US1917060A - Flash light - Google Patents

Description

G. B. PRATT FLASH LIGHT July 4, 1933.

2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1931 BY ATTORNEYS INVENTOR GOODRKJH B. PRATT 0% M July 4, 1933. G. B. PRATT 1,917,060

FLASH LIGHT Filed Jan. 27, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 FIGA: FIGS. 70 1 38 70 f I v 34 INVENTOR G000fl/CHB.P/?ATT BY/KQA ATTORNEYS Patented July 4, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT time GOODRICH B. PRATT, OF GRANTWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG'NOE TOBOND ELECTRIC CORPORATION, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE FLASH LIGHT Application fi1er1January 27, 1931. Serial No. 511,498.

This invention relates broadly to electric hand lanterns, flashlights and the-like. More particularly, it relates to flashlights of the kind in which movement of the battery is relied upon to open and close the electric .member has resulted in the closing of the circuit and the wasting of the battery. To overcome this disadvantage, a flashlight has been devised wherein inward movement of a screw cap has opened the circuit and thus any further accidental inward movement has merely tended to increase the gap. in the circuit. Specifically, such a flashlight has been provided, within the casing, with a transverse conductive member in electrical connection with the central terminal of an incandescent lamp. The transverse member carries a button provided with a metal washer and the button is axially movable to bring the washer into and out of contact with the transverse member. The bottom cap spring H normally urges the battery toward the transverse member and maintains the battery terminal in electrical contact with the washer which tends to be broughtthereby into con tact with the transverse member to complete the circuit and illuminate the lamp. An axially movable rod carried by the top cap depresses the button and holds the metal washer away from the transverse member, to

open. the circuit. against the action of the bottomcap spring, when the top cap is screwed inwardly or toward the bottom cap and releases the button to enable the metal washer to contact with the transverse member, to close the circuit, under the influence of the bottom cap spring when the top cap is screwed outwardly or away from the bottom cap.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a spare lamp carrier for a flashlight of this character.

Another object of the invention is the utilization of the space between the axially movable battery controlling member and the sides of the casing for a spare bulb carrier.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a spare bulb carrier which is carried directly with the axial movable rod associated with the top cap.

The invention also seeks a spare bulb carrier which is'practical from the standpoint of ease and cheapness of manufacture, convenience in assembly and durability in use.

Thes and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating embodiments by which the invention may be realized, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in longitudinal section, showing a flashlight with the spare bulb carrier in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the upper end of the flashlight, taken on the line 22 in Figure 1, the spare lamp carrier being shown in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a view in transverse section, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the spare lamp carrier of this invention as viewed from below.

Figure 4 is a view, in side elevation,showing a fragmentary portion of a supoprting member, for instance, the battery controlling axial rod, upon which a modified lamp support is removably secured, as by the yielding engagement of a portion of the lamp support.

Figure 5 is a view showing the structure of Figure 4, looking from below.

Figure 6 shows another modification of lamp support in which the supporting member is again yieldingly engaged and the lamp is clamped between the supporting member and the lamp support.

Figure 7 is a View of the lamp support of Figure 6, looking from below.

Figure 8 is a plan View of still another modification in which companion clips, as they may be called, are provided, one to engage the rod and one to engage the base of the lamp.

Figure 9 is a View in side elevation of the spare lamp carrier of Figure 8.

Figure 10 illustrates still another modification in which individual clips for the lamp and flashlight part are secured together as by a rivet.

Figure 11 shows a modification of the structure of Figure 10.

Figure 12 illustrates still another modification of the lamp socket support.

Figure 13 is a view showing a spare lamp carrier formed of a single strip of resilient material.

Referring to the drawings the flashlight is illustrated as having a cylindrical casing 10 of fibre or other insulatory material, although it will be obvious as the description proceeds that casings of other shapes and materials are equally applicable. Nithin the casing 10 is disposed the battery comprising the cells 11 and the casing 10, above the battery 11, is formed with an aperture 12 through,

which extends the base 13 of the incandescent lamp 1315 in circuit with the battery 11. Surrounding the aperture 12, outwardly of the casing 10, a cylindrical lamp housing 17 is shown of metal, having the flanges 18 at its inner rim by which it is secured by the eyelets 16 to the casing 10 and with an in turned flange 19 at its outer end upon which the flanged rim 20 of the reflector 21 seats, the reflector 21 being held in position by the lens 22 which rests on the rim 20 and is held thereon by a lens ring 23 telescoping over the housing 17 and threaded as at 24 to engage with the threads 25 formed in the wall of the housing 17 The inner end of the reflector is formed as a threaded lamp socket 26 to receive the base 13 of the lamp 1315.

