US1205629A - Circuit-controller for portable electric lights. - Google Patents

Description

G. F. HITZELBERGER.

CIRCUIT CONTRCLLER FOR PORTABLE ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

APPLICATION mm mus, mm.

1 205,629. Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

WITNESSES INVENTOR 472 m WW ,m

l/ ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVE FREDERICK HITZELBERGER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR LO NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Application filed January 6, 1915. Serial No. 742.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUsTAvE FREDERICK HITZELBERGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Controllers for Portable Electric Lights, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to circuit controllers more particularly adapted for use upon portable electric lights of the different types.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of circuit controller in which first, the open circuit con dition is maintained and assured for any desired length of time, or, second, manual actuation to and automatic return from circuit closing position to provide for short periods of illumination, or, three, the assured maintenance of the closed circuit condition for any desired length of time to provide for long periods of illumination.

Other objects of my invention are simplicity of construction, inexpensiveness of manufacture, durability, certainty of operation and of maintenance in operable condition.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

My invention includes an improved circuit closer providing for manual actuation to and automatic return from a circuit closing position, and also providing for assuring the maintenance of the open circuit or the closed circuit condition until the circuit closer is shifted away from such positions.

In this connection my invention more particularly includes a pivoted circuit closing lever having one or more resilient lever arms and further includes means for looking the lever at its difi'erent pivotal circuit controlling positions.

My invention further includes features or construction and combinations of parts as will appear from the following description.

I shall now describe the circuit controller illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodying my invention and shall thereafter point out my invention in the claims.

Figure l, is a perspective view of the circuit controller of my invention as applied to one form of portable electric lamp. Fig; 2, is a diagram of the lamp circuit and circuit controller connected therein. Fig. 3, is an elevation illustrating the application of the circuit controller of a port-- able electric light of the tubular type.

Like reference letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The casing of the lamp is represented at- A, in Fig. 1, and the circuit controller forming the subject of this invention is conveniently mounted upon the top of such casing. The circuit-closing lever comprises a strip of flexible metal pivoted near the mid-point of its length at B so as to be capable of rotation on the top of the casing A, and providing longer and shorter lever arms B and B A series of studs C C C are disposed along the circumference of a circle whose center is at the pivot B at such a distance that the shorter arm B of the lever sweeps over them. This arm is formed with a recess B near the end and is resilient so that when it lies over one of the studs C C C they enter the recess and lock the lever in that position. Underneath the other end of the lever there is provided a fourth contact stud C so that contact may be made with it on pressing the lever down. The lever is formed with an upward bend at B so that the end normally clears the stud C. A press-button D is provided on the end of the lever and constitutes a convenient means for effecting this operation. The stud C is preferably so disposed that the arm B lies over it vhen the end B of the arm B is looked upon the middle stud C of the three studs at the other end of the lever.

The electrical connections for the circuit controller are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2. The battery M is connected to the pivot point B of the lever and to one terminal of the lamp L. The other terminal of the lamp L is connected to the contact studs C and C the lever-holding studs C and C having no electrical connection with the circuit, as clearly appears in Fig. 2. With the circuit-closing lever in the position shown in Fig. 1 and inthe diagram in Fig. 2, the circuit is open but it can be closed by depressing the button D and making contact with the stud Ci. The arm B is resilient and when released rises oii this contact stud so that this circuit controller is suitable for short periods of illumination or flashing as, for instance, in signaling. If

the lever be turned on its pivot 13 from the stud C to the stud C the circuit is again completed and a steady light is obtained, since the end 1& of the lever and the stud C are in looking engagement. By moving the lever to the other side, onto the stud C the circuit is opened and the lever locked in that position so that accidental depression of the button D does not affect the circuit. This circuit controller, therefore, provides for three positions in one of which steady lighting is obtained, in the second, the device is adapted for flashing and in the third, the circuit is maintained open. Abutment studs E for the lever arm B are shown as provided on the top of the box or casing A for stopping the circuit-closing lever with the end of the lever arm 13 in engagement with the lever-holding contact member C Or the lever-holding stud C as the case may be.

