Improvements in Electric Lamp Sockets and Devices Attached thereto for Regulating the Light.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMI LETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Lamp Sockets and Devices Attached
thereto for Regulating the Light.
We WM. FREDRICK WOLLIN and ELMER HENRY WERLINE of 19 W, Market Street,
York, in the County of York, State of Pennsylvania, Electricians, do hereby declare
the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIO LAMP SOCKETS AND
DEVICES ATTACHED THERETO FOR REGULATING THE LIGHT" and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide means for controlling the intensity of
the light of an incandescent electric lamp, so that it may be of any degree desired, as
is the case with the flame of an ordinary gas burner. To this end we make use of
devices substantially as hereinafter set forth and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a burner with our regulating
attachment:
Figure 2 represents a vertical central section through the same;
Figure 3 represents a horizontal section through the same on the line x x of
Figure 2;
Figure 4 and 5 are detail views ;
Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the circuit and operation.
A designates the globe of an electric lamp having within it the usual carbon
filament or platinum wire a, one end of which is attached to a metallic sleeve A¹
encircling the neck of said globe, the other end being attached to a metallic block or
cylindrical piece A' that is fitted centrally into the end of said neck and insulated
from said sleeve by a mass A of plaster of paris or other non-conducting material.
The sleeve A is screw-threaded as usual to enter a socket B which consists of a
metallic shell B internally screw-threaded and surrounded at its upper end by a
collar 6 of vulcanized rubber or other insulating material. An insulating disk B is
fastened to the lower end of this shell and forms the base of the socket. A metal
block B extends up through the central part of this disk, for contact with the
similar block A, already mentioned, at the lower end of the neck of the globe. The
sleeve A¹ and shell B¹ are of course in electrical contact.
From the block B a wire C descends to a binding screw d on a plate D which
has another binding. screw d¹ for the attachment of a circuit wire E. The corre-
sponding circuit wire E¹ is attached to a screw e on a second plate F similar to
plate D and having another binding screw e for a wire G which extends to a spring
or other electrical conductor H in contact with the metal shaft i of a rotary key or
governor I. The plates D, F are separated by and attached to an insulating block J,
which is enclosed by and fastened to the spread lower ends of a central standard K
preferably formed of two flat plates arranged and held against each other. The
upper ends of these plates also diverge and support the insulating disk B' already
mentioned.
The governor I turns in an insulating strip on the side of a frame consisting
of upright rods and top and bottom rings L' L' all of metal. This frame has
below it a base ring M of vulcanized rubber or other insulating material; and
has also fitted on the top of its upper ring L' a crown M₁ of similar insulating
material surrounding the disk B and recessed to receive said ring.
Over the said insulating base ring and insulating crown wires are wound lengthwise
of the frame, so as to give the device the aspect of a cage. These wires furnish
the resistance whereby the intensity of the light is determined. As illustrated they
are six in number-1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 each constituting a section of the resistance,
and connected by one of several studs n n' &c. to the next section or wire. That is,

page_text: wire 1 is wound at each end around such a stud, wire 2 is wound at one end around
the same stud that one end of wire 1 is wound around, wire 3 is wound at one end
around the stud which receives the other end of wire 2, and so on throughout the
series. These studs n n. &c. are attached to the base ring M at intervals corre-
sponding to the ends of the several resistance wires. They are six in number
indicated by n n¹ n³ n³ n¹ nº and each is connected by a wire o o¹ o² o³ o' or o³ to a
contact stud p p¹ p³ p³ p¹ p³ attached to the insulating strip 1. These studs are
arranged in a circle or approximately so and collectively constitute a switch board.
The governor or key I is provided with a radial arm I', which moves over this circle
as the said key is turned, and by being in contact with one or another of said contact
studs, determines the number of wires 1-2 &c. which shall be in the circuit. Of
course the greater the number of the wires in circuit at any time the dimmer will
be the light, and the resistance may be calculated to make the light exceedingly
dim if all be in circuit. The governor is provided with a thumb-piece or handle I'
and may be turned by hand either way at will, for dimming or brightening.
