Wireless electric swivel head hand lantern

• US 3,944,805 A
• Filed: 01/24/1975
• Issued: 03/16/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bridgeport Metal Goods Manufacturing Co. (HCP Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bridgeport Metal Goods Manufacturing Co. (HCP Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, Arthur H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US05/543,884
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 240/10.61, 240/10.63, 240/10.67
• US Class Current: 362/194
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/02 characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/04 characterised by the provision of a light source housing portion adjustably fixed to the remainder of the device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/406 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0407 for flashing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources

Abstract

A wireless electric swivel head hand lantern generally comprising a lantern battery, a lantern handle and a swivel head containing a lamp. Metal strips are used to connect the terminal posts of the lantern battery to the lamp in the swivel head. Electrical contact is made without the use of wires, solder, rivets or the like by positioning the metal strips so that portions of the surface areas of the strips are conjoined. Portions of the metal strips are disposed inside the swivel head and configured in such a manner that electrical contact with the lamp is automatically made and maintained by positioning the lamp in the swivel head and securing it in place.

Claims

1. In an improved electrical swivel head hand lantern having a lantern battery, a lantern handle of nonconductive material arranged to be detachably secured to said lantern battery, means for detachably securing said lantern handle to said lantern battery, a swivel head of nonconductive material swivelly secured to said lantern handle, means for swivelly securing said swivel head to said lantern handle, a lamp supported by said swivel head so as to direct a light beam from said swivel head, means for electrically connecting said lamp to said lantern battery, and a switch means for selectively breaking the electrical connection from said lantern battery to said lamp, the improvement comprising said electrically connecting means consisting entirely of a plurality of conjoined metal strips.

2. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 1 wherein said swivel head is comprised of a bowl into which said lamp may be fitted, said bowl having a pair of prongs attached to its back and extending outwardly therefrom, said prongs being positioned parallel to, axially aligned with, and separate from each other.

3. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 2 wherein said prongs are located equidistant from the midpoint of the back of said bowl and are separated from each other by a distance greater than the width of the portion of said lantern handle to which they are connected.

4. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 2 wherein said lamp is a sealed beam lamp having a pair of contact bars on its base, each of which is connected internally in said lamp to opposite sides of a filament which illuminates when an electric current flows through it.

8. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 2 wherein said lamp is a combination of a bulb and reflector, said bulb having a base and a casing each of which is connected to opposite sides of a filament in said bulb, said bulb being outwardly directed and removably attached at the apex of said reflector in such a manner that said base and said casing protrudes at the rear of said reflector, said protruding base and casing each contacting a different one of a pair of metal strips located in the bottom of said bowl when said lamp is positioned in said bowl.

5. In an improved electrical swivel head hand lantern having a lantern handle, a swivel head of nonconductive material swivelly secured to said lantern handle, said swivel head being comprised of a bowl into which a sealed beam lamp may be fitted so as to direct a light beam outwardly from said swivel head, means for swivelly securing said swivel head to said lantern handle comprising a pair of prongs attached to the back of said bowl and extending outwardly therefrom, said prongs being positioned parallel to, axially aligned with, and separate from each other, said sealed beam lamp having a pair of contact bars on its base, each of which is internally connected to opposite sides of a filament which glows when current flows through it, the improvement comprising means for electrically connecting said lamp inside said swivel head including a pair of retaining walls mounted on the inside bottom of said bowl of said swivel head and extending upwardly therefrom, said retaining walls being positioned parallel to each other and equidistant from the midpoint of the bottom of said bowl, separated from each other by a distance greater than the width of said pair of contact bars on the base of said sealed beam lamp, and extending above said contact bars when said lamp is positioned in said bowl, and a pair of metal strips located between said retaining walls, each of said metal strips contacting one of said contact bars when said lamp is positioned in said bowl.

6. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 5 wherein said retaining walls are aligned parallel to the horizontal axis of said bowl.

7. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 5 wherein a portion of each of said metal strips is located outside of said bowl where each of the portions of said strips is attached to the side of one of said prongs.

9. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for swivelly securing said swivel head to said lantern handle comprises an insulated screw inserted inwardly through one of said prongs and one side of said lantern handle, said inserted insulated screw being secured to a conductive lamp cylinder inserted through the other of said prongs and the other side of said lantern handle, said lamp cylinder being internally screw threaded to receive said insulated screw, and when installed, said lamp cylinder and one of the portions of said metal strips attached to one of said prongs being conjoined.

10. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for electrically connecting said lamp comprises a first metal strip to which both said lamp cylinder and a first battery terminal are conjoined, and a second metal strip to which both said metal strip attached to said prong opposite said lamp cylinder and a second battery terminal post are conjoined.

11. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 10 wherein said first metal strip from said lamp cylinder to said first battery terminal post is run inside said lantern handle and said second metal strip is run at least partially inside said lantern handle.

12. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 10 wherein said switch means is a slide type switch located in said lantern handle and forming part of said first metal strip and operating so as to provide a means to break and restore the electrical connection between said lamp cylinder and said first battery terminal post.

13. An improved electrical swivel head hand lantern as defined in claim 12 wherein a flasher bulb is positioned in said lantern handle, in such a manner that the base of said flasher bulb contacts said first metal strip and the bulb casing contacts a third metal strip which is located inside said lantern handle and is conjoined with a switch means which permits contact with a conductive flasher cylinder mounted on said insulating screw opposite and separate from said lamp cylinder, said flasher cylinder being conjoined with said second metal strip.