US2079732A - Headlight - Google Patents

Description

y 3 J. s. CONLEY 2,079,732

HEADLI GHT Filed Oct. 19, 1 935 4 Sheets-Sheet l May 11, 1937.

I J. 5. CONLEY 2,079,732

HEADLIGHT Filed Oct. 19, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 11, 1937. J. s,

CONLEY 2,079,732

HEADLIGHT Filed Oct. 19, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Jf Janie; M

Attorney Patented H, 193'! UNHTED STATES 2 Claims.

This invention relates to headlights and more particularly to locomotive headlights.

In accordance with the present invention a headlight particularly designed for use on a locomotive is provided whereby the latter will serve not only the usual requirement of a headlight of this character but will also serve as a means for illuminating railroad crossing signs and'the like for rendering less hazardous railroad grade crossings.

Briefly the invention consists in the provision of a headlight involving a rotating lamp mechanism whereby either a red lamp or a white lamp may be readily brought into position within the lamp casing; and additional lamps effectively disposed about the main lamp casing and including colored, preferably red, lamps and a beacon lamp, and which lamps will be illuminated incidental to an operation of the first mentioned rotating lamp mechanism in the placing of the red lamp of said rotating mechanism in operative position within the main casing.

Among the objects of. the invention is to provide a lamp having the features above referred to and characterized by simplicity of construction and efiiciency of operation.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating the application of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the headlight with the front lens and reflector removed.

Figures 3 and 4 are detail views taken substantially on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 respectively of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a centering clip. I

Figure '7 is a detail elevational view further illustrating the application of the clip shown in Figure 6. p

Figures 8 and 9 are detail views taken substantially on the lines 8-4 and 9--9 respectively of Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a wiring diagram and Figure 11 is a view illustrating the use of the invention as a locomotive approaches a grade crossing.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that the headlamp comprises a main casing or drum 5 provided in the front thereof with a suitable lens 6 held in place by a lens retaining ring I. Arranged suitably behind the lens 6 is a parabolic reflector 8, and in accordance with the present invention the reflector 8 at its apex is provided with av relatively narrow arcuate slot or opening 9.

Also mounted in the casing 5 is a rotating lamp mechanism indicated generally by the reference numeral Ill.

The rotating lamp mechanism I comprises a transverse shaft II the ends of which are journalled in bearings l2 secured at the desired adjustment within boxings l3 through the medium of set screws M.

The boxings. l3 are mounted on brackets l disposed at diametrically opposite sides of the casing 5. The brackets I5 are secured in the casing in any suitable manner.

Mounted on the shaft II for rotation therewith is a substantially T-shaped rotor l6 suitably provided as at I! to form reflector segments l8 adapted to be moved selectively into a position substantially within the slot 9 of the relamp bulb mounting consists of a lamp socket IQ of any suitable conventional form and which is accommodated within an opening 20 in the member IS in proper relation to a reflector Ill.

.The opening 20 extends at right angles to an opening 2| that extends through the member l6;

parallel to the axis of the member and from one side to the other of said member as shown in Figure 5. At the opposite ends of the opening 2! the member I6 is notched as at 22 to accommodate a pair of opposed substantially U-shaped spring clips 23 of a structure best shown in Figure 6. The clips 23 straddle the notched portions 22 as is clear from a study of Figures 5 and '7 and at the closed end of the U each clip is laterally extended as at 23a. and suitably apertured whereby at said end the clip may be secured by suitable fastening means to a notched edge 22 of the member IS.

The legs of each clip 23 at their inner ends are provided with lateral projections reversely bent to form channel or hook members 24 that bear against the socket l3 adjacent the upper and lower ends of the socket. The ends 24 of the legs of the clip are retained in engagement with the socket l9 through the medium of a wrapping 25 of wire or other suitable material as best shown in Figure 5.

