US2641685A - Fluorescent hand lamp construction - Google Patents

Description

June 9, 1953 v J. G. PEsslNA 2,641,585

Y FLUORESCENT HAND LAMP CONSTRUCTION 52) M3@ Y u '73 //V l/EA/Top:

Jan-PH 6. PES5/NAI JMS grr-ORNE# June 9, 1953 J. G. PEsslNA 2,641,685

FLUORESCENT HAND LAMP CONSTRUCTION Filed May 22, 1951 3 -Sheets-Sheet 3 "53 /N WINT-oe:

Josep# 6. Pessimo) ,5M Jal/.s Arr @MEV Patented June 9, 1953 FLUORESCENT HAND LAMP CONSTRUCTION Joseph G. Pessina, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Emro Manufacturing Company, Incorporated,

St. Louis, Mo.

Application May 22, 1951,-Serial No. 227,555

5 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to a novel and improved construction for fluorescent hand lamps. y

More particularly, the invention is directed to an improved construction for fluorescent hand lamps of the type which is characterized by being provided withv a self-contained source 'of power, so that immediate illumination is available by the manipulation of a switch.

The demand for this type of lamp is increasing, so much so that lanterns and similar devices are being replaced thereby.

Fluorescent hand lamps are invaluable in emergencies, for example in the case of train wrecks at night, oods, and so on, in fact wherever illumination is requisite, and electrical power is not available; Lamps of this type are also employed in loading merchandise on carriers at night, aboard ship, in mines and sov on, as is understood.

The power in this type of lamp is lordinarily supplied by a pair of standard 45 volt B batteries, and one of the principal disadvantages in constructions heretofore, has been the diiculty encountered in battery unloading and reloading.

The primary object of the present invention is t0 overcome this and other disadvantages heretofore inherent in these lamps.

The lamp of the present invention provides means whereby the replacement of batteries becomes a simple and quickly accomplished operation. To this end as Will appear, the batteries are supported'within the lamp casing on a strap member hinged at one end to the vlower portion of a skeleton framework which depends from, and is secured at its upper end to,.the top cover member for the casing.

The other end of the battery supporting strap member terminates in a' resilient latch portion adapted to releasably engage a lower portion of the framework opposite that portion to'which the other end of said strap member is hingedly attached.

The skeleton framework as stated, is rigidly attached at its upper end to the cover for the casing, and a handle is provided onsaid cover, so that the latterl and the framework maybe lifted as a unit from the casing, as will appear. With this arrangement, and becauseof other provisions to appear, replacement of batteries is facilitated. It will also. be seen, that all of the wiring and other elements associated with the lighting system are so mounted as to be undisturbed during the removal and insertion of said unit, andthe replacement of batteries therein.

Other objects of the invention are toprovlde a waterproof construction; to provide for such weight distribution that the lamp will float with its front, or light diffusing portion above the water level; and to provideeasily accessible and manipulative means for turning on the switch 'to produce almost instantaneous illumination'ofV of Fig. l, with the batteries omitted in the in- Y terest 'of clarity;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on Lim@ 4 4 of Fig. 3;

' Fig. 5 is a, right end elevational view of the casing, and of the insert unit assembly of the invention, the latter being portrayed as it appears when lifted out of the former;

Fig. 6 is a horizontalV sectional plan view through the casing, being Vtaken on line B-B of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a full scale view partly in section, being taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevational view of 'the insert" ,g unit assembly per se; 'Y 1 V y Fig. 9 is'a left end elevational view thereof.;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, :taken'on line Ill---Hl of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the casing as it appears with the insert unit assembly removed;

Fig. 12 is a detail view 0f one of the two guide strips provided for the slidable reception of the marginal portions of a reflector member included in said assembly; l

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on line l3--I3 of Fig. 1; f

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view-on an enlarged scale, taken on line |4-I4 of Fig. 4;

Fig. l5 is a similar view taken on line lli- I5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 16 is a' fragmentary reproduction of the lower portion of Fig. 8, illustrating the simple .manner whereby the batteries may ber replaced;

5 .and

Fig. 1'7 is a diagrammatical presentation of a 3 iluorescent lighting system, the included components of which are incorporated in the insert unit assembly aforesaid.

