US1467194A - Antiglare device eor lamps - Google Patents

Description

' sept. 4, 1923. 1,467.194

G. E. PETERSEN ANTIGLARE DEVICE FOR LAMPS Filed Oct. 50. 1922 /A/VE/vro/f George E. Petersen `aZ0 y zmgw.

Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTIGLARE DEVICE FOR LAMPS.

Application filed October 30, 1922.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnonon E. Pnrnnsnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bristol, county of Bucks, State of Pennsylvania, have invcnted a certain new and useful Improvement in Antiglare Devices for Lan'ips, of Whichthe following is a specification- Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide an improved anti-glare or dimming device for lamps which reflect or project rays of light ina desired direction; to provide means .for deflecting the projected light rays of a lamp, or permitting such rays to travel uninterrupted at the will of the user of the lamp, or the driver of the vehicle to which the lamp is attached; 'to provide an improved anti-glare mechanism which can be applied to head lamps in use or can be built into such a lamp at the time of manufacture; to provide a shutter mechanism for head lanips whereby the direct rays or those producing glare can he deflected without inaterially, (liminishing` the illuinination in the vicinity of the lamp; to provide a plurality of relatively iixed shutters arranged to swing about a common axis in a manner to rcgulate at will the lightravs emanating from a lainp; and to provide other iniproveincnts as will hereinafter. appear.

In the accoinpanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a head lamp equipped with a shutter niechanism embodying one forin of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same showing in dotted lines a second position of the device; Fig. 3 represents a modification of the attaching(means for the device; and Fig. 11 reprcsents a side elevatiou of the same.

Referring to the drawings, one form of the present in'vention is shown as applied to a motor vehicle lainp 10, of well known construction having` a body 11 and a [ianged band 12 attached thereto and serving as a inounting for the lens 13. In general the lamp casiug 11 or its reflector parts are of parabolic shape to reflect the light rays in parallel relation in front of the lamp as will be understood.

For the purpose of intercepting such parallel reflected light rays at desired times to Serial No. 597,763.

break the glare therefrom and to defiect such rays in a nianner to continue to illuminate the path of the vehicle, a plurality of shutters 1-1 are providech- Which are arranged in superposed slightly inclined parallel relation and all fixed at their respective ends to a ring or a flanged ring` 15, Which has -a diameter su'iicient to encircle the band 12 of the larnp .10. Preferably the widthvof the flange 15 tapers downwarclly so that the iange becomes gradually narrovver and terminates in a relatively thin lower marginal edge This construction serves to prevent the light rays from being cut off around the lower and bottom portion of the lainp and thereby increases the illuinination of the roadway.

In order to Inount the ring 15 for swinging inovernent relative to the lamp 10, the band12 is provided With two outwardly projectingI pivot pins or studs 16, preferabh7 located at horizontally, diametriraliy opposite points to function as bearings to support opposite sides of the fiauged ring '15. Suitalile nuts or heads 1.7 cooperate with the respective pins 10 to retain the ring 15 properly held for pi'votal or swinging' movelnenf on the said pins. fhile the ufore- Sa'id pins '16 are here arrang'cd diametrically opposite, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact location of the axis of rotation. of the ring The shutters 141 are arranged in parallel relation but angularly disposed with respect to the plane of the ring` 15, the arrangen'ient being such that in a dinnning position the shutters 141 are inclined downwardly and each has a Width such that the outer edge thereof projects below the inner edge of the next lower slnitter. This causes the direct rays of light from the lanip to he deflected dmvnwardly and thereby eliminates all rays of a glaring nature from the vision of anyone approaching the lainp .from the front. Furtherinore the lower face of each shutterl 141 is preferably treated hy nickel plating or otherwise to provide a light reflecting surface so that the maximum luniinosity of the downwardly deflected rays is obtained. The upper surface of each shutter 111 is painted or otherwise coated with -light absorbing material in order to prevent any of the downwardly clefiected rays from being again reflected forward or into the path of anyone in front of the lamp.

As a means for holding the ring 15 in a position so that the shutters 14 cut ofl' the glare and serve as a dimmer, a spring 18 is provided, one end of which is attached to a rigid bracket strip 20 secured to the lamp band 12, while its other end is secured to a lug 21, or other part formed on the. flanged ring 15. In this position the shutters 14 intercept the parallel rays, which are forwardly projected, and reflect lthem downwardly, thereby eliminating all 'glare but still giving a relatively brilliant illumination of the roadway for a considerable distance ahead and to both sides of the lamp or lamps.

