US2583182A - Fare box light unit - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 22, 1952 A. A. LYMAN FARE BOX LIGHT UNIT Filed Dec. 11. 1948 I INVENTOR. r7- ,4. 4 YMA u A T TORNEY Patented Jan. 22, 1952 FARE BOX LIGHT UNIT Albert A. Lyman, Short Hills, N. J., asslgnor to Public Service'Coordinated Transport, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 11, 1948, Serial No. 64,7ll

2Claims. (01.240-2) 3'11 This invention relates to improvements in light units, and, more particularly, is directed to a light unit to be secured to fare boxes such as are used in busses, trolley cars and trains. It is the object of this invention to provide a fare box light unit having unique structural features whereby the same may be secured to the fare box from a point interiorly of said box, while the light bulb may beinserted into its socket and removed therefrom from a point exteriorly of the box, in a simple manner which will, at the same time, prevent access to the interior of the fare box. Light units of the type referred to are used for the purpose of illuminating the interior of the fare box to permit inspection of the "fare deposited therein. Such boxes are used in large quantities by public utilities, and the light bulbs, which have a limited useful life, must be replaced from time to time. The device of the instant invention permits that to be done from a point exteriorly of the fare box in a rapid and facile manner without permitting the person replacing the bulb to gain access to the interior of the fare box. This is important as it is highly undesirable to permit unauthorized access to the interior of the fare box. The device of my invention permits the light bulb to be inserted and replaced in a very short period oftime. In view of the frequency with which such light bulbs must be replaced and the number of fare boxes in use in the average transportation system, these features are highly practical and important, and result in substantial savings.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear from the drawings and from the description hereinafter, are accomplished by the "structure of my invention, of which an embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be apparent, from a consideration .of said drawings, and the followings description, thattheifive'ntioh may be embodied inbther forms suggested thereby, and such other forms as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered within thepurview of the instant invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the frame of a fare box light unit embodying my invention, taken on line Ii of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, V

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view, taken on line 33 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly sectional, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the frame and cover plate.

The drawings illustrate a preferred form of the invention. From a consideration thereof and the following description, it will be apparent that many changes may be made within the scope and purview of the invention. The fare box light unit comprises a frame l0 having a rear wall I! and sidewalls I 2, l2 and a socket 'supportweb i Bin said frame having an aperture it in which the light bulb socket I may be positioned. Said light bulb socket I4 is provided with a bulb l5 for illuminating the portion F of the fare box in which the fare is deposited, for permitting ready inspection of the deposited coin or coins, tokens, tickets, or the like. Socket holding means, such as a nut member I6 adapted to threadedly engage the socket l4 and the support l3, lock the socket to the support from the underside of the latter. One or more fastener engaging members or bosses I! are provided on the inner'side of the rear wall ll of the frame, beneath thesocket, support l3 thereof, and are adaptd to be engaged by complementary fastener elements ll passed through the wall W of the fare box from the interior of the latter to secure the light unit thereto.

The arrangement described permits the light bulb I 5 to be inserted or removed from the open top of the frame It] without, at the same time, permitting withdrawal of the socket N therefrom. Likewise, as' the frame is secured to the fare box from a position interiorly of the wall thereof, and as the fastener engaging members I! are disposed in the lower portion of the frame it, the said frame cannot be removed exteriorly of the fare box I8. The upper end of the frame I ii is preferably closed by a cover plate l9 which is removably secured to said frame by any suitable or convenient means, as, for example, by providing the'cover and frame with complementary fastener means. In'the form shown in the drawings, said fastener means comprise bolts l9 passing through apertures 20 in the cover plate l9 and engaging threaded apertures 2| in the socket support l3. Side walls l2, [2' of the frame It! snugly abut the wall W of the fare box l8 when the said frame is secured thereto, up to a level coinciding with the planeof the upper surface of the socket support 13 of the frame. Above that level, the cover plate I9, when socured to the frame ll], covers substantially the entire upper portion of said frame above the socket supporting web l3, with the exception of a small portion 25 thereof. through which the light from bulb l5 may pass into the fare deposit section F of the fare box l8 (see Fig. 3). If so desired, the socket l4 may be formed, as specifically shown in Fig. 3, to include a ring 23 integral with, or displaceably secured to, the socket M, and adapted to overlie the upper surface of the socket support l3 adjacent the apertured portion 13 1111612301 The threaded portion of the socket 14, as above noted, may be threadedly engaged by the nut 16 so as to conveniently clamp the socket 14 to the support 13.