It is noted at the outset, that the invention is not concerned with the fluorescent lighting system as such. That is to say, no claim whatever is made to the conventional system illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 17. Said View is presented only for the purpose of demonstrating in conjunction `with other views, that an important feature of the invention resides in the arrangement whereby a complete lighting system is incorporated in the removable insert unit assembly.

In Figs. 1 through 4, a iluorescent hand lamp constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention is designated as a whole by numeral 20.

It includes two main and separable assemblies which normally, that is when the lamp is in use, are so to speak telescopically united and .rigidly secured together, as lwill appear.

'The' first of these main assemblies consists of a housing or casing, open at the '.top, and generally indicated by numeral 22. This casving'is of sturdy constructiompreferably of hardenedv steel, and the substantially rectangular body portion 24 thereof isadapted to withstand considerable abuse without injuryr thereto.

YIncluded in said body portion are side walls 26, a rear wall 28, and a front wall comprising two segments or horizontally separated panel members: 30 all vintegrally formed, as the drawings clearly illustrate.

J Spanning and enclosing'the space obtaining -between the Ainnermargins of panels 30, is an arcuate lens member 32, molded-of heavy translucent plastic material lso as'to terminate in integral dat marginal portions 3i as seen to best advantage VinFigs. l6 and `=1|).

When lens Vmember 32 is securely maintained in place as will appear, it ismani'festthat it combines with the Vpanels 3.0 Ato form the front wall of casing 22.

The bottom wall of said casing is designated Y36, and is provided with an upstanding peripheral flange 38. The topr Wallis designated 40, and is provided with a depending peripheral ilange "42. Obviously, and as-thedrawings show, the peripheral congurations of both the top and bottom-walls, when viewed in plan, correspond -to the horizontal cross-sectional configuration of casing 22. "As particularly clear from an inspectionof Fig. 11, the major portion of top Lwall 'll'v is open, having been removed to provide a generally Yrectangular openingV 4t, including'a pair of spaced V-shaped notches et', and a relatively large 'U- `shaped notch 48 formed centrally of said notches 4 6.. The marginal portion '5d of said wall has formed therein, in predetermined spaced -re'lation, a series of threaded vertical apertures 52, and the front portion of depending flange 42 has four spaced horizontal apertures formed therein.

Bottom wall 3'6 is solid, and dange rthereof is likewise provided with four horizontal apertures spaced similarly to those in flange L32.

Welded as the drawings indicate, or otherwise rigidly attached to the upper surface of the bottom wall, are combined guide and retainer clips 54, the vpurpose of which will appear.

Each o'f these clips includes a flat base portion t, and a pair of upstanding wing portions 58, the upper marginal edge portions 00 of the latter being ared outwardly, as best seen in Fig. 5.

Illustrated per se in Fig. 12, is one of a pair of elongated channel shaped plates 62, which as will appear, serve a dual purpose. One flange portion 6d of each plate is angularly disposed, and the base portion 66 thereof isprovided with a plurality of spacedl apertures 68 which correspond to a similar series or apertures provided in each panel 30.

The assembled casing 22 is permanently sealed against entry of moisture by the provision of a rubber gasket 70 along each panel 30; a gasket "l2 interposed between bottom ilange 38 and the lower end of lens member 32; a gasket 74 interposed between upper flange 42 and the upper Vend of said lens member; a line of solder or welding, as indicated at 76 in Fig. 3 only, extending from edge `|8 of one panel 30 peripherally around the casing to edge 1B of the other panel '30, and along kthe top edge of nange" i313; and a similar seal :as indicated att@ in Figb' only, with respect to flange 4.2.

As'Fig. 3 illustrates, lens member 32 extends from top wall A0 to bottom wall ofthe casing. This is likewise true of gaskets l0 and channel plates 62. Bolts 82, each passing through alined lholes in a panel 30, gasket l0, marginal portion 34 of lens 32, and through one of the'apertures -in a channel 02, have nuts B applied to the 'threaded ends thereof.

