US3591115A

US3591115A - Portable flashlight holder

Info

Publication number: US3591115A
Application number: US2281A
Authority: US
Inventors: Glenn A Hibbard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-01-12
Filing date: 1970-01-12
Publication date: 1971-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-06

Abstract

Portable holder for detachable retention of cylindrical flashlight, provides a pair of longitudinally separated spring jaws on a support platform which is medially secured to a rotatable shaft which is journaled between a pair of upstanding arms arising from a flat-bottom base. The transverse shaft has coaxial compression springs which abut the respective upright arms so as to hold the jaw assembly and flashlight at any set rotational position through a complete 360* possible rotation. The base plate may be centrally pivoted to the frame or alternately have a peripheral series of openings for attachment of the unit to a nail or hanger of a vertical wall. Otherwise the base stands on a more-or-less level surface or is carried by a top handhold which connects the upright arms.

Description

0 United States Patent 1 1 3,591,115

[72] Inventor Glenn A.Hibbard 3,144,232 8/1964 Smootz 1. 248/141 1716 W. [65th PL, Gardenia, Calif. 90247 3,222,020 l2/l965 Rea 248/l06 No fi 1970 Primary Examiner- William H Schultz Patented y 6 Attorney-Howard L. Johnson 54 P RTABLE FLASHLIGHT HOLDER l o ABSTRACT: Portable holder for detachable retention of 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

cylindrical flashlight, provides a pair of longitudinally U.S. separated pring jaws on a u port platform which is medially 243/126, secured to a rotatable shaft which is joumaled between a pair [5 l 1 Int. 0f upstanding arms arising from a flapbonom base. The "ansl5/03 verse shaft has coaxial compression springs which abut the [50] Field of Search 248/105, respective upright arms so as to hold the jaw assembly and W6, 122, 126, 137, l39, 140, 141, I42; 240/525 flashlight at any set rotational position through a complete 360 possible rotation. The base plate may be centrally [56] References Cited pivoted to the frame or alternately have a peripheral series of UNITED STATES PATENTS openings for attachment of the unit to a nail o1- hanger of a 627,955 6/1899 Doss 248/126 X vertical wall.- Otherwise the base stands on a more-or-less level 2,063,554 12/1936 Meyerson 248/106 surface or is carried by a top handhold which connects the 2,717,753 9/1955 Schweikert 248/106 upright arms.

PORTABLE FLASHLEGHT HOLDER As noted in the preceding abstract, this invention relates to a portable holder for detachable mounting of a selectively tiltablc flash light of the type which functions with a single-line sequence of cylindrical power cells or batteries. The assem bled holder and flash light can be carried (or swung) by a persons hand or over his forearm, or placed on a more-or-less horizontal or generally flat (including somewhat inclined) sur face, or alternatively have its base plate transiently hung from or secured against a vertical surface. With the base plate thus uptilted, the frame carrying the flash light can be located at a selected rotational position relative to the upright wall, and at the same time, the light can be rotated 360 within its frame. Thus, when in any of these positions, the flash light itself can be directed at any angle of inclination, regardless of whether the base is horizontal or vertical. Structurally there is a generally inverted-U-shape frame which may be either pivotally or fixedly upstanding from a flat-bottom annular base. Particularly when the frame is not centrally pivoted to the base, the latter may be formed with a peripheral series of attachment sockets or openings for attachment to a nail or hanger. A cross shaft rotatably traverses the upright arms of the U and is retained at any set position by a pair of coaxial compression springs which abut the respective arms. The shaft carries a longitudinal support which has a pair of spring jaws adjacent its respective ends, so that a tubular flash light can be held jointly by the two pair of jaws, and the support plus flash light be completely inverted within the U-frame. The cross arm of the U (at the top of the assembly) normally serves as a carrying handle.

In addition to the flash light being capable of being withdrawn at will and used apart from the holder, its varied utility with the holder-assembly is manifest: The holder can be carried over the forearm to provide light while leaving the hands free for other tasks. When temporarily placed at a fixed location, the light can be trained to remain at a desired spot such as a work area. For example, when working beneath a motor vehicle, or within an engine block or other machinery crevice, the light can thus be first focused at the desired limited area and the worker is then free to move in relation to it. Or when both hands are required to hold a pencil and paper, the self-supporting flash light can first be concentrated on the work area of the paper. The hanger can first be hung on any convenient peg or projection regardless of which way the flash light beam is initially directed, and the flash light can then be tilted to the required alignment.

it is thus an important object to provide such a versatile holder which is both simple and sturdy construction and can be assembled from readily available structural elements such as light weight aluminum stock.

Other advantages will become apparent from the drawings of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention wherein FIG. 1 is an elevational view of my portable flash light holder shown standing on a flat surface (seen in section) with the tubular flash light indicated in phantom.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same along the line 2-2 of HO. 1, with a tilted position of the clamp jaw assembly and their flash light seen in phantom.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the whole assembly in reduced scale, seen attached to a vertical support member or wall, which appears in section. FIG. 4 is plan view of modified frame pivoted to base.

As here illustrated, there is provided a generally inverted-U- shaped frame such as formed by bending a flat metal strip, of which the top arcuate or bowed portion 12 subsequently serves as a convenient handhold for manually swinging or carrying the unit. The upright arms 9, 11 have their lower ends inturned toward each other to form attachment tabs 13, 14 which are anchored to an annular, flat-bottom base plate 16 by coupling units comprising a washer l5, bolt 17 and nut 18. Alternatively (or in addition) each tab l3, 14 may be secured to the base plate by a headed bolt or rivet 19. Or when using steel base plate and frame elements, the tabs can be welded to the base plate or otherwise attached.

