Visual indicator for safety systems

A visual indicator, comprising:

• (a) a housing having an exterior reflecting surface defining a reflecting zone, and an aperture through said housing located at said reflecting surface,
• (b) an extendible indicator member mounted in said housing having an outer end portion extendible through said aperture into said reflecting zone, said extendible indicator member having a longitudinal bore in said outer end portion with said bore opening to the outer end thereof,
• (c) means in said housing to move said extendible indicator member between an extended position with said outer end portion located in said reflecting zone and a retracted position with said outer end portion substantially enclosed in said housing,
• (d) a transparent enclosure mounted over said reflecting surface enclosing said reflecting zone and being in spaced relation thereto, and
• (e) a fixed indicator member mounted in said enclosure extending inwardly therefrom in longitudinal axial alignment with said extendible indicator member and at least partially encloseable in said bore in overlapping relation upon movement of said extendible indicator member to said extended position,
• (f) said extendible indicator member outer end portion being colored, said fixed indicator member being colored in contrast to said extendible indicator member outer end portion on at least the portion thereof which is overlapped by said extendible indicator member in the extended position,
• (g) said means to move being operable, upon receipt of a signal from an associated system containing said visual indicator to move said extendible indicator member to said extended position for display of the color of said extendible member for visual indication of a predetermined condition of said system, said extendible indicator member in said retracted position permitting display of the color of said elongated indicator member for indication of another predetermined condition in said system,
• (h) said means to move said extendible indicator member having a piston chamber in said housing with a piston movably mounted therein, said piston having said extendible indicator member mounted adjacent one end thereof,
• (i) said housing having one port therethrough communicating with said piston chamber at one end of said piston to in use permit fluid to enter said piston chamber for urging said extendible indicator member to said extended position and another port communicating with said piston chamber at the opposite end of said piston to in use permit fluid to enter said piston chamber for urging said extendible indicator member to said retracted position.

A visual indicating device, comprising:

• (a) a housing having an outwardly flared reflective surface defining a reflective zone with an aperture through the convergent portion thereof,
• (b) said housing having a longitudinal bore defining a piston chamber in a portion thereof, a valve member movably mounted in said bore and a piston in said piston chamber located at one end of said valve member, said valve member having an extendible indicator member mounted on the end thereof opposite said piston with the outer end portion thereof located in said aperture, said extendible indicator member having said outer end thereof being extendible from and retractable into said housing through said aperture, and said housing having a port therein communicating with said piston chamber at one end of said piston and another port communicating with the opposite end of said piston,
• (c) said extendible indicator member having a longitudinally disposed bore in said outer end portion through the outer end thereof, said extendible indicator member outer end portion being a single color, and
• (d) a transparent generally cup-shaped enclosure mounted in an inverted relation on said housing enclosing said reflective surface including said reflective zone and positioned in spaced relation therefrom, said transparent enclosure having an elongated colored fixed indicator member secured centrally to the inner surface thereof and extending inwardly therefrom in longitudinal axial alignment with said bore and at least partially encloseable in said bore when said extendible indicator member is in said extended position, said fixed indicator member being colored in contrast to said extendible indicator member on the portion thereof which is enclosed in said bore,
• (e) said reflective surface having the appearance of the same hue as said fixed indicator member colored portion when said extendible indicator member colored end portion is retracted and said reflective surface having the appearance of same hue as said extendible indicator member colored portion when said extendible indicator member is extended and overlapping said fixed indicator member colored portion.