Improvements in Electrical Contacts.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1892-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1893 ·
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Contacts.
CHARLES HENRY SMEETON, HERBERT PAGE Electrical Engineers 63 Queen
Victoria Street E.C. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our object is to make a detachable electrical contact perfectly weather tight, and
to have no metal parts carrying current exposed even when the detachable part, is
taken out, the contacts on the face of the case are forced forward when not carrying.
current and when the detachable part is in its place the contacts are forced back into
electrical contact with the contacts on an insulating plate in the base of the case.
The contact consists of an outer casing of iron or other metal containing two or
more contacts fixed on an insulating plate embedded in the base of the case and on
the face of the case is fixed another insulating plate containing two or more contacts,
not in electrical contact with the contact plates, in the base of the case, on the face
of the case are fixed two slides to carry the detachable part and to hold it firmly
when in its place.
:
The detachable part is a metal case having on the face an insulating plate,
on which are placed two or more metal strips forming electrical contacts when
in use.
This contact is designed for outside lamps and can be used for any electrical
apparata requiring a detachable contact which has to carry a weight.
Dated this 26th dow of Mar 1809
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Contacts.
CHARLES HENRY SMEETON and HERBERT PAGE both of 63 Queen Victoria
Street London in the County of Middlesex Electrical Engineers do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention is to make a detachable electrical contact for fixing and carrying
electrical lamps for shop fronts or any other purposes where it is desirable or.
necessary to have a detachable contact perfectly weather tight free from surface
leakage and to have no metal parts carrying or conducting electrical currents
exposed, either when the detachable part is attached thereto or when it is detached
therefrom.
The contacts on the face of the case to which the detachable part is, by a suit-
able mechanical arrangement easily attached or detached, are forced or pressed
forward by a spring attached to each, when not carrying or conducting electrical
currents so as to effectually break the electrical circuit, and when the detachable
part is attached to the case an arrangement of brass or other electrical conducting
metal, bevelled at and from the point of impact and sloping for a suitable distance
so arranged as to force the contacts back into electrical contact with the contacts
fixed to an insulating plate in the base of the case and connected with the service
wires or mains supplying the electrical current.
The case enclosing the contacts consists of an outer casing of iron or other metal
containing two or more contacts fixed on an insulating plate embedded in the base

page_text: case is fixed another msulating-plate containing
two or more contacts. The latter contacts are so arranged as not to be in elec-
trical contact with the former contacts in the base of the case.
On the face of the base of the case are arranged grooves or slides one on each
side, so arranged as to receive or carry the detachable part which is to be
attached thereto by inserting the tongues or sides thereof into the grooves or
slides on the face of the base of the case and when the same is inserted to become
firmly fixed therein.
The detachable part is a metal case having on the face an insulating plate on
which are placed two brass (or other electrical conducting metal) strips, which
brass or other electrical conducting metal strips, are bevelled at and from the point
of impact and sloping for a suitable distance so as to force the contacts back into
contact with the contacts in the base of the case and thereby effect an electrical
contact when the current is required for use.
This contact is designed and intended for outside or inside lamps for lighting
shop windows or other outside or inside lights and can be used for any electrical
apparatus requiring a detachable contact and is capable of being constructed so
as to carry any weight for such purpose as aforesaid but that the Patent may be
better understood we will by the accompanying drawings proceed more fully to
describe our Patent.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan view and Fig. 2 is a side section of the case or fascia fixture to
which the detachable part is attached or detached.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts whenever they occur.
a. Insulating plate on face of case.
b. b. are the contacts fixed in the insulating plate a on the face of the case.
c. A spring attached to each contact to force or press forward the contacts.
d. Insulating plate on base of case.
e. Contact fixed to insulating plate d.
f. Case with flanges at top and bottom with screw holes to attach case to fascia,
the flanges at the sides are utilised for grooves or slots.
g. Groove or slot for receiving detachable portion.
i. Screw for attaching service wires for main supplying the electrical current
attached to the contact e.
Fig. 3. is a plan view and Fig. 4. is a side section of the detachable part.
h. 'Metal case with tongues or flanges at the sides made to fit in the groove or
slot g..
a: Insulating plate.
6. Brass (or other electrical conducting metal) strips bevelled at the bottom
ends.
c. Screw for attaching wire for conducting the electrical current from 6 to lamp.
d'. Socket and screw to which is attached arm or pipe for carrying lamp. When
the detachable part is detached the spring c. forces or presses the contact 6 forward
and breaks the electrical circuit by detaching 6 from the contact e.
When the lamp is required for use the detachable part is fixed by inserting the
tongues or flanges on in the grooves or slots 9. and when the bottom or bevelled
ends of the contacts reach the contacts b. the bevelled or sloping ends of 61
press back the contacts 6 and when the detachable portion is fixed in its place at
the bottom of the grooves or slots the contacts b are pressed back so as to be in
contact with e. and thus the circuit is completed and when the lamp is detached by
lifting the detachable portion out of the grooves or slots g as soon as the contacts b¹
clear the contacts b. the spring c forces or presses it forward so as to instantly
detach b from e and thus break the circuit and put out the lamp.
The case is impervious to the weather by reason of the construction as described
and a flange is fixed on the top of the case over the tongues or flanges to render
the case water:tight.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A detachable electrical contact by which the electrical current is effectually
cut off without waste the moment the detachment takes place by removal of the
electrical lamp or lamps or other contrivance to which our invention may be
applied where it is desirable or requisite to have a detachable electrical contact.
2. The contact acts as a double break switch without any danger of short
circuit.
3. The case when the detachable portion is detached is from from
FIRTH & Co.,
Solicitors, 77, Chancery Lane, Agents for Smeeton and Page.