US2349453A - Flashlight - Google Patents

Description

May 23, 1944. P. x. NOEL v 2,349,453

FLASBLIGH'I.

Filed Nov. 21, 1941 inf W mv NTO ATTORNEYS,

Patented May 23, 1944 FLASHLIGHT Philip X. Noel, Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to The Bridgeport Metal Goods Manufacturing Com- Conn, a corporation of Da y, Bridgeport, Connecticut Application November 21, 1941, Serial No. 419,869

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a flashlight and has for an object to provide an improved and simplified construction whereby a pivoted closure for an opening in one side of the end wall of the flashlight casing, and which when in closed position fills out the general contour of the casing, carries a mounting for the lamp bulb to move therewith so that when the closure is in the closed position the bulb is concealed and protected within the casing and when the closure is in the open position the lamp is shifted to project its light outwardly through the opening, together with means whereby when the closure is swung between the closed and opened positions the circuit through the lamp is closed and opened by these movements.

With the foregoing and other objects in view I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood I am not limited to the specific details and arrangement shown but may employ various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device with the Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the upper end por- 1 tion showing the closure in the open position;

Fig. 4 is a detail section through one wall of the casing showing the means for fastening a supporting clip;

Fig. 5 is a view looking from the right of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the upper end portion of the device on an enlarged scale showing the position the parts occupy when the closure is in closed position, and

Fig. 7 is a similar View showing the position the parts occupy when the closure is in the open position, but showing the elements carrying the lamp in side elevation.

The construction shown comprises a metal cas ing Hi. and is preferably made of two sections including a body section H and an end section [2 detachably connected together by any suitable means such as the telescoping threaded connection it which permits turning of the head section at various angles relative to the body section to throw the light in different directions, as well as permitting separation of the sections for removal and insertion of batteries, or for any other purpose desired. The body section I l encloses one or preferably concaved inwardly somewhat so as to provide a rounded seat to engage th end wall of the battery and form good electrical contact therewith.

The end section 12 has a rounded end it, preferably substantially hemispherical, and this section has an opening I! through a portion of the side wall andthe end wall, preferably about one half of the curved end. Pivotally mounted in this opening is a closure I8 and this closure is shaped so that when in closed position it substantially fills out the general contour of the casing, and is also curved similar to the curvature of the end wall 16 so that when swung to the open position the curved portion l9 swings to a position to lie at the inner sideof the curved portion it of the end wall, as shown clearly in Fig. 7. The closure may be formed of sheet metal similar to that of the casing and is pivoted to the casing at the opposite sides thereof at the points 20 by suitable rivets or pins. At the lower edge of its front wall it has a tongue 21 projecting downwardly to lie against the outer surface of the side wall and has its lower end rolled up as shown at 22 to form a finger grip for swinging the closure to the open position of Figs. 3 and '1.

The closure is preferably provided with one or more pressed-up nubs 23 in its top wall to frictionally engage the inner side of the curved end wall It when the closure is swung to the open position to retain it in this or an intermediate position. and when the closure is in closed position to snap outside the free edge 24 of the curved wall to retain the closure in this position.

Mounted on the inner side of the closure is means for mounting the lamp bulb 25. This comprises a cupped shell 26 mounted on the inner side of the closure is so as to move with the closure, and may be secured to the closure by any suitable means such for example as soldering or brazing. This shell is therefore grounded on the closure and the casing. Mounted in the open side of this shell is a mounting 21 for the glass lens 28, and the side wall of the shell and of the mounting 21 may be formed with interengaging screw threads 30 to permit ready mounting of the lens in and its removal from the shell. It will be noted the shell is so located that its axis is longitudinal with or substantially parallel to the side wall of the closure so that when the closure is in the closed position this axis extends longitudinally of the casing and the lens is within the casing where it is enclosed and protected. When the closure is swung to the open position this lens moves with more batteries M and its lower end wall I5 is it to aposition substantially in the openinginthe casing and with the axis of the shell extending transversely of the casing so that light from the lamp bulb is directed laterally through the opening.

The lamp is mounted in a socket 3|, preferably a screw shell socket, into which the threaded base or side contact 32 of the lamp is threaded. This socket extends through an opening in the bottom or inner end wall 33 of the shell 26 and is rolled over on the inner side thereof to form a flange as shown at 34. On the opposite side the socket has an outwardly pressed bead 35 to engage the outer side of the wall 33, the bead 35 and flange 34 eifectively securing the socket on the end wall. At its opposite end the socket has an inwardly extending flange 36 or an end wall provided with a central opening 36a, and a generally U-shaped spring contact 31 is mounted on this end wall and insulated therefrom by insulating washers 38 and 39 located on opposite sides of the end wall or flange 36. These washers 38 and 39 are connected together and the leg 40 of the contact 31 is secured thereto by a metal rivet 4|. The opening 36a in the end wall 36 is considerably larger than the rivets so that the rivet and contact 31 are electrically insulated from the socket 3|. The inner end of the rivet, however, is located at the inner side of the insulating washer 39 so as to be engaged by the central contact 42 of the lamp bulb.