As viewed in Fig. 2, ,the uppermostfand the lowermost bolts 82 also pass Athrough .apertures in top and bottom flanges 42rand 38 respectively.

Thus, as should be clear-from an inspection oi Fig. `10, a seal is provided along 'panel portions 30 from top to. bottom, while at the same time, lens member Y32A is rigidly maintained lin position.

At the bottom, as Figs. 3, 4 and 6 demonstrate, lens ymember 32 is further secured, and `a seal is provided, by means of `an arcuate plate '86, bolts 88, nuts 00, and gasket 12,*as is understood. A similar arrangement Ais provided at the top, and like parts which appear in the drawings, are identified by the same numerals.

Ther open top 40 of the casing is normally sealed by Va cover member included in the insert unit assembly of the invention, which comprises the second of Vsaid main assemblies, and is generally indicated by numeral |00.

Included in assembly V|00 is said cover membei' designated |02; an upwardly extending handle |04 riveted as at |06, or otherwise rigidly secured to said cover centrally thereof; a skeleton framework generally designated |08 which depends from, Yand isl rigidly secured to, said cover member; a latching mechanism generally designated ||0 for releasably supporting a pair of standard B vbatteries Within said skeleton framework; an arcuate reflector H2; means for mounting and supporting all'of the wiring and other elements shown diagrammatically in Fig. 17, and includedV in a conventional iluorescent light system; and means for effecting a seal between the cover |02, and the switch and the'Y switch operating knob which are included in said lighting system.

Viewed in plan, the conguration of cover |02 is similar to that of `top Vwall 40. Its peripheral edge H4 is turned downwardly, so as to define between said `edge and an endlessy depressed groove ||,6, a shallow channel ||8 extending entirely around the margin ofthe cover, as shown.

As best seen in Fig. 7, a rubber gasket |20 is disposed in said channel, and said `gasket and cover member are provided with a series of spaced alined apertures |22 and |23 respectively, which register with the threaded apertures 52 of top wall 40.

When the assembly is in position, screws |24 passing ythrough said apertures and engaging in apertures 52, rmly seat the gasket-|20 against wall 40, rigidly secure the cover in place, and thus effectively seal the opening 44.

VAs shown in the drawings, framework |08 includes four corner angle bars |26, each welded or otherwise rigidly secured at its upper end to a rectangular support |28. This support consists of four angle members |30, mi-tered and welded together at the corners, with their horizontal kflange portions welded to the underside of the cover member |02.

With this arrangement, it should be clear that said framework and said cover form a rigid unitary assembly, which following extraction'of screws |24, may be lifted from casing 22 by means of handle |04, as portrayed especially in Fig. 5.

In Figs. 3, and 9, it is seen that the framework also includes two horizontally disposed angle members |32, each Yof which has its ends welded or otherwise rigidly secured toa pair of said angle bars |26. The angles |32 are disposed ata predetermined elevation, being so spaced relative to latching mechanism ||0, that a pair of standard B batteries in superposed relation, may be positioned between said mechanism and said angles.

As appears most clearly in Figs. 4, 5, 8 and 9, the lower ends of angle bars |26 are encompassed by a rectangular metal band |34, welded or otherwise rigidly attached thereto.

The `latching mechanism |10 includes a metal strap |36, one end of which is riveted as at |38, to a-hinge |40, the latter in turn being riveted as at |42, to a portion of said band |34, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 14

The opposite end of strap |36 is bent normal thereto, whereby to form a semi-rigid or resilient upward extension |44, which as Fig. l5 in particular illustrates, is adapted in the latched position to bear against an adjacent portionvof band |34, and terminates in a laterally projecting substantially V-shaped thumbpece portion |46, adapted to snap.v over the upper edge |48 of band` |34.

