US1104021A

US1104021A - Dirigible lamp.

Info

Publication number: US1104021A
Application number: US79926213A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jacques Adolphe Trefzer; Charles S Owen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1913-11-05
Filing date: 1913-11-05
Publication date: 1914-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 1931-07-21

Description

J. A. TREPZER & G. S. OWEN.

DIRIGIBLB LAMP.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 6, 1913.

Patented July 21,1914.-

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DIRIGIBLE LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1913.

1,104,021, Patentea.1u1y21,1914

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JACQUES, ADOLPHE TREFZER, OF DETROI, AND CHARLES' S. OWEN, OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN.

DIRIGIBLE LAMP.

incensi.

Specification of'Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1914.

Application led November-5, 1913. Serial No. 799,262.

T0 all cai/0m t may concern Be it known that we, JACQUES ADoLrHn Tnnnznr., a citizen of Switzerland, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of ll/lichigan, and CHAnLns S. OWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highland Fark, in the county of l/Vaync and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Dirigible Lamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dirigible lamps, more particularly those adapted for use on motor vehicles, and is embodied in a lamp that is automatically turned to the right or left to correspond to the movements of the front wheels, thereby illuminating theroadway ahead as the vehicle passes around curves. Its object is to provide means for operating lamps of this character, that lnay be attached to standard types of motor vehicles, and be adapted to so operate a lamp mounted at any desired point upon the frame or body of the vehicle.

It consists in a pivoted shaft and means whereby the shaft is swung by the turning movement of the front wheels to actuate a flexible cord or wire that is connected to and may turn the lamp.

It further consists in the novel details illustrated and described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a. portion of the front end of the vehicle on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan ofthe front end of the running gear of the vehicle, parts being broken away for the sake of clearness. Fig. 3 is a section of the lamp supporting bracket on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4, showing the lamp` shaft in position. Fig. l4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan of a bracket and lever-end that may be mounted on the axle, the lamp turning members being shown in position. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan of a bracket and lever-end that may be attached to the main steering bar. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a plan showing the connection of the main steering rod to the lamp actuating parts on the axle. Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12--12 of Fig. 11.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the side-bars of the frame of the vehicle,'that may consist of an'upper flange 2, a lower flange 3 and a connecting web 4, are shown supported upon the springs 5, axle 6, and wheels 7 in the ordinary way, the wheels being carried upofn the knuckles 8. Connected to the vknuckles are the steering arms 9 that are pivotally connected at 10 to the main steering bar 11 in any well known manner. The steering arms, together with the main steering bar 11, may be arranged forward of the axle if desired.

Mounted upon the bar 11 is a bracket 15, best shown in Figs. 8 and 9, that may consist of two members 16 and 17, provided with

flanges

18 and 19, respectively, united by bolts 20. Projecting from the member 17 is aboss 25 having a tapering neck 26 i adapted to receive and support a standard type of ball-bearing. As shown, this bearing comprises a bearing ring 27 surrounding the neck 26, a second bearing ring 28 surrounding the first and spaced therefrom to provide a race-way for the balls 29, said

rings

27 and 28 being clamped together by the holder 30. The bearing is secured in position in any desired manner, preferably by means of the washer 31 and screw 32.

Mounted to swing upon the bearing just described is a member 40 that constitutes one end of a lever designated as a whole by 41 (Figs. 11 and 12). rlhis member consists of a neck and a head, the latter having a recess 44 in which the ball bearing is mounted and wherein it is retained by the plate 45 and screws 46, and is prevented from rattling bythe washer 47, that may be of felt, which washer will also prevent the entrance of dust or other undesirable substances. The other end of the lever 41 is shown best in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and consists in a neck 50, a head 51, and a downwardly extending cylindrical shaft 52. This' shaft preferably has secured thereon a standard ball-bearing of the type previously described, comprising the bearing ring 53, a second bearing ring 54, the balls 55, and a holder 56 for securing the plates 53 and 54 together. Encircling the end of the shaft beyond the bearing is a sleeve 60, secured by the washer 61 and screw 62, which sleeve engages the lower edge of the holder plate 53 to retain the same in position. The neck of the member 40 may be connected to the neck 50 of the head 51 by a pipe 63 (Figs.

11 and 12) into the ends of which the necks are inserted, thereby forming the lever 41.

The shaft 52, bearing, and sleeve mounted thereon are mounted in an opening in the bracket 65 that may be secured to the central point of the axle 3 by the screwbolts 66. The upper end of the opening is larger than the lower end to receive the ball-bearing on the head 51, which is retained by the washer G9, that may be held in position by the screws 70. A washer 71, preferably of felt, may be provided to prevent rattling and the entrance of dust or other undesirable substances.

