US2225217A - Lamp assembly - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1940.

F. V. HlCOK LAMP ASSEMBLY INVENTOR.

Filed May 31, 1953 BY lwWhM W Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES LAMP ASSEMBLY Frank V. Hicok, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to W. B. Jarvis Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application May 31, 1938,-Serial No. 210,927

Claims. (01. 240-735) This invention relates to improvements in lamp assemblies.

The main objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a lamp assembly well adapted 5 for automobile dome lights, which is characterized by its simplicity of construction, economy of materials, and ease of assembly.

Second, to provide a lamp assembly having a minimum of parts for securing the same in assembled position.

Third, to provide an assembly of the type described which is characterized by its simplicity and rigidity in assembled form.

Further objects relating to details and economies of my invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a. side view illustrating my assembly with parts thereof in separated relation.

Fig. 2 is an inverted view partially broken away and in section to illustrate details of construction.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of my construction illustrating the manner of assembling the parts.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 with the parts in assembled relation, the section being taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

The reference numeral l indicates an upholstered panel, for example, such as is found in automobile interiors or other suitable surface to which it is desired to secure the lamp assembly of my invention. This assembly consists in general of a lamp receiving housing 2, which serves as a rear closure member for the assembly and is secured in opening 3 in the panel by screws 4,

and a transparent or translucent glass cover or lens portion 5. The housing 2 has suitable connections for receiving a lamp 2 and for supplying current thereto, however, these provisions form no part of my invention.

The cover portion 5 consists of a suitableornamental trim and securing escutcheon or bezel 6 having an annular inner flange I against which the similarly conformed outwardly extending ledge or flange 8 of the glass or lens 5 abuts.

The lens is held in snug engagement with flange 1 by means of a back plate generally indicated l0, which conforms in outline to the outline of the bezel 6 and has a central aperture ll through which light from lamp 3 passes. This plate I0 is secured to the bezel by lips l2 folded inwardly on the edges of the bezel. The plate ID has angled portions or side wings l3 extending transversely to its plane or toward housing 2, as illustrated in Fig. 1. At the ends of the wings 00 I3, I provide lens engaging lugs or feet l4 which are struck forwardly from the plane of the plate as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. Reference to these figures and to Fig. 2 makes it clear that plate I0 is embossed or deformed at I5 to depress the surface thereof for engagement by lips l2. 5 When plate I 0 is assembled on bezel 6 by means of lips l2, the wings l3 are disposed at a slight angle outwardly from the vertical as illustrated in Fig. 3, and it is apparent that if the said wings are compressed toward one another the feet l4 l0 will be urged firmly against the ledge 8 of lens 5 to hold the same securely in place. Deflection of wings I3 is accomplished by their engagement in housing 2 in assembledposition, as illustrated in Fig. 4. At such time the legs l4 are sprung 15 slightly. In order to effect a releasable locking connection between housing 2 and cover portion 5, the wings l3 are provided with keyhole slots l6 having enlarged forward openings. These slots terminate in round bays l1 adapted to be 20 resiliently and releasably engaged by lugs l8 struck inwardly on the sides of housing 2. The lugs I8 are preferably somewhat larger in diameter than the bays IT, with the result that the spring eifort exerted on wings I3 will be main- 25 tained at all times, thus urging legs I4 into effective clamping engagement with the lens and the edges of the plate are urged against the lugs or lips]; I

From the foregoing, the advantages of my con- 30 struction should be clear. I provide an assembly which is very securely held together with no possibility of rattling or accidental displacement, and moreover, I accomplish these ends without recourse to any securing means such as bolts, 35 rivets, screws and the like. I utilize only elements which are necessarily present in any lamp assembly and by suitably conforming these elements Iassure" the very advantageous features of simplicity, strength, and ease of manipulation 4 which have been referred to.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment which is very practical.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is be- 45 lieved this disclosure Will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A light assembly comprising a lamp housing, a cover therefor, a lens removably mounted in said cover, and means for securing said housing and cover together and for securing said lens 55 to said cover comprising a plate secured to the cover between the same and the housing, and resilient members on said plate frictionally engageable with said housing to hold the housing to the plate, said plate having offset flexible lens 60 2 engaging lugs for holding the lens in place in the cover, said lens engaging lugs being flexed-into resilient clamping engagement with the lens upon engagement of said resilient members with said housing. 7 b b 2. A lamp assembly comprising a lamp housing and a cover, said cover comprising a bezel having an inner annular flange, alens having a ledge in abutting relation to the flange; and means for securing said cover and housing together and for maintaining said lens in operative relation to said bezel, comprising a plurality of retaining elements on said bezel, a plate having releasable snap engagement with the retaining elements on said bezel and disposed'between said lens and housing,.said 'plateha-ving-ledge engaging spring elements. and being .provided with upstanding wings engageable with the housing, cooperating meanson said 1 housing and wings for resilient and releasable engagement, said housing springing'said wings when assembled therewithwhereby to urge-saidspring elements against saidledge andclampingly engage the lens against the bezel. v

