Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-05-16
Mechanical Traffic Policeman Is
To Work With Efficiency.

| DCtuCcud, Nu., may OSus uCOhohASo'
policemen were put into operation for the
direction Of traffic at the intersections Of
Edeemoor Lane. Old Georgetown Road
Rockville Road, Watkins and Wisconsin
Avenues in Bethesda. and at Colesville
Road. Sixteenth Street and Georgia Avenue
at Silver Spring.
Amidst an immense gathering of promi-
nent local and visiting officials the switch
was thrown, feeding the power into the
traffic robots. Two Of these mechanical
bluecoats were put in operation. and under
their superhuman direction traffic will move
unhindered at all points where there is no
cross traffic. When there is opposing traffic,
vehicles will be stopped for just sufficient
length Of time to permit the cross flow to
pass in safety. and then the vehicles will
be permitted to move again.
The mechanical bluecoats. or electro
mates. have the enthusiastic approval Of
well-known traffic authorities. 1t is their
opinion that the electro-matic system will
revolutionize the handling Of traffic through
out the United States.
The robot system, or electro-matic sys-
TEN. is composed of two main parts Vehi-
cle-sensitive units. or "eyes." and a con-
troll mechanism. or brain"
The vehicle sensitive units are rubber
covered sensitive strips set into the pave
ment on all approaches leading into the
intersection. Automobiles do not stop at
these strips nor are the drivers aware Of
their presence in the street. These units.
or "eyes." see the approach of every vehicle
and transfer the following information to
the control mechanism: The speed of
the vehicle approaching the number of
vehicles per hour; their order of arrival !;
the exact time each has waited; and any
other information that may be Of use to
the control mechanism.
The control mechanism, or brain" re-
ceives this information. records it, and
with complete knowledge of all traffic APP
preaching and passing through the inter-
section schedules the vehicles through.
A single car passing through is not stop
ped at any point if there is no opposing
traffic; the rieht-of-way is continually
given to it. Where two cars approach on
different streets at the same time, the one
reaching the intersection first will be &C.
corded the right the green light
Immediately switching over to the waiting
vehicle. There is no unnecessary delay.
If there is continuous stream and
car approaches OH the cross street. it is
given the first right-of-way that occurs in
the continuous stream. If no break occurs
after a maximum period of time. the con-
tinuous stream is stopped. the cross-street
vehicle is permitted to move over. and as
soon as it is safely across the intersection
the light reverts to the main highway.
Under the control of the electro-matic
robot more cars will be passed through the
streets per hour than in any other form of
handling-either human or mechanical.
Moreover. the mechanical policemen will
work steadily with maximum efficiency
twenty-four hours day. year in and year
out. regardless of weather or traffic condi-
tons.
Other installations of the mechanical
policemen have been made in many cities,
including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Provi-
dence. Miami Baech, High Point, Metro
poltan Boston, Wilmington, Macon, and
many others.
- . -
Free Conferences On Children Set.
With view to Kidding the children of
the county Of physical handicaps before
they enter school for the first time. free
child conferences have been arranged for
various parts of the county by the Bureau
of Child Hygiene of the State Department
of Health. in cooperation with the county
board of health. the county health nurses
and county physicians. DR.. VIM. T. Pratt,
county health officer has announced.
These conferences will be as follows:
Tuesday. May 20, Rockville High School.
in the morning. and Rockville colored school
in the afternoon; Wednesday. May 81, Ia
Koma Park school. morning and afternoon !;
Thursday. May %. Glen Echo-Cabin John
school, in the morning, and school at Po-
tomac in the afternoon Tuesday. May 81
Gaithersbure school. in the morning. and
Washington Grove in the afternoon; We'd
nesday, May %, Sandy Spring. in the
morning, and Brookeville school 10 the
afternoon Thursday. May 20. Poolesville
school. in the morning. and GAINESVILLE
school in the afternoon; Tuesday. June 3.
Damascus school, 10 the morning. and
Clarksburg school in the afternoon.
The conferences will be attended by
child specialist from Baltimore. who will
make the physical examinations.