US1432907A

US1432907A - Portable electric lantern

Info

Publication number: US1432907A
Application number: US384530A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Charles Stanley Rhoads
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1920-05-27
Filing date: 1920-05-27
Publication date: 1922-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1939-10-24

Description

C. S. RHOADS, JR.

PORTABLE ELECTRIC LANTERN. APPHCAIION FILED MAY 27, 1920.

1 ,432, 907, Patented Oct. 24, 1922.

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/,2 v m o i //7 yen/0231' Umr/es 5/0/7/6] fifiamisi Patented Get. 241-, 1922.

UNHTD PATENT @FFHQE.

CHARLES STANLEY RHOADS, 313., OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PORTABLE ELECTRIC LANTERN.

Application filed May 27, 1920. Serial No. 384,530.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES STANLEY RHoADs, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Electric Lanterns, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements n portable electric lanterns of the type in which the illuminating elements and the source of electricity are embodied in a unitary structure.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a lantern of this type which is adaptable for use as a headlight and running lamp for vehicles and also as a portable trouble or work lamp.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, and hereafter described in detail, is especially adapted for use on self-propelled railway hand cars. The regulations under which such hand cars are operated require that in night runn1ng they be provided with a white headlight and a red tail-light and since the cars are used for inspection and repair purposes a portable trouble and work lamp is also made a part of the cars equipment. T satisfy these needs in the most practical and inexpensive manner, the improved lantern here1n has been devised, which comprises a container having feet for supporting it upon the tray of the hand car and with a handle for carrying it. A plurality of electric dry cells are enclosed and held against movement within the container which supports at one end a headlight and at its other end a itail-llght having a red lens, switching means be1r 1g provided for connecting these lamps in cir cuit with the dry cells. It is to be understood, however, that the improved lantern herein is not confined to the use previously described but may be employed for a large variety of purposes without depar tlng from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Another object of the present improve ment is to so construct a lantern of this type that ready access to the dry cells is afforded for their removal or replacement.

Other features of the present improvement are described in detail in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved lantern, a substantial portion of the container being broken away to show the relative positions of the headlight, tail-light, electricbatteries, and switching mechanism;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the lantern taken on a line just in rear of the headlight.

Referring now to the drawings in detail in which like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, 1 represents a cylindrical container which is illustrated as being a metal can having its open end provided with an annular flange 2. A headlight 3 which is illustrated as being of the well-known automobile type'is fitted Within the open end of the container a distance sufficient to bring an annular flange 4 formed on the headlight into contact with the annular flange 2 formed on the casing 1. A rim '5 hinged to the container and held in closed position by means of a strip of metal 6 attached thereto, which projects over the casing and is secured thereto by means of a screw 7, serves to hold the headlight casing and lens therefor in the position illustrated in Figure 1.

The end wall 8 of the container 1 is provided with a central opening 9 to receivea red lens tail-light 10 of the usual type employed on automobiles. The casing of the tail-light 10 is flared and carries a screwthreaded bolt 11 which projects through an opening formed in a-U-shaped bracket 12 that straddles the tail-light casing and has its ends in contact with the inner face of the end wall 8. A nut 13 threaded on the bolt-11 serves to draw the tail-light casing and the U-shaped bracket together and thereby clamp the flared portion of the tail-light casing against the edge of the opening 9.

Five electric dry cells 14 of standard construction are fitted within the container 1' in the position illustrated in Figure 2, in which the cells are arranged in a ring with their sides parallel and in contact with the inner wall of the container and their ends in contact with the end wall 8 thereof. It has been found in practice that five dry cells connected in series will supply suflicient current for operating the headlight and taillight for a considerable length of time and preferably no larger number is employed in order that the weight of the lamp may be as small as possible.

Due to the hinge connection between the rim 5 and the container 1, the former may be swung upwardly and the headlight re moved to permit removal. or replacement of the dry cells within the container.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings, the diameter of the container 1 is illustrated as being larger than is necessary to receive five dry cells, so in order to hold the cells in the position illustrated in Figure 2, a transverse rod 15 is secured to the inner walls of the container 1 in a position to engage the dry cells 14 and prevent any upward or downward movement thereof. By using a container of the size illustrated a standard form of headlight and standard dry cells may be employed, but it is to be understood that the size of the container 1 and headlight may be made such that the container will be of a size to just receive a ring of five or six standard dry cells, or specially constructed dry cells may be employed, in which cases the rod 15 would be unnecessary.

