US2295202A - Thermostatic flasher - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 8, 1942.

G. B. DAVIS, JR

THERMOSTATIC FLASHER 3 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Jan. 25, 1940 Sept. 8, 1942. G, B. DAvls, JR

THERMOSTATIC FLASHER .'5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1940 Sept 8, 1942- G. a. DAvls, .1R 2,295,202

. THERMOSTATIC FLASHER Filed Jan. 23, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 3 1 n .T n m. x 4. AW

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Patented Sept. 8, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERMOSTATIC FLASHER George B. Davis, Jr., Washington, D. 0.

Application January 23, 1940. Serial No. 315,265

Claims. -(Cl. 177-347) This invention relates to a thermostatic circuit control mechanism adaptable solely and specifically to lights hooked up in series, as those for display and ornamental purposes.

I believe this invention new and novel, in that, instead of breaking circuit to the remaining lights in the series, as is the case with the various flashers now in use, this mechanism accomplishes the flashing eilect by shortlng out the active lament in the individual globe and at the same time maintaining the flow of current to support the remaining lights on the line.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for having a thermostatic mechanism flash two lights alternately, thus by diverting the flow of current through a second globe the current to the remaining lights in the series is not increased.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flasher, rugged in construction, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easily assembled, yet practical and efficient toa high degree.

i anticipate and provide for the use o! this flasher mounted, either in an individual socket or in a combination fitting having a receptacle portion for receiving the base of the light or globe, ard a screw threaded plug portion adaptable to Je screwed into any suitable outlet, receptacle or socket.

t In the accompanying drawings are shown the various possible embodiments of this invention.

Fig. l is a sectional view of a socket embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the thermostatic assembly.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the insulated disk that supports the thermostat.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the insulating shell.

Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram of the invention as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a variation of the invention in an inserting socket.

Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram of the invention as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram of how the current may be diverted from one globe to another.

Fig. 9 is a side view of a socket assembly.

Fig. l0 is a sectional view of a socket embodying a. variation of the invention.

Fig. ll is a sectional view of the thermostatic mechanism as shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the insulating disk supporting the invention.

Fig. 13 is a circuit diagram of the invention as shown in Fig, l0.

In Fig. l, I is an insulating casing, 2 a receiving screw socket. The thermostatic mechanism is afllxed to an insulating disk Il that rests on ange Il and is held in a stationary position by grooves 56 fitting along projections I2 that extend down along the inside of I. Current passes in through 9 and into bar 6 and up to the base contact I. Current passes through Ill into bimetal strip 1, a resistor is connected with 1 at 6 and passes around 1 and contacts shell 2 at 5. The operation of this flasher is' t0 blink the light that has been inserted in the socket by shortlng out the current beneath it. In order that this can be done resistor must be able to carry suillcient eurent to support the other lights in the series. As current enters through I0 and passes through resistor 65, the heat given off causes thermostrip I1 to bend forward and contact bar 6, the other terminal to the lamp. This allows the current to pass under the -globe causing it to black out. On the cooling of the thermo-strip it backs off breaking circuit through bar 6 allowing current to resume its course through the globe.

In Fig. 2, 8 is the supporting bar, 1 is a bimetal strip, 64 a rivet for holding said bars together. 62 and 63 are insulating washers separating bar 1 from 6. In Fig. 3, 56 shows how II is cut so as to llt along the projections I2 inside casing I, The elements I6 andk I5 are slots through which 8 and I extend. Fig. 5 is acircuit diagram of the invention as shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 6, I1 is an insulating shell housing a receiving screw shell I8. Insertingscrew shell I6 extends up into shell I1 and engages IB at 2li. Bar 26 extends through disks 2l and 22 and serves as a base contact for both sockets. Amxed to 26 is a thermostatic strip 21 around which passes a resistance filament 66 which connects with 21 at 25, and I9 at 24. Bimetal strip 21 contacts bar 26 at 23.

The action of this mechanism is to flash `an inserted globe by firstl shortlng out the current beneath it, and in so doing the current is forced through a resistor, 66, causing it to heat, thus actuating bar 21 causing it to move away from contact with bar 26 and allowing current to flow through the lamp causing it to light. The result accomplished by this variation is the same as that described in Fig. 1 except that in this case when current'is first applied to the mechanism the globe is dark and only lights when bar 21 has moved away from bar 26.

Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram of the invention as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram showing how, instead of shorting out the current beneath the globe, it may be shunted to a second globe of equal resistance and in so doing ilash two globes alternately without increasing the eurent along the series line.

Fig. 9 shows how such a flasher as that described in Fig. 13 may be constructed in connection with another socket and screw plug 39 for inserting in an ordinary series. The elements 30 and 38 are sockets, 38 containing a mechanism as described in Fig. 10.

