US2373553A - Flashlight - Google Patents

Description

o; B. FETTERMAN I 2,373,553

'- FLASHL'IGHT' I Filed Oct. 17,1942

April 10, 1945 Patented Apr-.10, 1945 FLASHLIGHT Oscar B. Fetter-man, Washingtoml). 0. Application ootobcr 11, 1942, Serial No. 462,385

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in flashlights and has reference more particularly to a flashlight that can be manufactured and sold at a very low cost.

One of'the important objects of the present invention is to provide a flashlight that consists of relatively few parts and wherein the use of critical materials is eliminated.

.Another important object is to provide a flashlight wherein the use of the conventional metal casing, reflector and lens units are eliminated.

A still further object resides in the provision of a flashlight that is adapted to be constructed so cheaply that when the dry cell batteries are exhausted, it is only necessary to, remove the flashlight bulb and discard the rest of the flash- Figure 8 is a detailed perspe'ctve view of the switch unit shown in Figure 7.

In the drawing, with reference more particularly to Figures 1 to 6, wherein there. is shown the 1: -eferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l designates generally my improved flashlight.

light and the bulb used again in conjunction with a new flashlight unit consisting of a casing, dry cell batteries and a switch. A

,Another important object is to provide a flashlight wherein a novel switch structure is employed for closing the circuit to the bulb, means being'provided for locking the switch in its circuitclosing position, saidswitch including means for automatically and normally holding the same in an "011 position.

A further object is to provide a-flashlight that will be waterproof, coldproof and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which it has been designed. a

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing.v

.In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved flashlight;

Figure 2 is a vertical through;

Figure .3 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking downwardly;

Figure 4 is a detailed perspective \lew of the switch unit;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the slotted casing and the switch element sectional view thereprotruding therethrough;

Figure 6 is an inside view of the slotted portion of the casing showing the slotted felt covering disposed over the slot in" the casing;

j Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to'jliigiire .2 showing a modification of the switch unit, and

This flashlight comprises a cylindrical casing 2 that is preferably formed of plastic material, although any other suitable non-conducting material such as fiber or the like may be employed. The lower end of the casing is open to permit the insertion of the conventional dry cell batteries.

The upper end of the casing is constructed to' provide an inwardly disposed conical socket portion 3. This conical socket portion has its in posed between the bulb 6 and the adjacent part of the conical socket 3, in the manner as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. The washer serves to more firmly secure the bulb in position in the socket.

A pair of dry cell batteries of the conventional construction are placed within the casing 2 through its open lower end, these batteries being denoted by the numerals 8 and 9, respectively. A cap ID of the same material as the casing is se cured on the lower end of the casing in any suitable manner and is adapted to retain the bat-' teries within the casing.

The batteries are arranged in end to end abutting relation with one another and the central lyte from the batteries through the casing.

upper end of the leg portion terminates in a spring coil it, from which extends laterally the switch arm II. An actuating knob I8 is provided on the outer end of the arm I 1.

The switch unit is mounted in the casing so that the leg portion It extends vertically within a groove it formed in the inner wall of the casing. This leg portion will be interposed between the casing 2 and the insulating sleeve i2. The foot portion II underlies the bottom of the lower dry cell battery 8 and urges the same upwardly so that the central contact oi the lower battery is held against the bottom of the upper battery.

The arm I! of the switch unit, as well as the springcoil 16, are disposed transversely above the top oi the upper battery in the manner as clearly shown in Figure 2, so that the switch arm is adapted to engage with the exposed threaded portion of the bulb 6, in the manner to be presently described. The free end portion of the switch arm extends through a bayonet slot formed in the side of the casing. A felt covering 2! is aflixed to the inside of the casing over the slot 20 and this felt covering is formed with a slot 22 through which the switch arm I! extends.

Normally, the spring coil I 8 holds the switcharm I'I out of engagement with the threaded base or the flashlight bulb so that the circuit is open and the light does not burn. By grasping the knob l8 and swinging the switch arm to the opposite end of the slot 20, the switch arm ll will be flexed and brought into engagement withone side of the base of the bulb, as illustrated in the dotted lines in Figure 3, thereby closing the circuit to light the flashlight bulb. The switch arm may be locked in its on position by lifting the arm up bayonet slot 20. g

A flashlight oi the above described construction eliminates the use of the conventional metal casing, reflector and lens as well as the lens retaining ring.

