Bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover

A bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover system is provided including a plurality of cylindrical bulb sockets electrically connected to and spacedly coupled along a wire which is coupleable to a power source. Each socket has an aperture formed in an end thereof opposite the wire for releasably receiving a small bulb therein and illuminating the same. A plurality of bell shaped housings are provided each constructed from a transparent material and having a circular aperture formed in an apex thereof for removably receiving one of the bulb sockets. Finally, mounting mechanisms for precluding the removal of the sockets from the respective housings are included.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover 
and more particularly pertains to improving the aesthetic appearance of 
Christmas lights. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of Christmas tree light shades is known in the prior art. More 
specifically, Christmas tree light shades heretofore devised and utilized 
for the purpose of illuminating the same are known to consist basically of 
familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding 
the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been 
developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,192; U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,833,580; U.S. Pat. Des. No. 272,523; U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,935; 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,915; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,363. 
In this respect, the bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover according to 
the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts 
and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus 
primarily developed for the purpose of improving the aesthetic appearance 
of Christmas lights. 
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a 
new and improved bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover which can be used 
for improving the aesthetic appearance of Christmas lights. In this 
regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
Christmas tree light shades now present in the prior art, the present 
invention provides an improved bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover. As 
such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be 
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved 
bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover which has all the advantages of the 
prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a plurality of 
cylindrical bulb sockets electrically connected to and spacedly coupled 
along a double stranded wire. Such wire is coupleable to a power source 
via plug or the like. Each socket has an aperture formed in an end thereof 
opposite the wire for releasably receiving a small bulb therein and 
illuminating the same. As shown in the Figures, a plurality of bell shaped 
housings are provided. Each housing is constructed from a transparent 
material. In the alternative, the material may be translucent and tinted 
with one of various colors. To define a bell, each housing includes a 
hemispherical upper extent and a generally frusto conical lower extent. A 
lower edge of the lower extent has an arcuate cross-section and an open 
bottom. A circular aperture is formed in an apex of the upper extent of 
the housing for removably receiving one of the bulb sockets. Note FIG. 4. 
A pair of mounting bores are formed on opposite sides of the circular 
aperture. Associated therewith is a plurality of metal retainer clips each 
with a generally planar configuration. As best shown in FIG. 2, each clip 
has a central extent of a first width and outer extents of a second width 
less than the first width. Each metal retainer clip further has at each of 
the ends thereof a perpendicular extension integrally coupled thereto. See 
FIG. 4. By this structure, the extensions of each of the metal retainer 
clips are adapted to be coupled within the bores of an associated one of 
the bell shaped housings. As such, the clip has a bent, arcuate 
orientation and the central extent thereof abuts the socket of the 
corresponding housing thereby precluding the removal thereof. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover which has all the 
advantages of the prior art Christmas tree light shades and none of the 
disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover which is of a durable and 
reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover which is susceptible of a 
low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which 
accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming 
public, thereby making such bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover 
economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover which provides in the 
apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, 
while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally 
associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to improve the aesthetic 
appearance of Christmas lights. 
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover system including a 
plurality of cylindrical bulb sockets electrically connected to and 
spacedly coupled along a wire which is coupleable to a power source. Each 
socket has an aperture formed in an end thereof opposite the wire for 
releasably receiving a small bulb therein and illuminating the same. A 
plurality of bell shaped housings are provided each constructed from a 
transparent material and having a circular aperture formed in an apex 
thereof for removably receiving one of the bulb sockets. Finally, mounting 
mechanisms for precluding the removal of the sockets from the respective 
housings are included. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several 
views of the drawings. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, a 
new and improved bell-shaped Christmas tree light cover embodying the 
principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated 
by the reference numeral 10 will be described. 
The present invention, the new and improved bell-shaped Christmas tree 
light cover, is comprised of a plurality of components. Such components in 
their broadest context include a plurality of bulb sockets with bulbs 
connected thereto, a plurality of bell-shaped housings, and a plurality of 
metal clips. Such components are individually configured and correlated 
with respect to each other so as to attain the desired objective. 
More specifically, it will be noted that the system 10 of the present 
invention includes a plurality of cylindrical bulb sockets 12 electrically 
connected to and spacedly coupled along a double stranded wire 14. Such 
wire is coupleable to a power source via plug or the like. Each socket has 
an unillustrated aperture formed in an end thereof opposite the wire for 
releasably receiving a small bulb therein and illuminating the same. 
As shown in the Figures, a plurality of hollow bell shaped housings 16 are 
provided. In the preferred embodiment, each housing has a height of about 
3 and 5/8 inches and diameter of about 4 and 1/2 inches. Each housing is 
constructed from a transparent material. In the alternative, the material 
may be translucent and tinted with one of various colors. Preferably, the 
entire housing has a constant cross-sectional thickness. To define a bell, 
each housing includes a hemispherical upper extent 18 and a generally 
frusto conical lower extent 20. A lower edge of the lower extent has an 
arcuate cross-section 22 and an open bottom 24. As shown in the Figures, 
the transition between the upper and lower extent constitutes and inwardly 
tapering smooth generally cylindrical surface 26. 
A circular aperture 28 is formed in an apex of the upper extent of the 
housing for removably receiving one of the bulb sockets. Note FIG. 4. A 
pair of mounting bores 29 are formed on opposite sides of the circular 
aperture. 
Associated therewith is a plurality of flexible metal retainer clips 30 
each with a generally planar configuration. As best shown in FIG. 2, each 
clip has a central extent 32 of a first width and outer extents 34 of a 
second width less than the first width. Each metal retainer clip further 
has at each of the ends thereof a perpendicular extension 36 integrally 
coupled thereto. See FIG. 4. 
By this structure, the extensions of each of the metal retainer clips are 
adapted to be coupled within the bores of an associated one of the bell 
shaped housings. To accomplish this, the extensions are preferably 
equipped with a bent portion which precludes the removal thereof from the 
associated bore. As such, the clip has a bent, arcuate orientation in its 
operative mode and the central extent thereof abuts the socket of the 
corresponding housing thereby precluding the removal thereof. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further 
discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.