US3178144A - Lantern holder - Google Patents

Description

A ril 13, 1965 J. 5. KIMOTO 3,178,144-

LANTERN HOLDER Filed March 20, 1963 iizaezgfor t/zzn flif'we United States Patent 3,178,144 LANTERN HOLDER John S. Kimotc, 3034 Van Buren St Chicago, Ill. Filed Mar. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 266,626 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-429) The invention relates generally to lamp supporting structures, and more particularly to a holder for lanterns or the like.

The invention has among its objects the production of a lantern holder which is relatively simple in construction and very eflicient in operation, whereby the lantern may be supported from various shaped objects to provide maximum flexibility in use.

Another object of the invention is the production of a lantern holder having novel mounting means whereby the mounting clamp or member may be positioned in any one of a plurality of positions, the lantern supporting structure being etIectively locked to the mounting member to prevent undesired movement of the lantern and permit the supporting member to be readily detached from its mounting member when desired.

A further object of the invention is the production of such holder which is provided with simple locking means effective to lock the lantern supporting member in any one of its several positions, at the same time permitting quick release thereof when desired and constructed to prevent the loss of any of the operating parts of the structure.

Many other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a holder embodying the present invention, illustrating a lantern carried therey;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting member illustrated in FIG. 1 but on an enlarged scale to show the details thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a changed position of the lantern supporting member with respect to its mounting member.

The invention generally contemplates the production of a lantern holder having a member adapted to engage a portion of a lantern and support the latter in operative position, the lantern supporting member being cooperable with a mounting member, illustrated as constructed in the form of a C-clamp, engageable with the supporting member to support the same in any one of several positions with respect to the mounting member, whereby the latter may be mounted in any one of a plurality of po sitions as may be determined by the object to which it is to be attached. The mounting member is also provided with means for preventing undesired relative movement between the lantern supporting member and the mounting member as well as locking means for preventing undesired disengagement of the lantern supporting member with respect to the mounting member.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 indicates generally a lantern supporting member which is of generally L-shape, having a relatively short portion or leg 2 and a relatively long portion or leg 3, the free end of the latter leg being adapted to be supported by a mounting member indicated generally by the numeral 4 which may be suitably secured to the object from which the structure is to be supported.

The leg 2 of the member 1 is suitably constructed to receive and support alantern 5, which is illustrated as being supported by the bail 6 thereof hung up on the leg 2. The latter preferably is provided with one or 3,178,144 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 more bends 7 therein adapted to receive the bail 6 and prevent longitudinal movement of the bail along the leg 2.

In some cases, it may be desirable to provide additional means for holding the lantern in operative position, such means being illustrated in FIG. 1 and comprising a bracket member 8 slidably mounted on the leg 3 of the supporting member and adapted to be locked thereto by suitable means such as a thumb or wing screw 9, the bracket having anarm 11 extending laterally outward therefrom, terminating at its free end in opposed lantern engaging portions 12 between which the body of the lantern may be disposed. To facilitate proper adjustment of thearm 11, it may be slidably mounted in a socket 13 rigidly carried by the bracket 8 and locked thereto .by a thumb screw 14.

Likewise, if desired, the leg 3 may also be employed for supporting asuitable reflector structure 15, illustrated as being provided with two pairs ofclamping legs 16 adapted to receive the adjacent portions of the leg 3 therebetween and frictionally retain the reflector in operative position.

The mounting member 4, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, is generally C-shaped, having a pair of oppositely disposedportions 17 and 18 connected adjacent corresponding ends by anintermediate portion 19. Threaded into theportion 17 is aclamping screw 21 having an object engaging washer ordisc 22 mounted on its free threaded end in opposition to theportion 18, whereby the mounting member may be disposed on an object, with the latter extending between theportion 18 and theclamping disc 22, and by turning thescrew 21 the member 4 may be rigidly clamped to the supporting object.

The member 4 is provided with twosockets 23 and 24, constructed in the form of tubular members, which are suitably rigidly secured to the mounting member 4, as for example, by welding or the like, themember 23 being mounted on the outer face of theintermediate portion 19 and thesocket 24 being mounted on the upper or outer face of theportion 18.

Eachsocket 23 and 24 is constructed with an inner diameter which is slightly larger than the external diameter of the leg 3 of the supporting member 1, whereby the latter may be freely but snugly received in either of the sockets, and it will be noted that, in the construction illustrated, the upper end of thesocket 23 extends to approximately the plane of the top face of theportion 18, while the adjacent end of thesocket 24 extends to approximately the plane of the outer face of theintermediate portion 19.

To limit the insertion of the supporting member 1 into thesockets 23 or 24, the leg 3 may be provided with suitable means such as a transversely extendinglocking projection 25 illustrated as being in the form of a pin and adapted to engage the adjacent end portion of the socket involved and to prevent relative rotation of the leg 3 of the supporting member with respect to the mounting member 4, the adjacent ends of the sockets may be provided withnotches 26 suitably disposed to receive thepin 25 and thus limit rotative movement of the supporting member.

