US2482763A - Explosion-proof reflector assembly for portable electric flashlights - Google Patents

Description

W --\\\-::is,l m m w ...A /I V Pal Ml/ f m C 4 ..4 D u, W0@ s L. C. GRIMSLEY EXPLOSION-PROOF REFLECTOR ASS PORTABLE ELECTRIC F Filed Deo. 5,

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Patented Sept. 27, 1949 EXPLOSION-PROOF REELEc'roR ASSEMBLY Fon PORTABLE ELECTRIC FLASHLIGHTS Leopold C. Grlmsley, New York, N. Y., assigner to Henry Hyman, New York, N. Y.

Application December s, 1947, serialkNo. 789,515

This invention relates to explosion-proof reiiector assemblies and, as shown herein, is particularly adapted to be incorporated in a portable electric flashlight of the type used in explosive atmospheres.

It is an object' of the invention to provide a flashlight of the character described having an explosion-proof reflector assembly which comprises relatively few and simple parts and which is rapid and efficient in operation.

It is another object of the invention to provide an assembly of the type under consideration which is so constructed that it can be easily manipulated to insert a flashlightl bulb and yet will positivelylock the bulb in place.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter be pointed out.

'Ihe invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in theV construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be in'- dicated in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a ashlight, the same being partially broken away in order to show the explosion-proof reflector assembly which incorporates the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of said ilashlight;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the flashlight, the same being taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; vand Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line-4 4 of Fig. 3, and showing the change in position experienced by the parts of the explosion-proof refiectorassembly when the envelope of the lamp bulb breaks.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral Il) denotes a flashlight which is conventional in all respects save for the explosion-proof reiiector assembly I2." Said flashlight comprises a molded casing I4 of synthetic resin, such, for instance, as ethyl cellulose. The casing is open at both ends and is adapted to house ilashlight batteries I6. The lower end of the casing is provided witha male thread I'I on which an internally tapped bottom cap I8 is screwed. The joint between the bottom'cap and casing is sealed by a rubber gasket I9. Said' capv is provided with an annular shoulder 20 to seat a tapered helical battery compression spring 22. The lower end of the spring hasan inturnedleg 24 which engages 3 Claims. (Cl. Z110-11.3)

'lower end thereof. Said ferrule is in contact with a metal strip 28 running longitudinally of casing I 4 and lying againstthe interior surface thereof. The strip 28 is connected by a rivet 30 to a conventional manually-operable flashlight switch 32 disposed on the exterior of the casing. This switch controls energization of another metal strip 34 which runs from said switch towards the upper end of the casing and terminates in a resilient nger 36. Attention is called to the fact that the switch is rendered gas and water-tight by a rubber diaphragm 31 interposed between the hand-operated parts and the current handling elements. v

Said upper end of the flashlight casing is formed with a male thread 38 in order to have screwed thereon a lens cap 40. Said cap clamps a transN parent plastic disc 42 against .the upper rim of the casing. Rubber washers 44, 46 are interposed between the lens cap and plastic disc and between the plastic disc and upper rirnA of the ashlight casing to seal the upper end of the flashlight.

Thus, the interior of the iiashlight is isolated from the ambient air.

'The lens cap also holds in a place a metal reflector 48 having an upper flange 50 caught between the lower washer v46 and upper rim of the fiashlight casing. The center of the reflector is formed with a shallow recess-52 large enough to accommodate the "flange 54 of a lamp 56 of the push or pre-focus type having a glass envelope 58. The bottom wall of'said recess constitutes an inturned ledge to -which a metal screw shell 62 is connected by a spun-over flange 64. The lamp flange 54 which isseated in the recess 52 comprises the side lamp contact and the same is connected to the cup terminal of the lowermost battery through the reiiector 48, resilient finger 36, switch 32 and battery compression spring 22.

