Vehicular abutment alarm apparatus

• US 5,374,918 A
• Filed: 12/10/1992
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eddie W. Tharbs
• Original Assignee: Eddie W. Tharbs
• Inventors: Tharbs, Eddie W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US07/988,856
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/435, 340/436, 340/437, 340/440, 340/689, 200/61.43, 200/61.44, 200/61.42, 180/224, 116/28 A
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/04 Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/16 adapted for actuation at a limit or other predetermined position in the path of a body, the relative movement of switch and body being primarily for a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. for a door switch, a limit switch, a floor-levelling switch of a lift

Abstract

A tractor-trailer vehicle includes one, and typically a plurality, of signal switches mounted at spaced intervals along a top wall of the trailer structure, wherein engagement of the signal switches relative to an abutment effects audible and visual alarm within a cab of the associated transport vehicle structure.

Claims

1. A vehicular abutment alarm apparatus in combination with a vehicular trailer, wherein the trailer includes a trailer top wall spaced from a trailer front wall, and a vehicular cab arranged for mounting to the vehicular trailer, wherein the apparatus comprises,

a mounting bracket means for adjustable mounting along the trailer front wall in adjacency to the trailer top wall, wherein the mounting bracket means includes a first switch, the apparatus further including a second switch, and a third switch each respectively mounted to the trailer top wall in a spaced relationship relative to one another and to the first switch,

a receiver unit mounted within the vehicular cab in electrical communication with the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch, wherein individual engagement of the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch with an abutment effects actuation of the receiver unit,

the receiver unit includes a receiver housing top wall having an on/off switch, a speaker member, and an illumination bulb, and batteries contained within the receiver unit, with the on/off switch, the speaker member, the illumination bulb arranged in electrical communication with the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch to include an electrical communication cable in electrical communication between the receiver unit, the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch,

said first switch, said second switch, and said third switch each include a switch housing, each switch housing having a switch housing top wall, with the electrical communication cable directed into each switch housing, wherein the electrical communication cable includes a first cable member and a second cable member, the first cable member directed to the switch housing top wall, wherein the switch housing top wall includes a metallic rigid rod directed therethrough in electrical communication with the first cable member, and a metallic first contact mounted to the switch housing top wall in electrical isolation relative to the rigid rod, with the metallic first contact in electrical communication with the second cable member, and the metallic first contact having a concave top wall, and a metallic second contact of a semi-spherical configuration positioned above the concave top wall having an annular contact edge spaced from and in adjacency to the contact top wall, wherein the metallic second contact having a concave bottom wall in confrontation to the concave top wall and the metallic second contact, including a polymeric spring interposed and captured between the metallic first contact and the metallic second contact, whereupon deflection of the rigid rod effects electrical communication between the first contact and the second contact.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mounting bracket means includes a mounting bracket having a first wall parallel to and spaced from a third wall, and a second wall orthogonally mounted between and integral to the first wall and the third wall, wherein the first wall includes first wall slots for adjustable mounting of the mounting bracket to the trailer front wall, and wherein the mounting bracket third wall includes third wall slots, and wherein the first switch includes a first switch slotted plate member for adjustable mounting to the third wall slots.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including a remote alarm housing, the remote alarm housing includes a housing front wall and a housing rear wall, wherein the housing rear wall includes a ferromagnetic plate permitting magnetic adherence of the remote alarm housing within the vehicular cab, and wherein the remote alarm housing includes a second speaker and a second illumination bulb arranged for simultaneous actuation with the speaker member and the illumination bulb of the receiver unit.