At each end, the casing 10 is provided with threads, 29, 30, respectively, in this instance, by means of threaded cap collars 31, 32 telescoped over the ends of the casing 10 and secured thereto, say, by eyelets 33, 34. The bottom cap collar 31 is in electrical connection with the lamp housing 17 by a conducting strip 35 extending therebetween, the respective ends being secured in electrical connection by the eyelets 33 and 16. Threaded on to the bottom cap collar 31 is shown a bottom cap 65 provided with a bottom spring, in this instance, shown as a coil spring 39 which engages the bottom of the negative terminal of the battery 11 and urges it upwardly in the casing 10. I

The other terminal 15 of the lamp 1315 is brought into electrical connection with the central or positive terminal 36 of the battery 11. by contacting, when screwed into the reflector socket 26, wi h a yielding contact 3'( of conductive material extending upwardly from a transverse member 38, also of conductive material, with which the central termi nal of the battery is adapted to contact when urged upwardly by the bottom spring 39.

The conductive member 38 is, in a sense, a bridge and is shown as an elongated strip or ribbon of conductive material having one end 40 bent upwardly and secured to the inside of the casing 10 by the eyelet 41. The other end 12 of the strip 38 is bent downwardly and similarly secured to the inside of the casing 10 by the eyelet 43. Thus the conducting member 38 is positioned across the casing 10 slightly below the terminal 15 of the lamp base 13 and preferably at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the casin g 10.

Centrally of the casing 10 the conductive member 38 is formed with an aperture 45 or rimmed with a downwardly extending flange 416 against which the central terminal 36 of the battery 11 normally tends to contact to close the electrical circuit through the lamp 1315 when pressed upwardly thereagainst by the bottom cap spring 39 therebeneath, as shown in Figure To open the circuit the central battery terminal 36 is pressed away from the flange and held thereaway by a non-conductive member or rod 48 adapted to pass through the hole 15 in the conductive member 38 and bear on the battery terminal 36. Midway between the upturned portions, the sides of the bridge 38 are turned upwardly as flanges 5b in order to strengthen the bridge and enable it to resist thrust of the battery should the flashlight be dropped. In some situations the lower end 49 of this axial rod 48 may be guided or centered by the downward ly directed flange 46 which directs the end of the rod 48 to the battery terminal. Furthermore, the flange serves not only as a con tact but strengthens the bridge member 38 against battery thrust. In addition, the flanges50 cause the bridge 38 to be narrower at the center and space is thereby provided at each side for the passage of a finger, if necessary, to facilitate the ejection of a battery 11. a

The contact for the lamp terminal 15 is shown as formed on an upwardly extending member, say, a strip 3? of conductive material, secured to the bridge 38 between the side wall of the casing 10 and the hole 4-5 for the circuit breaker 48. An eyelet 51 may secure the two strips, i. e., the contact strip 3'? and the bridge strip 38, together in parallel relationship. The contact strip 37 is then bent upwardly at right angles as at 52 and the upwardly bent end 52 is of such a length asto extend past the center of the aperture 12 in the casing wall 10 for engagement by the lamp terminal 1. The contact end 52 being outwardly bent slightly, if desired, so to resiliently engage the lamp terminal and being dished slightly, as at 53, to receive the terminal.

The circuit opening member 48 is conveniently formed of arod of wood having its lower end turned down as at 49 and cylindrical to be received in and pass freely through the hole 45 so as to contact with the battery terminal 36 to press it away from the contact flange 46. To prevent wear of the rod 48, 49 the end may be provided with a hard surface. For instance, a nail 56 may be driven into the end. The rod 48is secured centrally of the top cap 57, on its inner side, in any convenient fashion. As shown, the rod 48 has an enlarged end 58, like a flange, which is held to the base of the top cap or to a reenforcing disc 59 carried thereon by an inverted flanged cup-shaped holding member 60, through a hole 61 in the bottom of which the rod portion 48 extends. As shown, the rim of the hole 61 is bent downwardly somewhat as a curvilinear flange 62 to engage the rod 48 a slight distance from the head 58 and assist in steadying and rigidly fixing the rod in place. The cup 60 is secured to the top cap by one or more eyelets 63 passing through a flange 64 of the cup 60,

l as

disc 59 and/or the base of the top cap'57.

