SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

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SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Novice » Tue Sep 15, 2020 1:30 pm

FYI. Found a 1927 flatbed truck on e-bay with what looks like a commercially made after market accessory turn signal. looks like it might be lighted ? plastic or glass center unit. A improvement ? over the wood stick with a glove on it. See Photo attached below.
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s-l1600.jpg

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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by RustyFords » Tue Sep 15, 2020 1:49 pm

Soooo cool.

I think both are magnificent.
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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Virtus » Tue Sep 15, 2020 2:52 pm

I can feel a project coming on. I thought my 21TT was lacking something!


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by AandTman » Wed Sep 16, 2020 6:54 pm

Here's mine.


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by AandTman » Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:20 pm

Try again.....
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20200915_152615.jpg

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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by A Whiteman » Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:15 pm

And here is mine (RHD truck). Pull down on the lever for 'right turn' or pull out the end of the lever and the 'hand' moves up to the 'stop' position too :-) :
6 Nov 07 (6).JPG


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Burger in Spokane » Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:25 am

I have a period one with glass jewels, green facing forward and red facing back.
It is in need of MUCH work to return it to service, but some day !
More people are doing it today than ever before !


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Luxford » Thu Sep 17, 2020 8:42 am

Here is a neat one which I saw on a Tour in Canada in 2011.

It was a bar that went in front of the windscreen, driver moved a lever and the LEFT or Right marked ends moved out from the body.
From memory the R & L lit up. Thought I had a better photo but can't find it.
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turn signals  pincer creek.jpg
turn signals pincer creek.jpg (81.53 KiB) Viewed 3088 times


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Harry Lillo » Thu Sep 17, 2020 10:15 am

Peter, you are correct about the lights sliding out and then lighting up. It is quite a complex system.
The mechanical action is actually caused by a vacuum switch that causes a tube to slide inside another.
When it hits its outer limit, that completes an electrical circuit, and the light comes on.
I found parts of a set of one of these at the Zephyrhills swap meet in Florida.
The next summer I found the remaining parts in Spokane. Every single part I was missing was on that table.
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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Dropacent » Thu Sep 17, 2020 12:04 pm

Here’s one of my favorites. It’s on our taxi , made in California. The mounting bracket is T column shaped.
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89766242-60C2-41BE-870C-82DEEA2ABC68.jpeg


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Dropacent » Thu Sep 17, 2020 12:15 pm

Here one that Dr. Rube Goldberg manufactured.
C9CECC4C-4380-4CB6-9F59-8474664D436B.png
5CCD2240-5660-4B10-97AD-0DD9A0F97B66.png
9A5C59B9-8A55-4C43-ABB8-B53575206F77.png


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Dropacent » Thu Sep 17, 2020 12:16 pm

Here my 3 stooges model on my truck
DC72319F-CA56-47AF-9AEF-416FE64F4E69.png
523A8C32-FC29-4966-9F8D-7DAFA31A7A41.png

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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by RajoRacer » Thu Sep 17, 2020 1:36 pm

I have that one also, Tim - was going to install it on my wife's brass Fire Chief's rig if'n I ever get it painted !


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by D Stroud » Sun Sep 20, 2020 12:36 am

That signal that Don V. posted looks nearly identical to the one Jim D. posted. Jim's appears to be the same with the addition of an extra bracket to space it out farther from the cab, no doubt to be seen easier with a wide bed or load. MHO Dave.
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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Virtus » Sun Sep 20, 2020 5:14 am

Was out bid on this desirable accessory yesterday! A Birclow Auto Signal. Oh well, back to the drawing board.
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058ba03b-6280-4e8a-ac41-ac2e013f1632.jpg
058ba03b-6280-4e8a-ac41-ac2e013f1632.jpg (2.33 KiB) Viewed 2872 times


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Dropacent » Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:03 pm

That’s a neat one, paul. What did it go for? Any better pics? Isn’t it amazing , so may wacky things back then. These were common peopleS dreams to hit a home run, make it big. Most all were flops.

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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Steve Jelf » Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:14 pm

Anybody here remember semaphore traffic signals?

semaphore.jpg
If you're an elderly person who grew up in the West you can probably whistle the tune that goes with this.
The inevitable often happens.
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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Dropacent » Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:15 pm

Semaphores or trafficators were much more common in Europe. Not sure of the exact history, but I believe they were standard equipment for a long time. Not real early, either. I don’t believe they ever caught on much over here, but still a neat accessory item.
I believe American ingenuity produced better turn electric bulb signal setups way back, and I have several neat examples that were model T era specific. Easy to tell by the mounting bracket. So, in my opinion, light up turn signals probably caught on pretty early in the states. That is , for people that would spend that kind of money. The vast majority would just use their own arm. JMHO


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Dropacent » Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:16 pm

That’s a beautiful pic, Steve!


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Dropacent » Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:17 pm

I wonder if that’s authentic or a fantasy item? Do you know?

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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Steve Jelf » Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:31 pm

Looks like a real one as I remember them. I think the modern signals with three lights replaced them in the early fifties, at least where I lived.

Traffic-Light-768x682.jpg
From the signs and cars I'm guessing this is looking northwest on Ventura Boulevard at Lankershim about 1940. Wikipedia claims these were retired around 1930, but I distinctly remember them after the war.
Last edited by Steve Jelf on Sun Sep 20, 2020 2:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Virtus » Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:44 pm

Tim , hopefully a better picture. It went for GB £ 130.00 plus the usual commissions
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058ba03b-6280-4e8a-ac41-ac2e013f1632 (1).jpg

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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Rich Eagle » Sun Sep 20, 2020 3:03 pm

Here are some close ups of the vacuum signals Peter Kabel showed above. I borrowed them from this Ebay ad.
I recall two fellows returning from a Harrah's Swap Meet in the mid 60's, each with a set of them. Apparently there were quite a few sets for sale there.
A 1929 REO Flying Cloud got one set and a 1929 Erskine got the other. They were marvelous.
VturnSgnl.jpg
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-1930s-Fo ... SwTrxfSCWH
No connection to this seller.
When did I do that?


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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Dropacent » Sun Sep 20, 2020 3:18 pm

How can you not love this wacky stuff!

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Re: SEMAPHORE TURN SIGNAL

Post by Rich Eagle » Sun Sep 20, 2020 3:58 pm

It was kind of wacky stuff wasn't it? These aren't the best photos but show how they looked.
Vturn2l.jpg
When did I do that?

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