US2595318A - Flash lamp ejector socket assembly - Google Patents

Description

M A-A....... .o

May 6, 1952 A. WILKINSON 2,595,318

FLASH LAMP EJECTOR` SOCKET ASSEMBLY Filed July 23, 1948 ;Z L @D .A

0 M Mswnw TOR/VEYS Patented May 6, 1952 FFICE FLASH LAMP EJECTOR SOCKET ASSEMBLY Leonard A. Wilkinson, Ann Arbor, Mich., assigner to Argus Cameras, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application July 23, 1948, Serial No. 40,318

Claims. 1

This invention relates to flash lamp ejector socket assemblies especially for use in photography and is particularly directed to such socket assemblies wherein a iiash bulb having a base of the so-called bayonet type may be speedily ejected from the socket'after having been iired and a new bulb speedily substituted in the socket by a single axial thrust movement to make ready for instantaneous use after an exposure has been made.

In fiash light photography it is very often desirable to make two or more exposures in quick succession. This requires speedy replacement of the iiash bulb that was red during the preceding exposure. These bulbs become very hot when fired and will burn the lingers if an attempt is made to grasp them to remove them from the socket. Hence, it has been proposed to provide quick ejection means by which mechanism within the socket will project the bulb out of the socket upon manipulation of a trigger or some other device readily available to the operator who may then simply thrust the new bulb into the socket and be ready for a fresh exposure.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a novel ejector socket assembly for this purpose wherein a bulb of the type having a bayonet base with radially projecting prongs may be mounted in the socket by a single axial thrust and gripped and held there until fired and then ejected at the will of the operator without the operator having to handle the bulb.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel expansible and contractible socket assembly wherein when the bulb base is thrust into the socket the latter acts to receive and then grip the base to maintain the bulb in position to be fired, and wherein a spring is provided adapted to be triggered to eject the used bulb when the socket is opened.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel two-part socket for a` flash lamp ejector assembly wherein the socket parts are forced apart by entering movement of the lamp base and come together again to retain the lamp in condition to be fired and wherein the lamp is automatically ejected at the vwill of the operator by means of a trigger attached to one of the parts of the socket.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel ejector socket assembly wherein a lamp bulb is ejected by spring action when released in the socket and wherein movement of the socket parts to release the bulb automatically additionally loads the ejector spring prior to ejecy tion of the bulb,v for speedy ejector action.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds in connection -with the appended claims and the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation of the battery and socket casing according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating the mouth of socket and the manner in which the casing is attached to the camera;

Figure 2 is a side elevation mainly in section illustrating details of the socket and its electrical connection to the battery;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of the casing looking upwardly in Figures 1 and 2 but with thel bottom cap removed and illustrating the electrical connections at the socket;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section illustrating the electrical connection to the prongs that enter corresponding sockets in the camera;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section illustrating the electrical connection to the bottom cap.

Figure 6 is a section illustrating a further embodiment of the invention wherein the socket is provided with an inclined spring loading face and Figure 7 is a fragmentary section illustrating a modified internal construction of the socket.

My flash lamp holder and ejector assembly Y comprises a tubular body Il, which is made of hard black plasticy or some insulating material, with a bottom opening closed by a metal cap l2 threaded upon the lower portion of the body like the usual fiashlight casing cap, and a front opening i3 in alinement with which is secured a reiiector member I4 as by screws I5.

The tubular lower end of body Il contains two batteries l@ in series, with the center terminal of the upper battery urged against a xed terminal screw Il that is threaded into an internal integral shelf It within the body. Tight electrical contact is assured by a coil spring l 9 which reacts between the cap I2 and the bottom of the lower battery.

