US1232824A - Portable flash-light. - Google Patents

Description

J. L. MAYHEW. PDRTABLE FLASH LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. H113.

July 151 i911 Patented a'wvemtoz JOSEPH L. MHYHEW JOSEPH L. MAYHEW, 0F WILLIAMSTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

PORTABLE FLASH-LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

Application filed May 8, 1916. Serial No. 95,193.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. MAYHEW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Williamstown, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Flash-Lights, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to electric flash lamps and the general object of the invention is the provision of a lamp so constructed that it'may be used in situations where the ordinary flash lamp is not capable of use, such as between floors and partitions, around machinery and between beams.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a lamp support wherein there is a battery container or casing and a lamp, the lamp being connected to the casing by a flexible section so constructed that it may be bent, but will retain the bend given to it so that this flexible section may be curved, bent or otherwise deflected so that it may pass by or around obstructions.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for electrically connecting the lamp with the battery contained within the casing, and still another object is to provide a reflector and a lamp so constructed that they may be connected to or detached from the flexible member as a unit.

Other objects will be later stated.

One practical form of the invention will be described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of an angle lamp reflector showing the method of attaching and carrying the lamp;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the switchr Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the cone cap and its several component parts or fittings.

In portable flash lamps it is necessary to provide a casing for carrying the battery and to this end I provide a casing 5 which is of hard fiber or other insulating material and which may have any desired shape, one end of this casing being provided with a metallic ring 40, riveted to the fiber casing and exteriorly screw threaded to engage with a screw threaded closing cap 8. Be tween the battery and the'closing cap there is disposed a spring 7 which urges the battery upward and at the same time forms an electrical connection between one electrode of the battery and the metallic cap 6.'

The upper end of the casing 5 is formed of a diaphragm 10 which has a centrally disposed aperture, this diaphragm having downwardly extending flanges which are exteriorly screw threaded and which are riveted by rivets 9 to the fiber casing 5. Having screw threaded engagement with the flange of the diaphragm 10 is a substantially conical cap. Positioned within the aperture of the diaphragm 10, and projecting through from the battery side, or under side, is a suitable insulating bushing 11 which is formed with flanges to engage with the under side of the diaphragm 10. This insulating bushing 11 is also provided with a suitable through passage and in the lower end is disposed a suitable terminal 12 which may be formed of any conducting material. This terminal 12 is also provided with a central aperture or passage and through this passage extends a conducting wire 13. This conducting wire passes through the terminal 12 and is secured to it in such a manner as will provide a good electrical connection. It is then cut-ofl flush with the lower edge of the terminal.

The upper end of the cap or cover 8 is provided with a suitable aperture and positioned within this aperture is a threaded and flanged sleeve 14 constituting a socket. This sleeve at its upper end has its flange 15 turned outwardly and soldered to a suitable flattened portion of the cover 8. Extending downwardly from the flange 15, is the threaded portion and at the lower end or extremity of the threaded portion, the inwardly turned flange 16 is provided. This inwardly turned flange 16 is so formed that it will securely hold an insulating washer or bushing 17 which is provided with a suitable centrally disposed aperture. Operating in connection with the casing 5 is a flexible metallic tube 20 which is so formed that it may be inserted in the sleeve or socket 14 and at the extremity of this tube which is inserted within the socket 14 there is provided an insulating bushing 18 having a central aperture. The bushing 18 is held from any longitudinal movement in the extremity of the metallic tube 20.

Positioned in the apertures of the insulating washers 17 and 18 are the metal bushings 19 and 19 The metal bushing 19 is provided with a passage through which extends the conducting wire 13 leading from the terminal 12. Thls conducting wire is secured to the metal bushing 19 in any suitable way. One method of attaching being by soldering after the conducting wire has been drawn through or extended under tension between the two bushings, thus spacing the terminals. 12 and 19 a certain distance apart and holding the washers 11 and 17 securely in their respective seats.

