On January 10, 1899, American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company obtained U.S. Patent No. 617,592 (filed 12 March 1898) from David Misell, an inventor. This “electric device” designed by Misell was powered by “D” batteries laid front-to-back in a paper tube with the light bulb and a rough brass reflector at the end. Misell, the inventor of the tubular hand-held “electric device” (a.k.a. electric torch or flashlight), assigned his invention over to the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company owned by Conrad Hubert.
Ever Ready ‘Gold Seal’ batteries advert from the early 90′s. “The Heart Of The Machine”