US1528709A - Testing-unit attachment for flash lights - Google Patents

Description

MaT. 3. 1925.

' 1,528,709 c. R. TRIMBLE v TESTING UNIT ATTACHMENT FOR FLASH LIGHTS Fi1ed May 4, 1921 g/ T r 6? /6 @LC TI1AVA-AVAVAVAVAVAVAVA 5 f A I WITNESSES T mum/r01? 60/? 776 f1. Tfi/MBLE A TTORNEYS Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

CURTIS R. TRIMBLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WING-UNIT ATTACHMENT FOR FLASH LIGHTS Application filed May 4,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,""CUR'rIs R. TRIMBLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Man- I hattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Testing-Unit Attachment for Flash Lights. of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. i

This invention relates to an attachment for ordinary flashlights whereby by removing the end piece of an ordinary flashlight and attaching this casing or unit the flashlight, including the lamp or the battery or both, can be used in connection with'the'testing unit and for testing various circuit faults in the usual manner. I

Another object of the invention resides in the rovision of a simple, compact unit whic when in place on the lamp and not in use, can be efl'ectively covered to keep the air, moisture and dirt therefrom.

A further object resides in the provision of means whereby a separate light may be used in connection with this apparatus in conjunction with the ordinary light of the battery.

A still further obiect resides in the provision of a unit which is simple and compact,

and economically manufactured.

Another object -residesin the particular construction and arrangement of arts which are hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings The invention in general comprises a unit which canbe screwed on to the end of an ordinary flashlight casing in place of the usual cover and which automatically establishes an electrical circuit with the battery within the casing. This unit has, in connection with its body portion, a plurality of terminals or sockets into which suitable testing wires can be inserted in various ways so that the battery of the flashlight or an antlight can be used to make various electrica tests;

The invention is illustrated in the .draw

in of whichlgure 1 is a plan view of the flashlight with the unit attached Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof;

Figure 3 is an end view of the unit;

Figure 4 is a detail; and

like plate 8 adapted to be threaded over the 4. It may be connected to the end. of the 1921. Serial No. 466,728.

type, the bottom of the battery casing forms one of the poles and contacting therewith tends to establish any desired circuit. These flashlights are generally provided with a button 5 to close the circuit, or a finger pushplate 6 adapted more permanently to establish the circuit.

reason that an insulating or fiber sleeve or cover, such as 7, is generally disposed between the battery and the walls of the casing 1 within which it is dis osed.

My invention more particu arly, however, comprises a unit which can be screwed on to the end of the casing 1 in place of the usual cover. It comprises a flanged cupend of the casing. This casing or cuplike cover has 'a central aperture 9 through which extends a cylinder 10 of any suitable insulating material, such as porcelain within which, in any well-known manner, is disposed a resistance unit 11. Across the end of this cylinder 10 is disposed a conducting plate 12. This conducting plate is adapted to bear against the base of the battery cell cylinder by any suitable means. One end of the resistance unit 11 is connected by a wire 13 to the plate 12 and also is extended by means of wire 14 within the cylinder to a terminal socket or, sleeve 15 hereinafter to be described. The other end of the resistance, asshown in Fig. 2, is adapted to be connected to a terminal 16 in the base of a socket 17 adapted to receive an auxiliary lamp, such as 18. One end 19 of the resistance cylinder is adapted to be embedded in a body of insulating material or cement, such as 20, which fills the domelike portion 21 of the attachment unit. In this insulating cement the socket 17 is embedded as well as the terminals 15 and 16 and a third terminal 22. The terminals 22 and 15 are mounted on an insulating plate, such as 23, to suitably hold them together. This plate is disposed within the dome 21 beneath the outer end thereof and is held .against the inner face of the dome 21 by means of a screw 24 (see Fig. 3). An additional terminal or socket 25 is supported from this insulating plate 23 but is metallic 1y connected to the casing of the dome 21. A pivoted switch or grounding member 26 is also connected by means of a screw 27 to the plate 23. Each of the terminals 15 and 22, as will be noted from Fig. 3,- is surrounded by a washer or sleeve 28 of insulating material so that they are not electrically connected to the shell or dome 21. By moving the grounding member or switch 26, either the terminal 15 or the terminal 22 can be grounded at will.

As shown in Fig. 2, a shell or cover 29 can be disposed over the entire unit to protect the same from dirt, atmosphere or moisture. The inner end of this shell is adapted .to bear against a shoulder 30 on the casing of the unit.