The hub 68 of the bracket 65 has the cylindrical openings 74 (Fig. 7 that terminate in enlarged outer chambers 75. Extending through the openings 74 and 75 is a wire 77 .that preferably passes around the sleeve and may be secured thereto by the screw 7 8, the latter being preferably threaded in the sleeve and the shaftf52 and thereby rigidly securing the sleeve and wire to the shaft. Each run of the wire extends loosely through the coil of wire or similar covering 79, the ends of which enter the chambers 7 5 and bear against the shoulders 76. Two sets of these wires, one extending in each direction along the axle to operate the corresponding lamp, are shown.

A lamp 80', secured to a verticallamp shaft 81, may be mounted on the forward end of each of the side bars of the chassis or on any other desired part of the vehicle.

Secured to the lower side of the flange 3 of the side bar by the rivets 32 and pro] ecting laterally therefrom, las shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is a. bracket 83 upon the outer end of which a second bracket, designated as a whole by 84, may be detachably secured,

' preferably by the bolts 35. The bracket 34 comprises a lower member 86 and anfupper member 37 (Figs. 3 and 4), the former having an opening SS and the latter an opening l 39, concentric with the opening 88, and both formed with shoulders to retain proper ball bearings. y

The lamp-shaft has a reduced lower end l 90, supported in the

chambers

88 and 89 by ball bearings. These bearings comprise an inner bearing ring 91 and an outer bearing' ring 92, the balls 93, and holders 94. vThe upper bearing is retained in position by the washer 95, which, together with the upper vided' with registering inner grooves 100 and registering outer larger grooves 101.

The wires 77 and covering.79l heretofore described pass, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, from the axle-bracket out along the axle to a point beneath the corresponding side bar, at which point they rise and may pass through openings 102 in the lower flange 3 of the side bar, then follow the side bar forwardly to a point opposite the bracket 84, then turn laterally and pass through openings in the web 4. The wires then pass through the

chambers

100 and 101 and encircle the lamp shaft 81, being secured thereto by the screw 103, or in any other preferred manner. The ends of the covering 79 bear against the shoulders between the

chambers

100 and 101, as previously described with reference to the shoulder'76. The wires and coverings are provided, between the axle and the point 102 as indicated in Fig. 1, with suiiicient slack to allow for movement of the frame with respect to the axle 6.

Operation: Since the bracket 65 is preferably mounted at the longitudinal cent-er of the axle and thepin 25 is mounted at the longitudinal center of the main steering rod 11, it is apparent that the pin 25 will be given a movement about the axis of the shaft 52 substantially in the arc of a circle, no matter what may be the shape of the steering arms 9, and that the movement so given will correspond exactly to the steering movement of the wheels. As the shaft 52 is rotated in one direction or the other, one of the leads of the wires 77 on each side will be pulled in toward the bracket 65 and the other lead will be thrust outwardly therefrom, both leads sliding through their respective casings 79. The lamp-supporting shaft 81 will therefore be turned to correspo-nd to the movement of the wheels, especially when the diameters of the end 90 ofthe shaft 81 and of the sleeve 60 are equal.

It is obvious ythat many changes may be made by skilled designers without departing from the spirit of our invention. lt is also obvious that the various part-s may be mounted upon standard makes of motoir vehicles, about the only changes necessary being in the lengths and sizesl of the various parts.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. ln a vehicle, a steering bar and a rotatable shaft, a lamp supported upon the shaft, a connecting wire secured to the shaft and actuated by the bar and having a normally slack portion, and means whereby a movement impressed upon the wire for the purpose of causing tension therein is caused to be transmitted to the shaft to cause a rotation thereof.

2. In a vehicle,.a steering bar and a rotatable shaft, a lamp supported upon the shaft, a connecting wire secured to the shaft and actuated by the bar, a flexible casing loosely surroundingthe wire, said wire and casing` having normally slack portions, and

means whereby a movement impressed upon the wire, for the purpose of causing tension therein, is transmitted to the shaft to cause a corresponding rotation thereof.

3. ln a vehicle, a rotatable shaft, a lamp supported on the shaft, a second rotatable shaft, wires connecting the shafts and having normally slack portions, means whereby a movement impressed upon the wires by a rotation of the second shaft in either direction is transmitted to the shaft upon which the lamp is supported to cause a corresponding rotation thereof, a. steering bar, and means connecting the steering bar and second shaft to cause a rotation of the second shaft corresponding to the effective steering movement of the bar.

f-l. In a vehicle, a rotatable shaft, a lamp supported on the shaft, a second rotatable shaft, wires connecting the shafts, flexible casings-through which the wires are respectively slidable, both wires and casings having slack portions to permit movement between said shafts, means whereby a movement impressed upon the wires by a rotation of the second shaftin either direction is transmitted to the shaft upon which the lamp is supported to cause a corresponding rotation thereof, a steering bar, and means connecting the steering bar and second shaft to cause a rotation of the second shaft corresponding to the effective steering movement of the bar.

