US2610420A - Cane - Google Patents

Description

A. KOHL Sept. 16, 1952 CANE Filed July ALEXANDER KOHL INVENTOR HUEBNEQBEEHLER. WORREL,

HERZ/G 8 CALDWELL ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 16, 1952 CANE ' Alexander-Kohl, Fresno, Calif., assignor of onehalf to Max L. Hoen, Fresno, Calif.

Application July 24,1950, Serial No'. 1'75,593

5. Claims. (01. 4085) The present invention relates to canes, and more particularly, to a combined cane and visual signaling device.

It is well known for, people who are blind to employ white canes to indicate to motorists and others their need for consideration. Such canes are. not as conspicuous as desired for safety purposes and are readily confused .with many other objects which shoppers not infrequently carry 1 in congested areas. It is generally recognized that a device. as convenient to employ as such a white cane but having improved signaling characteristics is needed for the protection of blind people, the physically handicapped, and

other pedestrians having need for special condependable in operation, and convenient'toyemploy.

Another object is to provide a combined cane and signal device particularly suitedto the use of people who are. blind or physically handicapped. Y

-'Another object is to provide .in a cane, the

combination of a flexible sheet member, means within the cane adapted to mount the sheet member and resiliently to retract the sheet member withinthe cane, and a manual control adapted to drawthe sheet member from the cane for visual display thereofr- A further object 'is to provide a compact, lightweight, andconvenient device whereby people who are blind can readily call attentionto their condition .for safety and.conveniencepurposes.

sun. further pbjects andi'advantages will ber come apparent in the subsequent description'in; the specification:

y In the drawing, Fig. 1

for'c'arrying convenienca.

' i Fig. 2 1is aside elevation similar tdni fli fbut showing f the signaling device withdrawn from thecane fordisplayf purposes. l

is aside elevation of a.

f combined cane and signaling device embodying [.the'principles of thejpresent"invention, the signaling device being retracted within the cane Fig. 3 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary section through the cane, as taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig.4 is a transverse section of the cane taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the cane and signaling device taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the cane and signaling device with the latter in retracted position, as taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing:

A cane embodying the principles of the pres--, ent invention is indicated generally at I!) and the signaling apparatus at H. The cane provides a shank l2 and a handle l3 continuous with the shank, both of a well known form. As shown in the drawing, the shankhas a solid rod-likelower end portion M, a hollow cylindrical central portion l5, and a solid rod-like upper end portion IS. The upper end portion and the handle are conveniently formed in unitary relation and the handle l3, upper end por tion I6, central portion l5, and lower end portion l4 made from wood, plastic, metal, or other suitable material.

As shown in Fig. 3, the, lower end portion M and the upper 'end'portion l6 have juxtapositioned ends which constitute end walls for the hollow cylindrical central portion [5.

A hollow tubular member 20 interconnects the lower end portion l4 and the upper end portion [6 in fixed spaced relation. Said end portions are fitted to the tubular member and rigidly connected thereto, as by screws 2|.

} of the shank toward which the return bent handie extends.

An axial bore 24 is formed concentrically in the upper end of the lower end portion and the lower end of the upper end portion provided with a diametrical slot 25. A hollow roller cylinder 2'! has a journal member'28 fixedly mounted at an end thereof providing a shaft portion 29 rotatably extendedinto the axial bore 24. A bearing 30 is mounted in the opposite end of the cylinder.v A shaft 32 is rotatably mounted in the bearing 39 and provides a flattened end 33 engaged in the slot 25 to preclude rotation of the shaft relative to the shank l2. The opposite end of the shaft 32 is rotatably mounted in the journal member 28, as shown at 34; A spiral torsion spring 35 has one end connected to the journal member 2c and another end connected to the shaft 32.

