Warning device for moving vehicle

Claim 2

An automatic warning device for a self-propelled vehicle having a front and a rear comprising a pressure sensitive means responsive to a deceleration in the rate of speed of the vehicle at a predetermined but variable rate, said device being mounted at the front of said vehicle, and a signal means capable of being activated by said pressure sensitive means whereby said signal means becomes operative when said pressure sensitive means responds to said deceleration in the rate of speed of said vehicle.

Claim 3

The warning device of claim 1 comprising (a) a substantially rigid mounting means attachable at the front of said vehicle, (b) a microswitch having a circuit-closed and a circuit-open position and normally in said circuit-closed position attached to said mounting means, (c) a pivotably mounted vane responsive to air pressure resulting from forward movement of said vehicle pivotably mounted in front of, and normally urged out of contact with, said microswitch, whereby air pressure resulting from forward movement of said vehicle causes said vane to move responsive to said air pressure thereby to engage the plunger of said switch and cause it to move to said circuit-open position, (d) an adjustable masking means supported by said mounting means in front of said vane capable of shielding it in part or in whole from said air pressure, and connected to an adjusting means for said masking means operable by the operator of said vehicle, (e) a single or multiple warning signal means capable of signaling an observer of said vehicle, said microswitch being connectable between the terminal on the electrical panelboard of said vehicle and said signal means.

Claim 4

The warning device of claim 2 wherein said warning signal means is one or a multiple of incandescent lamps.

Claim 5

The warning device of claim 3 wherein said signal lamps are the turn signal lamps normally installed on said vehicle and operated by a flasher unit responsive to a turn signal switch operated by a turn signal lever having an ''''off'''' and ''''on'''' position so that when said turn signal lever is moved to said ''''on'''' position, the said turn signal switch opens the circuit between the lamps and the said microswitch, and closes the circuit between the lamps and the turn signal switch.

Claim 6

The warning device of claim 3 wherein said signal lamps are the turn signal lamps normally installed on said vehicle and operated by a flasher unit responsive to a turn signal switch operated by a turn signal lever having an ''''off'''' and ''''on'''' position, and said microswitch is connected through a diode to one terminal of a relay which operates a third switch and the other terminal of said relay is connected to the negative terminal of said flasher unit, said relay having a capacitor connected across said terminals, whereby said relay opens said third switch thereby opening the circuit between said microswitch and said turn signal lamps when said turn signal lever is moved to ''''on'''' position.

Claim 7

The warning device of claim 2 wherein the adjustable masking means is a retractable mask and the adjusting means for same is a retracting means.

Claim 8

The warning device of claim 2 wherein the adjustable masking means comprises a mask having an aperture of variable diameter and means for varying same.