Stroboscopic speed display means for moving vehicles

Claim 2

A stroboscopic display for a moving passenger vehicle which comprises: 1. means to visually see from the vehicle substantially on a line of sight along the line of movement thereof, 2. first stroboscopic apparatus mounted in the vehicle comprising a movable member, a light-emitting source to direct light upon said movable member, and a prime mover for rotating said movable member, 3. a second stroboscopic apparatus comprising structure similar to said first apparatus mounted at a spaced independent position from said vehicle, 4. first control means for each stroboscopic apparatus for manually regulating the drive rate of said respective prime mover at a predetermined rate, 5. second control means for each stroboscopic apparatus for varying the rotational rate of its respective said movable member independently of its respective first control means, said second control means for said first stroboscopic apparatus responsive to the speed of the vehicle along the line of movement, and 6 means to create a superimposed abstrAct visual display of the movable member from each stroboscopic apparatus adjacent to the line of sight along the line of movement of the vehicle.

Claim 3

first stroboscopic apparatus mounted in the vehicle comprising a movable member, a light-emitting source to direct light upon said movable member, and a prime mover for rotating said movable member,

Claim 4

first stroboscopic apparatus mounted in the vehicle comprising a movable member, a light-emitting source to direct light upon said movable member, and a prime mover for rotating said movable member,

Claim 5

Stroboscopic apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said movable member comprises an opaque disc having aperture means therethrough.

Claim 6

Stroboscopic apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said movable member comprises a transparent disc having opaque markings uniformly and radially provided thereon.

Claim 7

a second stroboscopic apparatus comprising structure similar to said first apparatus mounted at a spaced independent position from said vehicle,

Claim 8

a second stroboscopic apparatus comprising structure similar to said first apparatus mounted at a spaced independent position from said vehicle,

Claim 9

first control means for each stroboscopic apparatus for manually regulating the drive rate of said respective prime mover at a predetermined rate,

Claim 10

first control means for each stroboscopic apparatus for manually regulating the drive rate of said respective prime mover at a predetermined rate,

Claim 11

Stroboscopic apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said movable member comprises an endless film strip having a plurality of image frames; each of the latter being identical.

Claim 12

Stroboscopic apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including a drive shaft drivingly connected to said opaque disc, support means by which said drive shaft is rotatably journalled and supported for movement in a direction parallel to said drive shaft, a follower wheel concentrically mounted upon said drive shaft, a speed cone having cross-sectional diameters tapering from a smaller to a larger end, said speed cone being frictionally engaged with said follower wheel, bias means urging said follower wheel against said speed cone, an elongate gear arranged in parallelism with respect to said drive shaft and extending axially from said smaller end of said speed cone, said prime mover comprising an electric motor including a shaft and a drive gear, said drive gear being in sliding engagement with said elongate gear, said first control means comprising a rheostat connected in series with said electric motor, said second control means comprising a gear rack swivelly connected to said elongate gear and a pinion gear, the latter being in meshing engagement with said gear rack, said pinion gear being movably connected to the speed indicating means of said vehicle.

Claim 13

second control means for each stroboscopic apparatus for varying the rotational rate of its respective said movable member independently of its respective first control means, said second control means for said first stroboscopic apparatus responsive to the speed of the vehicle along the line of movement, and 6 means to create a superimposed abstrAct visual display of the movable member from each stroboscopic apparatus adjacent to the line of sight along the line of movement of the vehicle.

Claim 14

second control means for each stroboscopic apparatus for varying the rotational rate of its respective said movable member independently of its respective first control means, said second control means for said first stroboscopic apparatus responsive to the speed of the vehicle along the line of movement, and 6 means to create a superimposed abstrAct visual display of the movable member from each stroboscopic apparatus adjacent to the line of sight along the line of movement of the vehicle.

