US3424509A - Traffic signal hanger - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 28, 1969 G. SIKLOS 3,424,509

TRAFFIC S IGNAL HANGER Filed Oct. 18, 1967 Sheet 1 of 2 Jan. 28, 1969 G- SIKLOS TRAFFIC SIGNAL HANGER Sheet g of 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1967 I 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A traffic signal hanger is provided having a housing for removably suspending a traffic signal therebeneath. The bottom wall of the housing has a cutout section into which an insert fits. The insert is directly connected to the traffic signal and carries upper flange means overlying a portion of the bottom wall with a collar below the upper flange means received by edge walls of the cutout section. The collar carries means for interengaging the edge walls to prevent upward and downward movement of the insert and locking means are provided for locking the insert in the cutout section against movement in a horizontal plane.

Background of the invention Traffic signal hangers are known in the traffic light art for suspension from a span wire as at the middle of a tralfic intersection. A trafli-c signal can be hung on a hanger housing and preferably has a disconnect means so that the signal can be easily removed when repairs or replacement are necessary. However, ease of replacement or repair of the signal in such known hangers sometimes is diflicult, particularly in view of the fact that such replacement or repairs must be carried out at the center of a vehicle intersection in ordinary use. It is therefore desirable to have ready access to the hanger and provisions for preventing upward and downward movement of a signal attachment insert as well as side to side movement of the insert during repair or replacement of either the hanger housing, inner members, or the traffic signal.

Summary of the invention According to the invention, a traflic signal hanger comprises a housing defining means for entrance of an electrical conduit for interconnection with a traffic signal suspended below the housing. The housing has a bottom wall and a removable front wall adjacent the bottom wall. The bottom wall has a cutout section positioned to lie substantially in a horizontal plane in the operative position of the hanger and opening at an edge of the bottom wall adjacent the front wall with edge walls of the cutout section having substantial thickness. A traflic signal hanger insert has an upper flange means overlying a portion of the bottom wall and a collar below the upper flange means received by the edge walls. The collar carries means for interengaging with the edge walls to prevent upward and downward movement of the insert both before final securing of the insert with the housing and thereafter. Locking means are provided for locking the insert in the cutout section at least against movement in the horizontal plane of the bottom wall.

Preferably the interengaging means comprises ridges in the collar with corresponding grooves in the edge walls which are non-continuous about the collar. Preferably the locking means comprises a flange depending from the detachable front wall and adapted to be positioned against the collar in the operative position.

Because of the particular cutout section, interengaging means and locking means employed, the insert which is attached to the underlying hanger can be secured in position against upward and downward movement even during servicing of the hanger and instalation thereof United States Patent 3,424,509 Patented Jan. 28, 1969 when the front wall is moved out of engagement with the bottom wall; Thus, the front wall can be opened and servicing carried out without fear of displacement of the insert as by an upwardly directed force on the underlying traflic signal. The hanger of this invention is easily installed and used with minimized complexity and cost.

Brief description of the drawings The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a preferred embodiment thereof;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side plan view of an insert element thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of said insert.

Brief description of preferred embodiments With reference now to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the traffic signal hanger is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1 and comprises a preferably onepiece metal housing 11 having a generally oval-like shape in cross section. The housing 11 defines a chamber 12 surrounded by top wall 13 with bent over flaps 14 and 15 at either side integral with rear wall 16 and bottom wall 17 as well as side walls 18 and 19. An integral projection 20 extends into the chamber 12 and is used as a mounting stud for mounting an insulator block having contacts thereon to interconnect electrical conduits such as electrical cables passing through apertures 21 and 22 and from an underlying traffic signal.

A hanger aperture 23 passes through the top wall and is interconnected with a conventional hanger bracket to attach the housing to a span cable or other support means as at the center of a four-street intersection in accordance with known practice. In some cases, the aperture can be eliminated and an integral hook provided on the top of the box. Preferably the point of suspension on the top wall is vertically aligned with the center of a cutout section, best shown in FIG. 1 on the bottom wall 17, when the housing is suspended along with an underlying traffic signal.

The front wall 24 is preferably spring biased to an opened position as shown in FIG. 1 by a coil spring 25 encircling a spindle 26 mounted on integral fixed lugs 27 of the top wall and integral lug 28 of the front wall to allow arcuate movement of the front wall to its opened position as shown in FIG. 1 and to a closed position shown in FIG. 2. A flanged means 30 extends from the bottom of the front wall preferably at a right angle to the plane of the front wall and acts as a locking means, as will be later described, when the front wall is lclosed. Closing of the front wall can be accomplished by hand as by pressing the front wall into engagement with the edge 31 of the bottom wall. The front wall is preferably fixed in position by means of a screw 32 having a hand-tightening knob 33 which can be used to thread the screw into a receiver thread 34 formed on an extension of the bottom wall 17.

Preferably rain protecting lips 35 and 36 extend about the front and sides respectively of the housing. Suitable gasketing means can be used if desired to seal the openings in the housing about cable passing into the housing in use although this may not be necessary.

The bottom wall 17 lies in a horizontal plane in use of the housing and preferably has substantial thickness at least at portion 40 surrounding the cutout section which is defined by parallel edge walls 41 and 42, rear edge Wall 43 and the edge walls 44 and 45 of front bosses 46 and 47 which act to narrow the neck of the generally U- shaped cutout section as best seen in FIG. 1. The edge walls 41 and 42 meet with the rear edge wall 43 at angled corners 47 and 48 which are recessed at 49 and 50 to provide grooves parallel to the plane of the cutout section. Grooves 49 and 50 act to interengage with the collar of the insert to prevent upward movement of the insert when in position as will be described.

