A rotating beacon for a bicycle

Claim 2

A rotating beacon particularly suited for use by cyclists as a device for attracting the attention of others, comprising: A. a rotatable transparent housing; B. means supporting said housing for rotary motion about a given axis including a staff having an elongated body extended between a base end portion and a distal end portion, means connecting said housing to the distal end portion of the staff, and bracket means adapted to removably mount the base end portion of said staff on a bicycle; C. means responsive to an impinging stream of air for imparting rotary motion to the housing; and D. means for directing a beam of light from said housing in a fixed directional relationship therewith, whereby a sweeping beam of light is projected from said housing as rotary motion is imparted thereto.

Claim 3

The beacon of claim 1 wherein said means for directing a beam of light includes a curved reflector rigidly affixed to said housing and having a focal point substantially located on said given axis, and an electrically energizable lamp globe supported on the axis of said reflector.

Claim 4

The beacon of claim 2 wherein the means connecting said housing to the distal end portion of said staff includes an angulated bracket having a first portion extended from the body of said staff, and a second portion angularly related to said first portion and extended in substantial parallelism with said body.

Claim 5

A rotating beacon particularly suited for use by cyclists for attracting the attention of others, comprising: A. a rotatable transparent housing; B. means supporting said housing for rotary motion about a given axis including a staff having an elongated body extended between a base end portion and distal end portion including an angulated bracket having a first portion extended from the body of said staff, and a second portion angularly related to said first portion and extended in substantial parallelism with said body including a terminal bracket extended concentrically through said housing, and means for rotatably connecting the housing to the terminal segment of the bracket; C. means responsive to an impinging stream of air for imparting rotary motion to the housing; and D. means for directing a beam of light from said housing in fixed relationship therewith including a curved reflector rigidly affixed to said housing having a focus substantially located on said given axis and an electrically energizable lamp globe supported on the axis of said reflector, whereby a sweeping beam of light is projected from the housing as rotary motion is imparted thereto.

Claim 6

A rotating beacon particularly suited for use by cyclists for attracting the attention of others, comprising: A. a rotatable transparent housing; B. means supporting said housing for rotary motion about a given axis including a staff having an elongated body extended between a base end portion and distal end portion including an angulated bracket having a first portion extended from the body of said staff, and a second portion angularly related to said first portion and extended in substantial parallelism with said body including a terminal bracket extended concentrically through said housing, and means for rotatably connecting the housing to the terminal segment of the bracket; C. means responsive to an impinging stream of air for imparting rotary motion to the housing; and D. means for directing a beam of light from said housing in fixed relationship therewith including a curved reflector rigidly affixed to said housing having a focus substantially located on said given axis and an electrically energizable lamp globe supported on the axis of said reflector, whereby a sweeping beam of light is projected from the housing as rotary motion is imparted thereto.

Claim 7

The beacon of claim 4 further comprising: A. a first pair of electrical contacts, each being of an annular configuration, mounted on said body in circumscribing relation therewith; B. circuit means including a source of electrical energy connected to said contacts, and manipulatable switch means interposed between the electrical contacts and the source of electrical energy; C. coupling means for releasably connecting the angulated bracket to the body of said staff including means defining a second pair of electrical contacts for electrically engaging said first pair of electrical contacts; and D. means for electrically connecting said second pair of contacts with said lamp.

Claim 8

The beacon of claim 5 wherein said source of electrical energy comprises a power pack including a container mounted on said staff adapted to receive a plurality of dry-cell batteries.

Claim 9

The beacon of claim 6 wherein said source of electrical energy further comprises an a.c. generator and switch means for connecting said generator with said circuit means and a rectifier interposed between said generator and said circuit means.

Claim 10

A rotating beacon beam particularly suited for use by cyclists for attracting the attention of others, comprising: A. a rotatable transparent housing; B. means supporting said housing for rotary motion about a given axis including a staff having an elongated body extended between a base end portion and distal end portion, means connecting said housing to the distal end portion of the staff, and bracket means adapted to removably mount the base end portion of the staff on a bicycle; C. means responsive to an impinging stream of air for imparting rotary motion to the housing including an annular array of uniformly spaced vanes; and D. means for directing a beam of light from said housing in a fixed directional relationship therewith, whereby a sweeping beam of light is projected from said housing as rotary motion is imparted thereto.

