US1832563A - Electric flash light - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17, 1931.4 G. KUHN 1,832,563

ELECTRIC FLASH LIGHT Filed DSC. 2,' 192'?` '2 Sheets-Sheet l @w WM gyn/vento@ NOV. 17, 1931. G KUHN ELECTRIC FLASH LIGHT Filed Dec. 2 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet S11/vento@ Geo/ye /fl//WL @Hoz my Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE KUHN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT F COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR T0 KUHN-WHITE LABORATORIES, INC., OIE1 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND ELECTRIC FLASH LIGHT Application. fusa Decembr 2, 1927. .serial No. 237,265.

The present invention relates to improvements in flashlights, whereby the light may be projected at various anglesgto the normal axis of the flashlight casing. Generally speaking, the invention consists in constructing the casing in two sections, the battery being housed in one of the sections, and the lamp being disposed in the other, and providing a joint between the two sectlons so that they may be in alignment, or may be adjusted to various angles relative to each other, connections being provlded between the two sections which are operative 1n any angular relation of the lamp.

The joint between the two sections is, 1n 1ts preferred form, what may be termed a swivel miter joint, and while the sections may be most conveniently given an angle of fortylive degrees (45) at their junction so as to to enable them to swing relatively from alignment to a rectangular position, or vice versa, it is to be understood that I do not necessarily confine myself to this arrangement.

Without going further into the general aspects of the invention I shall proceed to describe'it with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein, although various embodiments are: possible, two generally representative forms are illustrated.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention with the axes of the two sections in alignment.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same embodiment looking from the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side: elevation of thesame embodiment with the axes of. the two sections at right angles to each other.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. l2.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a movable switch element.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the same'.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a second general embodiment of the invention with the axes of the two sections in alignment, and

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the second embodiment with the axes at right angles to each other.

Referring now to the drawings, the Hashlight casing comprises upper and lower tubular sections 11 and 12, Figures 1 to 4, whose adjacent ends are truncated at an angle of forty-live degrees to the horizontal, this angle, as mentioned above, being the most appropriate as giving the best range of adjustment; As shown in Fig. 1, these angles are in supplementary relation, while in Fig. 3 they are in complementary relation. It is desirable that the abutting edges of sections 11 and 12 be circular, so that they will be in register with each other at all positions of adjustment. Conseguently, these sections are made in the form o cylindroids, or, in other words, their lateral surfaces are cylindrical surfaces having a common vertical generatriX, and a circle inclined forty-tive degrees (45) to the horizontal as directrix. To view this structure in another light, the casing comprises two similar cylindroidal sections, each truncated at a suitable angle to its axis to form circular abutting ends.

The lower margin of section 11 is provided with an outward bead 13, and the edges 14 are spun inwardly in parallel relation to the 'plane of truncation to retain a disk 15, of suitable insulating material, with' its peripheries in bead 13. Disk 15 is centrally and downwardly dished at 16. Similarly, section 12 is provided with bead 17, in which is secured the peripheries of a centrally and downwardly dished insulating disk 18 by means of spun-over edges 19.- The dished portion of disk 15 is nested in the Ilarger dished portion of disk 18. It should be mentioned here that while members 15 and 18 have been referred to as disks, they need not necessarily be in this form, since their function is merely to serve as strut elements which are swivelled togetherv to connect sections 11 and 12.

A contact strip 20, bent in substantially triangular form to'bring its free ,end 21 into the horizontal, is secured at its other end in the dished portion of disk-15 by means of a rivet 22. A contact strip 23 is secured to the bottom of the dished portion of disk 18 by of forty-five degrees (45) to the axis of means of a rivet 24, the free end 25 of strip 23 being bent into the horizontal. The two disks and the two contact strips are secured together by a hollow rivet or pivot pin 26, of electrically conductive material, at the exact center of the circular abutting section ends. Thus, it will be seen that section 11 may be turned relative to section 12 about rivet 26, and that the latter will always maintain contact strips 2O and 23 in electrical connection.