In Fig. 3 the circuit controller is shown applied to a tubular electric light. The arrangement is slightly different, since the studs have to be disposed on a curved surface. The circuit-closing lever is pivoted at B so that the arm 13 is somewhat shorter than the other arm B. The lever-holding stud C and the contact stud C are arranged in a. straight line along the length of the tubular casing. The combined lever-holding and contact-makingstud C for giving a steady light is arranged to one side of the stud C andis made to stand up farther from the tubular casing of the light so that it is high enough to engage the arm B of the lever. The off or open position is obtained by swinging the lever on its pivot B through a half turn or one hundred and eighty degrees from the flashing or temporary lighting position so that the shorter arm B lies in the direction of the stud C, but it is not of sufiicient length to make contact with it. The longer arm B of the lever then lies over the stud C but since that is not connected to the electrical circuit it is immaterial whether the arm B be depressed or not. The stud C for locking the lever' in the oil position is provided, as shown, between the pivot stud B and the contact stud C the electrically unconnected leverholding studs C and C being arranged diametrally relative to 'the pivot stud B It will be seen that with this arrangement the circuit-closing lever lies parallel with the length of the tubular casing in both the flashing and oil positions, and this is of particular advantage since it is only when the lever is in the flashing position that frequent manipulation is required, and the lever is in the oif position all the time the lightis out of use; and in the latter case the circuit-closing lever is less likely to be interfered with or accidentally moved to the on or closed circuit position if it lies along the length of the casing than if it is inclined thereto. This invention can 0bviously be applied to other small electric light apparatus.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the constructions shown in the drawings and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising a resilient pivoted circuit-closing lever yieldable in a plane coincident with its pivotal axis, a stationary contact-making stud projecting into the rotational path of the lever for closing the circuit through the lever, the lever and the stud having interengaging surfaces for yieldingly holding the lever in contact-making engagement with the stud, another stationary contact member out of the rotational path of the lever in another rotative position of the lever so that the resilient lever may be manually, depressed to close the circuit through the latter contact member and automatic opening 'of the circuit may be effected by reason of the resiliency of the lever, and means for yieldingly holding the lever at the rotational position for such manual circuit-closing actuation.

2. A circuit controller for a portable elec tric light comprising a pivotedcircuit-closing lever having two resilient arms each yieldable in a plane coincident with the pivotal axis of the lever, a lever-holding and contact-making stud projecting into the rotational path of one of the resilient lever arms and engageable therewith for yieldingly holding the lever at the corresponding rotative position with the circuit closed tln-ouglrthelever and such stud, and another stationary contact member in register with but out of the rotational path of the other resilient lever arm in another rotative position of the lever and providing for the manual depressionof the lever arm to close the circuit and the automatic return of such lever arm to open the circuit, and means for yieldingly holding the lever at the rotational position'for such manual circuitclosin g actuation.

A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising a resilient pivoted circuit-closing lever yieldable in a plane coincident with its pivotal axis, two studs projecting into the rotational path of the lever at different. places in such path, the lever and the studs having interengaging surfaces for yieldingly holding the lever in engagement with each stud, one of these studs forming also a stationary contact member by which the circuit is closed through the lever, and the other stud having no circuit connections, and another stationary contact member out f t e rotational path of the 1 access lever in its rotative position Corresponding to the unconnected lever-holding stud so that the resilient lever may be manually depressed to close the circuit through the latter contact member and automatic opening of the circuit may be eflected by reason of the resiliency of the lever.