After proper focusing of the socket 9 and clips 23, and the engagement of the clips with the socket in the manner just described each opening 2| is filled with furnace cement or similar material 26 while at the base of the reflector l8 and about the external ends 24 of the clip and the socket I9 is packed a cement or other suitable cementitious material 21 so as to provide for a neat appearance where the socket projects outwardly through the base of the reflector l8.

From the above it will be seen that an effective means is provided for anchoring each socket l9 in position and against working loose as might otherwise occur due to the tremendous vibration to which the lamp and associated parts are usually subjected.

Arranged in one of the sockets 9 is for example a white incandescent lamp 28 while arranged in the other of the sockets I9 is a red incandenscent lamp 29. For rotating the member 6 to place either the lamp 28 or 29 in operative position there is suitably mounted on the shaft il a rack segment 38 which is in constant mesh with a rack bar 3| provided on the end of the rod 32 of a piston 33. Piston 33 is mounted for reciprocation and fits loosely in a cylinder 34 secured at its upper end and as indicated generally at 35 to the bottom of the lamp casing 5 at the rear end of the latter and as shown in Figure 3. At its lower end the cylinder 34 is suitably connected with a flexible hose or conduit 36 leading from a suitable source of pressure supply, which is air, steam, oil or the like whereby the piston 33 will be caused to move upwardly and movement of the piston will be transmitted through the rack 3| and segment 38 to the shaft II for rotating the member l6 to position either the bulb 28 or 29 in operative position. Upon release of pressure piston 33 by gravity will return to the position shown in Figure 3 resulting in a return of the parts to the position also shown in said figure.

Suitably mounted on the top of the casing 5 is a beacon light which consists of a suitable casing 31 in which is mounted an incandenscent lamp 38 of suitable voltage power.

Adjacent the bottom thereof and at opposite sides of the casing 5 are lamp casings 39 in which are mounted colored, preferably red, incandescent lamps 48.

As shown in Figure 10 all of the lamps are arranged in a suitable circuit and for controlling the circuit through the lamp there are provided for each of the lamps 28, 29, 38, and 48 insulating disks 4|, 42, 43, and 44-44 respectively secured on the shaft H in any suitable manner and arranged on the shaft as shown in Figure 2. Each of the disks 4|, 42, and 43 is provided with a segmental contact section 45 properly arranged relative to one another and cooperable with a spring contact 46 suitably mounted as at 46a within the casing 5 for controlling the circuit through the lamps 28, 28, and 38 respectively.

The insulatingdisks 44 are provided with similar contact segments 41 cooperable with spring contacts 48 mounted as at 46b within the casing 5, for controlling the circuit through the lamps 48. (See Figure 10.)

From the above it will be apparent that when the white lamp 28 is in the position shown in Figure 3, that is to say in operative position, the circuit through the lamp 28 will be completed through contact 46 and contact 45 associated with the disk 4| as clearly suggested in Figure 10.

When the piston 33 however is operated as previously explained to rotate the member 5 through the rack 3| and segment 38 for placing the lamp 29 in operative position, and to take the place of lamp 28, all of the aforementioned insulating disks will rotate with shaft H in a manner to move the contact 45 on the disk 4| out of engagement with the contact 46 and to bring the contacts 45 on the disks 42 and 43 into engagement with the contacts 46 as well as to bring the contact 41 on the disks 44 into engagement with the contacts 48. This will result in an interruption of the circuit through the lamp 28 and a completing of the circuit through the red lamp 29, the beacon lamp 38, and the red lamps 48. Under such conditions, taking place as the locomotive 58 approaches a grade crossing, lamp 38 is brought into play for properly illuminating the grade crossing far in advance of the locomotive 58 while the red lamps 28 and 48 will serve to illuminate the grade crossing signal 5| and other objects on or near the crossing thus giving an illuminated signal to the occupants of vehicles approaching the crossing thereby giving the operator of said vehicle timely notice well in advance of the approach of the locomotive.

