US1256007A - Electric push-button. - Google Patents

Description

' M. C. FRANK. mmmc PUSH aunml. APPLICATION FILED JAN-8119]! Patented Feb.12,1918.

I Ave ENVY? MAXWE L C. MK, 01 PIEDMONT, CALIFORNIA- .ELECTBIO PUSH-BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

Application filed January 8, 1917. Serial No. 141,207.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAXWELL citizen of the United States, Piedmont, in the county of Alamed State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Push-Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to luminous devices, rendered so, by the application of luminous compositions, and in particular relates to electric push buttons illuminated by such agents.

The primary object of this invention is to rovide self luminous means for the push utton, so that it can'be readily seenand located in the dark, wholly without other indicating means. With this and other objects in view, my'invention consists of a pair of mounted electric switch terminals-housed within a casing, together with the push button center, which is recessed and made luminous and which constitutes the main part of my invention.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings,

the invention is illustrated, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the push hutton, and Fig. 2 a side view showing it attached to a wall; the push button center is protruding.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the push button of Fig. 1 taken centrally; the terinilrllals and terminal base being shown in Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the push button center, showing the lumi- C. FRANK, a residing at nous material and a'hollow core retaining it therein. 1

- Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a modification,

showing the luminous material at the inner top only, and the hollow retaining core.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, in which h 1 'is the casing.of the push button provided with an out-flaring stand and a top central :1 rture, which has itscircumferentiale ge turned inwardly :,forming' a shoulder. Housedwithin the casing are the mounted electric switch terminals 2. '8 is the push button center shown in the shell provided with a basal flange 4, and

said center in Fig. 815

shoulder of the casing 1,

aring' against the position by the upper and held in this form of a shown in its normal 1 face of said basal flange-- switch terminal 2, ressing against the bottom bearing face 0 said flange 4.

On depressing the push button center, the upper bearing face of the basal flange discontacts upper This hollow binding core is made a little larger in diameter at its open end than at its closed end, so that when it is inserted and form ofpush button center 60 from the casing shoulder, and the electric switch terminal contacts the: lower one, and while in this depressed posi-' tion the electric circuit is completed and-in service.

The push button center 3 shown enlarged any suitable material such as thin metal.

pressed into" seating position within the recess, it will bear and bind against the surface and by virtue of its enlarged diameter and reacting force, be retained therein. In some cases I ma further wish to secure the core or the luminous material to the recess, this may be accomplished by applying to the open end of the core, and t e exposed luminous material and the exposed surface of the recess, anadhering substance 7 such as gum arabic for example, which not rznly secures the luminous materlal in position,

but also. forms at the same time a hermetical and protecting seal for the said luminous materia The latter material after a lapse of about five years face, so it is essential for efliciency and (11b rability that it always be kept in'close contact with the surface and sealed and protected. 1 z

In 5 the ash button center .is of similar 5 ape to t at of Fig. 4 with the ex ception of the top which differs from the uniform thickness 'concavo-convex lens to of the latter. figure, by being provided wit a lano-convex top the sur ace of which may be composed o 1polygons as shown in the cross-section hygtde straight lines; also the walls of the y are made thick dries out, and has. a tendency to pulverize and flake oil from any surf thus decreasing the diameter of the recess. This reduction in diameter is done for the purpose of usin a comparatively small quantity of a big er grade of luminous material, and allowing the magnifying power of the lens top to disseminate the lumlnous rays, thus making the actual area of the luminous material appear much larger. This form of lens magnlfies larger than the parallel-curved lens top of Fig.

Having described my invention and an embodiment of it, it is to be understood that the same covers other variations, which come within the spirit of the invention and which are within the sco e of the claims, therefore, being aware t at prior to my invention, push buttons have been made luminous in various ways, I do not claim broadly such; but what I claim is-- 1. A push button comprising a casing housing a pair of electric switch terminals, a termmal base and a transparent, homogeneous, self-luminous open shell, push button center; said luminous shell provided with a basal bearing flange around said open end engaging its casing and said terminals.

2. A push button center comprising a round, hollow, transparent body provlded with a closed end and an open end, a basal flange around said open end, luminous material within said body and held in contact thereto by a binding core, and said core further secured to the body by an adhesive, said adhesive also forming a hermetical seal between the core and said body.

3. A push button center comprising a round, hollow, transparent body provlded terial within said body, and an adhesivecoating hermetically sealing the luminous material within said body. I

5. In a push button, an integral structure of glass, comprising a hollow body portion,

rovided a lens top portion, and a flan ed bottom portion, luminous material within said inv tegral structure and a hollow binding core pressed within said body to retain said luminous material therein.

' 6. In a push button, an inte a1 structure of glass comprising a hollow ody portion, a lens top ortion and a flanged bottom portion, luminous material in said integral structure and an adhesive coating applied thereto forming a hermetical seal for the luminous materlal within said body.

7. In a push button, a cylindrical, recessed, flanged, integral structure of glass, the closed end of which is formed into a plano-convex lens to cause to subtend a larger visual angle for the luminous coating within said recess.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my si nature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 2nd day of January, 1917.

MAXWELL O. FRANK.

Witnesses:

LEROY W. J ACKSOK, LAURA F. FRANK.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,256,007, granted February 12,

1918, upon the application of Maxwell C. Frank, of Piedmont, California, for an "improvement in Electric Push-Buttons," errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 25, claim 1, for the word "said" read its; same page and claim, line 26, for the word its read said; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform-t0 the record of the case in the Patent. Olfice.

Signed and sealed this 2d day of April, A. 1)., 1918.

J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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