4. A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising a pivoted circuit-closing lever having two resilient arms yieldable in a plane coincident with the pivotal axis of the lever, two lever-holdingstuds projecting into the rotational path of one of the resilient lever arms and engageable therewith to yieldingly hold the lever at the corresponding rotative position, one of these studs forming also a stationary contact member by which the circuit is closed through the lever, the other lever-holding stud having no circuit connections," and another stationary contact member" in register with but out of the rotational path of the other resilient lever arm in a rotative position or" the lever in Which the lever is engaged by the unconnected lever-holding stud, providing for the manual depression of the lever arm to close the circuit and the automatic return of such lever arm to open the circuit. 1

5. A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising a resilient circuit-closing lever yieldable in a plane coincident with its pivotal axis, three studs projecting into the rotational path of the lever diilerent places in such pat the lever and the studs having interengaging surfaces for yieldingly holding the lever in engagement with each stud, one of these studs forming also a stationary contact member by which the circuit is closed through the lever, and the other two studs having no circuit connections, and another stationary contact member out or the rotational path of the lever in one of its rotative positions corresponding to one of the unconnected leverholding studs so that the resilient lever may be manually depressed to close the circuit through the latter contact member and auto matic opening of the circuit may be efi'ected by. reason of the resiliency of the lever.

circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising a pivoted circuit-closing lever having two resilient arms yieldable in a plane coincident with the pivotal axis of the lever, three lever-holding studs projet-ting into the rotational path of one or" the resilient lever arms and engageable therewith to yieldingly hold the lever, at the corresponding rotative positions, one of these studs forming also a stationary contact member by which the circuit is closed through the lever, the other two lever-holding studs having no circuit connections, and another stationary contact member in registor with but out of therotational path of the other resilient lever arm in a rotative position of the lever in which the lever is engaged by one of the unconnected leverholding studs, providing for the manual depression of the lever arm to close the circuit and the automatic return of such lever arm to open the circuit.

7. A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising a pivoted circuit-closing lever having oppositely projecting resilient arms yieldable axially of the pivot, one of these arms being longerthan the other, three lever-holding studs projecting into the rotational path of the'shorter arm and engageable therewith to yieldingly hold the lever at the corresponding rotative positions, one of these studs forming also a stationary contact member by which the circuit is closed through the lever, the other lever-holding studs having no circuit connections, and another stationary contact member located radially outward beyond the rotational path of the shorter lever arm and in cooperative relation with but out of the path of the longer lever arm in a rotative position of the lever in which the shorter arm of the lever is engaged by one of the unconnected lever-holding studs so as to provide for the manual depression of the longer lever arm to close the circuit and the automatic return or" such lever arm to open the circuit.

8. A circuit-controller for a portable electric light comprising a pivoted. circuit-closing lever having oppositely projecting lever arms of which one is a longer operating arm and the other a shorter lever-holding arm, diametrally arranged lever-holding studs engageable With the shorter lever arm to hold the lever at half-turn rotative positions, and a contact member substantially in alinement with the diametrally arranged lever-holding studs and spacedoutward beyond the reach of the shorter lever arm but Within the reach and out or the direct rotational path of the end of the longer lever arm, the contactmaking end of said longer lever arm being resiliently carried to provide for its depression to contactinaking engagement With said last contact member to close the circuit and its automatic return movement to-open the circuit.

9. A circuit-controller for a portable elec tric light comprising a pivoted circuit-clos inglever having oppositely projecting lever 1 arms of which one is a longer operating arm and the other a shorter lever-holding arm. diametrally arranged lever-holding studs engageable with the shorter lever arm to hold the lever at half-turn rotative positions, both of these lever-holding studs being out of electrical connection with the electrical circuit, a combined lever-holding stud and contact member circumferentially spaced from the other said lever-holding studs and engageable with the shorter lever arm for holding the lever and maintaining the closed cir uit condition, and another contact member substantially in alinement with the diametrally arranged lever-holding studs and spaced outward beyond the reach of the shorter lever arm but within the reach and out of the direct rotational path of the end of the longer lever arm, the contact-making end of said longer lever arm being resiliently carried to provide for its depression to contact-making engagement with said last contact member to close the circuit and its automatic return movement to open the circuit.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GUSTAVE FREDERICK HITZELBERGER.

Witnesses:

HARRY C. LEWIs, FRANCES A. REICHENBERG.

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