US1408664A - Flash lamp - Google Patents

Description

F. W. WAKEFIELD.

FLASH LAMP.

APPLlcATioN FILED MAH.29,1920.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

@www fgclelfckwwakefielcl.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W'. WAKEFIELD, OF `'V'EBIVJI'.llION, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE F. W. WAKE- FIELD BRASS CO., OF VERMILION, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FLASH LAMP.

Specication of Letters' Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

Dttpplieation led. March 29, 1920. Serial No. 369,788.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that ll, FREDERICK W. WAKE- rrnnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Vermilion, county of Erie, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flash Lamps, of which the following is a specification, the principle oft the invention being herein explained and the best mode-in which l have contemplated applying that principle, so as to' distinguish it froml other inventions.

The present invention relates to flash lights of the type in general use for household and vother purposes where a light is desired for a short length of time. In the present device a light ofthis character is combined with cert-ain other advantageous features which make the light particularly suitable for use with and around automobiles, motorboats and the like where a warning signal or colored light is at times very desirable. Furthermore, provision is made so that the battery can not be short circuited by metallic contact from the outside so that the lamp may be carried in a too-l box or in a pocket with tools. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinaft-er fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle oit the invention may be used.

ln said annexed drawing Fig 1 is a Vertical longitudinal section through the lamp; Fig. 2 is a broken similar section showing the parts in the second operating position; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a section of a detail on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

lin the lamp shown there is provided the usual casing 1 made ot fibre or other insulating material in which is mounted the battery 2 here shown as a two cell battery having a top central contact 3 and a bottom contact 4. At the bottom-the casing is provided `with a threadedsleeve 5 riveted or otherwise secured to the casing, and a thread cap 6 engages with such sleeve to close the casing, a spring 7 being inserted between the interior surtace of thel cap and the bottom of" the battery. This 'spring/also makes electrical con- Along the interior of the casing and in l electrical Contact with the sleeve 5, is mounted a contact strip 12 which, as shown, is secured to the sleeve 5 b al rivet 13, and at its top to a switch-carrylng plate 14 which is secured to the casing wall. This plate 14 covers a. suitable slot 15 in the casing wall and is likewise slotted as' at 16 to allow movement ofthe switch handle or knob 17.

The plate 8 in the casing has a central aperture 20 through which a contact bolt 21 is mounted, the bolts being insulated from the plate by a disk 22 and being held in place by means of anut 23 which bea-rs against the disk. The extending end 24 of the bolt contacts with the upper central cortact 3 of the battery as shown. Surrounding the bolt is a metallic sleeve or socketmember 25 which is hollowed out and which fits snugly in the aperture in the plate 8. This socket is provided with an inwardly extending annular shoulder 26 on which is mounted an 'apertured insulating disk 27 through which the bolt 21 passes and which centers the bolt and prevents it from coming in contact with the socket. The socket is interiorly threaded above the shoulder 26 to receive the lamp bulb 30, the bottom contact 31 of which is in engagement with the head 33 of the central bolt. The exterior ofthe socket is of greater diameter at the top than at the bottom, an inclined shoulder 34 being formed as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

At the top of the casing is mounted a cylindrical shell 35 which is riveted or grommeted to the casing, and this shell has a threaded upper edge 36 which is Ifitted by a threaded cap 37 having an inturned flange 38 which is adapted to hold the glass closure 39 in place. Within the shell is mounted a reflector 40 which, as shown, is provided with a central aperture 4 1 through which the light socket extends.

'Through the slot 15 in the casing wall is'mounted the switch knob or handle. This handle consists of a screw 42 which extends outwardly through an aperture 43 in a liange 44 of. an inwardly extending arm 45, there being a nut formin the knob l17 mounted exteriorly of the casing in threaded engage-v ment with the screw 42. A set screw 46 is also mounted through the nut so as to contact the end of screw 42 to maintain the nut securely in position thereon. As shown,

the plate 8 is provided with a raised portion or hump 47 which is adapted to fit the curved under surface-of the nut so as to tend to maintain the nut in position on the hump, this being the neutral position of the knob.