To avoid the loosening of the wires and their consequent disarrangement, growing
out of the expansion of the wire by heat, we insert springs Q hetween the upper
ring L' of said frame and the crown piece M₁ of insulating material which fits
thereon. These springs are in the recess of said crown and around the upwardly
extended ends of rods l. By their expansion the said springs force the crown M¹
upward and consequently keep the wires 1-2 3 &c. taut and in place. The
peripheries of the base ring M and crown M¹ are provided with vertical grooves m
corresponding to the successive lengths of the wires. These serve to keep the
parallel parts of each wire separate and avoid short circuiting. One end of the
entire system of resistance wires connects directly with the sleeve A' aforesaid by a
spring and the other end with the final contact stud p³.
A metallic casing Q1 surrounds the entire socket and its attachments except the
thumb piece 12 of the governor which protrudes laterally through an opening in
said casing. The lower end of this casing is reduced to a neck Q2 which allows the
circuit wires E and E¹ to extend up through it side by side.
If all the resistance wires are in circuit, the latter will be as follows. Through
wire E, binding screw d¹ plate D, binding screw d, and wire to blocks B* A*
filament a, sleeve A¹ wire C¹ the entire series of wires 1-2-3-4-5-6 wire o
contact stud parm 1¹ governor I spring H wire G binding screw el plate F binding
screw e and circuit wire E¹.
:
If the arm I be turned to the right to contact stud p¹ the circuit will be the same
except that one wire namely 5 will be eliminated. Each successive turn to the right
eliminates another wire, and brightens the light proportionally. By turning to the
left beyond stud p the circuit is broken and the light ceases. A larger space is
left between stud po and stud p₁ than between any of the other contact studs, to
allow this. Preferably the other intervals are so small that as soon as the arm I¹
leaves one contact stud it comes into contact with another. Of course the resistance
wires and their elastic support may be used in electric circuits which are not for
illuminating.
Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure
by letters patent is :
1st. In combination with an electric lamp and the circuit wires leading thereto, a
series of fixed resistance wires independent of the lamp filament, an expansible frame
on which said wires are wound, a key and switch and independent connections
between the several resistance wires and the several contact points of said switch
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In an attachment for regulating the intensity of an electric light; a series of
resistance wires, a base and movable crown on which they are wound, a frame
between said base and crown and a spring or springs for holding said crown away from
said frame so as to tighten said resistance wires and keep them in place substantially
as set forth.

page_text: 3rd. In combination with the circuit wires and filament of an electric lamp a
resistance wire and an elastic frame on which it is wound substantially as set
forth.
4th. The supporting frame in combination with the base ring M and crown M'
of insulating material, the springs inserted in a recess of said crown and acting to
force it from said frame, and the resistance wires wound on said crown and base
ring and held in position by the action of said spring substantially as set forth.
5th. The insulating movable crown M¹ having an annular recess to fit upon the
upper ring of the supporting frame in combination with said frame having rods /
which extend up into said recess, springs which surround the upper ends of said
rods, the insulating base ring M a resistance wire or wires wound on said crown
and base ring, the circuit wires, and an electric lamp substantially as set forth.
6th. In combination with the remaining conductors of an electric circuit, a series
of stationery resistance wires arranged in said circuit and connected end to end, an
expansible supporting frame on which said wires are wound, wires running inde-
pendently from the individual resistance wires and a switch or governor communi-
cating at will with any one of these latter wires to vary the resistance as set
forth.
7th. In combination with the remaining conductors of an electric circuit, a
resistance wire introduced into said circuit and an elastic frame on which said
resistance wire is wound substantially as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of December 1889.
25 Witnesses,
J. JESSOP.
R. R. GEMMILL.
WILLIAM FREDRICK WOLLIN.
ELMER HENRY WERLINE.