Traffic control cart

• US 5,294,138 A
• Filed: 04/05/1993
• Issued: 03/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nan S. Yang
• Original Assignee: Nan S. Yang
• Inventors: Yang, Nan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US08/042,733
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 280/47.17, 280/47.24, 280/47.26, 280/47.34, 280/79.11, 340/907, 340/908, 340/926, 340/473, 116/63 R, 116/63 P, 40/612
• US Class Current: 280/47.34
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0955 transportable

Abstract

A traffic control cart includes a rolling wheel assembly, a base fixed on the rolling wheels, a column mounted on the base, an arm pivotally secured on one periphery wall of the column, a light device including at least a green light, a yellow light, and a red light being mounted on a top face of the column. The arm is allowed to reciprocate in a ninety-degree range from vertical position to horizontal position, in the meanwhile one color of the traffic lights is "on" thus controlling the traffic therearound.

Claims

1. A traffic control cart comprising

a light means (5) having at least a green, a yellow, and a red light formed thereon;

a wheel assembly (11) including a pair of front rolling wheels (113) and a pair of rear rolling wheels (112);

a casing-like base (20) having periphery walls extending downward being securely mounted on said wheel assembly (11);

a column (3 and

     4) having casing structure therein being firmly fixed on said base (20);

a gear wheel means (62) transmitted by a motor-gear set being installed in said column (3 and

     4) having a central shaft (620) extending from a center thereof penetrating through a periphery face of said column (3 and

     4) and having one end protruding out of said column (3 and

     4);

a plurality of micro-switches being firmly fixed inside said column (3 and

     4) for responding to the reciprocating of said gear wheel means (62) and actuating one of said lights; and

an arm (60) connected to said protruding end of said central shaft (620) being transmitted by said central shaft (620) and reciprocating in a ninety-degree range.

2. The traffic control cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gear wheel means (62) comprises a cam (64) concentric with said central shaft (620) having a first lobe (641), a second lobe (642), and a third lobe (643) spaced in a first degree between said first lobe (241) and said second lobe (642), a second degree between said second lobe (642) and said third lobe (643), a third degree between said third lobe (643) and said first lobe (641).

3. The traffic control cart as claimed in claim 2, wherein said plurality of micro-switches comprises a green light switch (65) for triggering said green light when contacted by said first lobe (641), a yellow light switch (66) allowed to actuate said yellow light when contacted by said first lobe (641), a red light switch (67) allowed to actuate said red light when contacted by said first lobe (641), a forward switch (68) responding to the contact of the second lobe (642) and forcing said motor to rotate clockwisely, and a reverse switch (69) responding to the contact of said third lobe (643) and forcing said motor to rotate counter-clockwisely, said forward switch (68) and said reverse switch (69) being symmetrically and firmly positioned at two distal ends of a horizontal diameter extension of said cam (64) suitable to contact said second lobe (642) and said third lobe (643) when said cam (64) rotates, said green light switch (65), said yellow light switch (66), and said red light switch (67) being firmly fixed around the lower half circle of said cam (64) suitable to contact said first lobe (641) when said cam (64) rotates, thus limiting said arm (60) to reciprocate within a predetermined angle range.

4. The traffic control cart as claimed in claim 3, wherein said column means (3 and 4) comprises a lower column (3) firmly fixed on said base (20) and an upper column (4) pivotally engaging to said lower column (3);

said lower column (3) including a lower pivotal means (30) at the top thereof;

said upper column (4) including an upper pivotal means (40) at the bottom thereof being pivotally engaged to said lower column (3);

a bearing assembly including a bearing (35), a bolt (36), and a nut (37) for pivotally securing said upper pivotal means (40) to said lower pivotal means (30).

5. The traffic control cart as claimed in claim 4, wherein said upper pivotal means (40) comprises a first plate (41), and said lower pivotal means (30) comprises a second plate (31) which has similar dimensions and shape as said first plate (41);

said first plate (41) comprising a first central hole (410), four flange portions (411) at four sides bent upward therefrom for securing an upper casing body of the upper column;

said second plate (31) comprising a second central hole (310) substantially corresponding to said first central hole (410) of said first plate (41), said first central hole (410) and said second central hole (310) being in alignment with each other, four flange portions (311) at four sides bent downward therefrom for securing to a lower casing body of the lower column;

said bearing member (35) being interconnected between said first plate (41) and said second plate (31) by securing said bolt (36) at a lower surface of said second plate (31) through said central holes (310,

     410) to said nut (37) positioned at an upper periphery of said first central hole (410) of said first plate (41).

6. The traffic control cart as claimed in claim 5, wherein said upper pivotal means (40) further comprises four positioning means (42), said first plate (41) further comprises four first corner holes (412) symmetrically distributed around said first central hole (410), said second plate (31) further comprises four second corner holes (312) symmetrically distributed around said second central hole (310), each corresponding to one of said first corner holes (412), each corresponding first corner hole (412) and second corner hole (312) being in alignment with each other;

each said positioning means (42) being firmly fixed at the top surface of said first plate (41), while a depressible end thereof is placed against a corresponding said second corner hole (312) thereby positioning said upper pivotal means (40) on said lower pivotal means (30).

7. A traffic control cart comprising

a light means (5) having at least a green, a yellow, and a red light formed thereon;

a wheel assembly (11) including a pair of front rolling wheels (113) and a pair of rear rolling wheels (112);

a casing-like base (20) having periphery walls extending downward being securely mounted on said wheel assembly (11);

a column (3 and

     4) having casing structure therein being firmly fixed on said base (20);

a gear wheel means (62) transmitted by a motor-gear set being installed in said column (3 and

     4) having an eccentric shaft (625) extending therefrom penetrating through a periphery face of said column (3 and

     4) and having one end protruding out of said column (3 and

     4);

a plurality of micro-switches being firmly fixed inside said column (3 and

     4) for responding to the reciprocating of said gear wheel means (62) and actuating one of said lights; and

an arm (60) connected to said protruding end of said eccentric shaft (625) being transmitted by said eccentric shaft (620) and reciprocating within a ninety-degree range.