GB2119914A

GB2119914A - Improvements relating to lamps

Info

Publication number: GB2119914A
Application number: GB08314832A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Johnstone
Original assignee: JOHNSTONE SAFETY Ltd
Current assignee: JOHNSTONE SAFETY Ltd
Priority date: 1980-08-08
Filing date: 1980-08-08
Publication date: 1983-11-23
Also published as: GB8314832D0; GB2119914B

Abstract

A portable lamp is provided with a casing 1 having an opening defined by a wall portion 6 to receive a lens 3. The operating parts of the lamp are carried by a support plate 14. Two batteries 17 are held in place by a U-shaped plate 22 formed with ribs 24 which snap over ribs 25 in the wall of the casing. Inwardly extending ends 26 of the arms 23 of the plate 22 grip the sides of the batteries. A bolt passes through aligned openings 28 and 29 of the casing 1 and plate 22 to lock the plate 22 so that the batteries cannot be removed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to lamps This invention is concerned with lamps generally and is of particular relevance to portable roadside lamps used as temporary warnings.

A conventional roadside lamp comprises a casing with lenses through which will shine a flashing light housed within the casing and controlled by components carried by a support plate in the casing. The lamp is battery operated and so the casing must also retain the batteries in place. Thus some means is needed to ensure that the battery is safely held in place and desirably the unit should have vandalproof features such as means for locking the battery in place. It is an object of this invention to provide a lamp having such features.

According to the invention there is provided a lamp housing comprising a casing open at the base and having a region for a light and operating components therefor and another basal region for receiving a battery, the casing being formed with one or more horizontal ribs near the base, and a generally U-shaped battery support plate whose arms carry ribs which will interlock with the casing ribs as the support plate and a battery are pushed into the casing through the open base.

This form of lamp housing enables the battery to be securely held within the casing by means of the interaction of the ribs on the casing and the support plate. In a preferred arrangement the ribs on the casing project internally of the casing. Advantageously, the arms of the support plate are turned in towards one another at their free ends to abut the side walls of a battery, so as to prevent the battery from rattling within the casing. In a desired modification the casing and support plate have openings which will be aligned when the support plate is pushed fully home to receive a locking bolt passed through the aligned holes.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a portable roadside lamp constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure2 is a partial cross-section through the lamp shown in Figure 1, partly on the section line X - X and partly on the section line Y Figure 3 is a side view of a battery support plate illustrated in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an underneath plan view of the lamp shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The lamp shown in the drawings comprises a metal casing 1 formed from two halves joined together by flanges 2. The front and rear faces of the casing incorporate a lens 3 situated in recessed portions 4 of the casing. As can be seen from Figure 2 each lens has a rim 5 which lies over the casing wall portion 6 which forms an opening in the casing.

This opening has cut out regions 7 which receive bosses 8 projecting inwardly of the rim 5 of the lens 3.

The casing also incorporates operating components generally indicated by the block 9 which controls operation of a light bulb 10. These components will include a flasher unit. The push button switch 11 is provided to start operation of the lamp and can be actuated through a small opening 12 in the casing wall. The components 9, the switch 11 and the stem 13 for the light bulb 10 are carried by a support plate 14 which also carries conductor strips 15 which will press against terminals 16 of two batteries 17 fitted into the casing 1. The support plate is received within a passageway leading from the base 18 through the casing 1, and has ears 19 which are positioned to be received within grooves 20 formed by projecting ribs 21 of the casing 1, the ends of these grooves 20 determining the extent of movement of the support plate into the casing.

Figures 2,3 and 4 illustrate a battery support plate 22 of U-shaped form having two arms 23 which will pass internally into either side of the casing. Ribs 24 on the battery support plate interlock over inwardly projecting ribs 25 on either side of the casing 1 by means of a snap-fit so that the batteries 17 are held securely by the battery support plate 22 and can only be removed by applying appreciable force to cause the ribs 24 to snap back over the ribs 25. The free ends 26 of the battery support plate 22 are turned inwardly both to grip to the sides of the batteries 17 and to provide a bias causing the ribs 24 to be pressed firmly against the side walls of the casing 1.

The casing 1 also incorporates recessed portions 27 with openings 28 through which will pass a locking bolt through a space between the two batteries 17.

The battery support plate 22 incorporates holes 29 in the arms 23 which will snap over the recessed portions 27. Thus the battery can be held securely against tampering by using the bolt of a special design which cannot readily be undone.

