US3479500A

US3479500A - Mechanics electric lamp assembly

Info

Publication number: US3479500A
Application number: US617969A
Authority: US
Inventors: James J Duddy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-02-23
Filing date: 1967-02-23
Publication date: 1969-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 1986-11-18

Description

Nov. 18, 196% J, BUDDY 3,479,500

MECHANICS ELECTRIC LAMP ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 25, 1967 United States Patent Office 3,479,500 Patented Nov. 18, 1969 3,479,500 MECHANICS ELECTRIC LAMP ASSEMBLY James J. Duddy, 514 N. Metcalf St., Lima, Ohio 45801 Filed Feb. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 617,969 Int. Cl. F211 /08 US. Cl. 240-52 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mechanics electric lamp assembly having an integral axially aligned handle and socket provided with lug means integrally connected thereto intermediately of the ends thereof and pivotally connected to a swivel which is also pivotally connected to a clamp-type support and thereby permit pivoted and swiveled adjustment of an electric lamp mounted in said socket by means of said handle while said clamp type support is attached to selected supporting means without danger of the operator being burned or discomforted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of mechanics electric lamps have been devised heretofore which hold an electric lamp bulb. Some of these have had handles projecting from a socket and a guard surrounding the lamp bulb. A hook is sometimes provided to suspend the lamp but it is seldom possible to direct the light from the lamp in a desired direc tion. Clamps connected to lamp sockets also have been devised but to direct the lamp in a desired direction, it usually is necessary to engage the hot socket to move the lamp in a desired direction. Being able to support a mechanics lamp from a desired and convenient support by clamping a lamp socket thereto and being able to pivotally or swivelly move the lamp relative to said support without burning ones hands is not possible with known or existing commercial types of mechanics lamps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The mechanics electric lamp assembly comprising the present invention comprises a socket to receive an electric lamp bulb and has a handle integral with an projecting oppositely from the outer end of the socket to provide means by which, with comfort, the socket may be handled. Clamp means are pivotally and swivelly connected to the connected socket and handle by lug means on the latter intermediately of the ends thereof. The connecting means preferably are of an insulating nature. The clamp means preferably are of the spring type to position the lamp assembly readily and in a fixed position relative to a selected supporting means such as an automobile to shine the light onto a desired part thereof, and many other means in various locations where light is desired. The connected lamp socket and handle also preferably are molded as elongated half sections of nonmetallic material and are connectable together, the socket part of said sections being hollow to receive and position a conventional electric lamp socket therein to receive an electric lamp bulb.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanics electric lamp assembly embodying the preferred principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical elevation, partly in section, of the rearward portion of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 as seen on the line 22 of said figure.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the socket portion of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 as seen on the line 3-3 of said figure.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but illustrating a different embodiment of handle and socket arrangement from that illustrated in the preceding figure, said section being taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 relative to such different embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the fsitructure shown in FIG. 2 as seen on the line 55 of said gure.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of one half of the socket portion of the handle and socket member of the lamp assembly shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating in phantom the manner of positioning a conventional electric lamp socket therein.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the socket part of the lamp assembly and illustrating the manner in which the control switch button for the bulb socket projects through the casing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, all of the preferred, essential components of the mechanics electric lamp assembly comprising the present invention are illustrated. Said structure comprises a handle 10 to which a socket portion 12 is integrally connected in axial alignment. In the preferred construction, said connected handle and socket portion comprise elongated molded halves which are connected together by pairs of aligned lateral ears 14 adjacent the socket portion 12, for example, and apertured to receive connecting bolts 16. Another bolt 18 may project through the handle portion adjacent the outer end thereof. Preferably, the elongated half sections of said connected handle and socket portion are molded from suitable insulating material such as certain synthetic resins and the like which are preferably relatively rigid when cured and are capable of withstanding reasonable abuse during use without breakage.

