US3267272A

US3267272A - Flash lamp assembly

Info

Publication number: US3267272A
Application number: US351912A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fischer Arthur
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-03-15
Filing date: 1964-03-16
Publication date: 1966-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-16
Also published as: DE1226416B

Description

Aug. 16., 1966 F R 3,267,272

FLASH LAMP ASSEMBLY Filed March 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.7

II \6 I 5 H "2m M 2 I 2,6122

Fig. 2

INVENTOR.

ARTUR FISCHER fl l/M aw/AP Aug. 16, 1966 Filed March 16, 1964 A. FISCHER FLASH LAMP ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ARTUR FISCHER i United States Patent Ofiice 3,267,272 Patented August 16, 1966 3,267,272 FLASH LAMP ASSEMBLY Artur Fischer, Krcis Freudenstadt, Tumlingen, Black Forest, Germany Filed Mar. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 351,912 (Ilaims priority, application Germany, Mar. 15, 1963, F 39,252 12 Claims. (tjl. Mil-1.3)

The present invention relates to flash lamp assemblies.

More particularly, the present invention relates to flash lamp assemblies which are adapted to carry a plurality of flash lamps so that it is possible to make a series of flash exposures one after the other in a rapid sequence.

One of the more important objects of the present in vention is to provide a flash lamp assembly which can accommodate a relatively large number of flash lamps in an extremely small space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flash lamp assembly which is of an exceedingly simple and rugged construction.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a flash lamp assembly which is capable of utilizing all of the flash lamps in any desired sequence without, however, requiring the assembly to be disconnected from a camera and remounted thereon in different positions.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a structure wherein the operator can selectively ignite the several flash lamps in any desired sequence.

With these objects in view the invention includes, in a flash lamp assembly, a wall of corrugated configuration having a pair of opposed reflecting faces and provided with recesses which alternate with each other along the opposed faces thereof as a result of the corrugated configuration of this Wall, and a plurality of lamp sockets are respectively aligned with the recesses to support a plurality of lamps, respectively, in said recesses so that each recess and the lamp therein forms a flash lamp unit, whereby in an extremely small arount of space it is possible to accommodate a relatively large number of flash lamps.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of one possible embodiment of a structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of another embodiment of a structure according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates schematically the electric means of the embodiment of FIG. 3 for selectively locating the lamps in the igniting circuit.

Referring now to the drawings, the structure illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a housing 1 which carries at its upper side a wall 2 which extends upwardly from the housing 1 and which is fixed thereto. This wall 2 has a substan tially rectangular outline, as is apparent from FIG. 1, and in addition it will be noted particularly from FIG. 2 that the wall 2 is of a corrugated configuration so as to be provided with a plurality of recesses which alternate with each other along the wall 2 from one end thereof toward the other end thereof, these recesses extending upwardly from the housing ll.

It is apparent from FIG. 2 that the corrugated configuration of the wall 2 provides it with the recesses which alternate with each other along the wall 2, and the opposed faces of the wall 2 are made of a highly reflecting construction so that each of the opposed faces of the wall 2 will have the characteristics of a reflect-or. In the particular example illustrated in the drawings the

several portions

2a, 2b, 2c, 2d of the wall 2 are flat and make right angles with each other so as to form the several recesses which alternate with each other along the wall 2 and which extend upwardly from the housing 1, as pointed out above. The wall 2 can be made of metal or plastic and is preferably of a one-piece construction, The

abutting edges

2x, 2y, 21 at the one side of the

wall

2 and 2v and 2w at the other side are located in a pair of parallel planes, although it is possible for these planes which receive the opposed sets of abutting edges between the sections of the wall 2 to be situated in planes which make a slight angle relative to each other.

Inasmuch as the opposed faces of the wall 2 are highly reflecting, each pair of portions of the wall 2, such as, for example, the portions 2a and 212 form an individual reflector, and the several recesses of these individual reflectors respectively receive the lamp sockets 3a3c which are carried by the housing l and which are arranged in such a way that the longitudinal axes of the flash lamps 4a, 4b, 4c which are received in these sockets, respectively, extend parallel to the

abutting edges

2y, 2v, 2w, between the wall sections 2a-2d.