Adapted to be secured to the sleeve 14 is aflexible tube 20. This tube 20 is preferably threaded at one end to engage with the threads of the sleeve 14. The opposite end is enlarged and also provided with suitable threads 26 to engage with the threads 21 of the reflector 27. This will permit the reflector to be screwed onto the end of the tube. The threaded portion of the reflector is also provided with suitable threads so that the base of the lamp 22 may be engaged or inserted therein.

Disposed adjacent the threaded socket end 26 of the tube 20 there is an insulating washer 23 which is provided with a centrally disposed aperture through which passes a conducting wire 24. This washer is firmly secured to the tube in any suitable manner. This conductor passes from the terminal 25 to the terminal 19 to which it is secured, then by frictional contact the terminal 19 contacts with the terminal 19 and the conducting wire 13 connects the terminal 19 with the terminal 12. Thus one side of the electric circuit is made complete.

The ends of the flexible tube 20 are pref erably formed with a rigid portion which extends into the sleeve 14 and away therefrom for some distance in order to prevent the tube from flexing too near the cap. The opposite end-is also provided with a rigid portion which extends from the socket end 26. The lamp 22 may be of any suitable form or type having a base threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion or socket of the reflector 27. The reflector 27 may be of any convenient orsuitable form that may project the light rays from the lamp 22 outward and through the lens 28. This lens 28 may be of the plano-convex'type or of any other suitable form. The planoconvex type is shown.

Adjacent the free edge of the reflector there are formed suitable screw threads which are adapted to cotiperate with a suitably threaded ring 29 having a lens engaging portion turned inwardly to form a small flange 30. The lens 28 may be seated against the peripheral edge of the reflector and held to the reflector by means of this ring 29 or it may be preferred to carry the lens in a suitable recess which may be formed by the flanges 30 of the ring 29 and therefore uniting the ring and the lens together and permitting their removal as one piece There may be times when it is desired to use the light in a confined space and to provide for this the angle tube 31 is shown. This is preferably of a relatively short length and is formed with an approximately right-angle bend. This angle bend is adapted to be used in place of the reflector at the upper end of the flexible tube 20 by unscrewing the reflector 27 from its socket and screwing the angle bend 31 into its place. To provide for this method of attaching, suitable threads 32 are provided at the lower end of this bend while the upper end is formed in a similar manner to that previously described for holding the lamp 1n posltlon.

Secured to one side of the battery casing 5, is a suitable switch for completing the circuit through the battery and the conducting wire, the lamp and thence back to the other terminal of the battery. One particular form of switch is shown in Fig. 3, WhlCh is secured to the casing by means of the plate 33. A slide 34 is provided which is electrically connected to the cap 6 by a conducting wire a and plate 33, this slide engaging the slits 35. The slide is formed with a contact spring 36. Disposed in the path of movement of the circuit closing spring 36 is a terminal 37 which is electrically connected to the cap 8 by a conducting wire b. This terminal 37 is insulated from the plate 33, the button 34 and the spring 36 by the material of the casing. This puts the plate 33 in electrical contact with the one terminal of the battery throughspring 7. Adjacent the lower edge of the plate 33 and in a line with the button 34, there may be provided suitable means for locking the contact spring 36 out of engagement with the terminal 37 to prevent an accidental closing of the circuit at any time. The button 34 is adapted to slide backward and forward in the slits 35 and is formed with its lateral edges to more particularly engage with these slits.

This flash lamp is especially suitable, by its construction and assembly to be used with instruments in the nature of periscopes including an angular observation tube and mirrors disposed within the observation tube so as to reflect an object along the length of the observation tube, these instruments being particularly adapted for use in certain form of electrical work, as for instance, the Wiring of houses, the instrument being adapted to be inserted with its end in the space between floors or partitions so that a view may be had of this space and the obstructions to the passage of wires may be noted.

The flexible tube 20 is of such a construction that it may be bent into any desired shape and retain the bend given to it. I, of course, do not claim this particular form of flexible tube as it is common and well known.

The purpose of this tube is to provide a upport for the lamp which, while it may be bent relatively easily, will be stiff enough to ofier a support for the lamp so that the lamp may be shifted by shifting the battery container. If the conductor were merely a flexible cord, for instance, this could not be done, nor could the lamp be pushed into the positions necessary for an observation or necessary to illuminate spaces between floors, around beams, and behind machine parts.

