US2215320A

US2215320A - Illuminating device for handbags

Info

Publication number: US2215320A
Application number: US297952A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earl W Burns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-10-04
Filing date: 1939-10-04
Publication date: 1940-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1957-09-17

Description

Sept. 17, 1940. E. w. BURNS 2,215,320

.ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR HANDBAGS Filed Oct. 4, 1939 -my a ATTO R N EYE Patented Sept-l7, 1940 .um'rao sT TEs PKTENT OFFICE This invention relates to illuminating devices, and its general object is to provide a device in the form of an attachment primarily designed for ladies handbags and the like, for illuminating the interior thereoLthe device acting in the capacity of a flashlight, but is constructed and associated with the bag in a manner whereby the device is automatically illuminated upon the opening of the bag and extinguished when the bag is closed.

A further object is to provide an illuminating device for handbags and the like, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, can be easily removed and applied with respect to the bag, and it is extremely efficient in operation,

use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be herego inafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and' specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing whereas in like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my device within a handbag and the position assumed by the bulb carried switch means for rendering the same active, to illuminate the bag when open.

Figure 2 is an end view of the bag illustrating the device in dotted lines and the position assumed by the bulb carried switch means for extinguishing the same when the bag is closed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken through the bag and the device mounted therein, with parts in elevation.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the bulb carried switch means of my device with parts in elevation.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the letter A indicates a ladys handbag having the usual pivoted two part frame for the mouth thereof, a catch for securing the mouth in closed position, and handles secured to the frame, all of which form no part of the present invention which lies solely in the illuminating device for the interior of the bag.

The illuminating device includes a bulb carried 'switch means constructed to provide a body in the form of a cylindrical housing I having one end closed by a wall 2, and the opposite end may be open as shown, but in any event is preferably beveled as at 3 tofollow the inclination of a side wall of the bag, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. Mounted for slidable movement in the housing I and in loose fitting association therewith,- is a relatively thick disk like block 4 of insulating material having a headed contact member 5 extending centrally therethrough, as clearly shown in Figure 4. l

The housing is provided with diametrically opposed slots 6 extending longitudinally thereof for a portion of its length and disposed within and through the slots are the inturned ends of arms I of a bail-shaped pull element that includes a loop providing an eye 8 in the bight portion thereof, as clearly shown in Figure 4. Theinturned ends provide trunnions 9 joumaled in the block 4 for moving the same against the action of a coil spring Ill sleeved about a threaded socket ll fixed to and extending inwardly from the wall 2 for receiving the shank of a flashlight bulb l2, the spring engaging the wall 2 and the block for normally holding the head of the contact member 5 spaced from the contact member I3 of the bulb, but it will be obvious from Figure 4 that a pulling action upon the bail shaped element will result in the head engaging the con-.

tact member 93 for closing the circuit to the bulb.

The bulbv carried switch means is detachably secured within the handbag in a manner to bridge the front and rear .walls thereof, and for. that purpose, the housing has secured to the open end thereof a right angled disposed pin member It and a catch i5 for the pin member. to connect that end of said means to the lining of one wall, while the opposite end is connected to the lining of the other wall by an elastic strand l 6 having its ends connected respectively to an eye 8 and a safety pin ll. v

A shade 18 may be provided for the bulb for directing the rays of light therefrom-downwardly within the bag, as indicated in Figure 1, and

the shade includes a reduced attaching portion fixed to the wall 2 in any suitable manner, for the disposal of the body of the bulb.

The battery casing for my device, is best shown in Figure 3, and includes a cylindrical body l9 having threadedly secured to the ends thereof

caps

20 and 2| respectively, the cap 20 having secured to its-inner face, a ring 22 of insulating material, while the cap 2| has a disk 23 of insulating material secured to its inner face.

The battery casing is of a size to receive the usual pencil type batteries 24, and threadedly mounted in the cap 2|) is a headed screw 25 enshade about the' ga'geabie with the central contact member of one of the batteries, to act as a manual switch for opening and closing the circuit to the bulb carried switch means, through the mediumof conductors 28 and 21. The conductor 2i has one end v fixed to the contact member 5 and its opposite end to a headed contact member centrally disposed within the disk 23 in the path of the base electrode of the other battery, as shown in Figure 3, while the conductor 21 has one end fixed to the housingl and its opposite end to the cap 2|.

I preferably provide a strip of material 29 shown in Figure 2, the parts of the bulb carried switch means are in normal position or in other words, the coil spring I holds the contact member 5 in spaced relation with respect to'the contact member I3, thusthe circuit to the bulb is open. However, when the bag is opened, the block 4 is directed toward-the bulb against the action of the coil spring It for disposing the contact member 5 in engagement with the contact member I3, and thereby closing the circuit for illuminating the bulb and consequently the interior of the bag. It is of course understood that the manual switch which includes the headed screw 25 is closed at all times, during the use of the bag.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of theinvention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An electric illuminating device for a lady's handbag including opposed walls movable toward and away from each other upon closing and opening said bag, and comprising a housing having a closed end, means secured to the opposite end for detachably connecting the housing to one of said walls, a light bulb mounted in and electrically connected to the closed end, switch means for the light bulb and engageable with the contact means thereof, a spring between the closed end and the switch means for normally holding the latter spaced from the contact means, a source of current in circuit with the housing and the switch means, means for connecting the switchmeans to the other wall and including a bail like member having trunnions mounted in the switch means, and elastic means connected to thebail like member.

2. An electric illuminating device for a lady's handbag including opposed walls movable toward and away'from each other upon closing and of the bulb, a coil spring between the closed end and the block for normally holding the contact means of the latter spaced from the contact means of. the bulb, a source of current in circuit with the housing and the contact means of the block, a bail shaped member including trunnions mounted in the block, elastic means connected to the bail shaped member, and a pin for attachment to the other wall and connected to the elastic means.

3. An electric illuminating device for a lady's handbag including opposed walls movable toward and away from veach other upon closing and opening said bag, and comprising a substantially cylindrical housing having a closed end and a beveled end, pin means secured to the beveled end for detachably connecting the housing to one of said walls, a light bulb mounted in the closed end, a shield for the light bulb, a block of insulating material slidably mounted in said casing and the latter having diametrically opposed slots extending longitudinally thereof, a contact member carried by the block and engageable with the central contact member of the bulb, a coil spring between the closed end and the block fornormally holding-the contact member of the latter spaced from the bulb contact member, means for moving the block against the action of the spring for disposing the block contact member in engagement with the bulb contact member, means for detachably securing said block moving means to the other wall, a casing for disposal within the bag, batteries within said casing, a conductor connected to the block contact means and the batteries, a conductor connected to the casing and the housing, and a manually operated switch mounted in the easing for controlling the circuit to the conductors.

EARL W. BURNS.