US1204888A

US1204888A - Headlight-shutter.

Info

Publication number: US1204888A
Application number: US10494616A
Authority: US
Inventors: William L Large
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1916-06-21
Filing date: 1916-06-21
Publication date: 1916-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1933-11-14

Description

W. L. LARGE.

HEADLIGHT sHuTTEH.

""W. L, LARGE.

HEADLIGHTSHUTTER.- APPLICATION FILED IIINE 21.1916'.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

. w. L. LARGE. HEADLIGHT SHUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI-12|, 191.6.

i Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

3 SHEES-SHEET 3.v

Ammers f UNITEDy sTATEs PATENT` y WILLIAM L. LARGE, OF `NEW YORK, N. Y. 'v

HEADLIGHT-SHUTTER.

Toall whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, `WILLIAM L. LARGE, a

l, citizen of the United States, 'and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State.- of

New York, have invented'a new and Improved Headlight-Shutter, of which the foly lowing is a'full, clear, and exact description. This invention relates to headlights for automobiles or other lvehicles and has par-f ments so arranged -and manipulated as to obstruct more or less of the light according to requirements, the means to manipulate the same being controlled byl electric means within reach of the driver or other-person.

Another object of the invention is to provide controlling means for adjustable headlight 'shutters comprising a small electro'- magnet and means whereby repeated impulses given to the armature; through the magnet will operate theshutter elements to close and open the same step by step.

With the foregoing and-'other objects i'n view the invention consists in the arrange-v ment and combination vpf parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the inven- `tion is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein,`

'- still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanaying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the shutter devices, the framebeing in section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a I front elevation of actuating and controlling means fo'r the shutters, parts being in tion on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4v is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. v5 is a vertical section on the line 5--5 of Fig.l 1; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional detail -on-the line-6,446 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is an end gelevation of the actuating means for the shuttersas viewed from the line 7--7 of Fig.

1 1, full lines showing the shutter devicesv in closed position and dotted lines showing the Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application led June 21, 1916. Serial No. 104,946.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

same in half open position; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the full open .position of the shutter evices; Fig. 9 is a sectional detail on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3; and- Fig. l0 is a vertical detail as seen from the line 10-10 of Fig. 4, lookin forwardly.

Referring now more -particu arly to the drawings, 'I show a frame 12 to which is secured a casing 13 having a lens or Window. 14 carried thereby, The framev and casing parts indicated may represent either an attachment to an Yordinary lamp casing indicated at C or any new construction. They may-represent a complete 'lamp casing, the design or mechanicalL construction of these casing'parts being adapted for modification according to individual' desires or the equipment to which the improvement is to be fitted. y'

Secured within the/casing 13 as upon the outer face of the frame member 12, I pro'- vide a pair of brackets 15 and 16, shown in this instance as being arranged vertically and parallel to each other on opposite sides of the side opening 17 of the device. A series of shutter elements 18 are j ournaled for oscillation around parallel axes in the forwardly projecting flanges of the brackets 15 and 16. Each shutter element has connected around the axes of the studs 21, see Figs. 5,

7, and 8. From thesegures it will be observed that the axis of each shutter element lies below the longitudinal center of such element when it is in its closed position and comparatively close to the rear face thereof. Also each shutter element is adapted for swinging movement through approximately ninety degrees from its closed position to its full open position, compare Figs. 7 and-'8; I also provide for an adjustment of the shutter elements at an intermediate position, see dotted lines Fig. 7. l

yAs shown in Fig. 1, when the shutter elements are closed a comparatively small amount of light will be projected from the BEST AVAILBQ'LCPQ L leonesa@ 1a,mp"tl'1rouigih the small belowy thelowermost shutter kelement."When the shutter elements are half open, yas*indicatedI t in Eig. '7 in dotted lines, lthe lightwill ,be 5 projected. forwardly yand downwa.rdly upon the roadwny'and practically all ofthe; glare""` -Mwill be prevented, but as indieatcdoiiiiig. 8, when the elements' are'l'wideopeng;there will be practically no obstruction, t`o"th e -the light is concerned. A bnr extends 'i along one end of the series of shutter elef am through Studs-2l moet@ @uma-ny, nube warmed up yed downwinsuch so from the clips 19. kThis bnr serves, therefore, to.so'connect the several'shntter ele-y ments that theyY will always beheld inf par-2.

