Patent US2018630A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4036165A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4036165A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Parking guide
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1976-05-11
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Granted: 1977-07-19
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Expires: 1996-05-11
Abstract
Abstract A guide to assist a driver to park in an enclosure such as a residential garage. This includes a vertically depending lever which, when contacted by the bumper of the approaching vehicle, simultaneously actuates an audible and a visible signal to apprise the driver of his progress. The audible signal is a bell which is sounded by first cocking and then releasing a spring hammer. The visible signal is a rectangular reflector supported on a shaft which is cam operated to pivot through 90° so that its full face is in front of the driver to indicate proximity to the impending garage wall. The reflector's mounting post also supports a small brightly colored sphere which may be used as a reference to indicate the center of the parking lane to the driver.
Inventors
- 👤 Harmin V. Wood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:00
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04H; E04H6/00; E04H6/42; E04H6/426
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A parking guide for assisting the driver of a vehicle to avoid contact with a fixed obstacle comprising in combination: means including a bracket mounted on a support so that its forward end is interposed at a fixed position between the approaching end of said vehicle and said obstacle, a fulcrum lever pivotally mounted on said bracket for partial rotation from a rest position to an operated position in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said bracket, a vertically extending contact lever responsive to contact by said vehicle and having one end fixed to one side of said fulcrum lever, and the other end depending vertically from said lever for pivotal movement, a bell comprising a resonator and a clapper mounted on the bracket, said clapper disposed to strike said bell in response to movement of said fulcrum lever to the operated position, a reflector plate having an extended surface rotatably mounted on said bracket adjacent the forward end thereof, said reflector plate being spring biased and retained by a first means in a retracted position substantially parallel to said bracket, and said reflector responsive to rotation of said fulcrum lever to assume a fully visible position in the line of vision of said driver, and a second means connected to said fulcrum lever and responsive to deflection of said contact lever by said vehicle to move said fulcrum lever from the rest position to the operated position, initiating the striking of said resonator by said clapper, causing release of said first means and the rotation of said reflector from said retracted position to said fully visible position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
A parking guide for assisting the driver of a vehicle to avoid contact with a fixed obstacle comprising in combination: means including a bracket mounted on a support so that its forward end is interposed at a fixed position between the approaching end of said vehicle and said obstacle, a fulcrum lever pivotally mounted on said bracket for partial rotation from a rest position to an operated position in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said bracket, a vertically extending contact lever responsive to contact by said vehicle and having one end fixed to one side of said fulcrum lever, and the other end depending vertically from said lever for pivotal movement, a bell comprising a resonator and a clapper mounted on the bracket, said clapper disposed to strike said bell in response to movement of said fulcrum lever to the operated position, a reflector plate having an extended surface rotatably mounted on said bracket adjacent the forward end thereof, said reflector plate being spring biased and retained by a first means in a retracted position substantially parallel to said bracket, and said reflector responsive to rotation of said fulcrum lever to assume a fully visible position in the line of vision of said driver, and a second means connected to said fulcrum lever and responsive to deflection of said contact lever by said vehicle to move said fulcrum lever from the rest position to the operated position, initiating the striking of said resonator by said clapper, causing release of said first means and the rotation of said reflector from said retracted position to said fully visible position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
89 words
The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said reflector from said retracted position to said fully visible position comprises: a vertically extending shaft journalled to rotate in bearing means supported in fixed relationship to said bracket, said reflecting means rigidly fixed to said shaft, a cam connected to rotate with said shaft, and a projection on said fulcrum lever constructed to bear on said cam and to rotate said shaft through a substantial angle in response to a partial rotation of said fulcrum lever.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein a fixed indicator comprising a bright colored ball is attached to the top of said shaft, disposed in the line of sight of said driver.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
158 words
The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means connected to said fulcrum lever for initiating the striking of said bell comprises: upper and lower rearwardly projecting members on said fulcrum lever, a mounting supporting a bell clapper constructed to move pivotally in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said fulcrum lever, from a first position wherein said bell clapper is in spaced apart relation to said bell resonator to a second position wherein said bell clapper is in contact with said bell resonator, said bell clapper mounting being spring biased to the upper rearwardly projecting member on said fulcrum lever, triggering means including a leaf spring extending from the lower projecting member on said fulcrum lever for maintaining said bell clapper mounting in said first position when said fulcrum lever is in rest position and for releasing said bell clapper mounting to said second position when said fulcrum lever is in the operated position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
248 words
The combination in accordance with claim 4 which includes three lugs fixed to the principal face of said bracket, a first one of said lugs disposed to bear on an inner edge of the upper rearwardly projecting member of said fulcrum lever to limit the counterclockwise rotation of said fulcrum lever in returning to the rest position relative to said bracket, a second one of said lugs disposed in the rest position of said fulcrum lever to bear on an upper edge of said lower rearwardly-projecting member, and in the operated position of said fulcrum lever to bear on an internal vertical edge of said fulcrum lever between said upper and lower projecting members to limit the rearward excursion of said lower projecting member, a third one of said lugs disposed to engage the under end of the leaf spring comprising said triggering means, and to simultaneously act as a stop for said bell clapper mounting in said first position, whereby when said fulcrum lever is actuated to move from rest to operated position, the leaf spring comprising said triggering means is moved off of said third lug, depressing said bell clapper mounting to said second position causing the bell clapper to strike the bell resonator, and wherein when said fulcrum lever returns to rest position said second lug bears on said lower projecting member, depressing the leaf spring comprising said triggering means against said third lug, triggering said bell clapper mounting for subsequent striking of said bell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
The combination in accordance with claim 5 comprising a partial housing plate rigidly supported by said lugs in spaced apart, substantially parallel relation to the face of said bracket, said fulcrum lever being pivotally mounted for rotation in the clearance between said bracket and said partial housing plate, the bearing means for said shaft being mounted in substantially vertically aligned relation on the outer face of said partial housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-07-18 | 1981-01-17 | 1981-07-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-07-18 | 1985-01-17 | 1985-07-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-07-18 | 1989-01-17 | 1989-07-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |