US2500464A - Usher's flashlight - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1950 c. H. MAHER USHER'S FLASHLIGHT Fil ed Aug. 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CHARLES H. MAHER I N VEN TOR.

BY H

c. H. MAHER USHER'S FLASHLIGHI v March 14, 1950 Filed Aug. 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

CHARLES H. MAH ER INVEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 14, 1959 STATES PATENT OFFICE Charles H. Maher, Washington, D. 0.

Application August'lfi, 1946, Serial-N0.'.691,022

2 Claims.

This invention relates to flashlights and, more particularly, to a flashlight having an angularly disposed head at each end arranged to cast a pair of spaced beams.

The object of the invention is to provide a flashlight for use by ushers, guides and the like persons who lead others through darkened aisles or other byways. This flashlight is intended when suspended by the side at arms length, to cast one beam downwardly to the front so that the usher can see where he is going, and to cast another beam downwardly to the rear so that the patron can see where he should go.

In keeping with the above objective, it is intended to provide a flashlight having a generally tubular body and a pair of similar angular heads at each end of the body, the heads each including lamps which may be simultaneously energized by batteries in the body upon operation of a single switch, the lamps being arranged to cast divergent beams having their axes, preferably, in a single plane. It is further proposed that the heads be hooded so that, when the light is properly held, the lamps may not be seen directly either by the immediate users or by the seated patrons.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the assembly with one end broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section along the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View showing the detail of the slot at the casing end;

Fig. 4 is a perspective partially broken away, showing a slide in detail; and,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section showing the switch and contact mechanism in detail.

Referring now to the drawing in which like reference numerals denote similar elements, the flashlight 2 comprises a tubular case 4 of rigid, insulating plastic and of suitable diameter and length for accommodating standard flashlight cells 6. Case l should be somewhat longer than the width of the average human hand so that the ends of the case project from each side of the user's hand when centrally gripped. Into annular receivers 8 in the ends of case 4 are fitted terminal disks Ill, also of insulating plastic, there being spring metal strips l2 electrically connected together and mechanically supported on each disk H! by a metal rivet it.

The ends of case 4 are each threaded for connection with the threaded neck it of an angular head l8 which, at the inner end of the threaded neck,.is formed with a MO-40.6) v

shoulder '20 forholdin the adjacent terminal-disk l0 inzplace.

Each head l8, which may be molded or otherwise formed of relatively hard insulating plastic, has therein a generally semi-spherical seat 22 into which fits a metallic reflector 2d of the type well known in the art and including a threaded socket 26 for holding a conventional lamp 28, the central terminal of which is electrically connected to one battery terminal through its engagement with a metal strip 12. The other lamp terminal is electrically connected via threaded socket 26 and metallic reflector 24 to a flexible metal contact strip 30 engaged behind reflector 24 and supported by a small metal bolt 32 through which it is electrically connected to a metal contact ring 34 fitting around the end of neck 16.

An elongated strip 36 is secured in groove 38 as by screws Ml. While other switching arrangements may be used, the switches 4| illustrated are fitted within the widened ends 42 of groove 38, the side walls of which are preferably concave as indicated at 44. Strip 36 is also widened at its ends 46 and bent up to form longitudinal wing-like inclined flanges 48.

As shown individually in Fig. 4 a box like slide 5i! is formed from a blank of sheet metal so as to have depending side walls 52 which, when the slide is pressed over an end .2 of strip 33, are bent under flanges 58 so as to lock slide 50 in slidable, electrical contact with the end of strip 36. A plunger 56 slidable through a suitable opening in the front wall of slide 50 is forwardly urged by compressed spring 58 so that, when the slide is moved forward, electrical connection is established between contact ring 34 and strip 36. Suitable dimples 50 should be impressed in the slide and strip for releasably holding the slides in the on position.

To avoid shining light in patrons eyes, a hood 62 is threadedly engaged with head !8 as at 64, the hood being annularly recessed at 66 for holding on a lens 68 which may be used for fixedly focusing the beam to a spot of the desired size.

It will be noted that both ends of the assembly are identical and that either switch 4| may be used, provided the other is closed, in which case the closed switch functions merely as a convenient fixed contact for completing the circuit which ultimately returns to the battery via strips I2 in the rear end of case 2 as shown in Fig. 1. It is apparent that, instead of the series arrangement of the lamps, suitable wiring may be provided to connect them in parallel under control of a single switch.

In operation, one switch 4| is first closed so that, upon closing of the other switch, both lamps 28 will be energized, thereby projecting divergent beams downwardly to the front and rear of the usher or other user holding the flashlight down and at his side.

The invention detailed above is not limited to the specific disclosure, but may be applied to various equivalent and modified arrangements within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A flashlight comprising an elongated tubular case for containing battery cells, said case being adapted to be centrally gripped in the hand of the user and being of such length that, when so gripped, the opposite ends of the case project from the users hand, a flashlight angle-head mounted on each end of said case, said heads each including a lamp and socket therefor, said heads, sockets and lamps being so angularly disposed with respect to one another and to said case that said lamps, when energized, project divergent beams forwardly and rearwardly from said case along axes lying in a, single plane, said axes forming an angle substantially greater than .0 degrees and. substantially less than 180, and circuit and switch means for simultaneously electrically connecting said lamps to said battery.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, and hoods on the outer extremities of said heads for limiting the angular spread of said beams.

CHARLES H. MAHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,645,487 Harling Oct. 11, 1927 1,763,815 Pajeau et al. June 17, 1930 1,816,065 Weidman July 28, 1931 2,304,742 Oificer et al Dec. 8, 1942 2,385,639 Packer et a1 Sept. 25, 1945

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