IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING LAMPS OR THE RESERVOIRS OF LAMPS TO THEIR PILLARS OR STANDS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Frederick Spittle, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manager of Works, and Joseph Hinks, of Birmingham aforesaid,
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING LAMPS
OR THE RESERVOIRS OF LAMPS TO THEIR PILLARS OR STANDS,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Frederick Spittle
and Joseph Hinks at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th
April 1878.
WILLIAM FREDERICK SPITTLE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manager of Works, and JOSEPH HINKS, of Birmingham aforesaid, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING LAMPS OR THE RESERVOIRS OF LAMPS TO THEIR
PILLARS OR STANDS."
Our Invention has reference especially to lamps in which volatile oils are burned,
but is also applicable to lamps for burning other combustibles.
We will describe our Invention as applied to a mineral oil lamp. The reservoir
of the lamp is supported on the top of a pillar or other stand, to which it is usually
connected either by being permanently attached by plaster of Paris or other cement,
or made removable by a screwed peg on the under side of the reservoir, taking into
a screwed hole in the top of the pillar or stand, or by means of a peg and
socket.
Our Invention has for its object to afford the means of effecting a rapid and
secure attachment of the lamp to its pillar or stand and its ready removal there-
from when necessary.
In connecting the reservoir of a lamp to its pillar or stand according to our In-
vention we fix on the top of the pillar a shallow socket, in which two slots are
made opposite to each other. In a recess in the interior of the socket are two
plates with a coiled spring between them, by the action of which spring the plates
are pushed asunder or from the centre towards the circumference of the socket.
Portions of the said plates pass through the said slots in the socket, and constitute

page_text: pushers, by pressing on which by the thumb and finger the said plates can be made
to approach each other. Near the outer ends of these plates and on each side of
the pushers hook-like projections are formed. These projections are within the
Bocket. To the bottom of the reservoir of the lamp a metallic foot is fixed by
coment or otherwise, the circular bottom of the said foot fitting accurately in the
socket on the top of the pillar.
The foot described is hollow, and the circular bottom is undercut internally.
In connecting the reservoir of the lamp to the pillar the pushers of the socket
are pressed inwards by the thumb and finger, and the circular bottom of the foot
of the reservoir is inserted in the socket. When the said foot has seated itself in
the socket the thumb and finger are removed from the pushers, when by the action
of their spring they are forced outwards. The hook-like projections on the pushers
engage in the undercut in the foot, and the latter is thereby firmly fixed in the
socket.
In order to remove the reservoir from the pillar it is only necessary to press the
pushers inwards by the thumb and finger, when the foot can be lifted from the
Bocket.
The foot described supports the lamp in an upright position, when it has been
separated from its pillar and placed upon a table or other support.
Instead of affixing a metallic foot to the reservoir the glass or other reservoir
inay have a foot made in one piece with it. In this case as the internal undercut
in the foot cannot be made without much dificulty we dispense with the said
undercut, and modify the parts connected with the socket on the top of the pillar
in the following manner:-The plates connected with the pushers are made of a
length nearly equal to the diameter of the socket. The said plates cross each other,
their hook-like parts being external to the socket. The hook-like parts of each
plate project from the side of the socket opposite to that from which the pusher of
the plates projects. The consequence of this arrangement is that the spring forces
the hook-like projections inwards, and pressure upon the pushers forces them
outwards.
In order to fix the reservoir to the pillar the pushers are pressed upon by the
thumb and finger. The hook-like projections move outwards, and the foot of the
reservoir can be inserted in the socket. By removing the thumb and finger from
the pushers the book-like projections move inwards, and, closing upon the foot of
the reservoir, hold it firmly in the socket.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Frederick Spittle and Joseph Hinks in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th October 1878.
WILLIAM FREDERICK SPITTLE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manager of Works, and JOSEPH HINKS, of Birmingham aforesaid, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTING LAMPS OR THE RESERVOIRS OF LAMPS TO THEIR
PILLARS OR STANDS."
Our Invention has reference especially to lamps in which volatile oils are burned,
but is also applicable to lamps for burning other combustibles.
We will describe our Invention as applied to a mineral oil lamp. The reservoir
of the lamp is supported on the top of a pillar or other stand, to which it is usually
connected either by being permanently attached by plaster of Paris or other cement,
or made removeable by a screwed peg on the under side of the reservoir, taking
into a screwed hole in the top of the pillar or stand, or by means of a peg and
socket.
Our Invention has for its object to afford the means of effecting a rapid and
secure attachment of the lamp to its pillar or stand, and its ready romoval there-
from when necessary.
