US3058032A - Combination switch and lighting element - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 9, 1962 J. A. WOODWARD 3,058,032

COMBINATION SWITCH AND LIGHTING ELEMENT Filed June 1, 1960 United States Patent ()flfice 3,058,032 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 3,058,032 COMBINATION SWITCH AND LIGHTING ELEMENT James A. Woodward, West Des Moines, Iowa, assignor of one-half to Quintin C. Teich, Des Moines, Iowa Filed June 1, 1960, Ser. No. 33,268 fiiaims. (Cl. 315-272) My invention relates to switch and lighting elements and more particularly to a combination of these elements wherein the lighting element can be made to flash at times between predetermined degrees of light intensity.

Various elements have been devised to be imposed in electrical circuits to intermittently interrupt the flow of electrical energy through the circuit. My invention relates to the specific combination of such a device with a light switch mechanism.

A blinking or flashing light has many possible useful adaptations. However, many desirable applications of a flashing light also call for the use of a constant light at times. For example, a flashing light on the porch of a home would be very ideal to provide identification for a person looking for the home after dark, but a constant light would be much more satisfactory to light the way in most instances when a person was arriving at or departing from the home. However, there is no way known to me whereby a single porch light can provide both a flashing and constant light at different times.

Therefore, the principal object of my invention is to provide a combination switch and lighting element which can selectively produce either a constant or flashing lighting effect.

A further object of my invention is to provide a combination switch and lighting element which can selectively produce either a constant or flashing lighting effect with the use of only a single lighting element.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combination switch and lighting element which can provide a flashing lighting effect at times without completely extinguishing the light at any given instant so as to permit the light to flash between bright and dim intensities.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combination switch and lighting element which can be easily operated to create either a constant or flashing lighting effect.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combination switch and lighting element which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a wiring diagram of the preferred form of my device;

FIG. 2 is a wiring diagram of a different specie of my device;

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of an alternate form of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram of an alternate form of the device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the switch used in the form of my device in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the switch used in the form of my device in FIGS. 2 and 4; and

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the form of my device shown in FIG. 1 as mounted on the wall of a conventional dwelling.

I have used the numeral 10 to designate a conventional vertical wall studding member which helps to support a plastered surface 12 on its inner side and sheathing 14 and shingles 16 on its outer side. An opening 18 can appear in sheathing 14 and shingles 16, and a conventional llght element 20 can be mounted on the outer side thereof. Light element 20 can be comprised of base member 22, terminals 24 and 26, bulb 28 and shield 30. The bulb 28 is adapted to be illuminated whenever terminals 24 and 26 are imposed in an energized electrical circuit.

An opening 32 can appear in plastered surface 12 and a conventional metal switch box 34 can be mounted within \the wall and in communication with opening 32. Switch box 34 can be so mounted by screws 36, as shown in FIG. 7, and screws 36 can also be utilized to secure plate 38 to the switch box.

In FIG. 7, I have shown a conventional three-position switch 40 mounted within switch box 34 in any convenient fashion. A toggle 42 on switch 40 protrudes through opening 44 in plate 38. Switch 40 has three conventional terminals 46, 48 and 50 which are adapted to receive and hold an electrO-conducting wire. In its upper position (shown in FIG. 7), toggle 42 is adapted to electrically connect terminals 46 and 48; in its lower conventional position, terminals 48 and 50 are electrically connected; and in its horizontal or neutral position, none of the three terminals 46, 48 and 50 is electrically connected.

A positive wire 52 is connected to a source of electrical energy by one of its ends and to terminal 48 on switch 40 by its other end. A wire 54 electrically connects terminal 46 with terminal 26 on lighting element 20. Wire 56 electrically connects terminal 50 with terminal 58 on a conventional flasher element 60. Wire 62 connects terminal 64 on flasher element 60 with terminal 26 on lighting element 20. Ground wire 66 is connected to terminal 24 on lighting element 20 and returns to the source of electrical energy. In FIG. 3 I have shown wires 68 and '70 connected to wires 56 and 62, respectively, with rectifier 72 interposed therebetween so that the rectifier is electrically connected in parallel to the flasher element 60.

In FIG. 2, I have shown wire 74 extending from a source of electrical energy to one side of two-position switch 76. Wire 78 connects the other side of switch 76 to terminal 80 on two-position switch 82. Wire 83 connects terminal 80 with one side of conventional flasher 60A which is similar to the above-mentioned flasher 60. Wire 84 connects the opposite side of switch 82 to terminal 26 of lighting element 20 and wire 86 connects flasher 60A with terminal 26. In FIG. 4 I have shown rectifier 72A connected in parallel with flasher element 60A by means of wires 88 and 90 which extend from opposite sides of the rectifier to terminal 86 and wire 84, respectively. In FIG. 6, I have shown plate 92 which is adapted to be placed on switch box 40 whenever two- position switches 76 and 82 are mounted therein instead of three-position switch 40. Rectifiers 72 and 72A are normally mounted within switch box 40 in any convenient fashion whenever they are employed.