In connection with the above it might be stated that at the present time the general practice is to maintain a red signal lamp at all railroad grade crossings and this lamp is continuously burning. Motorists accustomed to seeing such signal burning continuously, and regardless of whether or not the locomotive is actually approaching a crossing have come to be careless in giving the proper regard to such signals resulting in numerous accidents. With this invention instead of providing a continuously operated red signal lamp at the crossing a suitable reflector signal such as suggested at 5| in Figure 11 of the drawings may be employed and this signal will be illuminated from the rays of the lamps 28 and 48 only upon an approach of a locomotive so that the train will provide a positive signalling means for signalling the actual approach of the locomotive. Thus the signal 5| will be much more effective if in the nature of a reflector signal as contemplated by the present invention than where, at the present time, the signal is a continuously burning red lamp. Thus while the head lamp embodying the features of the present invention will serve admirably as a headlamp for locomotives it will also serve additionally as a means for giving a proper warning or signal at a railroad grade crossing incidental to an actual approach of the locomotive, and of course in actual practice the engineer will bring the signal lamps 29, 38, and 48 into operation one-half or quarter of a mile away from the grade crossing, so that occupants of motor vehicles and the like will have timely warning of the approach of the locomotive.

For mounting the headlight on the front of the locomotive 58, I provide a pair of opposed brackets 52 which support therebetween a. bearing race member 54 cooperable with a bearing race member 55 on the under side of the lamp casing 5. Confined between the race members 54 and 55 are ball bearings or the like 5'6.

Secured to the underside of the casing 5 within the confines of the bearing race member 55 as at Si is one end of a shaft 58 which at its lower end is provided with an arm 59. Connected with the arm 59 as at Gil are oppositely extending cables 6! trained over suitable pulleys 62 and operable from a point within convenient reach of the engineer for swinging the headlight as a unit either to the right or to the left. For yieldably retaining the headlight in a normal position there are provided suitable springs 63 suitably anchored at one end to the brackets 52 and at their respective free ends to the lamp casing 5 as suggested in Figure 1.

By swinging the head lamp either to the right or left the same can be efiectively used for illuminating the railroad grade crossingv signal when approaching the crossing on a curved track.

It is thought that from the above a clear understanding of the construction, operation and utility of a headlight of this character will be had by those skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention," what is claimed as new is:

1. In a headlight of the class described, a casing, a stationary reflector in the frontend of a the casing, said reflector being provided with a slot in the rear end of the latter, a member rotatably mounted in the casing behind the reflector, a pair of arcuate reflector members carried by said rotatable member and adapted to be selectively placed within said slot, an electric lamp associated with each of said arcuate reflectors. one of said lamps being colored, means for retating said rotatable member, an electric circuit including said lamps, means arranged in said circuit to close the circuit of each lamp when its associated reflector is brought into position within said slot, a beacon lamp casing mounted on the first named casing, an electric lamp mounted in the beacon lamp casing, said beacon lamp being also arranged in the electrical circuit, and means for closing the circuit through the beacon lamp when the colored lamp and its associated arcuate reflector is brought into operative position.

2. In a headlight of the class described, a casing, a stationary reflector in the front end of the casing, said reflector being provided with a slot in the rear end of the latter, a member rotatably mounted in the casing behind the reflector, a pair of arcuate reflector members carried by said rotatable member and adapted to be selectively placed within said slot, an electric lamp associated with each of said arcuate reflectors, one of said lamps being colored, means for rotating said rotatable member, an electric circuit including said lamps, means arrangedin said circuit to close the circuit of each lamp when its associated reflector is brought into position'within said slot, a beacon lamp casing mounted on the first named casing, additional lamp casings mounted at opposite sides of the first named lamp casing, an electric lamp mounted in the beacon lamp casing, colored electric lamps mounted in said additional lamp casings, said beacon lamp and additional lamps being arranged in said circuit, and means in said circuit for completing the circuit through the beacon lamp and the last named colored lamps when the first named colored lamp and its associated reflector is brought into operative position.

JOSEPH S. CONLEY.

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