US2078707A - Inflatable, luminair shade - Google Patents

Description

PFH 27, 1937 W. BRAUNSCHWEIG 2,078,707

INFIJATABLE, LUMINAIR SHADE Filed July 27, 1956 Patented Apr. i27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention is an inflatable shade or luminair cover for use on conventional, electric light bulbs.

An object of the invention is to provide an attractive, cheap, unique and simple and readily applied, enveloping shade or cover for electric light bulbs whereby to secure a highly ornamental, display or advertising eiTect.

A further object is to provide an inflatable, light-transmitting shade in the form of a balloonlike sack provided with means for its effective and easy attachment directly to a conventional electric light bulb so that this will be substantially enveloped and its light utilized to render the enclosing shade effective as a luminair.

More specifically an object is to provide a simple, translucent, thin-Walled rubber balloonlike sack with an internal pocket to be distensively attached to a more or less complementary light bulb; preferably in place in its socket, though the device may be applied to a detached bulb, that is, before the bulb is applied to a socket.

The invention consists in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and having, with the above, additional objects and advantages as hereinafter developed, and Whose construction, combination and details of means, and method of making and manner of operation will be made manifest in the description of the herewith illustrated embodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, principle and spirit of the invention as it is more directly claimed hereinbelow.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the deflated balloon shade.

Figure 2 is a top end plan of the device indicating the cylindrical shape of its mold form.

Figure 3 is a sectional, side elevation of the shade as applied to an electric light bulb and somewhat inflated.

The lamp shade constituting this invention is embodied in a thin-walled rubber balloon-like element which may be manufactured by substantially the same, practical process used in the manufacture of toy balloons. That is by the dipping of a simple mold or core of desired shape into a vat of molten rubber stock; the shell of adherent rubber being peeled olf later.

The element is here shown as having a main balloon forming bag portion 2 With an extended inflating tube 3, which after the bag 2 has been iniiated in the common manner of a toy balloon,

is tied or clamped closed to hold the low degree of air pressure which expands the bag 2.

The opposite end of the bag 2 is provided with an integral, upwardly extending supplementary bag portion 4 having more or less the shape of a given, conventional electric light bulb B, Fig. 3; the upper end of the bag 2 converging toward the neck of the bulb bag, which latter, prior to its application presents the large bulb end at its top.

The bag 2, while deiiated, is applied to the bulb B by rst turning the bag portion 4 outside in as in Fig. 3, thus forming an air-tight mouth ring 5 with the wall of the bag 2 so that this may be inflated without loss of air pressure at the mouth into which the bulb is forced into the reversed pocket-forming sack portion 4; this being somewhat distended as the bulb enters the sack 4.

The most convenient and quickest way to apply the shade to the bulb is to invert the sack 4 into the bag 2 and then press the mouth ring 5, formed by the turning of the sack 4, over the bulb B while this is firmly supported in a fixture socket (not shown).

For the purpose of preventing the bag from dislodging from the bulb while the bag is being inated a suitable fastening string or wire girdle 6 lying in suitable loops or eyes 1, provided around the neck portion of the bag at the mouth ring 5, is drawn tight and tied or twisted to fasten the girdle in place.

The balloon bag may then be inated.

The wall of the bag 2 may be imprinted with any decorative, advertising or display media as desired, or otherwise provided with display effecting means, such as removable patterns, making it possible to re-use the shades for greatly different purposes as the events or desired eiect may require.

The device forms an extremely attractive advertising novelty and is highly useful for lawn or park illumination.

The work bulb used herein is intended to mean any form of vacuumized electric tube or sealed shell element, and any gas filled shell of an electrically energized luminair.

What is claimed is:

l. A balloon-like inflatable shade having an interior supplemental sack of elastic material and being distensible to receive an electric light bulb.

2. A shade as set forth in claim 1 and in which the shade is inflatable after application of the said sack to the bulb.

3. A luminair shade including a balloon sack having a distensible mouth and a secondary, elastic sack joining the balloon sack around the said mouth and distensibly receiving an electric light bulb to attach the balloon sack thereto.

4. A luminair shade as set forth in claim 3 and in which the balloon sack occupies an exterior position encompassing the applied secondary sack. 5. An elastic, inflatable balloon for forming a light transmitting shade about an electric light 10 bulb and having an integral sack for distensible application to an electric light bulb', and means for securing the balloon in place on the bulb.

6. A shade as set forth in claim 5 and in which the sack is turnable outside in for reception of the bulb.

7. A light shade as set forth in claim 5 and in which the sack occupies a position inside of the balloon when in position on the bulb.

8. An inflatable, balloon-like luminair shade having an inner sack having a mouth integrally joining With the Wall of balloon shade for reception of an electric light bulb, and means for securing the balloon shade in encompassing posi- 10 tion about the bulb when inated.

FREDERICK W. BRAUNSCHWEIG.

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