Automatic control of headlights, tail lights, parking lights and emergency warning flasher lights for vehicles

• US 3,882,452 A
• Filed: 07/29/1974
• Issued: 05/06/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Walter R. Stevens
• Original Assignee: Walter R. Stevens
• Inventors: Stevens, Walter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US05/492,420
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52R,52D,52F,60,74,81R,81F 315/77,78,79,80,82,83 180/103
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1407 General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/24 Switches operated by change of fluid pressure, by fluid pressure waves, or by change of fluid flow wherein the change of pressure is caused by change of temperature H01H37/36

Abstract

An improved switching device and circuit for automatically controlling the headlights, tail lights, parking lights and energizing the flashing warning lights of a vehicle in the event of stalling engine, the device functioning to sense oil pressure and engine vacuum.

Claims

1. An automatic light switching system for vehicles employing an automobile battery, headlights, tail lights and flasher lights and employing:

a manually operated light switch for connecting said headlights and said tail lights across said battery for controlled energization thereof, an ignition switch having first and second terminals, said first terminals being connected to said battery, and a warning flasher light switch having first and second terminals, said first terminal of said flasher light switch being connected to said battery and said second terminal of said flasher light switch being connected to said flasher lights, the improvement comprising;

an automatic warning switch, said warning switch comprising a pair of contacts mounted within a housing defining a cavity and interconnected in one position by a bridging contact member, a diaphragm positioned within said cavity housing for dividing it into two chambers, means for connecting one portion of said cavity to an oil line of the vehicle engine and the other cavity to a vacuum line of the engine, whereby the loss of vacuum and oil pressure closes the switching means and running of the engine generates oil pressure and vacuum thereby opening said switching means, one terminal of said warning switch being connected to ground and the other terminal being connected to relay means, relay means comprising a solenoid coil and a pair of switching contacts, one terminal of said coil being connected to said other terminal of said warning switch and the other terminal of said coil being connected to the other terminal of said ignition switch, one contact of said relay means being connected to said battery and the other contact being connected to said flasher lights, whereby when said ignition switch is closed and said oil pressure and vacuum is low indicating engine stalling or stopping said warning switch is closed, said switching contacts are closed and said flasher lights are energized.

2. The automatic light switching system set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said warning switch comprises a spring for normally biasing said switch contacts to their open position.

3. The automatic light switching system set forth in claim 1 in further combination with:

time-delay means for controlling the movement of said contacts of said warning switch.

4. An automatic light switching system for vehicles employing an automobile battery, headlights, parking lights, tail lights and flasher lights and employing:

a manually operated light switch for connectiNg said headlights, parking lights and said tail lights across said battery for controlled energization thereof, an ignition switch having first and second terminals, said first terminals being connected to said battery, and a warning flasher light switch having first and second terminals, said first terminal of said flasher light switch being connected to said battery and said second terminal of said flasher light switch being connected to said flasher lights, the improvement comprising;

an automatic warning switch, said warning switch comprising a pair of contacts mounted within a housing defining a cavity and interconnected in one position by a bridging contact member, a diaphragm positioned within said cavity housing for dividing it into two chambers, means for connecting one portion of said cavity to a vacuum line of the engine, whereby the loss of vacuum closes the switching means and running of the engine generates a vacuum thereby opening said switching means, one terminal of said warning switch being connected to ground and the other terminal being connected to relay means, relay means comprising a solenoid coil and a pair of switching contacts, one terminal of said coil being connected to said other terminal of said warning switch and the other terminal of said coil being connected to the other terminal of switching means, one contact of said relay means being connected to said battery and the other contact being connected to said flasher lights, whereby when said ignition switch is closed and vacuum is low indicating engine stalling or stopping said warning switch is closed, said switching contacts are closed and said flasher lights are energized and said headlights or parking lights and said tail lights remaining operable if said light switch is closed.

5. The automatic light switching system set forth in claim 1 in further combination with:

time-delay means for controlling the movement of said contacts of said warning switch.

6. The automatic light switching system set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said bridging contact comprises a metallic ball, and said time-delay means comprises a ramp forming a path for movement of said ball, whereby a loss of vacuum causes said ball to close said pair of contacts and a vacuum causes said ball to move along said ramp thereby opening said contact.

7. The automatic light switching system set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said length of said ramp provides the time-delay function of said warning switch.

8. The automatic light switching system set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said ramp is formed in a spiral configuration.