US1423253A - Headlight - Google Patents

Description

T. W. POST..

HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.15,19\1.

Patented July 18, 1922.

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-..-lllll vide a 'tilting reflector,

TRUMAN w. Pos1', oF NEW YORK, N. Y., AssrGNon To wILLYs CORPORATION, 0F

TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

HEADLIGHT.

masses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1922.,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I. TRUMAN W. Pos'r, a

citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlights, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to automobile headlights and more particularly t0 a headlight in which the horizontal beam of light may be shifted so that it lis inclined downwardly, thereby preventing the rays of light striking an approaching driver or pedestrian and causing the blinding glare, which so seriously impairs the vision.

One object of the invention is to provide a headlight of this character, in which the entire beam of light may 'be deflected from .simple electromagnetic.mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to prowhich is positively locked against inadvertent movement or rattling when either in its horizontal or tilted position.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a head ight of this character, in which the operating mechanism for tilting the reflector may be initially adjusted after the casing or shell ofthe lamp has been fixed 4to the vehicle to compensate for any inaccuracies in the angular position .of the casing.

With these and other objects in view, which will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter to follow, the invention consists of the combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section'through a headlight constructed in'accordance with the principles of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a detail of the electromagnetic operating mechanism. n

As is the usual construction, the headlight shown comprises a shell'or casing 1, which is substantially conical in shape, having a cylindrical flange or ring 2, over the open end of which is mounted the lens or pane of reflector, instead of glass 3, the same being secured to a ring 4 by fastening means 5. This ring et is slipped over the end of the cylindrical llange 2 and may be held in position by friction or in any other desired manner. The casing l is provided witli a box-like extension 4, which holds the electromagnetic mechanism for 0perating the reflector. The structure so far described is adapted to be mounted upon ythe vehicle by the usual supporting brackets, not shown, so that the casing has no relative movement with respect to the vehicle.

Mounted within the casing 1 is a reflector 6, which reflector can be of any desired contour, but in practice the usual type of parabolic reflector is used. This reflector has secured to. it adjacent its outer edge a stiff'- ening ring 7, which carries trunnion pins 8 which pivotally mount the reflector within a ring 9. The ring 9 is of slightly less diameter than the ring 2 and lits within the ring 2, so that the friction between them will hold the ring 9 against inadvertent movement. An electriclamp l1 is mounted in a socket 12 carried by and projecting through the narrow end of the reflector. Preferably,

this lamp is positioned so that its filament or point of brightest illumination coincides with the focal point of the parabolic relector v6.

The normal position of the reflector 6 is Shown in full lines in Figure l, in which position the rays of light from the lamp and reflector arel directed in a generally horizontal direction, as is the usual practice witli automobile headlights. The reflector, however, due to its pivotal mounting, is adapted to be thrown into its dotted line position, also shown iii this view, in which the beam of light from the lamp and being directed in a generally horizontal ldirection is projected downwardly. ait such an angle that it will strike the road in front of the car at a distance' of' about 30 feet from the car. This Adeflection of the beam of light is sullicient glare of the headlights ot an approaching car will not be so apt to blind him.

To tilt the reflector from the full to the dotted line position the electromagnetic mechanism which will now be described, is utilized. This mechanism comprises two solenoids 2O and 21, which are mounted. upon al base plate 22. The solenoid 21 has a core Q3 which is pivotally connected to a link 25. This link 25 is in turn pivotally connected to a link 26. A link 27, which is secured to the rim of the reflector,4 is pivoted at the other end to the link 26. As will be clear from Figure 1, the intermediate link 26 is disposed at practically right angles to the links Q5 and QT, and therefore when the solenoid is energized to retractthe core '23, this link 26 will have a limited angular movement. This angular movement ofthe link :2G is utilized to release the locking device. as will now be described. To prevent the reflector from shaking or rattling so as to cause a vibratory beam of light to be thrown upon the road. a spring 29 is fastened to the base plate 2Q, which spring is provided with a hole or slot 30 therein. A pin 3l carried by the link 27 is adapted to Ht into the slot 30 when the reflector is in its horizontal or full line position. the pin and spring constituting a locking device which securely holds the reflector against movement. To release the reflector from the lock the link Q6 is provided with a heel which rests upon thc spring '29 in the normal or unretracted position of the core 23. as shown in full lines in Figure l. lVhen the core is energized this heel engages and presses the spring29 downwardly, which will carry the spring away -from the pin 3l. so that the. link 27, and hence the reflector` will be free to move rearwardly with the core 23.

