Improvements in Lamp-standards.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1889-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by AUGUSTUS HOWARD JONES, of Meriden, New Haven,
Connecticut, United States of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Lamp-standards.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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:
This invention relates to that class of lamp standards which are designed to rest
upon the floor, and support a lamp upon the upper end.
These standards are usually composed of two tubes telescopically arranged, the
outer tube supported upon the base, while the inner tube carries the lamp and is
adjustable in the outer tube so as to permit the lamp to be adjusted to different
clevations.
These standards are usually provided with a device for interlocking the two tubes,
so that the lamp may be held at any desired elevation, but a difficulty is experienced
in such devices, owing to the fact that when disengagement is made between the
two tubes, the inner tube being free to slide downward, unless held by hand, the
lamp is liable to drop rapidly, and with considerable force, until the collar on
the top of the adjustable tube, or the lamp thereto attached, strikes a collar on the
top of the outer tube, which brings the lamp to a sudden stop, so sudden as
often to throw the shade or chimney from the lamp, or otherwise derange the said
lamp.
The object of this invention is to prevent such accidents, and it consists in
providing an elastic cushion in the collar of the standard, upon which the descending
tube and lamp will come to a bearing, and so that the cushion will make such contact
or bearing so easy as to avoid the difficulties mentioned.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents, a sectional side view of so much of the standard as
necessary to illustrate the invention, and showing the cushion as attached to the
stationary tube.
Figure 2 is a modification showing the cushion as applied to the adjustable
tube.
In the best construction of the invention A represents the outer tube, which is
made fast to the base, and B the inner tube or rod adjustable within the tube A,
and so as to slide freely up and down, the said tube B carrying the lamp, as usual
in this class of standards. Only a portion of the two tubes is illustrated, but
sufficient for the full understanding of the invention, the engaging devices usually
employed between the two tubes are also omitted, as any of the many known devices
for this purpose may be employed.
To the upper end of the stationary tube A a collar C is firmly secured, so as to
become substantially a part of that tube. This collar has an internal diameter above
the tube A somewhat larger than the inner tube B, and the collar is recessed upon
its inner side to form a spring-chamber D; within the collar a sleeve E is arranged,
which extends to the spring-chamber, and is constructed with an annular flange F,
which projects into the spring chamber, and between the flange F and the bottom
of the spring chamber, a spring G is arranged, of any suitable character, upon
which the sleeve E will rest, and when so resting, the upper end of the sleeve E
projects above the collar Cas clearly seen in Figure 1. The spring permits the
sleeve to be compressed should force be applied to its upper or projecting end.
Under this construction, if the inner tube B descend, the collar on the upper
end of the tube, or the lamp attached thereto, will strike upon the upper end of

page_text: the sleeve E, and the force of the blow will be met by the spring G in the chamber
below the sleeve, and so that the sleeve will yield under such blow, and thereby
avoid the shock which occurs when there is no yielding cushion upon which the
blow of descent may be taken.
In Figure 1, the collar C is represented as made in two parts, this is for the
convenience of construction, the several parts are united after the introduction of
the sleeve and spring, so as to become practically one.
The cushion is represented as formed upon the stationary part of the standard, but
it will be evident that it may be reversed, and made upon the adjustable portion of
the standard, as seen in Figure 2, so that the sleeve will meet the collar on the
stationary tube as the inner tube descends.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. In a lamp standard composed of a stationary tube, with an inner tube or
rod working telescopically therein, the said inner tube carrying the lamp, the
combination therewith of a sleeve surrounding the inner tube, and vertically
movable, with a spring arranged to yieldingly support said sleeve, substantially as
described, and whereby said sleeve forms an elastic cushion upon which the force of
the descending lamp will be met.
Second. In a lamp standard, composed of an outer tube A, and a rod or tube B
telescopically adjustable therein, the said rod or tube A carrying the lamp, a
collar D fixed to the upper end of the said stationary tube, said collar constructed
with an annular spring chamber upon its inner surface, a sleeve E in said collar,
surrounding the adjustable rod or tube, and projecting abovo said collar, with a
spring in the chamber of the collar below said sleeve, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.