As is apparent from FIG. 2, each of the

intermediate wall sections

2b, 2c simultaneously form parts of a pair of oppositely directed individual reflectors. For example, the wall portion 2]] serves as part of a reflector for the lamp which is received in the socket 3a as well as a part of the reflector which receives the lamp in the socket 3b.

For the purposes of the present invention it is not essential that the sections or portions of the wall 2 be flat and abut each other at intersections which extend along straight lines. It is perfectly possible in accordance with the present invention to provide the wall with a configuration which when viewed in a section similar to that of FIG. 2 will have a wavy form, which is to say instead of sharp intersections and flat walls the walls can be curved and have the configuration similar to a sine wave, for example.

In order to connect the several lamps into the igniting circuit which is not fully illustrated since it is well known, an electrical means is provided for selectively locating the lamps in any desired sequence in the igniting circuit. In the example of FIGS. 1 and 2 this electrical means includes a contact carrier 5 which can be shifted by way of a knob 6 which is accessible to the operator. The knob 6 carries an index 6a which cooperates with a stationary scale 7 for the purpose of indicating to the operator the position of the knob 6 for placing a selected lamp in the igniting circuit. The knob 6 is connected to the contact carrier 5 by way of a pin 8 which extends through the horizontal slot 9 formed in the wall of the housing 1. The contact carrier 5 serves to provide an electrical connection between a conductor 19 of the ignition circuit and one of the electrically conductive contact springs 11allc which also serve to form part of a structure releasably holding the lamps in their sockets. A plurality of electrically conductive springs Ila-12c respectively cooperate with the springs Illa-11c for releasably holding the lamps in their sockets, and these electrically conductive springs also from part of the electric circuit. The conductive springs 12al2c are connected to the conductor 13 of the ignition circuit. Thus, by shifting the knob 6 to one of the three possible positions indicated by the scale 7 the contact carrier 5 will place a selected one of the contact springs Ila-11c in electrical communication with the conductor It so that in this way when the ignition circuit is closed the selected lamp will be ignited.

In the position of the parts shown in FIG. 1 the contact carrier 5 has placed the lamp 4b in the ignition circuit.

By displacing the knob 6 in the direction of the arrow a it is possible to place, instead, the lamp 4c in the circuit, and for this purpose the contact carrier 5 will engage the contact spring 110. However, if desired the knob 6 can be shifted to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow a, and thus it is possible to place the lamp 4a in the electric circuit when the contact carrier 5 engages the springy contact 11a.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. This embodiment includes a wall 15 which is of a circular outline, and while it would appear from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 that the wall 15 might possibly have a larger size than the wall 2, the fact is that for a relatively small increase in size beyond that of the wall 2 it is possible for the wall 15 to accommodatea far greater number of lamps than the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, so that the small increase in size is very well accounted for by the great increase in the number of lamps which can be accommodated. The circular wall 15 surrounds a socket-carrying means 16 which is of circular cross section and carries a plurality of sockets for the several lamps of this embodiment. The circular wall 15 is also of a corrugated configuration and it will be noted that with this embodiment the corrugations extend radially so as to provide the wall 15 with alternating recesses on its opposite faces, these recesses extending radially from the central axis of the circular wall 15. As a result of this construction there will be provided around the wall 15 at its opposed faces, which are highly reflecting, a considerable number of recesses and in the illustrated example there are four radial recesses at each of hte opposed faces displaced with respect to each other by 90 with the four radial recesses at one face angularly offset by 45 with respect to the radial recesses at the other of the faces of the Wall 15. It is possible to accommodate in the sockets carried by the support 16 at the side of the wall 15 which is directed toward the viewer of FIG. 3 the four lamps 17a-17d, while in the sockets carried by the support 16 at the other side of the wall 15 in respect to alignment with the recesses at this other side thereof it is possible to accommodate the lamps 17e-17h, so that for the relatively small increase in the size of the Wall 15 as com pared to the size of the wall 2 it becomes possible to accommodate eight lamps whereas the construction of FIGS. 1 and 2 can accommodate but three lamps. The several recesses respectively form with the lamps therein a plurality of flash units with the surface of each recess forming a reflector for the lamp located therein. This surface of each recess is of course composed of a pair of surface portions, and it will be seen, for example, that the surface portions 15a and 151) form together a reflector for the lamp 17a. Moreover, it is apparent that the

