closed to energize a warning device at the operator'"'"''"'"'s station when the vehicle becomes tilted to a predetermined undesired position.

Claims

1. A roll-over warning system for use on a vehicle such as a tractor, or the like, comprising:

a completely enclosed boxlike housing constructed of electrically non-conductive material and including lower, intermediate and upper sections releasably interconnected to each other;

said lower section defining a fluid chamber;

said intermediate section including a bottom wall overlying said fluid chamber and having an aperture therein defining a spherically curved bearing surface;

a pendulum including a substantially rod-like stem of electrically conductive material having a weight carried at the lower end thereof;

said stem including an intermediate spherical bearing portion seated in the spherically curved bearing surface defined by said aperture and the stem being disposed such that the weight is located in said fluid chamber;

a ring of electrically conductive material being releasably fixed to said intermediate section in surrounding relationship to said stem at a location spaced above said intermediate spherical bearing portion;

a source of electric current;

a circuit connected to said source;

an electrical warning device connected in said circuit;

said stem and ring forming respective contacts of a switch and being connected in said circuit between said source and said warning device, whereby when said housing is moved to a predetermined attitude, said stem will contact said ring thus completing the circuit and effecting energization of said warning device.

2. The warning device defined in claim 1 wherein said intermediate section of thE housing includes a plurality of projections extending upwardly from the bottom wall thereof and said ring being releasably secured to the respective tops of said projections.

3. The warning device defined in claim 1 wherein the stem is connected in the circuit by means of a lead having one end secured to the stem at a location adjacent said spherical bearing portion, whereby the lead will undergo very little movement in the event that the pendulum swings relative to the housing.