In connecting the reservoir of a lamp to its pillar or stand according to our In-
vention we fix on the top of the pillar a shallow socket, in which two slots are
made opposite to each other. In a recess in the interior of the socket are two
plates with a coiled spring between them, by the action of which spring the plates
are pushed asunder, or from the centre towards the circumference of the socket.
Portions of the said plates pass through the said slots in the socket and constitute
pushers, by pressing on which by the thumb and finger the said plates can be made
to approach each other. Near the outer ends of these plates and on each side of
the pushers hook-like projections are formed. These projections are within the
socket. To the bottom of the reservoir of the lamp a metallic foot is fixed by
cement or otherwise, the circular bottom of the said foot fitting accurately in the
socket on the top of the pillar.
The foot described is hollow, and the circular bottom is undercut internally.
In connecting the reservoir of the lamp to the pillar the pushers of the socket
are pressed inwards by the thumb and finger, and the circular bottom of the foot
of tho reservoir is inserted in the socket. When the said foot has seated itself in
the socket the thumb and finger are removed from the pushers, when by the action
of their spring they are forced outwards. The hook-like projections on the pushers
engage in the undercut in the foot, and the latter is thereby firmly fixed in the
socket.
In order to remove the reservoir from the pillar it is only necessary to press the
pushers inwards by the thumb and finger, when the foot can be lifted from the
socket.
The foot described supports the lamp in an upright position when it has been
separated from its pillar, and placed upon a table or other support.
Instead of affixing a metallic foot to the reservoir the glass or other reservoir
may have a foot in one piece with it. In this case, as the internal under cut in tho
foot cannot be made without much difficulty, we dispense with the said under cut
and modify the parts connected with the socket on the top of the pillar in the
following manner:-The plates connected with the pushers are made of a length
nearly equal to the diameter of the socket. The said plates cross each other, their
hook-like parts being external to the socket. The hook-like parts of each plato
project from the side of the socket opposite to that from which the pusher of tho
plate projects. The consequence of this arrangement is that the spring forces the
hook-like projections inwards, and pressure upon the pushers forces them outwards.
In order to fix the reservoir to the pillar the pushers are pressed upon by the
thumb and finger. The hook-like projections move outwards, and the foot of the

page_text: reservoir can be inserted in the socket. By removing the thumb and finger from
the pushers the hook-like projections move inwards, and closing upon the foot of
the reservoir hold it firmly in the socket.
We will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawings,
the manner in which our Invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation a mineral oil lamp connected to its pillar or
stand according to our Invention, and Figure 2 represents a part of the same in
vertical section.
Figure 3 represents in horizontal section the connecting parts of the oil reservoir
and pillar taken on the line A, A, Figure 2.
Figure 4 represents the lamp disconnected from the pillar or stand.
Figure 5 represents in plan and vertical section the metallic foot which is fixed
to the bottom of the oil reservoir.
Figure 6 represents in plan of under side, Figure 7 in plan of upper side,
Figure 8 in plan of upper side with the covering plate removed, and Figure 9 in
cross section, taken on the line B, B, Figure 7, the shallow socket (and parts carried
by it), which is fixed to the top of the pillar or stand.
Figure 10 represents in side elevation and plan one of the hook-like sliding plates
of the socket.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1 to 10.
c is the oil reservoir of the lamp, and d is the pillar or stand of the lamp.
On the top of the pillar is a shallow circular metallic socket e, the said socket
being connected by its hollow base to the said pillar. This connection may be
effected by cement or in any other convenient way. In tho said socket e, and
crossing it in the direction of a diameter two plates f, f, slide. These plates f. f.
slide between and are guided in their motion by the bottom guide plate g and the
covering plate, the latter being fixed to the socket e by the screw pins i, i, (see
Figure 9). Between the inner ends of the two sliding plates f, f, is a strong
coiled spring, which tends to press the said plates outwards, that is, towards
the circumference of the socket e. A tubular box is formed between the bottom
guide plate gand the covering or top guide plate h of the socket, for the reception of
the said coiled spring . The sectional figures of the said guide plates g, h, are best
seen in Figure 9. The reduced outer ends f³, 2, of the sliding plates f. f. pass
through slots at m, m, in the rim of the socket e, and constitute pushers, by pressing
on which by the thumb and finger the said sliding plates f. f, can be made to
approach each other, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. Near the outer ends
of the sliding plates ff, and on each side of the pushers are hook-like projections
fs, fs, the shape of which will be best understood by referring to Figures 2, 9,
and 10. The covering or top guide plate h has slots in it, into which the hook-
like projections fs, fs, enter when the sliding plates are pressed inwards.