5. In a vehicle, a shaft, a lamp supported on the shaft, a bracket upon which the shaft is rotatably mounted, a second shaft, a bracket upon which it is rotatably mounted, each bracket having` an opening, a shoulder in the opening, a wire passing through the openings and secured to the respective shafts, a flexible casing for the wire passing into the openings and bearing against the respective shoulders, and means whereby angular' motion may be given to the second rotatable shaft corresponding to steering movements of the vehicle.

6. fn a vehicle, a rotatable shaft, a lamp supported on the shaft, a bracket upon which the shaft is mounted, a second rotatable shaft, a second bracket upon which it is mounted, said brackets each having paired openings and a shoulder in each of the openings, a wire passing through the openings and secured to the respective shafts,said wire having two runs,flexible casings loosely surrounding the respective runs and bearing against the respective shoulders, and means whereby motion may be imparted to the second rotatable shaft corresponding to steering movements of the vehicle.

7 ln a vehicle, the combination with front wheels, front axle, springs, a frame or body carried by the springs, steering arms for the wheels, and a steering bar connected to the arms, of a bracket securedto the steering bar, a lever .nounted to swing upon the bracket, a second bracket mounted upon the axle, a shaft rigidly connected to the lever and supported by the second bracket, a third bracket upon a spring-carried portion of the vehicle, a rotatable shaft mounted therein, a lamp secured to the rotatable shaft, and flexible means for transmitting steering movements of the steering bar to the lamp- Asupporting shaft to cause an angular rotation thereof,l said flexible means comprising a wire having a normally slack portion, and a casing` loosely surrounding the wire, the casing being stiffer than the wire.

8. ln a vehicle, the combination with front wheels, front axle, springs, a frame or body carried by the springs, steering arms for the wheels, and a steering bar connected to the arms, of a bracket secured to the steering bar, a lever mounted to swing upon the bracket, a second bracket mounted upon the axle, a shaft rigidly connected to the lever and supported by the second bracket, a third bracket upon a spring-carried portion of the vehicle, a rotatable shaft mounted therein, a .lamp secured to the rotatable shaft, a wire encircling both shafts and connecting the shafts by two runs, a flexible casing loosely surrounding each of said runs'of the wire, seats for the ends of the casings, said runs of the wire and said casings having slack portions therein between the axle and the spring-carried portion of the vehicle, whereby angular motion maybe imparted to the lamp-supporting shaft corresponding to steering movements of the steering bar.`

9. In a vehicle, the combination with wheels, axle, springs, a frame or body carried by said springs, steering arms for the wheels, and a steering bar connected to the arms, of a bracket secured to the midpoint of the steering bar, a second bracket secured to the mid-point of the axle, a lever pivotally connected to the first bracket and rigidly connected to a shaft that turns in the second bracket, a rotatable lamp-supporting shaft, a lamp carried thereby, and flexible means connected to the first-mentioned shaft for transmitting its angular movement to the lamp-supporting shaft, said fiexible means kcomprising` a wire having a normally slack portion, and a casingloosely surrounding the wire, the casing being stiffer than` the wire.

l0. In a vehicle, the combination with wheels, axle, springs, a frame or body carried by said springs, steering arms for the Wheels, and a steering bar connected to the arms, of a bracket secured to the mld-point of the steering bar, a second bracket secured to the mid-point of the aXle, a lever pivotally connected to the first bracket and rigidly connected to a shaft that turns in the second bracket, said lever comprising tivo end portions and a body portion formed of a pipe, the end portions being` inserted in the ends of the pipe, a rotatable lainp-su} )porting shaft, a lamp carried thereby, and flexible means, connected to the lirstdnentioned shaft, for transmitting its angular movement to the lamp-supporting shaft, said Aflexible means comprising a Wire having,` a normally slack portion, and a casing loosely surrounding the Wire, the casing being stiffer thanthe Wire. l

11. ln a vehicle, a lamp, a bracket upon Copies of this patent may ,be obtained for which the lamp is rotatably mounted, a rotatable member, a bracket upon which itis rotatably mounted, each bracket having an opening, a shoulder in each opening', a wire passing through the openings and secured to the lamp and rotatable member,'a ktlexible casing for the Wire passing into the openings' and bearing against the respective shoulders, and means whereby angular motion may be given to the rotatable member corresponding to the steering movements of the vehicle.

ln testimony whereof We have signed this specifcationin the presenceof tWo subscribing Witnesses. a a

v JACQUES ADOLPHE TREFZER.

CHARLES S. OWEN. i Witnesses L. M. SPENCER,

EDWARD N. PAGELSEN.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.