US1935146A

US1935146A - Electric lamp

Info

Publication number: US1935146A
Application number: US401721A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry A Douglas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1929-10-23
Filing date: 1929-10-23
Publication date: 1933-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1950-11-14

Description

Nov. 14, 1933. DOUGLAS 1,935,146

ELECTRIC LAMP Filed Oct. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 14, 1933. H. A. DOUGLAS ELECTRI C LAMP Filed Oct. 23. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT .FFlCE 5 Claims.

My invention relates to lamps which employ lamp receiving sockets-and holders for the sockets. The invention is of particular importance where such a lamp is equipped with a concave reflector which carries the holder whose bore is in register with an opening provided through the reflector. The invention has for its general object the provision of means whereby the lamp may be fixed with respect 'to' said '10. holder and, where the lamp is equipped with a reflector, may be fixed with respect to the latter element, also. The invention finds particular use in connection with lamps; having parabolic reflectors and enables the fixed relationship of I the lampfilament with-respect to the parabolic axis on which the filament is preferably located. A lamp thus constructed will direct light in afixed path with respect to the axis of the reflector, thereby avoiding difficulty now fre- I quentlyencountered in the adaptation of reflecting lamps to automotive vehicles, bodily or other adjustment of the lamps having frequently been required when the users happen to find that the light is improperlydirected.

In my copending application Serial No. 403,613 filed October 30, 1929, which issued as Patent No. 1,853,514, 1 have broadly claimed a lamp receiving socket within a holder and smaller in cross section than the holder, and means pressing the socket laterally against oneside of the holder. The structure disclosed in the aforesaid copending application employs a concave reflectorwith respect to which the socket holder is -fixed, the bore of the socket holder being in "3'5. register with an opening that is formed through the reflector to permit of the insertion of the base of an incandescent lamp. The structure of the aforesaid application is also inclusive oi spaced apart spacing means intervening between the holder and socket in the place at which the socket is pressed against the'holder.

The structure of my aforesaidcopending application also includes a single instrumentality, carried by the holder, which presses directly upon the base of the'lamp and, through the lamp base, upon the socket topress the socket against the holder. The structure disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 401,720 filed October 23, 1929, which issued as Patent No. 1,873,712 includesone member upon the holder which presses upon the. socket to press the socket against the holder and another member upon the socket which presses the lamp base against the socket.

.In the structureherein disclosed, the socket is provided with one member which engages and preferably itself presses upon the lamp base and the holder is provided with a member which presses upon this member and, therethrough, upon the lamp base and presses the socket against the holder through the intermediation of the lamp base. The socket is of lesser cross section than the bore of theholder and the lamp base is of lesser cross section than the bore of the socket.

I also desirably provide an improved interengagement between the holder and socket which preferably serves to prevent longitudinal move--' ment of the socket. To this end,'one of these elements is provided with an opening and the other is provided with a lateral projection or pin received in this opening. Ifthesocket is to have no movement, the projection 01' pin is snugly received in said opening. In order to ensure accurate engagement of'said projection within said opening the usual entrance slot to the opening is omitted. In order that the projection may be entered within the opening, a wedging or cam formation is provided upon one of the elements, preferably the element that has the opening, and at the end thereof where the assembly of the holder and socket is initiated. This wedging formation widens the spacing betweenthe socket andholder, preferably shifting the socket laterally to enable theprojection to pass the" contiguous imperforate portion of the element having the-opening until the projection is in register with the opening whereupon the member, which is a spring, upon the holder that preferably forces the socket laterally against the'holder is effective to force the entry of the projection within said opening.

If the holder be associated with-a reflector, the position of the lamp filament with respect to the reflector is assured, it being understood that the lamp filaments of the incandescent lamps which are to be used in the structure of mylinvention preferably occupy predetermined uniform positions with respect to the lamp bases. I

To'further assure the precise positionsof the from therefiector is fixedly determined. This construction obviates the necessity of a special design for the reflector which has hitherto been proposed to procure the same lighting effect with the filament in diiferent positions along the reflector axis. The invention, however, is not to be thus limited.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred embodiment thereof, and in which Fig. l is a plan View with a portion of the reflector shown in section; Fig. 2 is a view from beneath, part of the bulb being broken away; Fig. 3 is a side view; Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 66 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a perspective View illustrating component parts of the structure in separated relation; and Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken through the axis of the parabolic reflector. V

The lamp illustrated includes a housing or back element 1 having a bracket 2 on its bottom side by which it may be assembled with the automotive vehicle or other support, as indicated. The housing or back 1 encloses a parabolic reflector 3 which is formed with a grooved flange 4 at its forward end. This flange is pressed against a rim 5, provided upon the housing, by an assembling ring 6. This assembling ring also presses the light transmitting closure 7, usually of glass. against'a gasket 8 which is seated in the flange 4.

The generally cylindrical socket holder 9 has its forward end passed through a circular opening formed through the crown of the reflector, in the embodiment of the invention shown. The forward end of the holder 9 is formed with flanges 10' and 11 between which the surrounding edge portion of the reflector is clamped, whereby the holder and reflector are maintained coaxial, in the structure illustrated.

