US2123125A

US2123125A - Head lamp for vehicles

Info

Publication number: US2123125A
Application number: US110324A
Authority: US
Inventors: Trippe Graham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-11-11
Filing date: 1936-11-11
Publication date: 1938-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 1955-07-05

Description

July 5, 1938.

G. TRIPPE 2,123,125

HEAD LAMP FOR VEHICLES Filed NOV. 11, 1936 INVENTOR. Grab am W/ 'O Je BY M%%%-" Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Graham Trlppe, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 11, 1936, Serial No. 110,324

6 Claims.

My invention relates to headlamps for vehicles.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a construction whereby the reflectors of the lamp are resiliently positioned so that they are full floating for both horizontal and vertical movement, thereby absorbing shock and greatly lengthening the life of the lamp bulb; to create a structure adapted to seal the interior of the head lamp against moisture, dust, dirt and tarnish, and which when once inserted will not be subject to rattling or accidental removal by vibration or shock; to supply a construction for the adjustment and positioning of the housing in any desired position; to provide an adjustable connection whereby my head lamp may be attached to a vehicle in any desired position; to supply such a connection that will have'a construction that my head lamp will be theft proof, and such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of my invention, yet I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of my head lamp; Fig. 2 is a front view of the same; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of my peculiarly shaped and formed wrench; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the preferred form of my resilient member; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the adjusting means for my lamp.

Referring moreparticularly to the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, it comprises a head lamp I0 having a housing II, a lens I2, an electric light bulb I3 connected to an electrical source of supply and a reflector" I4. A plurality of resilientmembers I5 are attached by rivets It or any other suitable means to the housing II and said resilient members arespaced from each other so that their ends I'I contact the back of the reflector I4 at various points, said ends of the resilient members thus acting as a cradle for the reflector. I have found in practice that three resilient members spaced substantially equi-distant form suiflcient contact on the back of the reflector, but the exact number of resilient members may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. My reflector so positioned is thus full floating and is adapted to move either horizontally or vertically or both simultaneously. Upon the vehicle to which my head lamp is attached hitting abumrr or a hole to cause vertical movement, my reflector also moves vertically to absorb the shock and thus greatly increases the life of the electric light bulb.

Since the ends ll of the resilient members are sharpened they are useful in positioning the re- (Cl. 24.0-41.5) m

flector. The sharpened ends tend to dig into the back of the reflector and thus permanently hold the reflector from twisting or turning after its assembly in place. a

After my reflector I4 has been positioned, the bulb [3 connected, the lens I2 is put in place with its inner peripheral edges resting a'gainst felt gasket I8 attached to the outer flanged edge 49 of the reflector I4. A ring I9 preferably made in one piece has a V-shaped opening 20 with the wider part of the V on the inner edge and the narrower part on the outer edge. Said ring I9 has a slightoutward tapering flange 2I continuing around its outer edge, which flange seats inside the outer edge of the housing which is slightly curved to receive said flange. The ring I9 holds in its substantially hollow grooved interior a gasket 22 of rubber or the like, which is held therein by adhesive or other suitable means. The lens I2 is held between this gasket 22 on the outside'and gasket I8 on the inside. Once positioned during assembly, the ring I9 is contracted together with the V-shaped opening 20 adjacent the top of the assembly so that cap 23 may be placed over said ring I9 covering said V-shaped opening 20. Said cap 23 has a pair of rounded grooves 44 to receive the opposite ends of the ring I9, said grooves 44 being separated by a wedge 45 tapering outwardly toward the bottom. Said. cap continues backwardly following the contour of the housing I I, and is removably positioned to said housing by a hand screw 24 or the like. Once the cap 23 is placed over the ring IS the ring may expand so as to insure a tight fit against the gasket 22 and thehousing II, and seal the inside of my lamp Ill against moisture, dirt, dust and tarnish.

Adjacent the bottom of my housing I I a flange socket 25 is fixed by rivets or other suitable means. Said flange.25 has at its forward portion an upwardly curved lip 26 to receive the central lower portion of the lens retaining ring I9. This lip 26' acts as,a guide and holding member for the ring I9.during the operation of assembling when the ring is being contracted and the cap 23 is being placed thereon. Later the lip acts as a secondary support for the ring I9. Said flange socket 25 hassubstantially at its center a concaved portion .21 having an aperture 28 to receive a bolt of ball washer 29. Said ball washer is of a smaller or equal radius than the" radius of the concaved portion 2-1, and its, edges are adapted when so positioned to contact the concaved portion. The ball, washer 29 may be adjusted by turning of bolt 30 sothat the edges of said washer dig into the concaved portion 21 of flange socket 25 so as to securely hold the lamp III in any desired position to which it has been placed by the user. This construction permits easy and exact positioning of my lamp without the creeping that has heretofore been present when adjustment wasbeing made. My construction also insures a permanent positioning once the lamp has been adjusted into place.

