US3147927A - Throwaway flashlight - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent O 3,147,927 THROWAWAY FLASHLHGHT Murphy Steele, RR. 2, and Harvey R. Whitham, RR. 1, both of Versailles, Ind., assignors of one-third to Ralph B. Goolrius, Napoleon, Ind.

Filed Jan. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 163,640 1 Claim. (Cl. 240-10.66)

This invention relates to flashlights and more particularly to throwaway or disposable ilashlights.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a complete ilashlight unit made of inexpensive materials.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ilashlight that is compact, lightweight, and if lost will be of no consequence to the owner thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a throwaway llashlight bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum cost and is ellicient in operation and use.

For other objects and for a better understanding reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical view comprising the present invention and is shown partly broken away;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective View of the present invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, the llashlight made in accordance with the present invention is shown to 4include a hollow casing 12 of cylindrical configuration having a bottom end wall 14 and a larger diameter ilanged opening 16. A pair of battery cells 18 in abutment with each other in series and bound together by a pair of crossed rubber bands 20 is received in the hollow casing 12. A wire 24 is electrically secured to the bottom cell 18 by the positive terminal 22 and extends upwardly along the cells 18 in the casing 12 and is connected in series with lamp 30 and is' insulated along the cells 18 by a strip of insulating tape 26. Another strip of insulating tape 28 is adhered over wire 24 and parallel therewith to the underlying tape 26 which is adhered to the cells 18. From the lamp 30 of the series circuit, line 32 is electrically connected with the leaf spring electrical contact 34 which is insulated from the upper cell 18 by a strip of insulated tape 36. O11 the other side of spring contact 34 an overlapping strip of electrical insulating tape 38 is adhered to the upper portion of contact 34 overlapping and adhering to cell 18 and tape 36. A switch 40 is pivotable within switch housing 41 on a transverse pin 42 enabling movement thereby of switch button 44 which is slidable within the switch housing 41 by pins 45 which press downwardly on the contact 34 and thus grounding the contact to the upper cell 1S and forming a series circuit with the lamp 30. A reflector 46 of parabolic configuration is xedly ICC secured as by adhesive 47 to the topmost surface of the upper cell 18 and is centrally in alignment with the bulb 30. A lens 48 of convex prismatic conliguration is ixedly received at the outer edge of reflector 46 and the reflector 46 is flush with the upper flanged opening 16 of the casing 12.

In operation, the person using the llashlight presses inward on the switch 40 and continues to hold it downward and button 44 presses downward on contact 34 which contacts the case of the upper cell 18 and lights the bulb 30. If the person using the llashlight then wishes lamp 30 to light for a continuous length of time, he then presses down on the switch 40 and rotates it forwardly toward the lens 48 and thus button 44 is cammed downwardly and will lock the contact 34 in contact with the upper cell 18 and the lamp will light until the operator pulls downwardly on switch 40 toward the end wall.

It will thus be recognized that upon any failure of the contained components it is disposable.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A flashlight comprising: a cylindrical casing, a plurality of battery cells in series relation in said casing, elastic band means holding said battery cellsI together in electrically conductive engaging relationship to each other, rst and second electrically conductive wires and a bulb and a switch in series connection with said cells, said rst wire being electrically secured to a terminal of one of said cells and to said bulb, said second wire being electrically secured to said bulb, and said switch including an electrically conductive spring leaf electrically secured to said second wire and thereby electrically connected to said bulb at all times, said spring leaf being operable when actuated to contact a portion of one of said cells and make an electrical circuit through said bulb.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,834,612 Gillingham et al. Dec. l, 1931 2,373,553 Fetterman Apr. 10, 1945 2,461,118 Lippincott Feb. 8, 1949 2,600,418 Muller June 17, 1952 2,632,094 Akerley Mar. 17, 1953 2,655,593 Fredrickson Oct. 13, 1953 2,817,754 Moore Dec. 24, 1957 2,826,681 Anthony et al Mar.11, 1958 2,879,381 Colley Mar. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 840,538 Great Britain July 6, 1960

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