The interior of the half sections of said handle and socket portions preferably are hollow and the socket portion of said sections in particular having constricted means 20 adjacent the outer end thereof and projecting lug or rib means 22 positioned suitably to engage the rearward end of a conventional electric socket 24 of the type into which the socket end of an electric lamp bulb may be threaded. The constricted means 20 in said socket portion is arranged to surround and engage the outer end portion of such electric socket and, in conjunction with the projecting lug means 22 accurately positions said socket within the interior of the socket portion 12.

The handle portion 10 also is preferably provided at least with a longitudinally extending channel in each half section for purposes of receiving an electric cord 26, one end of which extends into the electric socket 24 for connection to the various terminals therein, while the opposite end of the cord 26 extends beyond the outer end of the handle 10 and is connectable to a source of current.

The lamp assembly comprising the present invention also includes support means 28 preferably in the form of a spring clamp having similar, opposed arms 30 terminating in clamping ends 32 which are engageable with suitable support means of various kinds adjacent which the lamp is desired to be used, such as on various parts of automotive vehicles while being repaired by mechanics, and numerous other locations for various types of operations which require a light of the type to which the present invention pertains. The opposite ends of the clamping arms 30 are connected by a plurality of coils 34. The connected handle and socket portion, intermediately of the ends thereof, also is provided with lug means 36 which extend laterally from one side thereof. As seen from FIG. 2, the lug means 36 are bi-partite, the same being divided medially and comprising two similar halves 38 respectively connected integrally to the longitudinal halves of the connected handle and socket portion of the lamp assembly, the same being formed incident to molding said halves. The lug means 36 also are provided with a transverse hole.

The support means 28, comprising preferably the clamping arms 30 are connected pivotally and swivelly to the connected handle and

socket portion

10, 12 by means of a swivel 40 comprising relatively

similar clevises

42 and 44. The base portions of said clevises have abutting ends which are preferably circular. The clevis 42 has a short circular projection 46 thereon which is received within a complementary circular recess in the abutting face of the base 44. The base portions of the

clevises

42 and 44 also are provided with axially aligned holes receiving a swivel pin 50.

To secure the base portions of the

clevises

42 and 44 in assembled, operative relationship with respect to each other for relative pivotal movement about the swivel pin 50, it will be seen that the base portion of clevis 42 is provided with a socket 52 in which a compression spring 54 is received, one end of which abuts the head of the upper end of swivel pin 50 as viewed in FIG. 5, and a suitable cotter pin 56, or the like, extends through the opposite end of the pin 50. When the base portions of the clevises and the swivel pin 50 are assembled so as to place the spring 54 under at least light compression and the cotter pin 56 has secured the assembly against separation, the pressure exerted particularly between the projection 46 and recess 48 is such as to insure maintenance of a desired pivotal position of one clevis relative to the other, yet such pressure permits pivotal movement between said clevises when desired.

The legs of the clevis 42 are spaced sufiiciently to closely receive therebetween the lug means 36 and said legs and lug means are provided with aligned transverse holes complementary to a pivot bolt 58 which extends therethrough, said bolt having a nut on one end which is tightened sufficiently to permit yieldable pivotal movement between the lug means 36 and clevis 42 but maintained in adjusted position therebetween when a desired position of the handle and socket member with respect to the clevis has been achieved.

The legs of the clevis 44 also are spaced sufiiciently to receive therebetween a cylindrical plug 60 which extends through the coils 34 of the spring-type support means 28. The plug 60 preferably is snugly received within said coils and the plug is centrally apertured to receive a clamping bolt 62 therethrough, said clamping bolt also extending through aligned openings in the legs of the clevis 44. A nut 64 is tightened onto the threaded end of bolt 62 sufficiently to permit limited yieldable pivotal movement between the plug 60 and clevis 44 but also is capable of maintaining an adjusted position once the same has been reached so as to maintain the spring-type support 28 at a desired angular relationship with respect to the swivel 30.

