US3609677A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Direction indicating beacons
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1965-10-22
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Granted: 1971-09-28
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Expires: 1985-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A new way is disclosed for generating azimuth-dependent time intervals between flashes or signals from rotating beacons employing directable radiation. An omnidirectional index flash is generated each time the beacon rotates past a fixed point. Resulting flash patterns convey to any observer his azimuth about the beacon. Apparatus is described to adapt existing beacons or new designs to produce the intervals automatically.
Inventors
- 👤 Gayle Russell Norberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 03:05
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B5/00; G08B5/22; G08B5/36; G08B5/38
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
319 words
Beacon index signal-generating apparatus to impart directionindicating properties to simple rotating warning beacons comprising: a. a mounting foot, for attachment to a beacon dome, having a cylindrical portion threaded on its periphery near its top; b. a hollow body formed in the shape of an inverted cup having a flange protruding outward at its open end, the flange resting on the top of the mounting foot, and the hollow body further having a first hole in its closed end, a second hole in its side, and threads on its cylindrical periphery near its closed end; c. a light source mounted in the first hole so as to extend its connections into the hollow body; d. a light-transmitting cover for the light source in the shape of an inverted cup threaded on its inner periphery near its open end to mate with the threads on the hollow body; e. retaining means threaded on its inner periphery to mate with the threads on the mounting foot and having a flange overlapping that of the hollow body; f. sealing means clamped between the flange of the hollow body and the flange of the retaining means when the retaining means is screwed on to the mounting foot; g. a sensing arm mounted in the second hole in the hollow body and extending down to below the mounting foot; h. a sensor means received in the sensing arm, detecting the passage of one or more points of the rotating member of the rotating beacon; i. power control means capable of turning the light source on and off and connected to a suitable power source and mounted in the hollow body; j. and control wires connecting the sensor means to the power control means so as to actuate the power control means momentarily when the sensor means detects the passage of a desired point of the rotating beacon member and to flash the light source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
319 words
Beacon index signal-generating apparatus to impart directionindicating properties to simple rotating warning beacons comprising: a. a mounting foot, for attachment to a beacon dome, having a cylindrical portion threaded on its periphery near its top; b. a hollow body formed in the shape of an inverted cup having a flange protruding outward at its open end, the flange resting on the top of the mounting foot, and the hollow body further having a first hole in its closed end, a second hole in its side, and threads on its cylindrical periphery near its closed end; c. a light source mounted in the first hole so as to extend its connections into the hollow body; d. a light-transmitting cover for the light source in the shape of an inverted cup threaded on its inner periphery near its open end to mate with the threads on the hollow body; e. retaining means threaded on its inner periphery to mate with the threads on the mounting foot and having a flange overlapping that of the hollow body; f. sealing means clamped between the flange of the hollow body and the flange of the retaining means when the retaining means is screwed on to the mounting foot; g. a sensing arm mounted in the second hole in the hollow body and extending down to below the mounting foot; h. a sensor means received in the sensing arm, detecting the passage of one or more points of the rotating member of the rotating beacon; i. power control means capable of turning the light source on and off and connected to a suitable power source and mounted in the hollow body; j. and control wires connecting the sensor means to the power control means so as to actuate the power control means momentarily when the sensor means detects the passage of a desired point of the rotating beacon member and to flash the light source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor means comprises a photosensitive device and the sensor arm comprises light transmitting material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensing means comprises a relay actuated by an external magnetic field produced on at least one point in the rotation of the beacon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the functions of the power control means are performed by the sensor means, the sensor means is a single component, and the source of radiated signals is powered directly through the control communicating means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
222 words
