Electrically synchronized rotating light system

• US 4,319,306 A
• Filed: 03/28/1980
• Issued: 03/09/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Federal Signal Corporation
• Original Assignee: Federal Signal Corporation
• Inventors: Stanuch, Edward S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lechert, Jr., Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US06/135,103
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 362/35, 362/80, 362/237, 362/249
• US Class Current: 362/35
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle

Abstract

An electrically synchronized rotating light system comprising two or more rotating light assemblies each having an associated drive motor, there being in one embodiment a master light unit including a rotating light and drive motor which rotates the light at a predetermined rate, and one or more slave light units each including a rotating light and a slave drive motor, the master and slave units being electrically wired so the speed of rotation and phase of each slave unit is synchronized with the master unit without need for mechanical connections between the units. In another embodiment, two or more slave lights are provided, each having an associated slave drive motor, in combination with a master drive motor not associated with a corresponding light. In a further embodiment, each rotatable light has an associated motor mounted directly on the lampholder for conjoint rotation with the lampholder.

Claims

1. An electrically synchronized rotating light system including at least two rotating lights electrically wired to synchronize their speed and phase, said system comprising, in combination, a first rotatable master light, a master drive motor operatively connected with said master light for rotating the same, a second rotatable slave light, a slave drive motor operatively connected with said slave light for rotating the same, a power source connected to said master drive motor for effecting rotation of said master light, and synchronizing means interposed between said power source and said slave drive motor for conducting power to said slave drive motor only when said slave light is in a predetermined phase relation with said master light.

2. An electrically synchronized rotating light system as defined in claim 1 where said synchronizing means includes segmented collector ring means which comprise part of an electrical circuit for conducting power from said power source to said slave drive motor, said segmented collector ring means being in a closed circuit position when said slave light is in a predetermined phase relation with said master light and being in an open circuit position when said slave light is not in said predetermined phase relation with said master light.

3. An electrically synchronized rotating light system as defined in claim 2 including first brush means connected with said master light and rotatable therewith for indicating the position of said master light, second brush means connected with said slave light and rotatable therewith for indicating the position of said slave light, and synchronizing means interposed between said power source and said slave drive motor and cooperating with said first and second brush means for conducting power to said slave drive motor only when said first and second brush means are in a predetermined phase relation with each other.

4. An electrically synchronized rotating light system as defined in claim 3 including a first segmented collector ring associated with said first brush, said first brush being positioned to wipe seriatim against the segments of said first ring during rotation of said master light, and a second segmented collector ring associated with said second brush, said second brush being positioned to wipe seriatim against the segments of said second ring during rotation of said slave light, said segments of said first ring being electrically connected to corresponding segments of said second ring, said first ring being connected to said power source through said first brush and said second ring being connected to said slave motor through said second brush whereby power is conducted to said slave motor when said first and second brushes are in contact with corresponding electrically connected segments of said first and second rings thereby indicating said master and slave lights are in a predetermined phase relation.

5. An electrically synchronized rotating light system as defined in claim 4 including a resistance between said power source and said master drive motor whereby the speed of said master drive motor is made slightly lower than the speed of said slave drive motor.

9. An electrically synchronized rotating light system as defined in claim 1 where each rotatable light has its associated drive motor directly mounted to the lampholder of the light for conjoint rotation therewith so as to simplify said synchronizing means.

6. An electrically synchronized rotating light system including at least two rotating lights electrically wired to synchronize their speed and phase, said system comprising, in combination, a master drive motor, a first rotatable slave light, a first slave drive motor operatively connected with said slave light for rotating the same, a second slave light, a second slave drive motor operatively connected with said second slave light for rotating the same, a power source connected to said master drive motor, master synchronizing means driven from said master drive motor, first slave synchronizing means driven from said first slave drive motor, and second slave synchronizing means driven from said second slave drive motor, said master and first slave synchronizing means being interposed between said power source and said first slave drive motor for conducting power to said first slave drive motor only when said first slave light is synchronized with said master synchronizing means, and said master and second slave synchronizing means being interposed between said power source and said second slave drive motor for conducting power to said second slave drive motor only when said second slave light is synchronized with said master synchronizing means, whereby said first and second slave lights are synchronized with each other.

7. An electrically synchronized rotating light system as defined in claim 6 where said master synchronizing means includes master rotatable arm means, said first slave synchronizing means includes first slave rotatable arm means connected with said first slave light and rotatable therewith for indicating the position of said first slave light, said second slave synchronizing means including second slave rotatable arm means connected with said second slave light and rotatable therewith for indicating the position of said second slave light, first circuit means interposed between said power source and said first slave drive motor and cooperating with said master and first slave rotatable arm means for conducting power to said first slave drive motor only when said master and first slave rotatable arms are in predetermined phase relation, and second circuit means interposed between said power source and said second slave drive motor and cooperating with said master and second slave rotatable arm means for conducting power to said second slave drive motor only when said master and second slave rotatable arms are in predetermined phase relation.

8. An electrically synchronized rotating light system as defined in claim 7 including a master segmented collector ring associated with said master rotatable arm, said master arm being positioned to wipe seriatim against the segments of said master ring when driven by said master drive motor, a first slave segmented collector ring associated with said first slave rotatable arm, said first slave arm being positioned to wipe seriatim against the segments of said first slave ring during rotation of said first slave light, and a second slave segmented collector ring associated with said second slave rotatable arm, said second slave arm being positioned to wipe seriatim against the segments of said second slave ring during rotation of said second slave light, said segments of said master ring being electrically connected to corresponding segments of said first and second slave rings, said master ring being connected to said power source through said master rotatable arm, said first slave ring being connected to said first slave motor through said first slave rotatable arm and said second slave ring being connected to said second slave motor through said second slave rotatable arm, whereby power is conducted to said first slave motor when said master and first slave rotatable arms are in contact with corresponding electrically connected segments of said master ring and first slave ring and power is conducted to said second slave motor when said master and second slave rotatable arms are in contact with corresponding electrically connected segments of said master ring and second slave ring, whereby said first and second slave lights are maintained in predetermined phase relation with said master rotatable arm and thus with each other.

10. An electrically synchronized rotating light system as defined in claim 6 where each rotatable light has its associated drive motor directly mounted to the lampholder of the light for conjoint rotation therewith to simplify said synchronizing means.