Almost all the motor-vehicles, as well as some motor-cycles by now in circulation, are known to be provided with an emergency signalling apparatus, which, once activated, intermittent turns all the direction indicators on.

However, over the years, such a device has been more and more widely used, not just for signalling emergency situations, but also for other purposes, e.g. for signalling the simple intent to stop. Furthermore, the known emergency signalling apparatuses have the drawback of seeming inactive at first sight, since the direction indicators are turned off for short time periods.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an emergency signalling apparatus free from such drawbacks. Such an object is achieved by an emergency signalling apparatus having the features specified in claim 1.

Thanks to the emergency signalling apparatus according to the present invention, the stop lights of the vehicle are intermittent turned on alternately with respect to the direction indicators, so that it is possible to recognise an emergency situation even at first sight. Another advantage of the emergency signalling apparatus according to the present invention is due to the fact that it is possible to differentiate the type of signalling according to the situation the vehicle is in, by activating or deactivating the intermittent working of the stop lights. A further advantage of the emergency signalling apparatus according to the present invention is due to the fact that it may be produced by modifying, through the application of an easily manufactured device, the known signalling apparatuses already mounted on a vehicle.

Further advantages and features of the emergency signalling apparatus according to the present invention will be evident to those skilled in the art by the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawing, wherein the only figure shown a diagrammatic view of the portion of the electric system of a vehicle comprising the signalling apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to such a figure, said electric system comprises, in a known way, a three-pole double-throw switch 1, acting so as to turn the emergency signalling apparatus on and off. Such a switch in turn comprises two circuit breakers la, ib and a switch ic, being mechanically connected to one another so as to be simultaneously operated by pushing only a button (not shown in the Figure). One ofthe two inputs of switch lc is directly connected to the battery 2 of flue motor-vehicle, whereas the other input is connected thereto through a line operated by the main circuit breaker 3, generally key-operated. The output of switch lc has connected thereto, through a line preferably protected by a fuse 4 connected in series, a timed circuit breaker 5 which is automatically closed and opened at periodic intervals, usually lasting 0.5-1.5 seconds. The output of timed circuit breaker 5 has connected thereto, through circuit breaker la of switch 1, a pilot lamp 6 signalling the working of the emergency signalling apparatus. The output of timed circuit breaker 5 has as well connected thereto the input of the three-way switch 7 operated during the normal working of the vehicle in order to control the lighting of the left 8' and right 8" direction indicators, as well as of the respective left 9' and right 9" pilot lamps. For the sake of simplicity, the Figure shows only a pair of direction indicators 8' and 8", but, obviously, a vehicle has generally more pairs of direction indicators. Finally, the output of timed circuit breaker 5 is connected to the input contact of circuit breaker ib of switch 1. This circuit breaker is provided with two output contacts, each being connected to one of the direction indicators 8', 8" and to the respective pilot lamps 9', 9". By this arrangement, when switch 1 is operated, circuit breaker lb is closed and both direction indicators 8', 8" and pilot lamps 9', 9" are intermittent turned on, by means oftimed circuit breaker 5.

The line controlled by main circuit breaker 3 has connected thereto, in a known way, stop light 10, protected by a fuse 11 connected in series, which is turned on when circuit breaker 12, mechanically connected to the foot-brake (not shown in the figure), is closed. For the sake of simplicity, the Figure shows only a stop light, but, obviously, a vehicle has generally more stop lights connected in parallel.

In order to obtain the intermittent lighting of the stop light 10, the emergency signalling apparatus according to the present invention is suitably provided with a control device 13. Such a control device comprises an automatic circuit breaker 14, operated by the current of a line 15 grounding a further output contact of circuit breaker lb of switch 1. In the present embodiment, such an automatic circuit breaker is formed of a relay, but it is obvious that, in other embodiments of the present invention, the automatic circuit breaker may be formed of other electric, electromagnetic or electronic devices capable of breaking an electric line according to a control signal.

Depending upon the current flowing through line 15 or not, relay 14 respectively opens or closes a line 16 connecting to the stop light 10 a further input contact of the switch lc, directly connected to battery 2. By this arrangement, when switch 1 is operated for signalling the emergency, the stop light 10 is turned on when direction indicators 8', 8" are off and vice versa. In order to control the proper working of relay 14, a potentiometer 17 is preferably connected in series on line 15.

Control device 13 preferably comprises a circuit breaker 18 and a fuse 19, both connected in series on line 16 and respectively acting so as to activate or deactivate the intermittent working of stop light 10 and to protect such a stop light from accidental overloads. Finally, the emergency signalling apparatus according to the present invention preferably comprises a pilot lamp 20, connected to an output contact of relay 14, which indicates the lighting of stop light 10 during the emergency signalling.

During the use, as long as the emergency signalling apparatus according to the present invention is disconnected, only one of the two direction indicators 8', 8" can be turned on by suitably operating on switch 7. In this case the electric current coming from battery 2 passes through main circuit breaker 3, being obviously closed, through fuse 4 and timed circuit breaker 5, intermittent operating on the direction indicator selected by switch 7.

In order to signal an emergency situation, switch 1 is operated by closing circuit breakers la and lb and connecting, through switch lc, battery 2 to timed circuit breaker 5, no longer having to pass through main circuit breaker 3. Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to operate the emergency signalling apparatus even if main circuit breaker is open, i.e. the vehicle is off. The electric current coming from battery 2, by passing through fuse 4, timed circuit breaker 5 and circuit breakers la, lb, intermittent turns on pilot lamps 6, 9', 9" and direction indicators 8', 8". The electric current passes from circuit breaker ib, closed, through potentiometer 17 along line 15 and reaches the control input of relay 14. Furthermore, electric current from battery 2 reaches relay 14, by passing through switch lc, circuit breaker 16, closed, and fuse 19. Thus, if current flows through line 15, i.e. pilot lamps 6, 9', 9" and direction indicators 8', 8" are on, relay 14 is opened and stop light 10 is off. On the contrary, if no current flows through line 15, i.e. pilot lamps 6, 9', 9" and direction indicators 8', 8" are off, relay 14 is closed and stop light 10 is on, as well as pilot larnp 20. In order to signal an emergency situation in the conventional way, i.e. only by means of flashing direction indicators 8', 8", it is sufficient to open circuit breaker 18.

In another embodiment of the emergency signalling apparatus according to the present invention, the output of line 15 of automatic circuit breaker 14 of control device 13 is not grounded, but it is connected to another hue of the electric system of the vehicle. By this arrangement, it is always possible to obtain the alternate flashing of direction indicators and stop lights, although the scheme and the working of the electric system having control device 13 applied thereto are different from the aforementioned ones.

Further changes and/or additions may be made by those skilled in the art to the embodiment herein described and illustrated, without departing from the scope ofthe invention.