Also cooperable with thepin 25 islocking member 27 illustrated as being constructed as being in the form of a pin or rod having an external diameter substantially the same as that of the supporting member 1 and adapted to be inserted in the socket which is not being employed to secure the supporting member 1 to the mounting member 4. Thus in the construction illustrated in FIG. 2, the leg 3 of the supporting member is disposed in thesocket 23 and themember 27 is disposed in thesocket 24. It will be apparent that when themember 27 is disposed as illustrated, it overlies the adjacent portion of thepin 25 and thereby prevents movement of the leg 3 in a direction to Withdraw it from thesocket 23, providing a very simple yet highly efiicient lock between the support ing member 1 and the mounting member 4. To prevent loss of themember 27 it may be permanently connected with the mounting member 4 by suitable means such as achain 28 having one end suitably fastened to aneye 29 rigidly mounted on the mounting member 4, and the opposite end secured to themember 27 by means of a ring 3-1 extending through a suitable transversely extending bore in the adjacent end of the member. As illustrated, thering 31 may be of a size to form a limiting stop or member engageable with the leg 3 or the socket to limit the insertion of the member '27 in either of the sockets.

FIG. '3 illustrates the use of thesocket 24 for supporting the member 1, thepin 25, being disposed in thenotches 26 in thesocket 24 and thelock member 27 being disposed in thesocket 23. In such position themember 27 again is engageable with the pin to restrict withdrawal movement of the leg 3 from thesocket 24, thereby insuring retention of the parts in operative position. As illustrated in FIG. 3, in the event the supporting member 1 is to extend in a horizontal position, the leg 3 thereof may be provided adjacent the leg 2 with abend 32 therein adapted to receive the bail 6 of the lantern as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3, thereby preventing shifting of the bail along the leg 3 of the supporting member when the latter is in such horizontal position.

In use, the mounting member 4 is attached to the object which is to be employed to support the structure, the member 4 being oriented to dispose the mounting member 1 in the desired position for suitably supporting the lantern when the member 1 is inserted in one of thesockets 23 or 24. It will be apparent that the provision of the two socketsenables the mounting member 1 to be disposed either horizontally or vertically irrespective of whether theintermediate portion 19 of the mounting member extends vertically or horizontally when attached to the supporting object, and thepin 25 permits the leg portion 2 to be disposed in either of two positions one hundred and eighty degrees apart to dispose the lantern in a desired position relative to the mounting member 4.

It will also be noted that while thelock member 27 effectively locks the supporting member 1 to the mounting member 4, the latter may be readily disconnected from the mounting member by pulling out themember 27 and withdrawing the leg 3 from its associated socket.

It will also be appreciated that while I have illustrated the use of a clamping mechanism, the holder may be suitably constructed for cooperation with any particular type of supporting object and any suitable means to achieve the desired results may therefore be substituted for the clamping structure illustrated.

It will also be noted that due to the construction of the bracket 8 and associated structure, in the event it is not possible to dispose the supporting member 1 With the leg 3 thereof extending vertically as illustrated, in the event the leg 3 is inclined with respect to the vertical, by suitable adjustment of thearm 11 with respect to the bracket 8 and of the latter with respect to the leg 3-, the lantern may be effectively supported in a vertical position within the limits of adjustment of the bracket 8.

It will be appreciated from the above description that I have provided a novel holder, particularly designed for lanterns or the like but which may accommodate other objects, which is exceedingly simple in construction yet highly efiicient in operation, providing a novel locking structure for retaining the parts in operative position and providing a wide degree of flexibility in the disposition of the mounting member on a supporting object.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lantern holder, the combination of a generally L-shaped lantern supporting member including a relatively short lantern engageable leg and a relatively longer supporting leg, a C-shaped mounting member comprising oppositely disposed portions and an intermediate portion, one of said oppositely disposed portions including clamping means thereon for securing the G-shaped mounting member to a supporting object, said C-shaped mounting member including slotted tubular means for receiving and supporting the free end of said relatively longer supporting leg of the lantern supporting member, cooperable locking means for detachably locking said lantenrn supporting member to said C-shaped mounting member to prevent undesired disconnection therebetween, said slotted tubular means adapted for mounting said lantern supporting member in either of two positions which are transverse to one another, said cooperable locking means being constructed to be operatively detachably engaged with the lantern supporting member aifixed to said O- shaped mounting member for locking said lantern supporting member ineither of its positions, said slotted tubular means constructed in the form of two sockets, in either of which the lantern supporting member may be received and supported, said cooperable locking means including a pin of a size to be received and supported in either of said sockets, said cooperable locking means including a locking projection carried by said lantern supporting member and engageable with said pin to restrict disengaging movement of said lantern supporting member relative to said C-shaped mounting member, each of said sockets provided with a notch of a size to receive said locking projection and cooperable therewith to restrict rotation of said lantern supporting member in said socket, said notches being so disposed in the respective sockets that the axis of the locking projection when the lantern supporting member is disposed in one of said sockets with the locking projection in the associated notch, the projection will extend transversely to the axis of the other socket and to the axis of the locking pin disposed therein, and said longer supporting leg of said lantern supporting member operatively mounting an adjustable means adapted for operatively connecting to a lantern for restricting lateral movement of .a lantern supported by the lantern supporting member.

