US864957A

US864957A - Portable search-light.

Info

Publication number: US864957A
Application number: US22762604A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Dickens
Original assignee: STANDARD SHEET METAL Co
Current assignee: STANDARD SHEET METAL Co
Priority date: 1904-10-08
Filing date: 1904-10-08
Publication date: 1907-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1924-09-03

Description

No. 864,957. PATENTED SEPT. 3, 1907.

Il. DIGKENS.

PORTABLE SEARCH LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.B. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l-` mmf PATLNTLD smits, 1907.

.L DIGKLNS.

PORTABLE SEARCH LIGHT.

APPLIUATION FILED oom. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

omitting the batteries.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEreE.

JOHN DIGKENS, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO THE STANDARD SHEET METAL COMPANY.

PORTABLE SEARCH-LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.`

Patented Sept. 3, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that`=I\, JOHN DrcKENs, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Passaic, Passaic county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements n Portable Search- Lights, of which the following is a specification, illustratod by the accompanying drawings.

` This invention applies in particular to that class of portable search lights which may be carried about in the pocket or hand, and are provided with small electric lights which may be flashed when desired.

The object of this invention is to devise a simple, cheap and efficient light which will be more eflicient than the flash lights now on the market. l

In this device, the barrel or tube containing the cells and light is made of a seamless metal tube which is stronger than the paste -board cartons now in use; the cells are each positively insulated from the barrel containing them, the reflector is made integral with the cover carrying the lamp, and 'the lens is carried in a separate removable cap, besides which, by means of an adjustable Contact piece, the light may be used as an intermittent Hash, a continuousS light, or the button moved so as to prevent the light being flashed at all.

By the above enumerated other improvements, many defects in the present mode of construction are obviated anda more useful and serviceable light is produced.

In the drawings: Figure l is an outside longitudinal View of the device. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the plane 2 2 of Fig. l, one of tlie cells being shown with the insulator in full. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-'section on the plane 3 3 of Fig. l, showing the contact button making permanent Contact with the unin'sulated part of one of the batteries. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the plane 4 4 of Fig. l, showing the Contact button permanently out of Contact with the cell. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section on the plane 5 5 of Fig. l, Fig. 6 is a section on the plane 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig.Y 7 is a view of a portion of the barrel tube showingithe slot in which the spring moves.

l Fig 8 is an end view of the light, partly broken away.

Fig. 9 is l:'i'detail of an alternative form.

In the preferred formlof this device, the barrel or tube of the device is made of a seamless tube iz of alu.

. minium or other suitable metal, one end o f which is open, this end being provided `with a screw thread Vb,

the opposite-end ofthe tube or barrel is closed except.

for the small circularopening c, whichl is used for the purpose of inserting a rod in case the battery cells canl not be readily ejected from the barrel. `In the closed end or'bottom of the barrel is the helical spring d, one

. end of which'rnay be readily fastened inthe bottom of thebarrel. .The purpose of this spring is to keep the l in the band e to freely move the arm cells always' tight pressed one to the other, and make Contact with the lamp as shown in Fig. 2.- Surrounding the barrel a is the contact band e. This band is constructed in such a manner as to fit tightly about the barrel when it is slipped into position, the band being provided with the projections f forming a double row ofrivet-like points surrounding the band.

When the band is in position upon the barrel, a straight mandrel is inserted within the tube and the metal of the barrel forced outward and into the projections f, and in this manner preventing any slipping of the band when once in place on the barrel.

The band e is provided with the spring arm g which is hinged atene end as at y, `enough of the metal of the barrel being cut away to allow of the play of the spring arm as far as it may be pressed inwards.A This arm y; carries the 'contact button h riveted in the usualmanner to the arm, the button h being provided with the projection t', seen in Figs. 3 and 4. This arm g is not iixedly`hin'ged at g but it is allowed a certain amount of freedom, limited by the movement of the button h in'the slot k, and is held in place between the barrel a and the band e. It would thus be possible if the slot j in the barrel a corresponded with the slot c g around a portion of the surface of the barrel and at the same time, I by means of the button h, depress the end of the band at will. But this latter is not possible owing to the fact'that the slot c is irregular, one end being contracted as at c, which, when the button h is in the position shown in Fig. 4, it is impossible to depress the arm, owing to the fact that the projection i prevents the button being thus depressed.

As will'be seen fioma study of Fig. 3, which shows the button h in such a positionas to give a permanent llighting effect, the button h and the spring arm y/ are both shown making contact with the battery'l, this result can be obtained whenever the button h is pressed down when the button is over the wide portion of the slot k, in which case there is no interference between the projection i and the sides of the slot, and the spring arm is then pressed towards the right (Fig. 3)

` whenthe projection i will pass below the edges of the portion s/ of the slot k and the button h and spring arm g will remain in the position shown in Fig. 3, until the button is pressed'to the left and released..

If it is desired to prevent any waste of current from the batteries and keep the light in an inoperative position, the button is pushed towards the right without engaging with the edge of the slot c (as shown in Fig. 4)4 and by reason of the projection i, engaging with the rim of the slot c neither the button h nor thespring arm q can make contact with the cells Z.