Mounted on the inner side of the section l2 opposite to the closure is a spring contact and conductor 43. Its lower free end portion as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 extends inwardly so as to engage the central pole 44 of the battery and it forms a spring to make a good contact with the battery pole and to press the battery downwardly so as to retain the lower end and shell contact of the battery in engagement with the lower end If) of the casing. It also prevents the batteries from shifting around in the casing and compensates for different lengths of batteries. It further forms a yieldable cushion for the battery should the device be dropped and to prevent the battery from hitting the lens 28. This conductor and contact 43 is insulated from the side wall of the section |2 by insulating strips 45 and 46, the strip 45 being between the conductor and the wall of the casing while the strip 46 is on the opposite or inner side of this conductor. The strips and the conductor are secured to the easing by the rivets 41, the openings through the conductor being considerably larger than the rivets so that it remains out of contact with the rivets and is therefore insulated from the rivets and the casing. The upper end of this conductor as shown at 4B is spaced from the wall of the casing and forms a spring contact in position to be engaged by the spring contact 31 as shown in Fig. '1. When the closure I8 is swung to the open position this free end portion 48 provides a yieldable spring contact to be engaged by the spring contact 31. and it will be seen that movement of the contact 31 has a wiping action on the contact 48, thus maintaining the contact ing surfaces clean and free of dirt or oxidation and insuring good electrical contact. It will be seen that when the closure I8 is moved to closed position movement of the lamp socket and the contact 31 with it carries the contact 31 away from the contact 48 to open the circuit to the lamp. It will thus be evident that movement of the closure from the closed position of Figs. 1 and 6 to the open position of Figs. 3 and 1 automatically closes the circuit through the lamp as the lamp is moved to a position to throw its light through the opening in the casing, and when the closure is shifted to the closed position the circuit through the lamp is automatically opened so that there is no danger of closing the opening without opening the circuit to the lamp. The circuit is completed from the lower end or shell of the battery to the end wall l5 of the casing, to the closure l8, the shell 26 and the socket 3| to the side contact 32 of the lamp, the filament of the lamp. the central contact 42, rivet 4|, to contact 31 and through contact 43 to the other pole 44 of the battery. The central lamp contact 42 could project through the opening 36a in the socket to directly engage the contact 43 to close the circuit, but it is preferred to use the intermediate contact 31 as this insures a uniform relation and action between the circuit closing contacts at all times regardless of variations in the lamp bulbs, which might not be true where the central lamp contact engaged the contact 48 direct. I

A spring clip 49 is fastened to the outer side wall of the casing by any suitable means such for example as lugs 50 formed on the inner portion 5| of the clip and passing through openings in the wall of the shell and folded over on the inner side thereof. This clip forms a convenient means for supporting the flashlight on the belt of the user or other suitable support. By merely slipping it over the upper edge of the belt, the device can be conveniently carried leaving the hands free for other purposes such as handling work tools, or fishing rods, etc. The head portion |2 may be turned to direct the light laterally at different angles as desired. In using the device all that is necessary is to lift up on the finger piece 2| raising the closure from the opening in the side of the casing and shifting the lamp and lens to direct the light laterally, and it may be arranged at difierent angles to direct the light horizontally or downwardly at an angle as desired. The closure l8 also forms a hood over the top of the light to shield and protect it. If the light is no longer desired all that is necessary is to push downwardly on the finger piece 2|, swinging the closure to closed position, which will automatically carry the lamp and lens to a position within the casing where they are enclosed and protected by the casing. This simple movement also automatically opens the circuit to the lamp so there is no danger of running down the battery.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention what I claim is:

1. A flashlight comprising a cylindrical casing having a rounded end wall and having an opening in a side wall and part of said end wall. a closure for said opening pivoted to the casing and shaped to fill out the general contour of the casing when in closed position and said end wall and said closure when in this position together forming a substantially semi-spherical end. for the casing, a spring contact secured to said casing and insulated therefrom, said contact extending to a position to engage a pole of a battery in said casing, a lamp socket carried by said closure to move therewith and disconnected from said contact when the closure is in the closed position. and said contact being positioned to close the circuit from the battery to a lamp in said socket when the closure is in open position. said closure when in open position being in alignment with the rounded end Wall of the casing and extending laterally from said end wall as a continuation thereof over the opening and thelamp, and the light from the lamp is directed laterally.

2. A flashlight comprising a casing having a rounded end wall and an opening through one side of said end wall, a closure for said opening curved similar to the end wall and shaped to fill out the general contour of the casing when in closed position, means for pivotally mounting the closure in the casing to swing to an open position at the inner side of the end wall, a cupped shell mounted on the inner side of the closure to move therewith, a. lens closing the open side of the shell and movable to the opening when the closure is shifted to the open position, a lamp socket mounted in the inner wall of the shell, a contact mounted at and insulated from the ,inner end of the socket and having electrical connection with the central contact of a lamp H the socket, and a springcontact mounted on (the inner side of the casing in position to engage a pole of a battery in the casing and extending to a position to beengaged by the first v mentioned contact when the closure is shifted to the open position to close the circuit through the lamp.

PHILIP X. NOEL.

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