Eli Haif Three Color Stop Light Signal

whb52ford

whb52ford

Senior Member
I have looked at this for many years. Never seen a complete one. What I'm interested in is the instructions to make this work.

June 1950 Poplular Mechanics
Three-Color Stop Light Signals Driver’s Action
“Motorists following a car equipped with a three-color stop light know exactly what the driver ahead is doing. When the car is moving forward normally, the green light is on. As the driver applies the brakes, an amber light operates, warning the following driver that the car is slowing down. When the car slows down below 10 miles an hour, these two lights go off and a bright-red light appears. As soon as the car accelerates again, the green light goes back on. The lights work automatically and are housed in a box that looks like a standard traffic light. Only two wires are required for installation.”

Anybody have any ideas on how to make this work?
 

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oh my! DMVs and law enforcement, country-wide, would have a field day with me if attached one of those ANYWHERE on my car these days. smh!
 
whb52ford said:
I have looked at this for many years. Never seen a complete one. What I'm interested in is the instructions to make this work.

June 1950 Poplular Mechanics
Three-Color Stop Light Signals Driver’s Action
“Motorists following a car equipped with a three-color stop light know exactly what the driver ahead is doing. When the car is moving forward normally, the green light is on. As the driver applies the brakes, an amber light operates, warning the following driver that the car is slowing down. When the car slows down below 10 miles an hour, these two lights go off and a bright-red light appears. As soon as the car accelerates again, the green light goes back on. The lights work automatically and are housed in a box that looks like a standard traffic light. Only two wires are required for installation.”

Anybody have any ideas on how to make this work?
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578942
 
I’m thinking that it’s got some simple and crude decelerometer in it… I’m guessing a pendulum that swings a set of contacts thru Green (no decel), then Yellow (some decel) and Red (harder decel). Sure can’t have any electronics in it, and no connection to the speedometer. Never seen anything like it, but it seems like a cool accessory, and doubt that it functioned accurately and reliably as advertised. But who knows?
 
Every once in a while, I see vintage ones for sale on eBay, but there not the same as that one in the photo. That one in your photo looks larger than most of them I see. A couple of them have been in the boxes with the instructions. I've been tempted to buy one and stick it on one of my vehicles.

I have a vintage real traffic light out in the garage, probably from the 1940s, It's a little too large to hang on the rear license plate.

I found a crusty a similar one in the sold section of eBay. It has an awful lot of wires coming from it. It would be interesting to see how it's wired up and works.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1774698813...2p/SFzivRur+4MSXOL1K4Q+Gg=|tkp:Bk9SR_Cgx7LoZg
 
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whb52ford said:
I have looked at this for many years. Never seen a complete one. What I'm interested in is the instructions to make this work.

June 1950 Poplular Mechanics
Three-Color Stop Light Signals Driver’s Action
“Motorists following a car equipped with a three-color stop light know exactly what the driver ahead is doing. When the car is moving forward normally, the green light is on. As the driver applies the brakes, an amber light operates, warning the following driver that the car is slowing down. When the car slows down below 10 miles an hour, these two lights go off and a bright-red light appears. As soon as the car accelerates again, the green light goes back on. The lights work automatically and are housed in a box that looks like a standard traffic light. Only two wires are required for installation.”

Anybody have any ideas on how to make this work?
Click to expand...
im glad i wired in a third brake light in rear split window in my '37. there ar distracted drivers every where. I am sorry to discourage you from installing that cool stop light device it may so mezmerizing the distracted fools may rear end you.:mad: Tom.
 
My old wrecks have a 3rd brake light right in the rear window. You can always see if your brake lights are working.
 
I remember those type lights and thought they were controlled by engine vacuum. Higher vacuum given by deceleration gave the yellow light, moderate vacuum given by throttle gave the green light, and and electric third brake light. Maybe I'm dreaming in my old age, but that's what I remember.

Farmertom mentioned the split rear windows in the early Fords. I found some lights designed for boat trailers that have two levels of brightness. I put one in each side of the rear windows for additional tail, signal and brake lights. They also augment the small, low mounted tail lights of the era.
 

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Now you guys have me interested in buying one. I've always wanted one. I'm going to stick it on a '34 pickup. I bought the June 1950 Popular Mechanics. Now I just need to find the traffic light (and the wiring instructions).
 
I would presume a mercury switch is involved much like an under hood or rear deck lamp works to make or break (no pun intended) as they are opened or closed. The Barton manufacturing co. (Chicago) also shows one available but lacks the character of an actual traffic signal.
 
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My guess , and that is all it is would be it had a control switch the workred off the transmision end of the speedometer cable. Tim
 
40cpe said:
I remember those type lights and thought they were controlled by engine vacuum. Higher vacuum given by deceleration gave the yellow light, moderate vacuum given by throttle gave the green light, and and electric third brake light. Maybe I'm dreaming in my old age, but that's what I remember.

Farmertom mentioned the split rear windows in the early Fords. I found some lights designed for boat trailers that have two levels of brightness. I put one in each side of the rear windows for additional tail, signal and brake lights. They also augment the small, low mounted tail lights of the era.
Click to expand...
578990
 
I think ( dangerous) that the amber would just be a simple switch hooked to the accelerator, turns on when pressure is removed, then the brake is straight foward . Green would be again attached to the accelerator. This time when accelerating the switch would turn on , green
 
I 3D Printed one. If you know someone with a 3D printer I can send you the file. It's about 4" high. I think I have a plan, but until proven I won't post it using relays.
 

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