intersections

15x, 15y, 15z between the several recesses extend radially. In order to place the lamps of FIG. 3 in the ignition circuit in any selected sequence it is possible to use the switching construction of FIG. 4. This construction includes a knob 18 which is accessible to the operator. The knob 18 carries a contact finger 22 which serves to provide an electrical connection between a conductor 23 of the ignition circuit and one of the electric conductive contact springs 24a24h which also serve to form part of a structure releasably holding the lamps 1'7a17h in their sockets. A plurality of electrically conductive springs 25a-25h respectively cooperate with the springs 24a-24h for releasably holding the lamps in their sockets. The conductive springs 25a25h are connected to the con ductor 26 of the ignition circuit. The knob 18 carries an unillustrated index which cooperates with an unillustrated stationary scale for the purpose of indicating to the operator the position of the knob 18 for placing a selected lamp in the igniting circuit. By turning the knob 18 to one of the possible positions the contact finger 22 will place a selected one of the contact springs 24a2 th in electrical communication with the conductor 23 so that in this way when ignition circuit is closed the selected lamp will be ignited. As a result of the angular offsetting of the recesses at one of the faces of the wall 15 with respect to the recesses at the other of the faces thereof each lamp has with respect to the axis of the rotary knob 18 an angular position which is not matched by any other lamps so that it is possible by turning the knob 18 to selected angular positions to place the lamps separately in the ignition circuit according to any desired sequence.

Of course, structures of the type referred to above are mounted on a shoe which is carried by the camera, as is well known in the art, and for this purpose the structures usually have at their bottom end foot members which are received in such shoes. Therefore, after one side of the reflecting

wall

2 or 15 has been used it is possible to remove the structure, reverse it by and mount it again in the shoe so that the other side of the reflecting wall can be used. However, this removal and remounting of the structure is an inconvenience which can be avoided by the structure which is shown in FIG. 3 but which can also be used for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. According to this feature of the invention the housing 19 which carries the above-described structure of FIG. 3 rests on the foot portion 20 of the assembly, this foot portion 20 being received in a shoe in a manner well known in the art, and a pivot means 21 which is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 3 pivotally connects the housing 19 to the foot member 20 so that without removing the foot member 20 it is possible to swing the entire assembly about the axis provided by the pivot 21 to enable either one of the faces of the wall 15 to be used, and of course the same construction can be provided for the wall 2. Moreover, with this construction the reflector wall can be oriented to any desired angle with respect to the camera.

While with the structure described above the selective placing of the lamps in the ignition circuit is carried out manually, it is also possible to place the lamps in the ignition circuit either with an electromagnetic structure or by the use of a suitable spring which after a lamp is ignited will automatically place another lamp in the circuit.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of flash lamp assemblies differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in flash lamp assemblies for a plurality of lamps, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimd as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a flash lamp assembly, in combination, a wall of corrugated configuration having opposed reflecting faces respectively provided with recesses which alternate with each other along said wall as a result of the corrugated configuration thereof; a plurality of lamp sockets which are located at said recesses for respectively supporting flash lamps in said recesses whereby each of the said re-' 2. In a flash lamp assembly, in combination, a Wall of corrugated configuration having opposed reflecting faces respectively provided with recesses which alternate with each other along said Wall as a result of the corrugated configuration thereof; a plurality of lamp sockets which are located at said recesses for respectively supporting flash lamps in said recesses whereby each of said recesses forms a reflector for the flash lamp situated within said recess, said recesses each being of an elongated troughshaped configuration and said sockets being respectively located at ends of said trough-shaped recesses for respectively support-ing flash lamps in a position extending longitudinally along said recesses, and means for supporting said wall and the sockets therewith, selectively, in a first position in which one of said reflecting faces of said wall faces in a predetermined direction and in a second position in which the other reflecting face of said wall faces in said predetermined direction.

