US1148839A - Flash-light. - Google Patents

Description

A. 1. HAHN/IGK. yFLASH UGHT. APPLICATION FILED AUG.2 9, |914.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

v ALBERT J. I-IARNACK, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLASH-LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 19315.

Application filed August 29,1914. Serial No. 859,233.

v I iights, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in flashlights, and more particularly .to portable flash lights` The primary object of the invention is the lprovision of a flash light in which the con` ductors engaged `by the operating switch may beconcealed by embedding the same'in `the material of the casing upon which the switch is mounted, and in which the battery and the globe are located, or whichmay be concealed by a removable tape or" the like, Vor which may be entirely or partly eX- posed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a flashlight, wherein the switch for controlling the same can be locked s o as to maintain the circuit openA and toV prevent accidental closing of the circuit, which would tend to weaken the battery and decrease the volumeof light and the efliciency of the device.

Still another object of the invention is scribed, having a conductor formed in two sections disposed with their adjacent ends in spaced relation and a switch secured to the casing and adapted upon sliding movement to engage the ends of said conductor sections, thereby closing the circuit andlash- .ing the light. p

Another object of the invention is the provision of a flashlight, in which short circuiting is prevented and in which insulating means such as a ring made from fiber, or a non-conducting fluid is introduced to prevent the Hashing of the light in the event that the device is placed on any object which might act as a conductor, by engaging the opposite end caps, or one of the end caps and the switch.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a flashlight, such as above described, in which the various parts .thereof will be comparatively simple andrinexpensive to manufacture, reliable and eliicient in use, and readily operated.

In effecting the above desiderata, the present invention resides in the novel features of construction, formations, combinations 'and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application,` and in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view,

' taken through. a flashlight constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the thicknesses of material slightly exaggerated in order to more clearly bring ont the invention; Fig'. 2 isa transverse sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with the battery removed; Fig. Sis a detail transverse Vsectional view taken on an enlarged scale, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View taken onl the line LA of Fig. 3, on substantially the same scale; Fig. 5 is a view showing the several parts vof the switch separated; and Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are enlargeddetail transverse sectional views showing modifications in the form of conductors, and Fig. 10 is a view illustrating the use of non-conducting lluidt Referring to the accompanying drawing by similar characters of reference throughout the several views, the numeral 6 denotes in general a ashlight constructed in aecordance with my invention, comprising a .tubular casing 7, formed from any desired. erial, preferably of a' non-conducting ma fibrous nature, the same being reinforced at its opposite ends by metal sleeves 8 and9,

Awhich are held -upon the said. tubular cas- 'ing 7, by rivets 10 or the like. of the casing 7 is closed by a cap 11,' thread- The rear end ed upon the sleeve 8 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A spring 12 of preferably a helical for mation, gradually decreasing in diameter from its inner end to its outer convolution,

is disposed within the cap 11, and bears against the rear end of a storage battery 13;

by which the light is operated. T he forward end of this battery is provided with a Contact post 14 designed to engage the socket 15 of an incandescent lamp bulb 16, shown in conventional form in Fig. 1.

The socket 15 is threaded in the minor end of the bell-shaped reflector 17. the major end of which is flanged to Vengage the inwardly'directed end of the sleeve 9, being held in position by a cap 18, threaded as shown in Fig. 1, on the before described sleeve 9, and formed with a flange 19, which by its insertion between the adjacent portions of the sleeve 9 and cap 1S, locks the reflector against displacement. This cap also locks the lens 2O in position between the flanged end ofthe reflector and the inwardly directed flange of the said cap. It will be thus seen that the current from the battery 13, passes to the socket 15 and thence to the reflector 17, while if desired, in order to prevent the current from passing to the sleeve 9 and cap threaded thereon, the flanged end of the reflector 17 may be insulated. One manner of insulating this reflector, may reside in interposing a non-conductingring between the flanged end of the reflector and the end of the cap 18, or by coating the flanged end of the reflector with any non-conducting substance, such as a quick solidifying liquid, or the like, orby use of -non-conducting fluid as shown in Fig. 10, but I do not desire to be limited to such means as above mentioned, but may employ any other method which will answer the purpose.