2. In a lantern holder, the combination of a generally L-shaped lantern supporting member including a relatively short lantern engageable leg and a relatively longer supporting leg, a C-shaped mounting member comprising oppositely disposed portions and an intermediate portion, one of said oppositely disposed portions including clamping means thereon for securing the C-shaped mounting member to a supporting object, said C-shaped mounting member including slotted tubular means for receiving and supporting the free end of said relatively longer supporting leg of the lantern supporting member, cooperable locking means for detachably locking said lantern supporting member to said C-shaped mounting member to prevent undesired disconnection therebetween, said slotted tubular means adapted for mounting said lantern supporting member in either of two positions which are transverse to one another, said cooperable locking means being constructed to be operatively detachably engaged with the lantern supporting member atfixed to said G-shaped mounting member for locking said lantern supporting member in either of its positions, said slotted tubular means constructed in the form of two sockets, in either of which the lantern supporting member may be received and supported, said cooperable locking means including a pin of a size to be received and supported in either of said sockets, said cooperable locking means including a locking projection carried by said lantern supporting member and engageable with said pin to restrict disengaging movement of said lantern supporting member relative to said C-shaped mounting member, each of said sockets provided with a notch of a size to receive said locking projection and cooperable therewith to restrict rotation of said lantern supporting member in said socket, said notches being so disposed in the respective sockets that the axis of the locking projection when the lantern supporting member is disposed in one of said sockets with the locking projection in the associated notch, the projection will extend transversely to the axis of the other socket and to the axis of the locking pin disposed therein, and said longer supporting leg of said lantern supporting member operatively mounting reflector means adapted to be disposed in operative relation with respect to said lantern.

3. In a lantern holder, the combination of a generally L-shaped lantern supporting member including a relatively short lantern engageable leg and a relatively longer supporting leg, a C-shaped mounting member comprising oppositely disposed portions and an intermediate portion, one of said oppositely disposed portions including clamping means thereon for securing the C-shaped mounting member to a supporting object, said C-shaped mounting member including slotted tubular means for receiving and supporting the free end of said relatively longer supporting leg of the lantern supporting member, cooperable locking means for detachably locking said lantern supporting member to said G-shaped mounting member to prevent undesired disconnection therebetween, said slotted tubular means adapted for mounting said lantern supporting member in either of two positions which are transverse to one another, said cooperable locking means being constructed to be operatively detachably engaged with the lantern supporting member aflixed to said C-shaped mounting member for locking said lantern supporting member in either of its positions, said slotted tubular means constructed in the form of two sockets. in either of which the lantern supporting member may be received and supported, said cooperable locking means including a pin of a size to be received and supported in either of said sockets, said cooperable locking means including a locking projection carried by said lantern supporting member and engageable with said pin to restrict disengaging movement of said lantern supporting member relative to said C-shaped mounting member, each of said sockets provided With a notch of a size to receive said locking projection and cooperable therewith to restrict rotation of said lantern supporting member in said socket, said notches being so disposed in the respective sockets that the axis of the locking projection when the lantern supporting member is disposed in one of said sockets with the locking projection in the associated notch, the projection will extend transversely to the axis of the other socket and to the axis of the locking pin disposed therein, said relatively longer supporting leg including means engageable with the hail of the lantern to be supported when the relatively longer supporting leg of the generally L- shaped lantern supporting member extends in a generally horizontal position, and said means engageable with the hail of the lantern contiguous to the relatively short lantern engageable leg, whereby said generally L-shaped lantern supporting member is adapted for supporting a lantern therefrom in the vertical or horizontal position of said relatively longer supporting member upon being operatively positioned in the respective vertical socket or horizontal socket.

