Whelen ROTA-BEAM Family History

[dmathieu]

Found this picture in a post by member usonian.


This ambulance uses what look like 4 ROTA-BEAM MODEL 66s on the 4 corners of the roof.

 

[dmathieu]

Very Vintage GLASS domed MODEL 66 on a new pick up.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Found this picture in a post by member usonian.
This ambulance uses what look like 4 ROTA-BEAM MODEL 66s on the 4 corners of the roof.

Nice old S&S ambulance, Dan. Seems that I've seen that picture before. How'd anyone see those Rota-Beams with that big Aurora Borealis going??

 

[dmathieu]

Nice old S&S ambulance, Dan. Seems that I've seen that picture before. How'd anyone see those Rota-Beams with that big Aurora Borealis going??

Skip, member usonian posted that picture,


and, It takes a trained ROTA-BEAM watcher to see them.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Skip, member usonian posted that picture,
and, It takes a trained ROTA-BEAM watcher to see them.

Well, I know that you have that trained, eye, Dan. Just like my ear for sirens!

 

[dmathieu]

Here is my version of the Hawaii MODEL 44 with cruise light.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Here is my version of the Hawaii MODEL 44 with cruise light.

Very interesting. Does the cruise light just burn steady or does it flash?

 

[dmathieu]

Very interesting. Does the cruise light just burn steady or does it flash?

The cruise light is switchwd seperately, and burns steady.

 

[JohnMarcson]

The cruise light is switchwd seperately, and burns steady.

Hawaii light, correct?

 

[kitn1mcc]

is there going to be an install thread for the new light


get ride of the big truck

 

[dmathieu]

Hawaii light, correct?

Correct.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Correct.

If it wasn't blue, I'd suspect that it came from California.

 

[dmathieu]

The cruise bulb would never pass their brightness requirements for steady red.

 

[Skip Goulet]

The cruise bulb would never pass their brightness requirements for steady red.

Back then, that would be true, but nowadays I don't think that CA law is all that strict. They still have to have steady-burn red to the front and alternating amber to the rear, but now they allow for all the different configurations in the LED bars, etc.

 

[dmathieu]

Version 1, 1952-1956. in 1st picture

Version 2, Late 50s - early 60s. In 1st picture

Version 3, Early to mid 60s. in 3rd picture

Version 4, Early 60s - 1990s. This is an early one. In 1st picture

Version 5, Still available. Flashing only, no rotation. In 2nd picture

 

[JohnMarcson]

Back then, that would be true, but nowadays I don't think that CA law is all that strict. They still have to have steady-burn red to the front and alternating amber to the rear, but now they allow for all the different configurations in the LED bars, etc.

It's actually stricter now than ever.... here is a link to both the the full state law and titles etc ... whether it is stuck to or not... I don't live out there...


The specific requirement is that vehicles must be sounding a siren and which has at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light that is visible, under normal atmospheric conditions, from a distance of 1,000 feet to the front of the vehicle.


CA Laws

 

[Skip Goulet]

It's actually stricter now than ever.... here is a link to both the the full state law and titles etc ... whether it is stuck to or not... I don't live out there...

The specific requirement is that vehicles must be sounding a siren and which has at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light that is visible, under normal atmospheric conditions, from a distance of 1,000 feet to the front of the vehicle.


CA Laws

Boy, they sure can be technical when they want to be can't they? John, did you happen to see in the CA statutes when you were looking anything about it being illegal to own or posses sirens or warning lights by private citizens? You know that's what Ebay uses to knock certain sirens off, especially if they deem them to be "law enforcement equipment" in nature. I mentoned in another thread that I was leading on the bids on an old Heathkit electronic siren. Ebay knocked it off. Go figure.


When I was a kid I used to hear the same crap around here that it was illegal to own or possess a siren if you weren't law enforcement. When I was in high school I was given an old siren that we eventually used at our football games. But before that I happened to have it lying in the back floorboard right after I got it and for some reason I got stopped by a cop. He saw it and confiscated it, saying it was illegal for me to have it. By the time the cop had time to get back to the station my dad was there waiting. He got the same line from a sergeant and a captain, until the chief walked in just in time to hear my dad roaring at the other cops. He and dad were good friends, so he wanted to know what was going on and dad told him that the cop had confiscated the siren on the grounds of "illegal to possess'. The chief's reply was, "Now that's just plain silly. Let him have it back." I guess that settled it.

