Trafficators

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Trafficator in the "on" position
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Trafficator in the "on" position

Trafficators are the internally lit semaphores springing out from the door pillars on some older (pre 1950's) motor vehicles to signal left and right turns.

They first appeared in the 1900s when they were actuated either mechanically or pneumatically. In 1908 Alfredo Barrachini in Rome had added electric lights inside the arms that turned on as they extended but operation was still by a cable system. Electric operation came in 1918 when the Naillik Motor Signal Company of Boston, USA added electric motor drive. This system was superseded by two French inventors Gustave Deneef and Maurice Boisson who used a linear solenoid in 1923. The final complete system came in 1927 when Berlin based Max Ruhl and Ernst Neuman combined internal illumination and solenoid operation.

They have now been replaced on modern vehicles by flashing indicators located at the corners of the vehicle. Many historic vehicles that are used on today's roads have had their trafficators supplemented with modern indicators to aid visibility.

[edit] External reference

  • The Motor Car - its evolution and engineering development. John Day. Bosch Ltd. 1975. ISBN-0 00 435016 2
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