US1330149A - Flash-light for cameras - Google Patents

Description

E. 0. SWAFFORD. FLASH LIGHT FOR CAMERAS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11, 1919.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

EOSu a/ford EDMOND o. swarrorm, or OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

FLASH-LIGHT Fort CAMERAS.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDMOND O. SWArFoRn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oklahoma, in the county of Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash- Lights for Cameras, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to. an improved flashlight device, which may be used by' amateurs and professional photographers, and adapted particularly for use in cooperation with cameras, and the invention aims to provide a device of this kind, which can be used at night or in dark rooms, or equally as well in daylight, that is when it is desired to take a picture in a room in the daytime on a cloudy day; 7

While the design and construction at present illustrated and set forth is deemed preferable, it is obvious that a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible to changes, and the right to these changes is claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

'In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a'view in side elevation of an adjustable telescopical sectional standard including a tripod support therefor, for the purpose of supporting a pan (which is often used: as a reflector), and showing the flashlight mechanism or device applied under the an. p Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view through the flashlight mechanism or device, showing the hammer plunger bar under tension of a spring and held against the tension of such spring by a trigger. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a plate for holding the head end of a match.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the slide and match igniter or trigger.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 designates a" conventional form of tripod, and Q-denotes a standard supported r lay-pttele oop na inhaler sec ggs 35.24:,

thereon. This standard comprises a plu- Specification of Letters Patent. I

as a result of Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

Application filed. June 11, 1919. Serial No. 303,294.

,5 and 6, and the upper section of the standard supports a pan 7, provided with arearwardly positioned upturned portion 8,

which acts as a reflector, as well as a deflector, so that, when the flashlight powder is ignited, the majority of the rays of the light will be reflected forwardly of the upturnedportion, thereby providing an exceedingly bright light in order to facilitate the taking of a good picture. A match 9 is supported in a lateral projection 10 of the upturned portion or flange 8, and secured at .11 to the bottom of the pan is a plate or holder 12. This plate or holder 12 comprises the inclined part 13 and the extended 1 part 1 1, which is parallel with the bottom of the pan. This part 1 1 has an opening 15 for the reception of the stem of the match, particularly immediately above the head 16 of the match, that is, when the match is inverted and disposed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The part 14 is arranged immediately above the head 16 of the match, in order to prevent the head of the match from too readily snapping ofi when the sliding member 17 is actuated.

The bottom. of the pan is provided with an elongated slot 18, through which the sliding member 17 is operated. The sliding member 17 has a downwardly projecting arm 19, which is pivoted at 20 between the ears 21 of the section 6 of the standard. Mounted in the section-6 of the standard-is a leaf spring 22, the loop end 23 of which bears against the arm 19 and holds the sliding member 17 normally in the position shown in Fig. 2, ward beveled knurled edge 24 immediately adjacent the lower extremity of the match head, so that when the sliding member is actuated. it will and the bottom of the pan, instantly igniting the inflammable head of the match. and igniting the powder carried on the sliding member. The plate .12 is constructed of some suitable yieldable metal, so that when the sliding member operates between the head of the match and the bottom of the pan, the part .14 of the plate will tend to yield upwardly, so as to permitthe sliding member to move between the-head of the match and the bottom of the pan. Since the part 14 of the plate yieldsupwardly, it will be seen that there is a certain amount of pressure applied upon the' head of the for instance, with the forslide between the match na so as m. were bananas:

lower extremity of the head of the match and the roughened beveled edge of the sliding member or igniter. 1

Secured to the bottom ofthe pan is a cylindrical tubular member orb'arrel 25, one

end of .which is provided with a reduced opening 26, the other end of which is closed by meansof a threaded cap 27. Connected in any suitable manner to the barrel or cylindrical tubular member is a tubular elbow 28, and slidably mounted in the arm 29 of the elbow is a pneumatically actuated sliding valve or element 30. The lower end of the arm 29 of the elbow is provided with an extension 31 having an enlargement, to which one end of a rubber tube 32 is connected. The other end of the tube 32. terminates in the usual bulb 33. A rubber tube 36 is con- 7 nected to the bulb 33 and isin turn con- 34 of the elbow, and the end 40 of the trigger extends through the openings 37 and in the path of the plunger or disk 41. This plunger or disk is fixedly carried by the plunger or hammer rod 42, and in surroundng relation to the rod and interposed between the cap 27 and-the plunger or disk- 41 is a coil tension spring 43. The'end portion 44 of the rod is adapted to pass through the opening 26 of oneend of the barrel or tubular member 25. The other endof the rod 42 has a head 45. The trigger is positioned in the arm 34 of the elbow in such wise that its end 46 at all times engages of the'valve 30. When it is desired to provide a flashlight for the purpose of taking powder is disposed upon the sliding igniter or member 17, and then the hammer rod 42 is set, as shown clearly in the drawings, particularly Fig.2. It is obvious that by pressing the bulb 33. the shutter of the camera (not shown) will be,actuated,-and at the same-time the flashlight is made. For instance. the air in pass- ,ing through the tube 32 actuates the valve 30 upwardly, tilting, the trigger, and withdrawing the end 40 from the path of the plunger or disk 41 against the action of the 47. When the bulb 33 is depressed air is forced in opposite directions The air passing through the tube 32 actsupon the'valve'30, raising the same, thereby actuating the trigbger 38 against the action of the spring 47 so as to draw the end 40 in the trigger from the path of the plunger or disk 41, allowing the spring 43- to actuate the hammer rod.

