US1575625A - Illuminated gear-shift-lever ball - Google Patents

Description

March 9 1926. 1,575,625 H. GpDl BELKA iLLUMINATED GEAR SHIFT LEVER BALL Filed .Oct. 19, 1925 HENRY o.

Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

7 :IUNIiT-ED STATES PATENT omen,

'DIBELKA,-or' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORTO THE KINGSLEY-MILLER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

- v ILLUMINATED GEAR-SHIFT-LEVER BALLL' To all whom it concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. DIBELKA,

a citizen of the United States, residing atnated balls for the ends of gear-shaft levers for automobiles and similar devices.

One aim of the invention is the production of a support for the ball or knob handle which incorporates an electric-switch, whereby the electric circuit of the lamp within the ball may be readily controlled.

A -further purpose of the invention is the provision of a mounting or support of this kind which may be sold as an accessory and applied to the gear-shift levers of practically all, if not all, makes of cars.

An'added aim of the invention is the production of an appliance of this character which is simple in structure, involving relatively few parts, and which may be manufactured at comparatively small cost.

To enable thosetrained in this art to understand how these and other advantages are obtained by the employment of the present invention, in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and throughout the several views of which like reference characters have been used to designate the same parts, a present desirable and preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in detail.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section through the new appliance;

'Figure 2 is an elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on l1ne 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a similar section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to these drawings it will be seen that the new device includes a main, cylindrical support or adapter 11 internally recessed and threaded at one end at 12 for easy application to the top, screw-threaded end of the gear-shift lever, not shown, 1n

1 Application fi-led October 19, 1925. Serial No. 63,256.

place of the ball or handle with which it is usually fitted.

The opposite end ofthe body 12 is likewise provided with an internally-threaded passage 13 designed to accommodate the threaded shank or stem 14 of sin-incandescent electric-lamp bulb 15, such passage communicating with the larger cylindrical space'lG in the body. r

A translucentor transparent ball 17, such as onyx, colored glass, or the like, has a cavity 18 therein provided partway of its depth or length with a bushing 19 cemented fixedly therein and having internal threads adapted to be screwed on to the exterior threads of the reducdend part 21 of the body 11.

WVhen these elementsare properly assembled, the incandescent filament of the lamp,

is at substantially the'center of such encasing or enclosing ball or handle 17 the latter peing efl'ectively illuminated by the brilliant amp. v

In order to make the required electrical connection with the lamp, whereby it may receive its current, the cavity 16 has an insu- .lation block 22 fixed therein by a screw 23, such element 22 accommodating a transverse,

round, electrically-conductive pin or rod 24 with a head 25 located in a cut. away section 26 of the block, a portion of the shank of the pin being exposed above registering flat surfaces27 and 28 on opposite sides thereof,

the inner or upper part of the block having an oblique wall or shoulder 29 a purpose hereinafter specified.

As is clearly shown, the body 11, opposite provided for the pin. head 25, has athreaded opening 31 extended therethrough to detachably or demountably receive a threaded sleeve 32 around or encasing an insulating bushing 33 through which'the' end portion of the insu lated wire 34 projects with its conductor end 35 inelectrical contact ,with'the exposed face of the head.

' Thus it will be perceived that the electric wire and its mounting may be readily applied to or detached from the structure, by

merely inserting or removing the associated.

parts 33 and 32. The cylindrical cavity 16 also has or houses therein an oscillatory, reciprocatory,

insulation switch-body 36 designed to be turned or rocked and moved lengthwise slightly to open and close the circuit to the lamp-bulb by a screw 37 mounted therein and projecting outwardly through a slot 38 in the wall of the element 11 of greater width than the diameter of the screw to permit the reciprocation of the body 36 referred to.

spring 43.

The switch element 36' of insulation material has a round-headed screw 44 disposed longitudinally thereof, projecting therefrom, and in contact with the shell41, the head of such screw by the turning'of sleeve 39 being adapted to be shifted into and outof contact with the exposed part of the contact pin 24.

When the switch is in fofl position or open condition, the'head of screw 44- is held in frictional engagement with the insulation surface 28 by? reason of the tendency of thespring 43 to expand, whereby there is no danger of the switch being jarred or vibrated into operative or on condition, the,

' 1 turning of the switch block in the direction of the opening of the switch being limited by' the engagement of the contact screw 44 with the oblique wall 29 or of the screw 37 with the end of its, slot.

When the'switch is turned into its on or operative position, the screw 44 rides slightly over the center of the pin 24, which action is permitted by reason of the compressibility of the spring 43. and it is then held in contact with the pin by the tendency of the spring to expand or elongate, jarring of the movable screw from such desired relation being prevented because it is slightly beyond the highest part of the cross pin contact 24 and is consequently yieldingly held with the two screws in engagement which, of course, completes the circuit through the lamp bulb, the latter having an outer threaded contact grounded on the body 11 as will bereadily understood.

It will be perceived, therefore, that the spring 43 performs the double function of always maintaining an eflicient and effective contact with the lamp-bulb and of yieldingly maintaining-the switch-body carrying the movable contact projected toward the stationary switch-element and permitting the former to slide lengthwise the structure somewhat during its oscillatory movements,

whereby suitable pressure is exerted between the two contact elements of the switch when the latter is closed, and when the switch is and taken off while the old bulb is being removed and a new one installed, whereupon. the ball, constituting the knob or handle, may be screwed back into place.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited and restricted to the precise and exact details of structure illus-; trated and described,-because these may be modified within comparativelv wide limits without departure from the heart and essence of the invention as defined by the appended claims. a

I claim:

1. In a gear-shiftlever attachment of the character described, the combination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, an electric-lamp bulb socket on said adapter, a hollow ball on said adapter to enclose a bulb in said socket, an electricconductor entering said adapter through its .side wall, an electric-switch in saidadapter in the circuit of said conductor and bulb means on the exterior of said adapter to operate said switch, and means to prevent the switch from being jarred out of the position in which it has been set.

2. In a gear-shift lever attachment of the character described, the combination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, an electric-lamp bulb socket on the adapter includinga movable contact designed to engage one of the terminals of a. lamp bulb in said socket, an electric-switch in said adapter in the circuit of said socket and having a movable contact, means exterior to said adapter to permit'the switch'to be operated, an electric-conductor entering said adapter and electrically connected to a said switch, and a spring acting on the movable contacts of both said socket and switch. v

3. In a gear-shift lever attachment of the character described, the combination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, an electric-lamp bulb socket on said adapter, an insulation body in said,

adapter carrying a contact for a bulb in said socket and a switch contact in electrical connection therewith, means on the exterior of the adapter for moving said body, a sta-' tionary insulation member in said adapter, a switch 'contactthereon with which said first switch contact cooperates, ,andan electric conductor entering said adapter and in connection with said stationary switch contact.

4. Ina gear-shift lever attachment of the character described, the combination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, an electric-lamp bulb socket in said adapter, an insulation body mounted in said adapterfor reciprocation and oscillacharacter described, the combination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, an electric-lamp bulb socket in said adapter, an insulation body mounted in said adapter for reciprocation and oscillation and carrying a spring-pressed contact for a bulb in said socket and a switchcontact in electrical connection therewith, means on the exterior of the adapter for turningsaid body, a. stationary insulation member in said adapter, a switch contact embedded partially in said member with an exposed rounded portion cooperating with said first switch contact, the spring holding said movable insulation body frictionally against displacement both when the switch is in open and in closed positions, and an electric conductor entering said adapter and in electrical connection with said stationary switch contact.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

HENRY G. DIBELKA. [n 5.]

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