Vehicle distress warning device

Claim 1

A distress warning device intended for use on vehicles and the like, the device comprising, in combination: a suction base member consisting of a flat disc shaped top member having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and peripheral circular cylindrical side wall surfaces; cylindrical side wall surfaces; cylindrical side walls depending downwardly from said side edges of said top member and defining an annular ridge surrounding said interior surface; a hollow chamber defined between said annular ridge and said interior surface of said top member and opening out of a base of said suction base member as defined between surrounding bottom edges of said annular ridge; said chamber adapted to have its base portion disposed in confronting relationship with a surface of the vehicle onto which said suction cup member is to be affixed with said bottom edges of said annular ridge engaging said surface; depressing centrally of said exterior surface in a direction inwardly of said chamber expels air from said chamber to create a partial vacuum therein thus detachably mounting said suction cup base member to said surface against which it is applied; a ringed shaped boss member affixed centrally of said base member exterior surface and extending axially upwardly therefrom and defining a socket therein opening out of a top end thereof; a hollow cylindrically shaped signal member including cylindrical side walls, a hemi-spherical dome shaped top end surface, and a hemi-spherical dome shaped bottom end surface; said signal member having an exterior surface extending completely over the side walls and top and bottom ends; a vivid irridescent color applied completely over the exterior surface of said signal member, said color having high light reflective characteristics providing a high level of visibility both during the daylight hours as well as when illuminated during nighttime hours by light rays falling thereon, such as encountered by headlights of passing vehicles; a first mast segment consisting of an axially elongated tubular body member having cylindrical side walls, a closed bottom end, an open top end, and a passageway extending axially therethrough opening out of said top end; a slot extending longitudinally through said side wall of said first segment in communication with said passageway and extending from a position spaced inwardly of said bottom end to a position spaced inwardly of said top end; a second passageway disposed in said first segment side wall extending normal to said first passageway about a short portion of the circumference of said side wall and parallel to said top end, said second passageway having one end in communication with said first passageway, said first and second passageways each having an identical width; said bottom end of said first segment being affixed in said socket of said suction cup base member with said first segment projecting vertically outwardly therefrom; a second mast segment consisting of an axially elongated tubular configuration having cylindrical side walls, a bottom end, a top end, and a passageway extending axially therethrough and opening out of the top end thereof; the exterior diameter of said second segment being less than the diameter of said first segment passageway with the bottom end portion of said second segment being telescopically received in the top end of said first segment, said second segment being reciprocally movable axially relative to said first segment between a collapsed position disposed inwardly of said first segment and a telescopically extended position extending outwardly of said first segment; a rod shaped pin member extending radially from said second segment side walls adjacent said bottom end thereof and having a diameter to be slidingly received in said first and second passageways of said first segment for guiding the movement of said second segment relative to said first segment; a first slot extending longitudinally through said second segment side wall in communication with said passageway therein and extending from a position spaced inwardly of said top end to a position spaced inwardly of said bottom end; a second slot disposed in said side wall extending normal to said first slot and having one end in communication with said first slot, the second slot extending about a short portion of the circumference of said second segment side wall and parallel to said top end thereof, said second slot being of the same width as said first slot; a third mast segment being of an axially elongated tubular configuration and consisting of cylindrical side walls, a bottom end, and a top end; said third segment having an exterior diameter of said cylindrical side walls less than the interior diameter of said second segment passageway with said bottom end of said third segment being telescopically received through said top end of said second segment and movable axially relative thereto between a collapsed position inwardly of said second segment and an extended position extending telescopically outwardly of said second segment; a rod shaped pin member extending radially outwardly from said third segment cylindrical side wall adjacent said third segment bottom end and having a diameter to be slidingly received in said first and second slots of said second segment for guiding the movement of said third segment relative to said second segment; said pin members of said third segment and second segment retaining said telescopically extending positions of said segments relative to their respective segments when said pin members are received in said second mentioned slot or passageway of said segments; said top end of said third segment being affixed centrally of said dome shaped bottom end of said signal member with the longitudinal axis of said mast being in alignment with the axis of said signal member; and whereby said signal member may be telescopically extended by said mast segments to a distance disposed above said section base member to be clearly visible at a lengthy distance therefrom to warn vehicles in the surrounding area of a distress condition.