US1657653A - Adjustable range stop for spotlights - Google Patents

Description

' Jan. 31, 1928.

G. w. ALDEEN ADJUSTABLE RANGE STOP FOR SPOTLIGHTS Filed Nov. 6, 19 24 Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED S AT PATENT I 1,657,653 IQ F E-E GEDOR w. ALDEEN, or nooxronn, IIiLINOIS, ASSIGNOR rorynac manvrnornnnre 00., or" nocxronn, ILLINoxs,

ADJUSTABLE RANGE Application filed November i order to comply with the legal requirements in certain States, which laws are intended to reduce the .danger and inconvenience which might result from unlimlted and unrestricted 0 operation of a spotlight.

In a copending application, filed February 15, 1924, Serial No. 692,976, and now Patent No. 1,577,153, and assigned to the assignee of the present application, I have shown, described and claimed a device of a character similar to that described and claimed herein, but which is more'costly to make and not as eflicient as the device hereinafter described. The present invention, as distinguished from the invention described in said co-pending aplication. is rigidly fixed to the light mechanism and in such a way that movements of the light during its use will not cause the parts "to become loosened or forced out of adjusted position.

The primary purpose of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement or device for limiting directional movement of a spot light and is particularly designed for that class of spotlights employing a spotlightcarrying device mounted for universal movement in a housing such, for instance, as that disclosed in the patent to Clark, No. 1,501,- 704, issued July 15, 1924. The invention contemplates the provision of a readily attachable and detachable stop mechanism which may be adjustably positioned in the path of movement of a spotlight directional operating unit, and an arrangement whereby this stop may be securely fixed in one position from which it cannot work loose.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be revealed as the description of the drawing proceeds, and from the claim, the invention in a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a windshield equipped with a spotlight embodying one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the attachment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but removed from the spotlight; and

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Fig. 4' is a sectional elevation'taken along the line 4 -4 of Fig.3.

The construction of the spotlight and its clamping means form the subject matter of my copending application, Serial No. 692,- 975, filed February 15, 1924, and assigned to the assignee of the present application. This spotlight is characterized by itsar rangement for universal movement inahous ing in turn mounted in a windshield and clamped to opposite sidestliereof above said opening, and is similar to that described in the patent heretofore mentioned. There are several types of windshield spotlights of. this general character thathave been patented and the present invention is intended for application to almostyany of them.

The spotlight in the drawing generall comprises a ball'2, a stem at passing throug or connected with the ball member, and which stem is equipped at one endwith a spotlight generally designated 6 and at the other with a handle 8, for its'manipulation in a housing generally designated 10, disposed through an opening indicated at 12, in a windshield glass 14. The housing 10 also includes suit able clamping means as will be evident and therefore will not be further described. The ball 2 is guided in its substantially universal movement within the housing by means of bearing members 16 and 18, the latter forming partof the housing structure, and is so formed that it provides a rim 20.

The law relating to motor vehicle spotlights in someStates requires that the spotlight when used on a car be so arranged that it cannot be projected. :into an approaching pedestrians or drivers eyes, and it is sometimes desirable to provide an arrangement whereby the light may be equipped with means that will prevent the operator from projecting the light horizontally and straight ahead in front of the car to comply with the law of such States, and. yet have these movement limiting means so arranged that they can be removed or rendered inoperative, or adjusted to varying degrees for other States. To this end, I provide a bracket 22, having wings for lugs 24 on either side thereof, adapted to engage with the rim 20 of the housing, and this bracket 22 may preferably be bent into substantially L shape and provided at its lower end with projections 26, wherebyit may engage, with and abut against the windshiel glass or other rigid structure when secured to said rim 20. This construction is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The rim is tapped to receive one, two or more screws 28, which serve to secure the bracket to the rim and also serve to clamp an adjustable range screw between the bracket and an auxiliary bracket 32, both of which are formed with cooperative threads for engagement with the threads ofscrew 30. It

will thus be ap'parentthat when the screws 28 are loosened, the adjustable range screw 30 may be adjusted up or down in the bracketa to control the range of movement of the stem 4 of the light operating means with which it contacts at certain points in the movement thereof. In its preferred form, the bracket 22 is arranged to clear one of the clamping members 34:, so that it does not interfere with the adjustment of such clamp ingmember by means of slots 36 provided in its perimeter for the purpose.

Wit the parts in position as shown in Fig. 1 ,thestem 4 will contact with the sides of the range screw 30, preventing horizontal movement of the spotlight in a zone directly ahead, except when the reflector and other parts, "designated 6, are tilted downwardly to a point where the light will be thrown on engine hood of the machine, and in this position the ,light may be thrown from one side of -the machine to they other. However, this arrangement does not prevent use of the light in ahnost any desired direction when it is thrown to one side of the machine, and allows a horizontal sweep of the light close to the automobile for illuminating the road bed, and full freedom ofdirectional movement at both sides of the stoptmember 30 for any purpose.

It will be obvious that the arrangement provided by my invention may be uickly and easily adjusted in accordance with the law, or as desired by the operator, and may be applied to substantially any spotlight device by simple modification ot the light or clamp. For these and other reasons, it is believed that while I have illustrated a single i embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that many modifications and changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim. a

I claim: v j

The combination with a spotlight having directable means, of means for limiting predetermined movements thereof comprising, a bracket adapted to be detachably connected to a substantially fixed portion of said spotlight, adjustable means onsaid bracket cooperative therewith and with a movable portion of said light to limit predetermined movements thereof, andmeans common to said bracket and adjustable means to fixedly secure them. i

GEDOR W. ALDEEN.

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