4. As an article of manufacture, a lantern holder comprising a generally L-shaped lantern supporting member including a relatively short lantern engageable leg and a relatively longer supporting leg, a mounting member comprising oppositely disposed portions and an intermediate portion including clamping means thereon for securing the mounting member to a supporting object, said mounting member including slotted tubular means for receiving and supporting the free end of said relatively longer supporting leg of the generally L-shaped lantern supporting member, cooperable locking means complementally formed to said slotted tubular means for detachably locking said relatively longer supporting leg of the generally L-shaped lantern supporting member to said mounting member to prevent undesired disconnection therebetween, said mounting member being generally C- shaped and one of said oppositely disposed portions provided with a cooperable clamping screw whereby said mounting member may be clamped between the other of said oppositely disposed portions of said mounting member and said clamping screw, said slotted tubular means adapted for mounting said generally L-shaped lantern supporting member in either of two positions which are transverse to one another, said cooperatable locking means complementally formed to said slotted tubular means including pin means complementally formed to said slotted tubular means providing locking means constructed to be operatively detachably engaged with the slotted tubular means on said mounting member for locking said generally L-shaped lantern supporting member in either of its positions, said relatively longer supponting leg including means engageable with the bail of the lantern to be supported when the relatively longer supporting leg of the generally L-shaped lantern supporting member extends in a generally horizontal position, and said means engageable with the hail of the lantern contiguous to the relatively short lantern engageable leg, whereby said generally L-shaped lantern supporting memher is adapted for supporting a lantern therefrom in the vertical or horizontal position of said relatively longer supporting member upon being operatively positioned in the respective slotted tubular means for mounting said generally L-shaped lantern supporting member in either of two positions which are transverse to one another.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 454,553 6/91 Whitten 248207 X 1,110,190 9/14 Dodge 248-ll7.7 1,634,162 6/27 Tesk 248289 X 2,269,790 1/42 Sherrill 248229 X 3,087,625 4/63 *Coon 2ll103 3,096,961 7/63 Powell 248229 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A LANTERN HOLDER, THE COMBINATION OF A GENERALLY L-SHAPED LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER INCLUDING A RELATIVELY SHORT LANTERN ENGAGEABLE LEG AND A RELATIVELY LONGER SUPPORTING LEG, A C-SHAPED MOUNTING MEMBER COMPRISING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED PORTIONS AND AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION, ONE OF SAID OPPOSITELY DISPOSED PORTIONS INCLUDING CLAMPING MEANS THEREON FOR SECURING THE C-SHAPED MOUNTING MEMBER TO A SUPPORTING OBJECT, SAID C-SHAPED MOUNTING MEMBER INCLUDING SLOTTED TUBULAR MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING THE FREE END OF SAID RELATIVELY LONGER SUPPORTING LEG OF THE LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER, COOPERABLE LOCKING MEANS FOR DETACHABLY LOCKING SAID LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER TO SAID C-SHAPED MOUNTING MEMBER TO PREVENT UNDESIRED DISCONNECTION THEREBETWEEN, SAID SLOTTED TUBULAR MEANS ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING SAIS LANTERN SUP PORTING MEMBER IN EITHER OF TWO POSITIONS WHICH ARE TRANSVERSE TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID COOPERABLE LOCKING MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED TO BE OPERATIVELY DETACHABLY ENGAGED WITH THE LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER AFFIXED TO SAID CSHAPED MOUNTING MEMBER FOR LOCKING SAID LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER IN EITHER OF ITS POSITIONS, SAID SLOTTED TUBULAR MEANS CONSTRUCTED IN THE FORM OF TWO SOCKETS, IN EITHER OF WHICH THE LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER MAY BE RECEIVED AND SUPPORTED, SAID COOPERABLE LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING A PIN OF A SIZE TO BE RECEIVED AND SUPPORTING IN EITHER OF SAID SOCKETS, SAID COOPERABLE LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING A LOCKING PROJECTION CARRIED BY SAID LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PIN TO RESTRICT DISENGAGEABLE MOVEMENT OF SAID LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER RELATIVE TO SAID C-SHAPED MOUNTING MEMEBER, EACH OF SAID SOCKETS PROVIDED WITH A NOTCH OF A SIZE TO RECEIVE SAID LOCKING PROJECTION AND COOPERABLE THEREWITH TO RESTRICT ROTATION OF SAID LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER IN SAID SOCKET, SAID NOTCHES BEING SO DISPOSED IN THE RESPECTIVE SOCKETS THAT THE AXIS OF THE LOCKING PROJECTION WHEN THE LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER IS DISPOSED IN ONE OF SAID SOCKETS WITH THE LOCKING PROJECTION IN THE ASSOCIATED NOTCH, THE PROJECTION WILL EXTEND TRANSVERSELY TO THE AXIS OF THE OTHER SOCKET AND TO THE AXIS OF THE LOCKING PIN DISPOSED THEREIN, AND SAID LONGER SUPPORTING LEG OF SAID LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER OPERATIVELY MOUNTING AN ADJUSTABLE MEANS ADAPTED FOR OPERATIVELY CONNECTING TO A LANTERN FOR RESTRICTING LATERAL MOVEMENT OF A LANTERN SUPPORTED BY THE LANTERN SUPPORTING MEMBER.

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