IMPROVE- MENTS IN LAMP SHADES AND REFLECTORS AND ATTACHMENTS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ROBERT BARLOW, of Norfolk House, Albion Road, Dalston in the County of
Middlesex, Patentee do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LAMP SHADES AND REFLECTORS AND ATTACHMENTS FOR THE SAME to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved forms of shades and reflectors for electric and
other lamps and to improved modes of attaching such shades and reflectors; the
object of such improved forins and attachments being to secure a better diffusion of
light and diminished weight in the lamp-fittings.
I carry my invention into effect by constructing my shades and reflectors of
several pieces or sections so arranged that the light is partly reflected direct from
each of such sections, is partly reflected from one to another or others of such
pieces before entering the space to be illuminate 1, and is partly free to issue into
the said space through the interstices between the said sectious. As one example
of this method of construction I may cite the following-I place around the body
of an electric incandescence lamp and at a suitable distance therefrom a shade in
the form of a truncated cone which I will call A. Above A I place another
truncated cone B with its smaller end downwards and opposed to the smaller end
of A and with its surface curved outwards. Above B and vertically over the lamp
I place a ball or cup C. By this arrangement the light of the lamp is reflected
(1) downwards and outwards from the inner surface of A; (2) upwards and
outwards from the outer surface of B and from the lower surface of C; and
(3) downwards and outwards from the outer surface of A. by secondary reflection
from B. This example will serve to illustrate my meaning; but it will be
understood that my method is susceptible of many combinations as regards the
shapes and relative positions of the pieces or sections forming a shade or reflector.
As regards my method of attaching the said pieces or sections to the lamp-holder
and to each other, I employ supports constructed of elastic wire or ribbon, of brass
or other suitable material, arranged in a series of curves, bends, angles and straight
lines, so adjusted that the said bends and angles clip the edges of the said pieces
forming the shades or reflectors, while the curves and straight lines form supports

page_text: for the bodies of the pieces and means of attachment to the lamp-holder. In some
cases I cause the wires holding the several pieces of a shade to be united together
by a pivot so that the said pieces may be drawn or pressed apart and the shade
thus passed into position around a fixed rod pipe or stem. In other cases where
the holder is composed of separate arms I furnish one or more of such arms with a
spring end-piece or end-pieces, or I cause one or more of the arms to move on a pivot
and thus allow of the shade or reflector being removed from the holder at pleasure
The holders herein specified may also be employed to support ordinary globes,
shades and reflectors.

page_text: I ROBERT BARLOW of Norfolk House, Albion Road, Dalston in the County of
Middlesex Patentee do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LAMP SHADES AND REFLECTORS AND IN ATTACHMENTS FOR THE SAME
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improved forms of shades and reflectors for electric and
other lamps and to improved modes of attaching such shades and reflectors; the
object of such improved forms and attachments being to secure a better diffusion of
light and diminished weight in the lamp fittings.
I carry my invention into effect by constructing my shades and reflectors of
several pieces or sections so arranged that the light is partly reflected direct from
each of such sections, is partly reflected from one to another or others of such
sections before entering the space to be illuminated and is partly free to issue into
the said space through the interstices between the said sections. As one example
of this method of construction I may cite the following:-I place around the body
of an electric incandescence lamp and at a suitable distance therefrom a shade in
the form of a truncated cone which I will call A. Above A I place another
truncated cone B with its smaller end downwards and opposed to the smaller end
of A and with its surface curved outwards. Above B and vertically over the lamp
I place a ball or cup C. By this arrangement the light of the lamp is reflected
(1) downward and outward from the inner surface of A; (2) upward and outward
from the outer surface of B and from the lower surface of C; and (3) downward
and outward from the outer surface of A by secondary reflection from B. This
example will serve to illustrate my meaning, but it will be understood that my
method is susceptible of many combinations as regards the shapes and relative
positions of the pieces or sections forming a shade or reflector.
With respect to my method of attaching the said pieces or sections to the lamp-
holder and to each other I employ supports constructed of elastic wire or ribbons
of brass or other suitable material arranged in a series of curves, bends, angles, and
straight lines, so adjusted that the said bends and angles clip the edges of the said
pieces forming the shades or reflectors while the curves and straight lines form
supports for the bodies of the pieces and means of attachment to the lamp-holder.
In some cases I cause the wires holding the several pieces of a shade to be united
by a pivot so that the said pieces may be drawn or pressed apart and the shade
thus pressed into position around a fixed rod pipe or stem. In other cases where
the holder is composed of seperate arms I furnish one or more of such arms with a
spring end-piece or end-pieces or I cause one or more of the arms to move on
a pivot and thus allow of the shade or reflector being removed from the holder at
pleasure.
The holders herein specified may also be employed to support ordinary globes,
shades, and reflectors.
For the purpose of more clearly explaining my invention I refer to the accom-
panying drawing :-
--
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a sectional shade and reflector
adapted for use with an electric glow-lamp; and Figure 2 shows, in plan, the
three supports I employ for holding the sections of such shade and reflector. The
lower section A in Figure 1 is of conical form and is supported by the holder A in
Figure 2. This holder consists of a collar D fitting on the stem of the lamp-stand
and furnished with sockets E E E E in which are placed the extremities of the two

