Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1886
Complete Left, 25th July, 1887
Complete Accepted, 16th Dec., 1887
We, DAVID LIONEL SALOMONS, of Broomhill, in the County of Kent, Baronet
OTWAY EDWARD WOODHOUSE, and FREDERICK LAWRENCE RAWSON, both of No. 11
Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, Electrical Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-—
Our invention relates to an improvement in switches, used for the control of
electrical circuits, and consists in the addition to an ordinary circuit-breaking-switch
of a movable connector, through which are connected an independent lamp or lamps,
auxiliary to that or those connected to the ordinary circuit broken by the switch.
By this arrangement the fittings for the movable connector can be easily added to
switches as at present constructed; the return wire may or may not be carried
through the switch, and the connector can be withdrawn or moved at any time, so as
to break the auxiliary circuit controlled by that connector, without interfering with
the circuit ordinarily controlled by the said switch. At the same time the usual
action of the switch suffices, when desired, to break the whole of the circuits, ordinary
or auxiliary, connected to the switch.
It is evident that a variety of methods may be employed for the construction of the
said movable connector, to fulfil the purposes herein before described, but we may
describe one convenient method of carrying our invention into effect as follows:-
The main lead to the switch, after passing through the switch tongue, as is usual when
the switch is turned on, may be divided into two or more distinct circuits, one wire
passing to the ordinary circuit as, for instance, to a fixed bracket or chandelier,
whilst the other wire (where only one auxiliary circuit is desired) is conducted to one
of a pair of spring tubular clips or sockets, insulated from each other, and fixed
conveniently in the base of the switch. The other of these spring clips is attached
direct to the common return wire for both the main and auxiliary circuits.
The movable connector is then made of a pair of parallel rods fitting the aforesaid
spring clips, united in any way to form a conveniently handled piece. To each of
these bars attached one of the wires of the auxiliary circuit. The connector, when
thus pushed into place in the base of the switch, completes the circuit, from spring
clip to spring clip, through the auxiliary circuit and lamp or lainps. In many cases

page_text: it is convenient that the pushing of the connector into the base of the switch should
not entirely complete the circuit, and in these cases the connector can be arranged as
a separate switch in itself, so that after it is pushed in by giving it a circular motion
right or left about the centre of the switch, it completes circuit between the rod to
which one wire of the auxiliary circuit is attached, and the spring clip in electrical
contact with the switch tongue, or in other ways completes the auxiliary circuit.
When the connector is withdrawn from the switch, the auxiliary circuit is broken,
the other main circuit remaining unbroken by the removal of the said connector, and
controlled only by the action of the usual switch tongue.
It is evident that more than one such auxiliary circuit with movable connectors,
may be fitted at different parts on the circumference of an ordinary switch, in addition
to the usual main circuit.
The latter arrangement of combination switch is particularly suitable to such cases,
where the tongue of the switch is desired to control the circuit of a fixed bracket or
chandelier, and the plug an auxiliary circuit or circuits to a movable lamp or lamps,
with flexible attachment. In such a case the movable lamp, with flexible attachment
and connector, may be readily moved from place to place and connected up in any
one of our improved combination switches, the lamp being afterwards lighted by the
before mentioned switch action of the connector.
A convenient form of switch for the purpose is constructed as follows:-A number of
strips of brass are fastened together at their centre and bent over into the form of an
arch, thus forming a switch tongue or brush which presses on and connects to contact
plates at opposite ends of a diameter of the switch base. The handle of the switch is
fastened to this brush, and a quick break of contact is ensured by a lock-spring
pressing against a pin in the underside of the arched brush, in such a manner as to
cause the brush to rapidly spring off the contact plates when it is moved nearly off by
hand. The movable plug connection is fitted to this switch as is hereinbefore
described, or this switch may be used alone without the moveable connector.
Dated this 25th day of October 1886
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Combination Electrical Switch.
We, DAVID LIONEL SALOMONS, of Broomhill, in the County of Kent, Baronet,
OTWAY EDWARD WOODHOUSE, and FREDERICK LAWRENCE RAWSON, both of No. 11
Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, 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 relates to an improvement in switches, used for the control of
electrical circuits, and consists in the addition to an ordinary circuit-breaking switch
of a movable connector, through which are connected an independent lamp or lamps,
auxiliary to that or those connected to the ordinary circuit broken by the switch.
