GB2071300A - Battery-powered multi-purpose foldable lantern - Google Patents

Abstract

A battery-powered, multi- purpose foldable lantern comprises first and second cylindrical bodies (10, 50) hingedly connected together at one end for movement between axially aligned and folded positions. The first cylindrical body 10 accommodates therein at least one light emitting element such as a fluorescent lamp or a pair of incandescent filament lamps and the second cylindrical body 50 accommodates at least one battery. The lantern can be used as a floor lamp, electric torch, gooseneck table lamp, floor lamp, or with the aid of a calibrated strap 93 and scale 94, as a protractor and ruler or measure. Folding legs 88 enable the lantern to stand on a table or floor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Battery-powered, multi-purpose foldable lantern The present invention relates generally to a battery-powered lantern and, more particularly, to the multi-purpose foldable lantern which can be used as floor lamp, table lamp, gooseneck table lamp, electric torch, hand-held lantern, protractor, ruler or measure, or in any other application.

A variety of electric portable lightening devices are currently commercially available and most of them have a limited application. For example, a flash light or electric torch of a type comprising a cylindrical casing having one or more batteries and an incandescent lamp can only be used for lightening or illuminating a target area or object while the user holds it in his hand. This flashlight or electric torch can not be used as a table lamp unless one or more extra support items necessary to support it above a table are available to the user. A similar notion applies to any other portable lightening device.

On the other hand, it has often occurred that the user of the portable lightening device wishes it to be utitizeable not only for illuminating a distant target object or area, but also for any other purpose, for example, lightening a room during interruption of a commercial power supply or for illuminating a map spread on a table both without the user forced to carry it, so that the user may not be required to keep some lightening devices designed for particular applications. When the user is, for example, a mountain climber who tends to minimize the weight of outfits and other items to carry, it is really inconvenient for the mountain climber to carry two or more lightening devices.

Accordingly, the present invention has been developed with a view to substantially eliminating the disadvantages and inconveniences heretofore encountered with the conventional lightening devices. For this purpose, the present invention is to provide a battery-powered, multi-purpose foldable lantern which comprises a first cylindrical body accommodating therein at least one battery, a second cylindrical body accommodating a light emitting element energizeable by an electric current fed from the battery, and a hinged connector, said first and second cylindrical bodies being connected at one end by said hinged connector for pivotal movement between axially aligned and folded positions, said bodies when in the axially aligned position extending in axially alignment with each other and said bodies when in the folded position extending in parallel relation to each other.

The first cylindrical body may have a support leg assembly having at least three legs carried thereby for pivotal movement between erected and folded positions. These legs when in the erected position enable the lantern to be supported or stand on a support surface such as a floor or table.

A carrying strap may also be provided by carrying the lantern or for keeping the first and second cylindrical bodies in tilted relation to each other when the lantern is placed on the support surface. This carrying strap may have one surface provided either with a protractor calibration to show the angle formed between the first and second cylindrical bodies or with a ruler calibration to enable the strap to be used as a measure.

Alternatively, it is also possible to provide the protractor calibration on one surface of the strap and the ruler calibration either on the opposite surface thereof or the outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical body.

The light emitting element may be either a tubular fluorescent bulb or a plurality of small-size incandescent lamps.

Means for locking the first and second cylindrical bodies in the axially aligned position may also be provided. This locking means includes a manipulatable locking knob carried by the first cylindrical body for movement between released and locked position in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of a manipulatable switch knob for the light emitting element, thereby to avoid any possible confusion.

An example of the present invention will now be described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a batterypowered, multi-purpose foldable lantern embodying the present invention shown in an axially aligned and erected position; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the lantern in a substantially folded condition; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lantern in a completely folded position; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the folded lantern of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the folded lantern of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the erected lantern showing the details of connection of two tubular sections thereof; Fig. 7 is an exploded view of a portion of the lantern showing the details of a foldable support leg assembly;; Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the lantern showing the lantern used as a gooseneck table lamp; and Fig. 9 is perspective view of the lantern with a portion broken away, showing a modification of the lantern according to the present invention.

Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to be noted that iike parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the accompanying drawings.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, a batterypowered, multi-purpose foldable lantern comprises a pair of cylindrical sections 10 and 50 of equal or substantially equal outer diameter and also of equal or substantially equal length connected at one end together in such a manner as to enable one of the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 to be pivotable between an axially aligned position and a folded position relative to the other of the cylindrical sections 10 and 50. The axially aligned position of the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 is shown in Fig. 1 and is such that the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 extends in axial alignment with each other, the lantern being however, shown in Fig. 1 as held in an axially aligned and erected position.On the other hand, the folded position of the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 is shown in Fig. 3 and is such that the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 extends in parallel and side-by-side relation to each other. In Fig. 2, the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 are shown in a substantially folded position and are angularly spaced from each other.

For the purpose of facilitating a better and easy understanding of the present invention, the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 will now be described separately in details.

Cylindrical Section 10 Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the cylindrical section 10 houses therein a battery-powered tubular fluorescent bulb 11 extending axially of the cylindrical section 10. The cylindrical section 10 comprises an open-ended cylindrical shade 12 made of transparent material and having its opposite open ends closed by a cylindrical circuit casing 13 and a cylindrical socket assembly 14, respectively. The circuit casing 13 has its opposite ends closed by endwalls 15 and 16 and houses therein a lightening control circuit including a transformer 1 7. Since the lightening control circuit is well known to those skilled in the art and does not constitute a subject matter of the present invention, the details thereof will not be herein described.However, it should be noted that the lightening control circuit including the transformer 1 7 is required where a light emitting element is constituted by a fluorescent bulb such as described and shown and may not be employed where it is constituted by one or more miniature incandescent bulbs as will be described later.

The circuit casing 13 has a two-terminal socket member 18 embedded in the end wall 15 and partially exposed to the outside in two directions axially and laterally of the longitudinal axis of the circuit casing 13 through an access groove 19 defined in the end wall 1 5. The end wall 15 has a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the casing 13 so that, in an assembled condition of the lantern as shown, it can protrude into the cylindrical shade 12 while the outer peripheral surface of the shade 12 is kept in flush with the outer peripheral surface of the circuit casing 13 as best shown in Fig. 3. The circuit casing 13 also has an on-off switch 20 carried by a circuit board 21 inside the casing 13 and adapted to be turned on and off by a slidable switch knob 22.The switch knob 22 is non-detachably, but movably mounted on a portion of the outer periphery of the casing 13 adjacent the end wall 16 and is preferably movable between ON and OFF positions in a disection circumferentially of the casing 13 by the reason which will become understood from the subsequent description, it being to be noted that the switch 20 is for the purpose of controlling the supply of an electric current from a power source to the fluorescent bulb 11 through the lightening control circuit including the transformer 1 7.

The cylindrical socket assembly 14 is of a diameter equal to any one of the diameter of the end wall 15 and the inner diameter of the cylindrical shade 12 and has one end portion inserted into the shade and the outer end threaded externally for receiving a cap member 23. This socket assembly 14 also has a two-terminal socket 24 embedded therein and partially exposed to the outside in two directions axially and laterally of the longitudinal axis of the socket assembly 14 through an access groove 25 defined in said one end portion thereof.

The socket assembly 14 is not isolated from the circuit casing 1 3 and is connected to the casing 13 in spaced relation thereto by means of metallic rods 26 extending axially of the cylindrical section 10 in spaced and electrically insu!ated relation to each other. These metallic rods 26 serve as electric conductors for supplying an electric current to the two-terminal socket 24 when and so long as the switch knob 22 is held in the ON position. For this purpose, each of the metallic rods 26 has one end rigidly secured to the end wall 15 on the one hand and connected electrically to the lightening control circuit on the other hand and the other end rigidly secured to the socket assembly 14 on the one hand and connected electrically to one of two terminal members of the two-terminal socket 24.It is to be noted that, if a tubular metallic rod is employed in place of the metallic rods 26, either a combination of such tubular metallic rod with a flexible wire extending through the hollow of the tubular metallic rod or a combination of such tubular metallic rod with a pair of flexible wires extending through the hollow of the tubular metallic rod may be employed. It is also to be noted that the end wall 1 5 and the socket assembly 14 are spaced from each other a distance required to enable the tubular fluorescent bulb 1 1 having a pair of terminal pins at each end thereof to be accommodated with the respective pairs of terminal pins received in the sockets 1 8 and 24.

While the socket assembly 14 is nondetachably connected to the circuit casing 13 in axially aligned fashion, the cylindrical shade 12 is so removable as to allow the replacement of the used bulb 11 with a fresh fluorescent bulb. This can readily be carried out by first undoing the cap member 23 to remove and then pulling the shade 12 axially outwardly of the circuit casing 13 and then the socket assembly 14.

The cap member 23 has an outer end wall formed with a generally U-shaped eyelet member 27 positioned on one side remote from and in alignment with the socket assembly 14 for receiving a carrying strap 28 in a manner as will be described later.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a portion of the peripheral edge of the circuit casing 13 remote from the end wall 1 5 is so shaped and so inwardly recessed as to provide a pair of spaced connecting lugs 29. Accordingly, the end wall 1 6 is, as best shown in Fig. 4, of a substantially semicircular shape. It is to be noted that the connecting lugs 29 are preferably positioned in 1 800 spaced relation to the position of the switch knob 22 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical section 10 so as to avoid any possible positioning of the switch knob 22 in between the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 when they are foled together.

It is to be noted that the end wall 16 has an engagement hole 1 6a defined therein for the purpose as will become clear from the subsequent description.

Cylindrical Section 50 Referring still to Figs. 1 to 3, the cylindrical section 50 having an outer appearance similar to that of the cylindrical section 10 comprises a tubular casing 51 having a blind hole defined therein for accommodation of a plurality of, for example, four, 1.5-volt, D-size batteries B in series-connected fashion and being therefore, closed at one end. The other end of the tubular casing 51 is reduced in outer diameter and is externally threaded for receiving a cylindrical cap assembly 52 of a construction as will subsequently be described. As best shqwn in Fig. 3, the casing 51 has a metallic spring 53 housed therein and secured thereto in any suitable manner at a position adjacent the closed end of the casing 51.Extending inside the casing 51 from the spring 53 to a peripheral edge of the casing 51 adjacent the open end thereof is a metallic conductor 54 having one end rigidly connected of the spring 53 and the other end secured to that peripheral edge of the casing 51 so that, when the casing 51 is relatively screwed into the cap assembly 52, said other end of the conductor 54 can be electrically connected with an associated negative terminal member carried by the cap assembly 52.

Referring still to Figs. 1 to 3, cap assembly 52 has a partition wall 55 dividing the hollow of the cap assembly 52 into an open-ended, internally threaded cap 56 and a closed barrel 57 on one side of the partition wall 55 opposite to the internally threaded cap 56. The partition wall 55 has a positive terminal member 58 rigidly mounted on the central area thereof for electrical connection with a positive pole of the seriesconnected batteries B within the.tubular casing 51, said positive terminal member 58 being in turn electrically connected to the lightening control circuit within the circuit casing 13 through the switch 20 by means of a flexible parallel-wire conductor 59 extending in manner as will be described later.

In the construction so far described, the tubular casing 51 is, after having received the batteries B therein, threaded at its externally threaded end into the internally threaded cap 56. When the casing 51 is so relatively screwed into the cap 56, the positive pole of the series connected batteries 1 3 and the free end of the conductor 54 are electrically connected respectively to the positive terminal member 58 and the negative terminal member both carried by the cap assembly 52.

Therefore, when the switch knob 22 is moved to the ON position, the fluorescent bulb 11 is energized to illuminate and when the switch knob 22 is moved to the OFF position, the fluorescent bulb 22 that has been energized is deenergized.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the closed barrel 57 carries a manipulatable locking member 60 having a generally elongated locking knob 61 protruding outwards from the interior of the barrel 57 to the outside thereof through on axial slot 62 defined in the cylindrical wall of the barrel 57 in a direction axially thereof, and a generally J-shaped resilient piece 63 having one end integral with one end of the locking knob 61. The knob 61 has a knob 64 extending axially outwardly from the other end thereof for engagement into the engagement hole 16a, defined in the end wall 1 6a of the circuit casing 13, through an opening 65 defined in the closed end of the barrel 57.The locking knob 61 is normally biased so as to protrude outwards from the slot 62 by the action of the resilient piece 63 tending to expand under the influence of its own resiliency in a direction away from the knob 61. This is possible because the resilient piece 63 acting in the manner as hereinabove described is engaged to or blocked by a barrier wall 66 defined inside the barrel 57.

