US1919024A - Pocket flash light - Google Patents

Description

' July 18, 1933. L. ABBOTTS 1,919,024

POCKET FLASH LIGHT Filed Aug. 6, 1931 Ma, /5 20 2/ l2 9 2/ /2 li 25 y v? /5 3; u /5 25 0 1 1 24 F762. Q 7 m I If Z2 9 7 30 j\ L I 23 U /4 /7 29 a /4 Patented-July 1a, 1933 LEONARD ABBOTTS, OF BBIDGEPORT, OONNEGTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRIDGEPOBT- METAL GOODS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGE-PORT, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF OONNEUDIOUT .POWET' sense mom Application filed August a, 193i. serial no, states This invention relates to new and useful imgiovements in pocket flash lights:

object of the invention is to provide a pocket flash light of the type shown in United States Patent No. l, lll8,52"d of Match 1922 and including improved circuit closing means whereby the light mey be flashed on and ofi' or may be maintained on es desized Another object is to provide flash iinclu-ding a circuit closing ariangen economical construction and which is cand reliable in operation and which adapts the iiash light for use with batteries what different lengths such as the veil... incident to manufacture @ther objects and advantages iil become apparent from a consideration of the follow ing; detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein satisfactory embodiment oithe invention is shown. However, it is to he understood that the invention is not limited to the precise details shown but includes all such variations end modifications as fall within the spirit the invention and the scope of the appended claims to which claims reference is to he had for a definition of the invention.

in the drawing:

Fig. l is a View partly in side elevation and partly in section and showing the cone pletely assembled flash light;

"Fig. 2 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale showing the switch or circuit closing end of the dash light, the switch being in normal or off position;

Fig. 3 is a View somewhat similar to Fig, 2 but showing the switch in circuit closing position for flash efiect; and

Fig. i is a View similar to Fig. 3 but showing" the switch locked in circuit closing position.

Referring" in detail to the drawing the improved flash light is shown as includinga metal casing comprisingseparable end sec-- tions 5 and 6 connected bv screw threads as indicated at 7. Section 6 of the casing is adapted to carry a bulb 8 and to accommodate the bulb is turned backwardl v upon itself to provide a screw threaded neck 9 to LClE;

receive the screw sheli 10 of the bulb and is also shaped as at 11 to provide e. ieflector for the bulb. I

Adjacent its outer end the section 5 of the casing carries on apertured Ting-shaped insulator 12 adapted to move or flout between two internal beads end it rolled in the casing: The sections 5 end 6 of the casing eie edapted to be uncoupled at land a lostteiy 15 may then be inserted into one section of the cosine; and the other section of the cesing they then be disposed over on end of the etteiy and the casing sections screwed to- At one end the battery will have Lei: its cei te l cont-set 18 engaging" l short battery is used and losing; moved in the diseotion of the bead when s selativeiy long bettesy is used. will be understood that the shell it of the bulb is gsounded on the cesing and that the central contact oi the hulh is engaged by central contact 16 of battery, and to complete the 'cis suit between the battery and bulb s but necesesify to form it connection between the pole of the hotter and the casing". ine end ot the section 5 02% the casing be yond the insulates 32 is opeitured as at it,

said operture preferably osing in alignment aperture 12a in the insulates. Extending; throue'h the aperture 17 is a push button 18 including a shoulder 19 disposed the inner side of the end 20 of the section 5 of the casing. This shoulder 1:9 is of such diameter as not to pass through the eperture 1'? end within the casing and hearing" at one end against the insulator 12 end at its other end against the shoulder 19 of the push but-=- ton is a coil spring 21.

Coil spring 21 serves to maintain the push button oi switching means in its normal or 1th the cen- J coiled s 921 when relative off position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and this spring also serves to maintain the lIlSlllater 12 against one end of the battery so as to maintain the other end of the battery in engagement with the central contact of the bulb. The diameter of the push button 18 im mediately above the shoulder 19 is such that the push button has a relatively snug but easily slidable fit in the aperture 17 and toward its outer end the button has a portion of reduced diameter providing a groove 22 the purpose ofwhich will later appear.

At its inner end the push button is reduced somewhat and includes a shank 23 to which is secured and from which projects into the aperture 12a of the insulator 12 a compres sible or yieldable contact member here disclosed as a relatively light coil spring 24. The aperture 17 being in alignment with the aperture in the insulator 12 the push button 18 with its contact member 24 is also in align ment with the opening in the insulator and therefore when the push button is pressed the contact member 24 passes downwardly or inwardly through the aperture in the insulator and contacts with the battery. A circuit is thus closed from the battery through the member 24 and push button 18 to the casing resulting in the bulb being energized. The extension 24 is not of sufficient length to engage the end of the battery in its normal or off position as shown in Fig. 2 so that when it is in this position the circuit is open.

