US2982936A

US2982936A - Flash bulb socket

Info

Publication number: US2982936A
Application number: US756481A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Robert L Pennock; Harold A Smith
Original assignee: Honeywell Inc
Current assignee: Honeywell Inc; Rollei of America Inc
Priority date: 1958-08-21
Filing date: 1958-08-21
Publication date: 1961-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1978-05-02

Description

May 2, 19 1 R. L. PENNOCK, JR, ETAL 2,932,93

. FLASH BULB SOCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 21 1958 INVENTORS ROBERT L. PENNOCK,JR.

HAROLD A. SMITH ATTORNEY M 2 1961 R. L. PENNOCK, JR., ErAL 2,932,936

' FLASH BULB SOCKET I Filed Aug. 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ROBERT L.PENNOCK,JR.

HAROLD A. SMITH A T TOR/IE Y Patented May 2, 1 961 FLASH BULB SOCKET Robert L. Pennock, Jr., and Harold 'A. Smith, Denver, 0010., assignors to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 756,481

2 Claims. (Cl. 339-33) This invention is concerned with an improved flash bulb socket and specifically with an improved flash bulb socket adapted to receive either a large or a small base flash bulb wherein it is unnecessary to provide an adapter to accommodate the small base flash bulb.

The large and small base flash bulbs are normally referred to as the bayonet base and the M2 base bulb respectively. The present invention provides an improved flash bulb socket which receives either the bayonet or the M2 base flash bulb without the use of a special adapter. Furthermore, this is accomplished without the use of a structure which must be adjusted or modified before inserting the M2 base flash bulb. In other words, the improved flash bulb socket of the present invention is operative at all times to receive either the bayonetor the M2 flash bulb and no adjustments need be made before inserting one or the other ofthese bulbs.

Specifically, the present invention provides an improved flash bulb socket wherein a stationary bayonet base socket is provided having a moveable M2 base socket positioned within the bayonet base socket and biased to a forward position by means of a first spring. An electrical-contact rod extends through an opening in the M2 base socket and is biased to a forward position by a second spring to make electrical contact with the base contact of either the bayonet or M2 base flash bulb. Furthermore, the electrical contact rod extends out of an opening in a housing when a bulb is in position in the socket. The bulb may then be ejected by pushing on the portion of the contact rod extending out of the housing.

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following specification, claims, and drawing of which:

Figure l is a side view of the flash bulb socket of this invention, showing portions of the apparatus in section,

Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus of Figure 1, Figure 3'is a side view similar to Figure 1 having a bayonet base flash bulb in position in the socket, and Figure 4 is a side view similar to Figure 1 having an M-Z flash bulb in position in thesocket;

Referring to Figure 1, this figure-shows a side view 'of a portion of the photographic flash gun incorporating the improved flash bulb socket of the present invention.

The reference numeral designates a housing assem bly, preferably formed of a non-conducting material such V flash bulb is positioned. The member 10 is mounted on a handle assembly 13, only a portion of which'is shown in Figure 1. This handle assembly '13 contains the tified by the reference numeral 15. This member14 is rigidly attached to the member 10 and is arranged to support an adjustable reflector, not shown. The adjustable reflector contains a tightening means which en- 7 v gages groove 15 in member 14-and can be moved along this groove to focus the flash gun.

The reference numeral 16 identifies a first socketmemher which is also constructed of metal and is rigidly attached to the member 14. This socket member 16 is of a tubular shape and has an opening 17 which is adapted to receive thebase of a bayonet base flash bulb. The

opening 17 is defined by a reduced diameter portion formed of a plurality of resilient fingers 18 which resiliently hold and make electrical contact to the base of the bayonet base flash bulb. The resilient fingers 18 can be seen more clearly in the front view of Figure 2 and the 7 socket in Figure 3.

source of voltage, not shown, for energizing the flash bulb and is preferably constructed ofa metal tomake elcctrical contact with one terminal of the source of voltage. The opening 11 in housing 10 receives a metallic member 14 which ispro'vided witha recessed portion iden- From these figures itcan'beseen that when the flash-bu of the openingr 12 pro'videdjin housing 1 0. 'll l erefol',e

The first socket member 16 has a second socket member 20 mounted therein. This second socket member 20 is provided with anaxial opening, and this opening is provided with a larger diameter at the left hand end thereof, this providing a socket opening 21 to receive the base of the M2 base flash bulb. The base of the flash bulb is engaged by a resilient spring 22 which extends into the opening 21 and engages the base of the M2 base flash bulb 23 as shown in Figure 4. The socket 20 and spring 22 are preferably constructed of metal.

The second socket member 20 is positioned within the housing 10, and specifically within the first socket member 16, by means of a spring 25 which engages an angular shoulder '26 formed in the second socket member 20. The right-hand end of spring ZS-engages a further stop member 27 which is rigidly fixed into position with re-- spect to the housing 10 and, as with housing 10, member 27 is constructed of an insulating material. Therefore, spring 25 is effective. to bias the second socket member 20 to a forward position wherein a shoulder 46 of socket 20 engages for reduced angular portion '18. of socket 16, thereby bringing the M2 opening 21 into alignment with the bayonet base opening 17.