When the lamp is to be illuminated, the

top cap 57 is unscrewed, drawing the rod 48 upwardly and permitting the bottom cap spring 39 to push the battery 11 upwardly to bring the central terminal 36 thereof into contact with the contact flange 46 on the contact bridge 38. Electric current then flows from the positive terminal '36 of the battery 11 to the contact bridge 38, andthrough the yielding lamp contact 37 to the central terminal 15 of the lamp 1315. From the negative terminal of the battery thecircuit includes the metallic bottom cap spring 39, the metallic bottom cap 65, collar 31, metallic eyelet 33, metallic conducting strip 35, the metallic eyelet16, the metallic housing 17 and metallic reflector 21 to the lamp base 13. When it is no longer desired to illuminate the lamp, the topcap 57 is screwed down on to the top cap collar 32,"'causing the rod'48 to pass downwardly through the hole 45 to press the central battery terminal 36 away from the bridge 38. 'So soon as the terminal 36 is forced away from the bridge 38 the contact is broken and thecircuitremains open as long as the cap 57 remains screwed down on the collar 32. Since the rod 48 is of insulatory material no current can flow from the battery 11 through the rod 48 to the bridge 38. t

Inasmuch as it sometimes happens 'tha'tia lamp will be'broken or its filament burned out or fractured while, the flashlight is being carried about with the worker in the field, provision is made for carrying a spare lamp toreplace a. broken one. The otherwise unused space above the bridge 38 around the circuit breaking rod 48 is, utilized for the spare lamp carrier and, in fact, the rod 48 is used as the support for the carrier. As

shown astrip or ribbon 71 of resilient material, such asmetal, is bent into a generally hyperbolic form and has two holes 72, 73 formed therein, in register, to receive the rod 48. The holes 7 2, 73 may be elliptical or round, it being sought, in either case, to have the edges of the holes 72, v7 3 grip the rod 48 by virtue of the elasticity of the carrier 71 to hold the same in place on the rod 48 and keep it from slipping down out of place. The lower end of the leaf spring 71 extends a greater distance beyond the lowerhole 73, as at 74 and is formed with a third hole 75 which may have a notch 76 out therein and the edge 77 of the hole 75 may be deformed into a helix toserve as a thread-like socket for the reception of the base of the spare lamp, the spare lamp being thus disposed between the contact breaker rod 48 and the side of the casing 10. 7' 7 Various modified forms of spare lamp car'- riers are illustrated in Figures 4 through 13. In that modification disclosed in Figures 4-and 5, a clip of substantially U-shapeis provided adapted to engage the flashlight part 48, the arms'80 being curved outwardly .to grip the rod between them. At their ends 81, the arms 80'are turned outwardly slightly to facilitate the application of the clip onto the rod,'they serving as guides by which 1 pressure of the ends 81 against the rod will cause the expansion of the clip to slip easily over the flashlight part. These ends 81 also afford a convenient grasp for the fingers. Between the arms, at the bottom of the U, thelonger arm 82 of a second substantially U-shaped clip 82, 83 is secured in any convenient fashion' The arms 82 and 83 of this clip are adapted to receive between them the base of a spare lamp 70. As bef0re,'these arms are outwardly curved to conform to the generally cylindrical shape of they base of'the lamp and the'ends 84 are bent outwardly to facilitate insertion of the lamp base.

In the spare lamp carrier illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the clip is of substantially the same shape as that illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 except that the clip is formed with an'elongated or enlarged bottom part 91 adaptedto extend outwardly from the axial rod 48 a distance suflicientso that an upwardly extending strip of yielding or resillent mater1al92 fastened thereto may engage the base of the lamp 70'and'iclamp that base 7 between said strip and the rod-48. The strip 92 is curved outwardly as at 93 to conform to the shape of the base and is bent outwardly at its end, as at 94,:to facilitate insertion of the lamp base, as will be understood.

