Distress signaling device

Claim 2

A vehicle distress signaling device, comprising: elongated housing means having a pair of parallel sidewalls interconnected by a bottom wall to define a U shape; fastening means on said housing means adjacent one end thereof and adapted to fasten said housing means to the upper margin of a vertically adjustable window panel on the exterior of a side of said vehicle; polygonally shaped and foldable distress signaling means adapted to be foldably received between said pair of parallel sidewalls on said housing means for storage therein; and coupling means for coupling said signaling means, when unfolded to said polygonal shape, adjacent an end of said housing means remote from said fastening means to display said signaling means on said exterior side of said vehicle.

Claim 3

A vehicle distress signaling device, comprising: elongated housing means having a pair of parallel sidewalls interconnected by a bottom wall to define a U shape; fastening means on said housing means adjacent one end thereof and adapted to fasten said housing means to the upper margin of a vertically adjustable window panel on the exterior of a side of said vehicle; polygonally shaped and foldable distress signaling means adapted to be foldably received between said pair of parallel sidewalls on said housing means for storage therein; and coupling means for coupling said signaling means, when unfolded to said polygonal shape, adjacent an end of said housing means remote from said fastening means to display said signaling means on said exterior side of said vehicle.

Claim 4

A vehicle distress signaling device, comprising: elongated housing means having a pair of parallel sidewalls interconnected by a bottom wall to define a U shape; fastening means on said housing means adjacent one end thereof and adapted to fasten said housing means to the upper margin of a vertically adjustable window panel on the exterior of a side of said vehicle; polygonally shaped and foldable distress signaling means adapted to be foldably received between said pair of parallel sidewalls on said housing means for storage therein; and coupling means for coupling said signaling means, when unfolded to said polygonal shape, adjacent an end of said housing means remote from said fastening means to display said signaling means on said exterior side of said vehicle.

Claim 5

A vehicle distress signaling device, comprising: elongated housing means having a pair of parallel sidewalls interconnected by a bottom wall; hook means on said housing means adjacent one end thereof and adapted to fasten said housing means to the upper margin of a vertically adjustable window panel on the exterior of a side of said vehicle; polygonally shaped and foldable distress signaling means having at least a base section and two side sections and adapted to be foldably received between said pair of parallel sidewalls on said housing means; first pivot means on said housing means adjacent the opposite end of said housing means from said hook means for pivotally securing the mutually adjacent ends of said two side sections to said housing means; second pivot means on the end of one of said side sections remote from said first pivot means for pivotally securing said base section to said one Side section; and fastener means on the end of said base means remote from said second pivot means and on the end of said other side section remote from said first pivot means for fastening said base sections to said other side section.

Claim 6

A vehicle distress signaling device, comprising: elongated housing means having a pair of parallel sidewalls interconnected by a bottom wall; hook means on said housing means adjacent one end thereof and adapted to fasten said housing means to the upper margin of a vertically adjustable window panel on the exterior of a side of said vehicle; polygonally shaped and foldable distress signaling means having at least a base section and two side sections and adapted to be foldably received between said pair of parallel sidewalls on said housing means; first pivot means on said housing means adjacent the opposite end of said housing means from said hook means for pivotally securing the mutually adjacent ends of said two side sections to said housing means; second pivot means on the end of one of said side sections remote from said first pivot means for pivotally securing said base section to said one Side section; and fastener means on the end of said base means remote from said second pivot means and on the end of said other side section remote from said first pivot means for fastening said base sections to said other side section.

Claim 7

A vehicle distress signaling device according to claim 2, wherein said hook means is an integral part of said housing means.

Claim 8

A vehicle distress signaling device according to claim 2, wherein at least selected ones of said sections of said foldable polygon comprise an elongated strip having a base portion and a pair of upright edge wall means extending along the opposite lateral edges of said strip and an elongated reflectorized strip mounted on said base portion between said upright edge wall means, the side of said base portion opposite said reflectorized strip having a fluorescent type finish thereon.

Claim 9

A vehicle distress signaling device according to claim 4, wherein said first pivot means comprises means defining an opening through one of said pair of sidewalls of said housing means and an opening coaxial therewith through said mutually adjacent ends of said side sections and removable fastening means received in said coaxial openings to permit a reversal of the exposed one of said reflectorized and said fluorescent surfaces to the rear of said vehicle.

Claim 10

A vehicle distress signaling device according to claim 5, wherein said removable fastening means comprises flexible and resilient band means secured at one end to an exterior surface of said one of said pair of sidewalls of said housing means and pin means secured to the opposite end of said band means, said pin means being received in said coaxial openings and adapted to be moved out of said coaxial openings upon a flexing of said band means to releasably secure said polygonally shaped and foldable distress signaling means to said housing means.

Claim 11

A vehicle distress signaling device according to claim 2, wherein said distress signaling means is suspended from an end of said housing means remote from said hook means when said distress signaling means is unfolded to said polygon shape.

Claim 12

A vehicle distress signaling device according to claim 2, wherein said first pivot means comprises an elongated shaft means secured to and extending between said parallel sidewalls and alignable slot means in mutually adjacent ends of said side sections, said slot means, when aligned, receiving said shaft means to thereby secure said signaling means to said housing means.