A further contact strip 27 is secured to the A lower face of disk 18 by means of a rivet 28. This contact strip has a lower horizontal intermediate section l29, and an upper hori zontal end section 30, which latter lies substantially in the plane of end 25 of contact strip 23.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 6 to 8, 31 is a 'sector-shaped plate et insulating material with a radial projection 32. Set in the lower face of plate 31 is a radially extending contact strip 33 having arms 34 and 35 passed up through apertures in the plate and bent over on top of the latter. Plate 31 and contact element 33 are pivotally connected to end 25 of contact strip 23 by means of a rivet 36. Projection 32 passes through a circumferentially-extending slot 37 formed in a depression 38 in the casing wall so that its end is .within the main boundaries of the wall. By suitable movement of projection 32, contact element 33 places end 30 of contact strip 27 into or out of electrical connection with end 25 of contact strip 23.

A battery 29 is disposed in section 12 and secured therein by a cap 40, which, in the usual manner, is in electrical connection with one of the battery poles and with the conductive walls of section 12., The other battery pole 41 is in contact with section 29 of contact strip 27.

A reflector 42, supporting a lamp 43, has marginal flanges 44 adapted to rest on the upper edges of section 11. The reflector is surmounted by a lens 45, and both of these elements are secured to section 11 by an annular cap 46 engaged with section 11 by means of det- ents 47 and 48. The central contact of the lamp rests on section 21 of contact strip 20. Reflector 42 is of conductive material, as is likewise section 11, electrical connection being established between the latter and section 12 through the contacting flanges 14 and 19, so that through these elements and cap 40 a circuit is completed to the contact shell of the lamp.

According to Figs. 9 and 10, the lower section 49 of the casing has at its upper end what is in elect a semispherical enlargement 50 with its circumference at an angle otion 49. The upper section in this instance consists of a semi-spherical portion 51 provided with a neck 52, in which is mounted a lens 53. The circumferential plane of portion 51 is at right angles to the central axis of neck 52. The other details of construction may be generally similar to those described in connection with Figs. 1 to 8, and, consequently, need 'not be enlarged upon here. The effect is exactly the same as was described in connection with the first embodiment, in that the circumferential edges of semi-spherical elements 50 and 51 will always be in register. If desired, section 5l may be fitted with more than one lens, the two or more lenses being adapted to selectively project different colored rays.

From the above, it will be seen that I have provided a. flashlight of extremely simple structure and adapted to various uses. The described device may be used as an ordinary flashlight with the sections relatively disposed, as in Figs. 1 or 9, or, with the parts relatively disposed as in Figs. 3 and 10; the device may be used as a reading lamp or the like, cap 40 being designed to serve as a supporting base. Of course, any angular arralpgement intermediate those shown is possi le.

While I have necessarily shown specific embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that many modifications are possible within the limits of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a hollow elongated casing comprising two sections. the abutting ends of said sections being biased, the margins of said abutting ends having peripheral beads, disks peripherally engaged in said beads, and a central swivel connection between said disks.'

2. In a device of the class described, a hollow elongated casing comprising two sections, the abutting ends of said sections being biased, a strut element of insulating material secured across each of said abutting ends, an electrically conductive central swivel pin connecting said strut elements, an electric battery in one of said sections. an electric lamp in the other, and connections between said battery and lamp, said connections including said swivel pin.

3. In a device of the classl described, a hollow elongated casing comprising two sections, the abutting ends of said sections being biased, a strut elment of insulating material secured across each of said abutting ends, an electric battery in one of said sections, contact means on the adjacent ystrut element forming a connection with one pole of the battery, an elec trie lamp in the other of said sections, contact means on the other strut element forming a connection with said lamp, and an electrically conductive swivel pin connecting said strut elements and connecting said contact means.

4. In a device of the class described, atubular casing comprising two cylindroidal seetions, said sections each being truncated at an angle to its central` longitudinal axis to form circular abutting ends, a strut element of in.- sulating material secured across each of said abutting ends, an electrically conductive swivel pin connecting said strut elements, an electric battery in one of said sections, an electric lamp in the other, and connections between said battery and lamp, said connections including said swivel pin.

