US1680723A - Portable garage light - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 14, 1928.

- L. BLOOM ET AL PORTABLE GARAGE LIGHT Filed April 13, 1927 5 R O T i; ,INV MM AZMMJ? flmul M ATTORNEY:

Patented Aug. 14, 1928.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS BLOOM AND GEORGE A. COHAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO GRIP-LITE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., 01 NEW YORK, N. .Y., A

new YORK.

CORPORATION OF PORTABLE GARAGE LIGHT.

Application filed April 13, 1927. Serial No. 183,279.

This invention relates to portable garage lights and is concerned more particularly with electric hand lights which may be readily manipulated to procure illumination a under any circumstances of position or location.

In many cases the illumination emanating from fixed lights or lamps or entering from windows does not penetrate remote corners I la in which it is desired to have light, and

shadows are thrown by the fixed lights so that it is difiicult to see clearly. Under these conditions it is desirable to have a portable light so that illumination may be procured 1 in the desired places where work 1s to be done, for example. This is particularly the case in garage work where light must be had in the remote parts of the automobile structure or mechanism. The majority of repair work, for example, is done on the motor beneath the hood, on the drlvmg mechanism underneath the car, and in other places where light does not ordinarily penetra'te; In order to obtain suflicient llght, pocket flashlights, electric light globes on cord extensions, or similar lights have been used, but these expedientsare all opento the objection that the light must be held in one hand or laid on or hung from some nearby projection or ledge. It isnot always possible to find a convenient ledge upon which to lay the light or a projection upon which to hang it so that the light rays will be properly directed upon the desired spot. Furthermore, if the light is suspended by means of a cord, the swinging thereof will cause a flickering instead of the steady light necessary, and the light is not secure but will readily be displaced if merely laid on a ledge or projection. Other light mounting means have been devised which could be mounted on projections or ledges near to the spot to be lighted, but these forms of apparatus do not have the mobility or flexibility desired, so that they cannot be attached anywhere and at the same time be manipulated so that the rays of light may be directed precisely where required. Among these forms of light are those which may be mounted by means of a screw clamp or hook, but these devices are awkward to handle, usually requiring two hands, are

only attachable to certain kinds of projec-- tions, frequently fall oif at 'the wrong moment, and are otherwise objectionable.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a portable light which will meet all conditions of operation may be socurely attached by one hand and in one operation to any nearby ledge or projection, and which consists of a number of flexible connections so that it may be manipulated to direct the rays of light upon any desired spot and in any direction, regardless of the position of initial mounting. In other words, the device has no blind spots but will direct rays in every radial direction from the source of light. The invention comprehends an improved mounting for an electric light globe, and comprises a protective cage including a reflector for the globe, which is connected to a spring clamp by means of universal mechanical connections whereby a movement relative to the clamp may be obtained so that the light rays may be directed 'in every radial direction from the source of i Fig. 2 is a plan view of the light showing other positions of use; p Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the light bracket; and

Fig. 4 is a magnified section of the same taken along the'line 4-4: of Fig. 3.

in the drawings, numeral 1 designates the light globe which is enclosed in a protective cage consisting of two halves, one of which is the reflector 2 and the other half being a rigid screen 3 of wire or the like. The reflector 2 and screen 3 comprising the cage are hinged together about rivets or pins 4: joining their top portions, while their lower portions terminate in two flanged semicircular bands 5 and 6 respectively, which together form a collar which is clamped about light socket 7. Screws 8 are tapped into the flanges of bands 5 and 6 for holdin the cage into engagement with socket 7, an which may be adjusted so as to permit of a relative movement between the socket 7 and the cage in order that the rays from li ht globe 1 may be directed in any desira le manner from reflector 2 merely by turning the cage about its mounting. Light socket 7 is provided with the usual snap or button switch 9 and is connected to the electric cord 10 in the usual manner; It is preferable that socket 7 be provided with a clamp 11 for gripping the cord 10 in order to prevent injury to or short-circuiting of the terminal connections of the cord inside of socket 7 which frequently occurs due to strain on the cord.

