US2570838A - Pen-shaped pocket flashlight - Google Patents

Description

1951 J. NATHAN ETAL PEN-SHAPED POCKET FLASHLIGHT Filed Jan. 21, 1950 1N! 'ENTORS JEROME NATHAN BYRl'CHARD W. A DLER ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1951 PEN-SHAPED POCKET FLASHLIGHT Jerome Nathan and Richard W. Adler, New York, N. Y., assignors to Bantam-Lite, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 21, 1950, Serial No. 139,882

3 Claims.

This invention relates to flashlight construction, and more particularly is directed to a socalled pen or pencil-shaped flashlight, such as carried when not in use, in the pocket or handbag.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve flashlight constructions of the character described which shall comprise few and simple parts, which are readily assembled of easily manufactured parts, which shall be relatively cheap to produce in quantity production yet neat and attractive in appearance, which shall form a reliable and dependable pocket-size lighting means capable of withstanding rough and hard usage, which shall be convenient to handle and operate, and which shall be efiicient and practical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the claims following.

In the accompanying drawing in which one illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown.

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a so-called pen-shaped pocket flashlight construction embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plane or head end view of the improved flashlight construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 33 in Fig. 1 showing the interior construction of the improved flashlight, with the switch thereof in an off-circuit position.

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged detailed cross-secv tional View taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 3, and

showing the switch in an on-circuit position in dot and dash lines.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of'the head end cap of the improved flashlight construction shown in Fig. 1, partly broken away to expose the switch ring assembly structure.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the extreme head end cap member with the extension portion thereof and the camming ring disassembled therefrom, the current carrying flexible jumper being shown secured in a normal offcircuit position, and the peripheral flange unbent before assembly shown in full lines and bent into assembly position 'in dot and dash lines, and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the camming ring for finger operation of the flashlight switch removed from the assembly.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 denotes a so-called pen pocket flashlight constructed to embody the invention such as carried in a pocket or handbag ready for use from a releasably mounted position like conventional pens or pencils by means of a suitable clamping attachment clip I I in the well understood manner.

Said flashlight I0 may comprise a suitable outer battery casing I2, and as here shown being formed of a one-piece tubular metal having a closed end IZa for housing a standard electric battery, such as two series arranged dry cells I3 and I4, each cell being insulated from the casing I2 by a paper or fibre wrapper I5.

Open end I2b of casing I2 opposite said closed end In through which dry cells I3 and I4 are inserted and normally has carbon center contact I 3a of cell I3 extending beyond said open end IZb which may be provided with a suitable coupling means, such as spun or drawn screw threads I20 extending inward from said open end [21), forming a seat and anchorage for a head end cap I6. The latter may carry a standard miniature incandescent lamp Il extending therethrough with bulb Ila thereof exposed to project light beams through top central opening I6a of head end cap I6, and base Ilb of lamp I'I extending in axial alignment with battery cell I3, said lamp base I'Ib being retained by an insulating annulus 20 mounted in an extension end I6b of head end cap IS so that center contact lie of the lamp I1 is positioned to connect in circuit with battery carbon center contact 53a as shown in Fig. 3.

Said flashlight head end cap I6 may be made of spun or drawn sheet metal and when formed as a multi-part structure for economy of manufacture here shown, has a dome shaped portion IGc which is provided with said central opening ISa therein and which is interconnected with said extension end I612. The latter forms a collar portion having spun or drawn screw threads Ifid extending to provide with said casing screw threads I20 companion coupling means, as is clear from Figs. 3 and 5.

For interconnecting dome portion I and extension collar I6b there may be provided an integrally formed inturned peripheral shoulder Hie spaced from an outturned locking peripherally extending edge flange I6) of dome portion I60, extension collar I'Sb also having an inturned peripheral extending shoulder IBg for mating peripheral edge portion IBh thereof with an intermediate portion I67 of dome portion I6c extending between said shoulder lGe and flange if to provide a rigid lap joint as said interconnection.

As seen from Figs. 3 and 4, the outer surface of extension collar edge portion [6h extending between said dome shoulder 16c and collar shoulder 16g of said assembled lap joint interconnection provides a circular sunken slideway in which a finger turning camming ring l8a.rides for operating flashlight switch [8. Inner surface lBk of collar portion l6?) between said flange Hi and threaded portion Hid, adjacent said lap joint inter-connection firmly secures insulating annulus 2G, in the assembly, dome collar outturned flange 16f serving as an abutment seat for said annulus 20. The thickness of the latter may be made such as to extend said annulus 20 to just short of rim edge of casing open end I2b so that center contact lic of lamp base l'lb projecting therebeyond for contacting in the assembly with said battery cell contact l3a, as shown in Fig. 3.

Inner peripheral side 20a. of insulating annulus 29 may be provided with uniformly spaced apart ledges 20b to form frictional engaging supporting means for outer surface lld of lamp base Ha which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, serves as a base screw shell contact for the lamp I! in the well understood manner.

As is clear from Figs. 3, 4 and 6 said edge portion lBh of extension collar [6b and underlying intermediate portion I67 of dome [60 may be partially cut away or slotted in registered alignment as denoted generally at lSm to accommodate free movement of elongated current carrying flexible spring jumper l8b which may be an- 1 chored in position at one end thereof by rivet I Be. The other portion or free end id of said jumper I8?) is positioned to swing beyond said slot lBm, said free end 13d being flexed from a normal off-circuit position to on-circuit position, shown in Fig. 4, in full and dot and dash lines, respectively, in the manner hereinafter described and provide a rubbing, that is, a self cleaning contact with the aligning lamp base outer surface Ild.

Switch camming ring 18a which may be mounted for limited rotation in said sunken slideway as described above and shown in Figs. 1 to 5, has the outer peripheral surface We ribbed or knurled part way therearound to provide finger gripping means, the remaining part l8f, which in the assembly rotates between the clip H and dome portion [60 may be imprinted to carry on and off circuit marking l8g.

Extending inwardly from inner circular surface l8h of camming ring |8a and into slot l6m there may be provided a projection or protubrance I87 carried or formed integrally with said ring Ilia which on the rotation thereof along a path of the length of said slot l6m from a position just beyond jumper free end 18d, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, leaving the jumper 18b in a normally off-circuit position, to a position flexing said jumper l8b with projection I87 bearing thereagainst to force said end l8d thereof to close the circuit at outer lamp base surface H11 in on-circuit position as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4. A releasable locking nub I810 may be provided on a midportion of jumper I81) for engaging with said projection I87" to retain said switch I8 in on-circuit position against accidental displacement.

The practical operation of the invention will now be apparent. With head end cap l6 positioned in the complete assembly as described above and shown in the drawing, and with a suitable helical pressure spring 19 mounted in the casing closing end |2a bearing on zinc terminal Ma of dry cell 14 as shown in Fig. 3, the lamp i1 is retained in proper assembled position by lamp base ill) in frictional secured engagement with insulating annulus ledges 20a. Now, finger manipulating switch l8 by turning switch camming ring I8a fully in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Figs. 1 to 4., projection I8 thereof extending through slot Him is moved beyond jumper free end IM and said jumper I8a springs into a normal off circuit position with said jumper end 18d spaced from lamp base llb, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

To switch the jumper I80, into an effective on circuit position, the camming ring la is finger manipulated for rotating as far as it can be readily turned clockwise to a position corresponding to that indicated in dot and dash lines moved in Fig. 4, preferably until projection moved passed nub I87c.

During said latter rotation jumper l8a, is subjected to camming action by projection I87 for flexing free end IBd thereof to and away from making a wiping contact on lamp base surface Ild. Should the switch camming ring l8a, be turned a less distance than is necessary to obtain a stabilized position to retain the circuit closed, jumper l8a, adjacent the free end thereof, may be made effective by providing a sloping surface as at 18112, to give switch 18 a tendency to force the latter in off circuit position as is clear from Fig. 4.

