IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING, CONNECTING, AND DISCONNECTING GAS PENDANTS, BRACKETS, PILLAR OR GROUND CONNECTIONS, ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR OUTSIDE REFLECTING LAMPS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Robert Mathews, of Drury Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Gas Engineer and Lamp Manufacturer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING, CONNECTING, AND DISCONNECTING
GAS PENDANTS, BRACKETS, PILLAR OR GROUND CONNECTIONS, ESPECIALLY
ADAPTED FOR OUTSIDE REFLECTING LAMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Robert Mathews
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st February 1880.
CHARLES ROBERT MATHEWS, of Drury Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Gas
Engineer and Lamp Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING, CONNECTING,.
AND DISCONNECTING GAS PENDANTS, BRACKETS, PILLAR OR GROUND CONNECTIONS,
ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR OUTSIDE REFLECTING LAMPS."
This Invention consists of improvements in connections of joints of lamps,
especially those for shop front purposes. By the system hitherto adopted of
hanging such lamps a great waste of gas occurs through misplacement of the
pendants, and further, the pendant cannot be placed in any other socket than that
for which it was made. The projection with socket beyond the facia is also another
objection, as also the necessity of the frequent removal of the plate with projection
to be reground or renewed. According to my Invention these and other
disadvantages of the said system of connections is overcome.
In the case of lamps for shops I proceed mainly as follows:-
To the facia I fix or secure by suitable means a plate formed of any suitable
metal, as, for instance, malleable iron. This plate has a recess formed in same, with
an opening which when fitted comes over the opening through which the gas is
allowed to pass. In this recess a cushion or washer made of india rubber or other
suitable material is inserted, said washer having a hole through same to correspond
with that through the facia; or the joints could be ground in. The metal plate is
made with one or more hooks or arms, which project outwards. The pendant is
formed with projections. In fitting the lamp to the plate the projections on the
pendant are inserted in the hooks on the plate, and the weight of the pendant
causes same to drop, a projection on the inside face dropping into the opening

page_text: in the plate, and against the washer or cushion fitted between the plate and the
facia. In place of hooks on the plate, opening or openings may be made.
The pendant in this case has formed on it a tongue or tongues, which when
inserted in the opening or openings the pendant falls into position, and the tongue
or tongues hold fast against the inner portion of the plate. To further secure the
pendants a clip spring or other bolt may be employed, which as the pendant falls
takes into suitable recess.
The lamp is attached to the pendant by arrangements similar to that for the
pendant top, and thus the lamp with burner, chimney glass, &c., are removed
together without opening the lamp, and the fittings are so arranged (preferably
about the centre of the lamp) that where bulls' eyes are used the pendant iron
will not obstruct the view. Attached to the bottom lamp fittings is a slide valve,
so constructed that by simply actuating same the gas can pass to the burner, and
be cut off at will.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Robert Mathews in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st August 1880.
CHARLES ROBERT MATHEWS, of Drury Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Gas
Engineer and Lamp Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING, CONNECTING,
AND DISCONNECTING GAS PENDANTS, BRACKETS, PILLAR OR GROUND CONNECTIONS,
ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR OUTSIDE REFLECTING LAMPS."
This Invention consists of improvements in connections of joints of lamps,
especially those for shop front purposes.
By the system hitherto adopted of hanging such lamps a great waste of gas
occurs through misplacement of the pendants, and further the pendant cannot be
placed in any other socket than that for which it was made. The projection with
socket beyond the facia is also another objection, as also the necessity of frequent
removal of the plate to be reground or renewed.
According to my Invention these and other disadvantages of the said system
of connections are overcome. In the case of lamps for shops I adopt substantially
the following arrangements:—
To the facia I secure by suitable means a plate formed of any suitable metal, as,
for instance, malleable iron. This plate has a recess formed in same with an
opening which when fitted comes over the opening through which the gas is
allowed to pass. In this recess a cushion or washer made of india rubber or other
suitable material is inserted, said washer having a hole through same to correspond
with that through the facia, or the joints could be ground in. Or, vice versa, the
pendant may be formed with the recess in which the washer is inserted, and the
plate formed with projection to take into recess formed in opening in pendant.
