Combined electric continuity checker and flashlight

Claim 2

Electrical continuity checker for determining the presence or absence of a complete electrical circuit through an electrical device such as a plug-type fuse comprising, in combination, a generally cylindrical housing comprising, in turn, electrically conductive material for containing one or more flashlight-type electrical energy cells serially therewithin, lamp socket means at one end portion of said housing for receiving the base portion of a flashlight lamp and providing electrical connections thereto, device socket means at the other end portion of said casing for receiving the base portion of an electrical device to be checked and providing electrical connecTions thereto and electric circuit means mounted with said housing for placing said lamp and device socket means in series with said energy cells as may be contained within said housing so that such lamp will light only if such device comprises a complete electrical circuit and switch means and electrical parallel connection across said device socket for bypassing such device socket and enabling selective manual lighting of such lamp, said switch means comprising a first contact electrically connected with one terminal of said lamp socket and a second contact electrically connected with said housing, said electric circuit means comprising a spring battery contact connected with said housing for engaging the rearmost casing electrode of such energy cells and conductor means connecting said first switch contact with one terminal of said device socket, the other terminal of said device socket being electrically connected with said housing wherein said lamp socket comprises a dish reflector having a central electrically conductive portion for engagement by said first switch contact provided with an aperture at the base thereof and means adjacent said aperture for engaging the shell terminal of such flashlight lamp to position the globe portion thereof within the reflector generally at the focus thereof and the tip terminal thereof projecting rearwardly for contact with the forwardmost center electrode terminal of such energy cells, said spring contact comprising a conical coil spring having the base thereof engaged with said housing and the apex projecting generally forwardly for urging such cells toward engagement with such lamp and said device socket means comprises an insulator disposed within said housing generally rearwardly of said cell contact spring, and means extending across said housing rearwardly of said device socket spring provided with an aperture in general axial alignment therewith for enabling the base of such device to be inserted therethrough so that the shell terminal thereof is electrically connected with said housing and the base terminal is engaged by said device socket spring, and wherein said one terminal of said device socket comprises a conical device socket coil spring having the base thereof engaged with said insulator and electrically insulated thereby from said housing with the apex thereof projecting generally rearwardly.

Claim 3

Checker defined in claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a rear electrically conductive cap screw threadedly engaged with said housing provided with means for defining internal screw threads extending inwardly of said aperture for threadedly receiving and providing electrical connection to the base shell of such plug-type fuses.

Claim 4

Checker defined in claim 2 further comprising a lens and retaining ring assembly screw threadedly engaged with said housing for retaining said reflector therein, said retaining ring comprising translucent means for conducting a portion of the light produced by such lamp generally transversely outwardly of the beam direction defined by said reflector to enable the visual indication provided thereby to be viewed from widely diverse angular positions.

Claim 5

Checker defined in claim 2 wherein said screw threaded aperture of said rear cap is configured to receive an Edison based plug body and further comprising an adaptor receivable therein having external threads conforming to an Edison base plug body and a recess for receiving a type S plug body, making electrical connections therebetween and provided with a single, inwardly extending, relatively short helically disposed thread portion to mate and engage any of a plurality of diversely pitched threads such as are utilized on such type S fuse plug bodies.

Claim 6

Checker defined in claim 4 yet further comprising an adaptor having a type S plug body and a pair of flexible insulated conductors connected with the respective terminals thereof for checking electrical continuity of devices which are not receivable within the devicE socket.