To open circuit switch l8 after the latter has been closed camming ring lBa is simply rotated counterclockwise to the position first described.

Clip ll may be of a U-shaped cross section formed with a clamping free end i la and a suitable anchored end I lb opposite said free end I la, said anchored end Hb being firmly fastened to dome portion 160. Said clip II is so designed, arranged and positioned as not to interfere with the finger manipulation of switch camming ring [8a, and also permits ready ascertaining the switch position through observance of said marking [8g with relation to clip II.

It should be noted that flashlight H] is not only constructed of very simple parts, but also lends itself to form a neat and attractive personal article ready and convenient for use.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an improved pocket flashlight construction in which the several objects of the invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments of the invention may be made in the above invention and as various changes may be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth and shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having-thus described our invention we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a flashlight head end cap construction, a metallic dome portion interconnected to a metallic collar extension having means for mounting on an open end of a battery casing, said dome por-. tion having an inturned shouldered midsection and an outturned edge flange, said collar extension having a rimedge portion fitted to extend said flange, an inturned shoulder provided on a midportion of said collar extension positioned to extend over said flange for firmly interlocking said dome portion to said collar extension at the interconnection therebetween and to form a sunken slideway for a finger manipulating switching ring to ride in, said slideway having an elongated slot wherethrough electrical circuit switch means extend on rotation by said ring, the portion of said collar extension between said mounting means and said inturned shoulder serving as a seat for a insulating lamp base supporting means.

2. In a flashlight construction having a metallic tubular casing formed with a top opening for housing a dry cell battery, a metallic head end cap formed with an extension collar fitting portion for demountably securing on said casing open end, said cap having an elongated slot extending through said fitting portion, an incandescent lamp positioned within said cap with a base of said lamp aligning with said slot, a spring cur rent conducting jumper having one end swingably secured from a rim end of said slot, a free end of said jumper being bent to slope toward said lamp base, an insulating annulus secured within said cap beyond a path of swinging movement of said jumper for removably retaining the lamp base in a desired alignment, a switching ring encircling said cap mounted for rotation thereon and provided with an integral protuberance extending into said slot for flexing said jumper to electrically contact the said free end thereof against the lamp base on rotation of said ring from an ofi to an on switching position, said cap and fitting portion formed with a sunken slideway in which the encircling ring rides and wherein said elongated slot lies, a clip anchored to said cap over the path of movement of said rotation, and finger gripping means formed as a portion of a peripheral side of said ring with another portion of said peripheral ring side positioned to travel under said clip on rotation of said ring for limiting said movement of ring rotation to said ofi and on" switching positions.

3. In a flashlight construction, a metallic tubular battery casing formed with top open and closed bottom ends, a metallic head end closure cap mounted on said casing open end having an elongated peripherally extending slot adjacent said casing open end, an incandescent lamp extending through said cap with a base of said lamp aligning with said slot, a spring current conducting jumper having one end secured to a rim end of said slot, a free end of said jumper being bent to slope toward said lamp base, an insulating annulus retained by said cap inwardly of said slot for mounting the lamp base in alignment with a battery cell terminal housed in said casing, a switch ring encircling said cap mounted for limited rotation to extend over said slot and jumper, and a camming projection carried by said ring to extend into said slot for flexing said jumper free end to electrically contact said lamp base on rotation of said ring from an off to an on circuit switching position, a clip anchored to said cap to extend over the switch ring, and finger gripping means formed on portion of a peripheral side of said ring, another portion of said peripheral ring side extending to travel under the clip on the rotation of the ring being provided with marking indicating said oil and on" circuit switching positions.

JEROME NATHAN. RICHARD W. ADLER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,144,201 Hipwell June 22, 1915 2,020,352 Bolduc Nov. 12, 1935 2,226,353 Wood Dec. 24, 1940 2,312,305 Berlinger Mar. 2, 1943 2,461,118 Lippincott Feb. 8, 1949 2,491.686 Nathan et al Dec. 20, 1949

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