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US 5,781,120 AGranted
Pneumatically operated safety gate
OwnerMichael Kucikinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A moveable traffic turn indicator may be constructed with a first elongate member exhibiting a first major surface terminated by a first end, a second elongate member exhibiting a second major surface terminated, a hinge pivotably joining the second elongate member to the first elongate member, and a double acting actuator coupled between the first elongate member and the second elongate member to drive the second elongate member between a retracted position with the second major surface in juxtaposition alongside the first major surface and a deployed position with the second major surface obliquely oriented relative to the first major surface to fully expose indicia borne by the second major surface.
Claims15
A vehicular traffic indicator, comprising:
- a first elongate member positionable within a linear gap between a fifth wheel and a plurality of rear wheels of a road trailer to engage an underside of the road trailer with a first major surface of said first elongate member oriented to depend vertically downwardly from the underside of the road trailer, with said first major surface terminating in a first end;
- a second elongate member exhibiting an elongated second major surface terminating at a second end;
- a hinge pivotably joining said second end to said first elongate member with said second major surface lying adjacent to said first major surface while said second elongate member is in a retracted position;
- and
- an actuator pivotably coupled to said first elongate member and articulately coupled to said second elongate member, to drive said second elongate member to move between said retracted position with said second major surface in juxtaposition to said first major surface and a deployed position with said second major surface being obliquely oriented relative to said first major surface and fully exposing indicia borne by said second major surface.
2 more elements
A vehicular traffic indicator, comprising:
- a first elongate member exhibiting a first major surface terminated by a first end, attachable to an underside of a road trailer with said first major surface oriented approximately orthogonally to a roadbed traveled by the road trailer;
- a second elongate member exhibiting a second major surface terminated by a second end pivotably coupled to said first major surface with said second major surface oriented approximately orthogonally to the roadbed;
- and
- an actuator comprised of:
- a cylinder having a first end, a first port and a second port providing access to an interior volume of said cylinder;
- a bracket supporting said first end of said cylinder, said bracket being pivotally attached to said first elongate member;
- a piston positioned within said cylinder to reciprocate between said between said first port and said second port;
- and
- a rod having a proximal end attached to said piston and a distal end extending through said first end of said cylinder, said distal end being pivotally attached to said second elongate member;
- said actuator being coupled between said first elongate member and said second elongate member, to drive said second elongate member between a retracted position with said second major surface in juxtaposition to said first major surface and a deployed position with said second major surface being obliquely oriented relative to said first major surface and fully exposing visible indicia borne by said second major surface.
7 more elements
A vehicular traffic indicator, comprising:
- a first elongate member positionable within a linear gap between a fifth wheel and a plurality of rear wheels of a road trailer to engage an underside of the road trailer with a first major surface of said first elongate member oriented to depend vertically downwardly from the underside of the road trailer, with said first major surface terminating in a first end;
- a second elongate member exhibiting an elongated second major surface terminating at a second end;
- a plurality of electrically illuminated indicia arrayed across said second major surface;
- means for electrically coupling said indicia to an electrically powered turn signal circuit carried by the road trailer;
- and
- a double acting actuator driven by a supply of pneumatic pressure supplied to the road trailer, having a proximal end pivotably coupled to said first elongate member, and a rod coupled to a piston housed within said actuator to respond to said pneumatic pressure to drive said rod to reciprocate through said proximal end with a distal end of said rod being pivotally coupled to said second elongate member, to drive said second elongate member to move between said retracted position with said second major surface in juxtaposition to said first major surface and a deployed position with said second major surface being obliquely oriented relative to said first major surface to fully expose said indicia while said second end is positioned most distally from said first member to indicate a direction of turn by the road trailer.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.