US3053978A - Lantern construction - Google Patents

Description

P 1, v1962 N K. RHOADES LANTERN CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 29, 1959 INVENTOR NOLA/V K. RHOADES flaw ATTORNEYS P 1, 1962 N. K. RHOADES 3,053,978

LANTERN CONSTRUCTION Filed July 29, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llL 62 5a 84 INVENTOR 20 20 NOLAN K. RHOADES I i 5 fig u ATTORNEYS 3,053,978 LANTERN CGNSTRUCTTON Nolan It. Rhoades, Eeloit, Wis, assignor to The Electric Storage Battery ompany, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 29, 1959, Ser. No. 830,323 '2 Claims. (Cl. 240-1063) This invention relates to a lantern construction. More specifically, this invention relates to a hand lantern having a base member with a pivoted head lamp. A handle comprising a conspicuously flashing danger lamp is also pivotally attached to the base member. Means are provided to lock the handle from pivoting.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lantern having a base member with a head lamp and a danger lamp pivotally attached thereto, both lamps being capable of universal movement with respect to said base member.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a hand lantern having a head lamp and a danger lamp, said danger lamp comprising the lantern handle.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with portions broken away to show internal structure, and showing in dotted lines the pivotal movement of the handle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view thereof taken on a line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIG. 5 is a detail of the danger bulb mounting bracket; and

FIG. 6 is a front elevation thereof, with the head lamp and handle pivoted around on the base member to illustrate the universal pivoting.

More specifically, the lantern of my invention is shown in FIG. 1 and generally designated 10. It includes a base member 12 comprising an open rectangular box 14 having a bottom wall and four sidewalls extending upwardly therefrom. The base member also includes a cover 16 comprising an inverted channel-shaped structure with an upper horizontal wall 18 and two downwardly extending sidewalls 26. At either end the upper horizontal wall has downwardly and inwardly directed margins '22 which terminate adjacent the top of the box. Aligned apertures are made in the cover 16 and in the sidewalls of the box, and hinge pins 24 pass therethrough to pivot the parts together. Preferably, the apertures in the box are surrounded respectively by outwardly extending bearings 26 to avoid interference of the walls of the box and the cover as they pivot.

Secured to the upper wall of the cover by a rivet 28 or other means is a downwardly extending resilient latch strip 30. It terminates in an outwardly curved portion 32 and has an aperture 34 adjacent its distal end. The box has a rearwardly extending lug 36 riveted to its rear sidewall. As the box is being closed, the latch strip 30 flexes against the lug. Upon complete closure, the lug 36 snaps into the aperture to effect a locking. It will be understood that the base member 12 is adapted to receive appropriate batteries for the lantern.

A frontal standard 33 is secured to the top of the base member 12 by a grommet 40. The grommet is of slip fit to permit rotation of the standard with respect to the base member. The portion of the cover immediately under the frontal standard may be slightly raised to provide a bearing surface 42 for the undersurface of the standard. The frontal standard 38 comprises a U-shaped member 3,053,978 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 having two upwardly extending arms 44 and a central bight 46. The arms are apertured. Also extending upwardly from the cover is a resilient bracket 48. The bracket is anchored to the underside of the cover by the same rivet 28 holding the resilient latch strip, but diverges therefrom and extends upwardly through an appropriate aperture in the top wall 18 of the cover. The bracket 48 normally extends perpendicularly upward and has adjacent its distal end a rectangular opening 50. For strengthening, the bracket may be channel-shaped in cross section toward its upper end and may also have an integral top flange 52.

The lantern includes a head lamp 54, which incorporates illumination means of the sealed beam or the more conventional bulb-reflector type. The head lamp housing has two parallel rearwardly directed ears 56 apertured toward their distal ends. An elongated tubular handle 58 is also provided and is formed with a transverse bore adjacent its front end. A bolt, pin, or the like 60 extends through the apertures in the frontal standard, through the apertures in the ears of the head lamp and through the bore in the tubular handle to pivotally relate all the parts. This pivotal relation, coupled with the pivotal attachment of the frontal standard to the base member, permits a universal action of the handle 58 and the head lamp 54 with respect to the base member 12. (See FIG. 6.)

