Improvements in Electric Lamps.
Year: 1896

page_text: PR VISIONAL SPECI
MION.
Improvements in Electric Lamps.
We, Louis ANDREWS JACKSON (Manufacturer) and THE ACME ELECTRIC LAMP
COMPANY (Incorporated) both of 1669, Broadway, New York City, County and State
of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to electric lamps adapted more particularly for use on
wheeled vehicles and especially bicycles and the like and it has for its object to
provide a lamp of simple construction that may be manufactured and sold at a
comparatively small cost, that will not be extinguished by the movements and
jarring of the vehicle to which it may be attached, and in which the lamp and
battery are arranged in a compact form.
The invention comprises a metal casing having a reflector secured to its front, the
said reflector supporting a glass held in place by a flanged ring removably secured
around the outer end of the reflector. Within the casing is removably arranged a
battery coutainer or box of insulating material, such for iustance as cardboard,
divided by partitions of insulating material into a number of compartiments, four for
example, and within each compartment is placed a cell of the battery. Each cell
consists of a metal casing, such for instance as zinc, to form one element of the cell
and a carbon element is extended vertically in the cell. The several cells are
connected in series, that is, the carbon element of the battery No. 1 is connected with
the zinc element of the battery No. 2, the carbon element of the battery No. 2 with
the zinc element of the battery No. 3, and the carbon element of the battery No. 3
with the zinc clement of the battery No. 4. The reflector is provided with a
socket in which removably engages the screw threaded base of an incandescent lamp.
One of the filaments within the lamp is connected to a yielding contact piece con-
sisting of a coil spring secured to the end of the lamp base and adapted to engage
with the outer side or zine element of the battery cell No. 1. The front of the
battery container or box is provided with an opening within which is exposed a metal
strip having connection with the zinc element of the battery No. 1. To prevent
contact of said metal strip with the battery cell No. 2 which extends partly across
the opening a strip of insulating material is placed between the contact strip and the
cell. The lamp casing is also provided with an opening registering with or surrounding
the opening in the battery container or box when the latter is within the casing
When the lamp is screwed into place the yielding contact will extend through the
openings and engage with the contact strip. Hinged to the top of the casing is a
cover of insulating material, such for instance as wood. To the inner side of this
cover is attached a contact finger adapted to engage with the carbon element of the
battery cell No. 4 when said cover is in a closed position and also secured to the
inner side of the cover is a rheostat having connection with contact pins which
extend through the cover and are adapted to be respectively engaged at their outer
sides with a switch arm mounted to swing on a stud having electrical connection

page_text: with the contact finger. From the contact pin a wire extends to a connection with
the metal casing. The wiro connects with one of the hinges between the cover and
box, this hinge being of course in electric connection with the casing. By
ineans of the rheostat the resistance may be decreased as the power of the battery
diminishes, that is, with a fresh battery the switch arm will be moved into connection
with the pin. As the battery power decreases the arm may be inoved successively
into engagement with the other contact pins and when finally in engagement with
the contact pin the rheostat will be wholly cut out. By this construction, when the
covor is closed aud the switch arm in engagement with one of the contact pins the
current will be from the carbon element of the cell No. 4 through the contact finger,
the switch arm, the rheostat or wire, the casing, to the lamp base which is connected
with one end of the filment in the lamp, and back through the spring contact to the
contact strip on the battery cell No. 1 the carrent of course being also through the
several battery cells.
The rheostat and several connections on the inner side of the cover may be
protected by a covering of suitable insulating material, such for instance as leather.
The casing may be provided with any desired means for securing the device to a
vehicle, such as a loop secured to the rear side of the casing and engaging with. a
hook or similar device attached to the vehicle.
Dated this lat day of Sontember 1900
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
provements in Electric Lamps.
We, LOUIS ANDREWS JACKSON, (Manufacturer) and THE ACME ELECTRIC LAMP
COMPANY (Incorporated) both of 1650 Broadway, New York City, County and State of
New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
and in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to electric lamps adapted more particularly for use on
wheeled vehicles, and especially bicycles and the like, and it has for its object to
provide a lamp of simple construction, that may be manufactured and sold at a com-
paratively small cost, that will not be extinguished by the movements and jarring of
the vehicle to which it may be attached, and in which the lamp and battery are
arranged in a compact form.
The invention comprises a metal casing, a series of batteries arranged therein, but
insulated therefrom and one from another, a rheostat attached to the inner side of
the cover of the casing, for regulating the current, and an incandescent lamp having
contact with an element of one of the battery cells.
The invention further consists in the construction and novel arrangement of
parts, as will be hereinafter specified and particularly pointed out in the appended
claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the views.
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a lamp embodying the invention, and showing the
cover thrown back.
Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof;
Figure 3 is a top plan view with the cover closed;
Figure 4.is a front view of a container for the battery celli and

