US3254206A - Nautical light - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1966 R. G. MARTELET NAUTICAL LIGHT Filed Jan. 31, 1964 INVENTOR. Ronald Marielet FIG 5 United States Patent 3,254,206 NAUTICAL LIGHT Ronald G. Martelet, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Sears, Roe- My invention relates generally to the field of lights for use on boats and generally known as running lights. Such lights are required by maritime regulations for the bow and sides of a craft, in order that neighboring ships may know the direction of movement of the craft carrying the lights.

More particularly, my invention has to do with lights of this character intended primarily for owners of small boats, such as cruisers and sail boats, and has been especially conceived from the standpoint of economy.

My invention contemplates a construction which is adaptable for use either as a bow light or side light for a boat, without modification.

Specifically, according to my invention, I provide a light of the character referred to formed, as by molding, die casting or like methods of fabrication, in a plurality of simple parts. All of said parts may be assembled to form a bow light while one of said parts may be used independently as a side light. Thus, a saving may be effected in fabrication by elimination of special tooling which otherwise would be required for a side light, which saving may be passed on to the consumer.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification and illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a boat, showing more-orless diagrammatically bow and side running lights mounted thereon in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bow light embodying my invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the light shown in FIG. 2, with parts broken away to reveal portions of the interior construction, and with certain parts in section;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the light of FIGS. 2tand 3 mounted on a deck, here again certain parts being broken away to reveal the interior arrangement and with parts in section;

FIG. 5 is a view partly in section substantially along the line *55 of FIG. 4 and partly in elevation;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view showing one of the side elements of the light secured to the side of a cabin to provide a side running light, and

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the light shown in FIG. 6, with a portion of the supporting wall shown in section.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 represents a boat of any type whatever to which my invention is applicable. I have shown a small launch or cruiser type which is popular for private ownership and operation on inland or coastal waters, although it should be understood that my invention is applicable to a sail boat or ship of any other size and description.

Adjacent the bow may be secured a bow light embodying my invention as hereinafter described in detail, while side running lights 13, 13, may be attached to the side walls of a cabin 14, also as hereinafter described.

' The-major parts embodying my invention may conveniently be formed of cast or die-cast metal or alloy of any suitable type. For a bow light I provide a mid-section which includes a base portion 17 adapted to rest on a deck D. Depending from base 17 is a hollow screw 20 engageable in a nut 22 embedded in deck D.

Patented May 31 1966 Integral with base 17 is a post portion 25 which is preferably hollow, communicating with the passage inside screw 20, and serves to support integral mid-section 28. Thus, post 25 and section 28 may be molded or cast as a unit. It will be noted that said mid-section constitutes a sort of median rib for the light @12 when employed as a bow light and, with allochiral side portions'30a and 60b, serves to provide a pair of generally parallel spaces 33 within which are disposed electrical lamps 3'5, 35.

Each of the lamps is seated in the usual manner in an appropriate socket B6 which may be of more-or-less standard construction in the electrical industry and carried by side members 30a and 3019 through a lug 38 extending inwardly from the wall of the side member.

Formed on rib member 28 is a plurality of femalethreaded bosses 40 adapted to receive screws 42 for sec-uring side members 30a and 60b to rib member 2-8. (FIG. 3.)

Side members 30a and 30b are substantially allochiral or mirror images of each other, each having adjacent one end, which I will call the forward end of the light, a window portion 50 therein closed by a suitable translucent or transparent pane or lens of glass or .a suitable synthetic plastic resin. To satisfy marine regulations each of the windows will be so shaped and disposed that the rays of lamps 35 passing therethrough will be visible forwardly and laterally of the craft but not rearwardly thereof, and side members 30a and 3012 are provided with suitable contours to this end. Thus, it will be seen that the rearward extremity of each window 50 is disposed at the widest portion of the lamp housing, thus eflFectively preventing rearward projection of light.

As seen in FIG. 4, electrical conductors C are fed through hollow screw 20 from a suitable source of electrical energy and on through post 25 to sock'et members 36 for illuminating the lamps 35.

