US2040117A - Reflector - Google Patents

Description

w. WILSON 2,040,117

REFLECTOR Original File d May 8', 1955 Patented May 12, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFLECTOR Illinois Application May 8, 1933, Serial No. 669,848 Renewed October 5, 1935 17 Claims.

My invention relates to reflectors for lights, heat reflectors and other units in which reflectors can be used to control and dissipate the energy, and more particularly to a simply constructed,

readily adjustable reflector having a wide range of adjustment and being suitable for a number of electric-light bulb sizes.

An object of my invention is to provide an adjustable reflector having a demountable and adjustable supporting means for supporting and positioning the reflector through a wide range of angles with respect to the bulb or other support.

The provision of a reflector having a means for adjustably supporting the reflector on a bulb or similar support and allowing angular adjustment of the reflector with respect to the bulb, and a further means to allow a further angular adjustment of the reflector are other objects of my invention.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a clip adapted to be demountably fastened in and between the openings of different shapes and sizes in a reflector and to cooperate with the reflector in adjustably and semi-lockingly holding an electric light bulb in proper relation to the reflector.

Providing an eflicient and economically manufactured clip requiring a minimum of wire-bending operations is still another object of my invention.

To provide an elliptical adjustable reflector which projects the reflected light in an elongated strip and which has therein to accommodate a bulb a long narrow aperture the major axis of which is at right angles to the major axis of the reflector are other objects of my invention.

Controlling the position of the light source with respect to its reflector, as the reflector is moved about the light source, by the shape of an aperture in the reflector through which the neck of the bulb extends and against which the neck of the bulb is supported, is another object of my invention.

A further object of my invention lies in providing an adjustable reflector that can be readily dismantled of its cooperating parts and nested for economic shipping.

A further object of my invention is to provide a method of producing a clip for adjustably holding a reflector on a bulb, so constructed as to be conveniently and effectively produced in quantitiesin continuous, connected, manufacturing operations.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter pointed out, and for a further understanding of the characteristics and novel merits of my invention reference may be had to the following drawing and specification:

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a top view of an electric light reflector;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the reflector shown in Fig. 1 with the bulb and retaining clip in place;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the reflector with a retaining clip in two positions;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view disclosing a modification of the bulb aperture;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the retaining clip shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of clip; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are detailed views of another form of retaining clip which form is shown in place on a reflector in Fig. 3.

In referring more particularly to the drawing, the reflector I has hooked between the extremities of its oval opening 2 a spring-wire retaining clip 3 engaging the bulb 4 in slidable relation and permitting the reflector to be positioned with respect to the bulb in one plane between the two extreme positions designated in Fig. 2.

The two positions of the reflector of Fig. 2 disclose that adjustability is obtained both by providing an elongated opening in the reflector to permit the desired sliding movement between the neck of the lamp and reflector and by suitably forming the sides 5a of the clip 3, to provide a sliding movement between the bulb and the clip 3. Lines la are the axes of the reflector in the two positions shown, and clearly show how the center of movement (the point where the axes of the two positions intersect) of the reflector and center of the light source 6 are related. While'theoretically to have these two centers coincide is desirable, in practice to permit considerable compromise without impairing the reflecting efficiency is usually possible. Such a compromise makes possible shortening the length of the elongated opening 2 which is usually desirable and is accomplished most easily by the said sliding motion between the bulb and sides 5a of the clip 3. As the reflector l is moved between these two extreme positions the sides 5 and 5a of the spring clips 3 slide along the lower part of the bulb, at the same time keeping the edges of the bulb aperture 2 against the neck of the bulb. The sides 5a of the type of clip illustrated in Fig. 5 are provided with undulations which act as predetermined adjustments for the bulb with respect to the reflector and to provide semi-locking at predetermined positions of the bulb with respect to the wire clip. Further looking at predetermined positions of adjustment is provided by undulating the edges of the opening 2, thereby allowing a number of locking positions between the neck of the bulb and opening 2. That the semi-locking obtained by undulating the sides of the aperture 2 as shown in Fig. 4 can be obtained by also undulating the edge of the Opening shall be understood.

