US1591980A - Flash light - Google Patents

Description

July 13, 1926.

H-` W. JONES FLASH LIGHT Filed D902 1, 1924 Patented l July 13, 19.26.

.UNITED srArEs p' rei-cs.

fromm W. JONES, OE JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, AssrsNoE To NATIONAL OAR- BON COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OE 'NEW YORK. Y

FLASH LIGHT.

Application inea December 1, 1924. serial No. 753,283.

This invention relates to` fiashlights, and more particularly to .an improved hanger and cap especially adapted for flashlights of the tubular type.

llt is any object 'of Athis invention to pro-- vide al hanger, at the bottom end of a tubuf lar `flashlight, arranged to be swung either into a position for suspending the flashlight or into a position against the end of the flashlight Where the hanger will be completely out of the way and will not interere with the handling of the flashlight nor with the standing of the flashlight upon said end as a base.

Broadly speaking, the improved hanger com rises a ring hinged along a tangent at its circumference to the outside bottom surface of the end vcap yof the usual tubulartype ilashlight casing, a. groove or recess be ing provided in said bottom surface to `receive and retain the ring when the hanger is not in use. Y The objects and novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken with the drawings, in which V- Figfl is an enlarged bottom plan View of a flashlightbottom cap'embodying the presentv invention, the hanger ring being folded down into the groove; i

F ig. 2 is an yenlarged side view of the l bottom cap with the ring folded downv into the groove; and v Fig. 3 is a partial view of atlashlight embodying this invention, illustrating the hanger inposition to suspend the ashlight. The improved hanger and cap is particularly adapted for the usual tubular-type Hashliglt which comprises a casing head 10 that cari ries the usual lens 11 `and reflector 12 and encloses the latter and alamp 13 secured in a lamp holder 14. The head 10 is secured to the front end of, a tubular casing body 15,'which encloses a battery 16 that maybe electrically connected with the lamp 13 by a suit-able switch (not shown). The'battery 16, ywhich may be a number of series-connected tubular dry cells, is usually'inserted in the casing body 15 throughthe rear Open endvthereof, the battery being held in proper position and said open end being closed by the usual metal bottom cap 17 that is de-A tachably coupled to the body. 15, as by means of intertting screw threads on the tubular skirt of the cap and on the tubular casing or body. ln man cases it is desirable to hang up such a ashlight in a convenient or conspicuous place where it will be readily available; also, it is often de- Sirable to suspend a ashlight in a position to project its light upon a particular spot. My improved hanger is designed for these and other uses. v

The improved hanger comprises a metal ring 18 that is hinged to the cap 17 along a line substantially tangent to the circular axis of the ring, so that when the latter is swung into suspending position, as in Fig.

3, the full opening of the ring is available to fit hooks or pegs of widely different sizes.

rlhe ring 18 is substantially circular in cross-V section so as to seat in the circular groove 20 that extendsaround the periphery of the bottom of the cap 17; rllhe groove 20 1s formed by pressing the bottom corner oi the cap inwardly, except for a short'distance which is left standing up flush with-the bottomsurfacev of the cap to Vform a bearing sleeve 21 for the hanger ring" 18. 'llhe ring 18 is split to provide opposed ends .22 which are insertedin the bearing sleeve 21 at opposite sides'of an abutment 23 that is pressed centrally into'the sleeve, thereby hinging the rin tothe cap and xing it in .place against shi ing relatively to the cap.

The ring is desirably of such Size that,

when not 1n use, itlwill seat in the groove 20 flush with the bottom face 24 of the cap and, as shown in Fig. 2, may'project slightly Vyfrom the groove to give the appearance of the usual bead 'at the corner of the cap. The

ring may be knurled as `at 18 to 4provide `.a positive linger grip similar to the one usually provided on the bead just described.

The ring, in its fully Open or closed position, does not renderthe flashlight unstable when thelatter is supported on its bottom end, nor does the ring. Otherwise detract from the utility o'r appearance of the flash'- `light: but, on thel contrary, a larger base is provided'thereby when it is in closed posi-` tion, and when in open position, the ring may serve as a finger iecefor screwing the cap oli or onv the tias light body.

The hanger ring is preferably releasably retained in closed position, so that it will not swing about when not in use. Suitable detent means may be provided on the cap for this purpose. As shown, detent projections 25 are formed at diametrically opposite ints on the cap about 90 from and on a ine parallel to the hinge of the ring. These detents slightly overlie the groove Sothat they will securely retain the ring therein. Since the opposed ends 22 of the ring are slightly separable, thering may be sufficiently expanded by the camming action of the detents 25, lto pass the latter as the ring is.

swun into its closed position in the groove. The ring 18 preferably consists of a relatively stiff springwire or suitable inherently resilient material which will cause it te contract and return its ends to their normal gosition as the ring snaps into the groove. imilarly, the ring may-be easily'swung out of the groove 20 into open sition by the pressure of a fin r app ied outwardly against the inner si e of the ring at a point about diametrically opposite its hin e.

Suitable means may be secured inside the cap for holding the battery 16 in position with its center pole in circuit with or against the lamp 13 or lamp holder 14. For example, a conductive tubular shell 27 inside the cap is arran ed to engage the bottom or zinc cu ofthe attery and sup rt the latter an connect it in circuit wit the lamp through the cap. This shell is comparatively rigid and is held firmly in place by lugs 28 at its rear edge, which lugs pro'ect into a groove 29 corresponding to a ead 30 formed inthe tubular wall of the cap. The yvalls of the bead 30 and the hanger-receiving gliloove 20 are coextensive and merge at 31 he shell 27 is also adapted to form a holder for s are parts, such as extra bulbs for the flash ight, intol which holder a bulb' wrapped in paper, cotton or other protective material may be acked. To hold the bulb more securely wit out packing, clips 32 may be used. These clips may be punched from a plate 33 that has its marginal edge held in the groove 30 and a ainst the inside Wall of groove 20 by the she l 27 which bears against it. Other conductive battery-supporting devices may be employed, such as a spiral spring, the base turn of which may frictionally en ageeither in the groove 29 or against the inside of the Wall 34 correspondin to the. groove 20, which may form a sha ow cavityor seat to retain the rear end of such supporting spring.

