# Vintage Flashlight Info?



## beantown (Nov 5, 2005)

Hi!

We are trying to find information on a vintage flashlight. Pictures are up at:

http://www.BeantownTradingPost.com/lantern/

Most recently it came from a restaurant with a railroad theme, so we thought it was a railroad lantern. But all the railroad folks say it isn't. And although it is painted a bluish-gray, it doesn't appear to be Navy as it isn't waterproof. That's about all we've been able to rule out.

The body is made of stamped sheet metal. It has two lights -- a large, white flood in the front, and a smaller light in the back that has red, blue, and amber filters that can be switched by sliding a lever underneath. There are separate power switches on the side for each light.

It is powered by what appears to be two lead-acid battery cells -- there is a fill-hole plug/gas release on each cell, and the top of the flashlight has a flip cover that appears to be designed to allow gas to escape while keeping incidental water out.

There are some numbers on the batteries themselves -- serial and model numbers apparently, but nothing that would indicate a manufacturer. And there is no company name or other markings anywhere on the flashlight. So we are at a complete loss here.

Any ideas on what it might have been used for?

---Lawrence


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## snakebite (Nov 5, 2005)

looks neat.
the batts are likely wet nicads.they are rechargeable.
try about 3v at 1/2 amp for 24 hours
make sure the plates are submerged and if not top up with distilled water.
could be lead acid but lok more like the wet nicads i get from mil surp dealers.
some sort of railroad lamp is what comes to mind here too.
its not a navy battle lantern as i have one.
pull the main bulb and post the voltage to be sure.
nicad=1.2v per cell
lead=2v per cell


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## greenLED (Nov 5, 2005)

mining lamp of some sort?


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## yuandrew (Nov 6, 2005)

A little off this topic but I've posted this in another thread before. 

I found this light in a box of items my aunt left behind when she moved back to Hong Kong. I nicknamed it the "air raid siren" light as it has a motor driven siren on the back.

It uses two AAs and a screwbased bulb in a very shallow reflector. There is no lens on the front.

I plan to mod it with LEDS some day but for right now, it sort of acts as a "drawer queen" but it does get used if I can't find any other light. The output is very dim anyway. The only bad part I have is how the switch was designed, it is very easy to activate the siren part (which is extreamly loud) while you are turning off the light part since the off position is in the middle. Forward for light and Backwards for the air raid siren.







I can't find anything like it today, there's not even a manufacture on the light. The only markings are on the siren and it says "U.K. Design NO: 1021347" (probably a United Kingdom patent number) and "Made in Hong Kong"


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## AW (Nov 6, 2005)

Interesting vintage flashlight info available here :


http://www.geocities.com/~stuarts1031/flashlight.html


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## Flash_Gordon (Nov 6, 2005)

Hi Lawrence-

Welcome To CPF!

Very interesting lantern. It would be very rare to stump this forum with any type of flashlight or battery powered lantern.

I am not posting because I have the answer. Being both a flashaholic and a railfan I am doubly curious and stumped. I have sifted through many railroadiana references and can't find a light like this.

I would not be too quick to rule out some type of railroad use. True, it is not a railroad lantern in the traditional sense of a conductor's or brakeman's lantern. These are vertically oriented with a bail type handle on the top. They are often used in a swinging movement.

I think this might be some type of railroad work or maintenance lantern. One possible clue is the colored lenses. Red amber and blue are all colors commonly used. The blue lens is especially interesting because this a color used in railroading to mark rolling stock that is undergoing maintenance or has some other reason it can't be moved. Blue is not very common in other uses. You might expect to see green instead.

You might want to post your question and pics here: Trains Forum 

Very good chance that if this thing has ever been near a train, someone there will know what it is and has probably used one.

Mark


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## snakebite (Nov 6, 2005)

i wouldnt rule out marine use.
rail seems more likely though.
did you check the bulb type?
if those are wet nicads i bet they are still good.


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