The clips 3, 3a and 31), described as part of my invention, can be hooked across the parallel sides also of the opening 2, allowing thereby similar positioning of the reflector i to that described and shown in Fig. 2. is designed to allow a maximum movement of the bulb i with respect to the aperture 2. However, that other shapes and designs could be effectively used is obvious and that the shape and elevational contour of the aperture determines the position of the light source 6 with respect to the reflector l, as the reflector is positioned Within its limits, is obvious also.

The retaining clips can be clamped lengthwise across the aperture, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or crosswise, as shown in the alternative position in Fig. 3 and, when crosswise, it can be located at various positions along the length of the slot. The type of clip shown in Figs. 7 and 8, when clamped crosswise of the opening, provides a socket for the bulb, the bulb 4 being held in a fixed position by the flanged edge 7 of the clip 3a which is shaped to conform to the contour of the neck of the bulb. When in the lengthwise position shown in Fig. 3, the contour of the clip flange i coincides with that of the reflector aperture, thereby leaving the full length of the aperture clear of obstacles. A further extension of a portion of the flange l of the clip 3a is formed into a hook 8 for clamping onto the reflector.

Fig. 5 shows another type of U-shaped clip 3 made of two pieces of spring wire bent at right angles near their ends and held in position by the clamp 9 which acts as a hook also in attaching the clip to a reflector.

Another form of a U-shaped clip 3b is shown in Fig.6 and comprises two lengths of spring wire held in position with respect to each other by a strip of metal l9. An extension of a portion of the metal strip i6 is formed into a hook II for attaching the clip to a reflector.

Fig. 4 shows a modification in the elevational contour of the aperture 2 which is substantially concentric with the curvature of the sides 5 and 5a of the clips.

By the use of an elliptically-shaped reflector, as shown in Fig. 1, it is possible to project the light over an elongated area sufliciently narrow to efiiciently illuminate the more shallow type of show window. In the case of deep windows, ad justing alternate reflectors are used so that while one reflector will illuminate the front portion of the window the second reflector will illuminate the area to the back of the show window and if the window be sufficiently deep the third reflector will be projected still farther to the rear of the window.

The shape'of the aperture 2 window, thus increasing the volume of production while at the same time maintaining a much smaller volume of material, equipment and finished stock than possible if a variety of reflector styles were produced. 7

Further, the sale of such a reflector is facilitated by the fact that the distributors and dealers are required to carry only one style of reflector in stock where before three or four styles were necessary to handle customers requirements.

While, therefore, I have described but a general embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that others may enlarge the same through the employment of means which are the full equivalent of those illustrated and claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I desire, therefore, that my invention be limited by only the showing in the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable reflector for an electric bulb, provided with a demountable means supported on said reflector, said means pivotally supporting said reflector on said bulb and allowing a change in the pivot point of said reflector with respect to said bulb.

2. An adjustable reflector having an aperture therein supported on a bulb, the neck of said bulb extending upwardly through said aperture, the width of said aperture ranging between the minimum and maximum diameters of the neck of said bulb and the length greater than said width, a U-shaped spring clip detachably connected to the reflector lengthwise of said aperture and resiliently holding the said neck in contact with two sides of said aperture, said reflector having a plurality of pivot points with respect to the bulb along the said two sides of said aperture.

3. A bulb-holding clip for a reflector comprising a pair of U-shaped spring members, braces holding said members in substantially parallel relation, said braces being provided with hooks for attachment to said reflector.

4. A bulb-holding clip for a reflector comprising a pair of U-shaped spring members substantially parallel with each other, the ends of said members being bent at substantially right angles toward each other so that the ends meet, and a combination clamp and hook for clamping together the two said members and hooking the said clip to said reflector.