However, this resilient piece 63 is movable slidingly in contact with the barrier wall together with the locking knob 61 movable along the slot 62 between locked and released positions as will be described later. It is to be noted that the locking knob 61 is so positioned that, when the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 are axially aligned in the manner as shown in Fig. 1, the knob 61 can be held in line with, and immediately below the switch knob 22.

As is the case with the circuit casing 13, a portion of the peripheral edge of the barrel 57 remote from the partition wall 55 and adjacent the closed end thereof is so shaped and so inwardly recessed as to provide a pair of spaced connecting lugs 67 as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Accordingly, the closed end of the barrel 57 is of a substantially semicircular shape similar to the shape of the end wall 16 of the circuit casing 13.

Furthermore, as is the case with the connecting lugs 29 in the circuit casing 13, the connecting lugs 67 are preferably positioned in 1800 spaced relation to the position of the axial slot 62 so that, as hereinbefore described, when the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 are axially aligned with each other, the switch knob 22 and the locking knob 64 can be axially aligned with each other and positioned one above the other.

While each of the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 are constructed as hereinbefore fully described, they are connected together by means of a link member 68 of U-shaped cross section. As best shown in Figs. 2 to 4 and 6, the link member 68 has one end engaged in between the connecting lugs 29 and pivotally connected thereto by means of a bolt 69a and a nut 69b. The other end of said link member 68 is similarly engaged in between the connecting lugs 67 and pivotally connected thereto by means of bolt 70a and a nut 70b. The length of the link member 68 is so selected that, when the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 are axially aligned in the manner as shown in Figs 1 and 6, the end wall 16 of the circuit casing 13 can be held flat against the closed end of the barrel 57 with no substantial clearance formed therebetween.

From the foregoing, it has now become clear that the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 can be pivoted relative to each other between the axially aligned and folded positions. Once the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 are axially aligned, the both can be locked in the axially aligned position only by moving the locking knob 61 from the released position towards the locked position. Specifically, as the locking knob 61 is moved forwards the locked position while an external force is applied thereto, the hook 64 integral therewith emerges outwards from the opening 65 and projects into the engagement hole 1 6a in the end wall 16 of the circuit casing 13.When the applied external pushing force is released from the knob 61 after the latter has been moved to the locked position, the hook 64 is engaged to a peripheral edge, defining the engagement hole 1 6a in the end wall 16, by the action of the resilient force exerted by the resilient piece 63 as best shown in Fig. 6.

Thus, with the locking knob 61 held in the locked position, there is no possibility of one of the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 being abruptly folded relative to each other.

Wherever the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 are axially aligned or folded, the lantern embodying the present invention can be placed on a support surface such as floor or table in an erected condition, because of the provision of a support leg assembly 71 which will now be described with particular reference to Figs. 5 and 7 to 9.

As best shown in Fig. 7, the closed end of the tubular casing 51 is reduced in outer diameter to provide a stem portion 72 with an annular shoulder 72a defined between the casing 51 and the stem portion 72 is externally threaded at 72b for receiving a fitting cap 73 of a construction identical with the cap member 23. The cap 73 is interchangeable with the cap member 23 and has an outer end wall formed with a generally U-shaped eyelet member 74 for receiving the carrying strap 28 as will be described later.

The support leg assembly 71 comprises a support socket assembly 75 of cylindrical configuration having an axial bore 76 of a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the stem portion 72 of the tubular casing 51 , and three brackets 77 protruding radially outwardly from the socket assembly 75 and equally spaced from each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore 76. Each of the brackets 77 is composed of a pair of spaced walls 78a and 78b and a bottom wall 79 all being integral at one side edge with the socket assembly 75 as best shown in Fig. 6. It is to be noted that this socket assembly 75 is of onepiece construction made by the use of a plastics molding technique.For the purpose as will become clear from the subsequent description, the pair of the side wall 78a and 78b of each bracket 77 have respective guide grooves 80a and 80b defined therein in face-to-face relation to each other and in a direction axially of the socket assembly 75.

