Apparatus for illumination of instrument faces

Claim 2

Means for illuminating an instrument face comprising: a. a transparent light block adapted to be positioned directly behind said face; b. a lamp-receiving recess formed in said block; c. spaced bus conductors carried by said block and having portions thereof extending in exposed relation transversely across said recess; and d. a lamp assembly removably inserted in said recess, said lamp assembly comprising: 1. a lamp holder, 2. an electric lamp carried by said holder, and 3. contact members exposed on the outside of said holder and electrically connected to light-producing means of the lamp, said contact members being resiliently mounted on said holder and including cam surfaces engaging the exposed portions of said conductors upon linear movement of said lamp assembly into said recess to electrically connect and mechanically hold said lamp assembly in said recess.

Claim 3

an electric lamp carried by said holder, and

Claim 4

an electric lamp carried by said holder, and

Claim 5

The illuminating means according to claim 1 wherein: a. said lamp holder includes a cap having a section which projects from the light block when the lamp holder is fully received within said recess, said projecting section being formed so as to permit manual gripping thereof without the use of tools.

Claim 6

an electric lamp carried by said holder at the forward end thereof,

Claim 7

an electric lamp carried by said holder at the forward end thereof,

Claim 8

The illuminating means according to claim 1 wherein: a. said contact members are flexible spring members having rounded end sections and being fixed at said rounded end sections to said lamp holder and extending freely toward the forward end of the lamp holder; b. said recess is cylindrical in shape; c. a groove is defined in the wall surface of the recess extending longitudinally thereof; and d. a spline is formed on said lamp holder for reception in said groove, said spline aligning said spring contact members precisely in position for contact with the bus conductors when the lamp holder is inserted in the recess, said spline further preventing rotation of the lamp holder.

Claim 9

a recess formed in the rearward end of the lamp holder,

Claim 10

a recess formed in the rearward end of the lamp holder,

Claim 11

contact members exposed on the outside of said holder and electrically connected to light-producing means of the lamp, said contact members being resiliently mounted on said holder and including cam surfaces engaging the exposed portions of said conductors upon linear movement of said lamp assembly into said recess to electrically connect and mechanically hold said lamp assembly in said recess.

Claim 12

contact members exposed on the outside of said holder and electrically connected to light-producing means of the lamp, said contact members being resiliently mounted on said holder and including cam surfaces engaging the exposed portions of said conductors upon linear movement of said lamp assembly into said recess to electrically connect and mechanically hold said lamp assembly in said recess.

Claim 13

spring contact members exposed on the outside of said holder and electrically connected to light-producing means of the lamp, said spring contact members being in resilient electrical contact engagement with the exposed portions of the bus conductors for conducting energizing power to the lamp and having their ends extending into the recess in the rearward end of said lamp holder,

Claim 14

spring contact members exposed on the outside of said holder and electrically connected to light-producing means of the lamp, said spring contact members being in resilient electrical contact engagement with the exposed portions of the bus conductors for conducting energizing power to the lamp and having their ends extending into the recess in the rearward end of said lamp holder,

Claim 15

The illuminating means according to claim 1 wherein: a. said lamp holder has a forward end and a rearward end with the forward end being adapted to be inserted into said recess first; b. each of said contact members includes: 1.a first section diverging outwardly from said lamp holder as measured along said holder in a direction extending from said forward end toward said rearward end, 2.a second section converging inwardly toward said holder as measured along said direction, said second section being connected to said first section and forming a continuatIon thereof extending toward the rear end of said holder, and 3.a rounded end section located at the rearward end of the holder and forming a continuation of said second section at least one of said sections forming said cam surfaces; and c. the exposed portion of each of said bus conductors being positioned within said recess in the path of movement of said contact members as the holder is inserted into said recess for riding along said first and second sections thereof and into seated relation at the juncture of the second section and the rounded end section.

Claim 16

Means for illuminating an instrument face comprising: a. a transparent light block adapted to be positioned directly behind said face; b. a lamp receiving recess formed in said block; c. spaced bus conductors carried by said block and having portions thereof exposed within said recess; and d. a lamp assembly removably inserted in said recess, said lamp assembly comprising:

Claim 17

Means for illuminating an instrument face comprising: a. a transparent light block adapted to be positioned directly behind said face; b. a lamp receiving recess formed in said block; c. spaced bus conductors carried by said block and having portions thereof exposed within said recess; and d. a lamp assembly removably inserted in said recess, said lamp assembly comprising:

Claim 18

wire leads extending from said lamp into the recess in the rearward end of the lamp holder and into contact with the spring contact members in said recess, and

Claim 19

wire leads extending from said lamp into the recess in the rearward end of the lamp holder and into contact with the spring contact members in said recess, and

Claim 20

a cap having a first section force fitted in the recess at the rearward end of the lamp holder against said wire leads and contact ends to hold them securely in place, and a second section projecting from the light block when the lamp holder is fully received within the lamp receiving recess formed in said block, said second section being formed so as to permit manual gripping thereof.

Claim 21

a cap having a first section force fitted in the recess at the rearward end of the lamp holder against said wire leads and contact ends to hold them securely in place, and a second section projecting from the light block when the lamp holder is fully received within the lamp receiving recess formed in said block, said second section being formed so as to permit manual gripping thereof.