US2324715A - Multiple switch, multiple bulb electric lantern - Google Patents

Description

July 20, 1943. w. M. MOXLEY MULTIPLE SWITCH, MULTIPLE BULB ELECTRIC LANTERNS Filed April 7 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l x INVENTOR. MAL/AM M. MOXLEY,

July 20, 1943. w. M. MOXLEY 2,324,715

MULTIPLE SWITCH, MULTIPLE BULB ELECTRIC LANTERNS Filed April 7, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. W/LL/AM M MCXLEY,

Patented July 20, 1943 MULTIPLE SWITCH, MULTIPLE BULB ELECTRIC LANTERN William M. Moxley, Kansas City, Mo.

Application April 7, 1942, Serial No. 438,019

5 Claims.

This invention relates to multiple switch, multiple bulb, electric hand lanterns.

Electric hand lanterns are rapidly supplanting the old style hand lanterns for use among trainnicn. Any lantern used for railroad signalling purposes must be very reliable and certain of operation. To this end multiple bulbs are employed, in the present case, three.

Further, since these lanterns must be used under adverse weather conditions, as in snow storms, high winds and the like, it is desirable to have the control switches not only of easy access but of such a nature as not to require visual inspection in order to properly manipulate them.

Therefore, the present invention contemplates the provision of two switches for controlling one or more bulbs, these switches being in such relation to the bail or handle of the lantern as to be readily manipulated by the thumb even though the thumb be gloved and these switches being so arranged that the movement of either of them will effect a change in the condition of the circuit. That is to say, if the lights are off, the movement of either switch will turn them on, while if they are on the movement of either switch will turn them ofi.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical, sectional view of a lantern embodying one form of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view upon line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking upward;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view upon line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking downward;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking downward;

5 is a fragmentary side view of the lantern showing the bail and one of its associated switches;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view through the lower part of a lantern illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view upon line '!-'l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view upon line 8-3 of Fig. 6.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a lantern body adapted to be carried and swung by a rigid bail 6. A battery 1 furnishes the source of energy for light bulbs 8. A skeleton base 9 supports the lantern bottom 2E This bottom in conjunction with the body 5 and cover ll constitute the enclosure for the battery. The parts so far described are all of conventional form and lanterns of this type commonly include pressure means for holding the battery against the lamp contacts at the bottom of the lantern. I contemplate the use of any of these well known pressure exerting means. One terminal l2 of the battery makes contact with a washer l3 while the other terminal M of the battery makes contact with a ring l5. The ring i5 is held by rivets It to a plate ll of insulating material. The washer i3 is connected by a rivet it with a metallic contact disc l9. When the bulbs 8 are screwed into their sockets 25 they make contact with the disc l9 and are lighted. In the form of the inven tion illustrated in Fig. 1 control of the individual bulbs is effected by the act of screwing them inwardly or outwardly in their sockets and to hold these bulbs in the position to which they are moved, friction springs 2| bear between the bulbs and the under side of the lantern bottom iii. If all three bulbs are screwed inwardly all three will be lighted, while if only two are screwed inwardly and one is only partly screwed into the socket then two bulbs will be lighted when the circuit is closed and the remaining bulb will serve as a spare. Either of the two lighted bulbs could burn out and still the lantern would show a light. Space for the contact disc I8 is provided by filling pieces 22. Rivets 23 pass through and tie together plate ll, filling pieces 22 and a plate 26 of insulating material. The electric circuit from the manually operable control switches is the same in both forms of the invention, the only difierence being that in the form illustrated in Fig. 1 these switches energize or ale-energize contact disc l9 while in the form illustrated in Fig. 6 these switches energize or de-energize a secondary switch element which may be shifted to control individual bulbs, as hereinafter set forth. The form of circuit employed may be best understood by referring to Fig. 6. By manipulation of the finger pieces 25, see Figs. 1, 5 and 6, the switch plates 28 and 33 may be moved upwardly or downwardly. In Fig. 6 they are shown as having both been moved downwardly, at which time a circuit is completed from contact ring 15 (which corresponds to the contact ring :15 of Fig. 1) through conductor 27, switch plate 25, contacts 28 and 29, wire 38, contacts 3| and 32, switch plate 33, contact 34, conductor 35 to ground at 36 on the lantern body. The return circuit to the battery in Fig. l, is completed through the lamp sockets 20, which are part of the lantern body, the lamps themselves, contact plate l9, rivet l8 and washer l3. In Fig. 6 a washer l3 corresponds to the washer l3 and is supported upon an insulating plate II. This plate is tied by rivets 22? to an insulating plate M A rivet l8 connects washer [3 and contact disc I 9 Up to this point the structures of Figs. 1 and 6 are substantially the same. However, instead of having the bulbs engage disc l9 by screwing them into their sockets, I interpose a switch between l9 and the bulbs, through which either or both of these bulbs may be caused to light. This switch consists of a slidable plate 31, the central portion of which slidably engages the under side of the disc l9 and embraces an operating lever 38, the outer end 39 of said operating lever being accessible from the exterior of the lantern and the inner end of said lever being pivoted to plate 24*. With the lever in its central position the ends of the slidable plate 31 engage both of the contact studs 39', said studs being mounted in the insulating plate 24 in such position as to be engaged by the center contacts of the lamps when they are screwed into their sockets. It is clear that when this is done a circuit will be completed through l2, l8 19 31, 39, the lamp bulbs, the lamp sockets 20 to ground on the lantern body and back through the manually operable switches adjacent the bail, as hereinbefore described. By moving lever 38 to move the sliding plate 3! endwise so that it will engage only one of the studs 39, only the corresponding bulb will be lighted and either of the two bulbs may be lighted according to the position occupied by the sliding plat 31. A third socket 2E! may carry a spare bulb 8 With both of the vertically movable switch plates 26 and 33 at their lower limits of movement a circuit is completed as described and with both of these switch plates 26 and 33 at their upper limits of movement a circuit is completed and the lights will be lighted. This latter circuit is completed through wire 30 contacts 39 and contacts 30. Thus, both switches must occupy the same relative positions if current is to flow. If either switch is in a position opposite to its companion the circuit is broken. Consequently, the movement of either of these switches will change the existing condition of the circuit. That is to say, if the lights are out, movement of either switch will turn them on and if the lights are lighted movement of either switch will turn them ofi. By utilizing this arrangement in connection with the switches, the thumb pieces of which are disposed adjacent the bail or handle, it follows that the user can control the light without visually inspecting the switches, without removing his gloves and without reversing the position of the bail in his hand. I am aware of the fact that 3-way switches are in common use in house lighting systems to control cellar and hall lights. However, as far as I am aware, I am the first to provide a lantern for the use of railroad trainmen in which this novel relationship of bail, switches and multiple bulbs is provided. While the particular arrangement shown and described is well adapted to serve the purposes for which it is intended, I wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a lantern body, a supporting bail for the same, a pair of switches, one upon each side of the lantern body, adjacent the bail, each of said switches comprising movable members having thumb pieces positioned to be engaged by the thumb of a hand grasping the bail, v