Claim 7

Instrument for use as a flashlight and as an electrical continuity checker comprising, in combination, a generally cylindrical metallic housing for containing at least one flashlight-type energy cell generally axially therewithin and provided with a generally forwardly directed generally open and unobstructed mouth portion at one end of said housing, a lamp assembly removably disposed within said mouth portion and comprising means for supporting a flashlight lamp with the base thereof projecting generally axially rearwardly for contact between the base terminal of the forwardmost energy cell and comprising, in turn, an inwardly dished reflector having a generally annular rim extending generally co-axially forwardly of the forward edge of said cylindrical housing for projecting the light rays from such lamp generally beamwise from said housing, a generally circular transparent cover extending generally co-axially forwardly across said rim to protect said reflector from dirt and a generally annular translucent light conducting retaining ring screw-threadedly engaged with the forward edge portion of said housing for clamping said cover and reflector rim against said housing forward edge and diffusing a portion of the light from said lamp generally radially of the housing and reflector axis so that visual indication of lighting of such lamp may be readily discerned from widely diverse angular positions and enable easy removal of said lamp assembly for insertion and removal of such energy cells through said mouth portion and electric circuit means for connecting the shell terminal of such lamp base and the casing terminal of the rearmost energy cell with said housing and comprising, in turn, parallel connector switch and socket means connected in series between said casing terminal and said shell terminal for enabling energization of such lamp upon the presence of a complete circuit through either of said switch and socket means, said switch means being manually operable and mounted with said housing at an intermediate side portion thereof and said socket means having an opening directed generally axially rearwardly of the housing for receiving therein the plug portion of an electrical device having a plug body, such as a plug-type fuse, and being provided with means for defining an internal screw thread for threadedly receiving the threaded body of such plug-type fuse, so that the presence of a complete electric circuit through such device will light the lamp and wherein said electric circuit means further comprises a first generally conical coil spring having its base engaging said housing generally medially thereof and its apex extending generally forwardly to engage the casing electrode of the rearmost energy cell, a second generally conical coil spring disposed generally rearwardly of said first spring and electrically insulated therefrom having its apex extending generally rearwardly to define the central contact of said socket means for engaging the base terminal of such device plug body and an electrical conductor connected thereto extending generally forwardly into electrical contact with one terminal of said switch means and with the shell terminal of such flashlight lamp, and wherein the other terminal of such switch is electrically connected with said housing.

Claim 8

Instrument for use as a flashlight and as an electrical continuity checker comprising, in combination, a generally cylindrical metallic housing for containing at least one flashlight-type energy cell generally axially therewithin and provided with a generally forwardly directed generally open and unobstructed mouth portion at one end of said housing, a lamp assembly removably disposed within said mouth portion and comprising means for supporting a flashlight lamp with the base thereof projecting generally axially rearwardly for contact between the base terminal of the forwardmost energy cell and comprising, in turn, an inwardly dished reflector having a generally annular rim extending generally co-axially forwardly of the forward edge of said cylindrical housing for projecting the light rays from such lamp generally beamwise from said housing, a generally circular transparent cover extending generally co-axially forwardly across said rim to protect said reflector from dirt and a generally annular translucent light conducting retaining ring screw-threadedly engaged with the forward edge portion of said housing for clamping said cover and reflector rim against said housing forward edge and diffusing a portion of the light from said lamp generally radially of the housing and reflector axis so that visual indication of lighting of such lamp may be readily discerned from widely diverse angular positions and enable easy removal of said lamp assembly for insertion and removal of such energy cells through said mouth portion and electric circuit means for connecting the shell terminal of such lamp base and the casing terminal of the rearmost energy cell with said housing and comprising, in turn, parallel connector switch and socket means connected in series between said casing terminal and said shell terminal for enabling energization of such lamp upon the presence of a complete circuit through either of said switch and socket means, said switch means being manually operable and mounted with said housing at an intermediate side portion thereof and said socket means having an opening directed generally axially rearwardly of the housing for receiving therein the plug portion of an electrical device having a plug body, such as a plug-type fuse, and being provided with means for defining an internal screw thread for threadedly receiving the threaded body of such plug-type fuse, so that the presence of a complete electric circuit through such device will light the lamp and wherein said electric circuit means further comprises a first generally conical coil spring having its base engaging said housing generally medially thereof and its apex extending generally forwardly to engage the casing electrode of the rearmost energy cell, a second generally conical coil spring disposed generally rearwardly of said first spring and electrically insulated therefrom having its apex extending generally rearwardly to define the central contact of said socket means for engaging the base terminal of such device plug body and an electrical conductor connected thereto extending generally forwardly into electrical contact with one terminal of said switch means and with the shell terminal of such flashlight lamp, and wherein the other terminal of such switch is electrically connected with said housing.