US2879381A - Flashlights - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1959 R. G: COFFEY FLASHLJQIGHTS Filed Sept. 24, 1956 IN V EN TOR. fiaefif 6. foffe BY y FLASHLIGHTS I Robert G. Coffey, Orlando, Fla. Application September 1956, Serial No. 611,735 Claims. cl. 240-10.

i This invention relates to improvements in flashlights. The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to create a flashlight having a maximum battery capacity for its physical volume. Second, to provide a flashlight having a relatively broad lens and'reflector recessed into a pair. of batteries to re'-' fdu'ce'the size of the flashlight by forming recesses in the sides of the batteries. Third, to provide a flashlight'in which the size and weight of thenecessary structural and electrical connecting elements is reduced to a minimum.

Fourth, to provide 5. flashlight in which the control switch'is associated with and constitutes a part of the electrical contact to one of the batteries.

' 'Fifth, to provide an inexpensive form of flashlight which is waterproof, explosion proof and corrosion proof and which will float on water. i

Other objects and advantages of the invention willbe apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, of which there is one sheet, illustrate a highly practical form of the flashlight. Fig. l'is a perspective view of the assembled flashlight. Fig. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through the switch mechanism of the flashlight.

Patented Mar. "24,

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'U-shape'd plate 8 of thin springable metal hav arms 9 with upturned retaining prongs 10 and 11 on theends thereof. The center cross piece of the plate 8 extends transversely across the bottom sides of the batteries and the arms 9 project longitudinally along the batteries to position the prongs 10 and 11 in springable contacting engagement with the terminals at one end of the'two batteries. Lapped upon the center'cross piece of the plate 8 and secured thereto as by adhesive is a first strip of insulating material 12. Lapped upon the top of one end of the insulating strip 12 is a first L-shaped connector 113 of thin springable metal having one arm 14 extending along the underside of one of the batteries to a terminal prong 15 that projects upwardly in yieldably springable contactwith the terminal of the battery opposite from the prong 10. The overlapping arm of the connector '13 is downwardly offset as at 16' and has asecond' strip of in? sulating material 17 secured to the upper surface thereof. A second L-shaped connector 18 has onejarm lapped upon and secured to the insulating strip 17 and has another arm 19 extending longitudinally along the underside of the other battery to a fourth terminal prong 20. The mechanically and electrically insulated U-shaped strip '8 and the connectors 13 and 18 thus mechanically and electrically connect the batteries 3 in series reation. In

order to break the electrical connection, the terminal prong Fig." 4 is an end elevational view of the inner parts 10f r the flashlight with the case removed.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the flashlight with the bulb and reflector removed.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the inner working parts of the flashlight.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the cover or case of the flashlight.

The flashlight of the present invention is of the wide reflector type having a conical reflector of substantially larger diameter than the diameter of cylindrical batteries which power the flashlight. A two cell or battery flashlight is illustrated although additional cells could be incorporated if desired. The'flashight comprises. generally the'larnp or bulb 1 which may be of standard construction, a relatively wide conical reflector 2, cylindricaldry cell batteries 3 and supporting and connecting and inclosing structure to be described in greater detail.

. The reflector 2 as stated, is of conical shape and hasa tubular threaded connection 4 on its apex. The batteries 3 are generally cylindrical as with standard dry cells but have recesses 5 formed in one side along segments of a' conical surface disposed in perpendicular and laterally oflEset relation to the axis of the cylindrical cell. Two dry cells thus fit in close nested relation along opposite sides of the back of the reflector. The batteries 3 have positive terminals 6 at one end and negative terminals 7 at the other end and are arranged in the flashlight in oppositely facing directions.