The support leg assembly 71 also comprises a generally ring-shaped frame 81 composed of an annular ring 82 having an inner diameter equal to the diameter of the bore 76 and an outer diameter equal to that of the tubular casing 51, and three bracket portions 83 formed integrally with the annular ring 82 and 80 so sized and so shaped as to permit each of the bracket portions 83 to be received in a space defined by the opposite side wall 78a and 78b and the bottom wall 79 of the corresponding bracket 77 in the socket assembly 75.Each of the bracket portions 83 is constituted by a first plate section 84 extending radially outwardly from the ring 82, a second plate section 85 extending outwards from the first plate section 84 in a direction perpendicular to the first plate section 85 and a pair of opposite third plate sections 86a and 86b bent from opposite side edges of the second plate section in a direction radially inwardly of the ring 82. The opposite third plate sections 86a and 86b of each bracket portion 83 have respective bearing holes 87a and 87b defined therein, the function of which will be described later.

A generally U-shaped leg 88 having its opposite ends bent at 88a and 88b, respectively, laterally from the body portion thereof is carried by each of the bracket portions 83 for pivotal movement between erected and folded positions in a manner as will be described later. As best shown in Fig. 7, the plate section 84 of each bracket portion 83 has a slot 84a defined therein and extending in a direction generally parallel to the tangential direction of the circle occupied by the ring 82 while the second plate section 85 of eaci bracket portion 83 has a similar slot 85a defined therein and extending in parallel relation to the slot 84a.

These slots 84a and 85a are communicated to each other by means of a guide groove 89 defined in part in the first plate section 54 and in part in the second plate section 85 and extending from one side of the slot 84a to the adjacent side edge of the slot 85a with its width gradually decreasing.

Each of the support legs 88 is carried by the corresponding bracket portion 83 with its bent ends 88a and 88b pivotally inserted through the associated bearing holes 87a and 87b in the third plate sections 86a and 86b. The mounting of the frame 81 on the socket assembly 75 to complete the support leg assembly 71 is carried out either after or before the mounting of the legs 88 on the respective bracket portions 83. However, in the illustrated embodiment, this is done after the mounting of the legs 88 on the respective bracket portions 83 because of the presence of barriers 90 effective to avoid any possible separation of the legs 88 from the associated bracket portions 88 which would occur when portions of each leg 88 adjacent the bent ends 88a and 88b are inwardly compressed against the resiliency exerted thereby.

Specifically, in the assembled condition of the leg assembly 71, the bent ends 88a and 88b of each leg 88 protrude through the respective bearing hole 87a and 87b and are engaged in the opposite guide grooves 80a and 80b. However, each barrier 90 has a width so selected that the bent ends 88a and 88b of the corresponding leg 88 will not be disengaged from the bearing holes 87a and 87b when that portion of the leg 88 adjacent to the bent ends 88a and 88b are inwardly compressed.

From the foregoing, it will readily be understood that when each of the legs 88 is in the folded position, the portions of such leg 88 adjacent the bent ends 88a and 88b are engaged in the slot 84a and when it is in the erected position, they are in the slot 85a.

The complete support leg assembly 71 is mounted on the stem portion 72 which projects through the bore 76 and receives the cap 73 threaded thereto to keep the assembly 71 in position as best shown in Fig. 1. Although the support leg assembly 71 is removable from the cylindrical section 50, it is preferred to secure the assembly 71 in position with a space between every two of the brackets 77 ready to receive therein an end portion of the cylindrical section 10 adjacent the cylindrical section 50, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the both can extend in parallel relation to each other when folded as shown in Fig. 3.

With the support legs 88 held in the erected position, the lantern according to the present invention can be placed on the support surface such as a table or floor. In particular, it will become a table lamp when the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 are folded, and a floor lamp when they are axially aligned with each other as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1 to 3 and 8, the carrying strap 28 is preferably made of a length of durable synthetic band having it opposite ends provided with respective fastening members, for example, female snap buttons 91, and its substantially intermediate portion with a plurality of counterfastening members, for example, male snap buttons 92. When to carry the lantern while the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 are folded, the carrying strap 28 is preferably passed through the eyelet members 27 and 74 on the respective caps 23 and 73 simultaneously so that the carrying strap 28 can depict a substantially isosceles triangle having its base apexes occupied by the eyelet members 27 and 74 and its top apex occupied by the hand of the user.This method is advantageous in that portions of the strap 28 corresponding to the equidistant sides of the isosceles triangle serve to draw the free end portions of the cylindrical sections 10 and 50 close towards each other when the lantern is carried from place to place. For this purpose, the eyelet members 27 and 74 should be fixed on the respective caps 23 and 73 in a manner with their openings aligned in face-to-face relation as best shown in Fig. 3.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the lantern can be used as a protractor by utilizing the angle 0 formed between the cylindrical sections 10 and 50. In order to enable the angle 0 to be readily readable, the carrying strap 28 has a protractor calibration 93 imprinted, or otherwise embossed, thereon.

