A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLIANCE OR SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR MAKING AND BREAKING ELECTRIC CONTACT
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Torr Todman of Dorking in the County of
Surrey for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLIANCE
OR SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR
MAKING AND BREAKING ELECTRIC CONTACT "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Torr Todman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th February 1883.
JOSEPH TORR TODMAN of Dorking in the County of Surrey "A NEW OR
IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLIANCE OR SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS AND OTHER
ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR MAKING AND BREAKING ELECTRIC CONTACT
"
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective apparatus,
appliance or switch for making and breaking electric contact and which is
particularly applicable to the incandescent lamps which are fitted to pendants such
as those now used as ordinary gas fittings
I form a plug of non-conducting material say of ebonite having a handle on the
top similar to an ordinary stop cock: near the upper part of this plug a piece of
metal for example a brass pin, is passed through and projects a short distance on
either side. The plug is fitted into an ebonite or other non-conducting casing
having a binding screw on each side and from these two binding screws two pieces
of brass or conducting material pass in opposite directions say one quarter the
distance round the casing and are then each bent inwards at their ends, slots being
cut on opposite sides of the casing for this purpose so that when the plug is turned
a sufficient distance round the projecting ends of the brass pin will press against
the bent in ends of the two pieces of brass so completing the circuit and by turning
the plug in the reverse direction the circuit is broken.
The plug is fastened into the casing in any ordinary or well known manner;
for example the plug may fit into a recess in the upper part of the casing and a
screw may be passed upwards into the lower part of the plug allowing it to turn
but at the same time holding it down firmly to its seating."

page_text: This system of switch might be modified in several details of construction; for
example the ends of the brass pin passing and projecting through the plug might
run or travel on the top of a wood disc fitted on to the surface of which are two
pieces of brass which may for example be wedge shape so that on turning the
plug the pins on reaching the brass contact pieces will complete the circuit, and on
turning the reverse way will break the circuit, other modifications might be made
in the construction and manufacture of the switch without departing from this
invention of making and breaking electrical contact.
The end of the ebonite case which contains the plug is made of such a form as
will enable it to take the place of the ordinary stop cock on a gas pendant, a screw
thread being cut on the end and a small nut clamps it in position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Torr Todinan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th August 1883.
JOSEPH TORR TODMAN of Dorking in the County of Surrey "A NEW OR
IMPROVED APPARATUS, APPLIANCE OR SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS AND OTHER
ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR MAKING AND BREAKING ELECTRIC CONTACT"
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective apparatus
appliance or switch for making and breaking electric contact and which is
particularly applicable to the incandescent lamps which are fitted to pendants such
as those now used as ordinary gas fittings.
I form a plug of nonconducting material say of ebonite having a handle on the
top similar to an ordinary stop cock; near the upper part of this plug a piece of
metal for example a brass pin, is passed through and projects a short distance on
either side. The plug is fitted into an ebonite or other nonconducting casing
having a binding screw on each side and from these two binding screws two pieces
of brass or conducting material pass in opposite directions say one quarter the
distance round the casing and are then each bent inwards at their ends, slots being
cut on opposite sides of the casing for this purpose so that when the plug is turned
a sufficient distance round the projecting ends of the brass pin will press against
the bent-in ends of the two pieces of brass so completing the circuit and by turning
the plug in the reverse direction the current is broken.
The plug is fastened into the casing in any ordinary or well known manner;
for example the plug may fit into a recess in the upper part of the casing and a
screw may be passed upwards into the lower part of the plug allowing it to turn
but at the same time holding it down firmly to its seating.
This system of switch might be modified in several details of construction; for
example the ends of the brass pin passing and projecting through the plug might
run or travel on the top of a wood-disc fitted on to the surface of which are two
pieces of brass which may for example be wedge shaped so that on turning the plug
the pins on reaching the brass contact pieces will complete the circuit, and on
turning the reverse way will break the circuit, other modifications might be made
in the construction and manufacture of the switch without departing from this
Invention of making and breaking electrical contact.
The end of the ebonite case which contains the plug is made of such a form as
will enable it to take the place of the ordinary stop cock on a gas pendant, a
screw thread being cut on the end and a small nut clamps it in position.
And in order that my invention may be more clearly understood I will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of switch constructed according to my
invention Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line A B of Figure 1 and Figure 3
is a part longitudinal section of same.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a modified form of the switch shewn at Figure 1,
Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line C D of Figure 4 and Figure 6 is a
vertical longitudinal section of same; Figure 7 shows the switch as fitted into an
ordinary gas fitting. These Figures are drawn on a somewhat larger scale than as
as a rule these switches would be made, in order to show the parts clearly.
Figure 8 is a horizontal and Figure 9 a longitudinal view partly in section of
another form of single switch.
Figure 10 shows in side elevation a modified form of the switch as arranged for
shunting or switching the current into different branches Figure 11 is a horizontal

