US2380637A - Electric lantern - Google Patents

Description

July 1945- E. E. DRUMM ,3

ELECTRIC LANTERN Filed May 27, 1943 Inventor Patented July 31, 1945 Elmer E. Drumm, Manitowoc, Wis.

Application May 27, 1943, Serial No. 488,642

Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in electrical lanterns, and while th same has varied uses, it is particularly designed for trainmen, who demand a signal lantern having a plurality of exposed light bulbs that may be selec-' tively illuminated in the event of failure or one oi the bulbs.

The invention has primarily for its object to provide a lantern embodying the foregoing characteristics, in which a simple, efiicient, and selective circuit closing mechanism is provided for easy manipulation, and inexpensive assembly.

Incidental to the foregoing, particularly in a 'lantem designed to provide diiferent light reflection in selectively illuminatinga pair of bulbs, a

more specific object of the invention resides in the provision of a circuit closing mechanism, which permits not only maximum spacing between the bulbs, but also unequal spacing with reference to the axis of the reflector, a portion of which presents a concave reflecting surface for one of the light bulbs.

Another object is to provide a pair of spaced bulb sockets with laterally extending contact arms having their ends alined for selective engagement by a manually shiftable circuit closer.

Still further objects reside in insulating the sockets and contact arms from the casing, and

extending the arms toward the periphery of the casing to aline their ends in different planes for selective engagement by a shiftable circuit closing mechanism mounted upon the peripheral wall of the casing and grounded thereto.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims In the accompanying drawing is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a lantern incorporating the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 2-4 of Figure 4;

Figure 3 is a similar section taken on the lin 3-3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the lined-l of Flsure 2; and

Figure 5 is a detailed section through the circuit closing mechanism taken on the line 5-5 0 Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the lantern generally indicated by the numeral I, includes a casing 2, consisting of a cylindrical shell 3 for reception of a dry cell battery B indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2,

and provided with spring terminals b and b. The

top of the shell 3, which is openfor insertion of the battery B is provided with a detachable cover 4, while the casing has pivotally secured thereto a ball or handle 5. The lower end of the casing is provided with a guard ring 6, which also forms a support or base for the casing whendesired. The ring 6 is attached to the casing by spaced legs I welded or otherwise secured to the periphery of the casing adjacent its lower end.

As best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lower end of the shell 3 is closed by a bottom wall 8, having a bridge piece 9 secured to its lower face by studs l0. A pair of insulating washers ll positioned upon opposite sides of the bottom wall and interposed between the bridge piece 9 and the wall serve to insulate the bridge piecefrom the shell.

Here it might be explained that the yieldable battery terminal b contacts the studs or rivets III to provide an electrical connection between the battery and bridge piece, while the other terminal b engages the bottom of the shell to ground the battery to the same.

Mounted upon the lower end of the shell 3 is a reflector cup ii, the skirt l3 of which extends over the shell. The cup is secured to the shell by bolts 15, or any other suitable connecting means, and to provide a tight seal between the shell and cup, the upper end of the skirt 1.3 is

offsetat l3 to receive a gasket g which abuts an external annular bead l4 formed on the exterior of the shell 3. Spaced screws 40 passing 7 through the bottom of the cup I2 and the bottom 8 of the shell serve to compress the gasket 9 between the upper end of the cup and bead H, the lower end of the shell being slotted at IE to permit vertical movement of the attaching bolts IS.

The bottom of the cup [2 forms a reflecting surface and is provided with a circularconcave depression I6, radially ofiset from the axis of the cup, and affording a reflector for the light bulb carried by the socket l1 secured to the cup within the depression l6. The socket I1 is insulated from the cup by washers l8 disposed upon oppo site sides of the bottom of the cup. Fastened in like manner to the flat portion of the bottom of 2 1 assess? one end of the bridge piece 9 is oiIset to provide a resilient arm for engagement with the light bulb carried by the socket l9, while the opposite end of the bridge piece is folded back uponitself to provide a resilient arm 20' engaging the lamp carried by the socket 11, thus forming an electri- 1 cal connection from the battery- B to th central er nals of-both lamps;

Securedto each of th sockets n as is an insulated from the reflector cup I2, is a contact difl'erent planes and at angles to each other to terminate in a common vertical plane adjacent periphery of the cup.

In order to complete the battery circuit through the lamp sockets to the casing, a manually oper- .20 g

' contacts into alinement with the finger, it being able circuit closing mechanism 23 is provided. which comprises a contact arm 24 extending through an opening. 25 in the bottom wall of the, shell 3, and terminating in a laterally projecting finger-26, normally disposed between the alined 5 ends of the contacts 2|, andspaced .i'rom the 4;, same. It will be apparent that as the contactarm 24 is longitudinaliyshifted from its normal-:posi-s; tion shown, it willengage one oithe contacts-2L;

to ground thesameto the casingrrthez-arm being in contactjwiththe casing as best shown in Figure 1, thusIselectively illuminating the light bulbs; j

A crimped offset 26' formed in openposition, while the spring tension createdbetween the arm Nanci the shell .when the crimp is moved out of the annular depression, serves to frictionally hold the arm in either of its circuit closing positions. For mounting the arm 24. a