Disposed within the casing 7 and secured to the inner side thereof are two flat conductor sections 21 and 22, the former of' which engages the sleeve 8, while the opposite end of the conductor section 22 is offset to yieldingly engage the side of the reflector as shown at 22, in Fig. l. These sections -21 and 22 of the conductor are retained in position b v rivets or the like, one of which passes through the conductor 22, adjacent the offset end 22, and in order to prevent the current from passing through this conductor to the sleeve 9 and thence to the cap 1S, a thin strip of ber filament or other insulating material is interposed between the sleeve 9 and this adjacent rivet.

The operating switch is shown at 23, and consists of a housing 24, secured to the casing 7, by the end rivet 25, and the side rivets 2G. The rivet 25 passes through the conductor section 21, connecting the same with the said housing 24. A push button 27 is slidable upon the outer side of the housing 24. This button is preferably rounded as shown, and formed with fingers 23, which depend from opposite sides thereof, and extend through slots 29, in the top of the housing, in spaced relation, thus providiii,"r a means for slidably connecting the said button thereto. These fingers 28 are bent at 3() to engage a spring contact meinber 31. formed with notches 32 in the oppo site edges thereof, to receive the said fingers 28 as clearly shown in Fig. 3, consequently firmly securing the spring contact member to said button so that, upon longitudinal movement of the button 27. the contact member 31 will be moved longitudinally within the housing, being at all times concealed therein.

A hook 33'- is formed at one end of the contact member 31 and is formed for engageinent with the boss 34, formed by depressing a part of the'housing at the rear end. thereof, for the purpose of holding the contact member in an inoperative position as shown in li'ig.A 4, and preventing accidental closing of the switch, through uiarring or the like. The forward end of the spring contact member 3l is curved inwardly as at 35, for sliding engagement with-the exterior of the casin 7, and engagement with the rivet 36, whic passes through the end of the conductor 22, and extends within the housing 24. Obviously upon the forward movement of the push button 27, the curved end 35 of the member 31, will slide forwardly along the outer side of the casin 7,l and over and upon the rivet 36, in whic position it will be held by frictional engagement, retaining the circuit closed, as shown in Fig. 4.

As shown 1n Fig. 6,'the conductor sections 21 and 22, need not be secured to the innerv side of the casing 7, but it is sometimes preferred to conceal the same by embedding the same in the wall of the casing. as shown in the above figure. x

ln Fig. 7 the conductor is shown triangular in cross section, embedded in the wall of the casing 7, but not concealed, while in Fig. 8 this saine form of conductor is shown concealed by. a removable tape or the like.

In Fig. 9, it will be seen that the conductor ican be partly concealed if for any purpose it is desired to do so.

It should be understood in this connection. that I am not to be limited to the specific details of construction herein described aiid illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but mav resort to various minor changes within the scope of the appended claim without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

From the foregoing it will be manifest that a flashlight is provided which will fulfil all the necessaryrequirements of such a device.

Having thus fully described this invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect b v Letters Patent is:

In a flash light such as described, a casing. illuminating means in said casing including an electric circuit, contact members incorporated in the circuit and embedded in the casing.,r with the ends thereof in spaced relation and exposed to the outer side of said casing. a housing secured to the casing and concealing spaced ends of the contact members. said housing having` spaced longitudinally extending slots formed in the outer side thereof, a push button slidable upon said housing, fingers formed upon the push button and passing through the slots in the housing, a spring contact member slidable within the housing and having notches in the opposite sides thereof in which the fingers of the push button are engaged, whereby uponv movement of the push button the spring contact member will be moved longitudinally of the housing, said housing being in contact with one of the spaced Contact members, a rivet; passing through the other of the contact members and securing the same to the housing for engagement with the circuit in closed position, and a depression provided in the housing for enga-ging the other end of the spring l contact member whereby the latter will be locked with the circuit in open position.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT J. HARNACK.

Witnesses:

' NELLIE DILLON,

MARC-ELLA MoCoNLoGUE.

Copie: ot this patent may be obtained for va cents elch, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatentl.

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