Willis Lamm's
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| Traffic Signal Lenses |
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Kopp TL-4700 "WALK" Lens
Kopp produced a number of pedestrian lenses to fit into regular 8-3/8" round signal heads. The earliest known lens was the TL-4700 "WALK" lens. Most of the WALK lenses had white letters although a few were produced in blue. According to the archives of the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) round WAIT and WALK lenses were first listed as standard devices in 1935. In 1948 the standard was revised to include requirements that WALK be displayed in white letters on a black background and WAIT be displayed in orange letters on a black band with orange across the top and bottom of the lens. (Neon "DON'T WALK" / "WALK" signs were first listed in 1948 also.) |
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Inside view of pedestrian lenses
The pedestrian lenses had narrow letters that were raised on the inside. The inside of the lens was coated with an opaque finish and then the letters were polished clean.
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Kopp TL-4701 "WAIT" Lens
Some of the earlier WAIT lenses didn't look much different from the WALK lenses. Unfortunately the two could be confused from across a busy street. After 1948 WAIT lenses were to be Portland orange letters on a black band with distinctive bands of orange across the top and bottom. |
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Kopp "Chinese Arrow" Lenses
Many early arrow lenses were narrow stroke in an Asian style, commonly called "Chinese Arrows." They commonly came in a single direction, 90 degree crossed arrows (straight and left or straight and right) and left over right arrows. This lens is a TL-4703 single arrow, typically used as a protected turn arrow or to direct a lane that was required to turn. |
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Corning Arrow Lenses
Corning produced similar arrow lenses available in single arrow, crossed arrows and opposing arrows. The Corning arrows differed from the Kopp arrows in that the arrow strokes were slightly bolder and did not end in Asian style points, but were flat at the ends of the strokes. |
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