Claim 11

A rotating beacon beam particularly suited for use by cyclists for attracting the attention of others, comprising: A. a rotatable transparent housing; B. means supporting said housing for rotary motion about a given axis including a staff having an elongated body extended between a base end portion and distal end portion, means connecting said housing to the distal end portion of the staff, and bracket means adapted to removably mount the base end portion of the staff on a bicycle; C. means responsive to an impinging stream of air for imparting rotary motion to the housing including an annular array of uniformly spaced vanes; and D. means for directing a beam of light from said housing in a fixed directional relationship therewith, whereby a sweeping beam of light is projected from said housing as rotary motion is imparted thereto.

Claim 12

The beacon of claim 8 wherein said housing includes a pair of circular plates disposed in mutual parallelism, and each vane of said array is extended between the plates in an inclined relationship with at least one plate of said pair.

Claim 13

The beacon of claim 9 wherein each of said vanes is characterized by an arcuate, transverse cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 14

A rotating beacon beam particularly suited for use by cyclists for attracting the attention of others, comprising: A. a rotatable transparent housing including a pair of circular plates disposed in coaxial alignment; B. means for supporting said housing for rotary motion about a given axis including a staff having an elongated body extended between a base end portion and distal end portion, means connecting said housing to the distal end portion of said staff including a center post mounted on said staff and extended axially through at least one plate of said pair of plates, and bearing means connecting the housing to the center post comprising a bearing collar affixed to the center post, a pair of manipulatable jaws pivotally connected to said one plate adapted to be pivoted into releasable engagement with said bearing collar, and means defining a thrust bearing interconnecting said center post to the other plate of said pair, and bracket means adapted to removably mount the base end portion of said staff on a bicycle; C. means responsive to an impinging stream of air for imparting rotary motion to the housing; and D. means for directing a beam of light from said housing in fixed directional relationship therewith, whereby a sweeping beam of light is projected from said housing as rotary motion is imparted thereto.

Claim 15

A rotating beacon beam particularly suited for use by cyclists for attracting the attention of others, comprising: A. a rotatable transparent housing including a pair of circular plates disposed in coaxial alignment; B. means for supporting said housing for rotary motion about a given axis including a staff having an elongated body extended between a base end portion and distal end portion, means connecting said housing to the distal end portion of said staff including a center post mounted on said staff and extended axially through at least one plate of said pair of plates, and bearing means connecting the housing to the center post comprising a bearing collar affixed to the center post, a pair of manipulatable jaws pivotally connected to said one plate adapted to be pivoted into releasable engagement with said bearing collar, and means defining a thrust bearing interconnecting said center post to the other plate of said pair, and bracket means adapted to removably mount the base end portion of said staff on a bicycle; C. means responsive to an impinging stream of air for imparting rotary motion to the housing; and D. means for directing a beam of light from said housing in fixed directional relationship therewith, whereby a sweeping beam of light is projected from said housing as rotary motion is imparted thereto.

Claim 16

In combination with a bicycle, a visually detectable warning device comprising a beacon including a housing, an elongated staff having a base end portion and a distal end portion, means releasably securing the base end portion of said staff to said bicycle with the distal end portion thereof being projected substantially upwardly therefrom, when the bicycle is in an operative configuration, means for generating a beam of light including a light source comprising an electrically energizable lamp disposed in said housing for propagating a beam of light from the housing, and means rotatably connecting said housing to the distal end portion of said staff.

Claim 17

In combination with a bicycle, a visually detectable warning device comprising a beacon including a housing, an elongated staff having a base end portion and a distal end portion, means releasably securing the base end portion of said staff to said bicycle with the distal end portion thereof being projected substantially upwardly therefrom, when the bicycle is in an operative configuration, means for generating a beam of light including a light source comprising an electrically energizable lamp disposed in said housing for propagating a beam of light from the housing, and means rotatably connecting said housing to the distal end portion of said staff.