' Thestructure formechanically and electrically eonliecting the'batteries, reflector and bulb consists first of a 11 is provided with a slot 21 in which, the finger piece of an insulating button 22 is slidably mounted. As is best illustrated in Fig. 3 the button 22 may be slidupwarclly to cam the prong 11 out of electrical contact with the ter-l minal of its associated battery. l The overlapping arm of the metallic connector 18 has its end turned upwardly and folded into a threaded socket 23. The external threads on the socket receive the thread: ed connector 4 on the reflector while the internal threads receive the threads on the base of the lamp 1. The center terminal 25 of the lamp base projects through the notched end of the insulating strip 17 into electrical contact with the underlapped arm of the connector at 13 so that the series electrical circuit through the batteries is extended through the threaded socket 23 to the base of the lamp and from thence through the filament of the lamp to its center terminal as is common. From the center terminal of the lamp the circuit is continued through the connector 13 to one end of one battery and through to the U-shaped strip to the, other battery as will be understood. v v

The recessing of the reflector into the sides of the two batteries 3 makes the flashlight extremely compact and the combined utility of the connecting elements 8,

13 and 18 makes the flashlight very lightin weight. 1' The use of the insulating button 22 eliminates the need for a separate switch mechanism as the battery terminal connection may also be made to functionas a switch. In order to enclose and waterproof the flashlight and pre-' vent the batteries from falling out from between. the

terminal prongs, the entire structure is enclosed in a flexible transparent bag 24 of synthetic plastic material. The bag 24 is stretched tightly .around the inner work- I ing parts of the flashlight and across the open end of "the reflector 2 to function as a lens for the flashlight. The open end of the plastic case 24 is hermetically sealed by adhesive or by a self-sealing cohesive engagement. between the walls of the bag at its mouth. 4

The flexible character of the plastic :bag case 24 per-.

mits the switch button 22 to be manipulated without the necessity of access through the wall of the case. The relatively small volume of air enclosed within the case is sufllcient to float the flashlight inwater while the sealed character of the case prevents-the entrance of water to short out and damage the flashlight and also-prevents the escape pf corrosive battery fluid from the flashlight. When the batteries 3 become worn out due to use, his contemplated that the plastic case 24 will be torn oil and discarded and that a second plastic case will be applied whennew batteries are supplied for the flashlight. The plasticcase ,24 is of suchinexpensive construction and material as to economically permitj the discarding of the old case each time new batteries are installed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed asnew audis desired to be secured by Letters Patent isi 1. A flashlight comprising a pair of generally cylindricalbatteries having opposite poles at each end and and laterally retaining said batteries between said prongs v and against the sides of said reflector, said bag having havingrecessed sides, said batteries being arranged in sideby side relation with their poles reversed and with said recesses lying in facing relation along a conical surface, a U-shaped metal strip disposed with its arms under :said batteries and with its cross piece extending transversely therebetween, contact and retaining prongs on the ends ofthe arms of said U-shaped piece extending at right angles to the arms into contacting springable engagement with the poles at one end of said ,batteries, a first insulating strip lapped upon and secured to. the top ofsaid cross piece, a first L-shaped metallic connector lapped upon said insulating strip and secured thereto and having an arm underlying one of said batteries,-a second L-shaped metallicconnector lapped upon said first connector and secured thereto and having an arm underlying the other of said batteries, the adjacent ends of said connectors being electrically insulated from each other by a second insulating strip, a threaded socket on the end of said second connector extending at an angle to said overlapped members between said batteries, other retaining prongs on the arms of said connectors extending at right angles into contacting springable contact with the poles at the other ends of said batteries, an insulating button slidably mounted on one of said prongs toslide between the prong and the adjacent battery to break the electrical contact thereto, a conical reflector nesting between said batteries and in the conical recesses thereof and having a threaded connection at its apex retainingly engaged with the socket onsaid second connector, an electric lamp having a base threadedly and electrically engaged with said socket and having a center terminal projecting through said second insulating strip into,electrical contact with said first connector, and a bag of flexible transparent synthetic plastic material enclosing said batteries, said metal strip, said connectors and said reflector and stretched across the open endrof the reflector as a lens, said bag being hermetically sealed.