The core 23 also carries a stop pin 3l. which engages the frontend of the solenoid to limit the throw of the core Q3. This pin is so arranged that when it abuts against the solenoid the reflector has been tilted the required amount to cause the desired deflection of the beam of light. A locking device is also provided t'or holding the core 23 in its retracted position. so that the solenoid need not remain energized. This locking device consists of a pivoted lat-ch mounted upon the baselplate QQ, the free end of which is adapted to engage in a notch 36 formed in the under face of the core Q3. A small spring 37 exerts a pressure upon the latch 35 to maintain it against the bottom of the core Q3, so that when the core is retracted and the stop pin 3l engages with the, solenoid the free end of the latch will be forced into the notch 3G and the reflector will be held in its downwardly inclined position until the hitch 35 has been moved to release the core. The stop pin 3st and latch 35 also (zo-operate to hold the reflector from rattling or from having a slight vibratory movement when the car is in motion.

The releasing of the latch 35 is accomplished by electromagiutic means. including the solenoid 20, which is provided with a core 3S which is normally thrown outwardly by a spring 3S). To the free end ol' this core is pivoted a swinging bar to. the bar being pivoted at its other end to a bracket or snpport l1 carried by the base plate 22. This bar extends transversely across the latch 35 which, as appears in Figure l. is inclined upwardly. ll'hen. therefore. the solenoid 20- is energized and the bar l() swung rearwardly. the bar will engage the pivoted latch 255 and press it downwardly until the latch is free ot' the notch 3G, which will permit the reflector to resume its horizontal position under the force of gravity. It it is desired to return the reflector to its normal position positively, a spring may be utilized as shown for example at 42. As theretlector returns to its normal or horizontal position the stop pin or set screw 3l will engage the upturned edge 29 formed upon the spring latch 29. This will prevent further outward movement oi` the reflector and the set screw or pin 3l will then engage in the slot 30 and lock the reflector in position.

Any desired circuit arrangement can be used for energizing the solenoids 20 or 21, and in Figure 2 a conventional circuit arrangement tor this purpose is shown, consistinfr of a battery 50 and two parallel circuits oland 52, which circuits are opened and closed by switches 53 and 54, respectively.

It should be noted that the base plate .12 carries all "of the movable parts ot' the electromagnetic operating mechanism and this plate is slidably mounted in the extension 4t of the shell or casing l. The lateral position of the operating mechanism may therefore be adjusted, after which the base plate. is locked to the casing by means oi a thumb nut 55., which is threaded on the end ot the screw 5G carried by the base plate, which screw passes through a slot 5T in the wall of theextension Il ol the casing. The purpose ot this construction is to permit an initial adjustment of the reflector as it is evident that if the casing l. is not correctly mounted upon the automobile ot the vehicle, the reflector 6 will not. assume a horizontal position. However, b v moving the base plate 2Q, which carries the operating mechanism, backward or forward the angular )osition of the reflector G within the casing may be adjusted to a nicety, after which the operating mechanism locked by means of the thumb nut 55.

I claim l. A headlight comprising a casing, a

pivotally mounted reilector therein, operating mechanism for ti lting said reflector, said operating mechanism .being bodily movable in said casing to initially adjust the angular position of said reflector.

2. A headlight comprising a casino', a pivotally mounted reflector therein, ating mechanism for tilting support upon which said mechanism is mounted, said support being movably mounted in said casing, and means for locking said support in said casing in any one of a lurality of different positions.

3. lil 'a headlight, the combination of a casing, a pivotally mounted reflector therein, operating mechanism for tilting said reflector, said operating mechanism being bodily adjustable in said casing to vary the angular position of said reflector.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing, vreflector mounted to tilt therein, means determining the norsaid reflector, a

opermal and tilted limiting positions of said re- Hector, a single adjustable means for varying both of' said positions and means effective Whenever operated t-o move said reflec tor to either of said positions in a single movement.

5. In a headlight, the combination'of a casing, a reflector pivotally mounted therein, means for locking said reflector in its normal upright position, an electro-magnet for releasing said locking means and moving said reflector to a tilted position, means for locking said reflector in its tilted position, an electro-magnet for releasing said second locking means to permit said reflector to return to its upright position, and means for bodily adjusting said locking means relative to said easing for varying the upright and tilted positions of said reflector.

In Witness whereof, I subscribe my signature.

TRUMAN W. POST.

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