US2342202A - Light - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 22, 1944. J. D. KENNELLY LIGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 22, 1941 Fell 22 1944- J. D. KENNELLY 2,342,202

LIGHT Filed Mar-ch 22, 1941 2 sheets-shea 2 Patented Feb. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHT Jeremiah D. Kenneily. Oak Park. Ill. Application March 22,^1941, Serial No. 384,615

2 Claims. (Cl. 177-327) This invention relates to a light or lamp structure.

The structure is useful as a headlight for a locomotive or other vehicle, a signal lamp for a vehicle, a. lamp for railway or other crossings and for a great many other uses which will be obvious.

An object of the invention is to provide a light which is eilective for providing illumination and at the same time providing beams which swing apart from the main light path as a, signal or as means for indicating the presence of the light over wider or an irregular area. Other specific obiects and advantages will appear as the specication proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred enrbodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which= Figure `l is a rear view in elevation of light apparatus embodying my invention: Figure 2, a top plan view showing the movable lights in aligned position with respect to the other lights; Figure 3. a top plan view similar to Figure 2 but showing two of the lights moved. outl of alignment with the iixed lights. Fig. 4 is a plan view oi the beam pattern formed with the light of the invention; and Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the beam pattern.

In the illustration given, a circular casing It is illustrated which may be provided with a glass lens Il. The casing is provided with a rearwardly extending skirt portion I2 to the rear of which is secured a cross beam I3. Mounted to the rear of the skirt portion I2 is a plate member Iii which serves as a means for retaining the fixed reiiectors I5. The plate lli is cut away at IB to enable the movable reflectors I'I to oscillate without striking the plate.

Any suitable means for moving or oscillating the movable reectors I1 may be employed. In the illustration given, the reflector-equipped sockets I8 are supported upon the cross beam I3 by a ball mounted joint I9 or by any other suitable joint. A suitable form of ball bearing joint is illustrated in Figure 9 of my Patent No. 2,221,493. Extending to the rear of one of the joints I9 is a. lever arm 20 which is pivotally connected to a cross bar 2|. Extending to the rear of the other joint I9 is a lever 2lia which has an intermediate portion connected to the cross strap 2| and its rear extremity connected to a lever 22 driven by the motor. In the illustration given, each ot the bars 2| and 22 are connected to the respective parts described by ball and socket joint.

It will be understood, however, that any suitable Joint may be employed.

The motor 23 is mounted upon the bracket member 24 carried by posts 2B which are integrally formed with the cross beam I3. Through a train oi' gears, the motor drives shaft 28 which is provided with an integral drive lever 2l provided with a slot 23. The slot engages a drive pin 29 carried by the lever 22, the pin being provided with a bali and socket joint in the end of the bar 22.

In the operation of the mechanism, the xed lights throw a beam forward, the reflectors serving to provide a concentrated illuminated 'path forward of the light. The operation of the motor causes the two movable reectors I'I and their sockets I8 to move upon the joints I t with the result that light beams are swlmg by such reectors laterally and beyond the pattern of light thrown by the xed reilectors. The light beams from the movable reectors pass through the pattern of light from the iixed reflectors iirst to one side and then to the other. 'I'he swinging movement of the reflectors is accompanied by the motor through the rotation of the shaft 2B and the slotted drive bar 2l. As the slotted member 2l rotates, the lever 22 swings inwardly and outwardly as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, thus causing the member 2u to swing laterally and causing the connecting rod 2l to swing the member 20 also laterally.

It will be noted that the movable reiiectors are,

I for a period of their movement, substantially in line with the other reflectors, the light rays from them being added to the light rays from the xed reectors. In the continued movement oi' the reectors, however, the rays therefrom emerge to one side of the fixed beam and throw a beam of light across an area not illuminated by the main light beam or pattern. The lateral emergence of the moving beams from the main light pattern signals the presence of the light to motorists approaching from diierent directions. When the light is mounted upon a locomotive, the sweeping rays emerging from the broad light pattern help to indicate the movement of the locomotive and to warn those driving towards the tracks of the approaching locomotive or other vehicle. The submergence of the signaling lights within the broad main beam helps to increase the effectiveness of the signal beams when they suddenly emerge and pass beyond the main beam or light pattern. At the same time, the laterally moving beams increase the eiectiveness of the headlight from the standpoint oi' the locomotive engineer in that the moving lights increase the width ofillumination as they move laterally beyond the broad light beam.

One ot the most eiTective results obtained fromv s the device as a signal device is the suddenness with which the signal beams strikes the eye ot the observer after leaving the limain light pattern thrown by the headlight. The submergence of the moving lights within, the broad beam serves, lo

in effect, to'hide the signal light beams until they suddenly appear beyond the sweep of the main beam. From the standpoint of eilective signaling. the sweeping beams are Just as eii'ective as if they automatically went on and out 15 While I have shown two lights and reflectors 20 mounted for movement laterally, it will be understood .that a single movable reflector or more 'than two movable reilectors may be used and they may be moved in directions other than mode or operaties and it wm be understood um the detalls shown may be varied widely by those skilled in the art' without departing from the spirit oi' my invention.

I claim:

1. In light apparatus of the character se forth, a light frame. a closely vassociated group of light bulbs supported in said frame against movement, reflectors about said bulbs and directing the light rays therefrom forwardly in one general broad light pattern, and a pair of lightbulb-equipped reflectors cmsely associated with said flrst mentioned group oi' light bulbs but mounted in said frame for lateral movement, and power operated means forswinging said movably mounted reflectors in unison tlrst totally within taand then laterally beyond said general light pat- 2. In light apparatus of the character set forth. alight frame, a group of light-bulb-equipped 4reflectors xedly supported in said frame, the A\reilectors thereof drawing the light rays from said bulbs in a forwardly extending light pattern, a plurality of light-bulb-equipped reiiectors laterally. I have also found that the movable (25 mounted within said frame for oscillatory movelights may be effectively moved in opposite or diil'erent directions simultaneously with good results, as well as moved in unison to the right and the left, as illustrated.

ment, and power operated means carried by said frame for swinging said movably mounted reflectors first into a submerged position totally within and then laterally beyond said general The foregoing description has been for the 30 light pattern,

purpose of setting forth a speciilc illustrative JE'REMIAH D. KENNELLY.

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