The reference numeral 29 identifies a contact rod assembly which is provided with a metallic contact tip 30 at the left-hand end thereof. This contact tip 30 extends through an insulating bushing 31 provided with,

a shoulder 47 which engages the second socket member 20. As shown in Figure 1, the metallic contact tip 30 extends through the bushing 31 and is attached to auxincontact tip 30. The spring 33 likewise engages a metallic insert 35 which is positioned within member 27 and V: makes contact to a bolt 36,'this bolt formingthe second terminal to which the voltage supply means may be connected.

Therefore, the electrical circuit for the apparatus shown. 7 in Figure 1 extends from handle member 13 to a metala lic clip 37 ,by a circuit means, not shown, and from clip. 37 to member 14, to the first or second socket members i l 16 and 20, respectively. From this point the circuit extendsthrough the flash bulb to the contact tip 30, spring 33, member 35, and bolt 36' to theother'terminal of I j the source of voltage.

The improved

flash bulb bulbs

19 and 23, respectively,lare insertedin positionf is in position, the contact rod assembly 29 is moved .to; the right such that the portion 32 thereof extends out' Sakai. shown in Figures 3 l V and 4 wherein the bayonet base and the M2; base flash:

flash bulbs may be ejected from the socket by movement of the rod assembly 29 to the left, thereby forcing the flash bulb out of the socket.

From theabove description, it can be seen that we have provided a novel dual flash bulb socket which can be used with either a bayonet base flash bulb or a small M2 base flash bulb. Other modifications of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is intended that the scope of the present invention be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

'1. In a flash bulb holding assembly, a first tubular metallic member having an end portion with a reduced diameter opening formed of resilient fingers adapted to resiliently hold and electrically engage the bayonet portion of a bayonet base flash bulb, a second tubular metallic socket member movably mounted within said first socket member and having an opening extending therethrough, said opening being adapted to receive the base of a small base flash bulb, resilient spring means mounted on said second socket member adapted to engage and resiliently hold the base of a small base flash bulb, a stop member formed of insulating material and provided with a conductive portion, a first metallic coil spring mounted to engage said second socket member and to engage said stop member to thereby bias said second socket member into engagement with the reduced diameter portion of said first socket member, to thereby bring said one end of said second socket member in alignment with the reduced diameter opening of said first socket member, and to establish electrical contact between said first and second socket members, an elongated metallic rod movably mounted within said first socket member and extending through the opening provided within said second socket member, said rod having an insulating portion to insulate said rod from said second socket member, said insulating portion having a shoulder, a second metallic coil spring mounted to engage said conductive portion of said stop member and to engage said rod to electrically connect said conductive portion to said rod and to bias said shoulder to engage said second socket member such that a contact end of said rod is positioned in alignment with the large diameter opening in said second socket and the reduced diameter opening of said first socket member to thereby make electrical contact to the base terminal of the flash bulb inserted in said first or second socket members, eject means including said rod operable to eject bulbs from said first and second socket members, and means adapted to be connected to a source of voltage connected to said first tubular socket member and to said conductive portion of said stop member. 1 7 Q 2. In a flash bulb holding assembly, a first tubular metallic member having an end portion with a reduced diameter opening formed of resilient fingers adapted to resiliently hold and electrically engage the bayonet portion of a bayonet base flash bulb, a second tubular metallic socket member movably mounted within said first socket member and having an opening extending therethrough, said opening being adapted to receive the base of a small base flash bulb, resilient spring means mounted on said second socket member adapted to engage and resiliently hold the base of a small base flash bulb, a stop member formed of insulating material and provided with an opening extending therethrough, a hollow metallic insert mounted within the opening in said stop member, a first metallic coil spring mounted to engage a shoulder on said second socket member and to engage said stop member to thereby bias said second socket member into engagement with the reduced diameter portion of said first socket member, to thereby bring said one end of said second socket member in alignment with the reduced diameter. opening of said first socket mem' her, and to establish electrical contact between said first and second socket members, an elongated metallic rod movably mounted within said first socket member and extending through the opening provided within said second socket member and the opening provided in said stop member, an insulating sleeve mounted on said rod and insulating said rod from said second socket member, ,a shoulder formed on said sleeve, a second metallic coil spring mounted to engage said metallic insert and to engage said insulating sleeve and said rod to electrically connect said metallic insert to said rod and to bias said shoulder to engage said second socket member such that a contact end of said rod is positioned in alignment with the large diameter opening in said second socket and the reduced diameter opening of said first socket member to thereby make electrical contact to the base terminal of the flash bulb inserted in said first or second socket members, eject means including an extension of said rod operable to eject bulbs from said first and second socket members, and means adapted to be connected to a source of voltage connected to said first tubular socket member and to said metallic insert.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,343,552 Hollister Mar. 7, 1944 2,565,492 French Aug. 28, 1951 2,712,117 Stinson June 28, 1955 2,848,701 McKee et al Aug. 19, 1958 2,920,301 Kawate Jan. 5, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 931,147 Germany Aug. 1, 1955