US1935045A - Collapsible reflector - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 14, 1933. p L. Q DQANE 1,935,045

COLLAPSIBLE REFLECTOR Filed Sept. 1, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l INVENTOR Leroy C Doane ATTORNEY NOV. 14, 1933- Q DOANE 1,935,045

COLLAPS IBLE REFLECTOR Filed Sept, 1, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Leroy C. Duane ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Miller Company, Meriden, Conn.,

. tion of Connecticut a corpora- Application September 1, 1931. Serial No. 560,551 17 Claims. ('01. 240-103) The present invention relates to collapsible reflectors and is more particularly directed toward collapsible reflectors suitable for use with photoflash lamps. I

The availability of the photo-flash lamp, which may be operated from an ordinary flash light battery, makes it possible to take flash light pictures readily. In order, however, that the light may be directed in the desired direction to produce more intense illumination of the subject, it is desirable to employ a reflector behind the flash bulb. As an efiicient reflector would be comparatively large and difilcult to carry about and store, it is desirable to provide a collapsible reflector for this purpose.

The present invention contemplates a collapsible reflector which maybe employed when extended to catch and redirect a very large portion of the light emitted by the flash bulb and which, when collapsed, may be stored in a very small place and readily carried about.

The reflector can conveniently be made from a plurality of sheet metal plates preferably having the shape of an isosceles triangle, the plates being hinged together so as to becollapsible to small dimensions or extendible to, form an eflicient reflector. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible reflectorwhich when extended is of e such shapeas to collect light rays from the photoflash lamp and reflect themin the desired direction without loss of reflected light by absorption of the light in theflash bulb. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a convenient detachable handle for use with such reflectors.

Other and further objects of the invention will Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the reflector and handle assembled foruse;

Fig. 3 is aside elevational view of the same; Fig. 4 is a view similar to "Fig. 1 showingtwo of the plates folded on to the other, plates as a first step in collapsing the reflector Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing: the collapsible reflector nearly collapsed;

Fig. 6 is airagmentary view showing one end' of the completely collapsed reflector; 1

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 3; Figs. 8 and'9 are diagrammatic vertical: and horizontalviews illustrating the reflecting of the light rays to avoid the lamp bulb;

Fig.v 10 is a sectional view of the control switch;

and r I Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10. As shown in the drawings the reflector is made 'up of plates of sheet metal, preferably six in number. The plates 10 and 11 are provided with knuckles indicated at 12, 12 to form a central hinge 13, this hinge being placed behind the plates as they appear in the drawings.

The preferable shape to give these plates is that of an isosceles triangle with an acute angle at the the plates 20 to 23 inclusive may be hingedly carried by the plates 10 and 11 as indicated. These hinges are formed by passing a hinged pin 2'1 through the knuckles in the usual manner. The plates '20 to'23 inclusive are of similar shape to plates 10 and 11 but are preferably made slightly narrower. The free edges of these plates are folded over as indicated at 28, 29, and 30 to form stiffening ribs. The plates 20 and 23 are provided with channel forming members 31 and 32 secured in place by rivets as indicated at.33. 1 When the parts are laid outflat they .appear as indicated in Fig.1 and when one desires to form them into the extended reflector, the plates 10 and 11 are folded to an angle such as indiand, allows passing the -folded edge29 of the plate 21 into the channel formed between the members 31 and 32. There is sufficient friction between these parts to hold the plates in place.

bers 31 and 32 carried by the plate 23. This brings the reflector to the shape shown in Figs. 2 and3. V

When it is desired to collapse is placed on a fiat surface and the parts separated so that they can be moved to the position the reflector it cated in Fig. 9. This permits swinging the plates 20 and 21 to the angle indicated in the drawings -In a similar manner the edge 29 of the plate 22; r is passed into the channel formed by the mem-:

in Fig. 1. The plates 21 and 22 are then folded 1 that they lie fiat above the plates 10 and 11.

Eachof these plates is made slightly narrower, as abovereferred to, so that the free edge will fall inside the hinge for the opposite plate. The plates 20 and 23 may then be folded over on. 7 top of the plates 22 and 21 respectively and the.

devices then folded along the hinge 13 to bring the parts in the position'indicated in Figs. 5.

- over as indicated in Fig. 4 where it will be seen ets 62.

and 6. When the reflector is collapsed in this position, it is in the form of a very fiat triangular shaped article. Its thickness may be threequarters of an inch. The plates 20 to 23. inclusive are all alike and the plates 10 and 11 are alike except for the difference in the formation of the knuckles. Hence the parts may be cheaply made and assembled.