The other leg of the electrical circuit to the batteries is completed with the aid of a cupshaped bushing 66 of insulating material such as a synthetic resin. The interior of the bushing is rprovided with a threaded portion which is adapted to be screwed on the threaded portion of the'screw shell 62 so as topull the flange 64 against the ledges. A rivet 68 passes through thebottom wall of the bushing, the same being employed to hold' a disc 10 tothe outer surface of the bottom wall and a disc 12 to the inner surface `of the bottom wall. The lower end of said rivet lies over and abuts the central terminal of the uppermost battery. The disc 'I2 is disposed at thev bottom of an upwardly converging central a metal ferrule 26 riveted to lh@ asngat the Q5 wel).- 1,4 integrally formed within the base of the circuit from the central terminal of the upper-- most battery to the bottom 4contact ofthe lamp. l't may be mentioned thatalthough the V.circuit just described provides a shock proof mounting for the lamp which protects the'lamp from impact f upon dropping the batteries into the casing, this type of mounting is not essential #to the practice of the invention, and in lieu thereof, the bottom lamp terminal merely may abut against the central terminal of the uppermost battery. Said shock proof mounting is shown, .described and claimed in my .icopending `.app1ication "Serial No. 789,514 iiled December 3,' 19d?.

Means also provided Eto Ystrongly and .con-

tinuously bias the flamp upwardly .away from its operative position shownnin Fig. i3. wherein the lamp nange 511 is :seated in the recess 152 :and contacts the screw shell .flange 54. Said means :consists of .a relatively .strong .helical .compression spring 8S whose lower `end rests on .the base wall of the bushing and lenen-.cies the well '15. The upper end of the .spring 0 s'of .a reduced diameter 'less than that .of `the lamp .shell d2. `The spring is of such length that when the lamp is in its operative position saidfspring is under coinpression. Thus, if `no restraint exercised to hold the lamp .seated in the recessV 252, .the 4spring 3i] will force the lamp away from the screw shell. Moreover, the spring is .so long that when 'the lamp is not restrained .said spring will force it .so far .away from the screw shell and from the reflector that the 'leg .of .the electric circuit to the lamp bulb through the reector automatically will Abe broken.

Means is included to press 'the envelope .of the lamp downwardly and thereby seat .the lamp flange 515 on the screw shell against the .action of the spring 8l). Pursuant to the present invention, this means is vso constructed that it comprises very few and `simple parts so .arranged that they may be manipulated with ease when a new lamp is inserted or ka defective one removed. Said means comprises a yoke 84 of .elongated slender stock, such, -for instance, as wire, the material of the stock being self-form-maintaining and preferably somewhat resilient. By way Loi example, the wire of the yoke may be fabricated from steel. The yoke includes a 'base 86 and two downwardly depending parallel legs 88, $0. The center E2 of the base is in the form .of a return bend or U as best seen in Fig. 2. The bottom ends of the legs terminate in registered out-turned toes 94.

The yoke is pivotally mounted on a hinge piece S which, in turn, is pivotally :secu-red to a ring es forced up on the bushing .against 'a shoulder mil. Said hinge piece comprises a curved strip tilt which can be swung .on .the ring to lie snugly against a side of the bushing .adiacent .the base thereof. Integrally attached to the strip .are a pair of upstanding arms IM which terminate in registered journals .HD whose apertures pivotally receive rivet-like projections |172 upset from the ring 98. The tips of the projections extend through the .journal openings and are spun over to captively hold the hinge rand Aring together.

-axis oi symmetry of the bushing 66.

4 The strip 104 also has integrally formed therewith a pair of outwardly offset ears H4 having apertures I I6 in which the toes 94 of the yoke are rotatably received.

The .journals I I0 and projections H2 are disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the bushing 56 so that the hinge 96 turns about an axis which is perpendicular to and .intersects the Said hinge can swing about the projections I I'2 from a position in which the hinge is flat against the bushin g, as show-n in solid. lines in Fig. 1, to an upward fand outward position, for example, that shown in dot-and-dash lines in the same ligure. The

:apertures IIIS V(fthe `axis of relative rotation between the 4yoke and hinge) are so disposed with respect to the projections II2 (the axis of relative rotation between the hinge and ring) and the yla-rnpthat when the hinge is in operative position with the strip |04 in contact with the bushing r6.6, and `'the ibase .of the 'yoke' pressing against the lamp .envelopexs'o as to .seat Ithe llamp inthe recess .'52, the legslof the `yoke areon'lthe :opposite .side .of A the axis of rotation of :the hinge with respect to the ring from that on which :said legs .are .disposed when the hinge' is.. in its" idle (dotand-dash) position; `'1`his`re`l1atii'ne arrangement -is best shown in fL1. Preferably, .said Yarrangement is fsnch `that when y.theiralcove-Idescribed operative position, the yoke legs are only slightly to one side fof .the 4pivotal axis .connecting `the hinge and ring so that whenthe hinge is moved .but a short distance away from the bushing iit'., saidr legs will be shifted to l'the opposite side of the mentioned pivotal axis.

Means such as 'over-'sized apertures I IB in the reflector t8 .are provided to pass the 'legs of the yoke andv constrain the yoke' for .sl'idable and pivotal movement .relative to "the reflector. Said lmeans yperforms several functions; it permits the yoke to extend from :the .envelope yto'the hinge; it `definitely locates the operative position of the yoke; and it swings the base `of the yoke -out of the way to one side when the hinge is shifted to .idle position.

To mount a lamp 56 in the reectorassembly,

the hinge member 96 is swung .to its outermost idle positionshownv intdot-and-das'h lines in Fig. 1.. In this position 'the yoke Ais'on the left of the axis of pivotal connection 'betweenthe hinge `rand ring; lSince theyoke pivots about ithe'apertures I Ill, the base .86 of the yoke will`swirig upl and to the right of the lamp as 'seen in Figs. `1 and 2. Such movement'is substantial and .so disposes the base of the yoke that it wiil not interfere Vwith .the .seatingof a lamp in the reflector. After the llamp is placed properly, thehinge is swung lto its full line position indicated 'in Fig. Vl. This will cause the return bend V92 to press against the top of the g1assenvelope`of'the lampwith the projecting tip V1 210 oi? Vthe lamp received within said bend. The yoke is so proportioned that in such position it will hold the lamp against its seat, overcoming the action of the compression spring 89. The bulb is urged outwardly away fromY the reector by said spring but this action does not tend to move the hinge to idle position inasmuch as, although the base of the yoke is pushed upwardly by the springjthe legs of the yokeare so disposed Vwith respect tothe axis of pivotal lconnection between the hinge member and ring that the spring pressure urges the hinge to "its operative position. A

Becausev shifting the hinge between idle and operative positions involves swinging-'the legsV of an extent that contact i the yoke across the fpivot'al 'axis' connecting the hinge and ring, said legs must elongate at the time of crossing. Such lengthening is taken care of by making the yoke resilient, as already noted, so that the base 86 canyieldfsomewhat at the critical moments.

It may be observed that swinging the hinge into operative position will positively .seat the lamp but will not always v'dispose the bottom of the return" bend l92 This exact positioning of the yoke may be accomplished by pressing the yoke manually after the hinge has been closed. Such additional movement of the yoke is permitted by the oversized openings H8.

If the envelope of the lamp should break, the base of the yoke no longer will exert any restraint upon the lamp so that the compressed spring 8|) will force the baseof the lamp upwardly to such is broken between the spring 16 and the central terminal of the lamp, and between the lamp flange 54 and shell 62 or reector. This latter position is illustrated in Fig. 4.

