US1595146A

US1595146A - Flash lamp

Info

Publication number: US1595146A
Application number: US644897A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph C Ford
Original assignee: FRENCH BATTERY Co
Current assignee: FRENCH BATTERY Co
Priority date: 1923-06-12
Filing date: 1923-06-12
Publication date: 1926-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1943-08-10

Description

Aug. 10 1926. J. C. FORD FLASH LAMP Filed June 12'. 1923 Patented Aug; 10, 19 26. I.

- UNITED. {STATES 1,595,146 PATENT OFFICE; I

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"I'LASH LAMP.

Application filed June 1a, 1923. Serial manner.

This invention relates to flash lamps of the type now commonly in use in homes, garages, etc., wherein a small electric lamp is energized by electric current from a dry cell contained within a hand graspable case which also carries the lamp, the periods of illumination of said lam being selectively controllable from outside the caseby the user of'the device.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the case cover itself is the switch manipulating mem ber',-thereby doing away with expensive and more or less unsightly switches of the prior art, protruding'from the case. A further object is to utilize a spring to not only hold the electric current controlled switch in normal open position but to ease any jar created movement of the battery toward the lamp, 2.

movement which in devices of the prior art frequently causes breakage of the lamp.

The invention consists in -mechanism capable of attaining the foregoing and other objects, which can be exceedingly easily and cheaply made, which is satisfactory in use and is not readily liable to get out of order.

More particularly, the invention consists in numerous features and details of construction which will be'hereafter more fully set 3 forth in the specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings in which. like numerals designate the same parts throughout the several views:

. Figure 1 is a central, sectional view through the flash lamp mechanism illustrat ing this invention in its preferred form, the parts being in theposition normally assumed when no current is being delivered to the lamp and the lamp is accordingly extinguished.

Figure 2 is a chan ed position view of the parts of Fi re 1, s owing current passing through an illuminating the electric lamp.

In the exceedingly economical form of .de-

vice shown in the drawings, a tubular case 6 is provided being at the upper end, as viewed in the drawings, permanently, in the particular case here illustrated, integrally closed by a conventional reflector 8, having a central screw threaded perforation 10 in which a conventional form of electric light 12 interfits, as shown in the drawings, sothat the central terminal 14 of the lamp is in the interior of the case 6. The opposite or lower end of case 6 is open, except for a removable cap 16, attached to the case by conventional.

screw threads 18 so arranged that when the operator rotates the cover 16, the battery 20 inside the case and normally resting on this/ cover 16 is moved between the two positions a of Figures 1 and 2, in the latter of which, the central terminal 22 of the battery contacts the central terminal 14 of the lamp 12 with the result that electric current passes from the battery through the conventional lam d 12 to the metallic reflector 8 integral wit case 6, through which the current returns to the outer surface or terminal of the battery which rests upon and therefore electrically contacts with the cover 16.

Resting upon the upper end of battery 20 and enclosing terminal22 is a coiled spring 24 taking bearing at its upper end in an annular insulating member 26, frictionally or otherwise detachably held in place inside the case 6 at the juncture of the reflector 8 therewith. This insulating member 26 is preferably provided at the bearing point of the upper end of the spring 24' with an annular recess 28 into which the spring 24 automatically locks itself so that when the cover 16 and the battery 20 are wholly removed from the remaining parts of the device, the spring 24 will not drop out of the case 6.

The spring 24 is of sufficient stren h so that it, when given an opportunity, ho ds the battery 20 entirely away from and clear of lamp terminal 14, as'viewed in Figure 1, performing thereby the additional function of acting as a'cushion for the battery 20 should the device when positioned as shown in Figure 1 receive a severe jolt on the cover end 16 of the case tending to throw the battery against the lamp. Even when the parts I are in the position of Figure 2 and such a 9& 'olt takes place, the spring 24 presses on the attery so hard, tending to move it from the position of Figure 2 to that of Figure 1, that the battery does not exert as dangerous a pressure or blow on the lamp as would be the case were the spring 24 not present.

In the operation of the device, the parts are normally assembled as shown in Figure 1 and when the user desires light from lamp 12, he simply rotates the cover 16 on screw threads 18 until the parts assume the position of Figure 2. When the operator has no further use for light from the lamp, he turns cover 18 in the opposite direction from that just described, thereby allowing spring 24 to separate the battery 20 from the lamp terminal 14 and thus cut off the current and extinguish the light.

The manufacture of the device is exceedingly economical in that all the constructor has to do out of the ordinary is to form the reflector 8 in the case 6, which is otherwise of conventional construction, place the insulating member 26 in position and then apply the spring 24, which is the same type of spring which is conventionally used in other devices of the prior art, at the opposite end of the battery 20, in the position shown in the drawings. The battery and lamp are conventional products.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In mechanism of the class described, a case of current conducting material, means supporting an electric lamp for throwing light outside the case, with one terminal inside the case, a battery inside the case so reciprocable inside the case that one of its terminals moves into and out of engagement with said lamp terminal, a coiled spring adjacent to the lamp bearing on the case and the battery normally urging the battery away from said lamp terminal, means insulating the spring from the case, means in the insulation retaining the spring when the battery is removed from the case, and means outside the case adapted to move the battery toward the lamp terminal.

2. In mechanism of the class described, a case of current conducting material, means supporting an electric lamp for throwing light outside the case, with one terminal inside the case, a battery inside the case so reciprocable inside the case that one of its terminals moves into and out of engagement with said lamp terminal, a coiled spring adjacent to the lamp bearing on the case and the battery normally urging the battery away from said lamp terminal, means insulating the spring from the case, means in the insulation retaining the spring when the battery is removed from the case, and a closure cap for the case reciprocable along the case, adapted to move the battery toward the lamp terminal.

3. In mechanism of the class described, a case of current conducting material, means su orting an electric lamp for throwing light outside the case, with its central terminal inside the case, a battery inside the case so reciprocable inside the case that one of its terminals moves into and out of engagement with said lamp terminal, a coiled spring adjacent to the lamp bearing on the case and the battery normally urging the battery away from said lamp terminal, means insulating the spring from the case, means in the insulation retaining the spring when the battery is removed from the case, and means outside the case adapted to move the battery toward the lamp terminal.

4. In mechanism of the class described, a case of current conducting material, means supporting an electric lamp for throwing light outside the case, With its central terminal inside the case, a battery inside the case so reciprocable inside the case that its central terminal moves into and out of engagement with said lamp terminal, a coiled spring adjacent to the lamp bearing on the case and the battery normally urging the battery away from said lamp terminal, means insulating the spring from the case, means in the insulation retaining the spring when the battery is removed from the case, and means outside the case adapted to move the battery toward the lamp terminal.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOSEPH 0. FORD.