A substantially rectangular sheet 31 of flexible material such as cloth, paper, or plastic ha an inner edge 38 connected longitudinally of the cylinder 21 and is rolled around the cylinder. The spring is mounted under initial torsion so that the sheet 31 is resiliently maintained in rolled position about the cylinder. The sheet has an outer edge 39. An elongated rigid edge member is afiixed to the outer edge 33 of the sheet. The edge member conveniently consists of a strip 4| of metal or other suitable material riveted to a plate 42 with the outer edge 39 of the sheet sandwiched therebetween. 42 is transversely arcuate to fit against the periphery of the cylindrical central portion [5 of the shank in closing relation to the slot 22. A

bead 43 is preferably provided along one sideof the slot 22 on the tubular member 20 and acts as a positioning stop for the plate when in retracted position. The plate has an edge 44 extended outwardly from the tubular member 29 and is provided with a guideway 45 longitudinally thereof. I

A trigger 41 is pivotally mounted adjacent to the centra1 portion I 5 on the shank in alignment with the slot 20 by means of a pair of spaced flanges 48 extended from the shank and a pin 49 extended through the flanges and the trigger transversely of the shank. A lever arm 50 is extended from the trigger longitudinally of the shankadjacent to the slot 22. .A headed follower 5| is mounted on the extended end of the lever arm in slidable engagement with the guide way 45. The trigger and the lever arm are conveniently integrally formed in obtuse angular arrangement so that when the lever arm is substantially parallel with the shank [2, as shown in'Fig. 1, the trigger is conveniently disposed for operation adjacent to the handle l3.

It will be obvious that any desired type of indicia 53 may be displayed on the sheet 31, but for use by people who are blind, the word blind is most suitably employed.

Operation I The operation of the device of the present invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. In the absence of any pressure on the trigger 4?, th spring '35 maintains the sheet '37 tightly rolled about the roller cylinder 21 with the plateportion 42 of the edge member iii! incoveringrelation to the slot 522 seated against the bead 43, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. In-such condition the device is utilized solely as a cane.

When it is desired to "display the 'in'dioia 53, the trigger] is pressed toward theshank l2 pivoting the lever arm as outwardly from the shank and through engagement of the follower 5| in the guideway 45 the sheet 37 is forcibly drawn outwardly through the slot 22 rotating the roller cylinder 21 against the effect of the torsion spring 35. With the trigger maintained in such position and the sheet 31 with its indicia 53 thus prominently displayed, a person employing the cane readily succeeds in drawing attention to himself and to. the message provided by the indicia 53. I 7

When the trigger 4! is released, the torsion spring 35 being under increased torsion incident to the display .of the sheet 31, promptly retracts the sheet and winds the-sameabout the cylinder 21 until the plate 42 returns toits positionin closing relation to the slot 22 and is seated against the bead 4.3.

The plate 4 The device of the present invention is simple in structure, economical to produce, and is fully effective in the displaying of any desired predetermined message in a manner that readily attracts attention. It is a source of comfort to blind people and others employing it and being conspicuous readily elicits from motorists and others the type of consideration and courtesy desired. V

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and systems.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination .of acane having a handle and a hollow shank, a sheet of flexible material having a pair of opposite edges, retraction means mounted within the shank connected to an edge of the sheet, a trigger pivotally mounted on the shank, an elongated rigid .edge member having a guideway formed longitudinally therein afiixed to the edge of the sheetopposite to the retraction means, and a control linkage slidably engaged in the ,guideway of the edge member having controlled connection to the trigger whereby in response to trigger operation the sheet is drawn into a position extended from the shank and tensioned between said control linkage and the retraction means.