As previously stated, .this invention makes no claim whatever .to any particular system whereby either intermittent or continuous illuminationin this type of lamp may be produced. The system .diagrammatically portrayed in Fig. 17 is-a standard one, but it is a feature of the'present invention that all of the included elements are mounted and supported in theassembly |00, so as to be removable therewith en masse from casing 22. y'

With this in mind, only'the principal elements of the Fig. 1'7 diagram will be specifically designated, it being taken for granted that aninspection of Figs. 3 through 5, and '7 through 9, will abundantly demonstrate the disposition of the included wiring.

Thus .in numerical order, |50 indicates a first or upper battery; |52 a second or lower battery;

|54 a socket for the upper and |56 a socket for the lower battery; |58 a plug for insertion into and removal from socket |54; |60 a plug for insertion into and removal from socket' |56; |62 a fluorescent tube; |64 the upper, and |66 the lower socket therefor; |68 a terminal plate assembly; |10 a resistor device; |12a' ballast assembly; |14 a switch; and |16 a knob, partial rotation of which in a clockwise direction will turn on said switch, and similar rotation of which in a counterclockwise direction will turn it'off.

The manner in which the conventional socket members |64 and |66 are supported will now be described with particular reference to Figs.t2, 3, 4 and '7. The supporting structures for each` socket member are similar, so that the same reference characters are applied to the corresponding upper and lower elements included.

It is noted rst of all, that arcuate reflector 2 is rigidly secured to framework |28 in any suitable manner. Preferably as shown, screws |18 passing through the upper and lower portions of said reflector and into engagement with threaded apertures provided in front angle |30 and front segment of band |34, form the attaching means. Hollow spacer elements may be interposed about the screws as shown.

Adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof', portions of reflector ||2 are extended forwardly to form angular brackets |82, the body portion being slotted as at |84 for this purpose.

Numerals |86 indicate angular hangers secured by screws |88 to said brackets as shown, and each of said hangers rigidly supports one of said socket members.

The upper and lower brackets |82, and the hangers |86 attached thereto, are cut out or notched as shown, to accommodate passage therethrough of the wires leading from the sockets to other elements of the lighting system.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that a rigid mounting for tube |62 is provided, so that removal and insertion thereof is an easy matter.

The manner in which terminal plate assembly 168 is attached to the upper ends of a pair of corner angles |26, is seen to best advantage in Figs. 3, 7 and'9. There it is seen thatsaid assembly is clamped between two jaws |90 integrally formed with a strap member |92, the

ends cf which are secured by screws |94 to the left end pair of corner angle bars |26, immediately below the vleft end angle member |30.

Resistor |10 is supported from assembly |68, as Fig. '7 clearly shows, and ballast lassembly |12 is supported in a U-shaped bracket |96 welded, or riveted as at |98, to the underside of cover Switch |14 is conventional, and includes a housing 200, 1an upwardly extending hollow threaded portion 202, and a stem 204 projecting beyond the latter. A The invention provides means for mounting this assembly on the cover |02 in a manner to effectively seal the parts. Interposed'about portion 202, between the underside of said cover and the upper face ofhousing 200, is a rubber gasket 206, as illustrated in Fig. 13.` A similar gasket 206 is interposed about portion '202, between the upper surface of said cover and the lower endl of a hollow nut 2|0. The latter is formed so as to contain a rubber O-ring 2|2 which embraces the stem 204. Y p

It should be manifest that tightening ofnut 2|0 not only secures switch housing 200 firmly` `ofwhich knob |76 'is-attached to stem 204.' Prefwith particular reference to Figs. 4, 6 and 10, it is `-:noted that angular flanges Ed form with vthe marginal portions 34 of lens 32, a pair of V- shaped vertical slideways 226, along which 4the `side edges of reflector plate ride when the insert unit assembly mil-fis raised-or lowered.

