Wheel motion indicator
OwnerAndrew M. Garfordinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for sensing wheel rotation includes a cylindrical casing with a frusto-conical bottom end which defines a ramp for a steel ball in the casing; a shaft connected to the casing top for rotation by a vehicle wheel to cause the ball to ride up the ramp; a pair of annular contacts at the bottom of the ramp which are electrically interconnected by the ball when the wheel and consequently the shaft and casing stop rotating, whereby an electrical circuit including the contacts is closed to provide a signal indicating that rotation of the wheel has ceased.
Claims6
A device for sensing wheel rotation for use in an electrical circuit of the type including a motion indicator, said device comprising a casing, said casing including a substantially cylindrical side wall a top wall closing the upper end of said side wall, and ramp means at the lower end of said side wall;
- said ramp means being inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of said casing;
- shaft means connected to said top wall for driving connection with a wheel, whereby rotation of the wheel causes rotation of said shaft means and of said casing;
- contact means in said casing at the lower end of said ramp means, said contact means including first and second spaced apart electrically conductive elements for separate electrical connection with said motion indicator;
- and an electrically conductive ball in said casing movable between the top and bottom ends of said ramp means whereby when the wheel is rotating the ball moves to a position on said side wall remote from said electrically conductive elements and when rotation of said wheel ceases the ball moves down the ramp means into contact with said conductive elements to close the electrical circuit and actuate said indicator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.