US1831514A - Battery hand lamp - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 10, 1931. R. R. SMITH 1,331,514

BATTERY HAND LAMP Filed March 22, 1926 Z7 2 2417 z? 2? Z8 INVENTQR:

? Y ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES.

PATIENT OFFICE RALPH B. SMITH, OF JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTO NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK BATTERY HAND LAMP Application filed March 22, 1926. Serial No. 96,598.

This invention relates to improvements in electric li hting devices such as battery hand lamps or ashlights, and more particularly to improvements in mechanism for focusing the l incandescent lamps thereof. V

In focusing flashlights similar to the one disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,668,881 granted May 8, 1928, upon an application Serial No. 466,639, filed May 4;, 1921, in the name of Lee J. Voorhees, the reflector and adjustable lamp holder are combined as a unit, which unit is secured in the battery case by a lens ring that clamps the reflector. In some flashlights it is desirable to mount the lamp holder independently of the reflector, so that the latter shall be easier to manufacture, assemble llmd keep clean. It is also important that the gui ed accurately along the focal axis of the reflector during the focusing movement. A

further object is to provide an improved lens and reflector assembly in which the parts may be separated at will but'shall be prevented from accidental separation when the assembly is removed from the casing.

According to the present invention, the

lamp holder is slidable in a guide that is coaxially mounted in and insulated from the head end of the lamp casing, the lamp holder being provided with flanges at itsends to guide it accurately along the axis of the easing. A centrally apertured reflector is so secured to the head end of the casing that it may be removed for cleaning, when desired, without disturbing thelamp and lamp holder assembly, and may be accurately replaced with its aperture s0 positioned that the lamp bulb may properly project therethrough.

The objects and novel features of this invention will be apparent from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawing which is a central longitudinal sectional view of a focusingflashlight embodying this invention.

' In the drawing, lOdesignates a tubular casing of metal or other suitable material that is adapted to contain the usual battery of dry cells B, which-furnish current tolight the lamp filament. These cells may be inand the holder carrying it shall be serted and removedthrough the bottom end of the casing, which has a closure cap 11' carrying therein a conductive shell 12 forming a compartment to hold spare bulbs and engaging the bottom of the battery to hold the latter in place. The closure cap 11 is threaded onto the threaded lower end of the casing, as at 13, whereby the cap is adjustable axially of the casing to'move the battery and focus the lamp, as will be'explained.

The head end of the casing is enlarged slightly andthreaded, as at 15, to receive a similarly threaded head fitting 16 which encloses the reflector R and supports the lens ring 17 carrying the reflector and the lens "or cover glass E in frontof the reflector. An

inturned flange 18 is provided on the fitting to form a supporting surface for an annular insulating'washer 19. An outturned flange jpled to a similarly threaded part 22 of the fitting 16; The periphery of the insulating washer 19 projects into a groove 23 in the lens ring, and supports the reflector and lens and prevents them from falling out of the ring 17 when the lens ring assembly is removed from the fitting 16. However, the washer 19 is sufficiently yieldable to permit it to be forced past the shoulder 24 on the lens ring to separate the lens and reflector from the lens ring when it is desired to clean theparts.

The reflector has a central aperture 25 through'which the incandescent lamp L projects. The lamp is mounted in a holder'H that is slidable in a guideGaxially of the aperture 25 and casing 10. The guide G is'disposed within and secured to an insulating tube or sleeve D tightly and'frictionally fitting inside the enlargement 15 and abutting at one end against the interior shoulder 26, while the other end projects beyond the end of the casing body.

The reflector and lamp holder are thus supported independently of one another, whereby the reflector assembly may be removed and replaced without disturbing the lamp, lamp holder and focusing assembly. Moreover, the lamp holder focusing assembly may be inserted and withdrawn as a separate unit. The guide G may be a metal shell that has a flaring upper end or flange 28 provided with an outturned flange 29- at its upper endresting upon the upper end of the insulating tube D. The flange 28 closes the end of the tube D and case 10, and a numb-er of outward punches 30 therein e'X- tend into the insulation D to hold the guide in place and against rotation.

