US998849A - Electric lantern. - Google Patents

Description

T. M. JENKS & A. W. KNUTSON.

H. B. JBNKS, ADMINISTBATRIX or T. m. JENKS, DEOD.

ELECTRIC LANTERN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1910.

998,849. Patented July 25, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. JENKS, DECEASED (HARRIET B. JENKS, ADMINISTRATRIX,) AND ALFRED w. KNUTSON, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS; SAID KNUTSON ASSIGNOB TO SAID HARRIET B. JENKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'July 25, 1911.

Application filed April 22, 1910. Serial No. 557,089.

T a all whom it may concern:

Be it known that THOMAS M. .Jnnxs, deceased, late a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, and ALFRED W. KNUTSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, jointly invented a new and useful Electric Lantern, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to that general type of lanterns which are provided with a ball by which they are carried about and suspended, and to the particular type thereof known as railroad lanterns.

The object of the invention is to provide an electric lantern which is of the same general outline as is the ordinary type of" railroad lantern.

It is another object to provide a lantern of the type described which is instantly lighted by the act of raising it.

A further object is to provide means for increasing the brilliancy of the light.

illustrate a simple and preferred means embodying the improvements; Figure 1 is an elevation partly broken away; big. 2, a detail, a plan view; and Figs. 3 and 4, details.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, thesame one indicating the same part in the different figures, 1 indicates a lantern base provided with a cup 2 adapted for the reception of an source of electric supply, shown here as a ry cell 3, the latter equipped with the usual wire-securing means 4.

Fixed to the cup, 2.are the ordinary frame or guard wires 5, united near their midlengths by a brace wire 6, and at their upper portions, fixed to and supporting a cap '7. The base, frame-wires and cap we shall hereinaft-er term the frame.

One end of a. bail 9 is ivoted in a bearing 1.0 at the upper: art 0 the frame and its other end is pivote tact point 11 fixed on the opposite side thereof. The bail ma be jointed as shown at m, Fig. 2, if. pre erred. Another contact point. 19 is supported by one of the frame wires 5 and is provided with wiresecuring means 12, the point'll. being provided-with. similar wire-securing means 13.

Aplate 1.4- is suitably secured on the top of. thereceptaole 2;. and. is, provided with supporting .means' 15 by which a globe 15 is In the accompanying drawings, whichin a bearing in a con held in position. A filament (incandescent) lamp 16 supported on the plate 14.- is connected to an insulated wire 17 leading from the cell 3, andsaid wire leads also to the contact 1%). A wire 26 connects the cell 3 with the lamp. The contact point 11 is connected to the cell by an insulated wire 20. A pivot screw 21 is threaded into the point 19 and upon it is pivoted a metallic sliding plate 22 having a slot 24, which plate we shall for the purposes hereof term a secondar contact point. Insulation 25 is em-- bedded in the contact-point 19, and a brush 28 is secured place thereby and by an insulated washer 25, the latter being held in place by the nut 12 forming a part of the securing means. The ends of all wires are stripped of insulation in the ordinary manner.

To increase the brilliancy of the lamp, in order that it may be seen at a great distance, an annular series of prisms 23 are suitably mounted on the plate 14, surrounding the filament lamp 16.

In. operation, the parts being in the relative positions shown by full lines in Fig. 2,

upon the operator raising the lamp by the bail 9, it will raise the point 11 to the dot line position there shown and into contact with the point 19, it being understood that the secondary point has also been placed in the dot line position. In swinging the lamp as a signal, the centrifugal .force will hold the points in contact and the lamp will be lighted as in lifting it by the bail. lVhen it.

is desired to extinguish the lamp, it may be done by releasing the bail, whereupon the point 11 will fall by gravity and the circuit broken.

Should it be desirable that the lamp be lighted when not suspended by the bail, this may be effected by sliding the secondary contact point into the position shown-by full lines at Fig. 2 to complete the circuit.

The prisms will greatly accentuate the brilliancy and penetration of the light rays emanating from the lamp 16. It will be understood, however, that they might be replaced by other means for causing such increased luminance. It will be evident also that other means than those shown may be employed for effecting the contact and thus completing the circuit, and that other means than those shown may be substituted for keeping the circuit constant. We do not,

therefore, desire to be understood as limiting our claims to specific constructions, 'as all such changes and modifications may be made as fall within the scope of the invention.

\Ve claim as our invention:

1. An electric lantern comprising in combination a skeleton frame, a source of elec-' tric supply supported thereby, a globe adapted to cast light in all directions, dis posed within said frame, a swinging bail adapted for the passage of the users arm, and to fall at the side of theframe when disengaged, a contact point supported thereby, a contact point on said frame, said points normally spaced apart, and connections between said supply source and contact points, said points being adapted to be brought into contact by the gravity of the lantern when it is suspended from the bail.