page_text: wires forming the support for the shade. Each of such wires projects in an inclined
direction upward and outward from its sockets until it reaches the periphery of the
circle occupied by the lower edge of the shade. It is then curled at the corners in such
a manner that the central portion F F lies in a plane a little above the said circle
and so forms a firm elastic support for the shade. The central section B in Figure 1
is also of conical form but has a curved surface and is placed in opposition to A.
It is supported by the holder B in Figure 2 which consists of a wire bent so as to
form four upright legs G G G G with two lateral bends in the planes corresponding
with the upper and lower ends of such legs. These lateral bends occupy quadrants
of a circle, the upper circle being of less diameter than the lower, and the upper
quadrants H H being at right angles with the lower I I. The lower quadrants fit
in and are supported by the upper edge of the shade A, and the upper quadrants
fit in and support the lower edge of the shade B. The upper section of the
combined reflector consists of the ball C in Figure 1 which is supported by the
holder C in Figure 2. This holder consists of a wire bent into four quadrants
K K K K with a return end L projecting upward from the centre of the plane of
the four quadrants. The ball C is held aloft on the point of L and the quadrants
K K K K are fixed in the aforesaid quadrants H H of the central holder B.
The broken lines in Figure 1 show in what directions the various rays of light
will be reflected by such a combined shade and reflector.
A holder of the form C may be employed separately for supporting an ordinary
shade over a lamp or candle. In this case the quadrants are uppermost and the
leg L projects downward from the periphery of the quadrants and is fixed in a
socket attached to the stem of the candlestick or lamp.
Figure 3 shows a shade divided into three sections A, B, C, two of which are
fixed at the points D D to one jaw of a spring clip while the third is fixed at the
point E to the other jaw. By pressing the handles F F of the clip the jaws are
opened and the sections A and C separate sufficiently to allow the shade to be
passed into position around the pipe rod or wire carrying the light.
Figure 4 is the representation of a holder for gas globes or other similar shades.
It consists of a light frame of the shape shewn in the drawing, having a radial
arm A pivoted at B, and three catches CCC inclining upward and outward instead
of upward and inward as is customary. The globe is fixed or released by simply
moving the arm A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. Lamp shades and reflectors constructed of sections so arranged as to admit of
inter-reflection and interstitial illumination substantially as specified.
2. Attachments for lamp shades and reflectors constructed of clastic wires or
ribbons and operating by means of pressing against or clipping the edges of the
sections forming the shades and reflectors substantially as specified.
3. Lamp shades and reflectors constructed of sections so arranged and attached
as to admit of being readily pressed or drawn apart for the purpose of passing
round or enclosing any rod or other object substantially as specified.
Dated this 30th day of September 1884.