2. A flashlight comprising a first metal strip having upturned prongs at its ends adapted to contact the electric'al poles at one end of two drycell batteries to electrically connect the batteries in series, a pair of metallic connectors mechanically secured to said strip and insnlated therefrom, other prongs on the ends of said connectors positioned in rectangularly spaced relationship with said first prongs, a socket formed on the other end of one of said connectors in spaced overlapping relation to the other end of the other connector, a pair of elongated drycell batteries supported upon said first strip and having electrical contacting poles at their ends in electrical and mechanically retained engagement with said prongs, said batteries having generally cylindrical shape with opposed recesses in their sides disposed along sectors of a conical surface, a conically flared reflector having an aperture at its apex and nested in said recess and connected at the apex to said strip by removable attachment to said socket, a bulb having a base received and electrically connected in said socket and having a centerterminal projecting into electrical engagement with said other contact, insulating means slidably mounted on one of said prongs to press the prong away from the battery with which his engaged, and a flexible bag enclosing said batteries, reflector and metal strip a transparent portion extending over the end of said reflector as a lens and being hermetically sealed around the enclosed parts, said insulating means being operable from outside said bag by manipulation of the flexible wall of the bag.

3. A flashlight comprising a first metal strip having upturned prongs at its ends adapted to contact the electrical poles at one end of two drycellbatteries to electrically connect the batteries, a pair of metallic connectors mechanically secured to said strip and insulated therefrom, other prongs on the endsof said connectors positioned in rectangularly spaced relationship with said first prongs, a socket on the other endof-one of-said connectors in spaced overlapping relation to the other end of the other connector, a pair of elongated drycell batteries supported upon said first strip and having electrical poles at their ends in electrical contacting and mechanically retained engagement with said prongs, said batteries having opposedrecesses intheir sides,,a flared reflector having an aperture at its apex and nested in said recesses and connected at theapex to said strip, a bulb having a base received andelectrically connected in said socket and having a center terminal projecting into electrical engagement with said other contact, insulating means slidably mounted on one of saidprongs to press the prong away from the battery 'withwhich it is engaged, and a flexible bag enclosing said batteries, reflector and metal strip and laterally retaining said batteries between said prongs, said bag having a transparent portion extending over the end of said reflector as a lens, said insulating means being operable from outside said bag by manipulation of the flexible wall of the bag.

4. A flashlight comprising a plurality of' metal strips mechanically connected together to form a supporting surface and electrically insulated from each other, four, retaining prongs on said strips arranged in rectangularly disposed relation in spaced pairs of opposed prongs, a pair of batteries arranged in side by side relation and having electrical poles at their ends electrically engaged and mechanically retained between said opposed pairs of prongs, said batteries being supported on said surface and having recesses in their opposed sides, a conically flared reflector nested between said batteries and in the recesses therein and having an apertured apex removably connected to said strips between said batteries, a lamp having a base positioned in the apex of said reflector and electrically connected to one of said strips, a center terminal on said lamp projecting into electrical contact withanother of said strips, insulating button means slidably mounted on one of said prongs to slide between the prongand adjacent battery, and a flexible bag enclosing i all thejlisted parts and laterally retaining the batteries een h p ongs s i h s extending across said reflector. v

5. A flashlight comprising a plurality of metal strips mechanically connected'together to form a uPpQrting having a transparent wall surface and electrically insulated from each other, four retaining prongs on said strips arranged in rectangularly disposed relation in spaced pairs of opposed prongs,- a pair of batteries arranged in side by side relation and having electrical poles at their ends electrically engaged and mechanically retained between said opposed pairs of prongs, said batteries being supported on said surface and having-recesses in their opposed sides, a flared reflector nested between said batteries and in the recesses therein and having an ,apertured apex connected to said strips between said batteries, a lamp having a base positioned in the apex of said reflecto'rand electrically connected to one of saidstrips, a center terminal on said lamp projecting into electrical contact with another of said strips, in-

sulating button means slidably mounted onone of said prongs to slide betweenthe prong and adjacent battery,

and a flexible bag enclosing all theilisjted 7 parts and late:-

ally retaining the batteries between the prongs, said bag having a transparent wall extending across said reflector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Neudorfier Sept. 30, 1913 Kerlin Oct. 3, 1916

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