' The base plate 16 is formed with a peripheral circle of attachment apertures 20, so that the unit can be stood upright upon any more-or-less horizontal suiface .21 (such as a garage floor, workbench, shelf, etc.) or the essentially flat base 16 can be disposed perpendicular and placed .against a more-orless vertical wall 8 and one of the socket-apertures 20 hung over a projecting nail of hanger '7 (FIG. 3). Depending upon which one of the circle of apertures 20 is selected, the mounted flash light L will be directed up, down, or at an intermediate angle. The flash light can then be angularly inclined within its frame 10 as described below.

Transversely piercing the upright arms 9, ll of the frame at about mid-height is a rotatable shaft 22, formed essentially of a cylindrical bolt, of which the head 23 and the distal threaded end 26 which carries a pair of lock nuts 25, 26, are each spaced outward from the respective outer faces of the frame arms 9, 11. A

compression spring

27, 28 is coiled coaxially about each penultimate end segment of the shaft between an inner washer 29, 30 which abuts the respective frame arm, and an outer washer 31, 32 which respectively abut the bolt head 23 and the lock nut 25. The action of the pair of mutually balanced axial springs thus allows the shaft 22 to be rotated by a small amount of torque through a complete circle (in either direction) and to be automatically held (without angular selfdisplacement due to gravity) at any desired rest position. This result is of course the same whether the base plate is horizontal (FIG. 1) or vertical (FlG. 3).

The rotatable shaft 22 fixedly carries a support platform 33 which extends transversely approximately equidistant on either side of the shaft in a direction parallel to the flat sides of the frame arms 9, 11. The platform is fastened to the cross shaft 22 by a U-bolt 34 having its threaded ends inserted through a saddle-bearing 35 and secured by nuts 37, 38. The bearing 35 is formed with a cross channel 36 which slidingly cradles the cross shaft 22. Upstanding from the obverse face 33 of the platform two longitudinally aligned pairs of spring arms ofjaws ill, a2, mounted adjacent respective ends of the platform by screws 53, 44 and nuts 45, do, or similar fastening means. Accordingly, a tubular flash light L may be detachably retained jointly by the two pair of

spring jaws

41, 42, the flash light being of such length that by revolving the platform in either direction, the light can be swung beneath the handle area E2 of the frame ME. At whatever angle the platform 33 is brought to rest, is the continuing angle of the light beam, until it is subsequently (manually) changed, as desired. 7

By the modification illustrated in FIG. d, the pair of inturned tab ends 47 of the frame lit), as a unit are welded to a friction washer 48 which is then rotationally secured against the base plate 16 by the bolt 37 and nut 18. The latter is retained sufficiently tight so that the frame 10 will remain in whatever angular position it is (manually) located relative to the base plate, regardless of whether or what extent the base is horizontal or vertical.

lclaim:

l. A flash light holder of the character described, comprising in combination:

a base adapted to he stood on a generally level surface and alternately to be uptilted and attached to an upright wall;

a frame comprising a connected pair of laterally separated arms upstanding from the base, said frame being swivelly mounted on said base and disposable at selected rotational positions relative to the base when the latter is uptilted;

a cross shaft means rotatably mounted on each of said supporting arms and connecting said upstanding arms generally parallel to the base and carrying transverse support platform means having frictional retention means for detachably holding a flash light lengthwise therealong, which platform means and flash light are rotatable about the axis of the shaft mean between said arms; and

tension means acting between said frame and shaft means, said tension means located generally coaxial to said shaft means and adapted by continuous engagement with said frame to hold the shaft means and platform means at any set rotational position relative 'to the arms, whereby a flashlight held thereby may be held at any angular disposition within the frame by said tension means regardless of the position of the base. 2. The flash light holder of the preceding claim 1 wherein said frame is essentially an inverted-U-shaped strip of which the top cross portion serves as a handhold, and said coaxial tension means are formed by a pair of coil springs carried by said cross shaft.

3 The flash light holder of the preceding claim 1 in combination with a flash light held therein by said frictional retention means which consist essentially of two pair of spring jaws.

4. The flash light holder of the preceding claim 3 wherein said flashlight held by said platform means is of less axialextent than the distance between the shaft means and either end of the frame, whereby said platform means and held flash light are jointly rotatable 360 within said frame.

Claims

1. A flash light holder of the character described, comprising in combination: a base adapted to be stood on a generally level surface and alternately to be uptilted and attached to an upright wall; a frame comprising a connected pair of laterally separated arms upstanding from the base, said frame being swivelly mounted on said base and disposable at selected rotational positions relative to the base when the latter is uptilted; a cross shaft means rotatably mounted on each of said supporting arms and connecting said upstanding arms generally parallel to the base and carrying transverse support platform means having frictional retention means for detachably holding a flash light lengthwise therealong, which platform means and flash light are rotatable about the axis of the shaft mean between said arms; and tension means acting between said frame and shaft means, said tension means located generally coaxial to said shaft means and adapted by continuous engagement with said frame to hold the shaft means and platform means at any set rotational position relative to the arms, whereby a flashlight held thereby may be held at any angular disposition within the frame by said tension means regardless of the position of the base.

2. The flash light holder of the preceding claim 1 wherein said frame is essentially an inverted-U-shaped strip of which the top cross portion serves as a handhold, and said coaxial tension means are formed by a pair of coil springs carried by said cross shaft.

3. The flash light holder of the preceding claim 1 in combination with a flash light held therein by said frictional retention means which consist essentially of two pair of spring jaws.

4. The flash light holder of the preceding claim 3 wherein said flashlight held by said platform means is of less axial extent than the distance between the shaft means and either end of the frame, whereby said platform means and held flash light are jointly rotatable 360* within said frame.