3. A lamp assembly comprising a lamp housing and a cover, a lens in abutting relation to the cover, and means for securing said cover and housing together and for maintaining said lens in operative relation to said cover comprising a plate having snap-on engagement with said housing and disposed between said lens and.

housing, said plate having flexible offset lens engaging lugs and being provided with upstanding resilient membersengageable-with the housing, cooperating means on said housing for .re-

leasable engagement with said members, said. housing springing said members when assembled therewith whereby to urge said lugs againstsaid lens and clampinglyengage the J lens with the cover.-

, 4. A lamp assembly comprising a rear memher and an ornamental trim member, a trans? lucent member between said rear and trim mem-. bers, and means for securing said trim and rear members together and for maintainingsaid translucent member in operative relation thereto, comprising plate means removably disposed between said rear and trim memberssaid last namedmeans having elements ofisettherefrom ;in opposite directions and engageablevwith said translucent and rear members respectively and adapted to be resiliently sprung by said engagement to hold the members in assembled relation, and coacting means on said plate means and trim member providing releasable snap engagementof the same. v

5. A lamp assembly comprising a lamp housing and a cover, said cover including] a glass and a bezel in restraining engagement therewith, and means for securing said cover to said housing and ,for urging said glass inv a direction away from the housing into snug engagement with said bezel, comprising a pair of angled wing members having integral resilientvportions offset therefrom in opposite directions and engag ing said glass and housing respectively, ineans for securing said wing members to said bezel, and means on said housing and housing engaging members for releasable locking engagement,

said housing engaging portion being deformable by engagement with said housing to spring said glass engaging portion and clampingly engage said glass with said bezel.

6. A lamp assembly comprising a hollow lamp housing and a cover, said cover including a glass and a bezel in restraining engagement therewith, and means for securing said cover to said housing and for urging said glass in a direction away from the housing into snug engagement with said bezel, comprising an angled resilient member having opposed resilient side portions and further portions ofiset therefrom, said side and further portions being disposed in opposite directions and operatively engaging the housing and glass respectively, said member being disposed between said housing and bezel and secured to saidbezel, said housing engaging side portions being deformable toward one another by engagement with the interior side walls of the hollow housing to spring said further portions and clampingly engage said glass with the bezel.

7. A lampassembly comprising a hollowlamp housing, a cover, and a glass loosely mounted within the cover, and means for securing said cover to the housing and said glass within the cover, comprising anangled member having a portion engageable with said glass toexert pressure thereon in one direction and an upstanding portion telescopingly reoeivableJwithin said housing for engagement with the interior wall of the housing and deformable by said engagement in a direction transverse said first named direction, said glass engaging portion being connected to said upstanding portion whereby .deformation of the latter urges the-former into clamping relation to the glass, said housing and upstanding portion having frictional engagement to maintain the deformation of said upstandingportion.

8. A lampassembly comprising a housing, a

diverging housing engaging members; said hous ing being in springing engagement with said members, whereby clamping stress is placed upon theplateto urge'it againstv said lugs on said bezeland saidlugs on said plate-against saidglobe. i

9. A lamp assembly comprising ahousing, a bezel provided with a rearwardly projecting border flange having spaced lugs, a globe seated in said bezel, a retainin plate fitting within said flange on said bezelysaid plate being provided with lugs engaging said globe and with opposed normally diverging parts, saidhousing being in springing engagement with saidtparts, whereby clamping stress is placed upon the plate to urge it against said lugson said bezel and said lugs on said plate against said globe. y i

10. A lamp assembly comprising a housing, a bezel provided witha rearwardly projecting borderflange having spaced inturned edge-portions providinginternal lugs, a retaining plate f tting engagement with said lugs, said plate being providedlwith opposed normally diverging housing engaging members, said housing being in springing engagement with said members, whereby clamping stressv is placed upon the plate to urge it against said lugs. l

a FRANK V. HICOK.

65 within: said flange on said bezel and having snap

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