In use, the assembled lamp of Figs. l and 2 is 'adapted to bring illumination with ease to any selected areaY or point. lHandle l|l5 facilitates portability, and reflector H2, coated with diffused aluminum, projects the llight over a wide spread. Handle |051 also serves to hang the lamp on a hooker other stationary projection, and obviously, the lamp may be employed lying on its side, or supported in an upright position, and so With the insert unit assembly in place, all ofthe interior elements of the lamp are sealed, as has been explained in detail. rllhe provision of retainer clips 54, the resilient wing portions 58 of which engage band 34 at the corners thereof,

Ieliminates any tendency of the depending portion of said framework to rattle, even with rough handling, as is understood.

rSwitch control knob |115 is most conveniently located for quick manipulation, particularly in lcases where intermittent illumination is desired. As hereinbefore indicated, an outstanding feature of the invention resides in the assembly |00, which may be lifted from the casing for vquick tube renewal or battery replacement. For this purpose, it is only necessary to remove the screws |24, and then raise the entire assembly by means of handle |04. Y v

Tube replacement may thus be easily accomplished, with the assembly H39 in either upright orprone position. i

Replacement of the batteries, which are supported on strap |36, is likewise a simple matter,

as an inspection of Figs. 8 and 9, together with Figs. l5 and 16 should clarify.

In other words, as assembly |00 is suspended with one hand a short distance above a table or like surface, plugs |53 and Hit are withdrawn from sockets |54 and |55 with the otherhand.

Thereupon, application of slight inward pressure to thumbpiece |46 will cause resilient extension |45, to move inwardly from its latchedor full line position of Fig. l5, to its unlatched or broken line position.

Immediately following thisroperation, the combined weight of batteries i5@ and |52 will automatically cause strap |35 to swing downwardly about hinge |40, and permit the batteries to slide out of framework |08, as Fig. 16 amply .illustrates.

Thereupon, the insert unit is inverted; new batteries are dropped into place,the first battery coming torest against angle members |32, and the second battery against the ilrst'; strap |36 is swung into latching position; a slight blow is struck against the free end of said strap whereby -V -shaped thumbpiece |46 snaps over the upper edge |48 of band |34; plugs |58 and |59 are put in place; handle |04 is grasped; the complete assembly is lowered into casing 22, as Fig. 5 also serves to illustrate; and screws |24 are replaced whereby to complete the operation. f

yIt is understood of course, that it is not abso 'lutely necessary to inve-rt `the assembly in order to replace the batteries, but this method isa simple one.

With reference to Fig. 1-1, it is-noted that notch 48 is of a size to accommodate passage therethrough of tube |62' and its supporting sockets |64 and |66. Also, that notches 45 facilitate entry of the side marginal edges of reflector ||2 into slideways 22|), and that the outwardly flared portions 60 of wings 58 serve to guide lower band portion |34 of framework |08 into position whe the assembly |00 is inserted.

From the foregoing, it should Vbe apparent that the invention provides a construction which includes many features and advantages not heretofore found in this type of lamp.

Obviously, the construction may be modified in some respects without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is characterized by the provision of a sealed casing or container wherein is supported an assembly, .insertable into and removable from the casing as a unit, said assembly incorporating an arcuate reflector; means ffor supporting allV of the elements and wiring included in a conventional fluorescent lighting sys- Y tem; means for facilitating the removal andreplacement of either the fluorescent tube or the batteries included in said system; and means-for stabilizing the lower end portion of said assembly.

What I claim is:

1. In a fluorescent hand lamp construction: a substantially rectangular casing provided with ari-arcuate lens in the front wall and a generally rectangular opening in the top wall thereof; a cover platev for normally sealing said opening;