When the reflector is in the extended position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it may be readily mounted on a holder such as shown. This holder may take the form of a handle 40 having at the upper end a socket 41 adapted to support a photoflash lamp indicated at 42. The handle carries abracket 43. made of sheet metal and secured to it by rivets. This bracket may conveniently have two spring fingers 44 and 45 and a rigid back portion 46. The back portion is V- shaped as indicated to engage the channel forming member 32 while the fingers engage the front surfaces of the plates 22 and 23. The fingers 44 and 45 are spaced so that they pass by the edges of the channel forming member 31 and engage the edge of the folded portion 29 of the plates. This engagement substantially stiffens the entire reflector and makes it impossible to pull the plate 22 out of the channel.

The ends of the plates 10 and 11 are provided with sheet metal clips 47 and 48, each of which pivotally holds a wire clip 49. These wire clips are adapted to be swung out away from the plate so as to stand at right angles to the plate and one may then insert a second or third photoflash lamp into place by merely passing the base of the lamp into one or the other of these spring clips. The bulb will then be held close enough to the bulb 42 so that the extra bulbs will be flashed simultaneously with the center bulb.

From Figs. 8 and 9, which show the path of light rays on the photo-flash bulb, it will be noted that the reflector intercepts more than one half the light emitted by the lamp bulb and reflects it in such a manner as to direct it toward the end of this tube is drawninwarclly as indicated and is secured to a lamp socket shell'Gl by riv The shell 40' has an opening 63 to accommodate the arm 6410f a circuit closer.- This arm or button is secured to a helical'spring' 65 which is attached by rivets 66 to an insulating disk 67. ihe rivets 66 also support a bracket 67 which limits the downward movement of the circuit closer arm. Arm 64 and'spring 65 are se spring 65 when the button 64 is moved upwardly.-

Thedisk 67- is secured in place by means ofza screw '73 which passes through an insulating disk '74 above the rivets 62 and an insulating disk below these rivets. Thescrew 73 forms a center contact for the lamp base as indicated.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied inmany forms and constructions and I Wish it to be understood that. the particular form .shown is but one. of the many forms, Various metal plates having at least three straight edges,

a hinge connecting them together along one such edge, said hinge permitting swinging the plates through an angle. of more than 180 so that the plates may be brought together back to back or formed into a forwardly facing angle, the plates having hinge elements along two other such edges, and four sheet metal plates each having a hinge element along one edge, and four hinge pins, each securing one of the latter mentioned plates to an edge of one of the-first mentioned plates. r

2. A collapsible reflector comprising two sheet metal plates having at least three straight edges, a hinge connecting themtogether along one such edge, the plates having hinge elements along two other such edges, and four sheet metal plates each having a hinge element along one edge, and four hinge pins, each securing one of the latter mentioned plates to an edge of one of the first mentioned plates, the hinge connections between the first mentioned plates and one of the second mentioned plates hinged thereto being such that said two second mentioned plates mayformed into a forwardly facing angle, the plates having hinge elements along two other such edges, and four sheet metal plates each having a hinge element along one edge, and four hinge pins, each securing one of the latter mentioned plates to an edge of one of the first mentioned plates, the hinge connections between the first mentioned plates and one of the second mentioned plates hinged thereto being such that said two second mentioned plates may be folded forwardly to lie flat adjacentthe face of the corresponding first mentioned plate. I I

4. A collapsible reflector comprising two sheet metal plates having at least three straight edges, a hinge connecting them together along one such edge, the plates having hinge elements along two other such edges, and four sheet metal plates each having a hinge element along one edge, and four hinge pins, each securing one of the latter mentioned plates to-an edge of one of the first mentioned plates, the hinge connections between each of the first mentioned plates and each of the sec- 0nd mentioned plates being such that the second flat adjacent the face of the corresponding first I mentioned plates.

5. A collapsible, reflector comprising two sheet metal plates having at least three straight edges, a hinge connecting them together along one such edge, the plates having hinge elements along two other such edges, and four sheet metal plates each having a hinge element along one edge, and four hinge pins, each securing one of the latter mentioned plates to an edge of one of the first mentioned plates, the hinge connections between the first mentioned plates and one of the second mentioned plates hinged thereto being such that said two second mentioned plates may befolded mentioned plates may be folded forwardly to lie forwardly to lie flat adjacent the face of the corresponding first mentioned plate, said second mentioned plates being narrower than the first mentioned plates sothat when folded their edges fall inside the hinges along the opposite edge of the first mentioned plate.