2. A signaling cane comprising an elongated hollow shank -having-a longitudinal slot formed therein, a sheet of flexible material having an inner edge extended through the slot into the shank and an outer edge extended outwardly of the slot, resilient retraction means mounted within the shank connected to the inner edge of the sheet, and manual control means mounted on the shank, .said control means having a trigger portion and a lever arm portion of unitary construction, being pivotally mounted on the shank, and the lever arm portion being connected to the outer edge of the sheet whereby pivotal movement of the control means draws the sheet out- Wardly of the slot in opposition to the retraction means. 7 r

3. A signaling cane comprising a shank having a hollow centralportion deflned'by a substantially cylindrical wall and opposite axial end walls, the cylindrical wall having a slot formed longitudinally therein; a return bent handle continuous with the shank; a hollow roller cylinder positioned within the central portion of the shank; a journal member fixedly mounted in an end of the roller cylinder'and rotatably mounted substantially concentrically an end wall of the central portion; a bearing mounted in the end of the roller cylinder opposite to thejournal member adjacent to an end wall of the central portion, the end wall. adjacent to the bearing being diametrically slotted a shaft having a flattened end portion extended into, the slot in the end wall .rotatablymounted in the hearing. and having anopposite end. portion .rotatably mounted the journal member concenrically within the roller cylinder; a orsion sprin in circumscribing relation to the shaft within the roller cylinder having an end connected to the journal member and anopposite .endJconnected to the shaft; .a rectangular sheet of ,fiex- H ible material wrapped about the roller cylinder having an inner edge connected to the roller cyl-; inder and an opposite edge extended through the slot in the shank; and manual control means having a trigger portion and a lever arm por-' tion of unitary construction, pivotally mounted on the shank, and the lever arm portion being connected to the outer edge of the sheet whereby pivotal movement of the control means draws the sheet outwardly of the slot in opposition to the retraction means.

4. The combination of a cane having an elongated hollow shank with a longitudinal slot formed therein and a handle continuous with the shank, a trigger pivotally mounted on the shank adjacent to the handle in alignment with the slot and on an axis transversely of the slot, a

lever arm integral with the trigger extended longitudinally of the slot, a roller rotatably mounted within the shank adjacent to the slot, a sheet of fiexiblematerial having an inner edge connected longitudinally of the roller and an outer edge extended outwardly of the slot, said sheet bearing visual signal indicia, an elongated rigid edge member afiixedto the outer edge of the sheet and having a guideway formed longitudinally therein, a follower mounted on the extended end of the lever arm and slidably engaged in the guideway of the edge member, and a torsion spring within the shank interconnecting the roller and the shank and rotatably urging the roller to retract the sheet within the shank.

5. A signaling cane comprising a shank having a hollow central portion defined by a substantially cylindrical wall and opposite axial end walls, the

cylindrical wall having a slot formed longitudinally therein; a return bent handle continuous with the shank; a hollow roller cylinder positioned within the central portion of the shank; a journal member fixedly mounted in an end of the roller cylinder and rotatably mounted substantially concentrically in an end wall of the central portion; a bearing mounted in the end the guideway of the flange portion of the rigid of the roller cylinder opposite to the journal member adjacent to an end wall of the centralportion, the "end wall adjacent to the bearing being diametrically slotted; a shaft having a flattened end portion extended into the slot in the end Wall, rotatably mounted in the bearing, and

' having an opposite end portion rotatably mounted in the journal member concentrically within the roller cylinder; a torsion spring in circumscribing relation to' the shaft within the roller cylinder having an end' connected to the journal member and an opposite end connected to the shaft; a rectangular sheet of flexible material wrapped about the roller cylinder having an inner edge connected to the roller cylinder and an opposite edge extended through the slot in the shank; an elongated rigid edge member afiixed v to the extended edge of the sheet having a transversely arcuate plate portion fitted to the exterior of the shank in covering relation to the slot and a flange portion formed with a guide-r way longitudinally thereof parallel to the shank; a trigger pivotally mounted on the shank in alignment with the slot adjacent to the handle on a pivotal axis transversely of the slot; a lever arm integral with the trigger extended longitudinally of the slot; and a follower mounted on the extended end of the lever arm in engagement with edge member.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS v Number Name Date 490,722 Pugh Jan; 31, 1893 498,187 Pugh May 23, 1893 1,542,894 Langner Jan. 23, 1925 Rugg Aug. 5, 194% ALEXANDER KOHL.

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