The arm 45 is provided at its inner end with a metal ring which is adapted to carry a sleeve or cylinder 49 of colored transparent material such as glass or the like. 'lhis sleeve encircles the socket and bulb and is movable through the aperture in the relector. The switch handle is, of course, in electrical connection with the bottom contact of the batte through the strip 12 and the plate 14 so t at the arm and ring are electrically connected to one battery contact. In the downward position of the knob shown in Fig. 1 the arm and ring closes the electrical circuit through the plate 8 and the socket to the outside threads of the bulb, the bottom contact of the bulb being always in contact with the other side of the latter through the bolt 21. When in neutral position the ring is spaced away from both the plate 8 and the socket 25, but when the Larm is raised to the position shown in Fig.. 2'

the ring contacts the socket at the point where the socket increases in diameter again closlng the circuit.

When contact is made by moving they handle down, that is into the position shown in Fig. 1, the colored sleeve is retracted and the flash light gives the usual white light, but when the knob is raised the sleeve is moved upwardly encircling the bulb so that the color of the ray reaching the reflector is changed, thus giving a colored light. Preferably the sleeve will be made of red or other colored glass so that a warning signal may be given if desired.

The/present mechanism presents the added advantage of having a lash light which can not be shortcircuited from the outside. reiector and top cap is at all times insulated from the bulb and thus it is only possible to complete the circuit by moving the sleeve. The outside metallic elements of the lamp are all normally in circuit with one battery poleiand thus the mere bridging of the metallic parts does not complete the circuit and the battery can not accidentally be discharged.

Another feature is having theswitch member connected to the sleeve 4so that the con- The tact is made either in raised or lowered p osition, no separate setting of the colored sleeve being necessary. The sleevealwa s extends upwardly 1nto the opening in t e reflector, thus electually insulating the reector from the socket or bulb at all times.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and A distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a flash lamp, the combinationof a' battery casing, a switch knob in an electrical connection with one battery pole and movably mounted on 4said casing, a socket mounted in said casing and adapted to receive a lamp bulb, a ycontact member mountnected to one battery pole, a plate mounted in said casing, a lamp bulb receiving socket mounted on said late and electrically connected'thereto, said socket having a central aperture, a contact screw mounted centrally through said socket and said plate and in sulated therefrom, said screw making elec trical contact with the other pole of the battery and with one terminal of the lam bulb, a contact arm connected to said kno and extending inwardly and adapted to oontact said plate in one position of said knob and to contact said socket in another position to close the electrical circuit through said bulb in either of two positions of said knob.

3. In a Hash lamp, the'combination of an insulating casing having a slot therein, a switch knob mounted exteriorly and movable in such slot, said knob being electrically connected to one battery pole, a plate mounted in said casing, a lamp bulb receiving socket mounted on said plate and electrically connected thereto, said socket having a central aperture and having its upper portion of larger diameter than its lower portion, a

vcontact screw mounted cenitrally through the battery and avith one terminal of the lamp bulb, a contact arm connected to said knob and movable-therewith, said arm being adapted in its normal position to be spaced from said socket but adapted to contact said socket in one positionof said knob and said plate in another position of `said knob to close the electrical circuit through the bulb.

4. In a flash lamp, the combination of an insulating casing adapted to receive a battery, said casing having a slot therein, a switch knob mounted in such casing and adapted to move in such slot, said knob being in electrical contact with one battery pole, a plate mounted in said casing adjacent said slot, said plate having a centrally located aperture, a hollowT lamp bulb receiving socket mounted on said plate and electrically connected thereto, a contact screw mounted through such apertures in said socket and plate and insulated from both, said screw being normally in contact with the other pole of said battery and one terminal of the lamp bulb, and an arm connected to said knob and extending interi- 19 orly of said casing and adapted to be normally spaced from said socket and said plate, but being adapted to be moved into contact either with said plate or said socket toclose the electrical clrcuit through said llamp bulb.

5. In a flash lamp,the combination of a battery casing, a rellector mounted at one end of said casing, said reflector having a central aperture, a lamp bulb receiving socket t0 surround said bulb,a switch knob movyably mounted on said casing, said sleeve being operatively connected to said switch knob and movable therewith, said knob being adapted to close the electrical circuit through said bulb in both the extended and retracted positions of said sleeve.

FREDERICK W. WAKEFIELD.

Signed by me this 25th day of March, A'

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