US2363825A - Flashlight attachment - Google Patents

Description

FIGZ

M. N. YARDENY Filed Feb. 4, 1942 MCHELN. AR0E/Vy INVENTOR.

BY QM W- mm M a M V FLASHLIGHT ATTACHMENT 3 5 2 2 2 6 8 2 2 l w'94?///////////////////4V////////Am?// ATTORNEY UNITED STATv with mercury switches.

Patented Nov. 28, 1944 gs PATE T O ELASHEIGHT ATTACHMENT Michel N. ,Yarde'ny, New York,l\T. Y. Application February 4, 194a seminal. 429 4461 I zjlllai ms. (c1. 240*'1'3) My invention relates to black-.outxflashligbt at tachments. and'has particular reference tolflash-i lights or attachments to. ordinary: flashlights for rendering the flashlights. suitab1 f r use during 1 blacksouts.

My invention. has for its objectto provide-a flashlight or flashlight attachment. whereby the lamptbulb is automatically disconnectedifrom the battery when. th flashlight is. turned upward, thereby preventing the; flashlight. from being placed in. a. position visible. to airplanes otters l head. a l

. In my United States patent. application. Serial Number 423;703, filed; December ;,1941, I dis-.

. closed a flashlightin which the circuit. isiautomatically disconnected by the action of algravityorperated member, such as apendulum or-a captive conducting ball, when the flashlight is turned upward. In other types offlashlights a more expensive and complicated construction is employed I have found, however, that a very effective automatic switch can be provided by using batteries or drycells in the casing of the flashlight as gravity-operated members for closing or opening the lamp circuit, depending on theposition of the flashlight. In certain forms ofmy flashlight this object can .be accomplished without any structural changes, by merely adding certain parts to a standard or ordinary flashlight.

Another object of my invention isto: provide means to dim the lights when sodesired; also to render the gravity-operated contacts inoperative by locking the batteries and preventing their movement. i l

My inventioniis more fully described in the accompanying specification and drawing; in which:

Fig. 1 is a. sectional elevational View of my flashlights shown in an operative position;

Fig. 2 is a similar View of my flashlight in an inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified flashlight in an inoperative position; i

Fig. 4 is a similar View of the modified flashlight in an operativeposition; and,

Fig. 5 is a detail View of a removable contact member. r

My flashlight consists of a. casing l adapted to hold freely movable batteries 2 and provided with a metal reflector 3 at the front end, supporting a lamp bulb 4. A cap 5 is threadedon the rear end. These parts may be of an. ordinary or standard type, the batteries having metal positive terminals 6 and zinc casings I, forming negacausing the cells tive terminals and enclosed in paper insulation tubes8. J U l H The cap 5, instead ofan ordinary: spring for pressing the batteries against thelbase 910i the lamp bulb 4, is provided witha removable resil-i ient metal ring llltmwhich is soldered a flexible metal cable I I, attachedfat the other end to. a

metal wedgeor clip I l. The latter is inserted between the paper tube: 8 and theuzinc battery casing 'Lthereby establishing electric connec -l tion between the casing I through the cap it and the shell or negativ terminal of the rear bate. tery;

It isxevident that. with my arrangement the:

circuit for the lamlp bulbl is closed only when the flashlight isyturned more or less downward,

for disconnecting the circuit when it is not desired to use the flashlight and particularly for preventing its operation when the flashlight is carried in a pocket. The switch comprises a resilient contact bar I3 which closes the circuit when moved by a handle M by engaging a contact button l5 connected with the reflector 3 or directly with the rear surface of the reflector.

The circuit is disconnected by moving the bar l3 away from the reflector. The bar l3 may be moved still further against the reflector, causing the bar to be deflected sidewise, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the bar engages a. contact button I6, mounted on an insulation plate I! and supporting one end of a resistance element l8. The other end of the resistance element [8 is attached to a button I9, connected with the reflector. In this position of the switch the light is dimmed, the current passing through the resistance element 18.

Tapering wedges or. blocks 20 may beprovided in the casing l at its front end for causing the front cell to be deflected sidewise when theflashlight is held in a horizontal position, thereby to slide away from the lamp base 9 and disconnecting the circuit. Thelamp, therefore, begins to burn only when the flashlight is slightly tilted downward. A spring 2! may be provided for moving the batteries away from the lamp when the casing is placed in a horizontal position, the spring being very light, so that it does not prevent the batteries from moving against the lamp, when the casing is inclined downward.

A modified flashlight is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The casing 22 is made of a plastic or insulating material and has a threaded cap 23 with a tapering hole for a lamp bulb 24, the latter being also tapered to flt the hole in the cap. A metal ring or collar 25 is fitted over the base 26 of the lamp bulb and has a resilient extension 21 engaging the side of a dry cell or battery 28. The latter has no insulation on the outside, so that the extension 21 establishes the electric connection between the shell of the battery or its'negative terminal and the outer terminal or base 26 of the lamp bulb.

The pressure of the extension 2'! is relatively.

light, so that the cell 28 can freely slide in the casing, closing the circuit when the flashlight is turned downward as shown in Fig. 4 and opening A similar set screw can be provided with the casing I, Fig. 1.

An added attachment maybe provided for rendering the light operative when the flashlight is directed upward. This attachment is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and consists of a plunger 30 with an enlarged portion 3]. A spring 32 is placed on the plunger between the cap 5 and a head, 33, urging the plunger outward. A ring 34.is provided for supporting the flashlight on a belt or chain. By pressing the plunger inward against the spring, the enlargement 3| engages the cells, pushing them forward and closing the circuit in any position of the flashlight. Such an attachment is particularly useful for air-raid wardens.

A portion of the flexible connector H may be made as a resistance element 35, so that the light is always dimmed, except when the plunger 30- ing; and a sharp-pointed Wedge-shaped conduct ing member at the end of the conductor arranged to be inserted between the metal shell of the bat tery and its outer insulating tube.

2. An attachment for a battery operated flashlight having. a metal casing, including a threaded bottom cap for thebattery, said attachment comprising an outwardly expanding resilientring of a diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the threaded bottom cap of the metal casing; a flexible conductor extending from the ring; and a sharp-pointed wedge-shaped conducting member at the end of the conductor arranged to beinserted into the bottom end of the battery between" the metal shell of the battery and its outer insulating tube;

- MICHEL N. YARDENY.

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