3. In a flash lamp assembly, in combination, a wall of corrugated configuration having a pair of oppcsed reflecting faces and provided with a plurality of recesses which alternate with each other along said wall at said opposed faces thereof as a result of the corrugated configuration of said wall, said wall having portions which respectively form parts of a pair of oppositely directed reflectors and each of said recesses forming a reflector for a flash lamp situated therein; a plurality of sockets respectively located at said recesses for respectively supporting flash lamps therein, and means for supporting said Wall and the sockets therewith, selectively, in a first position in which one of said reflecting faces of said Wall faces in a predetermined direction and in a second position in which the other reflecting face of said wall faces in said predetermined direction.

4. In a flash lamp assembly for use in a camera, in combination, a housing, a reflector wall of rectangular outline carried by and extending upwardly from said housing, said wall having opposed reflecting faces and being of a corrugated configuration which provides said wall with elongated recesses extending upwardly from said housing and distributed therealong, a plurality of lamp sockets respectively carried by said housing in alignment with said recesses for respectively supporting flash lamps in positions situated within said recesses, respectively, and extending upwardly from said housing, and means for supporting said housing on a camera, selectively, in a first position in which one of said reflecting faces of said wall faces in a predetermined direction and in a second position in which the other reflecting face of said wall faces in said predetermined direction to utilize first the flash lamps on one side of said Wall and then the flashlamps on the other side thereof.

5. In a flash lamp assembly, in combination, a wall of circular configuration formed with radial corrugations distributed about said wall and providing the latter with elongated radial recesses which alternate with each other at the opposed faces of said wall around the latter, said opposed faces of said wall being highly reflecting so that each of said recesses forms a reflector, and inner, circular socket-carrying means surrounded by said wall and carrying a plurality of sockets respectively aligned with said recesses for respectively supporting lamps which extend radially from said inner socket-carrying means respectively along said recesses in the interiors thereof.

6. In a flash lamp assembly, in combination, a wall of corrugated configuration having opposed reflecting faces and provided by the corrugated configuration with a plurality of recesses which alternate with each other along said wall at the opposed faces thereof, a plurality of lamp sockets respectively aligned with said recesses for respectively supporting flash lamps in said recesses so that each flash lamp and recess in which it is located forms a flash lamp unit, an electrical circuit, electrical means for selectively connecting flash lamps respectively carried by said sockets in any desired sequence into said circuit so that the flash lamps in said sockets can be ignited in a selected sequence, and means for supporting said Wall and the sockets therewith, selectively, in a first position in which one of said reflecting faces of said wall faces in a predetermined direction and in a second position in which the other reflecting face of said wall faces in said predeter mined direction to utilize first the flash units on one side of said wall and then the flash units on the other side thereof.

7. In a flash lamp assembly, in combination, a wall of corrugated configuration having opposed reflecting faces and provided by the corrugated configuration with a plurality of recesses which alternate with each other along said wall at the opposed faces thereof, a plurality of lamp sockets respectively aligned with said recesses for respectively supporting flash lamps in said recesses so that each flash lamp and recess in which it is located forms a flash lamp unit, an electrical circuit, electrical means for selectively connecting flash lamps respectively carried by said socket in any desired sequence into said circuit so that the flash lamps in said sockets can be ignited in a selected sequence, said electrical means including a shiftable contact carrier which can be selectively shifted to positions respectively connecting said flash lamps into the circuit, and means for supporting said wall and the sockets therewith, selectively, in a first position in which one of said reflecting faces of said wall faces in a predetermined direction and in a second position in which the other reflecting face of said wall faces in said predetermined direction to utilize first the flash units on one side of said wall and then the flash units on the other side thereof.