Apparatus to impart direction-indicating properties to simple rotating beacons having rotating internal beam producing structure and a housing comprising: a. signal emitting means capable of transmitting signals simultaneously in all directions substantially radial to an axis parallel with that of the rotating beacon: b. Signal control means linking the signal emitting means to a source of power and capable of connecting and disconnecting the source of power from the signal emitting means: c. Sensing means outside the housing of the beacon, connected to the signal control means, detecting at least one particular angular position of the rotating beam-producing structure by means of sigNals penetrating said housing, and actuating the signal control means momentarily to produce a short burst of signals from the signal emitting means when each such angular position is detected, to produce a pattern of signals from the combined signal emitting means and rotating beacon; d. sensor driving means fixedly attached to the internal beam producing structure, directing signals outwardly penetrating said housing and effective to actuate the sensing means upon passage of said sensor driving means past the sensing means; and e. easily adjustable mounting means, supporting the sensing means at desired points about the periphery of the beacon housing, to permit the entire pattern of signals to be changed by changing the angular position of the sensing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
222 words
Apparatus to impart direction-indicating properties to simple rotating beacons having rotating internal beam producing structure and a housing comprising: a. signal emitting means capable of transmitting signals simultaneously in all directions substantially radial to an axis parallel with that of the rotating beacon: b. Signal control means linking the signal emitting means to a source of power and capable of connecting and disconnecting the source of power from the signal emitting means: c. Sensing means outside the housing of the beacon, connected to the signal control means, detecting at least one particular angular position of the rotating beam-producing structure by means of sigNals penetrating said housing, and actuating the signal control means momentarily to produce a short burst of signals from the signal emitting means when each such angular position is detected, to produce a pattern of signals from the combined signal emitting means and rotating beacon; d. sensor driving means fixedly attached to the internal beam producing structure, directing signals outwardly penetrating said housing and effective to actuate the sensing means upon passage of said sensor driving means past the sensing means; and e. easily adjustable mounting means, supporting the sensing means at desired points about the periphery of the beacon housing, to permit the entire pattern of signals to be changed by changing the angular position of the sensing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
160 words
Beacon slave adapter apparatus to impart direction-indicating properties to simple rotating beacons without substantial attachment to the mechanism of the beacon to be adapted comprising: a. sensing means responsive to the actual emissions of the beacon to be adapted and actuated by the passage of a beam radiated by the beacon past said sensing means; b. signal-emitting means capable of transmitting signals simultaneously in all directions substantially radial to an axis parallel with the axis of rotation of the beacon; c. and signal control means operated by said signal-sensing means and linking said signal emitting means to a source of power and capable of connecting and disconnecting the source of power from said signal emitting means, the combination cooperating to produce a short burst of signals from said signal emitting means upon said passage, to produce from the combined beacon and slave adapter a pattern of signals which is a function of angular position of an observer about the combination.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
160 words
Beacon slave adapter apparatus to impart direction-indicating properties to simple rotating beacons without substantial attachment to the mechanism of the beacon to be adapted comprising: a. sensing means responsive to the actual emissions of the beacon to be adapted and actuated by the passage of a beam radiated by the beacon past said sensing means; b. signal-emitting means capable of transmitting signals simultaneously in all directions substantially radial to an axis parallel with the axis of rotation of the beacon; c. and signal control means operated by said signal-sensing means and linking said signal emitting means to a source of power and capable of connecting and disconnecting the source of power from said signal emitting means, the combination cooperating to produce a short burst of signals from said signal emitting means upon said passage, to produce from the combined beacon and slave adapter a pattern of signals which is a function of angular position of an observer about the combination.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The beacon slave adapter apparatus of claim 6 comprising in addition easily adjustable mounting means fixedly supporting said sensor means in one of a variety of angular positions about the axis of the beacon for the purpose of adjusting the pattern of signals generated by the combined beacon and slave.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus to impart direction-indicating properties to simple rotating beacons comprising: a. a hollow body having a major axis; b. mounting means adjustably retained about the periphery of said hollow body and adapted to attach said body to a surface with said major axis substantially perpendicular thereto; c. an omnidirectional source of radiated signals received in one end of said hollow body, said source emitting signals only when powered, said signals being radiated primarily radial to the major axis; d. actuatable power control means applying power from a power source to said source of radiated signals only when actuated; e. a sensor responsive to certain beacon-emitted signals supported remotely proximate to the simple rotating beacon to be adapted and detecting the passage of the beacon past a particular point, said sensor producing upon such passage brief actuation control signals suitable for transmission to the power control means; and f. control-communicating means carrying said actuation control signals from said sensor to said power control means to actuate it.