US2972739A - Portable safety light - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1961 R. c. oPPER PORTABLE SAFETY LIGHT Filed July 7, 1959 F I G. 5

FIG. 2.

FIG 3.

INVENTOR Ray C. Opper United States Patent 2,972,739 PORTABLE SAFETY LIGHT Ray C. Opper, 3735 Laguna Ave., Oakland 2, Calif.

Filed July 7,1959, Ser. No. 825,453 1 Claim. (Cl. 340-321 This invention relates to a portable safety light resembling a flashlight.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a safety light which can be carried and swung so as to cause a flashing of the light as one walks therewith.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a flashlight a simple mechanical ball means that will move as the safety light is swung from one direction to the other to turn on the light at the end of each swing.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a safety light ball means that can be positioned to roll between contacts to turn the light on and off, or can be rolled to a compartment for maintaining the light in the on position, or can be positioned within an insulated chamber to hold the ball from engagement with the contacts as when the safety light is not in use and thereby eliminating the need for an external switch.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a safety light which will impart a dazzling reflection in all directions means for a concentrated lens light through the end of the safety light.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a safety light having the above objects in mind, which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, light in weight, of pleasing appearance, easy to operate, efficient and effective in use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a sideview of the safety light embodying thefeatures of the present invention with portions broken away to show the interior construction thereof,

Fig. 2 is a side exploded view of the forward end assembly,

Fig. 3 is an end view looking from the forward end of the light and as viewed generally on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the light in its operable position and supported in an inclined manner by an easel, and

Fig. 5 is a full elevational view of the light resting upon its rear end.

Referring now to the figures, represents a tubular body for containing battery elements 11 and 12 that can be fitted into the rear end thereof through base 14 large enough to support the light on end as shown in Fig. 5 and having a removable bottom 15. The base is large enough to contain a lamp bulb 16. Also within the body 10 is a ball switch assembly 17 having a longitudinal extending sleeve 18 in which a contact ball 19 can roll between a contact 20 on the battery 11 and a contact 21 on a partition 22. The contacts 20 and 21 are connected together by a conductor 23. Leading laterally from the sleeve 18 is a pocket 26 into which the metal ball 19 may roll for engagement with a contact 27 therein at times when it is desired to keep the ball against rolling movement and yet have the light circuit closed. The

contact 27 is connected by a conductor 28 with the con tact 20 on the terminal battery 11. When it is desired to have the ball in a position so that no contact is made it is rolled into an insulated retaining pocket 29 adjacent the pocket 26 and lying thereabout.

The upper end of the tubular body It is flared and threaded at 31 to receive a transparent cap 32 which when fixed thereto will secure therebetween a reflector 33 having a socket 34 into which a lamp bulb 35 is removably connected. The contacts 20, 21 and 27 are insulated upon the walls of the assembly 17 so that the ball establishes a circuit upon engaging the contacts into the sleeve assembly. The contact 20 engages with the central terminal of the battery 11 and is electrically connected with contacts 21 and 27. The lamp socket 34 is grounded with the sleeve 18 and the center terminal of the socket is connected from a socket contact 36 through a wire 37 and contact 38 at the lower end of the body that engages the bottom of the battery 12. As the ball 19 engages any one of the contacts 20, 21 or 27 the circuit will be closed to light the lamp bulb 35, the sleeve 18 being grounded with the socket sleeve 34 so that current will be extended through the lamp bulb.

As the safety light is carried in the hand it can be moved so as to connect the ball to move between the contacts 20 and 21 and thus cause the lamp bulb 35 to be flashed on and off with the swing motion of the arm while the light is being carried. When it is desired to have the light on permanently the light is rolled in the hand so that the opening 26 receives the ball and engages contact 27 to close the circuit. When it is desired to keep the light off the ball 19 is rolled into the insulating chamber 29.

The cap 32 carries a light reflecting element 40 that will extend in all directions. This element has a mirror or dazzling effect so that broken rays are reflected outwardly to glitter through the cap 32 while direct rays pass centrally through the same and through lens 41 held in place upon a central sleeve portion 42 of the cap 32 and against the end thereof by a retaining ring 43. The element 40 is internally threaded at 44 to receive a transparent threaded locking sleeve 45 that extends through the sleeve portion 42 and when tightened will bring the element 40 into tight engagement with the interior of the cap 32, the retaining ring 43 fits over a flange 46 of the threaded sleeve 45 to hold the lens 41 thereagainst and the ring 43 against the sleeve portion 42.

The cap 32 is half red and clear white arranged in stripes and the sleeves 45 also has alternate inclined red and white stripes. The clear light shines on the one carrying the light while the red light will face the tratlic as the carrier crosses the street.

The element 40 has radially-extending light reflecting projections 47 angularly spaced therearound to reflect the light which will penetrate the transparent cup 32 and render a dazzling effect While at the same time light penetrating the lens 41 can be put to the same use as a flashlight.

The light may be stood on its base as illustrated in Fig. 5 or an easel 48 may be used to permit the same to be inclined. In both of these instances a permanent light is established.

It should now be apparent that by swinging the light as when carried by the arm a flashing can be effected or by turning the same over to put the ball in the pocket 26 a permanent light can be had while the light is being carried. To put the ball in the insulated pocket 29 the light will be turned ofi.

There is no desire to be limited to the exact details as being shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A safety light reflector for attaching to a battery operated flashlight comprising a transparent cap divided into stripes of red and white disposed alternately around the cap, a light reflecting element disposed in said cap and having radially extending projections extending to the sides of the cap, a threaded hole formed centrally through said element adapted to be engaged by a locking sleeve which rotatably projects through an opening in the end of the cap, a lens mounted on the outer end of the looking sleeve and a retaining ring adapted to secure said lens against said sleeve, whereby some of the light emitted from the flashlight bulb will pass through said locking sleeve and be focussed into a concentrated beam by said lens, and whereby further light from the bulb is reflected by the radially extending projections of the reflector and is transmitted through the red and white stripes of said transparent cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,816,065 Weidman July 28, 1931 10 2,070,472 Criswell Feb. 9, 1937 2,493,491 MacMahon Jan. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 102,426 Great Britain Dec. 7, 1916

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