In Figures 8 and '9, the modified spare lamp carrier comprises a generally U-shaped or three-sided rectangular member having a wide base 100 formed with upwardly extend- : ing arms 101 and 102 curved to receive, re-

spectively, one side of the flashlight part 48 termediate the arms 101 and 102- is secured in any convenient manner, a member 104 and 105, also substantially three-sided, forming the arms which are companion to the arms 101, 102, the spacing of the arms 101, 102 and-104, 105 being such that the respective clips 101, 104 and 105, 102 are separated from one another under tension when on the rod 48 and holding the lamp 70 so .as to grip these elements. Here again, the extremities are bent outwardly as before to facilitate application of the lamp support to the battery controlling member 48 and to receive the spare lamp. 1

In the modification according to Figure 10, twosubstantially similar shape clips 110, 111 are provided, one to grip the rod 43 and the other (111) to grip the base of the lamp 70. The base 112 of clip 111 is shown assecured, as by a rivet, to one side of a three-sided base portion 113 on the clip 110.

In Figure 11, the lamp support comprises two substantially similar clips and 121 which have identically shaped bases 122, 123, respectively, secured together so that the axes of the lamp 70 and the rod 48 are parallel when the clip is in use, one of the clips, say, 120, serving to engage the base of the lamp 70, and the other clip 121 serving to hold the spare lamp carrier on the flashlight part 48. 7

In Figure 12, there is shown two clips 130, 131 arranged side by side, both of which are secured to a common base member in the form of a flat strip 132. In the form illustrated, the base 133 of the clip is of extended width so that the relative positions of the parts 133 and 132 may remain fixed and proper support be provided for the clip 131 supporting the spare lamp.

Another form of spare lamp carrier is shown in Figure 13, wherein a generally hairpin shaped member formed of a ribbon of resilient material has its arms bent outwardly, respectively, near the base as at 141 to receive between them the flashlight part 48. The arms are similarly bent outwardly near their end, as at 142, to receive between them the base of thespare lamp 70. Here again, the extremities 143 are curved outwardly to facilitate the application of this holder to the rod. It will be understood that in applying the same the clip is first pressed onto the rod 48 until it is held yieldingly in position upon that red by the inherent resiliency of the arms. The spare lamp 70 may then be inserted and removed at will from the extremities of the clip without displacing the clip on the flashlight part.

It will thus be seen that a flashlight has been provided wherein the normal movements of the external parts resulting from any external force whether intentional or holes.

accidental, serves to assist in keeping the circuit open while the space within the casing, otherwise unused, receives a spare lamp carrier of a simple design having inherently therein, the power to retain itself in position.

It will-be understood that the terms upper and lower, top cap and bottom cap are used in a relative sense only and not by way of limitation.

The invention is not to be deemed confined to a flashlight of the character illustrated but .the spare lamp carrier is equally applicable in any situation where acap at either end of a flashlight casing is provided with a substantially axially disposed member upon which a spare lamp carrier may be support ed, preferably removably, within the cylindrical plane of the cap.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in the configuration, composition and disposition of the component elements going to make up the flashlight as a whole,- as well as in the selection and combination of the several component elements for independent use and no limitation is intended by the phraseology ofthe foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawings except as indicated 1n the appended claims.

ing, in combination, a spare lamp carrier comprising a ribbon of resilient metal bent into substantially Ushaped form, a hole formed in each arm of the ribbon through which the axial rod extends whereby remote portions of the edges of the holes are urged into yieldingengagement with the red by the resiliency of the metal, one arm of said ribbon being formed with a third hole between the first named hole and the end of the arm whereof the edge of the hole is helically deformed to receive the threaded base of a lamp.

2. In a flashlight having a casing, a removable cap therefor,'a substantially axially'disposed rod carried by the cap within the casing, in combination, a spare lamp carrier comprising a ribbon of resilient metalbent into substantially U shaped f rm, a hole formedin each arm of the ribbon through which the axial rod extends whereby remote portions of the edges of the holes are urged into yielding engagement with the red by the resiliency of the metal, and spare lamp engaging means carried by the free end of an arm outwardly'of one of the first named In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

GOODRIOH. B. PRATT.

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