5. In a device of the class described, a tubular casing comprising two cylindroidal sections, a battery in one of said sections, a lamp in the other, said sections each being truncated at an angle to its central longitudinal axis to form circular abutting ends, a circular closure disk for each of said ends, said disks having their central portions dished towardl thevbattery and nested,'and aswivel pin connecting said offset portions. y

6. In a hand electric flashlight, a tubular hollow casing comprising two sections, van electric battery in one of said sections, an electric lamp in the other of said sections, said lamp section having a light opening therein, said sections having abutting. ends in planes at similar angles to planes perpendicular to the axes of said sections, a swivel joint between said `abutting ends whereby upon relative rotation of said sections'about said swivel joint a light beamv may be projected through said light opening at'various angles to the axis of the battery section, and connections between said battery and lamp, said connections including` a conductive central element `disposed between the battery and lamp and containedwholly within said casing, and wiping conductive elements outwardly of said central element and insulated therefrom.

v7. In a hand electric flashlight, a tubular casing comprising two sections connected in one end to end relation, the adjacent ends of said sections presenting abutting edges with their planes atsimilar angles to planes of said sections perpendicular to the axes of the sections, said sections being adapted to be relatively rotatedgabout an axis perpendicular to the planes' of their abutting edges whereby the axes of said sections lare causedto assume different angular relations, abattery in one of said sections, a lamp in the other of said sections, said lampsection having a light opening, and connections between said lamp and batteg' tive positions of said` sections, said connections including abutting conductive rings inwardly of the abutting edges of said sections respectively and a conductive element disposed wholly within said casing between the battery and lamp and centrally of and insu-z lated from said rings.

8. In a hand electric flashlight, a tubular metallic casing comprising two sections connected in end tn and` relation. the adjacent operative at all relaends of said sections presenting abutting edges with their planes at similar angles to planes of said sections perpendicular to the axes of the sections, said sections being adapted to be relatively rotated about an axis er- 4pendicular to the planes of the abutting e ges whereby the axes of said sectionsare caused to assume dierent angular relations, a battery in one of said sections, a lamp in the other of said sections, said 'lamp section having a light opening, and connections between said lamp and battery operative at all relative positions of said sections, said connections including abutting annular flanges integral with the abutting edges of said sections, and a conductive element disposed -wholly within said'casing between the battery and 4lamp and centrally of and insulated from said flanges.

9. A hand electric flashlight comprising a tubular hollow casing includin two sections having adjacent ends with e ges lying in planes at angles to planes perpendicular to the axes of the sections, means swivelly connecting the'adjacent ends of the sections to permit their axes to assume various angulari relations upon relative rotation of the sections about their swivelling axis, one of said sections having a light opening and being adapted to receive a lamp, the other of said sections being adapted to receive a battery, and electrical connections entirely within the casing adapted to connect the terminals of a Asections about the swivelling axis, a substantially central-conductive element having an expanded plane surfaced portion substantially parallelv to the planes of said edges. and a conductor mounted in one of said sections and adapted to'form a wiping contact with said central conductive'elelnent in all positions of relative adjustment of the sections.

11. A swivel joint connection for two tubular sections of a hand electric flashlight caspendicular to the axis ofthe sections, the sections being connected for swivelling movement about an axis Vperpendicular to the planes of their adjacent edges vto permit the stantially central conductive element disposed in the junctional region of the sections, an insulating disk carried by one of said sections and to which said conductive element is connected, and a conductor mounted on one of said sections and adapted to forni a wiping contact with said central conductive eleinent in all positons of relative adjustment of the sections. l0 12. A swivel joint connection for two tubular sections of a liand electric flashlight casing, said sections having adjacent edges lying in parallel planes at angles to planes perpendicular to the axes of the sections, the sections being connected for swivelling movement about an axis perpendicular to the planes of their adjacent edges to permit the axes of the sections to assume various angular relations upon relative rotation of the sections about the swivelling axis, a substantially central conductive element disposed in the junctional region of the sections, an insulating disk carried by one of said sections and to which said conductive element is con- 5 nected, a conductor mounted on one of said sections and adapted to form a wiping contact with said central conductive element in all positions of relative adjustment of the sections, a lamp support in the other of said sections, and a lamp contactor element in said other of said sections mounted on said disk and in connection with said central conductive element.

13. A swivel joint connection for two tubular sections of a hand electric flashlight casing, said sections having adjacent edges lying in parallel planes at angles to planes perpendicular to the axes of the sections, the edges of each section being provided with an 0 inner annular flange lying substantially in the plane of its associated edges, the sections being connected for swivelling movement about an 'axis perpendicular to the planes of the adjacent edges to permit the axes of the sections to assume various angular relations upon relative rotation of the sections about the swivelling axis, an insulating disk Within one of the sections and resting on the flange thereof, and a conductive element secured to 5U said disk substantially centrally thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE KUHN.

Images