Patent GB-766958-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for use in testing and conveying electric lamp bulbs
IPC: H01J9/42
Filed: 1955-02-07
Abstract: 766,958. Testing electric lamps; lampholders. DESHAW, Z., and ISMAY LAMPS, Ltd. Feb. 7, 1955, No. 3573/55. Addition to 744,017. Classes 37 and 38 (1). Relates to apparatus for use in testing and conveying electric lamps in the course of mass production. The conveyer used comprises a series of lamp holders which are pivotally connected in the manner of links to form an endless conveyer and each holder is constructed so as to hold a lamp by frictional grip of its cap portion. Each holder co-operates with link pins comprissing rollers for travel on tracks on either side of the conveyer and electric contacts on each holder ride in contact with electrified rails during travel of the conveyer so that an operator may see whether the lamps are in working order. The conveyer may transport the lamps to a packaging station. In the parent Specification the lamp holder requires structural adaptation to receive an Edison screw lamp instead of a twin end contact lamp. The present Specification provides a lamp holder which may be used without structural modification for both types of lamp. In the link/lamp holder shown a hollow metal body 1, Fig. 1, has wall recesses 3, 4 which register with flanges 9a, 10a of contactcarrying insulating blocks 9, 10, Figs. 3 and 4, extending into the interior of metal body 1 so that as shown in Fig. 6 twin contact fingers 11 of block 9 point upwardly into cylindrical recess 2 of metal body 1 whilst twin contact fingers 12 electrically connected to contact fingers 11 project downwardly so as to ride over electrified rails. The block 10 has a single contact socket 14 extending into the recess 2 and electrically connected to a single contact finger 13 projecting downwardly so as to ride over an electrified or earthed third rail. The contact fingers 11, 12 and 13 are spring-loaded and pivoted. The recess 2 receives an assembly comprising a metal sleeve in halves 15a, 15b, Fig. 5, surrounded by an insulating case 20. The halves 15a, 15b are held together by encircling helical springs 16 and a pin projecting from half 15a enters socket 14 in insulating block 10. The case 20 and metal sleeve 15a, 15b comprise arcuate slots 19, 22 and are firmly retained in recess 2 against an insulating ledge 7, Fig. 1, by strips 2a (see Fig. 2) swung fully into grooves in metal body 1 and into arcuate slots 19, 22. An inserted lamp is frictionally gripped under the pressure exerted on the two-part sleeve by springs 16. In using a twin end contact lamp the radially projecting pins on the lamp cap pass down axial grooves 17 in metal sleeve 15a, 15b and the end contacts on the lamp cap press into engagement with the spring-loaded contact fingers 11. The lamp cap is earthed via contact finger 13 riding along an earthing rail whilst contact fingers 12 ride along twin electrified rails. When an Edison screw lamp is inserted the fingers 11 both engage the single end contact of the lamp cap and for testing this type of lamp one pole of a source of E.M.F. is applied to the twin rails connected in parallel and the other pole is applied to the third rail used for earthing when testing twin end contact lamps. The conveyer may be associated with means for automatically ejecting the lamps after application of packaging sleeves.