US2791677A

US2791677A - Glove compartment lamp mounting and switch

Info

Publication number: US2791677A
Application number: US401903A
Authority: US
Inventors: William E Brown
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1954-01-04
Filing date: 1954-01-04
Publication date: 1957-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 1974-05-07
Also published as: DE1010135B

Description

y 7, 1957 w. E. BROWN v 2,791,677

GLOVE COMPARTMENT LAMP MOUNTING AND SWITCH Filed Jan. 4, 1954 III,

F /'g. 7 JNVENTOR. f 35 3327 50 W////am E. Brown Afforney United States Patent GLOVE COMPARTMENT LAMP MOUNTING AND SWITCH William E. Brown, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application January 4, 1954, Serial No. 401,903 1 Claim. (Cl. 240-71) This invention relates to improvements in switch and lamp units and more particularly to combination switch and lamp units adapted to be controlled by a door.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple, strong and durable resilient mounting for the lamp socket for a lamp which permits it to move forward with the plunger when the door is slammed shut, and act as a shock absorber to protect the lamp filament from breaking due to slamming the door.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined shock absorbing lamp socket and cutoff switch therefor for use with door structures wherein the shock absorbing qualities of the device prevent damage to the lamp when the door is clammed shut and wherein the switch portion is effective to open circuit the lamp in either open or closed position of the door as desired.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front wall of the switch and lamp unit embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view, on an enlarged scale, showing the switch in cross section in an open position and a door in cross section in a closed position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the switch in its closed position wherein the door is shown in open position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of a socket sleeve.

In the drawing, the numeral 20 is used to designate a switch and lamp unit adapted to be mounted in a glove compartment of an automobile. The unit may comprise a metal housing 21 having a front wall 22 and a rear wall 23. The front wall 22 is formed with a biasing collar or flange 26. The rear wall has an opening 27 through which passes a metal shell or sleeve 28. The sleeve is provided with a collar or flange which may be formed by longitudinally extending tangs 29 which are bent outwardly. The opposite end of the sleeve also has a collar or tangs 30 which are bent outwardly after the sleeve is passed through the opening 27 to hold the sleeve in assembled relation with the wall 23. The shell or sleeve 28 has a pair of bayonet slots 31 in which may be received the bayonet pins 32 on a contact carrier 33. The contact carrier is in the nature of a lamp 34. The lamp is illustrated as being a single pole variety, one terminal of the filament 35 being grounded to the lamp sheath 36 While the other terminal 37 is centrally disposed. These metallic pins 32 are secured directly to the sheath and are adapted for the reception within the bayonet slots provided on the opposite sides of the sleeve. The sleeve constitutes a socket within which the lamp may be turned to mount or dismount the lamp. When the lamp is mounted in position within the slots, the lamp will move with the sleeve.

2,791,677 Patented May 7, 1957 A coiled spring 40, surrounds the sleeve and has one end bearing against the inside surface of the wall 23. The other end of the spring bears against the bent tangs 29 that afford a seat for the spring which is grounded to the housing 21. This spring, as viewed in Fig. 2, urges the sleeve to the right.

A switch unit 42 for controlling the current to the lamp is located within the housing 21. The switch unit 42, shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and 4, includes a plate or support 43 of insulating material. The plate has an opening 44 therethrough which receives a stationary contact element 45. The plate also has a tongue 46 thereon which extends through an opening in wall 25. The stationary contact element 45 has a wire attaching clip 47 and a disc portion 48 adapted to engage the one face of the plate 43 adjacent the wall 22. The element 45 is arranged to pass through the aperture of the plate 43 and be riveted over against-the other side of the plate 43. A lead wire 49 is attached to the clip 47.

The stationary contact element 45 slidably supports a hollow plunger 50 of insulating material. The plunger includes a reduced portion 51 which forms a shoulder 52 with the remainder thereof. The reduced portion 51 is slidably mounted in the stationary contact element 45 and the shoulder 52 limits the movement of the plunger in one direction. The plunger is counterbored to form an internal shoulder 53. The small diameter of the counterbore receives a hollow contact sleeve 55 having a flange 56 engaging the end of the reduced portion 51 and the flange extends beyond the periphery of the reduced portion so as to make contact engagement with the stationary contact element 45. The other end of the contact sleeve 55 is riveted over the internal shoulder 53 of the counterbore to maintain the contact in assembled relation with the plunger 50. When the plunger 50 moves the contact sleeve 55 engages the stationary contact element 45.

A conducting rod 60 is slidably mounted within the contact sleeve 55 and includes a head 61 which engages the central terminal 37 of the lamp 34. The rod 60 projects beyond the riveted over portion of the contact sleeve 55 and is, in this instance, flared as at 63 to limit the movement of the rod to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 when the lamp 34 is removed from the sleeve 28. A spring 65 is disposed between the head 61 and the flange 56 of the contact sleeve 55. The spring 65 is under compression when the lamp is positioned in the sleeve 28 and operates to urge the plunger 50 in one direction and the rod 66 in the opposite direction so that the contact head 61 will engage the terminal 37 of the lamp. The spring also conducts current from the contact sleeve 55 to the head 61 in case the rod does not make positive contact with the tubular portion of the contact sleeve 55.

As clearly seen in the drawings, the support plate 43 is positioned in the housing 21 by providing the bottom wall 25 with an opening to receive the tongue 46. The side walls 24 which are suitably attached to the remainder of the housing 21 have flanges 70 thereon which extend as shown in Fig. 1. The side walls also are provided with extending tangs 72 which are bent over support plate 43 as shown in Fig. l to maintain the tongue 46 in the opening in wall 25. The flanges 70 may include apertures for facilitating the mounting of the unit to a wall. It is to be understood that the housing 20 is to be supported and held within a compartment, such as a glove compartment, so that the plunger 60 will be actuated by the opening or closure of door 75 for the compartment. A fragment of the door 75 is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 4 differs from the above described embodiment only in the sleeve 128. The sleeve 128 in this instance has bowed fingers 76 which yield when the sleeve is formed through the opening 27.

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While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows: I v A W V A combination lamp socket and switch, comprising; a frame having a pair of spaced apertured walls, a tubular light socket loosely received in the aperture in one of said walls, outwardly turned tangs on one end ofrsaid tubular socket for limiting movement of said tubular socket in one direction in said aperture, a plurality of radially spaced fingers spaced from said tangs and disposed on the other end of said socket, said fingers being resilient and outwardly bowed to permit the socket to be inserted into said aperture and arranged to engage said one wan to limit the movement of said socket in said aperture in the opposite direction after said socket is received in said aperture, a spring surrounding a portion of said socket and acting between said tangs and the wall (if-said frame to normally resiliently maintain said fingers in engagement with said one wall, and a switch means carried by the other wall of said frame in axial alignment with said socket, said switch means including; an actuating member freely movable within limits in the aperture in said other wall, a movable contact member carried by said actuating member in engagement with a fixed contact when said actuator is at one of its limits of movement, a conducting plunger concentrically carried by said actuating member, a second spring acting between said plunger and said actuating member and normally urging said members apart and said actuating member to said one limit of movement, said plunger being adapted to bear against one terminal of a lamp when said lamp is held by said socket, and an external means for moving said actuating member and socket relative to said frame and said movable contact member out of engagement with said fixed contact, said means being operative through both of said springs whereby any shock transmitted to said actuating member by said external means is insulated from the lamp as carried by said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,669,314 Vreeland May 8, 1928 2,271,910 Bluemle Feb. 3, 1942 2,317,100 Hall et a1. Apr. 20, 1943