My supporting arm II has an upper curved portion 32 adapted to fit under the c'oncaved portion 21 of the flange socket 25. passes through the upper concaved portion 32 of the supporting arm 3i, and the said concaved portion extends downwardly on either side of nut 41 of bolt 30 forming a recess ii so that said nut may only be reached and turned by head 43 of my wrench 32 having the peculiar shape necessary to enable it to pass into said recess 3|, thus making said adjustment theft proof. The supporting arm continues with a downwardlyand outwardly curved shank 33 to end in a serrated bottom 34. The shank 33 has a hollowed out portion 35 towards its lower end so that the head 36 of the bolt 31 cannot be reached and turned except by head 43 of wrench 32 peculiarly shaped to reach into said hollowed out portion 35 of the shank 33. This construction again makes the same theft proof as it cannot be tampered with by the usual run of wrenches, but requires a peculiar tool created for the particular job. Said bolt 31 secures said supporting arm 3| to a standard 38, there being teeth 39 on the standard adapted to engage the serrated bottom 34. The standard 38 is attached to the bumper or other suitable supporting member 40 of a vehicle by means of a clamping plate 43 held by a pair of spaced bolts ll. Said bolts are positioned in recesses in said plate 43 and are surrounded on three sides of the wall of the plate so that they are accessible only by head 43 of my peculiarly shaped wrench 32, adapted to enter into said recess for turning said bolts. This is the third theft proof feature of my lamp. inasmuch as the supporting arm is movable in a horizontal plane in any direction and the lamp housing in any direction horizontal or vertical by swinging the supporting arm in any desired direction, the lamp itself may be placed wherever desired on the vehicle to protect it from accident and yet to give most eflicient service. A set screw 42 cuts through the enamel of the bumper 40 to permit proper electrical contact and to obta'n a maximum flow of electricity.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim:

1. In combination with a head lamp for vehicles having a, housing, a source of light, a reflector having a gasket around its outer edge, and a lens, a construction comprising a lens retaining ring having a V-shaped opening and a grooved portion holding a gasket, said lens being held between said gaskets, the V-shaped opening of said ring positioned substantially adjacent the top portion of said housing, and a cap removably fixed to the top portion of said housing placed over said V-shaped opening for holding the ring in place and permitting it to expand to form a seal against the askets and the housing.

2. In combination wi h a head lamp for vehicles having a housing, a source of light, a refiector having a gasket around'its outer edge, and a lens, a construction comprising a lens retaining ring having a V-shaped opening and a grooved portion holding a gasket, said lens being held between said gaskets, said ring having The bolt ll an inwardly tapering flange on its outer edge, said flange contacting the inside of the outer edge of said housing. the V-shaped opening of said ring positioned substantially adjacent the top portion of said housing, a cap removably flxed to the top portion of said housing placed over said V-shaped opening for holding the ring in place and permitting it to expand to form a seal against the gaskets and the housing.

3. A head lamp for vehicles comprising a housing, a source of light, a reflector having a gasket around its outer edge, a lens, a lens retaining ring having a V-shaped opening and a groove holding a gasket, said lens being held between said gaskets, a cap attached to said housing for closing over the V-shaped opening of said ring and for holding said ring against said housing, and a flange attached to said housing having a lip. adapted to hold and position one part of said ring so that said cap may be positioned over another'part of said ring.

4. A head lamp for vehicles comprising a housing, a source of light, a reflector having a gasket around its outer edge, a lens, a lens retaining ring having a V-shaped opening and a. groove holding a gasket, said lens being held between 'said gasketsfa cap attached to said housing adjacent the top portion thereof for closing over the V-shaped opening of said ring-and for bolding said ring against said housing, and a flange attached to said housing adjacent the bottom portion thereof and having a lip adapted to hold and position the bottom of said ring so that said cap may be positioned over the top of said ring.

5. In a head lamp for a vehicle, a housing, a reflector, an electric light bulb connected through said reflector to an electrical source of supply, a trio of resilient members, each of said resilient members having a plurality of bends, a central portion and a pair of spaced sharp ends, each of said resilient members attached at its central portion to said housing, said resilient members spaced substantially equidistant to form a cradle, said reflector floatingly supported on said cradle so as to provide both vertical and horizontal movement for absorbing shock passed to the vehicle and giving longer life to the electric light bulb, said sharp ends of said resilient members digging into the back of said reflector so as to position said reflector and hold it from turning and twisting out of position.

6. In combination with a head lamp for vehicles having a housing, a source of light, a reflector having a gasket around its outer edge, and a lens, a construction comprising a lens retaining ring having a V-shaped opening and a grooved portion holding a gasket, said lens being held between said gaskets, the V-shaped opening of said ring positioned substantially adjacent the top portion of said housing, a cap removably fixed to the top portion of said housing placed over said V-shaped opening for holding the ring in place and permitting it to expand to form a seal against the gaskets and the housing, and a flange attached to said housing adjacent the bottom portion thereof and having a lip adapted to hold and position the bottom of said ring so that said cap may be positioned over the top of said ring.

. GRAHAM 'I'RIPPE.