US1226325A - Projecting-lamp. - Google Patents

Description

H. W. GEROMANOS.

PROJECTING LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. H. 1916.

Patented May15, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

WITNESSES H. W. GEROMANOS.

PROJECTING LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. H. 191s.

HERCULES WALLACE GEROMANOS, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROJECTING-LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1911?.

Application filed February 11, 1916. Serial No. 77,625.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Elements W. 'Gnno- MANOS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of MQSSHClIIlSGttSJlfiVB invented a beam of light is formed in front of the vehicle in such a way that it covers a predetermined areav having a given length and a given width, the quantity of light being variable, depending on the regulations of any particular State.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adapter whereby any reflector'of a projecting lamp can be transformed in such a way that it would cover a predetermined area, depending on the curvature of the reflector.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed. In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similar'characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the views.

Figure 1 is an axial section through a reflector provided with the adapter;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the adapter in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a perspective view of a reflector combining the lower half of a reflecting surface and the adapter;

Fig. 5 is a modified structure of my reflector; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66, Fig. 5.

Before proceeding to a more detailed de scription of my invention it must be clearly understood that the adapter may be used with any reflecting surface, whether hyperbolic, parabolic, elliptical or any other com- ?ination of curves used for a reflecting surace.

Referring to the drawings, 7 is the housing of a common reflector lamp used as a headlight on automobiles on which a suit able reflector 8 is mounted, a source of light 9 being provided substantially in the focus of the reflector. To obtain the desired beam of light from such a reflector, I provide an adapter,'whicl1 consists of a semispherical reflecting surface 10 and a plate -11 rigid therewith and in the plane of the edge of the semispherical reflector. The radius of ourvature of the semispherical reflector is substantially equal to the focal length of the maiin reflector for which the adapter is to be use The edge of the plate 11 is in conformity with the curvature of the main reflector 8, so that the said reflector will be divided by the plate, when the adapter is placed into the reflector, into two horizontal parts, an upper and a lower. Any suitable means may be provided to retain the plate in position within the main reflector. For example, diametrically opposite protuberances 12 may be formed in front of the main reflector on which plate 11 will rest so as to maintain the secondary semispherical reflector 10 directly opposite the lower horizontal half of the reflector 8. In the rear the adapter is maintained in position by its engagement with the main reflector and also by its engagement with the lamp 9.

" By placing the adapter into the main reflector, the light is concentrated on the lower half of the main reflector, for the rays from the source of light will be reflected by the.

secondary scmispherical reflector on to the lower half of the main reflector. There will be no light from the source 9 on to the upper half, the plate 11 preventing any reflection from the lower half of the main reflector to the upper half.

The. convex surface of the secondary reflector serves also as a reflecting surface for the source of light lid-commonly located in the upper half of the main reflector. The plate 11 may alsobe made to reflect the light if so desired. I l

In cases where the main reflector of a projecting lamp is of a character inadaptable to a particular regulation of a State, a reflector such as shown in Fig. 4-may then be placed thereinto about the source of light. The reflector shown in Fig. 4 is formed by simply splitting any suitable reflector and securing the adapter to each half. When placing such a reflector as shown in Fig. 4 into a lamp, care must be taken to so secure it as to retain the plate 11 in a horizontal plane above the main reflecting surface 14:. The secondary reflecting surface 10 will then form the upper half of the reflector shown in Fig. 4.

. In the modified structures, shown in Flgs. 5 and 6, the semispherical secondary reflecting surface 15 is located in the upper half of the main reflector 16 with the edge of said secondary reflector substantially in a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the main reflector. The spherical surface of the secondary reflector is made to merge into the surface ofthe main reflector to make a continuous surface between the lower half of the main reflector and the secondary reflector, the curvature of the secondary reflector 15 being substantially that of the focal length of the main reflector. A source of light 17 is preferably secured to the secondary reflector so that no obstruction is offered-to the rays of light issuing from the lower half of the main reflector.

When the secondary reflector is secured to the main reflector, as shownin Fig. 5, the plate for separating the main reflector into a lower and an upper half may be dis pensed with, for the edge of the secondary reflector 15 will substantially perform the function of the plate, probably not as efficiently, but in many cases sufliciently. The convex surface of the secondary reflector is also a reflector and cooperates with the upper half of the main reflecting surface for the second source of light 17 positioned slightly beyond the mouth of the main reflector where a glass front 18 is provided. i

From the above description it will be seen that whether the adapter is to be used with an ordinary reflector, whether it is secured to one-half of an ordinary reflector, as shown in Fig. I, or whether the ordinary reflector be provided with a secondary semi spherical reflector, as shown in Figs; 5 and 6, the underlying principle is the same, which is to provide a secondary semispherical reflecting surface for a main reflecting surface so that the center of curvature of said secondary reflecting surface is substantially in the focus of the main reflecting surface.

While I have described the principle of operation, and the structure. which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as are within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a main reflector having' the curvature of a conic section, a source of light substantially in the focus of said main reflector, a secondary semispherical reflector within the main reflector, and a plate at the edge of said secondary reflector dividing the main reflector into upper and lower horizontal halves, the center of curvature of said secondary reflector being substantially in the focus of the main reflector, said secondary reflector facing the lower half of the main reflector.

2. In combination, a main reflector having the curvature of a conic section, a plate substantially in the'horizontal plane pass ing through the axis of said main reflector and dividing the same into lower and upper horizontal halves, a semispherical reflecting surface on said plate facing the lower half of the main reflector, the radius of curvature of said semispherical reflector being substantially that of the focal length of the main reflector, and a source of light substantially in the focus of the main reflector.

3. In combination, a main reflector having the curvature of a conic section, a plate in the horizontal plane of the main reflector passing through the axis thereof and dividing the main reflector into lower and upper halves, a secondary reflector carried bysaid plate and facing the lower half of the main reflector, the center of curvature of said secondary reflecting surface being substantially in the focus of the main reflector, and a source of light substantially in the focus.

4;. In combination, a main reflector having the curvature of a conic section, a secondary semispherical reflector the edge of which is in the horizontal plane passing through the axis of the main reflector, the radius of curvature of said secondary reflector being substantially equal to the focal length of the main reflector, and the center of curvature ofsaid secondary reflector being substantially in the focus of the main reflector, a source of light substantially in the focus of the main reflector, and a source of light within the main reflector and ex-' terior of the secondary reflector.

5. In combination, a mam reflector having the curvature of a conic section, a secondary reflecting surface within the main reflector, a plate at the edge of said secondary reflector dividing the main reflector name to this specification in the presence into two parts, the focus of said Secondary of two Witnesses. reflector bein coaxial with the main reflector and a sonrce of light disposed be- HERCULES WALLACE GEROMAMS' 5 tween the focuses of the main and the sec- Witnesses:

ondary reflector. C. S. ELL,

In testimony whereof I have signed my J. A. COOLIDGE.

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