In the practical operation or use of the device, after a suitable opening has been made in the floor or the partition, a periscope of the character above described may be inserted and this portable flash lamp also inserted through the same opening and by means of the lamp at its extremity, all the obstructions existing in that partition or beneath the flooring may be seen. This enables the workman to readily note just where those obstructions are and will save considerable time and labor in the running of wires or conduits and will also avoid the necessity of taking up parts of the floor or of making unnecessarily large openings in the partitions. To use this device the button 34 is slid forward out of engagement with its'locking means and thereby completes the circuit when the spring 36 contacts with the terminal 37 and the lamp is energized.

- When it is desired to carry the lamp from one building to another, the flexible tube 20 is simply unscrewed from the sleeve 14 and the push button 34: is moved downward or toward the lower end of the case so that it will engage with the locking means 39. Then the several parts may be packed in a small tool box or carried in a tool bag and the battery is fully protected from being short circuited through any connecting material.

Minor changes in the form and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In an electric light support, a battery container, a battery casing, a metallic socket having an insulated contact, the socket and the contact being adapted to be connected to a battery disposed within the casing, an electric lamp including a metallic base and an insulated contact, and a tubular metallic contact member inserted in said socket at one end and at the other end receiving the base of the lamp, said tubular member having insulated contacts at its ends adapted to engage the contact of the lamp and the contact of the first named socket, and a single wire connected to said contacts in the tubular member and extending through the member.

2. A flash lamp including a battery casing of insulating material, a metallic cap closing one end of the casing and having a battery contact, a metallic diaphragm at the other end of the casing, a metallic cap detachably engaged with this end of the casing and having a metallic socket, an insulated battery contact disposed in the diaphragm and adapted to engage one pole of the battery within the casing, an insulated metallic contact disposed in the socket, a wire connecting said contacts, and a switch mounted on the casing and having elements electrically connected to the caps at opposite ends of the casing.

3. A flash lamp of the character described including a battery casing formed of insulating-material, a metallic cap at one end having a battery contact, a metallic diaphragm at the other end of the casing a metallic cap detachably engaged with this end of the casing and having a metallic socket, an insulated battery contact disposed in the diaphragm, an insulated metallic contact disposed in the end of the socket, a wire connecting said contacts, a switch on the wall of the casing having elements electrically connected to said caps, a hollow metallic member having one end removably engaged in said socket and having insulated contacts at its ends, a slack conductor disposed within said member and electrically connecting said contacts, and an electric lamp having a base adapted to be inserted in that end of the casing.

4. In a lamp support of the character described, a battery container closed at one end and provided with a terminal contact carried in said end but insulated therefrom, a ca mounted on this end of the container and ormed with a threaded socket, a contact member carried in the base of the socket and electrically connected to the first named contact member, a flexible metallic tubular member havin one end adapted to be screw-threaded in said socket and having a contact therein adapted to engage the contact in the base of the socket, the opposite end of the tubular member being formed with a screw-threaded socket and with a lamp engaging contact electrically connected to the contact in the opposite end of the tubularmember, and a lamp adapted to be inserted in the last named socket and engaged with said lamp contact.

5. A flashlight including a battery casing, a battery engaging spring at one end of the casing, a metallic diaphragm at the other end of the casing extending across this end, a cap detachably engaged with this end of the casing and extending outward and toward the axial center of the casing and having a socket at its center extending inward toward the partition, a conductor carried by the partition and extending into the socket but insulated therefrom, the conductor being [hollow metallic member away from said having a metallic neck detachably engaging I nasaeaa the socket, and a lamp detachably mounted in .the neck having terminals, one engaging the neck of the lamp housing and the other 15 engaging said contact, the hollow conductor being adapted to be engaged by the other terminal of a source of energy.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH L. MAYHEW.

Witnesses:-

SANBORN Govn 'IENNEY, MICHAEL L. MONAHAN.

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