VEHICULAR LIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR TWO LANE RURAL HIGHWAYS- WITH DISCUSSION

A CONDENSED HISTORY OF DOMESTIC PROGRESS IN HEADLIGHTING IS REPORTED. THE LIGHTING PROBLEM ARISING DURING THE ENCOUNTER OF 2 VEHICLES ON A STRAIGHT LEVEL, 2-LANE HIGHWAY IS ILLUSTRATED AND DISCUSSED. THE GRAVES "ANTI-DAZZLE" SYSTEM IS A MEANS OF ACHIEVING SHARPNESS OF CUTOFF. GATED ELLIPTICAL SYSTEMS AS WELL AS OTHER MORE COMPLEX SYSTEMS, USUALLY INVOLVING OBJECTIVE LENSES, FOCUS A SHARP CUTOFF PATTERN DOWN THE HIGHWAY. A SOPHISTICATED SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF PROVIDING LIGHT AHEAD WITHOUT INCONVENIENCING THE ONCOMING DRIVER, CONSISTS OF A GATED ELLIPTICAL SYSTEM WITH A LATERALLY MOVABLE MASK WHICH LEAVES THE ONCOMING CAR IN A SHADOW. THE RECENTLY DEVELOPED "SUYO SENSA" IS UNABLE TO ACCOMODATE ALL OF THE SITUATIONS FOUND IN THE NORMAL HIGHWAY SITUATION. PROBLEMS OF HEADLIGHT DESIGN ARE REVIEWED. HEADLIGHT AIM ON THE VEHICLE, CONSTITUTES THE GREATEST SINGLE SOURCE OF VARIANCE IN PERFORMANCE. THE PROBLEM PRESENTED BY A SHARP CUTOFF LOW BEAM IS DESCRIBED AS IS ALSO THE TOTAL VEHICLE LEVELLING SYSTEMS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE VEHICLE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. SCHEMES FOR MANUALLY ADJUSTING THE AIM OF HEADLIGHTS FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE AND ALSO AUTOMATIC DEVICES TO MAINTAIN THE AIM OF THE HEADLIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO THE HIGHWAY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED. ALTHOUGH THE INTERJECTION OF A THIRD BEAM BETWEEN THE LOW AND HIGH, AND REFINED OPTICAL SYSTEMS MAY OFFER IMPROVEMENTS, ONLY POLARIZED HEADLIGHTING OFFERS THE ADVANTAGE OF THE USE OF A CLEAR-ROAD HIGH-INTENSITY BEAM THAT DOES NOT BOTHER DRIVERS. ASPECTS SUCH AS AIM, LOAD LEVELERS, THREE-BEAM SYSTEM, POLARIZED HEADLIGHTING, AND HEADLIGHT CLEANING DEVICES ARE REVIEWED IN THE DISCUSSION WHICH FOLLOWS THE PAPER.

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    • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
  • Corporate Authors:

    Highway Research Board

    2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
    Washington, DC    20418
  • Authors:
    • Meese, G E
  • Discussers:
    • Maurer, Philip
  • Conference:
  • Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; References;
  • Pagination: pp 41-50
  • Monograph Title: HIGHWAY VISIBILITY
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00222187
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 0309020972
  • Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
  • Created Date: Nov 14 1973 12:00AM