Improvements in Vehicle Lanterns.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vehicle Lanterns.
I THOMAS B. JEFFERY of Ravenswood, County of Cook and State of Illinois, United
States of America, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to vehicle lanterns and referring to the accompanying
drawings
Fig. 1 is a rear elevation.
Fig. 2 is a section at the line 2 2 on Fig. 1 showing also in side elevation the arm of
the vehicle to which the lantern is to be attached.
Fig. 3 is a face view of the clamping washer employed in fastening the lantern
support to the bracket provided for it on the vehicle.
Fig. 4 is a detail section of the clamp bearing by which the lantern-supporting links
are pivoted thereto.
This lantern is especially designed for application to velocipedes and other vehicles
of that general style but it is applicable to other vehicles. Its peculiar features are
such as adapt it for service in positions where jolting tends to extinguish the light,
being designed to diminish the abruptness of the jolting movement and to secure
fixodness of the lamp in the lantern.
A represents the arm of the vehicle to which the lantern is attached. A¹ is a bracket
thereon affording the immediate means of attachment. B is the lantern supporting bar
baving its principal arm vertical and having the horizontally extended arm B' at the
upper end, which affords convenient means for fastening one of the lantern supporting
links. The bar B is provided with flanges at its lateral edges forming between them
a flat cavity on the back side of the support, which receives the bracket A' forming a
seat for it when the support is clamped to the bracket. This bracket is of any con-
vonient form at its lowor part where it is attached to the vehicle its upper part
consisting of an elongated eye or loop A10 which is of such dimensions as to lie between
the flanges & of the lantern supporting bar B. Said lantorn supporting bar has one or
more as illustrated two holes through its vertical portion to admit the clamping
bolt C, the distance between said holes being something less than the length of the
elongated eye of the loop A". A clamping nut C is adapted to be placed behind the
loop and be clamped against it by tightening the nut whose head is located at
the forward side of the bar B.
The length of the eye in the loop A10 permits vertical adjustment of the bar on the
bracket to that extent without changing the bolt from one hole to the other. An
additional adjustment to the extent of the distance between the two holes is
obtained by changing the bolt from one hole to the other. This lantern support
being designed to be applied to vehicles which have already on them brackets
such as A for the purpose of attaching a lantern, and the width of the loop A10
on such brackets varying somewhat so that a given loop might not fit snugly
between the flanges 6 of the bar B, but being narrower than the distance between
b

page_text: said flanges might permit the lantern to swing sidewise and so out of vertical
line to the extent of play that would be obtained between the edges of the loop
and flanges b. provide the nut ("npon the face which is designed to ho
applied towards the loop with a marginal flange (which will contact the loop
and constitute the means of binding it against the bar and in said marginal
flange provide several pairs or sets of notches one pair indicated by the
dotted lines "1" on Fig. 3, being in position to afford lodgment for the two
sides of the loop A in case that loop is as large as can be received between the
flanges. Another set of notches indicated by the dotted line "2" being a little
nearer together and adapted to afford lodgment for the sides of the loop if it is a little
narrower than the widest which can be receives between the flanges. Another set of
notches, indicated by the lines 3 on Fig. 3 being still closer together and a fourth set
indicated by "4" being still more closely located so that any loop from the narrowest
which could contain an eye large enough to receive the bolt (to the widest which can
be received between the flanges & may find on the face of the clamping nut a seat
wherein it will be received, which will prevent the lantern from swinging on the
support.
Dis the lantern E the lantern spring, which is also one of the links connecting the
lantern to its support B. F is the other link; as illustrated the spring link is
the upper one. This however is not essential. Both the links E and F are connected
to the lantern at the forward part in preference to the rear or lack side. This enables
me to use a longer link without setting the lantern further forward, the entire depth
of the lantern from front to rear ling so much additional space available to add to
the length of the link. This gives to the lantern an easier and less abrupt vibration
under any jolting to which it is subjected. The links are pivoted to the lantern and
the link is pivoted to the bottom of the lantern and to the supporting har Bin
clamp bearings at Gand II respectively that is in bearings whos parts are adapted
to be clamped together upon the pivotal portion of the link which is grasped in the
bearing so that but for the yielding bushings employed as hereinafter described the
bearings might be made to grasp the links rigidly so that all motion would be
prevented.
