Lamps by Means of Spring Barrels and Chains.
Year: 1885

page_text: Lamps by Means of Spring Barrels and Chains.
I ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 47, Museum Street Oxford Street in the
Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesex Civil Engineer and Patent Agent
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF SUSPENDING OIL, GAS AND ELECTRIC LAMPS BY MEANS OF SPRING
BARRELS AND CHAINS, a communication to me from abroad by Pierre Etienne
Jullien Clock Maker of the city of Paris in the Republic of France to be as
follows:-
In the following description of the method of suspension forming the subject of
the present invention the barrels are so arranged that the tension of the springs
may be regulated by brakes of special construction and adaptation so that the
suspending portion can be stopped, raised or lowered and so held and maintained
at any desired point with or without the lamp attached thereto.
Taking a suspension for a gas lamp as an example the axis of the barrel may be
horizontal or vertical and is or may be large and hollow for the passage of the gas
and also to receive the winding mechanism of the spring which may be an ordinary
ratchet and click arrangement or helicoidal fusees. The axis when horizontal is
borne by supports mounted on a circular plate to which latter an ornamental and
cylindrical termination is connected by screws. The axis when horizontal is square
at one end for the reception of a key for winding up the spring an opening being
made in the case enclosing the mechanism for this purpose. On the circumference
of the barrel are two or three passages, channels or grooves formed by metal cheeks
or otherwise these may be inclined or otherwise formed or may consist of helicoidal
grooves forming a screw thread, in these channels a corresponding number of
chains or bands are passed and rotate, their free ends are attached to the suspending
appliance having previously passed over grooved pulleys which latter turn freely
on their axes borne by cheeks cast in iron with a platform hung to a plate beneath
the barrel by aid of three columns or pillars fixed by rivets, pins or otherwise to the
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page_text: first named plate and another beneath it, which latter is pierced with openings for
the passage of the chains or bands which make their exit in the centre of the
ornamental termination before alluded to, and are at this point either hooked to
the sliding tube of the gaselier or are connected to the columns or pillars. The
chains may be band or other formed chains or steel ribbon. The central gas tube
supplying the burners is surmounted and continued by an arched tube to which the
upper plate referred to is fixed, in the centre of this arch is a short screw threaded
tube for screwing into the supply pipe.
If the lamp is for burning oil then the arched tube need not be hollow and need
not necessarily be arched but any other suitable form and bearing a hook, ring or
simple S for connecting it to a hook or ring in the ceiling.
Passing round one end of the spring barrel is a steel band the two ends of which
are fixed to two supports mounted on the central plate by screwing or otherwise.
By more or less screwing up this band it is pressed more or less forcibly against
the barrel it surrounds, and acts as a brake by regulating the action of the spring
in the barrel in a permanent inanner so that the lamp and its suspending mechanism
can be stopped in any part of its course by a simple movement upwards or down-
wards of the hand where it will remain in equipoise.
Or in place of this band a strong lock spring can be used regulated by a screw
in the same manner as the band referred to.
Two or more barrels may be coupled together both acting on the same suspension.
When two chains only are employed the tube through which these chains or
ribbons pass can be considerably reduced the rollers are then arranged obliquely
with the grooves of the barrel so as to guide the bands or chains flat and parallel
with the vertical axis of the suspender. When the lock spring is used for a brake
instead of the flat band of steel one end of this spring is fixed to the central plate
the free end pressing into one of the channels on the barrel. When the axis of the
barrel is vertical then in this case the grooves or channels therein can be helicoidal
and form a screw thread so that the chains or bands in winding are not placed
one above another and are led from the upper pulleys to others below fixed to
supports attached to the bottom plate and to the ornamental termination these
latter pulleys bring the chains in the centre of this part of the suspender.
The axis of suspension of an oil burning lamp may be prolonged and terminate
in a knob by which to raise or lower it.

page_text: Lamps by Means of Spring Barrels and Chains.
I ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 47 Museum Street, Oxford Street in the
Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF SUSPENDING OIL, GAS, AND ELECTRIC LAMPS BY MEANS OF SPRING
BARRELS AND CHAINS" (a communication to me from abroad by Pierre Etienne
Jullien Clockmaker of the city of Paris in the Republic of France) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, to be as follows:-
In the description here given of the novel method of suspending oil, gas, or
electric lamps, the subject of the present invention, four examples of the same
principle are mentioned, the barrels are so arranged that the tension of the springs
may be regulated as required by means of special brakes, so that either with or
without the lamp, it can be stopped at any point of its course, the suspension may
be effected by connecting chains or metal ribbons to the barrel.
The drawings represent by the Figs. 1 and 2 a gas hanging lamp seen in front
and side elevation, the axis b, of the barrel a, being horizontal.
Fig. 3 is a section made at 1-2 of Fig. 1. The axis b is borne by the supports
c. c³, screwed to the circular plate d, to which an ornamental and cylindrical termi-
nation or case e, is attached by screws e¹. The axis b, is square at one of its ends
for turning or winding it up with a key which for this purpose is passed through
the opening e, of the case e, just opposite this square axis. The ratchet f, and
click fare mounted on the face of the support c. By means of cheeks connected
to the barrel cylinder a three distinct grooves, flutes, channels or passages, are
formed g. h. k. in which three chains g¹¹ k¹³ are fixed and turn, which at their
free ends are attached to the suspending appliance after having passed over roller
guides g² h² k².
These latter turn loosely on their axes, mounted in cheeks cast in iron with a
small platform p, which is hung to the plate d by three rods or pillars m. n. o. fixed
by pins, rivets, or bolts to the disks d, and p. The disk p, is pierced with openings
m² no, for the passage of the chains which make their exit in the centre of the
ornamental termination, and are either hooked to the sliding tube t, of the gaselier
or are connected to the suspending rods as shown by the dotted line Fig. 1. The
chains are or may be link or band chains, or any other form, or steel ribbons may
be substituted therefor. When the suspension is for gas, the inner tube t³, is
continued by the tube t2, which at the same time forms an arch, to which the upper
plate d, is fixed. In the centre of this arch is a short screw threaded tube, which
screws on to the gas pipe. If the lamp is an oil one the arch t², need not be hollow,
and may be of any other shape, and be hung by a ring, hook, or the ordinary S.
One end of the barrel case or cylinder is surrounded by a steel blade l, attached at
one end to a piece q fixed to the plate d, and the other end is fixed to another
piece r, fixed to the plate d, by means of a screw r¹. By more or less screwing up

page_text: This
articulated at xy to a piece z. These levers are furnished with pins xy which
free the barrel from the frictional action of the ring breaks x, y, and allow it to
wind and unwind the chains freely, as the lamp is raised or lowered.
operation is performed by drawing on the chain w, which unites with two small
chains w. w attached to the ends of the levers x2 y2. Figs. 10 and 11 show one of
the rings x. y. in detail, and also one of the levers ².
ACTION OF THE MECHANISM.
Supposing the brake l, regulated as required in accordance with the strength of
the barrel spring and the weight to be suspended it will be observed that the lamp
and suspender will stop at any part of its course as it will be in equipoise, and it
only requires to be gently raised by hand when it will be influenced by the
drawing action of the barrel spring, which may be of sufficient length so that if
the suspender is lightened by 1 or 2 kilogrammes it will remain stationary at any
desired point of its course. Two or more barrels may be coupled together for acting
on the same suspension, the barrels being furnished under the conditions named
with one or more grooves for the reception and winding of the chain or suspension
ribbon. When the suspender is especially for gas, it need not be supplied with
three chains, two will suffice which allows of sensibly diminishing the diameter of
the tubes. Fig. 4 which encloses the chains and gas conducting tubes t. t. The
case s, will be reduced as much as possible taking care to have the rollers arranged
obliquely with the grooves or channels g. h, of the barrel so as to guide the flat
part of the chain parallel to the vertical axis of the suspender. Fig. 4, represents
a front view of the barrel with two grooves g. h. Fig. 5; showing that the break
may consist of a strong bolt spring j, fixed to the plate d, and pressing with its
free end on the vertical face of the first groove g. The axis of the barrel can be
arranged vertically, in this case the cylinder can be supplied with grooves, channels,
or passages for the reception of the suspending chains or ribbons as described
above, but these channels may be helical and form a continuous screw thread
which in rolling or winding avoid the superposition of the chains. This arrange-
ment is shown by Fig. 6 which is an elevation and is also shown in plan by Fig. 7.