From what has been described it will be seen that, to provide a bow light 12, base member 15, along with the parts integral therewith, is secured to the deck in the manner shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Side members 30a and 30b are screwed to rib portion 28, the window elements of the side members of course being disposed toward the bow of the craft.

Side members 30a and 30b are so constructed that they may be used without modifications as side lights for the craft. Thus, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, to utilize one of the side members as a side light, said member may be secured to a side wall of cabin 'B by screws 42 passing directly into said wall. When so used, the lamp socket 36 may be wired with a conductor passing through the wall B into the cabin.

It will be seen that I have provided an extremely versa tile lamp which may be utilized as a bow light while the side portions of the latter serve without modification or special adaptation as side running lights. This arrangement is conducive toward low-cost production, obviating the. need for extra tooling. As designed, the parts may all be conveniently produced by such eflicient production methods as molding or die casting.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my inven tion may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by. the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A nautical bow light comprising, in combination,

(a) a midsection including a support portion and a frame portion mounted thereon in a generally vertical plane, the latter having a pair of substantially parallel flat planar faces, and

(b) a pair of allochiral concavo-convex side members detachably secured to said frame portion and having flat planar faces abutting those of said frame portion, with cooperating securing means in said side members and frame portion,

(c) each side member having a lamp socket mounted therein and a window adjacent one end thereof, said window being so designed and positioned as to direct light only laterally and forwardly,

(d) each side member, when detached from said frame portion, being attachable to a generally flat and vertical surface with its socket and a lamp seated therein to serve as a running light as a complete unit.

2. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said support portion includes,

(a) a pedestal providing a conduit for an electrical conductor for actuating lamps disposed in said sockets, and

(b) means for fixing said pedestal on a deck.

3. In a combination as in claim 1,

(a) threaded bosses in said frame portion,

(b) said side members having passages formed therein,

and

(c) threaded male securing elements extending through said passages and engaging said bosses detachably retaining the side members in assembled relation with the frame portion.

4. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said support portion includes (a) a pedestal portion providing a conduit for an electrical conductor for actuating lamps disposed in said sockets,

(b) a base portion adapted to seat on a deck, and

(c) a female exteriorly threaded element in communication with said pedestal portion and adapted to be embedded and secured in a deck.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,435,080 11/1922 -Potter 2408.22 1,552,705 9/1925 Johnson 2407.1 X 1,788,650 1/193 1 Wulle 2407.7 1,800,078 4/ 1931 Johnson 2408'22 1,831,959 11/193'1 Landine 24075 2,814,667 11/1957 Hollins 24057 X 2,855,502 10/1958 Johnson 2307.55 X

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 152,188 12/1948 Dalton. D. 183,466 9/1958 Seiss.

1,831,959 11/ 19 31 Landine. 1,882,493 10/1932 Goransson et a1. 2,850,621 9/ 1958 Bateman et al.

NORTON ANSH-ER, Primary Examiner.

0 J. F. PETERS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A NAUTICAL BOW LIGHT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (A) A MIDSECTION INCLUDING A SUPPORT PORTION AND A FRAME PORTION MOUNTED THEREON IN A GENERALLY VERTICAL PLANE, THE LATTER HAVING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FLAT PLANAR FACES, AND (B) A PAIR OF ALLOCHIRAL CONCAVO-CONVEX SIDE MEMBERS DETACHABLY SECURED TO SAID FRAME PORTION AND HAVING FLAT PLANAR FACES ABUTTING THOSE OF SAID FRAME PORTION, WITH COOPERATING SECURING MEANS IN SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND FRAME PORTION, (C) EACH SIDE MEMBER HAVING A LAMP SOCKET MOUNTED THEREIN AND A WINDOW ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, SAID WINDOW BEING SO DESIGNED AND POSITINED AS TO DIRECT LIGHT ONLY LATERALLY AND FORWARDLY, (D) EACH SIDE MEMBER, WHEN DETACHED FROM SAID FRAME PORTION, BEING ATTACHABLE TO A GENERALLY FLAT AND VERTICAL SURFACE WITH ITS SOCKET AND A LAMP SEATED THEREIN TO SERVE AS A RUNNING LIGHT AS A COMPLETE UNIT.

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