In addition, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the casing 51 has its outer peripheral surface imprinted or embossed with a ruler calibration 94 in the axial direction thereof so that, by checking, for example, a log against the ruler calibration 94, the user can determine the length or diameter of the log.

If the carrying strap 28 passing through the eyelet member 29 and an auxiliary eyelet member 95 formed on the barrel 57 as best shown in Fig. 3 is set in a manner as shown in Fig. 8 by selecting a combination of the female snap buttons 91 with a corresponding number of the male snap buttons 92 to which they are engaged to adjust the length thereof, the lantern can be used as a gooseneck table lamp with the cylindrical section 10 tilted relative to the cylindrical section 50 as shown in Fig. 8.

Although the present invention has fully been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are apparent to those skilled in the art. By way of example, although the light emitting element has been described as constituted by the tubular fluorescent bulb 11, it may be replaced with one or more, preferably two, miniatures incandescent bulbs 96 in a manner as shown in Fig. 9.

Moreover, the leg support socket assembly 71 may be of one-piece construction if desired.

Yet the switch knob 22 and its associated switch 20 may be installed on the socket assembly 14 and spaced apart from the locking knob 22. However, the example of arrangement shown and described is rather advantageous in that the user can readily locate the switch knob 22 when the locking knob 61 has been manipulated to lock the cylindrical section 10 and 50 in the axially aligned position.

Accordingly, such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the true scope of the present invention unless they depart therefrom.

Claims (12)

1. A battery-powered, multi-purpose foldable lantern which comprises a first cylindrical body accommodating therein at least one battery, and a second cylindrical body accommodating a light emitting element energizeable by an electric current fed from the battery, and a hinged connector, said first and second cylindrical bodies being connected at one end by said hinged connector for pivotal movement between axially aligned and folded positions, said bodies when in the axially aligned position extending in axial alignment with each other and said bodies when in the folded position extending in parallel relation to each other.

2. A lantern as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising a support leg assembly mounted on a free end portion of the first cylindrical body and having at least three foldable legs carried thereby for angular movement between folded and erected positions, said lantern capable of standing on a support surface when the legs are in the erected positions protruding radially outwards from the first cylindrical body, said legs when in the folded position extending in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first cylindrical body.

3. A lantern as claimed in any one of Claims 1 and 2, free end faces of the respective first and second cylindrical bodies have respective eyelets rigidly positioned thereon in face-to-face relation, and further comprising a length of carrying strap loosely passed through said eyelets.

4. A lantern as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said first cylindrical body has a ruler calibration formed on its outer peripheral surface in a direction lengthwisely thereof.

5. A lantern as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said carrying strap has one surface formed with a protractor calibration for visually showing the angle formed between the first and second cylindrical bodies.

6. A lantern as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, further comprising means for locking the first and second cylindrical bodies in the axially aligned position.

7. A lantern as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, further comprising a power control switch for controlling the supply of the electric current to the light emitting element, said switch having a manipulatable switch knob carried by the second cylindrical body for movement between ON and OFF position.

8. A lantern as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said locking means includes a manipulatabie locking knob carried by the first cylindrical body for movement between locked and released position in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the switch knob.

9. A lantern as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the light emitting element is a tubular fluorescent bulb, and further comprising a lightening control circuitry housed in the second cylindrical body, said battery in the first cylindrical body being electrically connected to the bulb through the control circuit, electrical connection between the battery and the control circuit being carried out by the use of a flexible wiring extending through the hinged connector.

10. A lantern as claimed in any one of Claims 3 tO 9, wherein the first cylindrical body has an intermediate eyelet provided on the outer periphery thereof at a position adjacent the second cylindrical body, said first and second cylindrical bodies being capable of being held in tilted position relative to each other by connecting the carrying strap to the intermediate eyelet instead of the eyelet at the free end face of the first cylindrical body.

11. A lantern substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A lantern substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 9 of the accompanying drawings.