a group of contacts controlled by said switches and a circuit in which said contacts are included, said contacts being so disposed that the circuit is completed when said switches occupy similar positions in either direction and is broken when said switches occupy dissimilar positions in either direction, and a lamp socket included in said circuit and carried by the lantern body.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a lantern body, a supporting bail for the same, a pair of switches, one upon each side of the lantern body, adjacent the bail, each of said switches comprising movable members having thumb pieces positioned to be engaged by the thumb of a hand grasping the bail, a group of contacts controlled by said switches and a circuit in which said contacts are included, said contacts being so disposed that the circuit is completed when said switches occupy similar positions in either direction and is broken when said switches occupy dissimilar positions in either drection, and a group of sockets being included in said circuit and carried by the lantern body, said circuit being common to all of said sockets.

3. In an electric lantern, a containing body and battery therein, said battery carrying a pair of contacts at its under face, a centrally disposed washer and a surrounding ring with which the battery contacts respectively engage, an insu lating piece upon which the washers and ring are mounted, a contact disc beneath the insulating piece having electrical cennection through said piece with said washer, a plurality of lamp sockets carried by the lantern body in alignment with said contact disc, light bulbs adapted to be screwed into said sockets and to make contact with said discs by the act of screwing them into their sockets, a pair of manually operable switches, means for connecting one of said switches to said ring, means for grounding the other of said switches to the lantern body, and circuits and contacts inter-connecting said switches positioned to close the circuit when both of said switches occupy the same positions in either direction and to break said circuit when said switches occupy dissimilar positions in either direction.

4. The combination with a container constituting a lantern body, a battery therein having a pair of contacts upon its lower end, a pair of contact members with which said contacts of the battery respectively engage, a pair of manually operable switches, a conductor for connecting one of said switches to a first one of said contact members, the other of said switches being grounded upon the lantern body, a plurality of bulb sockets carried by the lantern body, a slidable plate, a pair of contact members either or both of which may be engaged by said plate in the sliding movement, a handle for sliding said plate, said handle being accessible from the exterior of the container, 2. contact disc with which said plate has sliding contact and which disc in turn is in electrical connection with the second one of the said contact members. and circuit connections and contacts between the manually operable switches so disposed that when said switches occupy like positions in either direction the circuit is closed through said bulbs and when said switches occupy dissimilar positions in either direction the circuit is broken.

5. The combination with a container constituting a lantern body, of a bail extending over the top of said container and having its ends afiixed to the sides of the container at a point 10 materially below the top thereof, a battery within th container, a lamp socket carried by the container, a pair of switches, one secured to one side of the container adjacent the bail and the other secured to the other side of the container 15 adjacent the bail, said switches comprising slidable circuit making and breaking members having thumb pieces lying in position to be engaged by the thumb of a hand which is grasping the bail and circuits interconnecting both of said switches, the battery and the lamp socket, arranged to adapt the switches to complementally control the flow of current to th lamp socket and also so arranged as to energize the lamp socket when both of the switches occupy the same position in either direction and to de-energize the socket when said switches occupy dissimilar positions in either direction.

WILLIAM M. MOXLEY.

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