An IMPROVED CUP-AND-BALL JOINT FOR GAS PENDANTS AND CHANDELIERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William George Cannon, of 111, London Road,
Southwark, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "An
IMPROVED CUP-AND-BALL JOINT FOR GAS PENDANTS AND CHANDELIERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William George Cannon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 26th January 1875.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE CANNON, of 111, London Road, Southwark, in
the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED CUP-AND-BALL JOINT FOR GAS PENDANTS AND CHAN-
DELIERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in an arrangement at the bottom of the cup;
viz., a box to contain a vulcanite or leather ring or washer held in by a

page_text: cap screwed to the cup; the ring or washer to be large enough to allow
the tail piece or suspending rod to pass through freely, but smaller than
the hole in the bottom part of the cup; thus when the pendant is
swinging to and fro the tail piece or suspending rod will strike against
the ring or washer instead of the cup, as is the case with the ordinary
cups and balls, and so make it impossible for the tail piece or suspending
rod to come in contact with the cup and bruise it, thus preventing the
escape of gas which must occur where a cup and ball is bruised, and
which is so often the cause of explosions.
George Cannon in the Great Dear I atenE OMICS ON
1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GEORGE CANNON, of 111, London Road, Southwark, in the County of
Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William George Cannon, Her
special licence that I, the said William George Cannon, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William George
Cannon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED CUP-AND-BALL JOINT FOR GAS PENDANTS AND CHANDELIERS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William George
Cannon, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office on or before the Third day of August,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William George Cannon, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the annexed Draw-
ing and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in an arrangement at the bottom of the cup
B, videlicet, a box to contain a ring made of vulcanite, leather, cork,
or any substance softer than the metal which the cup-and-ball joint is
made of, which ring is held in by a cap D screwed to the bottom of the
said cup; the ring or washer to be large enough to allow the tail piece
E or suspending rod to pass through freely, but smaller than the hole
in the bottom of the cup; thus when the pendant is swinging to and fro
the tail piece or suspending rod will strike against the ring or washer
instead of the said cup, as is the case with the ordinary cup-and-ball
joints, and so make it impossible for the tail piece or suspending rod to
come in contact with the cut and bruise it, thus preventing the escape
of gas which must occur where a cup and ball is bruised, and which is so
often the cause of explosions.
And in order that this Invention may be readily understood a Drawing
is attached, wherein Fig. 1 shews an elevation and also a section, Fig. 2,
cut through line A, B, shewing all the parts connected with the said cup-
and-ball joint.
A represents the top part of my cup and ball; B, the cup; C, the ball;
D, the cap; E, the tail piece; and F, the washer.
In the section Fig. 2 is shewn in dotted lines, the said tail piece
striking against the washer F and preventing the tail piece bruising the
bearing part of the cup B.
The Drawings shew the real size of cup-and-ball joints for 1/2" drop
piece, and 3/4" iron barrel down rod.
Having thus described my said Invention I declare that what I claim
and desire to be secured to me by the herein-before in part recited

page_text: "
Letters Patent is, the improved cup-and-ball joint for gas pendants and
chandeliers, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated on
the Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William George Cannon, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of July,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
WILLIAM GEORGE CANNON. (L.S.)