IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Swan of the Borough of Gateshead in the
County of Durham-for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS FOR
INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Swan at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st May 1883.
ALFRED SWAN of the Borough of Gateshead in the County of Durham
", IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS"
My Invention has for its object to provide a holder for incandescent Electric
lamps which will give a firm support for the same and allow of the ready detach-
ment of either the bulb from the part which directly holds it or of both the bulb
and the part which directly holds it (which together I will call the holder) from
the bracket support or electrolier. At the same time also if desired the said holder
will answer the purpose of a tap for the lamp. According to my said Invention I
form the part of the holder to which the glass bulb is directly attached (which part
I will call the direct holder) of non-conducting material with metallic clip pieces or
jaws which tend to close by the action of springs or the like. The said jaws are
capable of being pressed apart by a pusher and are preferably provided with peg
pieces on their one half taking into recesses on their other half. There is a pair of
these jaws for each terminal loop The direct holder is formed to give a firm seating
for the base of the bulb and the attachment of the bulb to the direct holder is
effected by pressing the pusher so as to cause the jaws to open when the loops of
the terminal wires are passed over the pegs and on releasing the pusher the jaws
close together and grasping the terminal loops between them firmly retain the bulb
in place. By pressing upon the pusher the jaws are opened and the bulb can
readily be removed from the direct holder. The attachment of the holder to the
main part of the bracket support or electrolier is effected by providing the end of
the said support with a socket of insulating material having two recessed and
undercut springs. The holder is so formed with shoulders or ledges that it can be
passed into this socket and then by giving the said holder a rotation to the extent
Price 1

page_text: of 90° the shoulders engage with the undercut portion of the springs, projections
on the holder engaging with the recesses of the springs thus making a metallic
circuit between the conducting wires through the springs of the socket and the
jaws of the holder to and from the lamp. When the holder is locked in the springs
of the socket (or is in the position when it could be withdrawn) by giving it a
sufficient partial rotation less than 90° (or less than a quarter complete turn) the
projections pass from their engagement with the springs but the shoulders of the
insulating part of the holder still engage with the said springs which therefore
support the holder and bulb in position but the lamp is extinguished as the metallic
circuit is destroyed but by giving rotation to the holder to the full extent 90°
or of a circle the holder and bulb can be withdrawn together from the socket of
the bracket support or electrolier. The separate parts (other than those formed by
metal) of the holder and the socket I may form of Glass or any plastic non-
conducting material by moulding. The parts formed of metal may produce by
stamping and then the entire holder and socket are formed at a very small cost

