US2490830A - Flashlight - Google Patents

Description

F. w. NORTON Dec. 13, 1949 FLASHLIGHT Filed NOV. 1, 1945 .16 g J6 15 I IIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIII/ INVENTOR. My/rant; 11/ flax/Z510 Patented Dec. 13, 1949 UNI rso STATES PATENT OFFICE FLASHLIGHT Frank W. Norton, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 1, 1945,:SerialjrNo. 625,985

3 Claims. 1

The invention relates to improvements in flash "lights -and has for its primary object the provision of an improved flash light'arrangement'protecting the -light bulb from damage when not in use, andalso giving a widely diffused light when used.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists of com'binationsandarrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention wiillibeibestunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming .a part o'fthis specification,.and in which:

.Fig. .1 is a longitudinal-section of a flash light embodying the invention and shown with the parts in position of non-use;

Fig. 2, a similar view showing the parts in the position assumed when the flash light is in use;

Fig. 3, a partial longitudinal section of a modified form of construction showing the parts in position of non-use;

Fig. 4, a similar view of the flash light shown in Fig. 3, but showing the parts in position of use; and

Fig. 5, a partial longitudinal section of another modified form of construction.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises an elongated casing 10 of insulating material having a light opening II in the center of one end. A battery l2 is slidably arranged in casing I and a cap 13 is arranged to force the said battery forwardly in said casing when desired. An electric light bulb I4 is arranged as shown, with its metallic base l5 fitting snugly but slideably in a metallic bushing IS in said casing, the central contact of said light bulb making electrical contact with the central contact ll of the battery l2, as shown. A spiralhelical spring I8 is arranged around the light bulb I4 and normally holds said light bulb and said battery in retracted positions, the spiralhelical form of the spring permitting of maximum movements of the light bulb through the light opening ll because of the fact that the coils of the spring fit one within the other when the spring is fully contracted so that under such circumstances the spring occupies a plane of the thickness of the one strand of the wire of the spring.

When it is desired to use the flash light, the cap 13 is turned to force the battery I2 forwardly in the casing Ill until the shell 19 of the battery makes electrical contact with the inner end of the bushing l6 and the light bulb I4 is protruded through the light opening ll, thereby closing the v2 electrical circuit :through the lightlbulbandexciting the :same. When the .light is discontinued, the cap i3 is operated to permit the retraction of the light :bulb ltzand battery .12 to the influence of thespring 18.

In the construction disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4, the casing 29 is metallicand the light bulb base slides ina slideable-sleeveor bushingE l-of insulating material. The-cap|.3:carries a-metallic disc 22,.so that when the'battery l2 andlight bulb 14 are forced forwardlyby.theiactionof the cap 13, electrical contact is effected between the casing 20 .and the shell 19 0f the battery, and :between thecasinglfl .and-thermetallicibase I f the light bulb, through the medium of the spring it, thereby exciting the light bulb when the same is pro truded from the casing, with results substantially as above described.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 5, the casing 23 is of insulating material and the end thereof having the light opening I l is in the form of a screw cap 24. The bulb portion M of the light bulb is in contact with the helical expansion spring I 8 which serves to yieldably hold the bulb M in neutral position until moved forward by the positive pole ll of the said battery. The base l5 of the light bulb slides in a slideable sleeve or bushing 26, having a contact flange 21 at its inner end adapted and arranged to make contact with the insulating sleeve or cover of the battery l2 when said battery is advanced. A connecting bar 28 is extended, as shown, the full length of the battery l2 which may consist of a number of cells if desired, and the said bar is provided at its forward end with an inwardly turned flange 29 adapted and arranged to make contact with the flange 21 of the sleeve 26.

At its rear end, the connecting bar 28 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 38 resting against the rear end of the shell of the battery l2, and pressed against said shell by a disc 3| at the inner end of an operating plug 32, threaded in the rear end of the casing, as indicated. In this instance, when the battery 52 is advanced to brin the flange 29 in contact with the flange 21, the light bulb M will be protruded from the casing and electrical connection established with the light bulb, as will be readily understood, with results as before.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying the invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details disclosed, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A flash light having a casing of insulating material in which the light opening is at one end of said casing; a screw cap on the other end of said casing; a battery slidably arranged within said casing in contact with said screw cap; a metallic bushing having external threads mounted in said casing in spaced relation with said light opening; a cylindrical bore through said bushing in concentric alignment with the inner wall of said casing to slidably entertain the base of an electric light bulb; an electric light bulb in said bushing; a shoulder on said light bulb envelope forwardly of said base; a spiro-helical spring projecting forwardly from said shoulder; a filament envelope of less diameter than said shoulder extending into said Spiro-helical spring; and. an inwardly facing ledge in circumferential alignment with said light opening in said case providin a seat for the outer end of said Spiro-helical spring.

2. A flash light having a tubular casing of insulating material; a light opening at one end of said casing; an adjustable closure on the other end of said casing; a battery slidably arranged within said casing in contact with said adjustable closure; a metallic bushing having a cylindrical bore in concentric alignment with said casing adjacent said light opening; a light bulb having a metallic base slidably arranged within said bore, having its center contact in touch with the center contact of said battery; a circular shoulder on the glass envelope of said bulb; a helical spring expanded forwardly of said circular shoulder; a glass filament envelope of less diameter than said circular shoulder extending forwardly into said helical spring; a circumferential ledge within said casing around said light opening engaging the outer end of said helical spring; there being sufiicient slidable movement of said battery and bulb assembly to'allow the metallic shell of the battery to connect with the metallic bushin and close the circuitthrough the light filament.

3. The construction specified in claim 1 in which the said metallic bushing is adjustable longitudinally of said casing.

FRANK W. NORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,059,977 Williams Nov. 3, 1936 2,222,303 Shough Nov. 19, 1940 2,258,074 Swanson Oct. 7, 1941 2,373,306 Gits Apr. 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 411,218 Great Britain June 7, 1934 484,676 Great Britain May 6, 1938

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