In Fig. 5 the circuit is shown diagrammatically. In Fig. 5, for instance, the following circuit could be traced: from battery 4, through light 3, wire 31, through switch 5, to terminal 25. Fromthe other side of the battery a circuit could be traced either through wire 32 to terminal 15, or through the resistance 11, through lamp 18, to terminal 22. The plate 12 is connected to one end of the resistance 11, also to the wire 32, as above 'noted. The pivoted grounding switch 26 is also shown. It connecting plugs on any suitable wire, such as 33 and 34, are plugged into the terminals 15 and 22, then any suitable voltage, such as 110 volts, for instance, could be used to test out any desired circuit with the lamp 18 and the resistance 11 in series. If these plugs were connected across between terminals 22 and 25, then the flashlight battery 1 could be used with the resistance 11 and both lamps 3 and 18. On the other hand, if the plugs were connected across between terminals 15 and 25, .then the flashlight battery and the lamp 3 would be used without either the resistance 11 or the lamp 18.

If the plugs 33 and 34 are connected to terminals 15 and 22 with the switch 26 closed, then the battery 4 and light 3 can be used in the ordinary way and, at the same time, the resistance 11 and lamp 18 can be used together to test for circuit faults by using an outside voltage.

. What I claim is:

1. Atesting unit attachment for a flashlight battery casing, which comprises a testing unit including a resistance, a plurality of terminals, and a lamp mounted on a flanged cap adapted to be secured on to the end of the flashlight casing and automatically to make'contact with the casing and the battery when placed on the end.

2. An attachment for flashlights having a casing and a battery, which comprises a flanged threaded cap adapted to fit over the end of the casing, a resistance unit supported from said cap and adapted to extend into the casing when the cap is in osition on the casing, a conducting'plate isp'osed on the end of said resistance unit adapted to contact with one pole of the battery within the casing, and a plurality of terminals insulatingly disposed on said cap, one of said terminals connected to the conducting plate and another of said terminals connected to one endof the resistance, the other end of the resistance being connected to the conducting plate, and a third terminal grounded to the cap.

3. An attachment for flashlights having a casing, a battery and a lamp therein, whlch comprises a cap adapted to be threaded over the end of the casing in the usual manner, a resistance unit, a lamp and a plurality of terminals supported on said cap, and means associated with the resistance'unit and projecting into the flashlight casing when the cap is threaded thereon to automatically make contact with the pole of the battery.

4. The combination with a flashlight having a casing and a cap'disposed over the end thereof and a battery therein, of a resistance unit within the casing and the cap, and means on the end of the resistance unit automatically to make circuit with the'base of the battery within the casing when the resistance unit is disposed therein.

5. The combination with a flashlight hav ing a casing and a cap disposed over the end thereof and a battery "therein, of a testing unit disposed within the casing and the cap, said testing unit comprising "a resistance, a plurality of terminals and a lamp, and means automatically to make contact between the casing, the battery, the resistance unit and the terminals when the unit is disposed within thecasing.

6. The combination with a flashlight having a casing and a cap disposed over the end thereof and a battery therein, of a resistance unit disposed within the casing and the cap, a conducting plate on the end of said resistance unit to contact with one pole of the battery, a plurality of terminals insulatingly supported on the cap extending to the outer surface thereof, one of sai l embedded in said insulating material, the

terminals connected to the conducting plate and another of said terminals being connected to one end of the resistance, the other end of the resistance being connected to the conducting plate, and a third terminal being grounded to the casing.

7. An attachment for flashlights having a casing open at one end, a dome-sha ed cap adapted to be threaded over the en of the casin a body of insulating material dispose within the cap, a resistance unit sup ported from said cap, one end of the unit other end of the unit,extendin'g into the resistance unit,

casing when the ca is threaded thereon, means on the end 0 the resistance unit to automatically make contact with one pole of a battery when the cap is screwed on to the casing, a plurality of terminals insulatingly su ported on the cap, a lamp supported on t e cap in circuit with one of said terminals and the inner end of the resistance unit, a second terminal supported on the cap and connected to the other end of the and a third terminal grounded to the casing.

8. An attachment for flashlights havin a casing and a hollow cap to be thread over the end of thecasing, a body of intect the lamp, resistance unit and t sulating material to be disposed within the cap, a resistance unit having one end embedded in the insulating material, the other end extending into the casing when the cap is fastened thereto, means on the end of the resistance unit automatically to make contact with one pole of the battery disposed within the casing when the cap is screwed on to the casing, a plurality of terminals supported on the cap, a lamp in circuit with the inner end of the resistance unit in one of said terminals, a second terminal connected directly to the connecting means on the inner end of the resistance unit, and a switch grounded to the casing and adapted to short circuit one of the insulating terminals.

9. A testing unit for flashlights having a casing and a hollow cap to be fastened over the end thereof, a battery and a lamp, the battery being disposed within the casing andthe lamp sup orted on the cap, a resistance unit and a p urality of terminals also supported on the cap, and a cover adapted to be disposed over the outside of the ca to pro- Be terminals from the effect of dirt and moisture.

CURTIS R. Tamera.

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