page_text: section of same on line E F of Figure 10 and Figure 12 is an inverted plan of
same with the bottom cover removed.
Similar letters of reference refer to like or corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
a in Figures 1 to 3 is the plug; a' is the casing, 6 handle to plug; c care the
binding screws; ee are the pieces of brass or conducting material of a spring like
nature passing in opposite directions from the binding screws c, c, as best seen at
Figure 2. d is the brass pin or connecting piece secured to the plug a which is
operated by the handle b to bring the ends of the piece D in-contact with and
away from the brass pieces e, e as may be required for making and breaking contact,
i is a screw passing through the casing a¹ for connecting the plug a with the
casing a¹ and handle b and in which the plug a and piece d turn. The casing
prolongation as is screw threaded as shown to carry a screw cap g at the end of
plug to cover the end of aperture in which the screw i is inserted and to secure
the appliance in position.
At Figures 4, 5 and 6 I have shown the brass pins or connecting pieces d of
different shape to that before given here they are made of curved form and as best
seen at Figure 5 and form springs which make contact with the inner end e of the
binding screws c. The action and mode of operation in both cases are alike and
the whole apparatus is fitted together in a similar manner.
The casing prolongation a is made to suit the present gas tap z to which it
may be applied as shown at Figure 7. By turning the handle b. Figures 1 to 3 in
-one direction the brass piece d is brought in contact with the pieces e a to make
contact and by turning the same handle b in the opposite direction the piece d is
removed from the pieces e and the contact is thereby broken, h h are stop pins for
preventing the piece d and consequently the plug a from turning too far.
In the arrangement shown at Figures 45 and 6 by turning the top band
plug a a quarter turn the springs d dare brought in contact with the inner
ends ee of the binding screws c, the current passing from binding screw o
through the spring d round the plug a by the other spring d into the other binding
screw c, h is the stop working in a slot for regulating the distance of the
movement of the handle b.
Figure 8 is a horizontal and Figure 9 a part longitudinal section of another
form of single switch. d is the connecting piece e, e, are the spring like pieces
connected to binding screws c, c, by turning the handle b the piece d is brought
over or from the pieces e e pressing the latter down when brought over same, the
action being similar to that hereafter described with reference to the multiple
switch shown at Figures 10, 11 and 12 other corresponding parts are indicated by
corresponding letters.
When it is required to connect and disconnect the current from a fixed point or
main so as to supply burners in one apartment or several rooms or places I then
adopt the modification or multiple switch which I have shown at Figures 10, 11
and 12
e, e¹, e, e are the spring like pieces operated on as before by the connecting
pieces d d d d³, b, b, b, b, are the handles or knobs fitted to the said connecting
pieces The number of these parts d d &°. with their corresponding contacts e e¹ &°.
would be made to correspond with the number of rooms or places to be supplied
with electricity; h, h, h, h, are the stops as before; c, c², c², c³c are the binding
screws. 2, 23 are the screws or pins in which the pieces d, d', d, d³, turn.
The handles b are all mounted on a common centre piece D which is fixed on a
disc a¹. This latter is made of ebonite or wood or other suitable insulating
material and corresponds to the casing a¹ described with reference to the single
Bwitch in the previous figures. On the disc a² are also mounted the contact
springs e, e', e and e³. In the inverted plan Figure 12 I have shown the copper
or brass bars 8 81, 82, 83 and 8 for connecting up the pins of the binding screws
c, c, c, c, and the pins q, q, q2, 93, which secure the pieces e to the frame these
pins of the binding screws and the pins q, q', q', q³, pass through the frame.

page_text: The connecting up is effected in the following order. Binding screw c by bar 8
and screw t¹ to the centre plate D to which the pieces d, d³, d², d³, are attached
and electrically connected by the pins i, ¹,, Binding screw c¹ by bar 8¹
and pin q to spring piece e. Binding screw o³ by bar 83 and pin q' to piece e¹
Binding screw by bar & and pin q' to piece e³. Binding screw c¹ by bar 8* and
pin q³ to piece e³.
Supposing the handles 6 are numbered as shown 1, 2, 3, 4, then the binding
screws are numbered also as shown with the corresponding numbers and this
would be the case for any number of handles and binding screws. By moving
handle No 1 into the position shown by dotted lines, Figure 11 contact is made
from binding screw c through bar s pin t, contre-plate D connecting piece by
pin spring piece e pin q, bar 8¹ to the binding screw N° 1 corresponding with the
number marked on the handle and so on for all the others
Having now described the nature of the said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim.
First In an apparatus appliance or single switch specially adapted for use
with gas fittings the combination of spring like contact pieces and connecting
pieces & with plug a, and casing a' together with handle b and the arrangements
for bolding the parts together, all substantially as described, and particularly
illustrated with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Second-In an apparatus, appliance or single switch specially adapted for use
with gas fittings the combination of spring like connecting pieces d with contacts e,
plug a and handle b together with the arrangements described for holding the
same together, substantially as described, and illustrated with reference to Figures
4, 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Third: In an apparatus appliance or single switch specially adapted for use
with gas fittings, the combination of flat connecting piece d with spring contact
pieces e plug a and handle b together with the arrangements for holding the same
together substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figures 8 and 9
of the accompanying drawings.
Fourth In an apparatus, appliance or multiple switch the combination of
spring like pieces with connecting pieces, binding screws, pins and bars the whole
combination forming a switching apparatus for several rooms or places all
substantially as hereinbefore described and particularly with reference to Figures
10, 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Joseph Torr Todman have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Sixth-day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
TANDA
MAR
MART