5. In combination with a reflector having therein an aperture greater in length than in width to accommodate the upwardly extending neck of a bulb therethrough, the short sides of said opening having substantially the same curvature as said neck and the said long sides having therein undulations, a clip for attaching said reflector to said bulb, said clip comprising a pair of U-shaped spring wires, a pair of braces hold-- ing said wires at their ends in spaced substantially parallel relation, said braces being provided with a flange and a hook extending from said flange for hooking between the sides of said opening.

6. In an adjustable reflector having an aperture therein to accommodate the upwardly extending neck of a bulb therethrough, said aperture being longer than wide, an adjustable clip connected across the short sides of said opening and pivotally supporting said reflector on said bulb, said aperture permitting the said neck to move arcuately within the limits of said aperture, said clip comprising two U-shaped spring members substantially parallel having provisions at their ends for attachment to said reflector, said members extending substantially at right angles to the long side of said aperture.

7. In a reflector having an aperture of greater length than width to accommodatethe upwardly extending neck of a bulb therethrough, an adjustable clip adjustably supporting said reflector on a bulb, said clip having provisions for demountably fastening between either of the two opposite sides of said aperture, said clip cooperating with said aperture to permit angular adjustment of said reflector with respect to said bulb in a vertical plane through the said long side of the aperture.

8. In a reflector having an aperture to accommodate the upwardly extending neck of a bulb therethrough, an adjustable clip demountably fastened between the sides of said aperture, said clip having provisions to support the neck of said bulb in fixed relation with respect to said aperture.

9. An elliptical reflector having therein a long narrow aperture to accommodate the neck of a bulb, the major axis of said aperture being at right angles to the major axis of the reflector, and a detachable clip cooperating with the sides of said aperture to adjustably support the reflector on said bulb.

10. An adjustable reflector for an electric bulb, and a means for adjustably supporting said reflector on said bulb, said reflector having therein a long narrow aperture to accommodate the neck of said bulb and to allow positioning of said neck between the long sides of said aperture, the said long sides being formed to semilock the neck of said bulb in a plurality of positions.

11. An adjustable reflector for an electric bulb, provided with means supported on said reflector, said means pivotally supporting said reflector on said bulb and allowing a change in the pivot point of said reflector with respect to said bulb.

12. An adjustable reflector having an aperture therein supported on a bulb, the neck of said bulb extending upwardly through said aperture, the width of said aperture ranging between the minimum and maximum diameters of the neck of said bulb and the length greater than width, and means resiliently holding the said neck in contact with two sides of said aperture, said reflector having a plurality of pivot points with respect to the bulb along the said two sides of said aperture.

13. In combination with a reflector having therein an aperture greater in length than in width to accommodate the upwardly extending neck of a bulb therethrough, the short sides of said opening having substantially the same curvature as said neck and the said long sides having therein undulations, and means attached to said reflector for holding said bulb in contact with said undulations.

14. An elliptical reflector having therein a long narrow aperture to accommodate the neck of a bulb, the major axis of said aperture being at right angles to the major axis of the reflector, and a detachable clip to adjustably support the reflector on said bulb.

15. A bulb-supported reflector comprising a reflector member having an elongated opening adjacent its central portions through which the neck of the bulb extends, said opening being provided with a plurality of positioning means adjacent its periphery for holding the reflector in a number of different adjusted positions with respect to the neck of the bulb, and reflectorsupporting means engaging the bulb for holding the reflector in any one of a number of adjusted positions.

16. A bulb-supported reflector construction comprising a reflector having an elongated opening therein to receive the neck of the bulb, and means for holding said reflector in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions comprising bulbengaging means having a series of bulb-engaging positioning members for holding the reflector in any one of a number of adjusted positions.

17. A bulb-supported reflector construction comprising a reflector having an elongated opening therein to receive the neck of the bulb, and means for holding said reflector in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions comprising bulbengaging means having a series of bulb-engaging positioning members for holding the reflector in any one of a number of adjusted positions, said means comprising a pair of spring members, one engaging each side of the bulb, and at least one of said members having a series of corrugations therein into any one of which the surface of the bulb may extend. I

WESLEY WILSON.

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