allel planes.

l the bracket 15 to confine` the bar any suitable-fixed plane, herein shown as vertical, permitting it, however, to be moved in such plane for actating the shutter elements.r fi:

At any convenient place, as in the lower portion of thel casing 13, provide a bracketV 2G, in or s to which the principal actuating and controlling devices are. sccured.v A pinion .27 is connectedA to 'a shaft 28 that is journaled in :1 pair of forwardly projecting vertical ,parallel flanges of said bracket. On the outside of the bracket a crank Wheel 29 is secured to said shaft, the same carrying a wrist pin 30 havingthere on an antifriction roller cooperating ywith .-535 the lower end of the bar QS in a horizontal and shaft 28 are designed slot 32. Thebody of the-roller 31 npproximatelylille the spacebetween the upper and lower edges of thefslot, whereby there is practicallyI no lost motion.y The pinion 27 to be given e step by step rotation in a constant direction and thereby the bar .23 is actuatedinto and held in' three different vpositifins; as indicated 'corresponding to -tlie' open, closed,`

1-45 and] mid positions of the shutter elements.

Said positions ofthe benare determined;` therefore, by the relative *positions of the xed pivots 21 and the bar pivots 24.7* Any suitable means may be provided' to operate' `il the: pinion andI shaft I and positively .hold the same' from movement when desirech The meansrp'rovided hereinscrve to cause the rotation of thepinion and shaft in fourl sucy essive fste'ps, .ninety degrees of movementu` being. Vprovided for eachstep, as 'seen Jin Figs: 7 and 8." f With the wrist spint yand 'roller revolving around the axis of the shafty 28H1 the direction of thearrows, the'bar 23 will'be given vertical'reeiprocation In Fig. 7'; the bnr is etits uppermost positionand likewisc`theppiyot pins .liare nt, their highest? posi'tion'and the. shutter elements, are closed'. the nextstepwof rotntionf the shaftfQS; the bar will lowered to the barfagain,4 so that `it willi occupy theposx# Guide meros 25 is, applied to "and athen at' the next :guartrrevolution o the roller 31, theba r2 svillbeat its lowerg most.positionlwithythe shiitter elements (iride open; At the'next quarter turn, the 7o and.thelshutterfeleneiits"will be lmglfmp'en i "roller Agliding toward the frontfendfof the slot and moving upwardlyvll lift the 'tion ysliowndn dotted linesin Fig. #7, with the shutter elements cagain"heli-way open.

the wheel 29A rotated in a single direction e step `by step,fthc roller'nvill be driven'to forward, and renrwarcly movement as will be" inKfidenta-l 'to' rthe swinging'uof the ,pivots.:2-c;,

around vtheir respective centers2l.-v I; will uw describe the means i pwvae. 1- foractuating,theY pinion 2T and yparts coli-85 neeted thereto. lIn one end ofthe bracket 26 or anyother suitable fixed `sn-ppo1t, is mi electronlugnet 33 having `an

armature

34,1 pivetegl at 35 along its front edge in a bracket extension 26. By means ofn push,` 90 button 36 and buttery 37 or other suitable sourre ot energy, the electroiunguetmuy blenergized for the purpose of wringing theA :u-nmture upwardly around itsl pivot, the" armature dropping' again by grnvity when 95 the magnet is denergzed in a well known manner. A blade 38y is connected Ato the armature and projects/rearwardly beneath a plunger 39 -niounted yfor vertical movement in guides 40 .fixed'tothe bracket 2G.