` a skeleton framework depending from and rigidly secured at its upper end to the underside ofthe cover plate; a latching mechanism hingedly mounted onthe lower end .portion of the framework for releasably supporting a pair of superposed B batteries within said framework; spaced retainer clips mounted on the bottom `wall of the `casing for engaging the free lower corner portions of said depending framework; an arcuate reflectoryertically coextensive with and supported by the framework in spaced relation to said lens member; a fluorescent tube disposed between the reflector and said lens also supported by said framework; .-a switch Yand an assembly rof wiring Y and related elements forming in combination with said tube and-said batteries a conventional fluorescent vlighting system mounted in 'said framework between the uppermost Bbattery and said cover plate; anactuating stem for the switch projecting upwardly through the cover plate; VVa

rectangular opening in the top wall thereof; a` Vcover plate removably secured'to the top wall of said casing; an endless shallow channel in said rcover plate formed by a downwardly turned peripheral edge thereon in conjunction with an endless depressed groove-formed therein in inwardly spaced relation'to said edge; a compressible gasket disposed in said channel for sealing the opening in said top wall when the cover plate is in normal position; a skeleton framework depending from and rigidly secured at its upper end to the underside of the cover plate; a latchng mechanism hingedly mounted on the lower end portion of the framework for releasably supporting a pair of superposed B batteries within said framework; spaced retainer clips mounted on the bottom wall of the casing for engaging the free lower corner portions of said depending framework; an arcuate reflector vertically coextensive with and supported by the framework in spaced relation to said lens member; a fluorescent Atube disposed between the reector and said lens also supported by said framework; a switch and an assembly of wiring and related elements forming in combination with said tube and said batteries a conventional fluorescent lighting system mounted in said framework between the uppermost B battery and said cover plate; an actuating stem for the switch projecting upwardly through the cover plate; a manually rotatable knob rigidly secured to the projecting end of said stem; a Ihandle rigid with said cover plate for lifting from the casing the unitary assembly comprising said framework, said cover plate, and all of the elements supported thereby, and for inserting said assembly into said casing; and spaced vertical slideways provided on the front wall of said casing for the side marginal edges of said arcuate reflector.

3. In a fluorescent hand lamp construction, the structure set forth in claim 2 wherein the ineluded skeleton framework depending from the cover plate comprises: four corner angle bars each rigidly secured at its upper end to a rectangular support consisting of four angle members mitered and welded together at the corners, the horizontal flange portions of said angle members being rigidly secured to the underside of said cover member; a pair of horizontally disposed angle members each of which has its ends rigidly secured to a pair of said corner angle bars in such spaced relation relative to said latching mechanism as to snugly conne said pair of superposed B batteries therebetween; and a rectangular metal band encompassing the lower ends of said corner angles and rigidly secured thereto.

4. In a uorescent hand lamp construction, the structure set forth in claim 2 wherein the iatching mechanism for releasably supporting the pair of superposed B batteries comprises:

a rectangular band member surrounding and rigidly secured to the lower end portions of said skeleton framework; a metallic strap member; a hinge element connecting one end of said strap to a portion of said band member; a semi-rigid upwardly projecting extension integral with the other end of said strap adapted in the latched position of said mechanism to bear againstv an adjacent portion of said rectangular band; and a laterally projecting V-shaped thumbpiece portion on said extension adapted to snap over the upper edge of said band member whereby to releasably maintain said strap in latched and battery supporting position.

5. In'a fluorescent hand lamp construction, the structure set forth in claim 2 wherein the recited switch of the said conventional fluorescent lighting system includes a housing, an upwardly extending hollow threaded portion and a stem projecting beyond the latterand wherein said rotatable knob for actuating the switch is secured to the projecting stem thereof by a setscrew, and means forY sealing said cover plateV about said elements, said means comprising: a resilient gasket interposed about the hollow threaded portion of said switch between the bottom face of said cover and the upper surface of said housing; a hollow nut in engagement with the upper end of said threaded portion; a re- Silient gasket interposed about said threaded portion between the top face of the cover plate and the bottom surface of said nut; an O-ring of resilient material seated in the upper portion of said nut about said stem; and an annular recess formed in said knob for shielding said nut Y against fortuitous displacement thereof.

JOSEPH G. PESSINA.

References cites inthe sie of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Number Name Date 2,263,518 Riner Nov. 18, 1941 2,312,649 Kelly Mar. 2, 1943 2,413,599 Beck Dec. 31, 1946 2,435,164 Sobel 1 Jan. 27, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 107,773 England July 19, 1917 544,704 England Apr. 24, 1942

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