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus to impart direction-indicating properties to simple rotating beacons comprising: a. a hollow body having a major axis; b. mounting means adjustably retained about the periphery of said hollow body and adapted to attach said body to a surface with said major axis substantially perpendicular thereto; c. an omnidirectional source of radiated signals received in one end of said hollow body, said source emitting signals only when powered, said signals being radiated primarily radial to the major axis; d. actuatable power control means applying power from a power source to said source of radiated signals only when actuated; e. a sensor responsive to certain beacon-emitted signals supported remotely proximate to the simple rotating beacon to be adapted and detecting the passage of the beacon past a particular point, said sensor producing upon such passage brief actuation control signals suitable for transmission to the power control means; and f. control-communicating means carrying said actuation control signals from said sensor to said power control means to actuate it.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the functions of the power control means are performed by the sensor, the sensor is a single component, and the source of radiated signals is powered directly through the control communicating means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the sensor is a relay actuated by an external magnetic field produced on at least one point in the rotation of the beacon to be adapted.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
145 words
Direction indicating apparatus comprising: a. beacon signal-generating means producing one or more beams of signals, said beams rotating about an axis as a function of time; b. intermittently actuatable index signal-generating means transmitting signals simultaneously in all directions substantially radial to said axis when actuated; c. control means linking the beacon signal generating means with the index signal generating means, the control means sensing the position of said beams of signals about said axis and actuating the index signal-generating means during specific portions of the rotation of said beams of signals about said axis; d. said control means comprising power control means sensitive to emitted beacon beam energy, sensing; the passage past at least one particular point of the beams of signals generated by the beacon signal generating means, the power control means being effective to actuate the index signal-generating means briefly upon such passage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
145 words
Direction indicating apparatus comprising: a. beacon signal-generating means producing one or more beams of signals, said beams rotating about an axis as a function of time; b. intermittently actuatable index signal-generating means transmitting signals simultaneously in all directions substantially radial to said axis when actuated; c. control means linking the beacon signal generating means with the index signal generating means, the control means sensing the position of said beams of signals about said axis and actuating the index signal-generating means during specific portions of the rotation of said beams of signals about said axis; d. said control means comprising power control means sensitive to emitted beacon beam energy, sensing; the passage past at least one particular point of the beams of signals generated by the beacon signal generating means, the power control means being effective to actuate the index signal-generating means briefly upon such passage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
205 words
A direction-indicating beacon comprising in combination: a. opposed-beam beacon means comprising a member rotating about an axis and producing a first and a second beam of radiation, said beams rotating with the member in a fixed relationship and always held pointing in opposite directions, said beams further being directed substantially radial to the axis of rotation so as to produce periodic flashes in a zone of coverage about said axis; b. beacon index signal generating means associated with said opposed-beam beacon means, producing radiated signals simultaneously throughout the zone covered by said opposed-beam beacon means when actuated; c. selectively driven sensor means briefly actuating said beacon index signal generating means at a desired point in the rotation of said beams about said axis; d. means carried by said rotating member selectively driving said sensor means upon passage of said first beam of radiation through one particular point and selectively not driving said sensor means upon passage of said second beam through said particular point, the combination producing a self-calibrating three-flash pattern of signals to any observer in the zone of coverage, which pattern communicates the observer''s bearing about the combination with respect to said particular point independently of the speed of rotation of said member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