The

clevises

42 and 44 of the swivel 40 preferably are formed by molding the same accurately from suitable electrical insulation material such as a number of different types of preferably rigid synthetic resins, phenol-formaldehyde condensation products being highly suitable for such purpose. Such material offers reasonable strength and resistance to fracture. In addition, by forming the swivel 40 from such insulating material, said swivel also is then insulated between the connected handle and

socket

10, 12 and the clamping type support 28.

The exterior of the outer end of the socket portion 12 preferably is reduced in diameter and provides a cylindrical surface 66 which is complementary to the clamping band 68 connected to a combination reflector 70 and lamp guard 72. Preferably, a rigid hook 74 is formed on the outer end of the guard to provide auxiliary supporting means when desired.

The electric socket 24 is of the type having an actuating knob or button 76, the stem of which projects through a suitable hole 78 in one side of the socket portion 12, as shown in FIG. 7. Further, by engaging the conventional electric socket 24 within the socket portion 12 by means of limited area such as the constricted means 20 and projecting lugs 22, only a limited amount of heat normally generated by the socket 24 is transmitted to the exterior of the socket portion 12. Notwithstanding this, however, under normal conditions of operation, it is never necessary for the operator to engage the socket portion 12. Rather, the rearwardly projecting handle 10 admirably serves to adjust the position of the electric lamp bulb 80 so as to shine light upon a desired object while the lamp assembly remains clamped by support means 28 to any suitable supporting element adjacent where the light is needed from the lamp assembly. Universal movement of the connected handle and

socket

10, 12 with respect to the support means 28 is possible through the pivotal connections of the opposite ends of the swivel 40 respectively to said connected handle and socket portion and said support means, while the swivel itself permits relative rotation about an axis at an angle to the pivots supported by

bolts

58 and 62.

If desired, the longitudinal halves of the connected handle and

socket portions

10, 12 may be so arranged that only one of them has a solid lug member 82 thereon, as shown in FIG. 4.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A mechanics lamp assembly comprising in combination, an electric socket open at one end toreceive an electric lamp bulb therein, a handle connected to and extending substantially axially from the opposite end of said socket, an electric cord extending from said socket for connection to a source of electric current, lug means extending transversely from one side of said connected electric socket and handle substantially intermediately between the opposite ends thereof, a support for said lamp, and means connecting said lug means to said support for adjustable positioning of said socket and handle relative to said support, said connecting means comprising; two similar clevises having base portions in abutment, a swivel pin extending through said base portions and connecting the same for relative rotation about the axis of said pin to form a swivel, the legs of one clevis receiving said lug means on said one side of said connected handle and electric socket and a pivot pin extending transversely therethrough to pivotally connect said swivel thereto, means on said support extending between the legs of said other clevis, and a pivot pin extending transversely therethrough to pivotally connect said support to said swivel.

2. The mechanics lamp assembly according to claim 1 in which the base portions of said clevises respectively have complementary circular projection and recess means interfitted to prevent relative lateral movement therebetween and said swivel pin extending centrally therethrough, and said assembly also including spring means surrounding said swivel pin and engaging the base portion of one of said clevises and urging said base portions into frictional engagement with each other two maintain a desired pivotal arrangement therebetween after relative movement about the axis of said swivel pin.

3. The mechanics lamp assembly according to claim 1 in which said clevises are formed from non-metallic insulating material to serve as an insulator between said connected handle and socket which is connected to one of said clevises and said support connected to the other clevis.

4. The mechanics lamp assembly according to claim 1 5 6 in which said support comprises a spring clamp having 1,690,491 11/1928 Knauif 240-52.1 XR a pair of arms connected by a coiled spring portion in- 2,653,219 9/1953 Popp 240-54 tegral with said arms, said coiled spring portion being 3,185,837 5/1965 Stern 240-52 received between the legs of said other clevis and receiv- I ing said pivot pin therethrough to pivotally connect said 5 NORTON ANSHER, Prlm ry EXamlIlel Spring clamp to Said swivel ROBERT P. GREINER, Assistant Examiner References Cited CL UNITED STATES PATENTS 240-52.].

1,562,994 11/1925 Stewart 24052.1XR