US2291777A - Lamp mount - Google Patents

Description

1942- N. E. WAHLBERG 2,291,777

LAMP MOUNT Filed Nov. 9, 1940 INVENTOR.

lV/L 3 [Q/ WAHZBf/Q 6' BY Q ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 4, 1942 LAMP MOUNT Nils Erik Wahlberg, Kenosha, Wis., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Kenosha, W1s., a

corporation of Maryland Application November 9, 1940, Serial No. 364,961

Claims.

This invention relates to lamp mounts and has particular reference to means for mounting an electric lamp bulb on a vehicle in such a position that the bulb will illuminate the license plate of the vehicle and at the same time illuminate a name plate or insignia on the vehicle.

It is an object of this invention to provide lamp mounting means which will illuminate the rear license plate by direct illumination and illuminate aname plate by indirect illumination.

It is another object of this invention to provide a lamp mount in which a transparent name plate will be illuminated by light transmitted through the plate.

It is another object of this invention to provide a lamp mount in which light from a single bulb will be directed against a license plate and will also be transmitted edgewise through a plate of transparent material.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims and the attached drawing, of which there is one sheet, and in which Figure 1 represents an elevation of the lamp mount;

Figure 2 represents a vertical longitudinal section through the rear deck of an automobile showing the lamp mount and license plate in position; and

Figure 3 represents a section taken along a plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

The lamp mount consists of a base l6 which is conveniently formed by die casting and is shaped to have a periphery which will seat against the contour of the rear deck I2. The base [0 is provided with a flat face l4 which terminates in a V-shaped shoulder I6. The face l4 defines an aperture [8 through which the wire is passed for supplying current to an electric lamp bulb 22.

A generally triangular shaped base plate 24 is positioned on the flat face l4 and carries the cylindrical socket member 26 which is secured to the base plate by bending the flanges 28 around the edges of an aperture in the base plate. Paper gaskets 29 are positioned on each side of the base plate. A spring clip 30 is attached to the base plate in such a fashion as to engage the base l6 to ground the socket 26 to the base. Positioned within the socket 26 is a coil spring 32 which urges an insulating washer 34 outwardly of the socket. The washer 34 carries the contact tip 36 of the wire 20 to engage the center or live contact of the lamp bulb 22. The socket 26 is provided with the familiar type of notch 38 for receiving the bayonet pin of the lamp bulb base to secure the lamp bulb in the socket.

A name plate 46 having a lower triangular shaped portion is positioned against the base plate 24 and secured to the base Iii-by means of screws 42 which are counter sunk in the plate 46 and passed through the base plate 24 to holes tapped in the flat face of the base Ill. The lower triangular portion of the plate 46 defines a'conical aperture 44 which is aligned with the socket 26 and through which the socket extends. 'Attention is called to the fact that the aperture 44 widens away from the lamp bulb 22 so that light rays entering the flat face-of the plate 46 from the bulb 22 will strike the beveled surface of the aperture within the plate 40 and be refracted outwardly toward the edges of the plate. The plate 46 is made of a transparent plastic material and is highly polished on all surfaces and edges including the beveled surface of the hole 44. The material of the plate is characterized by the fact that it offers little resistance to light directed normally against one ofits surfaces but has high resistance to light striking a surface obliquely. Thus it will transmit light edgewise of the plate without much dissipation unless interrupted by another surface. The commercial product known as Lucite has these properties.

