U.S. patent number 3,731,084 [Application Number 05/236,066] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-01 for portable flashlight.
Invention is credited to Blanche P. Trevorrow.
United States Patent |
3,731,084 |
Trevorrow |
May 1, 1973 |
PORTABLE FLASHLIGHT
Abstract
A flashlight integral with a harness so it can be supported from
the shoulders of a person and child so that their hands are free
for other tasks. The device consists of a flashlight unit equipped
with an electric lamp and dry cell battery which is attached to a
pair of flexible hollow stems each of which is secured to an
adjustable shoulderband and a mercury actuated switch pivotally
attached to one of the shoulder bands.
Inventors: |
Trevorrow; Blanche P.
(Waukesha, WI) |
Family
ID: |
22887996 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/236,066 |
Filed: |
March 20, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/108;
362/802 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21L
15/14 (20130101); F21L 15/06 (20130101); F16M
11/40 (20130101); F21V 21/32 (20130101); F16M
13/04 (20130101); F21W 2131/3005 (20130101); Y10S
362/802 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F16M
13/04 (20060101); F21V 21/14 (20060101); F21V
21/32 (20060101); F21v 033/00 (); F21v
021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;240/2R,2.14,6.4R,6.4B,6.4W,41.5,59,81
;224/5,5E,5H,5P,5MA,5S,5V,5BC,25 ;24/3M,3B |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Matthews; Samuel S.
Assistant Examiner: Sheer; Richard M.
Claims
I claim:
1. A portable light comprising in combination a flashlight unit,
said flashlight unit comprising a case, a dry cell battery and an
electric lamp electrically connected to said battery, said case
enclosing said battery and lamp; a harness comprising a pair of
flexible hollow stems having first and second ends, each of said
first ends of said hollow stems being attached to said casing, and
a pair of shoulder bands, one of said shoulder bands being attached
to each of said hollow stems at said second end, said shoulder
bands being self-adjustable to the contour of a wearer's shoulder;
a mercury accuated switch electrically connected to said battery
and lamp for opening and closing a circuit between said battery and
said lamp; and support means pivotably mounting said switch on one
of said shoulder bands so that a wearer can assume a position at a
predetermined angle and adjust said switch for closing a circuit to
said lamp and said switch will automatically open a circuit to said
lamp when a wearer assumes a position at an angle other than the
predetermined angle.
Description
This invention relates generally to portable flashlight
devices.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a
flashlight which is attached to a harness so it can be worn by any
person or child so that their hands are free to do other things
while the flashlight is held to aim light in a desired
direction.
Another object is to provide a portable flashlight which
accordingly is ideal for children to light their way to a bathroom
if they get up at night, and allow their hands free to open doors
and do other things.
Another object is to provide a portable light which is ideal for
students or other persons who wish to read in bed without
disturbing others in the room, and which allows their hands free to
hold the book or papers while the flashlight is adjusted to aim the
light at the same.
Another object is to provide a portable light which is ideal for
persons whose hands are busy and need a light aimed in the
direction of the work, such as a lady sewing, or a craftsman making
some object and needing a very close light so to better see.
Yet another object is to provide a portable light which is ideal
for rural children walking home along a road at dusk and their
hands are occupied with school books, the lamp being directed
around a side of them so to warn approaching traffic of their
presence.
Other objects are to provide a portable flashlight which is simple
in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy
to use, and efficient in operation.
These and other objects will be readily apparent upon a study of
the following specification and the accompanying drawing,
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention worn by a person.
FIG. 2 is a side view thereof worn by a child.
FIG. 3 is an electric circuit thereof.
FIG. 4 is a side view of a portable flashlight in use while a
person reads in bed.
Referring now to the drawing in detail, and more particularly to
FIGS. 1 to 3 thereof at this time, the reference numeral 10
represents a portable flashlight according to present invention,
wherein there is a flashlight case 11 containing a lamp 12 and dry
cell batteries 13. The case is supported by a pair of flexible
hollow stems 14 which as attached to a pair of shoulder bands 15
that are self-adjustable at 16 shape to the shoulders of a wearer.
One of the shoulder bands may contain a mercury switch 17 for
automatically closing a circuit to the lamp when the wearer assumes
a position for operating the device, but which automatically opens
the circuit when a wearer changes his position, such as when a
person slumps over asleep while trying to read in a chair or bed.
The switch is connected to the battery and lamp by a wire 18 that
runs through the follow stem.
As shown in FIG. 3, the top electric contact inside the mercury
switch comprises a ring 19 located above the mercury when the
switch is in erect position.
The shoulder bands are pivotable at 20 respective to the hollow
stem so the gooseneck and flashlight may be directed upward more
directly if desired.
In FIG. 4, the portable flashlight 21 includes the mercury switch
17 being mounted pivotally on a rivet 22 so that a person can
recline at any desired angle and adjust the switch for an operative
position. Thus it will work for persons when erect, or laying prone
as well. Also the batteries 13 may be stored in the shoulder band
where there is more room for holding more of them, and the lamp
unit 23 is thus made smaller so to hold only the lamp 12 which thus
is lighter on the end of the goosenecks and less obstructs the
view. Thus a modified design of the invention is shown.
While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it is
understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of
the present invention as is defined by the appended claims.
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