M341 I show a master gear mounted on a shaft 42 below and parallel to thepinion shaft 2b' and journaled Asimilarly in the bracket 26. This/master gearis in the natui'eof a'coxn'- bined spur gear and lanterny pinion having teetlrll meshing with the teeth (if the pinion and-indicated as having twice the number. This member also has n. series of b'irsvlleindioited nsr eight in' number and P' t f l t arranged cnfcumferentlally around and ,parzillel lIto' the s`liaft42i-` Tofgive a quarter rotation to the pinion,2,-therefore, itlis' necessary to nc'tuatethe master gear through-` oneieighth of a rotation or throuplhj-'the space of one bar `:44 `liwcat'cs nflock 115" haring a pointprojecting normally .between n two adjacent bars .44, seeFigQs- "lhisiloekw comprises n plate pivote ratr ('r rupon'*gr/'pore tion oitliejsbra'eket2,5, tensionjspring' Lllserves to .hold theypoint n e lock inits 1120 lockingw vposition indicated above. ,f One n endet-.the springis'secured rto n fixed' point i at :48 on ,the bracketfndjaent the electro- 1nzvgnetnnd the other 'endfoffthe sprng'is eonnected to? a fpinfll); projecting through '12H5 'zu short.urefshapedV slot f(` rmed in^the t upper y,portion of the lockiiplute. :"S'aid pin l 49de connectedtoapawhl pivoted nt' upon the .lock plate; Theslot50, like auf other slot 53, isweoncntriewith the pivot 52. 130'- u l n s and the pawl 51 carnes another pm 54 which projects at one end into or through the slot r53 and at its other end rearwardlyftfor cooperation with the cam-shaped end of a lever 55 'pivoted' at 56 on thel frame 12 beyond-fthe electromagnet. The' lever 55 is `connected by a horizontal pini 57 with the magnet' operated plunger 39. Asshown in Figs. 1 `and 10, the cam end of the lever 55 lies below the pin 54, while the spring 47 serves to hold the lock in locking position and also-the pin y54 against the end of the lever and substantially between the lever and the pivot lVhen, thereforaan impulse is given to the electromagnet and the Aplunger 39 is lifted, the cam end of the lever 55 wiping against the pin 54, will throw the 'upper portion of the lock plate in a direction away from the lever and thereby the point of the lock will be withdrawn from. its normal holding position. When them-agnet is denergized, the lever 55 will drop to normal position -under the `force of gravity connected to another lever60 pivoted on a .class l n nected by a pin 62 to another lever 63 plv-- tation ofthe master gear.

movement 1s imparted to the master gear, the

fixed pivot 61. This is a lever of the first class, while the lever isof the third The other end of the lever is conoted at 64. 4The remote end of this lever 63 is forked and coperates with a pin 65 se cured to a vertical slidable shoe 66 having -a pivoted tooth 67'piyoted` at 68 land cooperating' with a leaf spring 69, seeFigI 5. The shoe 66 is in the nature of a rack having a single tooth, said tooth lying normally directly below the next bar 44 to be engaged'. At the same time the plunger 39 moves upwardly to withdraw the lock, the levers 60 and 63 will be actuated around their respective pivots and the shoe 66 and its tooth 67 will be elevated far enough to move the bar 44 engaged thereby to the next position or through one-eighth of a rotation of' the master gear 41. In other words, as the lock moves downwardly from engagement with the bars 44, the tooth 67 begins to move upwardly, causing the partial ro- As soon as this lock snapsV i into locking position and when the shoe 66 is brought lback to. its normal position by the combined force of gravity and thespring 58, the point of the tooth 67 will glide idly over the next bar to be engaged.

