Directional signal having refractive indicant areas

Claim 2

An instructional signal comprising source means for projecting a primary light beam along an axis and over a projection angle of not more than about forty-five degrees, and a transparent panel adjacent to said source means in position for controlling said light beam and having instructional and background areas, wherein said instructional area comprises a sequence of groups of elongate parallel refractors each said group including at least one of said refractors, said refractors causing refraction of said beam toward and beyond one side of said primary beam, and said background areas being substantially non-refracting.

Claim 3

Signal of claim 1 wherein each said group consists of at least three said refractors and wherein the refracted beam projected by at least one of said refractors lies substantially alongside said primary beam.

Claim 4

Signal of claim 2 wherein said source means comprises a condensing lens, aperture-Defining means with all aperture-defining edges substantially at the focus of said lens, and lighting means for providing diffuse illumination to said lens from said focus and from the entire aperture.

Claim 5

Signal of claim 2 wherein said source means comprises a source of illumination and a hooded rounded specular reflector.

Claim 6

Signal of claim 1 for use in conjunction with the directing of traffic approaching a point closely adjacent thereto and wherein said parallel refractors are disposed substantially perpendicularly to a plane defined by said signal and the line of said approaching traffic.

Claim 7

Signal of claim 5 wherein is included a green filter, said signal being adapted for service as a ''''go'''' traffic signal.

Claim 8

Method of controlling traffic comprising placing adjacent the desired control point a signal comprising source means for projecting a primary light beam, having a projection angle of not more than about 45*, with its axis along the line of traffic, and disposing, adjacent to said source means and in position to control said light beam, a transparent control panel having instructional and background areas, wherein said instructional area comprises a sequence of groups of elongate parallel refractors each said group including at least one of said refractors, said refractors causing refraction of said beam toward and beyond the side of said primary beam in the direction of traffic movement, and said background areas being substantially non-refracting.

Claim 9

Method of controlling traffic comprising placing adjacent the desired control point a signal comprising source means for projecting a primary light beam, having a projection angle of not more than about 45*, with its axis along the line of traffic, and disposing, adjacent to said source means and in position to control said light beam, a transparent control panel having instructional and background areas, wherein said instructional area comprises a sequence of groups of elongate parallel refractors each said group including at least one of said refractors, said refractors causing refraction of said beam toward and beyond the side of said primary beam in the direction of traffic movement, and said background areas being substantially non-refracting.