A socket assembly, the open end of which faces opening I3, is mounted in body Il above shelf I3 and comprises a lower shell member 2| which is secured rigidly to body Il by a downturned iiange 22 that is clamped behind reiiector Ill and held rigidly to the body by one of the screws l5 that passes therethrough. Shell member 2! is provided with opposed upstanding ears 23 each of which is connected by a pivot pin 24 to a corresponding ear 25 depending from upper socket shell member 26. Upper shell member 26 is thus pivotally mounted on lower shell member 22. Forwardly of pivot 24, each ear 23 is formed with a downwardly and forwardly inclined face 2l and below face 2l with an arcuate forwardly open recess 28, which is preferably just larger than the bayonet pin on the usual miniature flash lamp bulb in the preferred embodiment :of the invention. These pins are indicated at 3).

Forwardly of each ear 25, upper socket member 26 is also formed with a downwardly and 3 forwardly inclined face 29 which is of the same inclination as face 21. At the front end of the socket, member 26 is formed with a rearwardly and downwardly inclined camming face 3| the purpose of which will later be described.

Integral with upper socket member 26 is an upstanding lug 32 connected by a tension spring 33 to the reflector or some other stationary part on body I|, by which upper socket member 26 is normally urged counterclockwise in Figure 2 to socket closed position, the limit of movement being determined by engagement of inclined faces 21 and 29. Any other stop engagement between the socket members may be employed as desired.

Preferably socket member 26 is semi-cylindrical as illustrated in Figure 1 and, when it is in the fully closed position of Figure 2, the curvature of its cylinder substantially conforms to the base of the lamp to be thrust therein, and it is coaxial with the axis of the socket which is substantially horizontal and coincident with the axis of the reflector.

An integral arm 36 extends rearwardly from yupper socket member 26 to enter a slot 31 in a plunger 38 that otherwise projects slidably through an aperture in the top of body I I. When the plunger 38, which is effectively supported by the arm 36, is depressed by downward movement thereof into the body, the entire upper socket member 26 is rocked clockwise about pivot 24 against the force of spring 33 to uncover the front end of recess 28 that is otherwise closed by surface 29 when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2. The purpose of this operation will later be described.

The socket members 2| and 26 are metal and the socket comprises one terminal of the electrical circuit which coacts with the prongs and shell of the bayonet base of the lamp. Depending flange 22 is connected electrically to the battery circuit by a metal strip 40 that is clamped between the back of ange 22 and body by a screw I and extends through opening I3 and downwardly through a hole 4| in shelf IB to the under side of shelf, I8 where it is bent to provide a horizontally extending portion 42 illustrated in Figure 3. A ledge 50 integral with the underside of shelf I8 prevents contact of strip portion 42 with spring 54. Strip portion 42 is in turn bent downwardly to lie within a longitudinal shallow side wall recess 43 that extends the length of body I I as illustrated in Figure l. This downwardly extending strip portion 44 is connected by a rivet 45 to a terminal pin 46 that extends through an elongated integral side boss 41 in body II and has a projecting pronged end 4B adapted to enter a socket in the camera. Also projecting through boss 41 is a second terminal pin 49 having a pronged end 5| adapted to enter a socket in the camera and having at its rear end a rivet 52 by which it is connected to a downwardly extending metal conductor strip 53 that lies in recess 43 and extends to the bottom of the body where it is bent outwardly and upwardly into a suitable recess in the threaded lower end of tube II to conductively engage the metal cover I2 to complete the electrical circuit between the conductor strip 53 and the metal spring I9 contacting the bottom terminal of lower battery I6 as illustrated in Figure 5.

The center contact of upper battery I6 is pressed by spring I9 against the head of terminal screw I1, which also secures upon the under side of shelf IB a strip of flexible spring metal 54 that is bent upwardly through a rearwardly open groove 55 in the back of shelf I8 to thereby prevent rocking movement of spring strip 54 and to locate its upwardly and forwardly projecting contact portion 56 within the shell and out of contact with the shell members in position to be engaged by the center contact on the base of bulb which is pushed into the socket. As illustrated in Figure 2, the upwardly and forwardly inclined end of spring 54 which is to be engaged by the center terminal of the bulb base extends forwardly at least as far as recess 28 so as to insure that when the bulb .base is thrust axially into the socket spring 54 will be compressed and energized. The dimensions are such that while electrical contact is thereby effected and spring 54 is cocked or compressed there is no tendency for the center contact 56 to touch the shell walls and thus short circuit the batteries.