The bulb-receiving socket I4 is mounted wet-tically through opening [3' in the web l3, and extends downwardly through the opening 28 in the wall portion W into the fare box.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the fastener engaging bosses ii are inclined "with respect to "-Lthe substantially vertical rear wall H at a downward angle so that the bolts l1 may conveniently engage the threaded portions '24 of the .fastener engaging members H in "the general plane of "the latter. That arrangement conforms to the specific outline of the "fare box l-B shown in Fig. .3, wherein the wall W is inclined at an angle with respect to the substantially vertical side wall of the fare box l8. To that end, likewise, the "side walls 12, I2 are formed with their lower edges 'angularly disposed with'respect to the -rear wall H of the frame 10. ,"Ihe invention, however,

is not limited to this specific form, and maybe readily adapted Tor application to rare boxes having walls disposed in planes other than the angular "plane shown in Fig. 3. To conform the invention thereto, the lower edges of the side walls of the frame and the disposition of the fastener engaging "members 11 would be correspondingly altered. 'In ,place of the bolts 19'' engaging the threaded apertures Zl oi "the socket support 13, "and "bolts H engaging the threaded portions z l'of the members "l1 any other desired or convenient 'intereng'a'ging latch mechanism maybe substituted, if so desired.

Having thus described 'my invention, what I claim as new and "desire tdsecure by Letters Patent is:

*lf'In combination with a fare box having "at its top a fare-receiving chaniber provided with transparent side walls, "said rare box "having a wall portion extending outwardlyfrom the'bottom ofthe 'fare receiving chamber and formed extending upwardly above the bottom of the farereceiving chamber, a bulb-receiving socket mounted vertically through the opening in said web and extending downwardly through the opening in the wall portion into the fare box, a bulb removably fitted in said socket through the open top of said frame, a cover .forsaid frame having its inner end spaced upwardly from the bottom of the fare receiving chamber and thereby providing a space through which light from the bulb may enter the fare-receiving chamber, and screws :passed downwardly through the cover and screwed into the threaded apertures of the web Iorreleasablyholding the cover in place.

.In combination with a fare box having a fare-receiving chamber at its top provided with "transparent side walls, said fare box having a wall ,portion extending from the bottom of the Tare-receiving chamber and formed with an opening; a lighting attachment for the farer'eceiving chamber comprising a frame open at itstop and along 'its inner side, a horizontal .web in Jsa'id frame formed with an opening, bosses in -the frame under said web, fasteners extending "through the \vall'portio'n andremoyab'ly engaged in saidlbosses for detachably securing the frame against the said wailportion with its open side projecting upwardly above the bottom of the fare-receiving chamber, a bulb-receiving socket mounted through the opening in the web and extending into the fare'box through the opening 'inthe said wall portion thereof, abulb fittedinto the bulb-receiving socket through the open .top of the frame. and a removable cover for said frame havingjitsinner endspaced upwardly from the bottom .of the stare-receiving .chamber and thereby providing a space at the innerside of 1e frame through which light from the bulb may enter the rare-receiving chamber.

ALBERT .A. LYMAN.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS INuniber Name Date 399,820 .Beaman Mar. 19, 1889 1,113,016 Josephin Oct-6,1914 $1,164,301 Moore ;Dec. 14;, :1915 $1,201,654 Wakefield vOct. .1-7, 1916 1,201,830 Knauff .Oct. v1.7, 1916 1,459,440 Butte June 19,1923 12,121,783 Breckenridge a--- 'June .28, 193B 2 .283 ,994 Hopkins "May 126, .1942 2,478,662 .Long .Aug. 19,1949

. FOREIGN EPATENTS Number Country ,Date

298,870 "England Oct. 18.1923

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