It will thus be seen that three adjustments of the lamp may be obtained, full and intermittent contact by depressing the button hat will within the slot k; ull and uninterrupted Contact by depressing the button and throwing it over when in a depressed position, as seen in Fig. 3, or by throwing the button over entirely undepressed, preventing any contact with the cells whatever. (Fig. 4). Y

By making a double Contact of the button and the arm with the cell, greater eihciency is attained, as a better connection is thus had.

The barrel or tube a as shown in Fig, 2 is adapted to receive two or more dry battery Cells, as l, lf, 1; these are of the form and style usually used for this purpose and are insulated with a thickness of rubber as shown, the insulation on the cell l, it is to be noticed, extends over the end of the cell, thus preventing it from making contact with the spring d. The insulation n the cell l extends nearly but not quite to the iront end of the cell, to allow the arm g and the button h\to make contact with the cell. When the three cells are placed in position as. shown, the cover m., which isalso made of aluminium and is provided with screw threadto enable it to coperate with the thread b, is screwed upon the end oi the barrel. The top of this cover m is made concave, as shown in Fig. 2, so as-to form a reflector for the lamp n. This lamp is of the type ordinarily used for this purpose, and fits within and is held in piace by means of a short screw thread which `,corresponds with the thread on the base of the lamp, the terminals oi the lamp making Contact with the shell of the tube or barrel by means oi the cover m. The cell l is provided with a suitable projection to-enable it to make a good Contact with the light. Surrounding the cover m is the cap 0, this cap is also made of metal and can be readily removed from or placed upon the Icoverfm.. This cap f f f 864,957

separate piece of metal trom the barrel or tube as in the i preferred form; in Fig. 9fthe band e/is made integral with the barrel a, by enlarging the barrel, in any convenient manner, at this point, suiciently to allow the ywithin saidbarrcl or consists ol a plain cylinder whose inner diameter corof course to be understood that the depth of the reiiector m constituting a slidable and adjustable telescope joint Y will bear a certain relation to the lens, in order that the rays from the lamp n may be properly ocused by the lens p. By thus attaching the lens within the cap, it is believed a distinct improvement is had over the lens being attached by means of a spring or otherwise.

When the cells are placed within the barrel a and the cover m screwed down, by depressing the button h within the slot k, the, button-h and the spring arin o will cach make contact with the uninsulated part of thebattery Z and the circuit will be completed through the batteries to the two contact points and by them to the I tion of the band. Instead of making the band of a spring arm to slide free from Contact with the battery cells.

When the cellsl are worn out, the cover is unscrewed, and the barrel or tube stood upright on its open end, when the cells can be readily ejected by introducing a rod through the hole c and thus ejecting the cells. i

Vithout enumerating the many modications o which this invention is capable, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent are the following new, novel andcharacteristic eatures of this invention.

l. ln a portable l'lash light', the combination of a tube, an electric battery therein, said tube, and means for making and breaking contact bean electric lamp secured in tween the terminals of said lamp and said battery; said means including a spring arm adapted to assume three positions, beine, permitted in one position to b e moved to make and break contact, in another position being locked in Contact relation, and in a third position being`locked out of contact relation, substantially as described.

2. A portable flash light consisting of a bzirrel or tube, a plurality of battery cells' adapted-to .fit within the said barrel or tube, a removable cover incllo'sing' one end of said barrel, an electric lamp in said cover, a cylindrical cap adjustably and slidably mounted on' said coverl and making a telescope joint therewith, cap, means for reflecting the light from said lamp upon said lens, means for connectingY said lamp with said cover, and means for making and breaking Contact between said cells and said cover, scribed.

3. in a portable flashlight the combination of a seamless metallic barrel or tube having' one end open and the other closed, dry electric battery cells adapted to be contained tube, a metallic screwV threaded cover' adapted tot over the said open end and coilperating with a screw thread upon said barrel, said cover being provided with a reflector integral therewith, an electric lamp secured in the center' ci said reflector, means for connecting said cover with the terminals of said lamp, means for connecting said cells with the said lamp, means for making and breaking contact between the said cells and the said barrel or tube, means for adjustably focusing the light rays from the said lamp, said means consisting of a cylindrical metallic cap movable with relation to said cover. adapted to inclose said cover, and a lens fitting within said cap, substantially as described and set forth.

a lens carried by said substantially as set forth and dep ,4. In a portable flash light and in combination with a barrel or tube, a plurality of dry electric battery cells, a

said cells and said tube. together with a reflector siii'- rounding said lamp and means for focusing the-rays from said lamp, of a metallic band surroundingY said tube 'and secured thereto, of a rectangular slot within the surface of said tube, of a slot within said band above the first named slot, the. width of a portion of said second slot correspondine; with that of the first said slot, the other portion of the second said slot being contracted in width, a metallic springy arm, onev end of which lies between the said band and the outer surface of saidiube, the other end being free to more up and down within the first said slot, a metallic button on said spring' arm, said button and said lever' arm being adapted to make contact at a plurality of points poses set forth.

Signed this sixth day of October, 1904, at Passie, N. JA

JOHN DicKnNs.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK B. WILSON, .TonN J. WOODRUFF.