US2038514A - Means for projecting light - Google Patents

Description

Ap'n'l 21, 1936. R. H. HUMM ERT MEANS FOR PROJECTIVNG LIGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1955 y ATTORNEY R. H. HUMMERT MEANS FOR PROJECTING LIGHT April 21, 1936.

Filed Feb. 4, 19:55 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' 4L; ATTORNEY Patented 21, 1 9 36 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A I j 5,038,514 g a MEANS you raomo'rmG LIGHT r Robert a. Hummer-t, Daytom nohio, more The S. H. Thomson Manufacturing Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 4, 1935', Serial Nasser. g 7

- 1. Claim. (o1.- z4o -4 1-.1s)

This inventionrelates to new vand usefulimprovements in means for projecting light.

In many instances it is'eminently desirable to artificially illuminate a definite -'field without exposing to view the light source or, in fact, with. out illuminating any persons or objects outsidethis sharply defined area of light. For example, it is dangerous-for a peace ofiicer to appear in the field illuminated by his flash light; while in time of war it is an extreme risk for an army truck carrying a-headlight, searchlight or spotlight to expose itself to aerial attack through inclusion in the illuminated area of roadway..

It is the principal object of my invention, there'- fore, to provide a spotlight, flash light or othersimilar light with simple and effective'means for -projecting the 'light' beams in a, concentrated and sharply defined mannerupon a definite field without exposing. to view the light source or any other object of persons outside the sharply illuminated area.

It is a further object of my invention to provide in the path of the concentrated light rays, a shutter or window from the variable central aperture of which the concentrated beams emanate for direction by a tube through a double convex lens I which projects them upon a sharply defined field. Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following specification and particularly set forth in the 'subjoined claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating various forms of embodiment of my invention,

' Figure l isa longitudinal,- sectional view taken through the upper portionoi the shutter." Figure projector. And Figures-is a front view of the through a vehicle spotlight equipped with my light projecting means.- Figure 2 is a front view of the same. Figure 3-is a sectional view taken 4 is a front view of the shutter mechanism. Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a flash light equipped with my light same.

casing of a well-known spotlight.

' The-casing or shell 2 is formed at its front edge with a grooved head 3. adapted to. receive the inner hook edge 4 of asplit ring 5. The latter,

through the medium-of an inner L-shaped'clamp ring 6, holds the flanged peripheral portion '1 of a lens support 8 firmly against thebead 3.

. The lens support 8 comprises an. axial tube 9 I integral at its front portion with a concaveweli'lv Iiion which'the peripheral flange I- is formed.

The axial tube 9- tapers slightly inwardly at its 1 front end to provide a boss portion Ii in which-- a projecting lens tube l3.

Secured to a bracket plate It attached tothe upper inner surface of the shell 2, is a light source such as an incandescent lamp I I supplied with there is secured by a screw I2, the inner end of fitted within the tube 9 behindthe flanged rim 20"" of a shutter-supporting ring 2|? Retaining rings 22 and hold the lens I! and I8 respectively against shoulders formed on the spacer ring It,

Attached by pivots 24 to the fixed ring 2| are the segmental vanes 25 of a conventional shutter 26. These vanes carry pins 21 which enter slots (See Figures 3 and 4).

One means of moving the band 29 either clockwise or counterclockwise to-vary the size, of the shutter aperture or opening 30, is to provide it with a toothed sector 3| that is adapted to .be engaged by a pinion 32 on the inner end of an adjusting screw 33 fitted in a hole 33* within the web ill of the lens support.

. Mounted in a recessed portion of the outer end ofthe projecting tube i3, and held in place bya retaining ring 84, is a double convex lens 35.

Thelightrays emanating from the lamp ii are first condensed by their passage through the spaced lenses-i1 and i8 of the condenser. The concentrated light beams then pass through the adjusted aperture :0- er the shutter 26 mm the tube". 1

ofthis tube" the;'concentrated light beams are projected onto ag' harply illuminated field such .as is represented/; y any one of the circles a, b,.or c in Figm'e '1. illuminated, al,persons and objects including the light source outside it will notbe visible. Hence,

When any one of these fields is if the spotlight is carried by a vehicle such asan army truck, the latter will not be exposed to aerial or other attack, since the field illuminated "By the doublefdonvex lens 35111 t outer end i I by the light does not embrace the truck or any other objects or persons outside it.

plied to any type of spot light, headlight, or search light carried by vehicles or mounted on a fixed base, the invention is equally applicable to flash lights or other lights that are carried by the hand for the purpose of exploring dark places without subjecting the persons carry n the light to the field illuminated by its rays.

- "In Figure 5 I have illustrated my light projector the lens support 40. The latter'is in all respects similar to the lens support 8 in Figure 1, save that it does not employ a shutter. Although a shutter may be used in this lens support, I have fitted in the tube 9 a metal disc 4| having a central aperture or window 42 through which the concentrated beams pass from the condenser 46 into the double convex lens tube l3.

The light beams emitted by the incandescent lamp 38 passthrough the lenses l1 and I8 of the condenser 46 for concentration before entering the window 42 in the disc 4L. From this window the concentrated beams of light enter the tube I3 a for passage through the double convex lens 35 by which they are projected upon a definitely illuminated field'such as those represented by the circles a, b and c in Figure 1.

These sharply defined fields or areas are brilliantly illuminated by the light beams projected from the flash light without exposing to view' the holderof the same. The element of risk and danger to a detective, police or other persons exploring a dark space is reducedto the minimum when my projecting flash light is used, since it is diiflcult for a burglar orother unauthorized person within that space to see the holder of the light.

Having described my invention, I claim: a

A-light projecting attachment for a flashlight including a casing and a light source, comprising a lens support having an axial tubular portion, a concave web projecting from the latterfor contact with the rim of said casing, a ring for securing said web to the casing rim, a condenser in the tubular portion of said support in the path of the light beams emitted by the light source, a disc in said. tubular portion, having a window .throu'gh which the concentrated light beams pass, alens tube secured to said support beyond said disc, and a double convex lens in the outer end of said tube through which the concentrated light beams pass and by which they are projected to form a sharply defined field of light.

1 ROBERT ,H. HUMMERT.

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