US2638810A

US2638810A - Door peep observation device

Info

Publication number: US2638810A
Application number: US227997A
Authority: US
Inventors: George H Berleme
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-05-24
Filing date: 1951-05-24
Publication date: 1953-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 1970-05-19

Description

y 9, 1953 G. H. BERLEME 2,638,810

DOOR PEEP OBSERVATION DEVICE Filed May 24, I951 T i E IN VEN TOR.

GEORGE HOEPFNER BERLEME A T TORNEYS Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE DOOR PEEP OBSERVATION DEVICE George-H. Berleme, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May'24, 1951, Serial No. 227,997

1 Claim. I

This invention relates to observation devices andhas particular relation toan observation device adapted for installation in a circular'door hole; Devices of the presenttvpe aregenerally termedas peep holes'in the art.

Prior devices adapted for observation through a door hole have the disadvantage that they are not readily assembled and may not be telescopio'ally assembled" in accurate alignment and in substantially perfect telescopic relationship. The prior art devices of this general type also have the disadvantage that they maybe disassembled from either the outside or the inside.

Accordingly; it is an object of the present in vention to provide an observation device which may be mounted in asimple circular opening in any door to permit inspection by a person on the interior side' of the door' of persons desiring to enter or attempting to enter the door before it" is-openedi Another object of the invention is to provide anobservation device for inspection purposes which provides an unusually wide angl'e lens systern: comprising alarge concave negative lensmatched with a convex positive lens or eye piece lens; so that-the entireo'ody of. the person or persons seeking-entrance may bevi'ewed even though such person orperscns are standing in'olose proximity'tdthe door or'to the'l'efthand or'right hand side of 'the device; or below'thedevice.

Another object of the invention is to provide an observation devicethrough which an observer can view only from the inside looking out and which is essentially and exceptionally simple toinstall} in. any normal wood or metal door and whi hen installs-d can be simple and securely lo rplace and cannot be removed or tampered v i h from the outside; and which can be removed from the door only the use of a special a key"- provided with the device which must be applied to the device on the inside of the door in order to permit removal of the device from the door.

Another object of the inventionis to provide an observation device which will permit simple and ready telescopic assembly so that the device" may be installedproperly by any normal person without the aid of skilled workmen.

These and other objects of the invention will be understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawing.

The present invention generally comprises an observation device adapted for installation in a door hole comprising a tube of substantially'door hole diameter and having a rim-like facing at one end, the inner and outer diameters'oiisaid facing being respectively smaller and larger than the respective inner and outer diameters of said tube to-provideinner and outer shoulders therefor, a concave wide-angle negative lens with its major diameter substantially that of the inside oi the tube and positioned in the faced end of'ther tube with the flat face of the lens seated against said inner shoulder, a thin-walled liner in the tube having one end in edge abutting relation with the lens, an end plate mounted in the other end of said tube, said" end plate having a peri'pheral: shoulder at its inner edge in abutment with:

i the other end of said liner; an" inner circumfer enti'al groove in said other end of said" tube adjacent said end plate, a spring ring positioned in' saidv groove and abutting against said end plate shoulder for locking said end plate against the said other end of the liner, an axial borehole in said end plate; an inwardly extending flange portion depending from the outer end of said here hole; an inner circumferential groove adjacent the inner end of said bore hole, a' convex positive lens-mounted'insaidbore hole between said flange and? groove; a spring ring mounted insaid groove and locking said lens against said flange, a shutter pivotally mounted on the outer face of said end; plate and: adapted to cover saidbore hole, and a locking collar encircling the other end of the tube, irhereby the observation device may be locked inthe door hole by theclamping engagement of the outer and inner door sides between the outer facing shoulder of the tube and the tube locking collar.

In one embodiment the liner in the tubeis jammedbetween the inner wall of the tube and the small end of the tapered lens. In a preferred embodiment the tube is of metal and the tube liner preferably comprises a paper construction, as of solid kraft paper tubing which is forced intothe cylinder until its fits tightly and slightly overlaps the tapered end of the lens thereby only holding the lens in place. It is also contemplated that the liner may be of side of the door.

molded plastic material or metal. Additionally, in a preferred construction a radially positioned set screw is provided in the locking collar whereby the assembled observation device may be locked in the door hole and may not be removed without a special key, as of the Phillips type, adapted to fit the concealed set screw.

Thus the invention consists in the novel and simple arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed, and referring now to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of an observation device embodying the present invention and shown in assembled position;

Fig. 2 is an exploded sectional view of the device as shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a special key adapted to fit the head of the set screw shown I in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring now to the drawings, I is a cylindrical metal housing provided with a facing flange I having an outer rounded face I2. The housing is preferably die cast in one piece and is provided with a sharpened outer flange edge l3 in order to provide tight contact with the outer surface of the door (not shown) in which it is installed. The housing is also provided with an inner flange edge l4 adapted to retain a concave wide-angle negative lens |5 in the tube opening.

The negative lens I5 is provided with a tapered edge I6 and is positioned in the housing Iu'withits larger diameter face IT in abutment with the inner flange portion I5 of the housing. A tube liner 20, as of solid kraft paper, is adapted to be snugly fitted into the housing and extend from about the inner flange I4 at the front of the housing to the inner edge of the flange 3| of the eye piece holder 30. By the use of a resilient liner 20, the leading edge portion thereof may be pressed into the wedge-shaped annular area defined by the tapered edge I6 of the negative lens and the inner wall of the housing I0, as shown at 2|. This construction provides a tight fit for the negative lens l5 which is relatively tamper proof and water proof.