The prongs 48 and 5| are adapted to fit into corresponding sockets in the camera and contacts associated with the shutter blade trip mechanism are employed to close the circuit.

Starting with the socket empty, a bulb having opposite bayonet projections is pressed into the open end of the socket. The lower member 2| of the socket is stationary, but engagement of the bayonet pins with the cam faces 3| pivots the upper member 26 of the socket about the pivots 24 against the tension of spring 33 until the pins have passed into the uncovered recesses 28. At that time the socket is reclosed by the action of tensioned spring 33, and the front ends of recesses 28 are closed by the inclined surfaces 29 on the upper shell member. The spring 54, which was compressed by this action of pushing the bulb into the socket, exerts a constant axial pressure on the bulb, in addition to providing electrical contact therewith, which pressure urges the bayonet pins against face 29. The springs 33 and 54 are of such relative strength in association with the leverage exerted by the spring 33 that this axial pressure of spring 54 is not sufficient to rock the upper shell member and the pins are held within recess 28 in tight contact with the shell. Since faces 21 and 29 are of the same inclination with respect to the axis of the socket, they form coacting stop faces that accurately locate the bulb in the socket.

After the shutter has been actuated to make an exposure, thereby completing the circuit which is otherwise partially completed by the insertion of the bulb into the socket, and firing the bulb, the operator may eject the hot bulb merely by pressing downwardly on plunger 38 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2. This uncovers the front end of recesses 28 by rocking the shell member 26 clockwise and permits the compressed spring 54 to throw the bulb outwardly of the socket clear of the reflector. Since the plunger is usually pushed down rather quickly, the energy of the spring 54 is released rather suddenly which means that the force of ejection of the bulb is adequate to snap it clear of the camera and this is a desirable feature.

Figure 6 illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein the socket shell is constructed almost exactly as in Figure 2, except that the lower portion of face 29 is reversed and inclined downwardly and rearwardly at 51, and lugs 58 at the intersection of faces 3| and 51 comprise the stops that engage the lower socket member to correctly locate upper socket member 26 in this embodiment.

In this embodiment the bulb is thrust axially into the socket as above and similarly gripped and held there with the prongs in recesses 28 and spring 54 cocked. After the bulb has been fired depression of plunger 38 uncovers recesses 28 as before to permit spring ejection of the bulb. In this embodiment during clockwise rotation of shell member 26 about pivot 24, face 5l in contact with the bayonet pins 30 exerts a push to the right in Figure 6 which displaces pins 30 to the back of recesses 28 and thus tends to additionally load the already Vcompressed spring 54 just prior to the ejector action. This added loading takes up any looseness or play that may be present and increases the suliciency of ejection.

Referring to Figure 7, the socket mounting and electrical connections are slightly dilerent. Here the upper center contact of top battery I6 engages a spring finger 69 that is secured to the front end of an integral shelf 6l projecting forwardly from the rear Wall of tubular body Il, as by a set screw 62. The upper end of spring nger 60 is bent along the top surface of shelf 6| and then reversely bent to provide an inclined bulb center contact engaging portion 63 within the shell. This provides an ejector spring anchored at one end on shelf 6 I.

Electrical contact between the lower shell member 2l' and strip 44 is here provided by bending strip 44 at right angles after it passes above the level of shelf 6 I, to provide a forwardly extending portion 64 which terminates in a tab 65 bent around the front edge of socket member 2| and secured thereto as by a rivet 66.

In this embodiment face 29 is omitted, the stops 5B properly locating the socket parts in closed position as in Figure 6. When the socket is closed, as in Figure 7, the ejector spring 63 urges the pins 3i) toward the face 51, and clockwise rocking movement of shell member 26 is prevented by the fact that the thrust of spring 63 is substantially axial and since spring 33 opposes this movement. During the ejector action, face El acts to additionally load spring 63 as in Figure 6.

The invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and al1 changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. In an ejector socket assembly, two socket shell members pivotally connected for relative movement about an axis transversely of said socket, one of said shell members having recesses forwardly open to receive the usual bayonet pins of a small ash lamp bulb and the other having forwardly disposed inclined cam faces adjacent the recesses and adapted to be simultaneously engaged by the pins of a bayonet base bulb thrust into the socket to relatively pivot said shell members and open the normally closed socket and permit entry of the pins into said recesses, a spring energized by said relative pivotal movement of said shell members for automatically reclosing the socket when the pins are in said recesses, center contact resilient means engaged and energized by said axial thrust of the bulb into said socket, and manual operable means for positively relatively pivoting said shell members to -6 permit said energized resilient means to eject the bulb from said socket.

2. In a lamp ejector socket assembly, a socket having a stationary member and a pivotally connected member spring biased toward closed socket position, the axis of said pivot being transverse of said socket, a cam surface on said pivoted member adapted to be engaged by projections on the base of the lamp for rocking said pivoted member to open the socket to admit said projections into a recess therein, the socket then reclosing under spring action to retain the lamp in the socket, and av spring engaging the central contact of the lamp compressed by axial insertion of the lamp for Amaintaining said bulb tight in said socket.

3. In the assembly dei-ined in claim 2, manual means actuated by the operator for rocking said pivoted member for releasing the lamp base to permit said compressed spring to eject the lamp from the assembly.

4. In a flashlamp ejector device, a socket assembly comprising shell members connected for relative pivotal movement abo-ut an axis transversely of said socket, a spring biasing said members to closed position, a center contact spring projecting within the socket but out of contact with said members, and a cam surface on one of said members adapted to be engaged by projections on the base of a lamp thrust axially into said socket for relatively pivoting said shell members to receive the lamp base into the socket, said center contact spring being compressed during insertion of the lamp base.

5. In the device dened in claim 4, one of said shell members being formed with forwardly open recess means for receiving said projections, and the other of said shell members having means closing said recess means in the closed position of the socket.

6. In the device defined in claim 4, coacting stops on said shell members determining the normal closed socket position.

7. In the device dened in claim 4, an arm projecting from one of said shell members and a manual operating member connected to said arm for effecting relative pivotal movement of said. shell members.

8. In a flash lamp ejector socket for receiving a lamp base having projecting pins, two transversely pivotally connected socket shell members one of which is formed with forwardly open aligned recesses, and the other of which has portions opposite the open ends of said recesses, a cam surface on one of said shell members adapted to be contacted by said pins for relatively pivoting said socket members to uncover said recesses to receive said pins when the lamp base is thrust axially into said socket, a contact and ejector spring adapted to be engaged and compressed by the lamp base in said socket, a socket biasing spring for reclosing said socket manual means for relatively pivoting said shell members, and cam means on one of said socket members adapted to urge said pins rearwardly into said recesses during said relative pivotal motion of the socket shell member to further load said ejector spring.

9. In an ejector socket assembly, two transversely pivoted shell members, one having recesses open to receive the usual bayonet pins of a small flash lamp bulb and the other having inclined cam faces opposite the open sides of said recesses, and an ejector spring loaded and in contact with the center base terminal of a bulb in said socket, said spring urging said pins forwardly against said cam faces, and said cam faces acting when said shell members are relatively pivoted to release the pins to first urge said pins rearwardly in said recesses to additionally load said spring prior to bulb ejection.

10. In an ejector socket assembly, a socket having relatively movable members to receive and grip in electrical contact therewith a lamp base thrust axially thereinto, a spring adapted to be i0 engaged and compressed by said lamp base and expanding to eject the lamp from the socket upon release from said gripping means, means operative upon said socket for releasing said base for ejection by said spring, and means on at least one of said socket members actuated by said releasing means for additionally compressing said spring just prior to release of said lamp base.

LEONARD A. WILKINSON.

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

Images