GB1561129A - Battery-powered lamps - Google Patents

Description

(54) BA1TERY-POWERED LAMPS (71) We, DORMAN SMITH TRAF FIC PRODUCTS LIMITED, a British Company, of Atherton Works, Blackpool Road, Preston, Lancashire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention concerns battery-powered lamps of the kind, (herein referred to as "of the kind described") comprising a casing which accommodates a pair of batteries for providing power for the lamp, these batteries being disposed side-by-side, and in which a mounting bolt extends through the casing, from front to rear, between the batteries, and enables the lamp to be mounted in an appropriate location, for example at the top of a mounting post, or on a barrier fence or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel form of such a lamp having a particularly simple and inexpensive closure arrangement for retaining the batteries within the casing.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a lamp of the kind described characterised in that the casing has a closure in the form of a plate-like member against which the bottoms of the batteries rest, the said closure not being a frictional fit in the casing, but being retained against separation from the casing by the mounting bolt.

In one form of the invention. the platelike member is shaped to provide a Ushaped portion, between two aligned flaplike parts, the mounting bolt extending through the U-shaped portion to retain the closure in place.

In another form of the invention. the plate-like member is formed, along or adjacent its two longer sides, with upstanding lugs having aligned apertures through which the mounting bolt extends to hold the closure in position.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate two preferred embodiments thereof, it being understood that the following details are illustrative, and not restrictive, of the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional front view of a first embodiment of the lamp of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view, to a relatively reduced scale, of the closure of the lamp of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional side of a second embodiment of the lamp of the invention; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the closure of the lamp of Figure 3.

Both of the illustrated embodiments of the lamp of the invention comprise a metal box-like casing 10, rectangular in configuration and having front and rear walls 11, 12 respectively connected together by a top plate 13 and spaced apart by inset side gussets 14 and 15, the bottom of the casing 10 being open.

The front and rear walls 11, 12 of the casing 10 have respective lenses 16, 17 set therein, and a carrier 18 located within the casing 10 carries a lampholder 19 carrying a bulb 20 so as to be substantially in alignment with the optical axes of the lenses 16, 17.

The structure and disposition of the carrier 18 within the housing 18, is further described and ilustrated in our copending Application No. 29843/76.serial no 1557477 Contacts 21, 22 on the underside of the carrier 18 are engageable by respective resilient terminals 23, 24 on a pair of dry batteries 25 accommodated in the casing 10 between the carrier 18 and the open bottom thereof, and integral tongues 26 on the carrier 18 project downwards between the batteries 25 to keep them separated.

Central reinforcing plates 27, 28 are provided respectively on the front and rear walls 11, 12 of the casing 10 and these have aligned holes therewith, there being corresponding holes in the front and rear walls 11, 12. The hole in the reinforcing plate 27 is screw threaded so that a mounting bolt 29 can be inserted through the hole in the plate 28 and the rear wall 12 to extend between the batteries 25, through the hole in the front wall 11 and to be screwed into the hole in the plate 27 for mounting the lamp on an appropriate support, e.g. a lug 30 on the top of a mounting post 31 or the like, as shown in Figure 3.

In each embodiment, a closure of the casing 10 serves to close the open bottom of the casing 10 and to retain the batteries 25 in position with the bottoms of the batteries resting on the closure.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, this closure comprises a metal plate, indicated generally by the numeral 40, bent between its ends, which provide two-coplanar flaps 41, 42 on which the bottoms, of the batteries 25 rest, to form therebetween an inverted-U-shaped upstand 43. The closure 40 is held in position by the mounting bolt 29 extending through the upstand 43, in the bight thereof, as can clearly be seen from Figure 1.

The overall dimensions of the closure 40 are such that it fits very freely in the open bottom end of the casing 10, and does not frictionally engage therewith. Thus, the closure 40 does not have to be manufactured to close tolerances as is necessary with a closure which relies, for its action, upon being a snug or friction fit in the open bottom of the casing 10. In fact. the mounting bolt 29 holds the closure so that it can swing, within limits, about the axis provided by the mounting bolt 29, thereby to accommodate itself to the resilient pressures imposed on it by the resilient terminals 23, 24 of the two batteries 25.

The second embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 is similar to that above described insofar as the casing 10 itself is concerned, but differs therefrom in the form of its closure 50 which, in this instance comprises a substantially flat plate-like member 51 having two upstanding lugs 52, one along each side thereof, with aligned mounting bolt holes 53 in said lugs. It will readily be understood that this closure member is held in place in a manner substantially equivalent to the preceding embodiment by the mounting bolt extending through the holes in the lugs, but with the lugs 52 projecting upwards to between the batteries 25.

