Illuminated traffic control sign

In combination, an illuminated traffic control sign and a conventional passenger automobile having a rear luggage compartment with a lid for closing said luggage compartment whereby said sign when displayed transforms said automobile into a traffic control vehicle comprising:

• a flexible sheet of weather resistant material having a front surface and a back surface secured to the interior surface of said luggage compartment lid of said passenger vehicle and being folded and secured against said luggage compartment lid when not in use, said flexible sheet being disposed between said luggage compartment lid and the lowermost opening of said luggage compartment when said lid is open and said sign is in use;
• a horizontal double arrow design having two arrowheads formed on said flexible sheet front surface in a color contrasting with said front surface;
• stiffening means secured to said flexible sheet back surface behind said double arrow design;
• a plurality of electrical light fixtures mounted on said flexible sheet on top of said double arrow design and at least partially supported by said stiffening means to illuminate said design when said fixtures are activated;
• a plurality of flexible flaps secured to said flexible sheet to selectively cover or uncover parts of said double arrow design so that said design may be optionally transformed into a single arrow pointing in either direction or onto a caution bar not having an arrowhead, each of said flaps being generally triangular in shape and secured at a seam to said flexible sheet, each respective seam being generally parallel to an edge of one of the arrowheads on the double arrow design;
• electrical circuit means to selectively activate said electrical light fixtures, said electrical light circuit means containing means to intermittently flash said electrical light fixtures.

In combination, an illuminated traffic control sign and a vehicle having a front and rear comprising:

• a flexible sheet of weather resistant material having a front surface and a back surface that may be compactly stored within said vehicle when not in use, said flexible sheet having a horizontal double arrow design with two arrowheads on said sheet front surface in a color contrasting with said sheet;
• securing means to secure said flexible sheet in a substantially vertical position on said rear of said vehicle so that said sheet front surface may be viewed from behind said vehicle;
• stiffening means secured to said flexible sheet back surface behind said double arrow design;
• a plurality of electrical light fixtures mounted on said flexible sheet front surface on top of said double arrow design and at least partially supported by said stiffening means to illuminate said design when said fixtures are activated;
• a plurality of flexible flaps formed from the same material as said flexible sheet secured to said flexible sheet to selectively cover or uncover parts of said double arrow design so that said design may be optionally transformed into a single arrow pointing in either direction or into a caution bar not having an arrowhead, each of said flaps being generally triangular in shape and secured at a seam to said flexible sheet, each respective seam being generally parallel to an edge of one of the arrowheads on the double arrow design;
• snap fastener means secured to said flaps and to said flexible sheet to secure each of said flaps in one of two positions relative to said flexible sheet;
• and
• electrical circuit means to selectively activate said electrical light fixtures, said circuit means containing means to intermittently flash said electrical light fixtures and to selectively operate only those light fixtures that are exposed and not covered by said flaps.