US1609256A - Nonglare lens - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 30,1926. 1,609,256

- W. M. KUPCHIN A, NONGLARELENS Filed F'b 23, 1926 Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

WILLIAM M. KUPCHIN, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO ALEXANDER KUPCHIN, 0]? PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

NONGLARE LENS.

Application filed February 23, 1926. Serial No. 89,952.

This invention relates to lens for headlights, especially headlights for motor vehicles, and has for an object to provide alens of simple construction in which the entire lens will be illuminated so as to be easily seen by approaching motorists, but in which the-upper part of the lens will be illuminated bya diffused light which is not blinding while the lower. part of the lens is substantially unobstructed to brightly illuminate the road in front of the vehicle. It is also an object of the invention to so construct the lens that in use it will be rigidly held in position andwill not settle out of place onto the lamp to injure the same.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, similar reference characters being employed throughout the various figures to indicate corresponding elements. In this drawing,

- Fig. 1 isa vertical section through a headlight showing my lens in position, the section being substantially on line 11 of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the lens and the front securing flange, and

Fig. 3 is a detail section of a portion of the device substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and in a vertical plane at right angles to the plane of the section of Fig. 1.

Thebody of the headlight of any suitable shape is shown at 10, andimounted within this body is the usual parabolic reflector 11.

- Mounted within the reflector so as to be adjustable in the usual manner to locate its filament in proper relation to the focus of the reflector is the incandescent lamp bulb 12. This bulb is mounted in the usual ad justable socket 13 connected by the-leads 14 to the source of current. At its open front side the reflector is bent outwardly to form a flange 15 against which the lens 16 is clamped when mounted'in position. This lens comprises aglass plate having a block 17 on the upper rear portion thereof and extending rearwardly from the plate.

This block is also made of glass and maybe either-integral with the plate or a separate block fastened to the rear surface of the plate. This block is curved on its upper wall 18 to substantially fit the inner curved surface of the reflector 11. This block covers the upper half of the lens and extends somewhat below the horizontal center line of the 7 lens for a purpose presently to be described. The lower surface 19 of this block is preferably inclined downwardly toward the front as indicated on the drawing, and in its rear portion on the under side of the block is preferably formed a pocket or recess 20 to receive the lamp bulb 12. It is preferred to provide this pocket although it is not absolutely necessary, but withoutit the inclined wall 19 would be located higher. It will be apparent from this arrangement that the lower portion 21 of the lens beneath the lower surfaceof the block is unobstructed and will allow free passage of the light rays while the light through the upper portion of the lens must pass through the block 17 and will be difl'used thereby. Thus the .upper portion of the lens is illuminated with a diffused lightiwliile the lower portion of the lens is practically unobstructed and allows for free passage of the light for i-lluminating the road. Suflicient light passes through the upper portion of the lens sothat it is clearly Visible by an approaching motorist, but it is non-glaring and willnot blind him, while the full illumination of the lamp will pass through the lower portion of the lens to illuminate'the road. The downwardly inclined lower wall of the block tends to deflect a large part of the rays downwardly-onto the road and prevent their rising upwardly so as to blind an approaching motorist. This effect and the distance to which the road is illuminated is also controlled by adjusting the lamp bulb 12 in or out with respect to the reflector.

The downwardly inclined lower wall 19 of the block also gives a varied thickness to the block between the upper thicker portion of the block and the lower clear portion 21 of the lens, so that there is a gradual change of illumination from the upper to the lower part of the lens without a clear distinct lin separating the two.

As the lower portion of the block l7 extends below. the horizontal center line 22 ofthe reflector as indicated above, and as in.

the vertical plane parallel with the front 1.05 7

surface of the lamp the block is substantially circular, the side walls of the block, indi cated at 23 (Fig. 3), will curve inwardly under the horizontal center line toward the vertical center line, and therefore, the block will be supported by the side walls of the reflector below the horizontal center line, and this support will prevent the block slid-- Y ing down in use to rest on the lamp bulb 12.

Thereisthe'refore, no danger of the lens shifting downwardly out of place to injure this bulb. The lens may be supported in the front flange 24 by suitableclips 25 engaging over the edge of this flange,.and to acilitate this mounting the outer edge of the lens may be provided with straight shoulders26 to cooperate with these clips.

The lens is mounted in position against the front flange of the reflector by the usual cooperating securing means between the front flange 24 and the body 10.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the lens is very simple in construction, is -so mounted without reconstructing the headlight as to 'be supported abovethe lamp bulb where it cannot rest on the same and injure it, and that, although the lens is clearly visible'to an approaching motorist, there is no glare or blinding rays of light from the upper portion of the lens while the proper illumination of the road is not interfered with; Also as the lower wall of the block 17 is substantially straight in a horizontal direction across the lens the entire width of the road andeven to the sides thereof are brightly illuminated. If desired the surface of the recess 20 may be dulled so that it will reflect more light downwardly and also will diffuse it so as to prevent glare from wet streets.

Having thusiset forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is: I

1. A headlight lens comprising a transparent front plate having a rearwardly extending block of similar material behind the upper portion thereof having a rear surface curved to fit the upper part of-a reflector,

the lower wall of said block being inclined. downwardly toward the front and leavingthe lower portion of the plate clear, and the upper portion being free to transmit diffused light.

2. A headlight lens comprising a transparent-"front plate having. a rearwardly extending block of similar material behind the upper portion thereof having a curved rear surface to fit the ppper part of a reflector, the lower wall of said blockbeing provided with a recess to receive a lamp bulb.

I .3. A headlight lens comprising a transparent front plate having a rearwardly extending blockof similar material at the rear side of the upper portionthereof adapted to transmit {sufficient light. to give a dimmed non-glarelight through the upper portion of the lens and leaving the lower portion of the lens clear for the full power of the lamp, the lower wall of said block being inclined downwardly toward the front and provided with an open recess to receive a lamp bulb.

t. In a head light, acurved reflector, a lens at the open side of the reflector comprising a transparent front plate having a rearwardly extending block of similar material behind the upper portion thereof and .bavinga curved rear wall surface adjacent a rearwardly. extendingblo'ckrof similar material behind the upper portion thereof and having curved walls to fit the upper surface of the reflector, the side' walls of the block" being-extended below the horizontal c'enter line of the reflector, so that they will rest on the wall of the reflector and the weight of the lens be supported thereby, the lower wall of said block being inclined down wardly toward the front leaving the lower portion of the lens"unobstructed.

6. In a head light, a curved reflector, a lens at the open side ofthe reflector comprising a transparent front plate having a rearwardly extending block of similar material behind the upper portion thereof and having curved walls to fit the upper surface of the reflector, the side walls of the block being extended belowthe horizontal center line of the reflector so that they will rest on the wall of the reflector-"and the weight of the lens be supported thereby, the lower wall of said block being inclined downwardly toward the front leavinsz the lower portion of the lens unobstructed and provided with a downwardly opening recess to receive a. lamp bulb, and means for clamping the plate against the front edge oft-he reflector with the block against the upper walls of the refiector.

Intestimony whereof I aflix m si nature.

VILLIAM M. K P HIN. v'

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