Flashlight

July 15, 1941. a. gelardin 2,249,689

FLASHLIGHT

Filed July 5, 1935

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Patented July 15,1941

2,249,689

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,249,689 FLASHLIGHT Albert Gelardin, New Fork, N. Y. Application July 5,1935, Serial No. 29,841

240—10.

for a purpose hereinafter to be described in detail. At the other end of the casing, similar indentations II are formed to provide portions of a thread on the inner surface of the casing 5 and, if desired; the end of the casing may be inturned as a flange 13 to define a circular orifice of a diameter less than the internal diameter of the thread portions ί I.

The lower end of the casing 5 is adapted to be closed by a plug 15 threaded on a pitch to correspond with the pitch of the thread portions li and adapted to be threaded therewith for axial movement of the casing 5. This plug 15 is Inserted through the upper end of the casing and is of a diameter such as to pass the thread portions 8, it being contemplated that the thread portions il will be so proportioned as to engage the plug IB on the necessary smaller diameter. However, the plug 15 has, preferably, a sufficiently great diameter to be prevented from passing out the lower end of the casing by the flange 13. The plug may conveniently be provided with a perforated boss 17 adapted to carry on the outside of the casing, a ring 19 by which the flash lamp nfay be carried on a chain, for instance, hung on a nail and by which the plug may be turned to cause it to move axially of the casing for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

The battery ⁷ is also inserted through the upper end of the casing 9, the casing being so proportioned that the battery 7 may pass the threads 9. Into the end of the casing 5 is adapted to be screwed a light transmitting and preferably translucent frusto-conlcal shield or globe 21 constituting a head to the flashlight as a whole and formed with a thread 23 at its lower end for engagement with the thread portions 9 and having a transparent portion, conveniently, an open end 28 through which light rays from the lamp 27 may pass with undiminished intensity. A shoulder 28 formed between the inner threaded end of the globe 21 and the exposed outer end acts as a stop to limit the inward screwing movement of the globe and thus limits the tension with which spring 31 (hereinafter described) holds the lamp 27 in the globe. Obviously, the light rays from the lamp 27 passing laterally through the translucent portion of the shield or globe 21 will have the intensity of the rays diminished dependent upon the degree of translucence of the shield 21. The inner end of the bore through the globe 21 is substantially cylindrical in that part which contains tlie base 28 of the lamp 21 and the bore

Claims. (Cl.

This invention relates to flashlights and hand lanterns of the kind in which the electrical circuit between an incandescent lamp and the battery is adapted to be completed at will.

One object of the invention is to provide a 5 flash lamp of the kind which can be carried In the pocket without danger of inadvertent closing of the circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light transmitting closure for one end of the 10 flashlight casing which surrounds the incandescent lamp.

The invention also seeks a translucid closure for the end of the; flashlight which surrounds the incandescent lamp whereby light rays lo emanating from the lamp pass through a translucent portion thereof while other rays emanating from! said lamp are directed in a beam with undiminished Intensity through a transparent portion. ²⁰

It is also an object of the invention to provide a circuit closer for a lamp of the character described which comprises, in part, the movement of a battery terminal and a lamp terminal into electrical connection, which lamp terminal and ²⁵battery terminal normally tend to be separated.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a circuit closer of the character described in which the circuit is completed by the movement of the end closure relative to the axis of ³⁰the battery.

The invention also seeks a flash lamp which is practical from the standpoint of ease and cheapness of manufacture and convenience and durability in use. 35

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description . taken in connection with the accompanying . drawing illustrating one embodiment by which ⁴⁰the invention may be realized and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section and partly in elevation, showing the flash lamp of this invention in circuit open position;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 2—2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The flash lamp casing of this invention comprises generally a tubular conductive member 5 adapted to contain the dry cell or battery 7. ⁵⁰In the illustrated embodiment, the upper end of the casing 5 is formted with a plurality of indentations 9, suitably disposed about the periphery on a helical line to form portions of a thread on the Interior surface of the casing ⁵⁵

2,249,689 gradually reduces therefrom in diameter outwardly towards the opening 25 to form a socket for receiving the light source end of the lamp and for centering the advance active end of the lamp in the opening 25. The diameter of the constricted aperture or opening 25 in the end of the shield 2 i is such as to prevent the passage of the lamp or, at least, of the base 29 of the lamp so as to retain the lamp within the flashlight structure as a whole. Extending between the base 29 of the lamp 27 and the battery 7 is a spring 31 preferably helical which is threaded at one end on the threads of the lamp base 29 thus forming a lamp socket and at the other end engages either the zinc terminal 33 of the battery or the interior of the wall of the casing or both whereby the circuit is completed between the cup electrode of the battery and the shell of the lamp base. The spring 31 also acts to force the lamp as a whole axially into the socket fashioned to receive it in the globe 21 and thus tends to maintain the lamp centered in the opening 25.

Thus when the plug 15 is screwed into the casing it advances the battery until the central terminal 35 thereof engages the central terminal 37 of the lamp to complete a circuit which also includes the spring 31, the shell of the lamp base 29 and the zinc cup 33 Of the battery 7. When the plug is again screwed out of the casing, or toward the lower end thereof, the expansion of the spring 31 separates the terminals 35 and 37 and interrupts the circuit.

The diameter of the plug 15 is such that it will pass the thread portion 9 but engage the threads i I but the plug is of such diameter that it cannot pass through the'aperture defined by the flange 13.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in the configuration, disposition and composition of the component elements going to make up the invention as a whole and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawing except as indicated in the appended claims.