It will be noted in Fig. 3 that the push button has been moved but a short distance to bring the contact member 24 into engagement with the end of battery 15. Of course, on the push button being released spring 21 will react to return the push button to its normal or of]? position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As has been suggested the push button may be locked in circuit closing position and to acomplish this it is but necessary to press the button inwardly until its grooved portion 22 is received in the aperture 17 and to then tilt the button slightly to one side for example as shown in Fig. 4.

An inspection of Fig. 4 will show that the spring 21 tending to return the push button to normal positon forces a portion of the shoulder 25 defining one end of the groove 22 against the end 20 of the section 5 of the casing whereby the push button is held in circuit closing position. To release the button it is but necessary to move it into alignment with the aperture 17 when the spring 21 will act to move the button to inoperative position with its shoulder 19 disposed against the end wall 20.

Owing to the fact that batteries vary in length the push button or plunger must have suiiicient movement in order that it may close the circuit and after reaching circuit closing position be capable of additional movement whereby it may be moved into its locked cir cuit closing positon. This is taken care of by the yieldable extension 24 of the push button. This yieldable extension also permits the use of the light either as a flash light or as a permanent light. Thus it will be seen that this yieldable extension is of sufiicient length to engage the end of the battery and thus close the circuit through the light before the shoulder 25 passes into the opening 17 in the end of the casing. Thus if the push button is now released without pushing it in further the push button will be shifted back by spring 21 to open the circuit and the light can be used as a flash light. However, if it is desired to use it as a steady light all that is necessary is to press in the push button further after the circuit is closed to the position of Fig. 4 so that it will be held closed by the shoulder 25 engaging the inner wall of the end of the casing. It will be clear this further movement of the push button after the circuit is closed is permitted by yielding of the extensi on 24. It will of course be understood other contsitructions of yieldable extensions can be use Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A flash light comprising a casing, a bulb at one end of the casing and grounded thereon, an apertured insulator in the other end of the casing, a battery within the easing and at one end 'contactmg with the bulb and at its other end seating against the insulator, spaced stop means within the casing and between which the insulator is movable longitudinally of the casing to accommodate batteries of difierent lengths, a push button extending through an extremity of the casing, spring means engaging the push button and the insulator and normally maintaining the push button in inoperative position, and a yielding contact means carried by the push button and adapted on the push button being pressed to pass through the aperture in the insulator and engage the battery to close a circuit to the bulb.

2. A flash light comprising a casing, a bulb at one end of the casing and grounded thereon, an apertured insulator in the other end of the casing and movable longitudinally thereof, stops on opposite sides of the insulator to limit its movement, a battery within the casing and at one end contacting with the bulb and at its other end seating against the insulator, push button means extending through an extremity of the casing having a shoulder, a spring pressing at its opposite ends against the shoulder and the insulator, and a yielding contact means comprising a relatively small coil spring carried by the push button and adapted to engage the battery through the aperture in the insulator to close a circuit to the bulb on the push button being pressed in the direction of: the casing.

3. A flash light comprising a casing, 21

bulb at one end of the casing and grounded thereon, an apertured insulator in the other end of the casing and movable longitudinally of the casing, stops on opposite sides of the insulator to limit its movement, a battery within the casing and at one end contacting with the bulb and at its other end seating against the insulator, a push button means extending through an extremity of the easing, a spring tending to shift the push button and insulator in opposite directions, a yielding contact means carried by the push button and adapted to engage the battery through the aperture in the insulator to close a circuit to the bulb on the push button being pressed in the direction of the casing, and means to lock the push button in depressed circuit closing position.

4. A flash llght comprising a casing, a bulb at one end of the casing, an apertured insulator in the other end of the casing movable longitudinally of the casing, means to limit movement of the insulator, a battery within the casing and at one end seating against the insulator, a push button means extending through an opening in an extremity of the casing, a spring operating at its opposite ends against the insulator and the ush button, a yielding contact means carried by the push button and adapted to engage the batterythrough the a erture in the insulator to close a circuit to t e bulb on the push button bein pressed in the direction of the casing, an said push button having a reduced portion whereby the button may be tilted on the button being pressed to bring its reduced portion into the opening in the casing to thereby lock the button in circuit closing position.

5. A flash light comprising a casing, a bulb at one end of the casing, an apertured insulator in the other end of the casing mounted for limited movement longitudinally of the casing, a battery Within the casing and at one end seating against the insulator, a push button means extending through an extremity of the casing, spring means normally maintainin said push button means in inoperative position and tending to force the insulator toward the battery, a yielding contact means, comprising a relatively small coil spring carried by the push button and adapted to engage the battery through the aperture in the insulator to close a circuit to the bulb on the push button being pressed in the direction of the casing, said push button operating through an opening in the extremity of the casing, and said push button having a reduced portion whereby the button may be tilted on being pressed to bring its reduced portion into the opening in the casing to thereby lock the button in depressed circuit closing position.

- LEONARD ABBOTTS.

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