Visi-Flash
Encyclopedia
Visi-Flash was the trade name
used by R. E. Dietz Company
for their line of battery powered transistor
ized barricade
warning lights. In 1958, Dietz was the first company to offer battery powered barricade lights. These lights are commonly seen along highway construction zones or other road & highway hazards. Before the development of these lights, oil burning lanterns and "highway torches" which resembled cannon balls were used. Naturally these could pose a fire
hazard
.
The main body of these lights were manufactured of steel
and later high impact plastic
. The lenses
used were mainly yellow
, though examples of red
, green
and blue
exist. Their internal circuits
were either 6 or 12 volt DC. 12 volt
units used a higher candle power bulb though battery
life was about half of the 6 volt models. These lights either blink or stay illuminated(no flashing circuit) depending on model with all models containing an on-off switch
. Later models also used a photocell for dusk to dawn operation which, extended battery life. Both design voltages used two 6 volt lantern batteries
. Certain models of these warning lights command high collector value. There are no current web sources for further information about these warning lights. Several other companies also produced barricade lights but Dietz Visi-Flash was by far the largest, selling them world wide. The trade name Visi-Flash was later purchased by Riva Plastics Corp in the late 1980s. Riva Plastics Corp is no longer in business.
Trade name
A trade name, also known as a trading name or a business name, is the name which a business trades under for commercial purposes, although its registered, legal name, used for contracts and other formal situations, may be another....
used by R. E. Dietz Company
R. E. Dietz Company
R.E. Dietz Company was a lighting products manufacturer. They are best known for hot blast and cold blast kerosene lanterns. The company started in 1840 when its founder, 22 year old Robert E. Dietz purchased a Lamp & Oil business in Brooklyn, New York...
for their line of battery powered transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
ized barricade
Barricade
Barricade, from the French barrique , is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction...
warning lights. In 1958, Dietz was the first company to offer battery powered barricade lights. These lights are commonly seen along highway construction zones or other road & highway hazards. Before the development of these lights, oil burning lanterns and "highway torches" which resembled cannon balls were used. Naturally these could pose a fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
hazard
Hazard
A hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or environment. Most hazards are dormant or potential, with only a theoretical risk of harm; however, once a hazard becomes "active", it can create an emergency situation. A hazard does not exist when it is not...
.
The main body of these lights were manufactured of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
and later high impact plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
. The lenses
Lens (optics)
A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate axial symmetry which transmits and refracts light, converging or diverging the beam. A simple lens consists of a single optical element...
used were mainly yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
, though examples of red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
, green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
and blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
exist. Their internal circuits
Electrical network
An electrical network is an interconnection of electrical elements such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, transmission lines, voltage sources, current sources and switches. An electrical circuit is a special type of network, one that has a closed loop giving a return path for the current...
were either 6 or 12 volt DC. 12 volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
units used a higher candle power bulb though battery
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
life was about half of the 6 volt models. These lights either blink or stay illuminated(no flashing circuit) depending on model with all models containing an on-off switch
Switch
In electronics, a switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another....
. Later models also used a photocell for dusk to dawn operation which, extended battery life. Both design voltages used two 6 volt lantern batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
. Certain models of these warning lights command high collector value. There are no current web sources for further information about these warning lights. Several other companies also produced barricade lights but Dietz Visi-Flash was by far the largest, selling them world wide. The trade name Visi-Flash was later purchased by Riva Plastics Corp in the late 1980s. Riva Plastics Corp is no longer in business.