US1605637A - Centering device for flash lights - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,637

' I G. H. BARBER CENTERING DEVICE FOR FLASH LIGHTS Filed Oct. 15, 1925 Q; Z7 45 I I OR Z3 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,605,637 PATENT orrics.

GEORGE H. BARBER, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK. ASSIGNOR TO YALE ELECTRIC CORIORATION, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CENTERING DEVICE FOR FLASH LIGHTS.

A lication filed October 16, 1925.

My invention relates to a centering device for flashlights. In flashlights of the type herein described it is sometimes customary for people purchasing the same to disassemble the flashlight from the front end by unscrewing the lens ring and removing the lens, reflector and the lamp without taking the trouble to remove the battery. When this is done, the spring at the opposite end of the flashlight tends to forcethe batteries upwardly so that, when the flashlight is reassembled, it becomes necessary to push the lamp bulb down on the carbon of the battery in opposition to the expansion of the spring. This often results in the bulb and the reflector being inserted at an angle so that'the end contact of the lamp slides off of the carbon terminal of the battery. 'This results in the carbon terminal of the battery contacting with the threaded end of the reflector or the screw-thread of the lamp, thereby causing a short circuit which, in a very few hours, eX- hausts the battery. The owner of the light very seldom realizes what causes the short circuit and blames the exhaustion of the batteries to the manufacturer. believing that he has purchased batteries of poor quality. I have found a means of obviating this difficulty.

By my device the lamp and reflector are centered in the casing and it is impossible to l improperly assemble the device and to cause a short circuit and thereby to exhaust the batteries. 'The central lamp contact is always in electrical contact with the end of the carbon, regardless of how carelessly the device may be assembled.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a section of a flashlight with the preferred form of my centering device and with the batteries in place.

Figure 2- is a top view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a modification of my device.

Figure 5 is a top view of the modification shown in Figure 41.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the modification shown in Figure 4.

Serial No. 62,707.

Figure 7 is a further modification of my device.

Figure Sis a top view of the modification shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is astill further modification of my device.

Figure 10 is top view of the modification shown in Figure 9, and

Figure 11 is a bottom view of the modification shown in Figure 9.

Referring to Figure 1, a tubular metallic casing 1 is provided with expanded ends 2 and 3, which ends are provided with threads 4; and 5, the rims of which are turned inwardly at 6 and 7, so that the diameters at the rims 6 and 7 are substantially the same as the diameter through the middle of the casing 1. A reflector 8 having a flange 9 is supported by thecasing 1 on the rim 6. A lens 10 rests on the flange 9 of the reflector 8. The reflector and lens are held in position by a lens ring 11. This lens ring is provided with threads 12 which engage the threads 1 on the casing 1. A lamp 13 issecured in the reflector 8. The reflector 8 'is provided with screw-threads 14 adapted to engage the end of the screw-threads of the lamp in the usual manner. A ring 15 provided with threads 16 is secured to the opposite end of the casing 1. This ring serves to retain a switch mechanism. The ring together with the switch mechanism form a closure for the lower end of the casing 1.

This switch mechanism is as follows:

On a fiber disc 17 which is adapted to fit smoothly into the ring 15 is secured a metal disc 18, the diameter of which is less than the diameter of the fiber disc 17 and is equal to or greater than the outside diameter across the rim 7 of the flashlight casing 1. A contact spring 19 forms contact between the zinc of the battery and the metal disc 18. The spring, the metal disc and the fiber that the metal yoke will engage the threads 14 on the reflector 8. On the underside of the fiber insulating disc 21 is secured a metal strip 25 which has struck up from the center of it a resilient tongue 26. I also provide a metal contact plate 27, The contact plate 27 and the plate 25 are firmly affixed to the fiber insulating disc 21 by means of rivets 28. The plate 27 is held in contact with a carbon terminal 29 of a cell 30 by the force of the spring 18 exerted through a cell 31. It will be noted that the insulating disc 21 is of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the casing 1. This is so that the reflector, the lamp and the centering means can be assembled and then inserted through the end of the flashlight casing and have sufficient clearance to pass by the inturned edge 6 of the casing 1. The clearance between the disc 21 and the casing 1 is made as slight as possible in order that the disc shall rest as closely to the sides of the casing 1 as possible, thereby absolutely centering the lamp and the reflector and preventing them from being inserted at an angle.

The circuit in my flashlight will then be through the flashlight casing, the reflector, the metal shell of the lamp, through the filament, through the end terminal of the lamp, through the tongue 26, through the plate 25, through the contact plate 27, the carbon 29 of the battery 30, through the battery 30, through the battery 31, through the spring 19. through the metal disc 18. The circuit is closed by pushing the fiber disc 17 forward until the edge of the disc 18 contacts with the inturned rim 7 of the casing 1. When apermanent light is desired, the ring 15 is screwed further on to the casing 1, so that the metal disc 18 is held firmly in contact with the rim of the casing 1 at the point In the modification shown in Figure 4c, the base plate 27 shown in Figure 1 is omitted and the resilient tongue 32, which is struck up from the metal plate 33, is of such dimension that the diameter of the slot 34 is materially narrower than the end of the carbon 29, so that the metal plate 33 forms a contact plate for the end of the carbon 29.

In Figure 7 the terminal 35 of the lamp is in direct contact with the end of the carbon 36, the opening 37 in the fiber disc 38 being of sufiicient diameter to permit the carbon 36 to contact with the end 35 of the 1. In a flashlight, a tubular casing, a battery in said casing, a reflector supported by said casing, said reflector being provided with a depending screw-threaded socket, a lamp carried by said socket and projecting therethrough, a yoke having screw-threaded engagement with said socket and provided with legs depending from said socket, said legs being provided at their lower ends with feet, and an insulating centering device of less diameter than said casing secured to said feet and arranged intermediate the lower end of said socket and said battery.

2. In a flashlight, a tubular casing, a battery in said casing, a reflector supported by said casing, said reflector being provided with a depending screw-threaded socket, a lamp carried by said socket and projecting therethrough, a yoke having screw-threaded engagement with said socket and provided with legs depending from said socket, said legs being provided at their lower ends with feet, an insulating centering device of less diameter than said casing secured to said feet and arranged intermediate the lower end of said socket and said battery, and a contact member carried by said disc and adapted to electrically connect said lamp with said battery.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

GEORGE H. BARBER.

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