The generallycylindrical terminal carrier or lamp socket 12 is held in assembly with and within the holder 9 by the means hereinafter set forth. This socket is preferably formed with a single bayonet slot or channel 13 for receiving a bayonet pin or projection 14 upon the base 15 of an incandescent lamp. This bayonet pin is maintained in a V-shaped retaining. seat 13' of the bayonet slot by any suitable means, the V-shaped seat holding, the lamp fromrotative movement. The means illustrated is .inclusive of a coiled spring 16 which surrounds a plunger 17 constituting a circuit terminal and presses forwardly upon the plunger head 18 and rearwardly upon the flange 19 of a metallic guiding sleeve 20. This guiding sleeve is mounted upon an insulating disc 21 which is fixedly assembled with and within the rear end of the socket 12. The plunger head 18 presses against a contact 22 which is carried by the generally cylindrical lamp base 15 which is made of insulating material. The lamp structure illustrated is asocalled single pole structure, though the invention is not to be thus limited. Where a single pole structure is employed, the contact 22 ,is upon the axisof the lamp base. A stifl leading in wire 24 establishes connection between the contact 22 and one terminal of the filament 25. An-

other stiff leading in, wire 26 establishes a connection between the other terminal of the filament and the metallic sheath 2'? which surrounds the insulating portion of the lamp base and, from the point of view of my invention, also constitute's a part or enlargement of the lamp base. The body of the reflector, the holder 9, and the socket 12 are grounded and when the lamp is in place the sheath 27 is also grounded as it has connection with the holder, as will more fully appear.

In carrying out my invention the cross section of the socket 12 is smaller than the bore of the holder 9 and the base of the lamp, inclusive of its sheath 27, is smaller, in cross section, than the bore of the socket.

Spaced apart spacing means intervene between the holder 9 and the socket 12. These spacing means are preferably in the form of ribs 28 which extend longitudinally of the holder and socket. Each rib is desirably integrally formed with one of the elements 9 or 12, both ribs being shown as being integrally formed with the holder. The ribs are spaced less than 180 degrees apart, preferably 120 degrees apart. The means for pressing the socket 12 against the holder 9 is desirably inclusive of two spring tongues 29 which are integrally formed with the holder 9. The holder is formed with a lateral circular opening 30 therethrough and the socket is provided with a pin or projection 31 which is to enter this opening. The holder is provided with a cam or wedging portion 32 at the rear end thereof where the socket is entered in assembling it with the holder. As the socket is moved forwardly, the pin 31 is directed against the cam or wedge 32, whereby the socket is pressed against the springs 29 and whereby the projection 31 is entered within the bore of the holder. The pin moves past the imperforate portion of the holder that is between the opening 30 and the wedge or cam 32 and when it comesinto register with the opening 30, the springs 29 press the socket toward the opening to enter said projection within the opening and to engage the socket with the ribs 28. The portion of the socket which is engaged by the springs 29 is in the form of a spring tongue 33 which is integrally formed with the socket. This spring tongue, itself, presses laterally upon the lamp base and forces the longitudinal ribs 34, that are preferably provided upon the lamp base, against the socket. The tongue 33 also serves to transmit the pressure of the springs 29 bearing thereon to the lamp base, this pressure being further transmitted through the lamp base to press the socket against the holder. By this arrangement the socket is prevented from having longitudinal movement, so that the filament of the lamp is flxed longitudinally of the axis of the reflector. By this preferred construction, it is unnecessary to specially design the reflector as would be desirable if the lamp socket were movable along the lamp axis. The springs 29 press the socket evenly against the ribs 28, the line of pressure being between these ribs. In this way, the axis of the socket is flxed'with respect to the vreflector. The spring 33 exerts pressure on a line between the ribs 34 to accurately deflne the position of the lamp lengthwise of the structure. As the V-shaped bayonet seat 13 prevents rotative movement of the lamp the filament of the lamp is accurately positioned with respect to the reflector, this position being predetermined if the filaments of all lamps to be used in my device are accurately positioned with respect to the lamp bases.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim;

1. The combination with a cylindrical holder having a lateral opening, said opening beingentireiy surrounded by the material of the holder; of a cylindrical terminal carrier received within said holder and having a lateral projection snugly 15,0

received in said opening; and a spring tongue integral with the holder upon the side of the holder opposite the opening, said tongue pressing the carrier laterally of the holder to maintain the projection within said opening.

2. The combination with a cylindrical socket holder having a lateral opening, said opening being entirely surrounded by the material of the holder; of a socket within saidholder and having a lateral projection snugly received in said opening; and a spring tongue integral with the holder pressing the socket laterally of the holder to maintain the projection within said opening, said tongue being opposite the opening in the holder and being curved in the direction of the pe-- riphery of the holder.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein there are two said spring tongues having their free ends adjacent a point opposite the opening in the holder and said free ends being turned inwardly of the holder.

4. The combination with a cylindrical socket holder having a lateral circular opening, ,said opening being entirely surrounded by the material of the holder; of a socket within said holder and having a cylindrical lateral projection snugly received in said opening, said holder having a cam formation positioned to be engaged by the projection when the assembly of the holder and a pair of spring tongues integral with the holder pressing the socket laterally of the holder to enter and maintain the pro ection within said opening when the projection on the socket is in register therewith, said tongues being curved in the direction of the periphery of the holder and having their free ends adjacent a point opposite the opening in the holder, said free ends being turned inwardly of the holder.

5. The combination with a cylindrical holder having a lateral opening, said opening being entirely surrounded bythe material of the holder; of acylindrical terminal carrier received within said holder and having a lateral projection snugly receivable in said opening; an outwardly struck inclined portion on said holder providing a cam upon which the projection rides to shift the carrier laterally to cause the projection to ride over the margin of the opening and into said opening;

and a spring tongue integral with the holder upon' the side of the holder opposite the opening, said tongue flexing upon lateral movement of the carrier and thereafter pressing the carrier laterally to maintain the projection Within the opening.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS.