US2513071A - Electric flashlight - Google Patents

Description

June 27, 1950 R. H. WENDT ELECTRIC FLASHLIGHT Filed Oct. 4, 1946 Patented June 27, 1950 UNI-TED STAT ES: PAT OFF-ICE.

ELECTRIC FLASHLIGH-T Robert H:' Wendt, Evanston, Ill.-

ApplicatiomfiotoberA, 1946,;Serial-Nm 701 2113; 4201mm; (01. 240-10161) The present invention relateshto. electric .flashe lights. and. is particularly. concerned with theprovision. of. a simple assembly; for flashlights which can be sold at. aprice whichis commensurate with-the. cost of. batteries and. bulbs.

It. is common. practicathat while batteries. 11511-1 ally. cost. about ten c.ents,.and1b.ulbs cost three cents. or five.cents,.or sometimes as muchasten cents when. one buys a flashlight. the assembly may cost as much as seventy cents to a dollar for the most. simple type. The reason for this is that'it has become, customary to manufacture and.selll flashlights..,whichlcomprise the complete enclosur'es and which are provided with an electric switch, a cap atthe rear'end having a: spring for." engaging the bottom of the battery, space for several batteries, a' separate bulb compartment, another'separate screw cap, a separatej'reflector, andia disk of'j'glassenclosing the bulb;

A ll of these features/may be desirable for the purchaser who wishesto. make such aisubstantial investment, but it is also common experience that such flashlights are usually disabledvery quickly after being equipped with bulbs andbatteries; for

thereason thatthe switchisleft on, or thebat teries may bulge andi leak a' fluid, which wets the paper covering and causes the battery to become so tightly fixed in the tubulanhousing of a flashlight of the prior art that it cannot be removed; and the entire assembly must be discarded;

It. is rare that a user of a fiashlightactually gets the full benefit of a batterywhich he purchases, for the reason that, in the devices of the prior art, it may .be short-circuitedor'worn outby closure of the switch when he isnot using it, orleft'lying instead of being carried about; ready for convenientuseat alltimes;

One. of the objects of the present invention is: the provision of an improved flashlight which maybe sold at: such a reasonable. price" that it is not necessaryto makev the. substantial invest ment'which' is necessarywith. the devices of: the prior art, so that such aaflashlight will be. well within. the means of a vast.numberoftpurchasers, such. as children: and. all persons: of: moderate means whov have: not; up to now,zfelt that; they couldiaiford-v the expensive. flashlight of the prior art..

Another object of the invention is the. provision of a simplerv form of flashlight inzwhich-the. bulb itself is used. as. the contact switch, and which is not provided withsany other. formofswitch, and whichmay be conveniently manipulatedby holding the barebatteryin therear part. at the hand 2?: andmoving the flashlight hQusin back. and. firth on, the. battery by. the thumb... and forefinger,

Another objector". the .inventi0n.is,.the provision of an improved flashlight construction, in,w.hich the. battery may-be .so.-.place.d when. the. flashlight is; not bein usedythat, there isabsolutelynmpos? sibility. of. aconnection. betweenthabattery, and any part-.otthe flashiight thus assuring, the cons servation of the battery and preventing thawaste which is occasioned in' the, devices; or; the. prior ar-t'by leaving -the switch on.-.

Another-obj ect. oftthelinuentionlisthe provision of animproved. flashlight; assemblyin which .there is nopossibility .oi the. battery swelling, and,b.e.-. coming stuck.in=the;fiashlight; so .thatia. defective battery. may; :besremovedin any-case: and replaced by another..

Another" object of the invention theuprovir. sion; of. an improved; flashlight of; the classvdescribed; which. is simple, sturdy; adapted tube manufactured at a very low cost, easy, to, as semble; and 5 easy? to; manipulate, and, which. is so small and.- light; that it. may, be; carried, by, the userr in .his.,pocket.or by,- a lady/in her -pur-se,. at, all

95 times, without involving; the; carrying. of, a con,-

siderable. amountof weights Other. objects and, advantages of. the. inlven: tion; will. be. apparent "from. the, following; desorip= tionand the. accompanying. drawings. in which similar. characters. of. reference, indicate. similar partsthroughout the several views.

Referring to the single. sheetloi drawings;

Rig, 1.. is. a. side-elevational View, of. a flashlight assemblyembodying, the. invention, shown .inpartialv section. on a. plane passing through the ,axis of the. housing to. illustrate the electrical con.- nections;

Fig. 2. is. a. top plan: view of, the. assembly. of Fi r 1. i

Fig, 3.is a.side elevationalyiew. inpartialsec: tion, on. an .axial plane, of amodifi'cation inrwhich the. flashlight. made of a; casting of suitable light; metal, suchas an. aluminum or. magnesium alloy.

Fig, 4. isa similar. view of another. modification, whichis made, of. sheet metal. but. which.isother-v wiselsimilar instructure tQthatof, Fig; 3...

Fig, 5. is an axial sectional View of at flashlight assembly showing, the. batteries, in elevation wherettwo. cells are, employed.

Fig. 6.. is. a, side. elevat'ionallview. in partialisece tion,, onv an axial: p1 ane,., showing another. modification. inv which. the cellv connector; is. provided with a slidablQdtevicefbr resiliently clamping its fingers about-the battery cell;

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I indicates the flashlight assembly in its entirety, and the assembly preferably comprises a bulb I I, a dry cell I2, a connector I3, and a lock washer Hi. In some embodiments, the lock washer may be omitted, but it is desirable for maintaining a rigid mounting of the bulb I I in the connector I3.

The bulb II and cell I2 are of standard construction, but the cell is preferably of the type which has a cylindrical zinc sidewall I5 and a fiat bottom wall I6, these two walls I5 and I6 serving as one of the electrodes of the dry cell. H

The present invention excludes the use of batteries, except for the upper battery in Fig. 5,

which are permanently covered with an insulated side wall, as the structure of the flashlight involves the use of the side wall as one of the terminals of the battery instead of the end wall I8, as is customary in the devices of the prior art.

In order to place the battery in condition for this arrangement the cylindrical-cardboard insulating covering should'be slid oif the dry cell; or, in case it adheres, it may be split by means of a knife and removed, so that the dry cell I2 is a bare, metal-walled cell. The dry cell; has the usual other terminal I'I centrally disposed in its upper end, this electrode I! being insulated from thewalls' I5 and IB and separated by'a sealing compound; I

The bulb I I is of the usual construction, involving a glass envelope I8 enclosing a-filament which has one of its terminals connected to the tubular, screw-threaded sleeve I9 and the-other of its terminals connectedto a central end contact 20.

The connector I3 may consist ofa sheet metal member having a substantially cylindrical side wall 2| and an end wall 22 which maybe plane, or which may take any other desired shape, so long as it is able to support the bulb II with its center contact in position to engage thecell terminal I1.

The size of thecylindrical wall 2| is preferably such that it slidably engages and contacts the zinc wall I5 ofthe cell -I2,'thus establishing an electrical contact-with this terminal of the battery. The battery should frictionally-engage the inside of the bore 23 with such an amount of friction that the battery is held inany position in which it is placed, but when the battery is held palm, the housing I3 may be moved axially by the thumb and forefinger.

In order to allow for the differences in size of the cells I2, due to inaccuracies of manufacture,- the upper part of the bore 23 may have a clearance, and the connector [3 may be provided with a plurality of resilient fingers 24-27. These fingers are partially cylindricaLand are separated by the elongated slots 28 and are preferably provided with an inwardlycurved portion 29 and a crimpedor rolled edge 30. Inside the edge 30 the fingers 242'I' may be beveled outwardly slightly for convenient insertion of the battery I2 into the bore 23.

The housing I3 may, in some cases, be made of resilient metal, but need not be so made, as there are so many possibilities of good contact between the various irregularities on the' inside. of the bore'23 and the cylindrical wall I5 that the mere pressure of the users fingers on the fingers 24--2I will'assure a good contact. Furthermore, the user may, at any time, surround the fingers 242'I with his hand at the bend 29, and bysqueezing it when the battery is. removed may'jas'sure' a good contact for a considerable period of time;

in the rear of the hand 'by-the little finger and The length of the housing or connector I3 need only be enough to assure a good contact with the upper end of the wall I5, and thus, in some embodiments, short, cylindrical caps may be used which merely slide on the upper end of the battery with a frictional fit. For convenient manipulation, however, the connector I3 is preferably made long enough to extend to a medial portion of the battery I2, thus giving a housing I3 which is of, suficient size to be grasped with the thumb and forefinger, and leaving enough of the battery I2 exposed to be grasped by the small finger and rear of the hand.

The'end'wall 22 of the connector is provided witha centrally located bore M which is formed with a screw thread which, though short in an axial direction, is,lnevertheless, sufiicient to engage the threads on the sleeve I9 of the bulb II.

The lock washer M may, in some cases, be of metal, as that will merely assist in assuring a good contact between'the sleeve I9 and the connector I3; I prefer, howeveryto use a piece of fibre board,'such asiindurated fibre, which may be rectangular in'shapeior square, and which may be providedwith la'central aperture large enough to serve 'asa single thread. The bulb II is preferably threaded home in the bore 3|, and then the fibre'washer I4 threaded "over the end of the sleeve I9 to'1hj0'ld: the bulb permanently in place.

Referring to Fig, 3, this isa modification which is preferably made .of cast metal, such as an aluminum or magnesium alloy, so thatit will be light in weight,'eventhough its wallsa're thicker;

In'this' case, the shape and size of the parts previously described 'may 'be substantially the same, and they bearth'e same numerals, except that the end'w'all 32 integrally supports a reflector 33 by means of 'a tubularneck 3 l. Such a neck may have a longer screw-threaded bore 35 for the bulb sleeve I9, which may have a similar lock'washer I l. v

Thereflector 33 may consist of a metal part which is integral with the main eonnector housing I3, and which-has its wall as thin as possible, consistent with the possibilities of casting. The external surface oflthe wallof reflector 33 may be the same as the internal surface, and only i slightly larger. Thei nternal surface 35 of the refiector may be spherical or conical, but is prefer ably parabolic-inshape-so as to reflect a parallel beam v from tl'ie bulb II which should be placed at the proper axis and center of formation Referring to Fig 4, this-is another "modification which is similarjin structure to Fig. 3,,except that all of the. parts, of the;connector I3 are made out of sheet metal. The lower cylindrical part of of the connector. I3. istagainthepsame in construction 'as Fig; 1,, biutyit, iskpreferably integrally joinedto a threaded; sleeve :31 [of sheet'metal which is integrallyifjoined'to a sheetmetal'refiector 38 'havingiascrimped edge 33. s

, Insome embodiments of the invention the reflector 38, sleeve.3'I-;and1 housing I3 may be separate sheet metal members, soldered together, but they, are preferablyi'formed'all of one integral part of sheet metalby stamping operations or-byextrusion.

' Referring to Fig. 5; this is allq ther; modification which the upper endof the housing I3 d is the same in constructionas. that shown: in'Fig. 1, but the cylindricaljpart having the' bor e 23 is 610.11% gated sufficiently an'dis of sufficient size to receive 2552i ego-71 a dry cell 40': which vhas its: cardboard insulating cover-ihgstillton iw I The fihgers r-21', twoof which are visible: in section;- engagethe lower-Ween M at'itsi cylindrical side: wall I and establish: a connection: between the'sleeve [9 oi the bulb I l an'cl the? outer -tere minal of 'th'el.owennost'-batteny ML The; batteries; are thus in series and a simple two-cell flashlight may thusbeprovidedL The-insulating covering 42 on the: upper battery 10 preventsathe housing: I Bw from short circuiting the lower b'at tery l'l l Referring to Figi 6,-t'liis- 'i'sa modiflcation in which the resilient fingers 24'-21 are provided with means for urging them: intoclamping engagement with the batter-y wall I51 I11: this case the entiredevice.isagain preferably made of slieet metal; and the end wall ifl of the housing 1 3b *is providedwither cylindrical extensio'n 4 i -of'smaller diameter, which has plane i end wall 45- having the same threaded bore-for'the bulb l I. Y

The cylindricalextension is. offset at tt to provide a I radially extendingstop'- flange l whereby this extension 4'4 is prevented from beingremoved i-roma bore 4 l -in aseparate cap lik The cap 48 comprises aashort', cylincirical memberhaving a plane-end wall 49 with the bore 4-! and a cylindricalsid-wallim i The 'cylindr-iea-l'side wall 50 niay have a crimped end at El and the cap 48" is sli'dably mounted on the connector housing I36: Connector housing ['31) preferably Hasan outwardly 'projecting rib at-52' located below the endf; of'th'e' slots 28 so th'at'when therib 52 movesinto*t-he-cap 4B, the

fihgers-lW-ZT are compressed toward each other to grip'the battery I2; I

The operation of my flashlight assembly-will b'e apparent from theforegoing description and functions of parts, but it is preferably manipulated as follows: The'battery l2; which'is stripped of any insulation,.is slid into thec'onnector' iEl'until its side walls engage the sidewalls of the connector I3 audits-other terminal, 14 engages the terminal 2'!) on the bulb II. This will establish a permanent connection, thebattery being held by friction in the oonnectorlfi' or- 'by the engagement ofthe fingers 24=-2-1" with the 'side' wall [5;

The operator may; however; connect and disconnect at' will by holding" the rear end" of the battery [2 in the'palm'and' using his thumband forefinger to slide the connector 13 away for a disconnection or toward the battery for a connection. Thus the present device is adapted to serve all of the functions of a complicated flashlight without the necessity for separate switches or hands of copper or brass which are usually provided to run the terminal of the switch down to the rear end It or bottom of the battery.

Such an assembly, involving only the cylindrical connector I3, with or without the lock washer, in addition to the battery and bulb, may be constructed at a very low cost, and places flashlights within the means of a vast number of purchasers. A flashlight may be purchased so cheaply that it may be discarded when the user is finished with it in the same manner in which he discards batteries.

When the flashlight is placed in the users pocket the battery should be slid out and reversed, so that the end wall It engages terminal 20 and the sides of the bore 23 engage the side walls l5, and the terminal I! of the battery is thus exposed without connection.

It may be seen at a glance that the flashlight is then disabled in such manner that there can be no' short circuiting -of the battery Insteadzoflthe battery being worn out by'accident'al closure of theswitch; the user will then -get'thefull life-of use ofithebatt'ery;

Furthermore, there is little; or no dan'ger: of the .lcattery swellingin the housing in :such (mans ner that it cannot be removed; as -there is -always a portion-of the:battery protrudingwhich canibe grasped with the h'ands or tools to pull itout of the' housing: l Thepresent fl'ashlighta-ssembly i's:-ad'apted to give only a: limited amount of a light} and" is=-not intended=to serve the same-purposeas-a-large; expensive-battery lightorflashlight, which lights up'a considerable area- 01 projects its beam for along di'stance; However; it is a fa'ctthat'in mo'st cases'a very smallbeam isall that-is nec'essary to: enable the-user to find-articles in the dark' or to accomplish emergency operations; when the light brought close enough to t-he work;

It=willthus=be observed that I haye invented an improved flashlight connector on flashlight a'ssemblyby means 1 of which the bulb may be suitably c'onnected to one onmore cells; and-so manip ulatedas to se'cure'light, and W-ith a minimum' amount of apparatus and expenditure. Notwithstanding: the low cost of this arrangement, the presentlvfiashlight has advantages notpresent evenin the most expensive types; and is more likely to: give longen service for a batt'ery than any of thedevicesof the priorar-t;

While I: have illustrated a preferred; embodiment of" my invention, many modifications may be: made Without departing from thespirit of the -invention,- and I do not wish't'o be limited to the; precise detailstof' construction set-fbrthg but desire to avail myself" of all changes within thescopaof the- *appended. claims.

Having thus described my invention; what I claim as new and desire to seeure by-Lett'ers Pat ent of the United-States, is: I 1 12 In "an electric flashlight,- th'e combination of a sheet metal cup ofsubstantially cylindrical shape: and -provid'ed' with a r'earwardly open end having 'a pluralityof bachwardly projecting-re silient fingers separatedby slotsg the said cylindrical body being of sufiicient sizeto-receivea bare: cylindrioahflaslilight battery, the end op posit'e-from thetopen.end 'of said body'being provided: with! a circular: openinghaving screwthreads for engagementwiththe threaded sleeve of; ascr'ewtype'electric bulb, the-said' body making contact with the outer-barezinc'housing of'the battery by engagement with said resilient fingers, and the center contact of said battery engaging the center contact of the bulb when the battery is shoved into the said body to the position of engagement, the said body being provided with another external cylindrical annular member surrounding said body and said annular member being slidable over the said resilient fingers to move them into tight clamping contact with the said battery when the battery has its center contact in engagement with the contact of the bulb.

2. In an electric flashlight, the combination of a sheet metal cup of substantially cylindrical shape and provided with a rearwardly open end having a plurality of backwardly projecting resilient fingers separated by slots, the said cylindrical body being of sufiicient size to receive a bare cylindrical flashlight battery, the end 0pposite from the open end of said body being provided with a circular opening having screw threads for engagement with the threaded sleeve of a screw type electric bulb, the said body making battery when the battery has its center contact inengagement with the contactof the bulb, the said body being provided with an annular rib located on and traversing said resilient fingers outwardly of the base of the slots, and the sliding movement of said annular member causingthe annular member to engage over said rib to secure a better clamping action by tensioning the fingers toward said battery.

3. In an electric flashlight, the combination of a sheetmetalcup of substantially cylindrical shape and provided with a rearwardly open end having a plurality of backwardly projecting resilient'fingers separated by slots, the said cylindrical body being of sufficient size to receive a bare cylindrical flashlight battery, the end opposite from the open end of said body being provided with a circular opening having screw threads for engagement with the threaded sleeve of a screw type electric bulb, the said body making contact with the outer bare zinc housing of the battery by engagement with said resilient fingers, and the center contact of said battery engaging the center contact of the bulb when the battery is shoved intothe said body to the position, of engagement, the said body being providedwith another external cylindrical annular member. surrounding said body and said annularmember being slidable over the saidresilient fingerseto move. them into tightlclamping contactv Withthe said battery when the battery has, its center contact in engagement with the contact ofthebulb, thesaid body being provided with an annular rib located on and traversing said resilient fingers outwardly of the base of the slots, and the sliding movement of said annular member causing the annular member to engage over said rib to ,secure a better clamping action by tensioninglthe fingers toward said battery, the said armular member being slidably mounted upon a cylindrioal extensionof said body and having an end wall providedwith a circular aperture for, slid-.- ably engaging said extension. l. 1

4. In an electric flashlight, the combination of a sheet metal cup of substantially cylindrical shape and provided with a rearwardly open end having a plurality of backwardly projecting resilient fingers separated by slots, the said cylindrical body being of sufiicient size to receive a bare cylindrical flashlight battery, the end opposite from the open end of saidbody being provided with a circular, opening having screw threads for engagement with the threaded sleeve of a screw type electric bulb, the said body making contact with the outer bare zinc housing of the battery by engagement with said resilient fingers, and the center contact of said battery engaging the center'contact of the bulb when the battery is shoved into the said body to the position of engagement, the said body being provided with another external cylindrical annular member surrounding said body and said annular member being slidable over the said resilient fingers to move them into tight clamping contact with the said battery when the battery has its center contact in engagement with the contact of the bulb, the said body being provided with an annu lar rib located on and traversing said resilient fingers outwardly of the base of the slots, and the sliding movement of said annular member causing the annular member to engage over said rib to secure a better clamping action by tension ing the fingers toward said battery, the said annular member being slidably mounted upon a cylindrical extension of said body and having an end wall provided with a circular aperture for slidably engaging said extension, the said extension being provided with an outwardly extending stop flange to prevent removaleof said annular member.

a ROBERT H. WENDT.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent: 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,093,287 Nefi Apr. 14, 1914 1,095,296 Stevens May 5, 1914 1,112,624 Keogh Oct. 6, 1914 1,297,654 Burgess Mar. 18, 1919 2,124,222 Wiley July 19, 1938

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