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Swan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th November
1883.
ALFRED SWAN of the Borough of Gateshead in the County of Durham
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS' FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS
My Invention has for its object to provide a holder for incandescent electric
lamps which will give a firm support for the same and allow of the ready
detachment of either the bulb from the part which directly holds it or of both the
bulb and the said part together from the bracket support or electrolier. At the
same time also if desired the said holder will answer the purpose of a tap for the
lamp I will describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 represents a bolder constructed, according to my Invention and affixed to
a bracket. Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same. The part A which
directly holds the bulb is carried by a part B affixed to the end of the bracket or
the like in any convenient way. The bulb is separable from the part A or the
said bulb and the part A can be removed from the part B together without
removing the bulb from the part A as hereinafter described. Figures 3 and 4 are
views of the part A taken at right angles to each other. 'Figure 5 is a plan of
underside of the part A with the cap piece a removed and Figure 6 is a section on
the line 1. 2 Figure 2, shewing the part B in plan of underside and the part A in
section. Figure 7 is a modification of the part A as hereinafter described-The
part A is made of nonconducting material and contains two pairs of jaws a a².
The parts a of the said jaws are led through the part A and are in metallic
connection (through the springs b in the part B) with the current wires c as shewn
clearly in Figure 2. The other parts a² are capable of being pressed away from
the parts a by means of a pusher d, the springs e causing the jaws a a³ when
pressure is released from the pusher d to close firmly upon each other. One of the
parts of each pair of jaws is preferably furnished with a pin a³ which enters a
recess in the other part of the jaw. The cap piece as of the part A is formed
(as shewn for example in Figure 2) to correspond with and fit the end of the bulb.
The attachment of the bulb to the part A is effected by pressing the pusher d so
as to cause the jaws a a² to open when the loops of the terminal wires are passed
over the pins a³ and on releasing the pusher d the jaws are acted upon by the
springs e so that they close together and grasp the terminal loops between them
and firmly retain the bulb in place in the said holder. By pressing upon the
pusher d the jaws are opened and the bulb can readily be removed from the part A.
Figure 7 shews a modification (with the jaws open) wherein the thumb piece d to
which are attached the back parts a of the jaws bears against the piece e³ which
in its turn bears upon a spring e² in the form of a blade which may be held in its
position by a projection at the middle fitting into a corresponding depression in
the bed piece. The attachment of the part A to the part B is effected by means
of the springs b which are undercut or formed with projecting parts b² at their
ends as shewn in Figures 2 and 6 and the said springs are also formed with
recesses for containing the metallic conducting parts of the part A which
conducting parts may be formed by continuations of the parts a of the jaws as
shewn in Figures 2 and 6. The upper portion at the part A is formed as shewn in
Figure 6 with shoulders or ledges as at opposite sides and the part B is formed with
a recess to receive this upper portion of the part A, the projections b² of the springs b
projecting into the said recess. The part A when in a position at right angles to
that shewn in Figures 2 and 6 is passed into the recess in the part B and then by
turning the said part A through a portion of a rotation the shoulders a³ engage
with the projections 62 of the springs 6 the upper parts of the pins a engaging

page_text: with the recesses in the said projections of the springs b thus making a metallic
circuit between the conducting wires to and from the lamp. By giving the part A
a motion of partial rotation the pins a will pass from contact with the projections
of the springs 6 and when brought to a position at right angles to that shewn in
Figures 2 and 6 the said part A together with the bulb can be readily removed
from the part B. If an intermediate position be given to the part A in the
part B the pins a may be brought out of contact with the projections 62 of the
springs b and thus the lamp be extinguished whilst the ledges as are still engaged
with the said projections and the part A and the bulb are still held to the bracket.
The nonconducting portions of the parts A and B may be made by moulding in
glass or other material and the conducting or metal parts may be produced by
stamping whereby the entire fitting may be produced at a small cost but I do not
limit myself to any particular material or process of manufacture provided that
the conducting parts are properly insulated. It will be evident that the lamp
holder can also be used to support the lamp in the reverse or any other position
from that shewn in the drawing and that the part B. may be attached to the
electrolier or other bracket or support in any desired way.
The means for fastening the part A or its equivalent to the part B or its
equivalent can be employed in combination or not with the means described for
connecting the bulb to the part. A which directly holds it, for example, the bulb
may be attached to the said part A by a permanent attachment made by means of
cement or (when the said part A is made of glass) by Casting the parts together.
The terminal wires in this case instead of being formed with loops may be
continued and attached or brazed to the pieces which give the metallic connection
with the springs b. It will also be understood that the means for fastening the
bulb to the part A can be employed with or without the means for connecting the
parts A and B. and further that the upper ends of the parts a may be made to
spring instead of the parts b.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
First The holder for incandescent electric lamps consisting of a part A which
directly holds the bulb together with a part B which holds the part A the said
parts A and B being provided with fastening devices so that the bulb can be
removed from the part A or the part A and the bulb be removed together from
the part B substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the drawings.
Second-In incandescent electric lamp holders the combination of the jaws a a²
push piece d and springs or spring (e or e²) for attaching the bulb to and releasing
it from the holder substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
drawings.
Third: In incandescent electric lamp holders the combination of a recessed
part B springs or retainers. b and the part A with shoulders or ledges a³ for
attaching the part A to the part B and for readily detaching the same substantially
as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Swan have to this my Specification set
my hand and seal this ninth day of November One thousand eight hundred
and eighty three.