Emergency vehicle sound-actuated traffic controller

• US 5,677,684 A
• Filed: 08/26/1996
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evan B. Mcarthur
• Original Assignee: Evan B. Mcarthur
• Inventors: McArthur, Evan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US08/702,960
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 340/906, 340/907, 340/902, 340/943, 340/944, 340/901, 340/904, 367/197, 367/198, 367/199
• US Class Current: 340/906
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle

Abstract

An emergency vehicle sound-actuated traffic controller including an intersection of at least two roads with a plurality of traffic lights for directing traffic therethrough. The traffic lights have a conventional control box for the controlling thereof. Further provided is a microphone adapted to receive audio signals and further adapted to convert the audio signals to electrical pulses. Finally, control circuitry is electrically connected to the microphone and includes a switching mechanism. The switching mechanism includes a pair of contacts coupled to the control box. In operation, the switching mechanism has a first orientation with the contacts thereof open thereby allowing normal operation of the control box and the traffic lights and a second orientation with the contacts abutting each other thereby instructing the control box to direct all of the traffic lights to turn constant red. The control circuitry is adapted to shift the contacts of the switching mechanism to the second orientation thereof upon the instantaneous receipt of a siren of an emergency vehicle via the microphone. For safety purposes, the control circuitry is further adapted to initiate a timing sequence upon the instantaneous receipt of the siren of the emergency vehicle and further maintain the contacts of the switching gear in the second orientation thereof until the cessation of said timing sequence.

Claims

1. A new and improved emergency vehicle sound-actuated traffic controller comprising, in combination:

an intersection of at least two roads with a plurality of traffic lights for directing traffic therethrough, the traffic lights having a conventional control box for controlling said lights;

a water-proof housing having a front face, a rear face, and a periphery situated therebetween thus defining an interior space, the housing mounted to a pole to which the traffic lights are mounted, the front face hingably coupled to the periphery and having a key actuated lock for allowing access to the interior space by authorized personnel, the housing further having a circular grate situated on the front face thereof and a circular back plate coupled via screws to the rear face within the interior space of the housing with a space situated therebetween;

a microphone situated on the back plate of the housing within the interior space thereof, the microphone adapted to receive audio signals and further adapted to convert the audio signals to electrical pulses; and

control circuitry encased within a box coupled to the back plate of the housing within the interior space thereof, the control circuitry electrically connected to the microphone and including a switching gear having a first spring biased arm pivotally coupled at a first end thereof within the box with a contact situated on a second end thereof and a second spring biased arm pivotally coupled at a first end thereof within the box with a contact situated on a second end thereof, wherein each contact is connected via wires to the control box of the traffic lights, the arms of the switch gear having a first unbiased orientation with the contacts thereof open thereby allowing normal operation of the control box and the traffic lights and a second biased orientation with the contacts abutting each other thereby instructing the control box to direct all of the traffic lights to turn constant red by shorting a switch in the control box of the traffic lights that may be manually switched to effect the same, the control circuitry adapted to shift the arms of the switching gear to the second orientation thereof upon the instantaneous receipt of a siren of an emergency vehicle via the microphone, the control circuitry further adapted to initiate a timing sequence of approximately 30-45 seconds upon the instantaneous receipt of the siren of the emergency vehicle and further maintain the arms of the switching gear in the second orientation thereof until the cessation of said timing sequence.