For causing the ring 15 to be swung to a position in which the shutters 14 are in an approximately horizontal position, asplit clamping lug 22 is formed upon one side of the flanged ring 15 to receive an end of a cross-rod 23, which extends to and is connected to a shutter ring 15 on the companionlamp at the opposite side of the vehicle. An operating wire or rod 24 is fixed at enn end to the cross-rod 23 and has its other end brought to a convenient location within easy reach of the driver of the vehicle where it can be operated at 'will to control the actuation of the shutters 14. lVhen the rod 24 is moved toyshift the shutter ring 15 to normal position, as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 2, it is fastened to a suitable fiXed part in any well known manner to hold the shutters against the tension of the spring 18. By releasing the `rod 24 the shutter mechanism is automatically shifted to dimming position by the action of the spring 18 and the parts are firmly held against vibration and rattle.

WVherethe anti-glare device is not constructed as a part of the lamp with which it is to be used, but is to be attached to a head lamp in use, a split ring clamp 28, shown in Fig. 3, is provided, which is arranged to fit over the lamp barrel or casing and be rigidly secured thereto by a bolt 30 or other fastening means. Two oppositely located latcrally projecting pins 31 are fixed to the ring rlamp 28 to serve as thebearing` supports for the shutter ring 15 in the same manner as do the pins 16 of the built in type of shutters.

The Operation of the device is as'fol-` lowsz-Under normal running conditions, the rod 24 is temporarily secured at its free end from the driverls seat. so that the ring 15 is held in the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 2, with the shutters approximately horizontal and the rays of light from the lamp are unobstructed and have their full lighting value for a considerable distance in front of the lamp.` VVhen an approaehing person er vehicle comes within the field of the projected rays, the rod 24 is released and the spring 18 then functions to Swing the ring 15 to the position shown n full lines Fig. 2. This causes all the shutters 14 to move `simultaneously to the inclined position to intercept all forwardly projected direct light rays from the lamp and deflect them angularly and in a direction to strike the roadway at an acute angle. The result is a relatively wide diffusion of light upon the road 'to provide a safe driving range for the Operation of the vehicle, while to the approaching vehicle the dlffused light` serves as a safe guide without any glare from the lamp.

It should be noted that the present di1nmer device is widely different from the complicated shutter type of dimmers heretofore suggested in the art in that all of the present shutters are a unitary rigid construction having a common axis of rotation. construction gives a single `Inovable part to be controlled, thereby aifording positive action in either position, and also eliminates vibration and rattle. While the operating means are here controlled manually it is to be understood that electro-magnetc means or any other means may be employed to This v cause shifting of the shutters without departing` from the invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a lamp, of a flanged ring pivotally mounted thereon for rocking movement,-a plurality of parallelr downwardly inclined shutter slats carried therehy for downward deflection of light rays, means for rocking said ring to cause said shutter slats to assume a position parallel to the direct rays of the lamp, and the flange of said ring being tapered to an extreme narrow lower marginal edge to permit the light rays to be projected between the ring and the bottom portion of the lamp When the ring is in normal position.

2. The combination with a lamp, a ring frame pivotally connected `at its center to the lamp casing,` a` plurality of parallel downwardly inclined shutter slats .iixed to said. ring frame, means for normally holding the ring frame at an angle to the face of the lamp with its lower edge abutt-ing the lower edge of said lamp face to cause the slats to defleet the rays of the lamp downwardly, :md means to move said frame to a position with its upper edge Overlapping the upper edge of the lamp face to cause said slats to assume a position parallel with the direct rays from said lamp.

i The combination with. a lamp, of a band clamp arrangedto fit over and-be secured to the body of a lamp. a ring frame connected at, its horizontal axis to said band clamp, 'a pluralityv of parallel downwar'dly inclined shutter slats fixed 'to said ring' frame, means for normally holding the ring position parallel with the direct rays from frame at en engle to the face of said lamp to said lemp. cause said slats to deflect the rays of lamp signed at Philadelphia, count)T of Phila- 1 downwardly, and means to move said frame delphia, State of Pennsylvania, this 23 day 5 to a position with its upper edge portion of October, 1922.

Overlapping the upper edge portion of the band clamp to cause said slats to assume a GEORGE E. PETERSEN.

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