A lens holder or end plate 30, having an outwardly extending annular flange 3| at its inner peripheral edge and an axial bore hole 32, is provided to be snugly fitted in the other end of the housing. The inner wall of the housing is provided adjacent said other end with an annular groove 34 adapted to receive a spring ring 35 for retaining the eye piece holder 3|! in place in the housing II] in abutment against the end of the tube liner 20. Likewise, a circular cutout portion 33 in the lens holder 30 is provided with an annular groove 35 adapted to receive a spring ring 31 for holding the eye piece lens 40 in position against a flange portion 38 adjacent the outer side of the lens holder.

A retaining ring 5|! is adapted to be slidably fitted over the outside of the main cylindrical housing I (I on the inside position of the door after the cylinder has been placed through a hole in the door from the outside. The sliding retaining ring 50 is moved along the end of the cylinder until the ring establishes contact with the inner surface of the door. To this end, the retaining ring 50 is provided with a flat flange portion 5| adapted to fit snugly against the inner Preferably, the retaining ring 53 is provided with an outer surface of generally curved character as indicated at 52. It will be apparent that the retaining ring may be mounted, as by screw threading or bayonet locking, onto the retaining ring II]. In the form shown, the retaining ring 50 is securely locked in place by means of a set screw 60 mounted in a radial hole 6| on the perimeter of the retaining ring 50 so that when the set screw is screwed inwardly, it tightens against the cylinder wallof the main housing 50, as at 62, to prevent movement of the ring. A set screw 80 (Figure 3) is provided with a special configuration as at 82. The head 63 of the set screw is provided with agspecial configuration so as to form a female mating member with the head of the set screw shown in Fig. 3. Additionally, in a preferred form, the eye piece holder 30 carries a shutter 65 which is rotatably mounted on a retaining pin 86, the pin being positioned in a bore hole 61 in the eye pieceholder, 30 so that the shutter 65 is free to fall in place by gravity and cover the lens Ml thereby preventing any possibility of light rays passing through the observation device when the shutter is in the normal closed position.

In assembling the device, the negative lens element I5 is first positioned in the main housing Ill with its larger side edge in abutment against the inner flange portion I4 of the housing. Thereafter, the resilient tube liner 20 is inserted in the housing and is pressed inwardly, preferably to fill the space between the negative lens tapered edge I6, as shown by the reference character 2 I. The eye piece lens element 40 is placed in the opening 33 in the lens holder against the flange 38 and the spring ring 31 is positioned in the circular groove 36, whereby the eye piece lens II! may be secured in place by the spring rmg.

Thereafter the lens holder 3|! is inserted in the housing with the annular flange 3| pressing against the tube liner 20 and the spring ring 34 is positioned in the annular groove 35 in the housing to further tighten the negative lens I5 in position. Thereafter, the retaining ring 50 is mounted on the housing and positioned inwardly against the inner side of the door so that the flange 5| of the sliding retaining ring fits snugly against the inner door face. The set screw 63 is then tightened by means of the key shown in Fig. 3, so that the set screw bears against the outer wall of the housing as shown at 62.

In a preferred form, the housing, the eye piece holder, and the retaining ring are all made of metal or of brass although it will be understood that other materials such as hard thermosetting type plastics may be used. In one embodiment, the present invention was constructed with the housing die cast in one piece being 1% inches outside diameter and. two inches in overall length, the flange front being two inches in diameter. The negative lens was constructed with 11% inch in its major diameter tapering to '1 inch in its inner and minor diameter and being inch thick at its outer edge. The eye piece holder was fashioned 11% inches in diameter and inch in thickness, the eye piece lens being of an inch in diameter and approximately of, an inch in thickness. The sliding retaining ring was fashioned 1%of an inch in outside diameter and 1% of an inch thick so as to fit over the inner portion of the main cylindrical housing after the cylinder has been placed through a hole in the door.

It will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the present invention without departing therefrom, and while the invention has been shown in a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is intended to include all such facing being respectively smaller and larger than the respective inner and outer diameters of said tube to provide inner and outer shoulders therefor, a concave wide-angle negative lens with its major diameter substantially that of the inside of the tube and positioned in the faced end of the tube with the flat face of the lens seated against said inner shoulder, a thin-walled liner in the tube having one end in edge abutting relation with the lens, an end plate mounted in the other end of said tube, said end plate having a peripheral shoulder at its inner edge in abutment with the other end of said liner, an inner circumferential groove in said other end of said tube adjacent said end plate, a spring ring positioned in said groove and abutting against said end plate shoulder for locking said end plate against the said other end of the liner, an axial bore hole in said end plate, an inwardly extending flange portion depending from the outer end of said bore hole, an inner circumferential groove adjacent the inner end of said bore hole, a con- Vex positive lens mounted in said bore hole between said flange and said groove, a spring ring mounted in said groove and locking said lens against said flange, and a locking collar encircling the other end of the tube, whereby the observation device may be locked in the door hole by the clamping engagement of the outer and inner door sides between the outer facing shoulder of the tube and the tube locking collar.

GEORGE H. BERLEME.

Referenees Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,948,588 Martin Feb. 27, 1934 2,064,963 Wheeler Dec. 22, 1936 2,229,594 Seiler Jan. 21, 1941 2,262,203 Redstone et al. Nov. 11, 1941 2,362,603 Wittel Nov. 14, 1944