US3696239A

US3696239A - Mechanic{40 s light

Info

Publication number: US3696239A
Application number: US149730A
Authority: US
Inventors: James J Duddy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-06-03
Filing date: 1971-06-03
Publication date: 1972-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1989-10-03

Abstract

A mechanic''s light comprising an electric light socket connected by a swivel connection to one end of a handle-like member to permit pivotal movement between the socket and member about axes extending transversely to each other. The opposite end of the handle-like member has a hook connected thereto for attaching the light to a convenient object for support thereby and permit precise adjustment of the socket to project light accurately onto a desired area or object.

Description

United atent Duddy MECHANIC 'S LIGHT [72] Inventor: James J. Duddy, 154 Medcalf St., Lima, Ohio 45801 [22] Filed: June 3, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 149,730

[52] US. Cl ..240/52.3, 240/54 A [51] Int. Cl ..F21l 15/20 [58] Field of Search ..240/52.3, 52.1, 2.18, 54 A, 240/54 R, 8.18

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,491,170 12/1949 Ellis ..240/52.3 3,308,289 j 3/1967' Conradi ..240/54 A R 15,102 5/1921 Nikonow ..240/8. 18 2,165,562 7/1939 Mack et a1 ..240/8.18 1,170,012 2/1916 Smith. ..240/54 A [4 1 Oct. 3, 1972 3,479,500 11/1969 Duddy ..240/52R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 603,846 I/ 1926 France ..240/54 A Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Russell E. Adams, Jr. Attomey-C. Hercus Just [5 7] ABSTRACT A mechanics light comprising an electric light socket connected by a swivel connection to one end of a handle-like member to permit pivotal movement between the socket and member about axes extending transversely to each other. The opposite end of the handle-like member has a hook connected thereto for attaching the light to a convenient object for support thereby and permit precise adjustment of the socket to project light accurately onto a desired area or object.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDnm I912 3.696.239

INVENTOR. JAMES J. DUDDY ATT NEY MECHANIC 's LIGHT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many types of mechanics lights have been developed heretofore and are presently in use in many fields of operations, particularly in garages and repair shops of innumerable kinds. The principal type of mechaniss light presently in use, which sometimes is referred to as a drop light or trouble lightff comprises an electric light socket adapted to hold a bulb and sometimes is provided with a fixed handle extending axially from the closed end of the socket and from which a flexible electric cord extends for attachment to a source of current at the opposite end of the cord.

To protect the bulb mounted in the socket, it is common practice to attach a wire cage-like guard element to the rim of the stocket so as to enclose the bulb. Many types of protectors of this type also have a metal reflector extending partially around the bulb. It also is common practice to attach a fixed hook to the outer end of the protector so that the lamp or light may be supported upon a suitable convenient object while the light is hooked thereto by the hook provided on the enclosing guard or, not infrequently, the light is either laid upon a suitable object near the area where illumination is required or disposed upon the floor, ground or otherwise in the hopes of having the same reflect as well as possible in the direction where light is needed.

In most conditions of use of the type referred to above, it will be seen that the light normally hangs pen dant-like from the hook which is connected to the guard member and extends around a supporting object such as part of an automobile or any other appropriate item either comprising part of the object being worked upon It is obvious that such pendant-like support of the light very substantially limits any possibility of accurately directing the light, especially when a reflector is used, upon an area or object where illumination is desired. In an effort to overcome such limitations, attempts have been made to provide various types of adjustable pedestals to which the lamp is clamped or attached by appropriate clamps or otherwise. Providing such pedestals however adds to the expense of the necessary equipment to be used with the lamps in an effort to afford better illumination of work areas and ob ects.

The present invention comprises a very simple means for eliminating the shortcomings of conventional type mechanics lights of the type referred to in regard to the supporting means therefor and provides appropriate adjustable means of a unique type by which the light may be arranged to direct illuminating light upon substantially any object or area where it is needed, such adjustable supporting means being described hereinafter, as follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the principal object of the invention to provide a mechanic's light having a handle-like projection connected to a socket which supports an electric light bulb, said connection comprising swivel means that permits pivotal adjustment between the handle-like member and socket about axes which are transverse to each other, said swivel means being connected to one end of said handle-like member while a hook is connected to the opposite end thereof, whereby said hook is at one end of the light assembly and the bulb is at the opposite end, the handle also comprising a comfortable means for holding the light when it is desired to hold it manually.