The improved lamp holder H is slidable axially within the guide G, and is desirably amachined metal piece internally threaded to recieve the usual threaded base of the incandescent lamp L. At its upper end the lamp holder has an integral collar 32 having a sliding lit in the guide G- and-is recessed at 32 to receive a longitudinal rib 33 Within the wall of the guide to prevent rotation of the holder as it moves lengthwise of the guides The guide is also provided with a circumferential interior bead 34% that provides a shoulder to engage the collar 32 and limit the movement of the holder in 'one direction. The other end of the holder H is formed with a reduced section 35 pro viding narrow inner and outer shoulders, respectively receiving the insulating discs 36, 37 and a metal collar 38, which are firnly secured to the holder by riveting or spinning over the end of the part 35, as shown. The insulating discs 36 and 37 clamp between them the conductive means whereby current is carried from the center battery contact B to the center lamp contact. Such means may consist-of'an inverted cup-shaped contact 39 that is engageable by the center battery contact, and ametal :plate a0 carrying a spring'contact 41 projecting through a hole in the disc 36 and adapted to en- S that is confined in the space'between the holder and gulde and has its other end hearing against an annular spring seat-4C3 which freely fits around the holder and engages "against the under side of the internal head or shoulder 34.

The spring S is thus compressible during the movement of the holder in one direction,that is, toward the front end of tlie 1 lamp, and its limit of compression serves to limit the movement of the lamp in that direction. When the compressing force is released, the spring S operates to positively move the lamp holder and lamp in the opposite direction until such movement is limited by the collar 32 engaging the bead 34. Between these limits of focusing movement, the lamp filament maybe positioned in the focus desired with relation to the reflector R.

The focusing movement is effected by rotating the bottom cap 11 in the'proper direction. By screwing the cap onto the casing, the battery is pressed forward by the shell 12, and, the pressure of the battery against the lamp holder slides the latter to move the lamp and its filament outwardly along the reflector axis.

This movement also compresses the spring S but the parts are held in anyadjusted position by thefrict-ion of the interfitting threads at 13; Reverse rotation of the cap 11 allows the spring S to expand to move the holder H and lamp L inwardly to changethe position of the filament relatively to the focus of the reflector. .In both directions ofmovement, the battery is moved and guided along with the holder, and its electrodes are maintained *11'1 contact with the conductive contacts 12 tact 39, plate L0, springcontact ll-to the center lamp contact; through the lamp .filamerit and threaded outer lamp contact to the holder H and guide-G thence from theflange 28 through the conductor 4a, switch W, casing 10, cap 11 andshell 12 to .theother elec- J I trode of .thebattery.

\Vhile the improved construction is shown in detail it will be understood that minor changes vmay be made .in various features without departing from the principles of'the u invention.

I claim: 1. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination .ofa casing; arefiector carried thereby and having an aperture; a guide mounted within said casing mdependently of said reflector;..anincandescent:lamp projectmg through said aperture; .a lamp holder slidable along said guide; and means whereby said lamp holder. is. adj nstable; in opposite directions axially along .said a guide; said holder having spaced collars :cooperating withan intermediate part of saidguidezto -limit the. movement of said holder.

2. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing having; aninturned flange and a threaded portion adjacent .said flange; a washer on said flange having a peripheral edge projecting outside the -out line of said threaded portion a reflector having a marginal flange seated on said washer but narrower than the latter; a lens seated on said reflector flange and a lens ring engaging said lens and having a threaded skirt 5 interfitting with said threaded portion of the casing to clamp said lens, reflector, and washer against said flange, said lens ring hav ing an interior groove to receive and retain the peripheral edge of said washer, said 10 washer being yieldable at will to release said reflector and said lens from said ring.

3. In a focusing battery hand lamp, a casing; a reflector, a lens and a lens ring thereon removable and replaceable as a unit; in

combination with a slidable non-rotatable lamp holder, a guide therefor and a support for said guide removable and replaceable as a Jnit independently of the first mentioned unit.

: 4. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing; a reflector; a lens; a rotatable lens ring for clamping said reflector and lens to said casing; and means carried by said lens ring to prevent accidental separation of said reflector and lens therefrom but permitting their removal at will; said means comprising an insulating washer having its peripheral edge received and retained in a groove in said ring.

:o 5. A focusing battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing; a reflector insulated from and carried by said casing; an insulating tube Within and carried by said. casing; a guide having a flange supported by said insulating tube and a reduced portion spaced from said tube; a lamp holder slidable axially in said reduced portion of said guide and a spring cooperating with said. holder and guide.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

RALPH B. SMITH.

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