As previously described, the dry cells 1.4 are held against movement up or down by means of the transverse rod 15, and means is provided for preventing any outward movement of the said cells which comprises a disk 16 which is positioned between the terminal ends of the dry cells and the headlight 3. An opening is made in the disk 16 to receive a socket 17, into which a terminal plug 20 isfitted to supply current to the centrally disposed electric bulb 2 1 of the headlight 3.

A suitable double-throw switch 18 is secured on the end wall 8 of the container 1, the terminals 19 of which project into the space above the transverse rod 15. able wiring connections (not shown) connect the terminals 19 with the

terminals

20 and 21 of the headlight and the tail-light respectively, these wiring connections being arranged so that in one operative position the switch connects four of the dry cells 14 in circuit with the lamps and in its other operative position connects all five of the dry cells in circuit with the said lamps. Due to this wiring arrangement, one of the dry cells may be used as a reserve and thrown in circuit with the other four when the latter become discharged sutliciently to affect the brilliancy of the lamps.

Secured to the casing 1 are feet 22 and a handle 23 which permits the lantern to stand upon a fiat surface or to be carried and directed in much the same manner as a flashlight is used. When the lantern herein illustrated and described is used on a selfpropolled railway handcar, the feet 22 support it on the tray of the car With the headlight 3 directed to the front and the tail-light l0 directed to the rear. While the handcar is in motion, these lights serve as Suitrunning lamps. By means of the handle 23, the lantern may be lifted and light thrown in any desired direction for inspecting the rails, switches, telephone and telegraph wires, etc. After the handcar has been re moved from the track and repair or construction work is to be done, the headlight 3 is used as a work lamp.

What I claim is:

1. A. portable work lamp comprising a cylindrical container, a plurality of cylindrical dry cells mounted on their sides therein, a headlight and a tail-light carried by said container and positioned adjacent opposide ends of said dry cells, switching means for connecting said lights in circuit with said dry cells, and a handle and feet secured to said container.

2. A portable work lamp comprising a container, a plurality of dry cells mounted on their sides therein, a headlight carried by said container and adjacent the terminal ends of said dry cells, a tail-light carried by said container and adjacent the bottoms of said dry cells, and switching means for connecting said lights in circuit with said dry cells.

3. A portable work lam comprising a cylindrical container having an open and a closed end. a headlight mounted within the open end of said container, a plurality of cylindrical dry cells mounted on their sides within said container, a tail-light positioned at the closed end of said container, and switching means mounted on the closed end of said container for connecting the lamps in circuit with the source of electric current.

+1. An electric lantern comprising a container having an open and a closed end, a plurality or electric dry cells mounted within the container and arranged in a ring with their sides parallel with the inner wall of the container and their ends in contact with the closed end thereof. a headlight mounted within the open end of said container, a taillight projecting through an opening formed in the closed end of said container and fitted within the ring formed by said dry cells, and switching means carried by said container for connecting the lamps in circuit with the dry cells.

An electric lantern comprising a container having an open and a closed end, a headlight mounted within the open end of said container, a tail-light projecting through an opening formed through the center of the closed end of said container, means engaging the inner face of the closed end of the container for securing said taillight thereto. a plurality of electric dry cells mounted on their sides within said container and arranged in a ring with their ends in contact with the closed end of said container and adjacent the said tail-light, and means carried by said container for connecting said lights in circuit with said electric dry cells.

6. An electric lantern comprising a container having an open and a closed end, a battery mounted therein, a headlight mounted within the open end of said container, a tail-light projecting through an opening formed in the closed end of said container, a bracket engaging the inner face of of the closed end of said container and attached to said tail-light for rigidly; securing it within said opening, and switching means for connecting said lamps in circuit with said battery.

7. An electric lantern comprising a container, a plurality of electric dry cells mounted within the container and arranged in a ring with their sides parallel with the wall of the container, a head light carried 7 by the container and a tail light projecting through an opening formed in the container and fitted in the ring formed by said dry cells, and switching means carried by said container for connecting the lamps in circuit with the dry cells.

, 8. An electric lantern comprising, a container, a plurality of electric dry cells mounted on their sides within said container and arranged in a ring, a head light carried by the said container, a tail light projecting through an opening formed in the container and fitted in the ring formed by said dry cells, and means carried by said container for connecting said lamps in circuit with said dry cells.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 22nd day of May A. 1)., 1920.

CHARLES STANLEY RHOADS, Jr.