205 words
A direction-indicating beacon comprising in combination: a. opposed-beam beacon means comprising a member rotating about an axis and producing a first and a second beam of radiation, said beams rotating with the member in a fixed relationship and always held pointing in opposite directions, said beams further being directed substantially radial to the axis of rotation so as to produce periodic flashes in a zone of coverage about said axis; b. beacon index signal generating means associated with said opposed-beam beacon means, producing radiated signals simultaneously throughout the zone covered by said opposed-beam beacon means when actuated; c. selectively driven sensor means briefly actuating said beacon index signal generating means at a desired point in the rotation of said beams about said axis; d. means carried by said rotating member selectively driving said sensor means upon passage of said first beam of radiation through one particular point and selectively not driving said sensor means upon passage of said second beam through said particular point, the combination producing a self-calibrating three-flash pattern of signals to any observer in the zone of coverage, which pattern communicates the observer''s bearing about the combination with respect to said particular point independently of the speed of rotation of said member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
80 words
The direction-indicating beacon of claim 12 wherein; a. the selectively-driven sensor means is sensitive only to the actual emissions of the opposed-beam beacon means; b. said sensor means is mounted so as to intercept only part of the beams of the opposed-beam beacon means; and c. the means carried by the rotating member is an obstruction mounted so as to block the second beam of radiation from actuating the sensor means and not to block the first beam of radiation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
The direction-indicating beacon of claim 12 comprising in addition easily adjustable mounting means fixedly supporting said selectively driven sensing means in one of a variety of angular positions about said axis for the purpose of adjusting the pattern of signals generated by the combination.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of signalling direction comprising the steps of: a. rotating two always opposed directed beams of radiated signals about an axis in a time-dependent manner so as to produce a series of flashes at all points about said axis which are equally spaced in time; b. flashing an omnidirectional signal source upon the transit of only a first particular one of said directed beams past a predetermined point, and not upon transit of the second; c. observing the time of occurrence of the omnidirectional signal at a point remote from the sources of beams and omnidirectional signals; d. observing the times of passage of each of said opposed beams past said remote point; e. determining the bearing of said remote point about the axis with respect to said predetermined point as that fraction of a circle represented by the ratio of the interval between the omnidirectional flash and the passage of the first beam and the interval between the passage of the first beam and the passage of the second beam.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of signalling direction comprising the steps of: a. rotating two always opposed directed beams of radiated signals about an axis in a time-dependent manner so as to produce a series of flashes at all points about said axis which are equally spaced in time; b. flashing an omnidirectional signal source upon the transit of only a first particular one of said directed beams past a predetermined point, and not upon transit of the second; c. observing the time of occurrence of the omnidirectional signal at a point remote from the sources of beams and omnidirectional signals; d. observing the times of passage of each of said opposed beams past said remote point; e. determining the bearing of said remote point about the axis with respect to said predetermined point as that fraction of a circle represented by the ratio of the interval between the omnidirectional flash and the passage of the first beam and the interval between the passage of the first beam and the passage of the second beam.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
72 words
The method of modifying the flash patterns of beacons which employ beams of radiation directed substantially perpendicular to an axis and rotated about the axis in a time-dependent manner to imPart to them direction-indicating properties comprising the steps of: a. sensing the actual emissions of the beacon to be adapted as the beams thereof sweep past a particular sensing point; b. actuating briefly an omnidirectional generator of radiation upon sensing said passage.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
72 words
The method of modifying the flash patterns of beacons which employ beams of radiation directed substantially perpendicular to an axis and rotated about the axis in a time-dependent manner to imPart to them direction-indicating properties comprising the steps of: a. sensing the actual emissions of the beacon to be adapted as the beams thereof sweep past a particular sensing point; b. actuating briefly an omnidirectional generator of radiation upon sensing said passage.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-27 | 1975-03-29 | 1975-09-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-27 | 1979-03-29 | 1979-09-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-27 | 1983-03-29 | 1983-09-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |