An apparatus for measuring the velocity of a vehicle traveling between first and second measured points. The apparatus includes a cylindrical housing having an open top for receiving a transparent disk. Indicia representing speed calibrations is circumferentially spaced adjacent an outer perimeter of the disk. A stopwatch is carried in the housing below said disk and has a rotatable hand which rotates at a predetermined rate under the indicia. A lamp is carried below the stopwatch for illuminating the indicia carried on the transparent disk. The stopwatch is started when the vehicle passes a first reference point and stopped when the vehicle passes the second reference point. Thus, when the hand is stopped, such points to the calibrated indicia on said disk indicating the velocity of a vehicle

Billions, James C.

Burch, John L.

NASA Technical Reports Server

United States Patent [19] 
Burch et al. 
[54 J SPEED CALCULATOR 
[75] Inventors: John L. Burch, Decatur; James C. 
Billions, Huntsville, both of Ala. 
[73] Assignee: The United States of America as 
represented by the United States 
National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Office of General 
Counsel-Code GP, Washington, 
D.C. 
[22] Filed: Feb. 27, 1974 
[21] Appl. No.: 446,563 
[52J U.S. CI... .................. 73/488; 73/499; 58/152 E 
[51] Int. CI.2 ............................................ GOIP 3/64 
[58] Field of Search .............. 73/488, 499; 235/104; 
58/74,50 R, 152 E; 240/6.43; 116/OIG. 37, 
129 L 
[56] References Cited 
772,625 
960,946 
1,059,985 
1,572,884 
UNITED STATES PATENTS 
10/1904 
7/1910 
4/1913 
2/1926 
Montandon ........ .. ............... 235/104 
Jones .... ...... ............ .. ... 1 16/DIG. 37 
Finster et al. ......... ...... ............ 58/74 
Colvin .. ..... ........ ........ .... 58/152 E X 
24 
cO 
16 
18 
12 
66 
94 
14 
100 
[II] 3,933,050 
[45J Jan. 20, 1976 
3,514,940 6/1970 Keane et al... ................ . 240/6.43 X 
3,574,993 4/1971 Black ........ .. ...... .... ...... .... .... 58/50 R 
Primary Examiner-James J. Gill 
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wayland H. Riggins; L. D. 
Wofford , Jr.; John R. Manning 
[57J ABSTRACT 
An apparatus for measuring the velocity of a vehicle 
traveling between first and second measured points. 
The apparatus includes a cylindrical housing having an 
open top for receiving a transparent disk . Indicia rep-
resenting speed calibrations is circumferentially 
spaced adjacent an outer perimeter of the disk. A 
stopwatch is carried in the housing below said disk 
and has a rotatable hand which rotates at a predeter-
mined rate under the indicia. A lamp is carried below 
the stopwatch for illuminating the indicia carried on 
the transparent disk. The stopwatch is started when 
the vehicle passes a first reference point and stopped 
when the vehicle passes the second reference point. 
Thus, when the hand is stopped, such points to the 
calibrated indicia on said disk indicating the velocity 
of a vehicle. 
.30 
96 
5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 
56 57 28 
74 
76 
10 
78 
44-
...... ---~--.------~-- ---- --- - - - ------~ 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20160001138 2019-08-31T04:16:01+00:00Z
U.S. Patent Jan. 20, 1976 Sheet 1 of 2 3,933,050 
-r 
2 
54 
24 37 
20 44 
16 
18 
12 
~ 
74-
92 76 
10 
78 
94 
.-F'!T. 2. 
14 
u. S. Patent Jan. 20, 1976 Sheet 2 of 2 3,933,050 
,F?;T.S. 
3,933,050 
1 2 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING SPEED CALCULATOR 
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION 
The invention described herein was made by employ-
ees of the United States Government and may be man-
ufactured and used by or for the Government for gov-
ernmental purposes without the payment of any royal-
ties thereon or therefor. 
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the top of an appara-
tus constructed in accordance with the present inven-
5 tion for calibrating the speed of vehic les and the like. 
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of 
FIG. I, 
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, perspective view expanded to 
show various components carried within the apparatus 
10 illustrated in FIG. 2, and 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are plan views of disks calibrated for 
measuring the velocity of vehicles traveling between 
reference points of various distances. 
This invention relates to a speed calculator and more 
particularly to an apparatus for measuring the velocity 
of a vehicle traveling between two given points. 15 DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Various methods and devices have been utilized by 
highway patrolmen and the like for measuring the 
speed of vehicles on highways. Such devices operate 
satisfactorily; however, the most sophisticated systems 
such as radar is expensive. The radar system also must 20 
be set up outside the vehicle requiring a certain amount 
of setup time. While the existing devices have proven to 
be satisfactory, there is a definite need of providing an 
inexpensive, simple and accurate device for checking 
the speed of vehicles. Since the device constructed in 25 
accordance with the present invention is relatively 
inexpensive, it can be made available to both highway 
patrolmen and policemen who are stationed on foot in 
areas such as school zones and the like. 
Referring in more detail to the drawings there is 
illustrated an apparatus constructed in accordance with 
the present invention which includes a cylindrical hous-
ing 10 constructed of any suitable material such as cast 
metal. The housing has internal threads 12 adjacent the 
top thereof and internal threads 14 adjacent the bottom 
thereof. A cylindrical cup-shaped member 16 which 
has threads 18 adjacent the bottom thereof is threaded 
within the internal threads 12 of the cylindrical housing 
10. Integral with an upper portion of the cup-shaped 
member 16 is an outwardly extending flange 20 which 
has a flange 22 extending upwardly therefrom. The 
circumferential flange 22 has threads 24 on an outer 
surface thereof for securing a circular cover 26 thereto. 
SUMMAR Y OF THE INVENTION 
The invention comprises an apparatus for measuring 
the velocity of a vehicle traveling between first and 
second measured points. The apparatus includes a cy-
lindrical housing having an open top with a transparent 
disk carried adjacent thereto. Indicia representing 
speed calculations is circumferentially spaced adjacent 
30 The cover 26 has an inwardly extending flange 28 for 
holding a transparent disk 30 on top of the upwardly 
extending flange 22. 
A cylindrical transparent member 32 is carried 
within the cup-shaped member 16 with a lower portion 
an outer perimeter of the disk. A stopwatch is carried 
35 thereof resting on an inwardly extending flange 34 
threaded within the cylindrical housing 10. Integral 
with an upper portion of the wall of the transparent 
member 32 is a circular transparent flange 37 which 
has a circular opening provided therein through which in the housing below the disk. The stopwatch has a 
rotatable hand which rotates at a predetermined rate 
under the indicia when started. A pushbutton is pro-
vided for starting the rotation of the hand from a refer-
ence point when the vehicle passes the first point and 
for stopping the rotation of the hand when the vehicle 
passes a second point. Thus, the hand, when stopped, 
points to the calibrated indicia on the disk indicating 
the velocity the vehicle was traveling between the first 
and second measured points. A lamp is carried in the 
cylindrical housing below the stopwatch for directing 
light upwardly and outwardly towards the indicia car-
ried on the disk for illuminating the indicia so that such 
can be readily read. A compartment is provided in the 
bottom portion of the cylindrical housing for storing a 
plurality of the transparent disks calibrated for measUT- 55 
ing the speed of vehicles traveling between reference 
points of various distances. 
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present 
invention to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive 
speed calculator. 
A more specific object of the invention is to provide 
a speed calibrator which is small in size and requires 
very little skill to operate. 
Another important object of the present invention is 
40 a face portion of a stopwatch 36 extends. A vertical slot 
40 is provided in the wall of the transparent member 32 
for receiving a shank portion 42 of a plunger 44 which 
is used for stopping and starting the rotation of a hand 
46 of the stopwatch 36. Another vertical slot 48 is 
45 provided in the wall of the transparent member 32 for 
permitting a reset plunger 50 of the stopwatch 36 to 
extend therethrough. Corresponding slots are provided 
in the cup-shaped member 16 for permitting the 
plunger 44 and the reset plunger 50 to extend outside 
50 the housing as shown in FIG. 2. 
The stopwatch 36 may be any suitable conventional 
stopwatch and the one illustrated in the drawing is 
calibrated so that the hand 46 rotates one complete 
revolution each three seconds. 
Positioned on top of the transparent flange 37 is a 
translucent plastic disk 52 which disperses light causing 
such to impinge on indicia 54 carried on a transparent 
disk 56. An upwardly extending pin 57 is carried within 
the flange 37 of the transparent member 32 for prop-
60 erly positioning the translucent disk 52 and transparent 
disk 56 thereon. A hole 58 such as shown in FIG. 1, 
extends through the translucent disk 52 and the trans-
parent disk 56 for properly positioning the disks rela-
tive to the rotating hand 46 of the stopwatch 36. 
to provide a speed calibrator which includes a lamp for 65 
illuminating indicia so that the velocity of a vehicle 
traveling between two reference points can be readily 
determined. 
The stopwatch 36 is held in position with an upper 
portion flush against the flange 37 by means of a pie xi-
glass disk 60 which has threads on a perimeter thereof 
for securing such within the cup-shaped transparent 
l 
3,933,050 
3 4 
the disk 56 shown in FIG. 5 is placed on top of the 
translucent disk 52 with the pin 57 extending through 
the hole 58. The purpose of the pin 57 and the hole 58 
is to align the disk 56 with the starting point of the 
member 32 which also has internal threads thereon. 
The disk 60 has a frusto-conical opening 62 provided in 
the center thereof which gathers light emitted from a 
bulb 64 and transfers such through the disk 60 up 
through the transparent member 32 to the transparent 
disk 56. The lamp 64 is carried wi thin a metallic hous-
ing which includes a convex circular reflector 66. The 
reflector 66 has a downwardly extending cylindrica l 
portion 68 provided with internal threads therein. A 
plug 70 is threaded within the cylindrical portion 68 of 
the disk for securing the lamp 64 therein. A rim of the 
lamp 64 is in electrical contact with the metallic disk 
66. An electrode 71 is carried on the bottom of the 
lamp 64 in contact with an electrical plug 72. The plug 
72 is coupled by means of a wire 74 to a terminal 76 
which is, in turn, connected by means of a copper 
member 78 to the positive end of a battery 80. Wire 82 
5 stopwatch 36. 
When the device is used at night the switch 86 is 
depressed causing light from lamp 64 to be directed by 
plexiglass disk 60 and by cylindrical member 32 up-
wardly for illuminating the indicia S4 on disk 56 so as 
10 to take a reading. 
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has 
been described using specific terms, such description is 
for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood 
that changes and variations may be made without de-
15 parting from the spirit or scope of the following claims. 
is coupled between the metallic reflector 66 and one 
terminal 84 of a push button switch 86. Another termi-
nal 88 of the pushbutton switch 86 is connected by 20 
means of a wire 90 to a terminal 92. The terminal 92 
has extending downwardly therefrom a spring-biased 
conductive member 94 which engages the bottom side 
of the battery 80. 
The battery 80 is secured within the housing by a pair 25 
of arcuate shaped spring-biased members 96 which are 
secured by a screw 98 to a plate 100 carried within the 
housing. The plate 100 may be attached by any suitable 
means to the inner walls of the cylindrical member 10. 
A compartment generally designated by the refer- 30 
ence character 102 is provided adjacent the bottom of 
the cylindrical housing 10 for accommodating a plural-
ity of the disks 56. The compartment is defined by a 
cylindrical cup-shaped member 104 which is secured to 
the bottom of the cylindrical housing 10 by threads 35 
carried on an upwardly extending flange 106. A down-
wardly extending flange 108 has threads thereon for 
receiving a removable cover 110. The disks 56 carried 
within the compartment 102 are spare disks having 
indicia 54 provided thereon calculated for measuring 40 
the speed of vehicles between two reference points of 
various lengths. For example, in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 (only 
a portion of the indicia S4 is shown) the indicia 54 is 
calculated for measuring the speed of vehicles traveling 
between points which are 300, 400, and 500 feet apart. 45 
In operation, the operator of the apparatus first se-
lects a highway or road that has been previously 
marked off with white lines in predetermined distances. 
For example, the distance between the first and second 
painted line on the highway may be 200 feet so as to 50 
use the disk shown in FIG . I. When the vehicle passes 
the first painted line, the operator depresses the 
plunger 44 starting the stopwatch. When the vehicle 
passes over the second painted line on the highway, the 
plunger 44 is depressed to stop the stopwatch. The 55 
hand 46 begins rotating upon depressing the plunger 44 
the first time and stops when the plunger 44 is de-
pressed the second time. The indicia 54 printed on the 
face of the disk 56 is calibrated for directly reading the 
speed of the vehicle traveling between the first and 60 
second line. The stopwatch 36 provided for use with 
the disk 56 shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 5 and 6 rotates one 
complete revolution each three seconds. 
When it is desired to measure the speed of a vehicle 
between two points of a different distance such as 400 65 
feet, then the cap 110 is unscrewed and the appropriate 
disk, as shown in FIG. S is selected. The top cap 26 is 
screwed off the top of the cylindrical member 10 and 
What is claimed is: 
1. An apparatus for measuring the velocity of a vehi-
cle traveling between first and second measured points 
comprising: 
a cylindrical housing comprising a separable, cylin-
drical, cup-shaped, top portion having an open top 
end; 
a separable, removable transparent disk carried adja-
cent said open top end of said top portion; 
indicia representing speed calibrations circumferen-
tially spaced adjacent an outer perimeter of said 
disk; 
a stopwatch carried in said cup-shaped top portion 
below said disk; 
said stopwatch having a rotatable hand which rotates 
at a predetermined rate under said indicia when 
started; 
a separable cylindrical member encompassing said 
stop watch and supported within said cup-shaped 
top portion; 
an upwardly extending reference element carried on 
said cylindrical member at the upper end thereof; 
said transparent disk having an opening therein into 
which said upwardly extending reference element 
extends for positioning said transparent disk in a 
predetermined position relative to said stopwatch; 
means for starting the rotation of said rotatable hand 
from a reference point when said vehicle passes 
said first measured point and for stopping the rota-
tion of said hand when said vehicle passes said 
second measured point; 
whereby said hand when stopped points to said cali-
brated indicia on said disk indicating the velocity 
said vehicle was traveling between said first and 
second measured points; 
a removable cover engaging said top portion and 
comprising a transparent central portion overlying 
said stopwatch and said disk whereby said cover 
may be removed and said disk readily replaced 
with an alternate disk. 
2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said 
open top end of said top portion comprises an out-
wardly extending flange, said cylindrical member hav-
ing an outwardly extending flange supported on said 
flange of said top portion, said transparent disk being 
supported on said flange of said cylindrical member, 
said upwardly extending reference element carried on 
said outwardly extending flange of said cylindrical 
member. 
3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further com-
prising: 
a. a lamp carried in said cylindrical housing below 
said stopwatch, 
3,933 ,050 
5 
b. said cylindrical member being transparent, 
c. means for selectively energizing said lamp, and 
6 
b. said lamp extending through said hole for directing 
light upwardly and outwardly for illuminating said 
indicia carried on said transparent disk . 
d . means for directing illumination produced by said 
lamp when energized through said transparent cy-
lindrical member to said transparent disk for illu-
minating said indicia carried on said disk . 
s. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further com-
5 prising: 
a. a compartment provided in a bottom portion of 
said cylindrical housing for storing a plurality of 
said transparent disks with indicia provided 
thereon representing various speed calibrations, 
and 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein: 
a. said means for directing illumination includes a 10 
convex reflector having a hole in the center 
thereof, and 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 
40 
45 
50 
55 
60 
65 
b. a remevable cover carried by a bottom portion of 
said compartment for providing access to said 
disks. 
* * * * * 


Speed Calculator

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server