Parking indicators for automobiles

Claim 1

A safety parking signal device for automotive vehicles comprising a lamp compartment mounted at the rear of an automotive vehicle, said lamp compartment comprising a rear window having translucent parking indicia therein, reflector means disposed inwardly of said window and lamps mounted in said reflector means to illuminate said parking indicia, a circuit for such lamps including a source of current supply, a manually operated ''''on-off'''' switch in said circuit located conveniently to the operator of said automobile and having a manual operating member to move it to both ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' positions whereby when said manually operated ''''on-off'''' switch is manually moved to ''''on'''' position the lamps are energized to thereby cause said translucent parking indicia to become visible on said window and when said ''''on-off'''' switch is manually moved to ''''off'''' position, said lamps are de-energized to cause said translucent parking indicia to become invisible on said window at any time before, during or after a parking maneuver and means connected in series in said circuit to said lamps for intermittently interrupting the current flowing therein to thereby cause said lamps to flash, means normally tending to move said ''''on-off'''' switch to ''''off'''' position, and a separate holding circuit having means therein for holding said ''''on-off'''' switch in ''''on'''' position, a switch in said holding circuit mounted on and operated by operation of said ''''on-off'''' switch to ''''on'''' position to energize said holding circuit and thereby activate said means to hold said ''''on-off'''' switch in ''''on'''' position and a second switch in said holding circuit and means operable by an element in said automotive vehicle normally operated on completion of a parking maneuver to open said second switch in said holding circuit to thereby cause said '''' on-off'''' switch in said circuit to said lamps to be moved to ''''off'''' position.