The plate is made with one or more hooks or arms which project outwards. The
pendant is formed with projections. In fitting the lamp to the plate the projections
on the pendant are inserted in the hooks on the plate, and the weight of the
pendant causes same to drop, a projection on the inside face dropping into the
opening in the plate, and against the washer or cushion fitted between the plate
and the facia. In place of hooks on the plate opening or openings may be made.
The pendant in this case has formed on it a tongue or tongues which when
inserted in the opening or openings, the pendant falls into position, and so the
tongue or tongues hold fast against the inner portion of the plate. To further
secure the pendants a clip spring or other bolt may be employed, which as the
pendant falls takes into suitable recess.
The lamp is attached to the pendant by arrangements, similar to that for the
pendant top, and thus the lamp with burner, chimney glass, &c., are removed
together and without opening the lamp, and the fittings are so arranged (preferably
about the centre of the lamp) that where bulls' eyes are used the pendant iron will
not obstruct the view. Attached to the bottom lamp fittings is a slide valve, so
constructed that by simply actuating same the gas can pass to the burner, and be
cut off at will.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shows section of one mode of fixing the upper part of the pendants to the
wall or facia.
a is the wall or facia, to which is secured the plate & having a sunk portion c
which fits into the facia a. Into this sunk portion is fitted a washer d of india
rubber, cork, or other material, or same inay be ground in. This plate 6 is fixed to
the facia by screws or other means, said plate being provided with hooks & which
serve to hold the pendant f. To attach the pendant the projections or spindles f¹
с

page_text: attached to samo take into the hooks e, and the portion g forming part of pendant
falls into the opening in the plate b, the weight of the lamp and pendant bringing
same against the washer or cushion d, or ground in surface formed in the plate b,
and thus making a perfect joint.
Figs. 2 and 3 show sections of modified form of Fig. 1, where the arrangements
are reversed, the washer or ground in portion & being secured in sunk portion of
pendant top, the projecting portion g forming part of plate b, such portion taking
into the sunk part c in the pendant top.
Figs. 4 and 5 show elevation and section of lower portion of pendant or
bottom fitting. The lower portion of the pendant is screwed to the fitting at h;
kis pipe or fitting in which is the valve / for cutting off or opening the supply of
gas to the lamp.
This valve is worked by slide m. The Drawing shows the arrangement when
the gas is on. To cut off the supply to the lamp the slide is actuated, and closing
the opening n cuts off the supply to the lamp. The bottom fitting has a portion o
with a groove in same in which a cam p takes, said cam being secured at r which
is attached to the lamp. The portion is held by loop 8, said loop passing over o,
and being held in position by groove or recess formed in o, as shown. The camp
is for the purpose of locking and unlocking the lamp, and thus samo can be
easily detached or secured. The handle t attached to the cam serves to act upon
same.
The bottom portion is provided with a washer or ground in surface, as in Figs. 1,
2, 3, and the weight of the lamp will form a perfect joint. The gas for the lamp
is taken from the part u, and a pipe or pipes to convey same to the burner is or are
tapped into said portion u, as will be well understood.
Fig. 6 shows a modified form of face plate in which slots or openings are made
instead of projections or hooks, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When this form of
plate is used the pendant end is hinged, so that when applying the same it is
made to take into the grooves. The other arrangements are similar to those before
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of my
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the said Invention of improvements in
fixing, connecting, and disconnecting gas pendants, brackets, pillar or ground
connections, especially adapted for outside reflecting lamps, substantially ns
same is hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, in
which Invention the arrangement of hooks on the plate and lugs or projections on
the pendant top to be actuated and secured substantially as berein before described;
also the arrangement for attaching the lamp to bottom fitting as described are
peculiar and important points or features.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Robert Mathews, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty first day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CHARLES K. MATHEWS. (L.S.)
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
Secretary Inventors' Patentright Assn., Ld.,
21, Cockspur St., S.W.