The three chains g³ ³ ³ with straight links connected at one end to the bottom of
the spirals of the screw threads of the cylinder a, are conducted over grooved
rollers g² ²² borne on the pieces g³ h³ k³.
These pieces are stopped by locking them with screws in the position required
in the pillars m. n. o. connecting the two plates d. p. between which the barrel is
placed.
From the rollers g³ h³ k³, the chains pass to other rollers g³ ³ ³ mounted at the
end of the supports v. v³ v², fixed to the lower plate p, so as to unite these chains
in the centre of the suspender. The supports v. v¹³, serve to fix the ornamental
base or case of the suspension e. The upper plate d is furnished with a suspending
ring d¹.
Fig. 6 also shows that the axis b, of the spring barrel is prolonged sufficiently to
receive a button b¹, which is siezed by the hand for increasing or reducing the
action of the spring barrel.
Finally a spring, fixed to the plate p, presses on the lower surface of this
barrel, to regulate its action in proportion to the weight of the lamp.

page_text: The brake j, instead of being of a fixed resistance can be variable as required
under the influence of a screw binding it more or less.
The action and arrangement of Figs. 6 and 7 is very gentle and practical either
for oil, or gas lamps. In the latter case the axis of the spring barrel is made large
and hollow for the passage of the gas pipe, and to bear the winding mechanism of
the spring.
To fill up the space left when the lamp is drawn down, the method of con-
struction employed may be such as represented by Figs. 12 and 13, which are a
plan and elevation of such construction. In this arrangement the case e, is of the
ordinary form. This case encloses the barrel a, which contrary to the preceding
arrangements is reversed in position so that it receives the platform p, (Figs. 1. 2.
and 3 whose axes support the roller guides g² h² and le²) at its upper part.
A shaft p¹, of suitable length is fixed by screws; rivets, or otherwise to the
platform p, the other end of this shaft is similarly fixed to the ornamental piece p².
The rollers A. B. C. which are loose on their axes serve as guides to the chains
gh and . A smoke consumer D, can be placed at the lower end.
By this
means a simulation of the ordinary weight suspending gaseliers, is effected, the
counterweights being concealed in the barrel inside the outer case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is, the general arrangement and construction of gas, oil, or electric lamp
suspenders as herein described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings
consisting
1st In the method of construction as exemplified by Figs. 1 to 5, in which the
barrel or barrels have a horizontal axis on the barrel cylinder, two or three grooves
or channels on the cylinder on which the suspending chains or metal ribbons wind
and turn, in combination with two or more breaks applied to the barrels, such
breaks consisting of steel blades or bands whose resistance can be regulated as
required. Or in lieu thereof the system described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9,
in conjunction with the connection of the plates supporting the barrel and roller
chain guides, and supporting mechanisin constituting the gas supply pipe, the
whole concealed by an external ornamental casing having an aperture outside for
winding up the barrel spring.
2nd In the method of construction shown by Figs. 6 and 7 in which the axis of
the barrel is vertical, the cylinder of the barrel being provided with a screw thread
of any desired section for the connection and winding of the chains or suspending
ribbons. The combination of the roller chain or metal ribbon guides for guiding
them as in Figs. 1 and 5. The button arrangement for winding up the spring
barrel without removing the case, and the application of a permanent brake regulated
at will.
3rd The combination and arrangement of the suspension as shown by Figs. 12
and 13 to imitate the ordinary weight suspension and do away with the vacant
space left when the lamp is drawn down. Reserving the right to modify the
form, and dimensions as well as the materials of construction of the parts forming
the suspender as well as in the employment of one or more barrels, which can be
effected without departing from the principle of the invention.