the upper end The tension of the spring imparts longitudinalmovement to the hammer rod, which will contact with the arm 19, and since the,

sliding igniter is carried by the arm 19, its beveled knurled igniting edge 24 will pass between the head inflammable member and the base of the pan 7, thereby igniting the inflammable member. The flashlight powder is carried upon the sliding igniter, and as soon as the. inflammable member is ignited, the powder passing through the be reset in engagement with the spring tensioned trigger, and when reset, the spring 22 16 of the match or other substantially. at the same timewill return the sliding igniter to its normal position. "Another inflammable member or match 9 may be inserted, for igniting another deposit of flashlight powder. At the sametime the shutter of the camera is operated, the plunger or hammer rod moves under the action of the tension coil spring 43, striking the arm 19 of the slidable igniter, thereby tilting the arm 19 and moving the igniter toward. and between the head of the match and the bottom of the pan. The roughened beveled edge of the igniter will frictionally contact wlth the headiof the match, therebyligniting the same and atthe same time. igniting thepowder on the v igniter, thereby creating a flashlight at the same time with the opening of the shutter of the camera.

The invention having been set forth, what.

is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a flashlight device forcameras, the combination with a tubular support having a pair of spaced ears and provided with a reflecting pan on its upper secured on the reflector pan and having a horizontal part parallel with the bottom of the pan for the reception of'a stem of a match for holding the inflammable head thereof in contact with the bottom of the pan, the bottom of the pan having a slot, a sliding igniter mounted bottom of the pan and provided with a knurled beveled igniting edge to slide between the inflammable head and the bottom end, of a holder slidably upon the r of the pan adapted to ignite a deposit of flashlight powder carried on the igniter, an

arm projecting downwardly from the botsupport and having a portion protruding through-the all;otthe ubele suppe ft engage said pivotally'mounted arm, to hold the igniter set from between the inflammable head and the bottom of the pan, and means ror actuating the pivotally mounted arm against the action of its tensioning means, whereby the. igniter may ignite the inflammable head.

2. In a flashlightdevice for cameras, the combination with a supportcarrying on its upper end a reflector pan, said pan having means for supporting an inflammable member, of an igniter slidable on the bottom of the pan and being pivotally carried on the support for igniting the inflammable memher, a tubular chamber secured to the under face of the pan provided with an opening at one end and a guide at the other end, a spring tensioned hammer rod prox 'ided with a plunger mounted in said chamber, whereby the hammer end of the plunger is adapted to pass through the open end of the chamber, to actuate said igniter, said plunger rod being mounted in the guide of said chamber, a tubular elbow carried by the tubular chamber, a spring tensioned trigger mounted in the horizontal arm of the tubular elbow and normally projecting through the wall of the tubular chamber in the path of and holding the plunger of the hammer rod set, and a pneumatically actuated valve mounted in the vertical arm of the tubular elbow in contact with and adapted to actuate said trigger to release the plunger, whereby its tensioning means may actuate it, to operate the igniter.

3. In a flashlight device for cameras, the

combination with a vertical support having a flashlight reflector on its upper end and provided with a pivotally mounted arm, of a combined flashlight powder container and igniter carried by the upper end of the arm and being slidably mounted upon the bottom of the pan, the bottom of the pan having an elongated slot in which the upper end of the arm is movable, means for holding the stem of an inflammable member with the inflammable member in the path of the combined powder container and igniter, tensioning means for the arm, the opposite ends of the slot adapted to limit the arm in its movement, a tubular chamber carried by the bottom of the pan, a spring tensioned hammer mounted in said chamber adapted to con- .tact with the arm when released to actuate the igniter, said hammer having a plunger, one end of the tubular chamber having an opening adjacent which the arm is normally positioned, so that the hammer may project through the opening to engage thearm, a housing carried by the tubular chamber, a spring tensioned trigger mounted in the housing and in hold the hammer set, and a pneumatically actuated valvemounted in the housing to operate the trigger to release the plunger and allow the hammer to actuate the arm.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDMOND O. SWAFFORD.

' WVitnesses:

GORDON W. TALLEY,

F. G. MARTIN.

the path of the plunger to

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