It thus will be seen that there is provided an explosion-proof reector assembly which achieves the several objects of the invention and is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, there is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent:

l. The combination with a flashlight reflector assembly comprising a reflector having a large central opening through which the base of an electric lamp is adapted to pass, said lamp being of the push insertion type and having a central contact and a side contact in its base, means associated with the reflector for making electrical connection with the lamp contacts when the lamp is seated in the central opening, and means to bias the lamp in a direction out of said opening, said means when effective opening the electrical connections with the lamp contacts: of means to press against the envelope of the lamp so as to seat the same in the reflector against movement by said biasing means as long as the envelope is unbroken, said pressing means comprising a bushing, means to secure said bushing to said reflector beneath the lamp, a yoke including a base and a pair of spaced legs extending from the base in the same direction, a hinge member, means to pivotally secure said hinge member to said bushing for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the reflector and on the same side of the envelope as the lamp base, and means to pivotally attach the legs of the yoke to the hinge member for rotation about an axis parallel to said first-named axis, said hinge member being swingable about the rst-named axis from a position in which it rests against said bushing to a position in which it is spaced therefrom, said yoke member in the rst-named position of the hinge member having its base pressing the envelope of the lamp against the biasing means so as to seat the lamp in the reflector and having its legs disposed on one side of the first-named axis, and said yoke member in the second-named Aposition of the hinge member having its legs disagainstv the tip of the lamp.

`posed Yon the other side of said first-named axis, said reflector having ope' 'ngs thereinV through which the legs of the yoke pass.

2. The combination with a flashlight reflector assembly comprising a reflector having a large central opening'through which the base of 'an electric lamp is adapted to pass, said lamp being of the push insertion type and having a central contact and a side contact in its base, means associated with the reflector for making electrical connection with the lamp contacts vwhen the lamp is seated in the central opening, andmeans to bias the lamp in a direction out of said opening, said means when effective opening the electrical connections with the lamp contacts: of means to press against the envelope of the lamp so as to seat the same in the reflector against movement by said biasing means as long as the envelope is unbroken, said pressing means comprising a bushing secured to the reflector below the lamp, a ring carried by the bushing, a yoke including a base and a pair of spaced legs extending from the base in the same direction, a hinge member, means to pivotally secure said member to said ring for rotation with respect to the reflector about an axis perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the reflector and on the same side of the envelope as the lamp base, means to pivotally attach the legs of the yoke to the hinge member for rotation about an axis parallel to said firstnamed axis, said hinge member being swingable about said first-named axis from a position in which it abuts said bushing to a position in which it is spaced therefrom, said yoke member in the first-named position of the hinge member having its base pressing the envelope of the lamp 'against the biasing means so as to seat the lamp in the reflector and having its legs disposed on one side of the first-named axis, and said yoke member in the second-named position of the hinge member having its legs disposed on the other side of said first-named axis, said reflector having openings therein to receive the legs of the yoke.

3. The combination with a flashlight reflector assembly comprising a reflector having a large central opening through which the base of an electric lamp is adapted to pass, said lamp being of the push insertion type and having a central contact and a side contact in its base, means associated with the reflector for making electrical connection with the lamp contacts when the lamp is seated in the central opening, and means to bias the lamp in a direction out of said opening, said means when effective opening the electrical connections with the lamp contacts: of means to press against the envelope of the lamp so as to seat the same in the reflector against movement by said biasing means as long as the envelope is unbroken, said pressing means comprising a bushing, a yoke including a base and a pair of spaced legs extending from the base in the same direction, a hinge member, means to pivotally secure said hinge member to said bushing for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the reflector and on the same side of the envelope as the lamp base, and means to pivotally attach the legs of the yoke to the hinge member for rotation about an axis parallel to said rstnamed axis, said hinge member being swingable about the first-named axis from a position in which it rests against said bushing to a position in which it is spaced therefrom, said yoke member in the first-named position of the hinge member having its base pressing the envelope of the lamp against the biasing means so as to seat the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 8 'UNITED VSTA'IIIS PA'I'ENTS Name Date Smith May 20, 1930 Kopp et al May 19, 1942 Chandler June 2, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Sweden -6.111 Sept. 11, 1918

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