US3732537A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotating warning light with an integrated spotlight
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-05-07
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Granted: 1973-05-08
•
Expires: 1991-05-07
Abstract
Abstract A rotating warning light intended to be mounted on the roof of a vehicle which includes four rotating lightbulbs facing outwardly in four different directions. Three of the lightbulbs have colored lenses, e. g., red or blue, and the remaining lightbulb has a clear lens defining a spotlight under certain conditions. The device includes structure for (1) remotely moving the spotlight about a horizontal axis so the beam therefrom may be lowered or raised; (2) continuous operation of the four lightbulbs simultaneously while they rotate, thus providing a highly conspicuous wig-wag effect; (3) selectively reversing the direction of rotation of the platform supporting the four lightbulbs, thus facilitating optimum maneuverability of the spotlight; (4) continuous operation of the spotlight while simultaneously flashing the colored lights, thus providing a warning signal while utilizing the spotlight feature; (5) continuous operation of the spotlight while the colored lights are off, thus providing for an improved power-assist highly maneuverable spotlight having unobstructed 360* utilization.
Inventors
- 👤 W Freeman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:09
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/26; B60Q1/2611
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A warning light for mounting on the roof of a vehicle comprising a plurality of colored lightbulbs and at least one clear lightbulb, a platform, said colored and clear lightbulbs being arranged so that the beams therefrom are directed outwardly in different directions, said colored lightbulbs being fixedly attached to said platform, base means for fixed attachment to the roof of the vehicle, said platform being rotatably attached to said base means, an electrical power source, first electric motor means fixedly attached to said base means for rotatably driving said platform, pivot means pivotally attaching said clear lightbulb to said platform for allowing free pivot of said clear lightbulb about a horizontal axis, second electric motor means fixedly attached to said platform for selectively driving said clear lightbulb about said horizontal axis; and control means connected between said power source and said colored and clear lightbulbs and between said power source and said first and second motor means for selectively operating said colored lightbulbs, said clear lightbulb, and said first and second motor means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
A warning light for mounting on the roof of a vehicle comprising a plurality of colored lightbulbs and at least one clear lightbulb, a platform, said colored and clear lightbulbs being arranged so that the beams therefrom are directed outwardly in different directions, said colored lightbulbs being fixedly attached to said platform, base means for fixed attachment to the roof of the vehicle, said platform being rotatably attached to said base means, an electrical power source, first electric motor means fixedly attached to said base means for rotatably driving said platform, pivot means pivotally attaching said clear lightbulb to said platform for allowing free pivot of said clear lightbulb about a horizontal axis, second electric motor means fixedly attached to said platform for selectively driving said clear lightbulb about said horizontal axis; and control means connected between said power source and said colored and clear lightbulbs and between said power source and said first and second motor means for selectively operating said colored lightbulbs, said clear lightbulb, and said first and second motor means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The warning light of claim 1 in which said control means includes switch means connected between said power source and said first and second motor means for selectively operating said first and second motor means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
132 words
The warning light of claim 2 in which said switch means comprises a plurality of microswitch means, each of said microswitch means having plunger means for actuating said microswitch means, said plurality of microswitch means being radially arranged with said plunger means thereof being inwardly directed and each of said microswitch means being fixedly attached one with the other defining a socket centrally thereof; and elongated lever means, said lever means being disposed within said socket, means pivotally mounting said lever means for universal movement thereof, one end of said lever means projecting outwardly of said socket so that manipulation thereof causes a portion of said lever means to selectively engage each of said plunger means separately or causes said portion thereof to simultaneously engage an adjacent pair of said plunger means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The warning light of claim 3 in which said switch means is adapted for selectively reversing the direction of rotation of said first and second electric motor means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
83 words
The warning light of claim 4 in which an opposing first pair of said microswitch means of said switch means respectively are interposed between said electrical power source and said first electric motor means so that as said lever means engages one of said first pair of said microswitch means said first motor means rotates in one direction and as said lever means engages the opposite of said first pair of said microswitch means said first motor means rotates in an opposite direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
82 words
The warning light of claim 5 in which an opposing second pair of said microswitch means of said switch means respectively are interposed between said electrical power source and said second electric motor means so that as said lever means engages one of said second pair of said microswitch means said second motor means rotates in one dirEction and as said lever means engages the opposite of said second pair of microswitch means said second motor means rotates in an opposite direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The warning light of claim 3 in which said clear lightbulb comprises a narrow beam spotlight, and said control means additionally includes means for operating said spotlight independently from said colored lightbulbs and said microswitch means selectively operates respectively said first and second electric motors in either direction of rotation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The warning light of claim 7 in which said control means additionally includes means for simultaneously operating said spotlight, said colored lights, and said first electric motor means continuously to display an illusion of sequentially intermittently flashing colored and clear incandescent beams of light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The warning light of claim 6 in which said control means additionally includes means for intermittently operating said colored lightbulbs and for simultaneously continuously operating said clear lightbulb.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
The warning light of claim 9 in which said control means additionally includes means for operating said clear lightbulb independently from said colored lightbulbs and includes resistor means for dropping a predetermined amount of voltage from said electrical power source to said first electric motor means when energized by either one of said first pair of said microswitch means of said switch means so that said first motor means rotates at a reduced RPM when said clear lightbulb is operated independently from said colored lightbulbs.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
The warning light of claim 10 in which said clear lightbulb is provided with dual filaments, one of said filaments being arranged therein to project a narrow beamed spotlight therefrom, the other of said filaments being arranged therein to project a broad beamed floodlight therefrom, and each of said dual filaments being independently selectively operated by said control means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The warning light of claim 11 in which is included means for transmitting electric power from said base means to said rotating platform.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
82 words
The warning light of claim 12 in which said means for transmitting electric power from said base means to said rotating platform comprises a plurality of slip rings, insulated plate means fixedly attached to said base means, said slip rings respectively having coacting brush means fixedly attached to said platform and insulated therefrom, said slip rings being arranged in a single plane at a spaced apart distance concentrically inward one from the other and being fixedly attached to said insulated plate means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-07 | 1976-11-06 | 1977-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-07 | 1980-11-06 | 1981-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-07 | 1984-11-06 | 1985-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |