US1465936A

US1465936A - Spotlight-operating

Info

Publication number: US1465936A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1923-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1940-08-28

Description

lil

Patented AgtnZjS" 1923.

UNITED STA-rss PA WALTER H. FLOOD, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPOTLIGHT-OPERATIN G HECHANISH.

v Application tiled March 11, 1922. Serial No. 542.829.

To fdl whom iti'may eoncem:

Be it known that I, Waarna H. FLoou, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Spotlight-t)perating Mechanism; and I do hei-eb)v declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

reference being had to the accompanying drawin, fs` and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specitieation.

This invention relates to simple control means to operate :1n external spotlight from the interior of'a ear. lli'ith the ordinary spotlight or searchlight on arclosed car, it is necessary to lower a window and reach outside to change the direction of the spotl ht An object of this invention is t0 avoid elamping the spotlight to the windshield bracket of an open car as this involves considerableannoyanee, when using mirtains with such a ear as the spotlight would interfere with attaching,r the curtain to the windshield.

Another object is to so place the spotlight as to avoid creating a blind spot for the drive". Other interiorly operated spotlights require cutting a hole in the windshield glass, which is ditlieult and involves danger of breakage and forms a prominent blind spot directly in the drivers field of vision.

A further object is to provide positive and automatic clamping means to maintain the adjustment or" the spotlight` against the ,always present vibrations and shocks incident to ordinary driving.

A further object is to so eounterbalance the projet-tor as to vender the operation of the light easy in a n v position and to thereby render it possible to make very close adjustments without delay which might be caused hy moving the light -past a predetermined position,

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the drawings and specification.

The invention (in a preerfed form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more I'ullv dnsr'rited.

0n the drawings:

Figure I is a sectional view nl' the preferred f rm of a s )otlight operating mechanism em iodying t is invention.

'Figure 2 is a slightly enlarged section along the line 2 2 of Iigure 1.

Figure 2 is a slightly enlarged section along the line 3-3 of Figure l. w

Figure 4 is aslightly enlarged section along the line 4 4 of Figure l.

Figure t is a slightly reduced fragmentary view -of the spotlight connection and counterbalances.

Figure 6 is a section of a modification showing electrical contacts.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral l refers tothat part of the automobile used to support the spotlight. The sleeve 2 with an integral flange 3 and a loose flange 4, is rigid] attached through the su port by means o screws or rivets 5, accor ing towhether the support is wood or metal. Near the outside end of the sleeve '2 are two grooves 6 and 7 the groove 6 runs completely around the sleeve, but the groove 7 is so cut. as to leave a small stop as shown in Figure 2. Mounted on the sleeve 2 is a sleeve 8 which is held in place by set screws 9 and is free, to turn, but prevented from completely revolving by a set screw 10 in the groove 7. The object of this construction is to prevent winding up the electrical conductors used in operating the spotlight. A hollow rod 1p1 slides in sleeves 2-8, and its outer end carries a pinV ]2 eonneeted to a lug 13Von the spotlight 14 through the link 15. The spotlight is pivotal'ly secured to the sleeve 8 by a. pin 1S. The pin 12 slides in grooves 17 in sleeve 8, whereby th.n spotlight turns with the sleeve 8 and has ,a one-direction movement with regard to the sleeve, Attar'hed to the bark of the spotlight easing are counter- Weights 1R to balance the easing about the pin 1G. The inside end of rod 1I is tape-red and holds an operating wheel lf). b v means of a nut 20. A locking rod 21 runs through the rod 1t and has opposed grooves 22 forming a double wedge. near its outer end. Two small dogs or bloc-lcs 23 are set in these grooves and project through slots in the rod ll to make Contact with the sleeve 2. A

firing 24 operates against a head 23 on the rod 2l to bringr the wedge portion of rod 2l against these bloeks E23. thus lori-ing them into firm Contact with the sleeve 2 and preventing turningr or sliding of the rod l1.

A modified form of a portion of this dev lil c lump an allow complete revolution of the light. The same numerals are used for similar parts shown in the other figures. An insulated spool 26 carrying conducting rings 27 is mounted on the sleeve 8 and turns with the saine. The rings are connected to the lamp terminals by wires 28. A stationair- 5v insulated sleeve 29 mounted on thc llange 3 carries brushes 30 which make Contact with the rings 2 and are connected by wires 31 through a switch to the battery or other source of electrical energy.

The operation is as follows:

'ln adjust the spotlight` the head on the rml .l is pressed inwardly thus releasing tlnblocks 223 from thc sleeve 2. Thenthe uhr-cl lt) is moved out or in to tilt the Spotlight with respect lo the sleeve 2 and turned either way to turn the spotlight in the same direction. B v a combination of these movements. the light can be easily controlled within its range of adjustment, and releasing pressure on the head of the rod 21 at oni-c locks this adjustment.

It will be evident that by substitutingr flexibli` connections for

rods

11 and 21, we can have a distance control for the light allowing its location wherever desired, as for instance, in front of and below the top of the radiator where it will not interfere with the drivcrs range of vision.

The preferred form as described above is intended to be installed through. the support at the front corner of the body, or through one of the pillars of,a closed car.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that this invention provides a mechanism of the class described which may be economirallv manufactured and conveniently installed by the simple expedient of drilling a single hole through the body member.

I am aware that many changes may be made. and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range Without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art. I claim as my invention:

1.. In a s otlight, a hinged projector, a stationary seeve attached to the vehicle, a rotatable sleeve mounted on said stationary Sleeve and supporting the projector` sliding means in connection with said rotatable sleeve and Said projector to cause a change in the direction of the beam of light from Said projector, and automatic means within the stationary sleeve for simultaneously locking the adjustments of said projector in any position.

2. n a spotlight rotatable about two axes, operating mechanism therefor', an automatic adjustment lock consisting of a spring operated wedge dogs adapted to be separated b said wedge, and a stationaryy enclosng Sleeve adapted to be gripped by said sln a spotlight, a tubular member adapted for supporting the light, and expansible friction means within said tubular member for locking the same in position.

4. In a spotlight, a tubular member adapted for supporting `the light, expansible friction devices in said member, and longitudinally operated means in said member for expanding said friction devices.

5. In an adjustable spotlight; a hollow tubular member adapted `for supporting the spotlight, and reactingr and relatively movable devices within said tubular member for automatically locking the spotlight at any WALTER n. FLooD.

Witnesses:

CARLTON HILL, JAMES M. OBRIEN.