1. A lamp housing comprising a casing open at the base and having a region for a light and operating componentstherefor and a basal region for receiving a battery, the casing being formed with one or more horizontal ribs near the base, and a generally U-shaped battery support plate whose arms carry ribs which will interlock with the casing ribs as the support plate and a battery are pushed into the casing through the open base.

2. A lamp housing according to claim 1, wherein the ribs on the casing project internally of the casing.

3. A lamp housing according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the arms of the support plate are turned in towards one another at their free ends to abut the side walls of a battery.

4. A lamp housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the casing and support plate have openings which will be aligned when the support plate is pushed fully home to receive a locking bolt passed through the aligned holes.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to lamps This invention is concerned with lamps generally and is of particular relevance to portable roadside lamps used as temporary warnings. A conventional roadside lamp comprises a casing with lenses through which will shine a flashing light housed within the casing and controlled by components carried by a support plate in the casing. The lamp is battery operated and so the casing must also retain the batteries in place. Thus some means is needed to ensure that the battery is safely held in place and desirably the unit should have vandalproof features such as means for locking the battery in place. It is an object of this invention to provide a lamp having such features. According to the invention there is provided a lamp housing comprising a casing open at the base and having a region for a light and operating components therefor and another basal region for receiving a battery, the casing being formed with one or more horizontal ribs near the base, and a generally U-shaped battery support plate whose arms carry ribs which will interlock with the casing ribs as the support plate and a battery are pushed into the casing through the open base. This form of lamp housing enables the battery to be securely held within the casing by means of the interaction of the ribs on the casing and the support plate. In a preferred arrangement the ribs on the casing project internally of the casing. Advantageously, the arms of the support plate are turned in towards one another at their free ends to abut the side walls of a battery, so as to prevent the battery from rattling within the casing. In a desired modification the casing and support plate have openings which will be aligned when the support plate is pushed fully home to receive a locking bolt passed through the aligned holes. The invention may be performed in various ways and a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a portable roadside lamp constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure2 is a partial cross-section through the lamp shown in Figure 1, partly on the section line X - X and partly on the section line Y Figure 3 is a side view of a battery support plate illustrated in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an underneath plan view of the lamp shown in Figures 1 and 2. The lamp shown in the drawings comprises a metal casing 1 formed from two halves joined together by flanges 2. The front and rear faces of the casing incorporate a lens 3 situated in recessed portions 4 of the casing. As can be seen from Figure 2 each lens has a rim 5 which lies over the casing wall portion 6 which forms an opening in the casing. This opening has cut out regions 7 which receive bosses 8 projecting inwardly of the rim 5 of the lens 3. The casing also incorporates operating components generally indicated by the block 9 which controls operation of a light bulb 10. These components will include a flasher unit. The push button switch 11 is provided to start operation of the lamp and can be actuated through a small opening 12 in the casing wall. The components 9, the switch 11 and the stem 13 for the light bulb 10 are carried by a support plate 14 which also carries conductor strips 15 which will press against terminals 16 of two batteries 17 fitted into the casing 1. The support plate is received within a passageway leading from the base 18 through the casing 1, and has ears 19 which are positioned to be received within grooves 20 formed by projecting ribs 21 of the casing 1, the ends of these grooves 20 determining the extent of movement of the support plate into the casing. Figures 2,3 and 4 illustrate a battery support plate 22 of U-shaped form having two arms 23 which will pass internally into either side of the casing. Ribs 24 on the battery support plate interlock over inwardly projecting ribs 25 on either side of the casing 1 by means of a snap-fit so that the batteries 17 are held securely by the battery support plate 22 and can only be removed by applying appreciable force to cause the ribs 24 to snap back over the ribs 25. The free ends 26 of the battery support plate 22 are turned inwardly both to grip to the sides of the batteries 17 and to provide a bias causing the ribs 24 to be pressed firmly against the side walls of the casing 1. The casing 1 also incorporates recessed portions 27 with openings 28 through which will pass a locking bolt through a space between the two batteries 17. The battery support plate 22 incorporates holes 29 in the arms 23 which will snap over the recessed portions 27. Thus the battery can be held securely against tampering by using the bolt of a special design which cannot readily be undone. CLAIMS

5. A lamp housing according to claim 4, wherein the openings in the casing are formed in recessed portions thereof and the openings in the support plate snap over the recessed portions.

6. A lamp substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.