2. An electric lantern comprising a frame, a contact point supported thereby, a movable contact point, a swinging bail, one of its ends pivoted in the frame and its other end in the movable contact-point hereinafter recited for bringing said contact points into engagement when the lamp is lifted, a metallic plate pivoted to the first recited contact-point and adapted for engagement with the movable contact point, a source of electric supply connected with said points, a lamp connected therewith, and an annular series of prisms surrounding said lamp.

3. In an electric lantern of the railroad type, a base including a receptacle, a battery disposed therein, an apertured plate disposed above said receptacle, a lamp supported on said plate and adapted to cast light in all directions, a wire connecting it with said battery, a skeleton frame surmounting said base and disposed about said lamp, a stationary contact-point supported by said frame, a wire connecting it with the battery, a movable contact-point, a wire connecting it with the battery, and a swinging bail, one of its ends pivoted in said frame and its other end in the movable point, whereby a circuit is completed by the act of lifting said lantern by the bail, a circuit between said contact points and lamp.

4. An electric lantern of the railroad type comprising a base including a receptacle, a

battery disposed therein, an apertured platedisposed above said receptacle, a lamp supported on said plate and adapted to cast light in all directions, a wire connecting it with said battery, a skeleton frame surmounting said base and disposed about said lamp, a stationary contact-point supported by said frame,a wire connecting it with said battery, a movable contact point, a wire connecting it with the battery, and a bail, one of its e'nds pivoted in the frame and its other end in the movable contact point, whereby a circuit may be completed between said contact-points and said lamp by the gravity of the foregoing recited elements suspended from the bail.

5. An electric lantern of the railroad type comprising a base including a receptacle, :1 battery disposed therein, an apertured plate disposed above said receptacle, a lamp supported on said plate and adapted to cast light in all directions, a wire connecting it with said battery, a skeleton frame surmounting said base and disposed about said lamp, a stationary contact-point supported by said frame, a wire connecting it with said bat-tery, a movable contact-point, a wire connecting it with the battery, a bail, one of its ends pivoted in the frame and its other end in the movable contact-point, whereby a circuit may be completed between said contact points and said lamp by the act of lifting the lantern by means of the bail, and means for bringing said contact points into engagement when the lantern is at rest and no weight suspended from the bail.

6. An electric lantern ofthe railroad type comprising a base including a receptacle, :1 battery disposed therein, an apertured plate disposed above said receptacle, a lamp supported on said plate and adapted to cast light in all directions, a wire connecting it with said battery, a skeleton frame surmounting said base and disposed about said lamp, a stationary'contact-point supported by said frame, a wire connecting it with said battery, a movable contact-point, a wire connecting it with said battery, a bail, one of its ends pivoted in the frame and its other end in the movable contact point, whereby a circuit may be completed between said contact-points and said lamp by the act of lifting the lantern by means of the bail, and a pivoted plate for bringing said contact points into engagement when the lantern is I:gtfiest and no weight suspended from the 7. An electric lantern of the railroad type comprising a base including a receptacle, a battery disposed therein, frame-wires fixed to and rising from said base, a lamp within said frame, a wire connecting it with said battery, a cap supported on said framewires, a contact-point on said cap, a contactpoint pivoted to the frame, a swinging bail, one of its ends pivoted in a bearing in the frame and its other end in said pivoted contact-point whereby said points will be brought into contact by the act of raising the lantern by means of said bail, a wire connecting one of saidcontact-points and the battery, and a wire connecting the other of said contact-points and said lamp.

8. An electric lantern of the railroad type comprising a base including a receptacle, a battery disposed therein, a frame including frame-wires fixed to and rising from said base, a lamp within said frame, a wire connecting it with said battery, a cap supported on said frame-wires, a contact-point on said cap, a contact-point pivoted to a frame-wire, a metallic plate pivoted to the first recited contact-point and adapted to be brought into contact with the other, a swinging bail, one

of its ends pivoted in a bearing in the frame and its other end in said pivoted contact-- a one of said points and the battery, and awire connecting the other of said points-and the lamp.

In witness whereof we have hereunto If fixed our signatures at Galesburg, Illinois this 16th day of F ebriiary, 1910.

' HARRIET B. JENKS, Adrnim'stmtm'm of the estate of Thomas M. Jenlcs, deceased. A

ALFRED W. KNUTSON.

Witnesses:

WM. T. WISEMAN WEBB A. Hnnnocxmz.

Copies of this parent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. wuhington, D. G.

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