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US Pat. 2442569

WARNING-LIGHT PROJECTOR

by Jeremiah D. Kennelly
Filed: Nov. 5, 1945; Serial No. 626,804
Patented: June 1, 1948

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view.
Figure 2 is a rear view in elevation .

The motor 36 drives through reducing gears 37 the shaft 38. The shaft 38 rotates the disk 39 which is equipped with it's eccentric drive pin 40 and thereby arms 41 and 42 are reciprocated back and forth. This reciprocation of arms 41 and 42 together with their connecting parts to extensions 47 and 52 cause the ring frames 16 and 27 to be oscillated back and forth in front of their respective lenses, 14 and 15.
The light rays projected from light 26 and its reflector 25 is in a straight forward or substantially horizontal line through lens 14.
The light rays projected from light 34 and its reflector 33 pass upwardly through the top wall of the casing 10 and serve to illuminate clouds and high areas in front of the vehicle.

This light unit is particularly suited for the warning of an advancing locomotive traveling through valleys and highly irregular country.

A moving beam of light high in the sky, with its changing effects on clouds, if present, together with the interruption of the beam resulting from the passage of a locomotive equipped with this unit through a valley, produces a sweep of beam or a staccato beam which is at once noticed by all. The warning is highly effective long before the locomotive or vehicle is in sight.
The horizontal beam which oscillates in a direct line above the track or road provides with the tilted skyward directed beam, sharply diverging beams which together produce a fanned effect which greatly enhances the signal effect where the locomotive is approaching along a straight track.

It is preferable to have the light mounted as in Figure 1 where the inclination is a little greater than 45° from the horizontal. An inclination below 30° is found to lose effectiveness. Above 30° the cloud-effect beams become noticable and a more effective result is attained.