The specific structure of the tubular handle is well shown in FIG. 3. It is made of a rugged material such as molded polyethylene capable of passing light, and is preferably tinted red. The forward end of the tubular handle 58 is notched out to provide space for a switch means 62, and its outer surface is slightly reduced in diameter to receive a metal end cap 64. The switch means may be as described in the presently pending application of Edward J. Garland, entitled Lantern Construction, filed in the US. Patent Office on May 22, 1959, and assigned Serial No. 815,002. The opposite sides of the end cap 64 have an aperture for receiving the frontal standard fastening bolt 60. Teh upper surface of the cap is slotted to pass switch actuating means 66, and the lower surface is appropriately apertured to receive a small flat head set screw 68.

A substantially J-shaped metal mounting piece 70 is provided and carries on its intermediate run 72 a bulb receptacle 74. Each end of the mounting piece 70 has an outwardly directed finger 76. In assembly, a bulb 78 installed in the receptacle extends into the handle 58, and

the fingers 76 abut the open mouth of the handle (see FIG. 3). The switch means 62 having downwardly extending projections 80 are disposed in the notch of the handle. The end cap 64 covers the open end of the handle and the set screw 68 extends up through the aperture in the cap, through the handle wall, and engages a tapped hole in the mounting piece 70. The bolt 60 passes between the projections 80 and supports the switch means. Appropriate wiresrun from the switch means 62 to the battery in the base member 12 and the lamps. One terminal of the battery is grounded to the metal frame of the lantern and one terminal of each bulb is also grounded to complete the circuits.

As shown in FIGS. 1, through 3 and 4, the tubular handle 58 is formed with longitudinal grooves 82 not only adding to the attractiveness of the design but making it a more conspicuous danger lamp. The handle is preferably tapered slightly inward from its front end toward its rear end so that the diameter at the rear end is smaller. Formed on the rear end is an outwardly directed lug 84 which is tapered upwardly in an outward direction so that it projects a distance greater from the end surface of the handle at its top than at its lower end. The interior of the tubular handle is formed with longitudinally extending tapered ridges 86 to give it added strength.

The breaking results in a cooling of the filament and com-j pletion of the circuit to start the cycle over.

The operation of the handle 58 and the resilient bracket 48 will be apparent from FIG. 1. The handle 58 may be pivoted from the horizontal position shown after the upper end of the bracket 48 is flexed rearwardly. This permits the lug 84 to escape the bracket. To lock the handle once more in horizontal position, the reverse procedure is exercised: the bracket 48 is flexed back and the handle is brought horizontal. The bracket is then released, the aperture 50 receiving the lug.

It will be seen that my lantern provides a new flexibility in hand lanterns of the head lamp-danger lamp type. By means of my arrangement, universal movement of the lamps relative to the base member 12 is achieved. This permits rotation of the headlamp to direct its beam in any direction despite position of the base member. At the same time it permits tilting up of the danger lamp to make it more conspicuous. When returned to normal position, the danger lamp may be firmly locked by my novel latching means. Additionally, the feature of the danger lamp serving as the handle is not only intriguing, and a source of great sales appeal, but also reduces the cost of the lantern.

While this invention has been shown in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

I claim:

1. A hand lantern comprising a base member, a frontal standard secured to the top of said base member by means enabling pivotal movement about a vertical axis, said frontal standard being directed upward from said base member, a head lamp attached to the upper end of the said frontal standard, an elongated handle having one end pivotally fastened to the upper end of said frontal standard, the other end of said handle being formed with an outwardly protruding lug, said handle comprising a tubular member of light transmitting material, a bulb mounted in said handle, power means disposed in said base member and electrically connected to said bulb, and

a resilient bracket secured to and extending upward from the rear end of said base member, said bracket being formed with an aperture spaced above said base member, said bracket being adapted to flex to receive said lug in said aperture, whereby said handle may be held from pivoting.

2. A hand lantern comprising a base member, a frontal standard secured to the top of said base member by means enabling pivotal movement about a vertical axis, said frontal standard being directed upward from said base member, a head lamp attached to the upper end of said frontal standard, an elongated handle having one end pivotally fastened'to the upper end of said frontal standard, said handle comprising a tubular member of light transmitting material, a bulb mounted in said handle, power means disposed in said base member and electrically connected to said bulb, latching means for securing the free end of said handle, whereby it may be prevented from pivoting.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,538,545 Emery May 19, 1925 1,592,178 Carpenter July 13, 1926 1,655,174 White Jan. 3, 1928 2,501,572 Marquez Mar. 21, 1950 2,581,129 Muldoon Jan. 1, 1952 2,861,174 Talbot et al. Nov. 18, 1958

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