6. A collapsible reflector comprising two sheet metal plates having at least three straight edges, a hinge connecting them together along one such edge, said hinge permitting swinging the plates through an angle of more than 180 so that the plates may be brought together back to back or formed into a forwardly facing angle, the plates having hinge elements along two other such edges, and four sheet metal plates each having a hinge element along one edge, and four hinge pins, each securing one of the latter mentioned plates to an edge of one of the first mentioned plates, the hinge connections between each of the first mentioned plates and each of the second mentioned plates being such, that the second mentioned plates may be folded forwardly to lie flat adjacent the faces of the corresponding first mentioned plates.

'7. A collapsiblereflector comprising two sheet metal plates having at least three straight edges, a hinge connecting them together along one such edge, the plates having hinge elements along two other such edges, four sheet metal plates each having a hinge element along one edge, and four hinge pins each securing one of the latter mentioned plates to an edge of one of the first mentioned plates, and means for securing the adjacent edges of adjacent second mentioned plates together so that the six plates form a generally concave reflector. V V

8. A collapsible reflector comprising two sheet metal plates having at least three straight edges, a hinge connecting them together along one such edge, the plates having hinge elements along two other such edges, four sheet metal plates each having a hinge element along one edge, and four hinge pins each securing one of the latter mentioned plates to an edge of one of the first mentioned plates, and clips carried by the edges of two of the latter mentioned plates adapted to receive the adjacent edges of adjacent plates so that the six plates form a generally concave reflector.

9. A collapsible reflector formed'of six plates having the shape of an isosceles triangle with an acute angle at the apex, two of the plates being hinged together along the short side of the triangle, each of the remaining plates being hinged along one long side to a long side of one of the first mentioned plates, and means to detachably secure together adjacent plates at their shorter edges to hold thereflector to shape. 10. A collapsible reflector formed of six plates having the shape of an isosceles triangle with an acute angle at the apex, two of the plates being hinged together along the short side of the triangle, each of the remaining plates being hinged along one long side to a long side of one of the first mentioned plates, two of the latter mentioned plates being provided with spaced members extending along the shortside thereof and in an oblique plane for receiving the shorter side edge of an adjacent plate.

11. A collapsible reflector formed of six plates having the shape of an isosceles triangle with an acute angle at the apex, two of the plates'being hinged together along the short side of the triangle, each of the remaining plates being hinged along one long side to a long side of one of the first mentioned plates, said plates being foldable into a compact pile of the dimension of one plate and six thicknesses.

12. A collapsible reflector formed of six plates having the shape of an isosceles triangle with an acute angle at the apex, two of the plates being hinged together along the short side of the tri- V angle, each of the remaining plates being hinged having the shape of an isosceles triangle with an acute angle at the, apex, two of the plates being hinged together along the short side of the triangle, each of the remaining plates being hinged along one long side to a long side of one of the first mentioned plates, the hinge being formed by rolled knuckles integral with the plates and an enclosed hinge rod, the first mentioned hinge being on the opposite side from .the other four hingesr 7 14. In combination, a collapsible reflector having two plates one of which is folded back on its self at the edge to form a stiffening rib, the other carrying spaced channel forming members adapted to receive the rib along the edge of the other plate, and a handle having a clip to slidably receive the plates, the clip being provided with two flexible fingers to engage the front faces of the plates and with a rigid rear portion to engage the outer channel forming member.

15. In combination, a collapsible reflector having two plates one of which is folded back on its self at the edge to form a stiffening rib, the other carrying spaced channel forming members adapted to receive the rib along the edge of the other plate, and a handle having a clip to slidably receive the plates, the clip being provided with two flexible fingers to engage the front faces of the plates and with a rigid rear portion to engage the outer channel forming member, one of the flexible fingers being located so as to engage the edge of the folded back portion of the plate to prevent removal of the plate from the channel when the clip is in place.

16. A photographic lighting unit comprising'a 'handle carrying a lamp socket at the end of the handle, a photoflash lamp in the socket, a bracket secured to the handle, and a detachable and collapsible sheet metal reflector carried by the bracket, the reflector being composed of a plurality of flat sheet metal plates hinged together and extending from below the lamp upwardly behind

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