Claim 15

Stroboscopic apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said endless film strip is mounted for rotation about a roller, a drive shaft drivingly connected to said roller, support means by which said drive shaft is rotatably journalled and supported for movement in a direction parallel to said drive shaft, a follower wheel concentrically mounted upon said drive shaft, a speed cone having cross-sectional diameters tapering from a smaller to a larger end, said speed cone being frictionally engaged with said follower wheel, bias means urging said follower wheel against said speed cone, an elongate gear extending horizontally and concentrically from said smaller end of said speed cone, said prime mover comprising an electric motor including a shaft and a drive gear, said drive gear being in sliding engagement with said elongate gear, said first control means comprising a rheostat connected in series with said electric motor, said second control means comprising a gear rack swivelly connected to said elongate gear and a pinion gear, the latter being in meshing engagement with said gear rack, said pinion gear being movably connected to the speed-indicating means of said vehicle.

Claim 16

Stroboscopic apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said light source is directed through said aperture means as said opaque disc rotates to thereby create a pulsating light emission, photoelectric means in the path of said pulsating light emission, radio signal transmitting means in circuit with said photoelectric means, said radio signal transmitting means transmitting a radio signal having a frequency equal to the frequency of said pulsating light emission.

Claim 17

Stroboscopic apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including radio signal receiving means in circuit with said light-emitting source whereby light emitted from said light-emitting source is modulated by a received radio signal to provide a pulsating light emission equal in frequency to the frequency of said radio signal, said pulsating light emission being directed upon said endless film strip.

Claim 18

A stroboscopic display according to claim 1 which includes means to provide a linear stroboscopic display in the peripheral vision of the vehicle operaTor in the form of a linear arrangement of a row of lights.

Claim 19

A stroboscopic apparatus according to claim 9 where the peripheral display is on an opaque portion of the field of view and is to both the left and right side of the peripheral vision of the normal line of sight along the line of movement of the vehicle.

Claim 20

Apparatus for indicating the relationship between the speed of a vehicle and a reference speed, comprising: first means for generating a signal pulsating at a frequency proportional to the reference speed; receiver means carried by the vehicle for receiving the signal from the first means and operative to produce a light beam which pulsates at a frequency proportional to the signal frequency; a member having at least one opaque and at least one transparent region; drive means for moving the member in a cyclic path at a speed proportional to vehicle speed whereby the opaque and transparent regions successively intersect the path of the light beam; and a target receiving the light passing through the transparent regions to provide a visual indication of the speed relationship.

Claim 21

Apparatus for indicating the relationship between the speed of a vehicle and a reference speed, comprising: first means for generating a signal pulsating at a frequency proportional to the reference speed; receiver means carried by the vehicle for receiving the signal from the first means and operative to produce a light beam which pulsates at a frequency proportional to the signal frequency; a member having at least one opaque and at least one transparent region; drive means for moving the member in a cyclic path at a speed proportional to vehicle speed whereby the opaque and transparent regions successively intersect the path of the light beam; and a target receiving the light passing through the transparent regions to provide a visual indication of the speed relationship.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the first means includes a light source, an additional member having at least one opaque region and at least one transparent region, and additional drive means for moving the additional member in a cyclic path at a speed proportional to the reference speed whereby the opaque and transparent regions successively intersect the light to produce a pulsating light beam having a frequency proportional to the reference speed.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said first means further includes photoelectric device receiving the pulsating light beam from said light source and a radio transmitter controlled by the photoelectric device, the receiver means including a radio receiver.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein each drive means includes a prime mover, and a variable drive means connecting the prime mover to the associated member, the prime movers of each drive means rotating at the same speed.

Claim 25

Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein each variable drive means includes a fustroconical friction surfaced drive wheel rotated by the prime mover, a friction surfaced follower wheel in driven engagement with the surface of the fustroconical wheel and connected to drive the member, and means to shift the position of the driven wheel on the fustroconical wheel in accordance with speed changes.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the first means is located in an additional vehicle, the reference speed being the speed of the additional vehicle.

Claim 27

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the member is a disc rotatable about it center and having the opaque and transparent regions at equally spaced annular intervals.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the member is an endless belt having the opaque and transparent regions at equally spaced intervals.