It is another object of the invention to provide a swivel connection which comprises a pair of clevises, the bight portions of which are pivotally connected together by a pin extending axially with respect to the legs of the clevises, and the outer ends of said clevises being connected pivotally respectively to one end of said handle-like member and a suitable projection on the socket for said electric light bulb.

It is a further object of the invention to provide said extension upon said socket so as to project therefrom a limited distance in a direction substantially transverse to the axis of said socket and thereby increase the latitude of the possible position in which said socket may be arranged with respect to the hook on said handle-like member.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprising a part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a mechanics light embodying the principles of the present invention, one pivotal arrangement thereof being illustrated in full lines, while an alternate adjusted position is partially illustrated in phantom in said figure.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the light shown in FIG. I with the reflector for the light bulb illustrated in FIG. I being omitted in FIG. 2 to simplify the illustration.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary transverse sectional view of the socket element of the light shown in FIG. 1 as seen on the line 33 thereof, one position of the socket being illustrated in full lines with respect to the axis of the swivel and three other exemplary positions of the socket being shown in phantom in said figure with respect to the axis of the swivel connection.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are small scale side elevations of the lamp shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and respectively illustrate different exemplary adjusted positions of the light socket with respect to the supporting hook on the handle-Iike member of the light.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electric light socket 10 is illustrated which may be of a variety of different types but preferably is formed from insulating material such as an appropriate synthetic resin. The socket, for

convenience, may be molded from two

complementary halves

12 and 14, best shown in FIG. 2, said halves being connected by appropriate bolts 16 extending through suitable ears 18, or otherwise.

The socket 10 preferably has an extension 20 which, similarly, may be integral with the halves l2 and 14 of the socket 10 and thereby be molded simultaneously therewith. Said complementary portions of extension 20 may also be connected together by an additional bolt 22 and it will be seen that, preferably, the extension 20 is perpendicular to the axis of socket l0 and extends therefrom intermediately of the opposite ends of said socket.

The light also includes a handle-like member 24 which is swivelly connected to the socket 10 by means of a swivel connection 26. Particularly for insulating purposes, the swivel connection 26 also preferably is molded from suitable electrical insulating material such as an appropriate synthetic resin. The handle 24 may be formed from any appropriate material but in order to minimize expense, wood is suitable, but such indication is not intended to be restrictive and is only illustrative. A supporting hook 28, which may be formed from wire, for example, is pivotally connected within a slot 30 in the end of the handle opposite that which is connected to the swivel connection 26. An appropriate pivot pin 32 extends through a loop in the end of the hook 28 which is connected to the handle-like member 24 so as to permit adjustability of the hook with respect to the handle-like member. The handle-like member 24 is a convenient and comfortable means for holding the light manually and the hook 28 does not interfere therewith.

The swivel connection 26 comprises a pair of somewhat

similar clevises

32 and 34. The

bight portions

36 and 38 thereof are similar and, if desired, may be cylindrical and frictionally engage each other. The same are axially bored for pivotal connection by a pin or bolt 40. If desired, a tensioning coil spring 42 of limited length may be disposed with a suitable socket 44 within the bight portion 36, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, said spring being maintained under compression by appropriate means such as a cotter pin 46.

The opposite ends of the swivel connection 26 respectively are pivotally connected to the end of the handle-like member 24, which is opposite the end that supports the hook 28, and to the outer end of the extension 20 on socket 10. The end of the handle 48 which is connected to the clevis 32 preferably may be reduced in thickness so as to readily dispose the same between the legs of the clevis and a pivot bolt 50 extends between the legs of the clevis and the end 48 of the member 24, preferably with a friction fit to permit limited adjustable pivotal movement between the swivel connection 26 and the handle-like member 24.

The legs of the clevis 34 pivotally receive therebetween a suitable end portion 52 of extension 20 on the socket l and another pivot bolt 54 extends between the legs of the clevis 34 and the end portion 52 of extension 20 with a friction fit similar to that provided between clevis 32 and the end 48 of handle-like member 24.