From the yforegoing specific description of the mechanism illustrated, the operation of the device may be briefly summarized as follows: At each impulse given to the electromagnet by closing the 4circuit therethrough, the master gear will be rotated through one-eighth of a turn and will be locked at the end of such partial rotation by the point of the lock 45, the spring 47 acting to throw thelockin such-position irrespective of the position of the magnet operated levers. The shutters, for example, being closed and it is desired to project a. moderate amount of light forwardly and downwardly upon the roadway, a single impulse given to the magnet will effect this result, and if the shutter elements are to be drawn wide open, another impulse given in the same manner will'cause the same. In other Words, to adjust the shutter elements to any desired position from whatever position they may `happen to occupy at any time, all that is required is for one or a few quick movements of the operators finger to be given to the button or switch 36 and the desired result will be accomplished.. The operating parts occupy a very slight amount of space within the casing 13, and hence are either invisible or inconspicuous. The operation is simple, easy, and positive and the desired control of the intensity ofthe light is enjoyed.

I claim:

1. Thel herein described headlight comprising ya plurality of shutter elements mounted for oscillation around parallel axes, a bar p ivotally connecting all of said elements and serving to hold them in parallel v planes, rotary means connected to said bar 'to' impart to it positively reciprocating movements in opposite directions, and means to actuate said rotary means intermittently step by'step always in the same direction.

2. In a dimmer for headlights, the combination of a pivoted shutter element, a bar connected to the shutter element eccentrically of its pivot, a rotary member having pin and slot connection with the bar, and means to rotate they rotary element in a continual step by step manner in the same direction `to reciprocate the bar in opposite directions and cause to and fro oscillation of the shutter elements, each oscillation comprising a plurality of steps in the same direction.

3. In a headlight dimmer, the combination of a frame, a pair of brackets secured to opposite sides of the frame, a yseries of shutter elements having pivotal connection with said brackets, a bar connecting all of said elements and serving to hold them in parallel planes in either open, closed or intermediate positions, a rotary member connected to said bar, meansto give the rotary velement a step by step continual movement of rotation vin the same direction for changl ing the position of the shutter elements from one step to another in either direction, and

` the bar and shutter elements positively after BEST AVAILABLE coiD` .4. i .l 1,204,588 A locking means serving automatically to hold each movement thereof.

4. In a headlight shutter, the combination with a series of shutter elements mounted for oscillation around parallel axes and a rigid bar connected to all of said elements to control their position, said bar having a slot perpendicular to the line of pivot connections with said elements, of a rotary member having a crank connection in said slot withthe bar, and'means to rotate the rotary member continually ystep by step in the same direction whereby the crank connection with the bar will positively cause the bar t reciprocate in opposite'directions to both open and close the shutter elements.

5. The combination with a series of shuttei' elements mounted to oscillate around parallel axes and arigid baihaving similar pivotal connection with all of said elen'nts, f

said ba'r having aslot perpendicular tothe line of pivotal connections, of means to positively reciprocate the bar in opposite directions and oscillate the shutter elements comprising a rotary member havin a crank connection with said slot, each o? said oscilla- 'tions comprising a plurality of steps, elecv tromagnet means to actuate the rotary member step by step in acontinual direction, and an automatic lock coperating with the rotary member toholdit in fixed posi- ,i I

tion after eachstep of its movement.

' 6L The combination with an oscillating shutter element, ofkactuating and controllingineantszf'or said element comprising a rotary member, a `wristpiii connectedto the rotar member, a reciprocating link connection tween the ivristpin and the shutter element, said link having a slot' for said wrist pin perpendicular tothe'direction of reciprocation of the link, an electromagnet having a movable armature, yand. devices adapted to be actuated step by' step by ref peated impulses givenfto the magnet to cause the rotary member t0 be rotated step by step in a'continual dircti'l.

7 The combinationv with an oscillatin pivoted shutter element, alnk connecte thereto and means to actuate 'said link'to oscillatJ the shutter element t0 and fro around its axis,' of means to 'control said actuating means including an electroinngnet having a movable armature, a plurality of levers o rated directly from s'aid armature,

connections between one of said levers and the actuating member' to o crate it and the shutter, and ineans actuate bythe other of said levers to positively lock lthe actuatingmeans andI shutter element from movement after being actuated. v y WLLIAM L. IJARGE.

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