The grooves 20 and 29, the bearing sleeve 21, the abutment 23 and the detents 25 may all be formed integrally in the sheet metal of the cap 17, so that the ring and battery support are the only additional parts required. The improved structure is therefore comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and assemble. By hingin the ring 18 upon a line that is substantiay'tangent to the bottom corner of the cap and makin it of a size to encircle the bottom part o the cap at the groove 20, provision is made for the use of the lar st hanger ring that can be folded out of t e Way when not in use. This is advantageous because of the great variety 1cil. projections on which a. large ring can be img.

Variations may be resorted to Within Ithe scope of the invention, and parts of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A flashlight comprising the combination of a tubular body, a lens-carryin and reflector-enclosing head at one en of said body, a cap coupled to and closing the other end of said body and detachable from the latter for insertion and removal of a battery, said cap having a circular groove at the periphery of its bottom, and a hanger ring hinged in said groove and foldable into the same.

2. A flashlight comprising a tubular casing adapted to contain a battery` and a device detachably coupled to one end of 'said body, said device having an exterior dgroove in its periphery, and a hanger for sai Hashlight hinged in said groove and foldable into the same.

3. A lashli ht comprising the combination of a tubu ar body, a lens-carryin and reiector-enclosin head at one end o said body, a cap cou led to and closing the other end of said bo y and detachable from the latter for insertion and removal of a battery, said cap having a circular groove. at the periphery of'its bottom, a hanger ring hinged in said groove and foldableA into the same to avoid rendering the flashlight unstable when it is supported upright upon the cap as a base, and means adapted to releasably retain the ring in the groove.

4. A bottom cap fortubular flashli hts,

such eaphaving an exterior groove an an interior groove, a han er hinged in said exterior groove and fol able into. the saine, and a conductive battery-supporting device secured in said cap by a. part of such device that projects into said interior groove.

5. A. bottom cap for tubular battery-operated ashlights, said cap comprising exterior and interior rooves having a common wall, a hanger inged in said exterior groove and bearing a ainst said Wall when in closed position, an a conductive batterysupporting device having a portion disposed n said interior groove and bearing against said wall.

6. A flashlight comprising the combination of a tubular body, a lens-carryin and refiector-enclosing head at one end o said body, a cap threaded onto and closing the other end of said body and detachable from the latter for insertion and removal of a battery, said cap having a circular groove lll) at the periphery of its bottom, a substantially circular hanger ring vhinged, in the groove and foldable therein, and means Within the ring adapted ,to releasably retain the ring in the groove.k

7. A flashlight comprising the combination of a tubular body, a lens-carrying and reflector-enclosing head at one end of said body, a Cap coupled to and closing the other end of said body and detachable from the latter for insertion and removal of a bat# tery, said cap having a. circular groove at the periphery of its bottom, a circular split hanger ring hinged in the groove and foldabletherein, andrdetent means for retaining said ring in said groove.

8. A flashlight comprising the combination o f a tubular body, a lens-carrying and reflector-enclosing head at one end of said body, acap coupled to and closing the other end of said body and detachable from the latter for insertion and removal of a battery, said cap having a circular groove at the periphery of its bottom, a split hanger ring hinged inthe groove and foldable therein, an abutment engaging the ends of the ring to maintain the split portion in a substantially fixed location with reference to the groove, and detents located in positions to cause the ends of the ring to be pulled apart as the ring is forced over them, the ring being sufficiently resilient to snap into the groove beneath the detents after it has passed them.

9. A flashli ht comprising the combination of av tubular body, a lens-carrying and reflector-enclosing head at one end of said body, a metallic cap coupled to and closing the other end of said body and detachable from the latter for insertion and removal of a battery, said cap having arcircular groove pressed inward `in the bottom of the cap, a substantially circular hanger ring hinged at its circumference in the groove, a. bearing sleeve formed inte ral with the cap for hngedly holding t e ring, and

la-r portion adapted to be detacliably coupled to a threaded end of a tubular flashlight casing, said device having a groove pressed into the peripheral portion of its outside surface, and a hanger hinged in said groove, said hanger being adapted to be folded into said groove and retained Atherein when not in use.

11. A bottom cap for a. tubular flashlight having an exterior groove in a Wall thereof, a substantially circulanhanger hinged in said groove and foldable into the same, and means adapted to releasably retain said hanger in said groove.

12'. A bottom cap for a tubular flashlight having an exterior peripheral groove in a. Wall thereof, ay split circular hanger hinged in said groove and foldable into the same flush with the bottom surface of said cap,

`and means adapted to releasably retain said hanger in said groove.

18. An end cap for a tubular flashlight or battery hand lamp, said cap having a tubular skirt provided with means whereby said cap may be coupled to the casing of such flashlight, means Within said cap for engaging the battery lWithin such casing when said cap is coupled to the latter, said cap having a peripheral groove, and a hanger hinged to the outside of said cap/and foldable into said groove.

14. An end cap fora tubular flashlight or battery hand lamp according to claim 13, in Whichsaid groove constitutes the periphery of the bottom wall of said cap and said hanger comprises a circular ring foldable into said groove.

In testimony whereof, l: ax my signature.

HOMER W. JONES.

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