In these clamp-bearings I place the yielding bushings ), which may be made of felt
or rubber or any substance which is somewhat yielding, and in practice, 1 clamp the
bearings tightly upon these bushings, so that the motion which is obtainable therein
is dependent upon the yielding character of the bushing, which is unfitted to grasp the
surface of the pivot as it would be grasped by metal contracting it. This affords a
perfectly noiseless boaring, and one which permits sufficiently free action of the
pivot within it for all purposes of the device. These bearings G, G, of the lantern
make preferably of sheet metal folded upon itself, forming an eye which con-
stitutos the bearing, the lapping leaves of the fohled metal being clamped together
quite near the eye or bearing by clamp-bolts G. G. The bearing at H is com-
prised of two parts, one the part and the other the half bearing or seat. B
formed on the bar B, these two parts being clamped by the collar H, and grasping
between them the yielding bushing and the pivotal portion of the link. The
collar carries the clamping screw 2, by which the two parts of the box or bearing
are clamped together upon the bushing and the pivot therein. The spring link E
is formed preferably of a single piece of wire, having its ends made fast to the
lantern supporting bar B, this being effected by means of the clamp block B³,
and the binding serows 6, which fasten it onto the under side of the horizontal
portion, the ends of the spring links E being clamped between said block and
horizontal portions of the boaring B¹. Immediately adjacent to the point of
fastening of the link thus to the lantern-supporting bar, it is formed into helical
coils E, E about the same horizontal axis, and the wire running from the ends
of these coils extends to the bearing G, passing by the two sides of the lantern to
reach the forward edge of its upper end, so that the lantern, as it vibratos
vertically, passes between the two side bars of the spring link. Otherwise
described, it may be said that the wire which forms tho link is connected at its

page_text: middle part in the clamp-bearing G at the forward part of the lantern, and from
said bearings is bent rearward and formed into the coils E' from the ends of which the
ends of the wire extend to the points of fastening on the bar B.
D' is a rear reflector, contained in the lantern D, being made of polished metal
suitably shaped. At its lower end it is provided with the lip D, bent upwardly and
forwardly, and adapted to bear against the rear side of the lamp K, which is contained
in the lantern resting on its bottom. This lip D constitutes a spring which reacts
against the rear side of the lamp, and when the latter is inserted and pushed into place
and locked therein by the spring nose D2, which engages in front of the pivoted front
door D, said spring lip D, reacting against the lantern, holds it snugly and firmly in
position, and prevents its rattling or being displaced by the jolting movement to which
the lantern is subjected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination substantially as set forth, the lantern supporting bar, and the
lantern and two substantially parallel links which connect them, said links boing
pivoted to the lantern at the forward part on the top and bottoin respectively and com-
prising cach two side bars horizontally separated more than the width of the lantern,
whereby the lantern may pass vertically between said side bars as it reciprocates.
2. In combination with the lantern and the lantern supporting bar the links which
connect them at bottom and top of the lantern, the one of said links consisting of a
single piece of wire journalled at the middle part across the end of the lantern and
having its end bent rearward and extending and secured rigidly to the supporting bar,
and each formed into a helical coil about the same horizontal axis adjacent to said
bar, between the point of fastening thereto and the straight portion which runs forward
to the lantern, whereby said coils constitute elastic hinges about which the arms
integral therewith reaching forward to the lantern oscillate vertically.
3. In a lantern, the rear reflector having the lip D10 turned up from its bottom edge,
in combination with the lamp adapted to be inserted and retained against said lip,
substantially as set forth.
4. In combination with the lantern-supporting-bracket having the eye to receive the
clamping bolt; the lantern-supporting-bar having the lateral flanges b, forming a
cavity between them on its rear side, adapted to receive the bracket. The bolt C
inserted through the bar and through the eye of the bracket; and the clamping nut (",
into which said bolt is screwed, whereby the bracket is bound between the bar and the
nut, substantially as set forth.
5. In combination, substantially as set forth, the bracket A having an elongated
eye; the bar B having the bolt hole; the bolt C inserted through said hole and
through the eye of the bracket; the binding nut having the marginal projections from
its face forming between them several pairs of parallel seats for the two side-bars of
the eye; whereby the nut is adapted to fit eyes of different sizes, substantially as sel
forth.
DL: af Subashar 1800
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HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.