By this arrangement the fittings for the movable connector can be easily ad led to
switches as at present constructed; the return wire may or may not be carried through
the switch, and the connector can be withdrawn or moved at any time, so as to break
the auxiliary circuit controlled by that connector, without interfering with the circuit
ordinarily controlled by the said switch. At the same time the usual action of the
switch suffices, when desired, to break the whole of the circuits, ordinary or auxiliary,
connected to the switch. It is evident that a variety of methods may be employed for
the construction of the said movable connector to fulfil the purposes hereinbefore
described, but we may describe one convenient method of carrying our invention into
effect as follows:-
The main lead to the switch, after passing through the switch tongue, as is usual
when the switch is turned on, may be divided into two or more distinct circuits, one
wire passing to the ordinary circuit as, for instance, to a fixed bracket or chandelier,
whilst the other wire (where only one auxiliary circuit is desired) is conducted to one
of a pair of spring tubular clips or sockets, insulated from each other, and fixed
conveniently in the base of the switch. The other of these spring clips is attached
direct to the common return wire for both the main and auxiliary circuits.
The movable connector is then made of a pair of parallel rods fitting the aforesaid
spring clips, united in any way to form a conveniently handled piece. To each of
these bars is attached one of the wires of the auxiliary circuit. The connector, when
thus pushed into place in the base of the switch, completes the circuit, from spring
clip to spring clip, through the auxiliary circuit and lamp or lamps. In many cases
it is convenient that the pushing of the connector into the base of the switch should
not entirely complete the circuit and in these cases the connector can be arranged as a
separate switch in itself so that after it is pushed in by giving it a circular motion
right or left about the centre of the switch, it completes circuit between the rod to
which one wire of the auxiliary circuit is attached, and the spring clip in electrical
contact with the switch tongue or in other ways completes the auxiliary circuit.
When the connector is withdrawn from the switch, the auxiliary circuit is broken,
the other main circuit remaining unbroken by the removal of the said connector, and
controlled only by the action of the usual switch tongue.

page_text: It is evident that more than one such auxiliary circuit with movable connectors,
may be fitted at different parts on the circumference of an ordinary switch, in addition
to the usual main circuit.
The latter arrangement of combination switch is particularly suitable to such cases
where the tongue of the switch is desired to control the circuit of a fixed bracket or
chandelier, and the plug an auxiliary circuit or circuits to a movable lamp or lamps,
with flexible attachment. In such a case the movable lamp with flexible attachment
and connector, may be readily moved from place to place and connected up in any
one of our improved combination switches the lamp being afterwards lighted by the
before mentioned switch action of the connector.
A convenient form of switch for the purpose is constructed as follows:-
A number of strips of brass are fastened together at their centre and bent over into
the form of an arch, thus forming a switch tongue or brush which presses on and
connects two contact plates at opposite ends of a diameter of the switch base. The
handle of the switch is fastened to this brush and a quick break of contact is ensured
by a lock spring pressing against a pin in the underside of the arched brush, in such
a manner as to cause the brush to rapidly spring off the contact plates when it is
moved nearly off by hand. The movable plug connection is fitted to this switch as is
herein before described, or, this switch may be used alone without the movable
connector.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we now proceed to
illustrate an instrument constructed in accordance therewith. Like letters refer to
like parts throughout the figures.
Referring to the drawings figure 1 is a section of our combination switch; figure 2
is a side view of the plug removed; figure 3 is a plan of the connector socket;
figure 4 is a plan of our combination switch with cover removed; figure 5 is plan of
connector.
P is the positive terminal screw. Ta terminal screw to which ordinary lamp
circuit is connected, S a safety junction, H is a screw connection to the movable
connector, J is the switch tongue or brush, D is the central spindle of the switch,
K is the connector socket which turns on the spindle D together with the ebonite
ring L; M M are the switch tongues attached to the connector socket K forming
with the screw studs H and N a switch to the auxiliary connector circuit; N is also
a terminal screw to which is connected the negative lead; B is the lock spring to
quickly actuate the switch arm J ; F F are the pins entering the tubes Y Y. and to
which are connected the leads from the auxiliary circuit; Z is a spring washer for
holding down the switch arm J and holding up the connector switch K.
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 :-
The combination with an ordinary switch of a movable connector through which an
independent lamp or other circuit is connected, auxiliary to the circuit or circuits
connected to the ordinary switch, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1887.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Dated t uay vi Buy LOOT
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.