The normal operation of my device is as follows: With reference to FIGS. 1 and 7, whenever toggle 42 is moved to electrically connect terminals 46 and 48 (see the On position in FIG. 5), the bulb 28 will become illuminated as energy flows through wire 52, switch 40, wire 54, thence through terminal 26, bulb 28, terminal 24 and thence to ground through wire 66. The bulb will be constantly illuminated as long as toggle 42 connects terminals 46 and 48. When toggle 42 is moved to the Off position in FIG. 5, the above described circuit will be broken. When the toggle is moved to the blink position shown in FIG. 5, the circuit through the bulb will include the series connected terminal 50, wire 56, flasher element 60, terminal 64 and wire 62. As the points in the flasher element 60 open and close in conventional fashion, the bulb 28 will become intermittently illuminated. It the rectifier 72 is connected in parallel to flasher elements 60, as shown in FIG. 3, rectified current will pass to bulb 28 even when the points of flasher element 60 are open, and the result of this phenomenon is that bulb 28 flashes between a high and low illumination density.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 6, switch 82 can be opened it a flashing light is desired or closed if a steady light is desired. After the position selection at switch 82 is made, switch 76 can then be closed. A flashing light will result when switch 82 is open, and the circuit will be completed through wire 74, switch 76, wire 78, wire 83, flasher element 60A, wire 86, terminal 26, bulb 28, terminal 24 and wire 66. The closing of switch 82 will permit a constant flow of energy around the flasher element by means of switch 82 and wire 84, whereupon bulb 23 will be constantly illuminated. The opening of switch 76 will extinguish bulb 28 whether the bulb is flashing or not. The addition of rectifier 72A to the circuitry of FIG. 2, as depicted in FIG. 4, will have the same effect on the flashing of bulb 28 as did the rectifier 72 in the circuitry of FIG. 3.

Thus, from the foregoing, it is seen that my device will accomplish at least all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my combination switch and lighting element without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination, a bulb, a manually operated switch, and an electrical flasher element adapted to intermittently interrupt the flow of current therethrough when imposed in a live electrical circuit, a first means electrically connecting said switch, said flasher element and said bulb, a second means electrically connecting said switch and said bulb, a rectifier element, means electrically connecting said rectifier element to said flasher element in parallel, means connecting said switch to a source of electrical energy, and means on said switch to selectively, independently connect said source of electrical energy to either said first or second means; said manually operated switch being located at a point remote from said bulb whereby operation of said switch can be accomplished independently of said bulb and independently of temperature conditions.

2. In combination, first means adapted to transmit therethrough electric energy, said first means adapted to visibly indicate the intensity of said energy, second means connectible to a source of electric energy and operable to transmit said energy to either of two electric connections, third means adapted to vary the intensity of the energy from said source, first electric energy transmission means connected between one of said connections and said first 4 means, and second electric energy transmission means connected between the other of said connections and said first means, and with said third means interposed in said second transmission means, and fourth means interposed in said second transmission means for intermittently interrupting the flow of energy transmitted therethrough.

3. In combination, a bulb, a source of electrical energy, a single pole, double throw electric switch connected to said source and adapted in one position to transmit said energy through a first circuit to said bulb for illumination thereof, a separate circuit connected between said switch and said bulb and energized when said switch is placed in another position, an electric flasher means interposed in said separate circuit for intermittently interrupting the flow of energy therethrough when said separate circuit is energized, and a semi-conductor element also interposed in said separate circuit with said flasher element, whereby placement of said switch in one position results in a constant illumination from said bulb, and placement of said switch in said another position results in a flashing illumination of varying intensities from said bulb.

4. In combination, a light bulb, a source of electrical energy, a manually operated switch having a single pole connected to said source and a pair of spaced terminals, said pole movable from a non-engaging position with either of said terminals to a position engaging either of said terminals, a first Wire connected between said bulb and one of said terminals for transmitting current therethrough, a second wire connected between said bulb and the other of said terminals for transmitting current therethrough, a flasher element electrically interposed in said second line for intermittently interrupting the flow of current therethrough, and a rectifier element also electrically interposed in said second line for varying the intensity of the bulb illumination.

5. In combination, a bulb, a manually operated switch, electrical flasher means adapted to intermittently interrupt the flow of current therethrough when imposed in a live electrical circuit, a first means electrically connecting said switch, said flasher means, and said bulb, a semi-conductor element, means electrically connecting said switch to a source of electrical energy, and means on said switch to selectively, independently connect said source of electrical energy to either said first or second means; said manually operated switch being located at a point remote from said bulb whereby operation of said switch can be accomplished independently of said bulb and independently of temperature conditions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,683,992 Shoenberg et a1 Sept. 11, 1928 1,732,488 Shoenberg et al Oct. 22, 1929 2,064,020 Ludwig et al Dec. 15, 1936 2,075,669 Smith et al Mar. 30, 1937 2,896,125 Morton July 21, 1959

Images