US1568942A - Headlight reflector - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 5 1926. v

` R. HALEY HEADLIGHT REFLEcTon l piled sept. 24, 1921 i Patented Jan. 5,` 1926.

- REUBEN HALEY, oF BEAvER, PENNSYLVANIA. y

lHEADLIGHT REFLECTOR.

yApplication led September 24, 1921. Serial No. 503,030.

To all 'whom it may concern: n

Be it known that I, REUEN Hamer, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of Beaver, in the county of Beaver and. the State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful Invention in Headlight Reflectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobile headlights and more particularly to reflectors adapted for use therein. l

Most automobile headlight reflectors are either stamped or spun from sheet metal and provided with a silvered mirror-reflecting surface. Exteriorly silvered pressed and blown glass reflectors, both of the parabolic and mangan mirror types have been used.

It has been proposed to provide metallic reflectors with flat light diffusing surfaces for the purpose ofproviding a headlight which will meet with the different State laws and city ordinances. These metallic reflectors, however. are difficult to manufacture and extremely difficult to maintain in a state of efficiency, as those portions of the same provided with the flat surfaces are not readily polished nor cleaned.

An object of this invention is to provide a pressed glass reflector for automobile headlights which will have the advantages of the prior glass reflectors as well as the advantages ofthe pressed metal reflectors provided with flat light-diffusing surfaces.

A still further object is to provide a pressed glass reflector having a smooth forward or inner surface and a rear or outer surface exteriorly silvered and provided in lpart at least withrflat light-diffusing surfaces.

These, as well as other objects, which will readily appear to those skilled in this particular art, I attain by means of the refiector described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are 'each views partially in side elevation and partially in section of' pressed glass reflectors embodying this invention. Fig. 3 is a front view in elevation of the reflector shown in Fig. l and in this form, the flat light diffusing surfaces 5 are formed on one side only of the axis of the reflector., Fig. 4 is a front view in elevation `of the reflector shown in Fig. 2 and in this form, the entire rear surface of the reflector is provided with flat light diusing surfaces `6. In both forms illustrated in the drawings,the forward surface 7 of the reflector is shown as a parabola.

In Figs. 2 and t the outer surface of the reflector is divided into three horizontal zones 8, 9 and 10. zones 8 and l0 are provided with horizontally extending flat reflecting faces 11 running from one edge of the reflector to the other. The center zone 9 is horizontally divided in thesame manner as the upper and lower zones, and in addition it is sub-divided vertically to form flat, substantially rectangular reflecting faces l2.

In' making reflectors in accordance with this invention, I provide a mould having the configuration of the back of the reflector, while the plunger is preferably formed as a parabola. The mould and plunger are formed so as to co-operate in producing the circumferential flange 8.

The mould and plunger may' be incorporated in any suitable pressing machine and after the reflector blanks are pressed they are fire-polished on both sides. This is preferably done by supporting the blanks for the first lire-polishing step in a mould conforming to the irregular back surface of the blank and for the second step on a support conforming to the plunger. This method of fire-polishing prevents distortion of the blanks and polished surfaces.

After the blanks have been fire-polished, the backs thereof are silvered or otherwise provided with a mirrored surface and thereafter coated with a protective coating of suitable paint-like material.

Any desired configuration may be given to the back surface of the reflector to produce the desired characteristics to the light beam.

Reflectors of this type may be made so as to be capable of being substituted for any of the standard metal reflectors without, in any way7 changing the headlight housing or cover glass.

The upper and lowerprovides smooth, highly parabolic inner surface, an outer mirrored Surface, the entire area of which is formed by a plurality of lighbdiffusing faces, including upper and lower zones of horizontally extending :flat reflecting 'faces running` from edlgfe to elge of the reflector and a middle zone sub-divided horizontally and vertically so as to form a plurali-ty of flat,

substantially rectangular reflecting faces, and attaching means formed integrally with said reflector.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd clay of September, 1921.

REUBEN HALEY.

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