When the dry cell batteries have become exhausted, the bulb may be removed from the socket and the rest of the flashlight may be discarded, as the parts comprising the discardable unit are very inexpensive and it is only necessary to insert the bulb in another fresh unit to render the flashlight again serviceable.

By constructing a flashlight in the manner shown and described, the use of critical materials is eliminated and my improved flashlight will at all times be positive and efllcient in its-operation.

In Figures 7 and 8 there is shown a modification of the flashlight, wherein a slightly different form of switch structure is employed. In this modification, the switch structure shown generally at 23, comprises a piece of wire that is bent to form an elongated leg portion 24 that extends in' a groove in the inside of the plastic casing 2i against the insulating sleeve 26 that surrounds the dry cell batteries 21 and 28. A spring-like root 2! extends laterally from the lower end of the leg portion 24 and is disposed between a cap that is removably secured on the lower end of the casing and the bottom of the lower battery 28 for urging the batteries upwardly in the casing.

Spring element 3| is interposed between the central electrode of the bottom battery 28 and the bottom of the top battery 21. A similar spring element 32 is attached to the upper end of the central electrode of the upper battery and contacts the bottom or terminal end of the base I of the flashlight bulb i. The 08813: 25 is formed with a conical socket 83 similar to the conical socket I, for the reception of the bulb.

slightly to engage in the oflset portion of the The upper end or the leg portion 24 is connected to the laterally disposed switch arm 34 by the ofiset' spring portion 35. This effect portion 35 is passed through one side of the casing and the outer end of the switch arm extends through a bayonet slot 36 formed in the opposite side of the casing. An actuating knob 31 is carried by the outer end of the switch arm and a felt strip similar to the felt strip 2| covers the inside of the bayonet slot 36.

As will be clearly understood from the. foregoing description and the construction shown in the drawing, the offset spring portion 35 normally holds the switch arm 34 away from and out of engagement with the base of the bulb so that the bulb is not illuminated. By ra p the knob 31 and swinging the switch arm in one direction, the arm will be brought into engagement with the threaded base of the bulb and thereby close the circuit to the bulb.

A flashlight of the above mentioned character can be manufactured and sold at a very low cost and due toits simplicity, whenever the batteries have become exhausted, it is only necessary to remove the bulb and discard the rest of the flashlight and toreplace the discarded unit with a new unit at a much cheaper cost than would be the case with the flashlights now generally in use. Further, due to its simplicity there are no working parts to get out of order easily.

By providing the inwardly directed socket member, the flashlight bulb will be entirely conflned therein and thereby protected against breakage, as could occur if the bulb protruded beyond the upper open end of the socket member. Further, this particular construction of the socket member permits ready and easy access 49 to the flashlight bulb for inserting or removing the same.

While I have hown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a flashlight, a cylindrical non-conducting casing, a cylindrical dry battery having a central terminal and a shell terminal received within said casing, ,an incandescent lamp comprising a base having a central terminal and a peripheral terminal, said casing being provided at one end thereof with a re-entrant frusto-conical recess portion adapted to'receive said incandescent lamp, the vertex of said portion being provided with socket means for retaining the base of said incandescent lamp with both electrical terminals of the base of said lamp extending through said socke meansto the interior of said casing, said battery and lamp and socket means being so constructed and arranged that said central terminals are in electrical conducting relation with each other; a resilient filamentary metallic switch element having a median portion mounted between said casing and said battery in electrical insulating relation thereto, said element tion between its said median portion and actuat- 3. A flashlight as set forth in claim 1, said reing portion, said element being so constructed silient connection being a spring coil.

and mounted that when unactuated it is posi- 4. A flashlight as set forth in claim 1, said retioned adjacent to but spaced from the peripheral silient connection being a backwardly offset bent terminal of the base of said lamp but may be 5 portion extending in the direction opposite the actuated for displacement into.electrical engagefree end of the actuating portion, said casing bement with said peripheral terminal. ing provided with a second slot, and said switch 2. A flashlight as set forth in claim 1, said caselement being mounted with said offset bent poring being provided near its recessed end with a tion extending through said second slot to the flrst peripheral slot, and said actuating portion 10 exterior of said casing and being retained in said of said switch element being extended through second slot.

said first slot for manual operation. I OSCAR B. FETTERMAN.

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