Positioned against the name plate 46 on the opposite side thereof from the base I0 is a thimble shaped reflector 46 which is provided with the flange 48 around the base thereof. Positioned within the reflector-46 is a frosted glass dome 50 which is drawn down against a cork gasket 52 by the reflector 46. The reflector is secured to the lamp base [6 by means of screws 54 passed through the flange 48, the name plate 46 and base plate 24 to holes tapped in the case Ill. The reflector 46 is provided with a slot 56 along the upper surface thereof just over the lamp bulb 22 so that some of the light rays from the bulb will be directed upwardly against the license plate 58 which is secured in a bracket 60 fastened to the back of the deck l2 by means of the cap screws 62. The base I6 is secured to the rear deck I2 by means of cap screws 64 threaded into bosses formed on the inner surface of the base Ill. The thickness of the name plate is such that its outer surface presented to the rear of the car will be flush with the outer edge of the shoulder l6. The shoulder I6 is notched at 65 at the bottom of the V formed by the shoulder so that water entering between the name plate and shoulder will be drained off. The flange 48 of the reflector rests against the outer edge of the shoulder l6 and the outer surface of the name plate 40. The underside of the reflector 46 is provided with a drain hole 61.

The surface of the name plate 40 next to the deck l2 and above the base I!) is out out or deeply etched as at 66 to form any desired name or insignia and the surfaces of the cut away portion thus formed are painted while the remainder of the plate 40 is left clear and is highly polished.

In operation, light rays from the bulb 22 will be directed through the slot .56 against the license plate 58 while other rays from the bulb will pass backwardly through the flat face of the plate 40 where they will strike the beveled surface 44 within the plate and be refracted through the plate as has been explained above. This will cause the plate to appear as a luminous member with the light interrupted by the painted letters 66. As a result, the name out in the plate will stand out clearly. Attention is also called to the fact that when the deck [2 is raised to gain access to the rear compartment of the vehicle, the edge of the plate 40 will be presented to the rear of the vehicle and will form a luminous line which will serve to indicate the position of the vehicle to oncoming traflic.

While I have described my invention in some detail, I intend this description to be an example only and not as a limitation of my invention, to which I make the following claims:

1. In combination with an automobile having a license plate mounted thereon, a base mounted on said automobile, a plate of transparent material mounted on said base and defining an aperture having a truncated conical surface, insignia on said plate, a lamp socket secured to said base and extending through said aperture, a lamp bulb in said socket and spaced from the face of said transparent plate adjacent to the smaller end of said aperture, and a reflector positioned around said bulb and socket and abutting against said plate around said aperture, said reflector defining an aperture through which light from said bulb is directed against said license plate.

2. In combination with an automobile, a base having a lamp bulb extending therefrom, a reflector positioned around said lamp bulb and secured to said base, and a plate of transparent material having insignia formed thereon positioned between said reflector and said base and extending beyond the edges thereof, said transparent plate defining a beveled surface on the opposite side of said plate from said bulb.

3. In combination with an automoble, a base having a lamp bulb extending therefrom, a reflector positioned around said lamp bulb and secured to said base, and a plate of transparent material positioned between said reflector and said base and extending beyond the edges thereof, said plate having insignia cut in one surface thereof, said transparent plate being offset from said bulb and having a beveled surface on the opposite side of said plate from said bulb.

4. In combination with an automobile, a base secured to said automobile, a lamp socket extending from said base, a plate of transparent plastic material having insignia formed thereon positioned against said base and around said lamp socket, said plate defining an aperture having a truncated conical surface surrounding said socket, a lamp bulb in said socket remote from the face of said plate forming the smaller end of said conical aperture, a glass dome positioned around said lamp bulb and socket, a deformable gasket positioned between the end of said dome and said plate, and a dome-shaped reflector positioned around said glass dome and secured to said base, said reflector being arranged to clamp said glass dome against said gasket.

5. An automotive signal light comprising a base, a socket extending to the rear of said base, a plate of transparent plastic material having insignia formed thereon and defining a forwardly opening, beveled aperture positioned against said base with said aperture positioned around said socket, a lamp positioned in said socket to the rearof saidplate, a transparent dome positioned over said lamp and said socket, and a reflector positioned over said dome and secured to said base, said-reflector being arranged to seal said dome against said plate and to secure said plate to said base, said reflector defining an aperture adjacent to said lamp and a drain aperture at the lower portion thereof.

NILS ERIK WAI-ILBERG.

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