US1698279A

US1698279A - Headlight

Info

Publication number: US1698279A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schimpff Eugene
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-09-24
Filing date: 1924-09-24
Publication date: 1929-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1946-01-08

Description

E. SCHIMPFF HEADLIGHT Jan. 8, 1929. 1,698,279-

Filed Sept. 24. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 8, 1929.

E. SCHIMPFF HEADLIGHT Filed Sept. 24, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 8, 1929.

E. SCHIMPFF HEADLIGHT Filed Sept. 24, 1924 a. Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

v 1,698,279 PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE SCHIMPFF, 01's SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

HEADLIGHT.

Application filed September 24, 1924. Serial No. 739,475.

This invention relates generally to reflecting devices for automobile headlights.

Headlight reflectors of the types heretofore used comprise a parabolicconstruction which theoretically projects the light beam forwardly and without upward dispersion such as would interfere with the vision of a person facing thefront of the vehicle. In

practice, however, actual construction does not provide a clean-cut light beam having this characteristic so that there is a. substantial dispersion or scattering of light rays with the result that a blinding efl'ect is produced with relation to persons approaching the vehicle and facing the lamps thereon.

A general object of the present invention is to provide headlight reflectors which will be free from the objections referred to and which will project illuminating beams forwardly and downwardly to light up the roadway but which will not project rays upwardly above the line of vision of persons in j the roadway ahead of the Vehicle.

The invention includes a reflectorin which the upper portion has the construction of the usual parabolic curvature but with the lower portion formed into a series of reflecting surfaces so arranged as to reflect light rays received thereagainst upwardl into engagement with the upper or para olic section of the reflector. The result of this is that the rays which normally reach the upper portion of the reflector from the light source are projected'forwardly and downwardly as in the prior constructions while the light rays engaging the lower portion of the reflector, instead of being projected outwardly and upwardly as in the old constructions are projected forwardly and upwardly against the upper portion of the reflector from whence they are reflected outwardly and downwardly. 1 The formation of the lower part of the reflector whiohfhas thus been generally described is provided to overcome the tendency of the imperfectly formed curves of the reflectors heretofore known and used to project rays not only forwardly but in an upward direction. In other words, the rays which have been hereto-fore reflectedoutwardly and upwardly from the lower surface of the reflector, are in thenew construction, reflected either directly forwardly or at such an upward angle as to strike the inner surface of the upper portion of the reflector. The rays which are thus directed to strike the upper. portion of the reflector are, as is the case with rays recelved on this surface directly from the lamp, reflected forwardly and downwardly into the roadway for the desired purpose. The result is that with the improved reflector construction described no rays are reflected upwardly into a position to producea blinding effect on the eyes of an observer.

The improved reflector may form part i of the main body of the reflectoror it may take the form of an attachment which inay be secured to reflectors of types heretofore known and used.

Two different types of'reflecting surfaces case the reflecting areas take the form of sub stantially planesurfaces extending from the maybe used in forming the improved reflectcenter to the outer edge ofthe reflector and progressively increasing in width to conform to the general shape of the reflector. The other type of reflecting surface is preferably in the form ofarc-shaped or curved areas following in a general waythe curvature of the'outer edgeof the reflector but with, a

greater radius of curvature. 'The'latter re fleeting surfaces are located directly beneath the source of light so that rays reflected downwardly and, to a considerable extent laterally, are reflected by these surfaces against the upper portion of the: reflector as a whole. Other features of the invention will be hereinafter referred to. I In thedrawings, g Figure 1 is a View in front elevation of a headlight reflector embodying the invention. Figure 2 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 but showing the improved reflecting element formed as a detachable element for attach- 11161117 to known types of headlight reflectors.

' the broken lines 17 so thatthere is no upward.

Refenrin tothedrawings for a more dc: tailed'description of the invention in Figures 1 and 2 is shown a headlight reflector having the upper portionthereoff formed as. a section of a parabola and with the lower portion formed in a plurality of light reflecting.

areas

11 and 12 designed to reflect light received thereon from the light source 13 against the parabolic reflectingsurfacelO.

The reflecting surface 11 has a formation of elongated, areas extending from a central opening 14 in the reflector; tothe outer edge 15. thereof. These surfaces are formed in the embodiment of the invention shown. in;

Figures 1 and 2 by providing angular corru ations in the shell of the reflector. The re ecting areas 11 are so spaced that light rays directed thereagainst from the source .13 are reflected upwardly as is indicated bycthe broken lines 16 in Figure 2 of the drawing against the inner surfaceof the parabolic section 10. The rays are then reflected forwardly and downwardly as is indicated by mation following in general the peripheral lines of the reflector itself but on an arc of curvature whose radius of curvature is longer thanthe radius of curvature of the outer edge 15 ofthe reflector shell.

The construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing contemplates the formation of the radially extending reflecting areas 11 as an integral part of the construction which includes the parabolic section 10. The re- 2 fleeting section including the reflecting areas 12 may however be separately formed and at tached in place in the sector-shaped opening 20 formed between the confronting edges of the radially extending sections 11. Convenient means of supporting the reflecting membore 12 in place consists in the use of a bracket 21 attached at 22 to the radial sections 11 and provided with an angularly extending su porting end 23 on which the uppermost re ecting member 12 is supported. Other bracket members 24 connect together in a supporting relation the remaining reflecting members 12 and the uppermost reflecting member already referred to.

With the construction described it will be seen that rays which are reflectedlaterally and downwardly to each side of the lamp source which in ordinary parabolic constructions tend to be in part dispersed upwardly and outwardly from the reflecting shell, are

in this case reflected upwardly against the innenpart of the parabolic section 10 from whence they are reflected outwardly and downwardly into the roadway. In asimilar manner rays from the li 'ht source 13 which are projected downwar dly and forwardly and which in prior constructions wouldthen' be reflected in part upwardly and outwardly to a blinding position, are in. this case re= floated upwardly at a more acute angle such that the rays engage the inner surface ofthe parabolic section 10 and are thence reflected relation of reflecting areas similar to. that already shown at 11 and 12in Figures 1 and,

2, of the drawing. In other words, the refleeting device 25

includesreflecting elements

11 and 12 which serve to divert light. rays,

which in the older constructions would be reflected upwardly into a blinding position,

into reflecting, engagement with the inner 7 surface of the upper portion of the parabolic reflecting shell 10 whence the rays are diverted forwardly and downwardly as is desired. w

It will be seen that the reflecting device 25 is provided at its central portion with a loop 26 adapted to be placed over the stem27of a lamp 28 and to beheld in place within the parabolic section 10 by the frame member which holds the glass or lens in place. The

reflecting device 25 is accordingly capable of being-placed in position in reflectorsof known types and constitutes a separate and distinct article of manufacture andsale.

In Figures '5 and 6 of the drawing there is shown still another modification of the inven: tion whichconsists in a reflector having, as in the other modifications referred to, an upper parabolic section 10 and with the lower section formedinto radially extending surfaces 30 which form whatare in effect angular corrugations in thelower part of thereflecting shell. The reflecting areas extend from the centrally disposed opening 14 to the outer extremity of the shelledge and are formed with a longitudinal curvature approximating that of a parabola and with a progressively increasing width from the inner to the outer ends thereof.

\Vith this construction it will bec-lear that light rays reflected laterally outward and downward from the source of light are in turnreflccted upwardly-against the inner formed that light rays 32 projected thereonfrom the light source 13 are reflected upwardly as at- 33 against the inner surface of the reflecting section 10 and are thence reflected outwardly and downwardly as at 34: to illuminate the roadway in front of the vehicle.

lVith either of the general forms of inven tion which have been described, theobject of the invention may be accomplished, that is, light rays from the headlight reflecting shells which have been heretofore reflected upwardly and outwardly in a blinding and unsatisfactory direction are, by the use of the reflecting means described herein, diverted to,

a' downward direct-ion where they are usefully employed in lighting the roadway in front of the vehicle.

What I claim is 1. A headlight reflector having its upper portion in the form of a parabolic section, the lateral walls of the lower portion of the reflector being formed with radial corrugations extending from the center of the reflector to the outer edge thereof, and that portion of the reflector beneath the light source carrying a surface projecting forwardly and upwardly from the normal contour of the reflector and acting to reflect light rays upwardly and to prevent any light rays passing directly forward from the area covered by it.

2. A headlight reflector having its upper portion in the form of a parabolic section, the

lateral Walls of the lower portion of the reflector being formed into a plurality of elongated reflector members extending diagonally outward and downward from the center of the reflector to the outer edge thereof, and the sector-shaped space between the elongated.

reflector members and beneath the source of light being provided with a plurality of transversely extending reflector members occupying stepped relation, said reflecting members acting to reflect light rays upwardly against the parabolic section of the reflector.

3. An attachmentfor headlight reflectors comprising: a reflecting device adapted to fit into the lower portion of a parabolic reflector, said reflecting device including corrugated portions providing two oppositely disposed sets of elongated reflecting surfaces extending from the center of the reflector diagonally downward and outward to the outer edge thereof, and a set of. transverselyextending arcuate reflecting members mounted between the oppositelydisposed sets'of elongated reflecting surfaces, said reflecting surfaces and members acting to reflect light rays upwardly against the upper portion of the parabolic reflector.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. EUGENE SCHIMPFF.

a downwardly and outwardly i