A collar 12 is clamped around socket 7 and held in position by a small bolt 13 spanning a projecting loop 14 forming part of the collar 12. Loop 14 forms one part of a swivel joint and is loosely connected by means of screw or rivet 15 to the other portion 16 of the swivel joint, and which comprises a clamp slidably engaging the several convolutions 17 of wire comprislng the flexible hinge of clamp 18. This swivel joint is shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4. Clamp 18 is formed of spriiwwire or other resilient material, and is sliddble in clamp 16 so that it may be placed in angular relation to the clamp as well as to the remainder of the light structure. The gripping portions of clamp 18 consist of two flat ring- shaped clips 19 and 20, preferably covered with rubber tubing to procure a greater frictional gripping effect. Cli s 19 and 20 may be curved laterally to orm engaging concave Surfaces for gripping round objects such as pipes or rods, as shown in phantom in Fig. 1, without detracting from the effective gripping of flat surfaces. The le s of clamp 18 are crossed at clips 19 and 20, scissors fashion, so that the resiliency of the wire normally maintains clips 19 and 20 in mutual engagement. By pressing the legs of clamp 18 together clips 19 and 20 may be separated to embrace the opposite surfaces of a ledge or projection 21, and then by releasing the pressure the clips 19 and 20 will securely grip projection 21 and hold the light in any desirable position. As pointed out above, clips 19 and 20 may be bent to form engaging concave surfaces, as shown in phantom in Fig. 1, for grippi round members such as pipes and rods, wit out detracting from their gripping effect on flat surfaces.

By virtue of the particular mechanical connections between the lamp portion of the device, which includes the socket, and the clam 18, a number of combinations in their relative positions are obtainable. One of these movements is illustrated particularly in Fig. 1, in which the lamp unit is moved from the position shown. in solid lines to that shown in phantom by the sliding motion. of clamp 16 around the ring 17. This movement is in the plane containing the common axis of the lamp 1 and socket 7. Another movement is illustrated in Fig. 2 in which there is shown the relation between the clamp 18 and the lamp unit when moved relatively to each other about the swivel joint having screw or rivet 15 as the axis. This relative movement is about an axis perpendicular to the common axis of the lamp and socket. A combination of these relative movements, i. e., in the plane containing the commonaxis of the socket 7 and about an axis per endicular to the axis of the socket 7, may e compounded to obtain any relative posltion between the lamp unit and clamp 18. By loosening screws 8, the lamp cage may have relative movement with res ect to the socket upon which it is mounted y means of collar 56. Another movement may be obtained between the socket 7 and the clamp unit, by loosening screw 13 so that collar 12 is slidable upon socket 7. This movement and that obtained by relative movement between the socket and the cage have the same useful effect, namely that of shifting the reflector 2 to direct the light rays where desired, which is in addition to the light directing effect derived from the afore-mentioned movements between the lamp unit and the clamp unit.

The new portable light device constituting this invention procures many useful advantages to those heretofore obtained. By means of the new device, a greater mobility and flexibility are obtained, whereby the de-' vice may be securely mounted in one operation and by one hand to any convenient ledge, projection, pipe or rod, and may be manipulated to-direct the rays .of light in every radial direction. The preferred structure illustrated and described is economical to manufacture and rugged in use. The device is particularl useful as a portable garage light where y remote corners in different portions of an automobile ma be readil lighted and a steady light obtained. The c am ing means is positive and proof against vi ration and slippage, and may be attached to virtuall any point and in any position. Other a vantages are apparent, whereby countless uses for the device of this invention may be ascertained, but it is to be understood at the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure of the s cification and drawing, but may be a tered at will within the scope of the claim.

We claim:

A ortable lamp comprising a support provi ed with a spring coil adjacent one end, a clamp comprising a blank provided with a substantially centrally disposed 0 ening and having its end portions bent to orm grooves for the reception of the end porand said collar also having a portion for tions of said coil, adjustably mounted on said yieldably engaging a. lamp socket. coil, a screw mounted in the 'ogening in said In testimony whereof" We afix our signa- 1U clamp, a collar having a su stantially U- tures. 4

' shaped portion provided with an o ening through which the screw passes Where y the LUUIS BLOOM. oollor is pivotally mounted on said screw, GEORGE A. COHAN.

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