page_text: Figure 6 shows the construction of an incandescent lamp employed.
The invention comprises a inetal casing 1, having a reflector 2 secured to its front,
the said reflector supporting a glass 3 held in place by a flanged wing 4, removably
secured around the outer ond of the reflector.
Within the casing is removably arranged a battery container or box 6, of
insulating material, such for instance as cardboard. This container or box is divided
into a number of coinpartments, and within each compartment is placed a cell of the
battery. As here shown, the container or box is divided imusversely by partitions 6, 7, of
insulating material and forming fonr chambers, within which are placed the dry
battery cells 8, 9, 10 and 11. Each cell consists of a metal casing, such for instance as
zine, to form one element of the cell, and a carbon element is extended vertically in the
cell. The several cells are connected in series, that is, the carbon element of the
battery 8 is connected with the zinc element of the battery 9, the carbon element of
of the battery 9 with the zinc element of the battery 10, and the carbon element of
the battery 10 with the zinc element of the battery 11.1
The reflector 2 is provided with a socket 12, in which removably engages the screw-
threaded base of an incandescent lamp 13. One of the filaments within the lamp is
connected to a yielding contact piece, here shown as a coil spring 14, secured to the
end of the lanp base, and adapted to engage with the outer side or zinc element of
the battery cell 8.
The front of the container or box 5 is provided with an opening 16, within which
is exposed a metal strip 16, having connection with the zine element of the battery 8.
To prevent contact of said metal strip 16 with the battery cell 9, which extends
partly across the opening 15, a strip of insulating material 17 is placed between the
contact strip 16 and the cell 9. The casing 1 is also provided with an opening 18,
registering with or surrounding the opening 15 when the container or box 5 is
within the casing. It will be seen that when the lamp 13 is screwed into place, the
yielding contact 14 will extend through the openings 18 and 15, and engage with
the contact strip 16.
Hinged to the top of the easing 1 is a cover 19 of insulating material, such for
instance ns wood. To the inuer side of this cover is attached a contact finger 20
adapted to engage with the carbon element of the battery cell 11, when said cover is
in a closed position, and also secured to the inner side of the cover is a rheostat 21,
having connection with contact pins 22, 23, 24 and 25, which extend through the
cover and are adapted to be respectively engaged at their outer sides with a switch
arm 26, mounted to swing on a stud 27, having electrical connection with the con-
tact. finger 20. From the contact pin 25, a wire extends to a connection with the
metal casing 1. As here shown, the wire 28 connects with one of the hinges between
the cover and box, this hinge being of course in electric connection with the casing.
By means of the rheostat the resistance may be decreased as the power of the battery
diminishes, that is, with a fresh battery the switch arm 26 will be moved into con-
nection with the pin 22. As the battery power decreases, the arm may be moved
successively into engagement with the other contact pins, and when finally in engage-
ment with the contact pin 25, the rheostat will be wholly cut out.
By this construction it will be seen that when the cover is closed and the switch
arm in engagement with one of the contact pins, the current will be from the carbon
element of the cell 11 through the contact finger 20, the switch arm 26, the rheostat
or wire 28, the casing 1 to the lamp base which is connected with one end of the
Blament in the lanp, and back through the spring contact 14 to the contact strip 16
on the battery cell 8, the current of course being also through the several battery
cells.
The rheostat and several connections on the inner side of the cover 12 may be pro-
tected by a covering 29 of suitable insulating material, auch for instance as leather.
The casing may be provided with any desired means for securing the device to a
vehicle. As here shown, a loop 30 is secured to the rear side of the casing, and is
designed to engage with a hook or similar device attached to the vehicle.
It will be seen that in a lamp embodying my invention, after a battery shall have

page_text: become worn out, the container or box 5 with the several cells may be removed from
the casing 1, and a new battery inserted. Before removing or inserting the battery
the lanp 13 should be removed, thus preventing the possible breaking of the spring
contact 14.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,
1. An electric lamp, comprising a metal casing, an incandescent lamp supported
thereon, a battery comprising a series of cells within the casing, the shell of each cell
forming a battery element, a cover for the casing, a rheostat supported by said cover,
and having electrical connection through the casing with the lamp filament, a
contact between said lamp filament and one of the cell shells, and means for closing
the circuit between the rheostat and battery, substantially as specified.
2. An electric lamp, comprising a metal casing having an opening in its front, a
reflector attached to said front and having a lamp socket, an incandescent lamp
removably mounted in said socket, a battery container or box of insulating material
removably placed in the casing, and comprising a battery cell arranged in each
chamber, each cell comprising a carbon element and a zinc element, the said zinc
element forining the shell for the cell, one of said shells having a portion exposed at
an opening formed in. the container or box, whereby the same may be engaged by a
contact on the incandescent lamp, a cover of insulating material for the casing, a
rheostat arranged on the inner side thereof and having electrical connection with the
metal casing, contact pins baving engagement with the rheostat and extended through
the cover, a switch arin mounted to rotate on said cover, and a spring yielding finger on
the inner side of the cover in electrical connection with the switch arm and adapted for
engagement with a battery element, substantially as specified.
3. An electric lamp, comprising a metal casing, a battery removably arranged
therein, a reflector on the casing having a removable glass front, an incandescent
lamp engaged in a socket in said reflector, a coiled spring contact carried by said lamp
and adapted for engagement with an element of the battery, and means for closing
the electric circuit, substantially as specified.
4. An incandescent electric lanıp, having a metal base connected with one end of
the filament in the lamp, and a coiled spring contact supported on said base and
having connection with the other end of the filament in the lanp, substantially as
specified.
Dated this 25th day of May 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.