- spacer channel plate 21 straddles the arm and engages the inner face of the shell 3 'to prevent. excessive bind between the arm and shell upon reciprocation of the former. The plate 21 carries a headed stud 28, which passes through the arm 24 and a longitudinal slot 29 formed in the shell 3, while a retainer plate 30 is mounted on the stud exteriorly of the shell for reciprocation in a longitudinal recess 3! formed in the shell. 5

A knurled nut 32 threaded upon the outer end of the stud 28 locks the assembly together and is held on the stud against accidental detachment by the upset end 33 of the stud. In operation the nut 32 serves as a manipulating button while the 5 fiat plate 30, operating within the longitudinal recess 3|, limits reciprocal movement of the contact arm 24 in both directions.

From the foregoing explanation, taken in conne ctipn withsthe accompanying drawing, it will on be apparent that a simple, inexpensive, and emcient lantern has been devised, which not only provides for selective, quick illumination of a pair of two exposed light bulbs mounted upon the end reflector, but also permits arbitrary selection of 5 two forms of light rays, namely a diffused light and a more concentrated beam, the flat portion of the reflector serving to difiuse the light, while the concave portion concentrates the same.

Particular attention is directed to the novel 7 tegeous in that it permits. the lamp sockets to be screws;

v earmi ZtTnormally'extends into the annularrecess formed .by 35' the bead Hi, to releasably latch the arm'in its spaced an unequal distance from the axis of the reflector, whereby one of the sockets can be positioned on the flat portion of the reflector, closely adjacent its periphery, thus allowing a concave reflector surfaceof a maximum diameter for the other lamp.

Further insulation of the lamp sockets from the casing, and grounding circuit closing mechanism to the casing. p rmits a materially simplified structure as compared with lanterns in which the circuit clos mechanism is insulated from the shell: 1

Attention is also directed to the ease of assembling the lantern, resulting from the fact that the 2|, which extends laterally from the sockets in 15 shell and reflector cup and their mechanism, are separately completed, after which it is merely necessary to position the reflector cup upon the end of the shell, with the ends of the contacts 2! out of vertical alinement with the finger 26, and then rotate the cup to bring the spaced ends of the understood that the finger is in a neural position to prevent obstructing rotary movement of the contacts "with'the reflector cup, which, when in proper =p0siti0nis secured to the shell by the l. In an electric lantern comprising, a casing provided'at one end'witha'flat reflector having a concave refiec tor surface formed in a portion of its face, in lighfibulb secret mounted upon both the flatconcaveportions of the reflector and unequallyspaced 'from'the'axis of the reflector, said socketsb'eing insulated from the reflector, contact fingers connectedto said sockets and extending 'laterallyto a point adjacent the peri heryof said casing and having their ends in vertical 'alinement', and a circuit closer vertically shiftable mounted. upon the periphery of said casing and extending. between the alined ends of said contact fingers" for selective engagement with said contact flngers, said circuit closer being grounded to said casing. V

2. In an electric lantern comprising, a casing provided at one end with a flat reflector having a concave reflector surface formed in a portion of its face, a light bulb socket mounted upon both the flat and concave portions of the reflector and unequally spaced from the axis of the same, said sockets being insulated from said reflector, contact fingers secured to said sockets and extending laterally toward the periphery of said casing at an angle to each other and in diflerent horizontal planes, the ends of said contacts being in the same vertical plane, and a vertically shiftable circuit closer mounted on said casing and extending between the ends of said contacts for selective engagement with the same, said circuit closer being grounded to said casing.

3. In an electric lantern comprising a casing provided at one end with a flat reflector havin a concave reflector surface formed in a portion of its face, a light bulb socket mounted upon both theflat and concave portions of the reflector and unequally spaced from the axis of the same, a

' bridge piece carried by said casing for contact with the lamps carried by said sockets, contact fingers connected to said sockets and extending laterally toward the periphery of said casing and having their ends in vertical alinement, and a vertically'shiftable circuit closer mounted upon said casing and extending between the aimed ends of said contact fingers for selective engagement with said contact members.

4. In an electric lantern comprising a casing provided at one end with a flat reflector having a concave reflector surface formed in a portion of its face, a light bulb socket mounted upon both the flat and concave portions of the reflector and unequally spaced from the axis of the same, said sockets being insulated from said reflector, a bridge piece carried by said casing for contact with bulbs positioned in said sockets, contact fingers secured to said sockets and extending laterally towards the periphery of said casing in difierent horizontal planes and at angles to each other to vertically aline the ends of said contacts, and a shiftable circuit closer mounted on said casing and extending between the ends of said contacts for selective engagement with the same, said circuit closer being grounded to said casing.

5. In an electric lantern comprising, a casing closed at one end, a cup secured to the closed end of the casing and provided with a flat reflector Wall having a concave reflecting surface formed in a portion of its face, a light bulb socket mounted upon both the flat and concave portions of the reflector and unequally spaced from the axis alined ends of said contacts for selective engagement with said contact fingers.

ELMER E. DRUMM.

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