8. In a flash lamp assembly, in combination, a wall of corrugated configuration having opposed reflecting faces and being provided by said corrugated configuration with a plurality of recesses which alternate with each other along said wall at the opposed faces thereof; a plurality of lamp sockets respectively aligned with said recesses for respectively supporting lamps therein so that each recess and lamp therein forms a flash lamp unit; a foot member adapted to receive in a shoe which is carried by a camera; and support means supporting said wall and said sockets therewith for turning movement on said foot member so that without removing said foot member from the camera shoe it is possible to turn said wall and the sockets therewith through to utilize first one side of said wall and then the other side thereof.

9. In a camera assembly, in combination, a camera unit; a flash lamp unit including a plurality of lamp sockets and corresponding reflector means directed at least partly in opposite directions and including also a supporting portion located exclusively on one side of said lamp sockets and corresponding reflector means so that the same are freely accessible at least from said opposite directions, said supporting portion having a free side located opposite said one side thereof and directed toward said camera unit; intermediate support means for supporting said flash lamp unit on said camera unit and arranged exclusively between said free side of said supporting portion of said flash lamp unit and said camera unit; attaching means detach-ably connecting said intermediate support means in said position to one of said units in such a manner that said intermediate support means may be connected to and disconnected from said one unit solely by movement of said intermediate support means relative to said one unit; and pivoting means connecting said intermediate support means in said position thereof to the other of said units turnably about a pivoting axis which is substantially aligned with said attaching means, whereby said flash lamp unit is turnable relative to said camera unit between said opposite directions with said reflector means fully accessible from at least said opposite directions and is also removable from said camera unit, whenever desired.

10. In a camera assembly according to claim 9, said attaching means comprising cooperating projection means and groove means, one of said two last mentioned means being located on said one unit and the other thereof being located on said intermediate support means.

11. In a camera according to claim 9, said reflector means comprising a Wall of corrugated configuration having reflecting faces and being provided by said corrugated configuration with a plurality of reflecting recesses directed at least partly in said opposite directions, said lamp sockets being respectively aligned with said reflecting recesses for respectively supporting lamps therein so that each reflect ing recess and lamp therein forms a flash lamp structure, said attaching means including a shoe and a foot member adapted to be detachably received in said shoe.

12. In -a camera assembly according to claim 11, said pivoting means being adapted for turning movement about at least 180 so thatWit-hout removing said foot member from said shoeit is possible to turn said flash lamp unit about said pivot means to utilize consecutively each of said fiashlamp structures and, Whenever desired, to remove said flash lamp unit from said camera unit by disengagement of said shoe and said foot member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 720,935 2/ 1903 Kliegl 240-103 1,247,454 11/1917 Rizer 240-103 X 1,848,734 3/1932 Luce 24041.36 X 1,956,630 5/1934 Shaw 240-9 2,622,188 12/1952 Seeger et al. 240-13 3,096,025 7/ 1963 Prochnow 240-l.3

FOREIGN PATENTS 166,025 5/ 1950 Austria.

922,386 1/ 1947 France.

858,236 12/1952 Germany.

371,243 4/ 1932 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Boheme et al.: German application 1,148,448, printed May 9, 1963.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

J. F. PETERS, ]R., Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A FLASH LAMP ASSEMBLY, IN COMBINATION, A WALL OF CORRUGATED CONFIGURATION HAVING OPPOSED REFLECTING FACES RESPECTIVELY PROVIDED WITH RECESSES WHICH ALTERNATE WITH EACH OTHER ALONG SAID WALL AS A RESULT OF THE CORRUGATED CONFIGURATION THEREOF; A PLURALITY OF LAMP SOCKETS WHICH ARE LOCATED AT SAID RECESSES FOR RESPECTIVELY SUPPORTING FLASH LAMPS IN SAID RECESSES WHEREBY EACH OF THE SAID RECESSES FORMS A REFLECTOR FOR A FLASH LAMP SITUATED WITHIN SAID RECESS, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID WALL AND THE SOCKETS THEREWITH, SELECTIVELY, IN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH ONE OF SAID REFLECTING FACES OF SAID WALL FACES IN A PREDETERMINES DIRECTION AND IN SECOND POSITION IN WHICH THE OTHER REFLECTING FACE OF SAID WALL FACES IN SAID PREDETERMINED DIRECTION.