The integral insert 51, best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises a generally planar top or flange 52 with a lower collar 53. A central aperture 54 permits entrance of electrical conduits such as cables from the traflic signal. A lower ring section 55 can be attached directly to the top of a traflic signal light housing or the like suspended therebeneath.

The flange 52 is preferably generally rectangular and is dimensioned to overlie the thickened edge 40 of the bottom wall cut out section and be supported thereby against downward movement. This flange also extends from the rear wall 16 to the very edge of the bottom wall adjacent the forward wall in the preferred embodiment.

The collar 53 is generally rectangular having side edges 56 and 57 spaced to lie closely adjacent walls 41 and 42 with the collar being sufliciently wide between walls 56 and 57 so that it cannot he slid or moved out of the insert in a plane corresponding to the plane of the bottom wall due to the narrow neck portion provided by the bosses 46 and 47'. The collar 53 carries four wing portions 58 two of which are dimensioned to be received within the grooves 49 and 50 as when the insert is placed over the cutout section and moved downwardly therein while being slid toward the rear wall to position the insert within the cutout portion.

As previously described, the flange 30 acts as a locking means to lock the insert in position. Thus, when the insert is positioned as shown in FIG. 2, even if the front wall is removed when the housing is upright, it will have resistance to movement caused by a force directed upwardly thereon. However, positive locking is achieved by means of the flange 30. Flange 30 comprises a wall 60 adapted to lie adjacent a forward wall 61 of the collar when the cover is closed with edge nibs 62 and 63 having corresponding grooves firmly interengaging projections 58 and thereby positively locking the insert against all movement when the finger gripping knob 33 is tightened.

In use, the hanger has a bracket passing through aperture 23 and vertically suspending the hanger from a span cable across an intersection. A red and green traflic light, for example, is preferably rigidly attached to the extension portion 55 of the collar and extends downwardly therefrom. The traffic light can be removed from the hanger by first pivoting wall 24 to the open position and disconnecting electrical cables passing into the hanger at the insulator block attached to support 20. The insert 51 and trafilc light can be taken out whereupon a new insert tralfic light can be positioned in the cutout portion. Servicing can be accomplished by loosening of the knob 33 whereupon the front wall swings upwardly exposing the insulator block.

While a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it should be understood that many modifications thereof are possible. For example, preferably the bottom wall 40 has substantial thickness at least at its edge portion of /2 inch to provide suflicient strength to support the weight of a trafiic signal and in addition, provide suitable space for milling of grooves such as 49 and 50. However, the thickness of the bottom wall can vary depending upon the weight to be supported and the material used. While two electrical conduit entrance ports 21 and 22 are preferably used on either side of the housing, this number can vary depending upon connections to be made within the housing. Similarly, the shape of the housing itself can vary as can the type of means for swinging away or detaching of the front wall. A coil spring mechanism is preferred for use since it permits access to the box rapidly without the operator having his hands engaged with the cover during servicing of the box.

In view of the many modifications possible, this invention is to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A trafiic signal hanger comprising a housing defining means for entrance of electrical conduits for interconnection with a traffic signal suspended from said housing,

said housing having a bottom wall and a removable front wall adjacent said bottom wall,

said bottom wall having a cutout section positioned to lie substantially in a horizontal plane and opening at an edge of said bottom wall adjacent said side wall with edge walls of said section having substantial thickness,

a traflic signal hanger insert having an upper flange means overlying a portion of said bottom wall and a collar below said upper flange means received by said edge walls,

said collar carrying means for interengaging with said edge walls to prevent upward and downward movement of said insert,

and locking means for locking said insert in said cutout section against movement in said horizontal plane.

2. A traffic signal hanger in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising said front wall being pivotably mounted and biased to an opened position.

3. A traflic signal hanger in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising said interengaging means defining a plurality of ridges and said edge walls defining corresponding grooves for receiving said ridges.

4. A traflic signal hanger in accordance with claim 3 wherein said collar defines peripheral walls dimensioned to lie adjacent said edge walls and be prevented from movement toward front of said housing by opposed bosses provided in said cutout section.

5. A traflic signal hanger in accordance with claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a flange extending from said front wall and carrying groove means for interengaging with ridges extending from said collar when said front wall is in a closed position.

6. A traflic signal hanger in accordance with claim 3 and further comprising hand screw means for locking said front wall in a closed position.

7. A traflic signal hanger in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising,

said front wall being pivotably mounted and biased to an opened position,

said interengaging means defining a plurality of ridges and said edge walls defining corresponding grooves for receiving certain of said ridges,

said collar defining peripheral walls dimensioned to lie adjacent said edge walls and be prevented from movement towards the front wall of said housing by opposed bosses provided in said cutout section to prevent unwanted disengagement of said insert from said housing during servicing,

and said locking means comprising a flange extending from said front wall and carrying means for abutting with said collar and engaging certain of said ridges when said front wall is in a closed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,957,739 10/1960 Fisher 312223 X 2,982,593 5/1961 Chambers 312--231 X 3,333,911 8/1967 Errichiello et a1. 312-223 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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