Electric power is provided to the socket by means of a suitable flexible conduit 56 which, for convenience, extends from the closed end of the socket l0 and the opposite end of the socket has a reduced portion 58 thereon for attachment of a suitable reflector 60 thereto. The specific type of reflector 60 shown in FIG. 1 is intended solely for illustration rather than restriction. It is obvious that other types of protecting means such as a wire cage-like guard or the like, provided with reflecting shells, if desired, may be connected to the socket 10 in order to protect the electric bulb 62 therein. A conventional electric switch button 64 is mounted upon the socket 10 for operation of a suitable switch therein, not shown.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that various exemplary positions of the socket 10 with respect to the pivot pin 40 of the swivel connection 26 are shown in a full line illustration and a number of different phantom illustrations. Said view is included primarily to illustrate the versatile possibilities of pivotal movement of the socket 10 relative to the axis of the swivel connection 26 and handle-like member 24, to represent pivotal movement about one axis as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. In addition however, innumerable pivoted positions between the socket 10 and handle-like member 24 are possible by movement of said elements about the axes of

pivot bolts

50 and 54, the axes of which are transverse to the pivotal axis of pivot pin 40.

The distance between the

pivot bolts

50 and 54 in a direction axially of the swivel connection 26 adds further latitude to the adjustable positioning that is possible between the socket 10 and the handle-like member 24, whereby the entire light assembly may be supported, pendant-like, by disposing the hook 28 over a suitable, convenient means, either connected to the object being worked upon which requires illumination or from suitable and convenient adjacent objects. The length of the extension 20 upon the socket 10 also adds to the versatility of adjustable positioning between said socket and handle-like member.

By reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, several purely exemplary adjusted positions between the handle-like member 24 and socket 10 are illustrated for purposes of demonstrating the extensive versatility inherent in the light assembly comprising the invention, for purposes of disposing illumination at precise locations, with maximum efficiency and accuracy, due primarily to supporting the light socket 10 by means of a handlelike member having a hook on the end thereof which is opposite the end connected to the socket 10 by means of the swivel connection 26, rather than by disposing a supporting hook outwardly from the light bulb 62, for example, as is common in mechanics lights widely used at present.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it should 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 illustrated and described.

Iclaim:

l. A portable utility light for use by mechanics and the like comprising in combination an electric socket adapted to support an electric light bulb a cup shaped reflector attached to said socket and disposed to direct light axially of said socket, said socket having an integral extension projecting laterally therefrom mid-way of the length of said socket, said extension having a length substantially equal to the radial dimension of said reflector to provide an offset between the axis of said socket and the end of said extension, an elongated substantially cylindrical handle member, a swivel connection unit comprising two members swivelably connected in end-to-end relationship for relative rotational movement around an axis extending longitudinally of said members and the opposite ends of said members respectively being pivotally connected to one end of said handle member and to the outer end of said extension on said electric socket, and a supporting hook connected to the opposite end of said handle for connection to a convenient object to support said light thereby pendantly by said hook in an area to be illuminated by said light, said swivel connection unit being adapted selectively to be extended substantially in straight axial alignment with said handle and extension on said socket and also be pivotally and swivelably related between the same to provide an infinite number of positions of said socket and reflector relative to said hook to direct light in precise directions while said light is suspended by said hook.

2. The light according to claim 1 further including means extending transversely to the axis of the handle to pivotally connect said hook to said one end of said handle member to permit further adjustable positioning of said socket relative to said hook in addition to the adjustment afiorded by said swivel connection unit.

3. The light according to claim 1 in which said reflecw tor has a radius no greater than the axial length of said projection from the axis of said socket.

4. The light according to claim 1 further including an electric cord extending from said socket adjacent said projection and separated from said reflector thereby to increase the versatility of positioning said socket relative to said swivel connection.

Claims

2. The light according to claim 1 further including means extending transversely to the axis of the handle to pivotally connect said hook to said one end of said handle member to permit further adjustable positioning of said socket relative to said hook in addition to the adjustment afforded by said swivel connection unit.
3. The light according to claim 1 in which said reflector has a radius no greater than the axial length of said projection from the axis of said socket.
4. The light according to claim 1 further including an electric cord extending from said socket adjacent said projection and separated from said reflector thereby to increase the versatility of positioning said socket relative to said swivel connection.