Warning light system for emergency vehicles
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A warning light system for emergency vehicles comprising:
- housing means having transparent portions and being adapted to be attached to a vehicle,a plurality of light assemblies mounted within said housing means for creating illumination through said transparent panels,at least one of said light assemblies having a light source arranged to be coupled to a source of electrical power and being mounted for rotation about a generally vertical axis,drive means for rotating said light assemblies mounted for rotation,reflective means mounted in said housing means adjacent said light assemblies mounted for rotation, said reflective means cooperating with said rotating light source to produce a plurality of flashes of light through said transparent panels during each rotation thereof, andsaid drive means including a rotatable shaft mechanically coupled to said at least one light assembly whereby said light assembly rotates with said shaft, a motor driving said rotatable shaft, said shaft having an axis and carrying a cam disk in normal relation to the shaft axis, said cam disk defining a peripheral slot, plunger means positioned to engage the periphery of the cam disk as the cam disk rotates, said plunger means being resiliently biased to press against said cam disk and to enter said slot to lock said cam disk and one light assembly into one rotational position when the cam disk rotates to pass the slot by the plunger means, switch means for deactivating said motor when the plunger means enters said slot, and means for retracting said plunger means from the slot to cause activation of said motor and to permit said cam disk and shaft to rotate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A warning light system for emergency vehicles having a pair of forward rotating lights and a pair of rear rotating lights separated by a reflector structure. A cam and plunger arrangement causes the rotating light assemblies to stop at a predetermined position to serve as end lights in a secondary mode. The rotation of the light assemblies is synchronized to produce a series of inwardly moving flashes from each end of the housing.
99 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A warning light system for emergency vehicles comprising:
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housing means having transparent portions and being adapted to be attached to a vehicle, a plurality of light assemblies mounted within said housing means for creating illumination through said transparent panels, at least one of said light assemblies having a light source arranged to be coupled to a source of electrical power and being mounted for rotation about a generally vertical axis, drive means for rotating said light assemblies mounted for rotation, reflective means mounted in said housing means adjacent said light assemblies mounted for rotation, said reflective means cooperating with said rotating light source to produce a plurality of flashes of light through said transparent panels during each rotation thereof, and said drive means including a rotatable shaft mechanically coupled to said at least one light assembly whereby said light assembly rotates with said shaft, a motor driving said rotatable shaft, said shaft having an axis and carrying a cam disk in normal relation to the shaft axis, said cam disk defining a peripheral slot, plunger means positioned to engage the periphery of the cam disk as the cam disk rotates, said plunger means being resiliently biased to press against said cam disk and to enter said slot to lock said cam disk and one light assembly into one rotational position when the cam disk rotates to pass the slot by the plunger means, switch means for deactivating said motor when the plunger means enters said slot, and means for retracting said plunger means from the slot to cause activation of said motor and to permit said cam disk and shaft to rotate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A warning light system for emergency vehicles comprising:
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housing means adapted to be attached to an emergency vehicle and having transparent sections and at least one light assembly mounted for rotary movement along a generally vertical axis, drive means for rotating said light assembly about said axis, said light assembly including a light source and a reflector mounted adjacent thereto, said light source and said reflector acting to move with said light assembly and direct flashes of light through said transparent sections, control means coupled to said drive means for controlling operation of said drive means to rotate said light assembly, said control means having circuit means to deactivate said drive means for stopping said rotation and said control means further having means to cause said light assembly to assume a predetermined angular position, and said drive means and control means including a rotatable shaft mechanically coupled to at least one light assembly whereby said light assembly rotates with said shaft, said drive means including a motor driving said rotatable shaft, said shaft having an axis and carrying a cam disk in normal relation to the shaft axis, said cam disk defining a peripheral slot, plunger means positioned to engage the periphery of the cam disk as the cam disk rotates, said plunger means being resiliently biased to press against said cam disk and to enter said slot to lock said cam disk and the light assembly into one rotational position when the cam disk rotates to pass the slot by the plunger means, switch means for deactivating said motor when the plunger means enters said slot, and means for retracting said plunger means from the slot to cause activation of said motor and to permit said cam disk and shaft to rotate. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A warning light system for an emergency vehicle comprising:
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housing means having a transparent dome portion and being arranged to be attached to a vehicle, a plurality of light assemblies mounted for rotation about a generally vertical axis, said light assemblies having a light source and a reflector, drive means coupled to each of said light assemblies to drive said light assemblies including said light source and said reflector in approximate synchronization to each other, and said drive means including a rotatable shaft mechanically coupled to said light assemblies, whereby said light assemblies rotate with said shaft, a motor driving said rotatable shaft, said shaft having an axis and carrying a cam disk in normal relation to the shaft axis, said cam disk defining a peripheral slot, plunger means positioned to engage the periphery of the cam disk as the cam disk rotates, whereby said plunger means may be pressed against said cam disk to enter said slot to lock said cam disk and light assemblies into one rotational position when the cam disk rotates to pass the slot by the plunger means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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- 14. A vehicle warning light housing assembly for mounting across the roof of an emergency vehicle, the improvement comprising, in combination, base means, at least one elongated transparent dome means mounted on the top of said base means, said transparent dome means being curved in cross section to form a top portion and integral front and rear side portions, a pair of longitudinal rib means formed integrally inside at least one of said front and rear side portions, one rib of said pair of longitudinal rib means being disposed along an upper end of said one side portion and the other rib of said pair of longitudinal rib means being disposed along a lower end of said one side portion, and at least one colored insert panel having upper and lower longitudinal edge portions for engagement with corresponding ones of said pair of longitudinal rib means whereby said insert panel may be inserted inside of said dome member adjacent said one side portion thereof and mounted between said pair of longitudinal rib means.
- 18. A warning light assembly for mounting on the roof of an emergency vehicle, the improvement comprising, in combination, a plurality of rotatable warning lights, at least one of said rotatable warning lights being associated with control means which enables said rotatable warning light to be used in a rotating mode or to be stopped in a predetermined position for use as a fixed warning light, and said rotatable warning light including a light bulb having a filament, and a socket for mounting said light bulb, said socket having means for mounting said light bulb in a selected one of two positions so in one position said filament is vertical and in another position said filament is horizontal, whereby said filament may be oriented vertically when said rotatable light is used in said rotating mode and may be oriented horizontally when said rotatable light is used as a fixed warning light.
Specification