Fig. 10 shows a sectional view of a socket embodying a thermo-mechanism for diverting the current from one globe to another. The element is an insulating shell, 42 a receiving screw shell. Bar 44 extends through insulating disk 48 and 53 and forms a central support for 49 and 48 and also forms a base contact 32 for shell 42. 48 is aiiixed to 44 at 3| and extends down and makes contact with wire 41. The bimetal strip 49 extends down through 53 and connects with wire 48. Resistor 36 connects 49 at 5I and shell 42 at 50.

In assembling this mechanismin the insulating socket 40, bar 44, 48 and 49 are placed through the holds in disk 53 as shown in Fig. 11, then they are bent together as shown in Fig. 12. The receiving screw shell is then affixed to bar 44 as shown. The wires 45, 48 and 41 are brought up through the hole in the base of 40 and connected as shown, then the whole assembly is pressed into position with the disk 53 resting on ange 4|. This will prevent the mechanism being pulled out of position by the lead-in wires.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the mechanism as shown in Fig. 10. The element 55 is a rivit holding bar 48 and bar 44 together and also serving as a contact for engaging 49. The elements 58 and 51 are insulating washers, and 54 is a rivet holding bar 44 and 49 together. The elements 55 and 56 are insulating washers separating electrically said bars.

Fig. l2 is a bottom view of the insulating disk 53 showing how bars are bent into position for wiring.

Fig. 13 is a circuit diagram of the invention as shown in Fig. 10. Current passing up through 35 and 29 through resistor 34 to illament 60 causes resistor to heat and in doing so acts on thermostrip 49 which moves into circuit closing engagement with 48 throwing the current through 31 to second filament 6i. Current is thus shunted around resistor 34 allowing it to cool and bar 49 will move away from 48 permitting the current to resume its course through filament 60.

1. A flasher lamp socket organization for use in connection with a Christmas-tree series or the like, including an insulating casing, a receiving screw shell within said casing, leads to the terminals of said shell, a low resistance heater in circuit with one of said leads and connected in common with a bimetallic strip, said strip having a portion movable for moving into circuit closing engagement with the other of said leads when actuated by the heat from said resistor, said strip being located in position for eilectively shorting out said heater and said socket member.

2. A socket connector for a series-connected Christmas-tree lamp string or the like including an insulating casing having a receiving member comprising a shell and a center contact, a conductor lead connected to the shell, a second conductor lead for supplying current to the center contact, electroresponsive means within the casing operated by current flow through said leads for periodically electrically short, circuiting said lead conductors by a connection having a low resistance with respect to a lamp to be used in said series; a part of the electroresponsive means being' in circuit relation tobe shunted along with the lament of said inserted lamp when said short circuit is made.

3. A socket connector for inserting in a seriesconnected Christmas-tree lamp string or the like. including an insulating casing, having at one end a shell contact and a center contact, at the other end an inserting member comprising a shell and a center contact, a conductor lead connected to one contact of said receiving member and one contact of said inserting member, a second conductor lead connected. to the otherl contact of said receiving member and the other contact of said insertingA member, -electroresponsive means within said casing operated by current flow through said leads for, periodically electrically short circuiting' said lead conductors by a connection having a low resistance with respect to a lamp to be used-in said series, a part of the electroresponsive means being in circuit relation to be shunted along with the iilament of said inserted lamp when said short circuit is made.

4. A flasher lamp socket organization for use in connection with a Christmas-tree series string or the like, including an insulating casing, a lamp base receiving member having a shell contact and a center contact, a conductor lead connected to the shell, a second conductor lead connected to the center contact, a two point thermostatlc circuit controller connecting said leads beneath said receiving member, said controller including a low resistance heater in circuit with one of said leads and connected with one of the said points ci the controller. the second point oi' said controller being connected to the other said lead, a' thermostatic member in heat receiving relation to said resister and having a portion movable for shorting out the said receiving member by bringing together the points of the controller when actuated by the heat from said resistor which is also in circuit relation to be shunted along with said receiving member.

5. A socket connector for a series-connected Christmas-tree lamp string or the like, including an insulating casing having a receiving member comprising a shell and center contact, a conductor lead connected to the shell, a second conductor lead to the center contact, a two point thermostatlc circuit controller within said casing, and connecting said leads, said controller including a low resistance heater in circuit relation to one of said leads and making contact with the other said lead through one point of the controller, the other point of the controller being connected to the second conductor lead, a thermostatic member in heat receiving relation to seid resistor and having a portion movable for intermittently separating the points of said controller when actuated by the heat from said resistor,

GEORGE B. DAVIS, JR.

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