 

[dmathieu]

Interesting thing on version 3 Aircraft Rota-Beam is that it has 6 extra glass lenses under the dome. Other than the 3 round main magnifying lenses, in the 3 connecting sides of the lens cage, (see picture), there are half circle glass magnifying lenses in each of the cut-outs. These lenses catch the bulb filament at high and low angles, while the main lenses catch the horizontal.


This gives HIGH, LEVEL, and LOW beams, 3 of each, on each rotation.


Almost a HILL LIGHT effect.


The automotive version of this light, (Model 66), does not have this feature.

 

[stansdds]

That explains the cut-outs in the flat sections between each lens in the lens carrier! I always wondered why Whelen's Corporal and RB-66 had those cut-outs and their larger model Roto-beams, and other manufacturers similarly styled beacons, did not have those cut-outs. The Corporal and RB-66 use the same lens carrier as the third model Aircraft Roto-beam, but without the lenses in the cut-outs. Thanks, Dmathieu!

 

[JohnMarcson]

That explains the cut-outs in the flat sections between each lens in the lens carrier! I always wondered why Whelen's Corporal and RB-66 had those cut-outs and their larger model Roto-beams, and other manufacturers similarly styled beacons, did not have those cut-outs. The Corporal and RB-66 use the same lens carrier as the third model Aircraft Roto-beam, but without the lenses in the cut-outs. Thanks, Dmathieu!

Mystery solved... vestigial rotator assembly slats explained! The appendix of the light world.

 

[dmathieu]

Original style lens cage with top rect. cut out.


Newer style lens cage with cut outs.

 

[911caddy]

Another great thread!! Thank you!!


I picked up a clear dome beacon a few years back from an auto wrecker with no tag on it.. I had figured it was Whelen product although it said Ingram underneath. The pictures here confirm it as a Whelen "Senior". It had two red plastic filters glued ifo two of the three lenses. Not real effective.. But interesting. I'm going to try the beacon with a halogen bulb soon.


If ya want to see it.. type in "Ingram series 29" at youtube. Enjoy!

 

[dmathieu]

You are correct. That is a model 22, 44, or 55 Senior. I like it!

 

[dmathieu]

Just added this Model 55 Hawaii version with cruise light, and quick disconnect base.


This light came from Hawaii.

 

[fireball3]

It is impressive to know that there are many model and variation in the Rota-beam.


I have a RBII that I really like! low noise.


Dan, thanks for sharing


/Cyril

 

[Skip Goulet]

Nice, nice, nice, Dan. I've always liked the units with the quick-disconnect base, although I've only seen one or two in actual operation. An ambulance in the small town of Big Lake, TX, had a quick-disconnect RB11 on a '64 Ford station wagon ambulance. I was shocked that this was the only warning light on the vehicle. I feared that it probably had an undersized siren under the hood as well!

 

[dmathieu]

Properly focused, Rota-Beams can be bright little buggers!

 

[Skip Goulet]

Properly focused, Rota-Beams can be bright little buggers!

You're right about that, Dan. I've noticed that with the RB11 I got from you. But I haven't seen it out in bright light, though. Still, it's a nice little light, and Whelen produced them for a very long time.

 

[dmathieu]

You're right about that, Dan. I've noticed that with the RB11 I got from you. But I haven't seen it out in bright light, though. Still, it's a nice little light, and Whelen produced them for a very long time.

1952/3 aircraft, 1954/5 automotive until 1992


Not a bad run with little design change.

 

[Skip Goulet]

1952/3 aircraft, 1954/5 automotive - 1992
Not a bad run with little design change.

Did Whelen ever build a light that was larger but still used the magnifying lenses: something akin to the Jr. Beacon Ray or the Dietz and KD beacons like both of us have?

 

[dmathieu]

Did Whelen ever build a light that was larger but still used the magnifying lenses: something akin to the Jr. Beacon Ray or the Dietz and KD beacons like both of us have?

Look on page one of this thread for the Senior series lights. Model Senior, Senior Deputy, 22, 44, 55.


Also look on page one for the picture comparing size of all the Rota-Beam Magnifier beacons.


The larger beacons, listed above, are 8" tall x 6 1/2" wide, and have a larger magnifying glass than the smaller Rota-Beams and the Junior Beacon Ray


The Junior Beacon Ray magnifier is the same size as the smaller Rota-Beams.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Look on page one of this thread for the Senior series lights. Model Senior, Senior Deputy, 22, 44, 55.
Also look on page one for the picture comparing size of all the Rota-Beam Magnifier beacons.


The larger beacons, listed above, are 8" tall x 6 1/2" wide, and have a larger magnifying glass than the smaller Rota-Beams and the Junior Beacon Ray


The Junior Beacon Ray magnifier is the same size as the smaller Rota-Beams.

Very interesting. I'd seen the Seniors listed, but they looked about the same size as the other RBs, so I didn't realize they were that large.

 

[dmathieu]

Size comparison picture. MODEL 66, CORPORAL, RB11 STANDARD, DEPUTY, CLEAR-RAY FLASHER, old SENIOR, and MODELs 22/33/44/55/77.


CORPORAL, and MODEL 66 = appx. 5" wide X 5" tall.


RB11 STANDARD, DEPUTY, CLEAR RAY FLASHER = appx. 5" wide X 6 3/4" tall.


MODELs SENIOR, SENIOR DEPUTY, 22, 44, 55, 33H, 77H = appx. 6 1/2" wide X 8" tall.

 

[dmathieu]

Photos credited to Murdercycles.com / vintage tow truck scans


Including Connecticut State Police Emergency Services Tow Truck!


All sporting Rota Beam RB11 lights.


Looks like red was the color for Connecticut tow trucks in those days.

 

[Captain4164]

Gotta love ol pics of working equipment!!


Thanks for posting!!!!

 

[Skip Goulet]

When I was a kid, the wreckers were a bit more elaborate. Since they were used to pry vehicles open at bad wrecks (since there were no JAWS back then), they were allowed to run red lights and some had sirens. When I was quite small my dad drove a wrecker on weekends for a longtime family friend who was by then a retired cop. Since no one yet had beacons at the time, he had a pair of red "Adam-12" lights on the roof and a big Sterling Sirenlite 30 on the left fender. I used to ride with Dad to some of the bad wrecks and could never talk him into running the siren. But one day we had to go to a bad truck wreck out on the highway, and he used it then. You can imagine how a little kid got a kick out of that!

 

[dmathieu]

This is a Model 55 Rota-Beam used by police in Hawaii in the 1970s.


This has the Hawaii cruise light modification, and the Quick Disconnect mount.

 

[Skip Goulet]

This is a Model 55 Rota-Beam used by police in Hawaii in the 1970s.
This has the Hawaii cruise light modification, and the Quick Disconnect mount.

What is the small eyebolt on the side used for? Stability?

 

[dmathieu]

What is the small eyebolt on the side used for? Stability?

Officer modification.


There used to be a small metal spring loaded rod to push to disengage the quick disconnect base from the roof stud. That push rod was replaced by the threaded eye bolt to probably hold onto the roof stud better than the push rod, or replace it due to breakage.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Officer modification.
There used to be a small metal spring loaded rod to push to disengage the quick disconnect base from the roof stud. That push rod was replaced by the threaded eye bolt to probably hold onto the roof stud better than the push rod, or replace it due to breakage.

I sorta figured that's what it was. All of the RotaBeams with quick disconnect that I've ever seen had the pushbutton. When I first saw that eyebolt it reminded me of a funeral home in Lubbock many years ago that used Junior beacons on their ambulances. These were the regular Model 15s with the old style magnets. But to keep those lights on the roof, they used bungee cords on each side to keep the lights stable. Unusual, but they worked!