It will readily be understood, also, that in both instances the closure is of very simple construction, able to be produced relatively inexpensively (for example as a simple metal stamping) and does not have to be manufactured to any close tolerances.

Naturally the invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing examples, and variations may be made thereto.

The closures, as described, can conveniently be made of metal, but of course the possibility that they may be made of plastics (e.g. by moulding) is not to be precluded.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A lamp of the kind described, characterised in that the casing has a closure in the form of a plate-like member against which the bottoms of the batteries rest, the said closure not being a frictional fit in the casing, but being retained against separation from the casing by the mounting bolt.

2. A lamp as claimed in Claim 1 in which the plate-like member is shaped to provide a U-shaped portion, between two aligned flap-like parts on which the bottoms of the batteries rest, the mounting bolt extending through the U-shaped portion to retain the closure in place.

3. A lamp as claimed in Claim 1 in which the plate-like member is formed, along or adjacent two opposite sides with upstanding lugs having aligned apertures through which the mounting bolt extends to hold the closure in position.

4. A lamp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, or in Figures 3 and 4, of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Central reinforcing plates 27, 28 are provided respectively on the front and rear walls 11, 12 of the casing 10 and these have aligned holes therewith, there being corresponding holes in the front and rear walls 11, 12. The hole in the reinforcing plate 27 is screw threaded so that a mounting bolt 29 can be inserted through the hole in the plate 28 and the rear wall 12 to extend between the batteries 25, through the hole in the front wall 11 and to be screwed into the hole in the plate 27 for mounting the lamp on an appropriate support, e.g. a lug 30 on the top of a mounting post 31 or the like, as shown in Figure 3. In each embodiment, a closure of the casing 10 serves to close the open bottom of the casing 10 and to retain the batteries 25 in position with the bottoms of the batteries resting on the closure. In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, this closure comprises a metal plate, indicated generally by the numeral 40, bent between its ends, which provide two-coplanar flaps 41, 42 on which the bottoms, of the batteries 25 rest, to form therebetween an inverted-U-shaped upstand 43. The closure 40 is held in position by the mounting bolt 29 extending through the upstand 43, in the bight thereof, as can clearly be seen from Figure 1. The overall dimensions of the closure 40 are such that it fits very freely in the open bottom end of the casing 10, and does not frictionally engage therewith. Thus, the closure 40 does not have to be manufactured to close tolerances as is necessary with a closure which relies, for its action, upon being a snug or friction fit in the open bottom of the casing 10. In fact. the mounting bolt 29 holds the closure so that it can swing, within limits, about the axis provided by the mounting bolt 29, thereby to accommodate itself to the resilient pressures imposed on it by the resilient terminals 23, 24 of the two batteries 25. The second embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 is similar to that above described insofar as the casing 10 itself is concerned, but differs therefrom in the form of its closure 50 which, in this instance comprises a substantially flat plate-like member 51 having two upstanding lugs 52, one along each side thereof, with aligned mounting bolt holes 53 in said lugs. It will readily be understood that this closure member is held in place in a manner substantially equivalent to the preceding embodiment by the mounting bolt extending through the holes in the lugs, but with the lugs 52 projecting upwards to between the batteries 25. It will readily be understood, also, that in both instances the closure is of very simple construction, able to be produced relatively inexpensively (for example as a simple metal stamping) and does not have to be manufactured to any close tolerances. Naturally the invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing examples, and variations may be made thereto. The closures, as described, can conveniently be made of metal, but of course the possibility that they may be made of plastics (e.g. by moulding) is not to be precluded. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A lamp of the kind described, characterised in that the casing has a closure in the form of a plate-like member against which the bottoms of the batteries rest, the said closure not being a frictional fit in the casing, but being retained against separation from the casing by the mounting bolt.

2. A lamp as claimed in Claim 1 in which the plate-like member is shaped to provide a U-shaped portion, between two aligned flap-like parts on which the bottoms of the batteries rest, the mounting bolt extending through the U-shaped portion to retain the closure in place.

3. A lamp as claimed in Claim 1 in which the plate-like member is formed, along or adjacent two opposite sides with upstanding lugs having aligned apertures through which the mounting bolt extends to hold the closure in position.

4. A lamp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, or in Figures 3 and 4, of the accompanying drawings.