On the bottom of the oil reservoir c of the lamp a circular metallic foot n (shown
separately in Figure 5) is affixed by means of the ornamental flango n³ on the
upper side of the said foot, the said flange n² being compressed and closed upon a
collar at the bottom of the oil reservoir, as seen in Figures 1, 2, and 4. The said
circular foot n is open at its bottom, and has a size proper to fit accurately in the
socket e on the top of the pillar d. The said foot n is internally undercut at p
for receiving the hook-like projections f³, fs, in the socket e.
To connect the reservoir c of the lamp to the pillar & the pushors f, ƒ³, are
pressed inwards by the thumb and finger, and the circular bottom of the foot n on
the reservoir c is inserted in the socket e. The foot n having seated itself in the
socket e the thumb and finger are removed from the pushers f, f, when by the
action of the spring / they are forced outwards and the hook-like projections f³, ƒ³,
near the said pushers are made to engage in the undercut p in the foot n, as illus-
trated in Figures 2 and 3, and the said foot is thereby fixed firmly in the socket o
and the lamp is connected to its pillar or stand.
When it is wished to remove the lamp from its pillar or stand for filling the oil
reservoir or for other purpose, the pushers f, f, are pressed inwards by the thumb

page_text: and finger. The hook-like projections f³, f³, are thereby withdrawn from the
under cut pin the foot n, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, and the foot is
released and may be lifted from the socket, as shown in Figure 4, whero the lamp
with its oil reservoir is represented detached from its pillar. When the lamp is
thus soparted from its pillar the foot n serves to support it in an upright position on
a table or other support. The reservoir can thus be filled and cleaned while it is
supported by its foot n in an upright position, and the inconvenience of holding
the reservoir during the said filling or cleaning is thereby avoided. The foot n also
enables the lamp to be used without its pillar or stand when the light is required
to be brought nearer to the surface of the table or other article. By our Invention
the oil reservoir of the lamp is connected to and disconnected from its pillar or
stand very easily and rapidly, and when connected it is very secure.
Instead of fixing the circular foot to the reservoir by closing a flange upon the
base of the reservoir, as described and illustrated, the said foot may be furnished
with a socket for fixing the foot to the oil reservoir.
Figure 11 represents in elevation a lamp in which the foot n is connected to
the reservoir by a peg on the bottom of the reservoir entering the socket 9 on the
top of the foot n, the said peg being fixed in the said socket 9 by cement or other-
Wise.
Figure 12 represents in vertical section the circular foot n and its socket 9,
Figure 11, detached from the lamp.
Figure 13 represents in plan of upper side, and Figure 14 in plan of upper side
with the covering plate removed, and Figure 15 in cross section, a socket con-
structed according to our Invention, in which the hook-like projections for engaging
with the internal undercut of the foot on the reservoir are arranged all round the
circumference of the socket. In this arrangement four sliding plates r, s, t, u, are used,
cach plate being situated and working at right angles to the adjacent one, and each
plate having two hook-like projections f³, fs, upon it as represented. The two
plates, r, s, have on their outer ends pushers 7, 8, and their inner ends are furnished
with inclined projections or arms ³, 83, which slide in inclined slots t, u, in the
two sliding plates t, u, as represented. A coiled spring between the two plates
r. 8, presses them outwards, and through the inclined arms ³, 88, and slots t, u,
also presses outwards the plates t, u. By pressing upon the pushers 7³, 8³, in the
manner herein-before described, the hook-like projections f³, fs, of the four sliding
plates r, s, t, u, are simultaneously withdrawn from the internal undercut in the
foot on the reservoir, and on removing the pressure from the pushers, the said hook-
like projections are simultaneously pressed outwards and made to engage with the
said undercut of the foot as will be understood by an examination of the Drawing.
The outward motion of the two plates t, u, is limited by the stops w, w.
Figure 16 represents in elevation a lamp in which the oil reservoir has a foot
made in one piece with it, and the hook-like projections of the socket are external
to the socket and close upon the outside of the said foot.
Figures 17 and 18 represent horizontal sections taken through the solid foot of
the reservoir, Figure 17 exhibiting the hook-like projections engaging with the
exterior of the foot, and Figure 18, the same moved outwards so as to release the
foot.
Figure 19 represents a plan of the socket with the covering plate removed.
In the said Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19, a is the solid foot on the bottom of the oil
reservoir made without an internal undercut, and e is the socket on the pillar of the
lamp into which the said solid foot fits. y, z, are two sliding plates carrying at their
outer ends the hook-like projections f², f2; and y, z, are the pushers of the said
sliding plates. Between the inner ends of the said plates y, z, is a zig-zag spring 1,
which tends to force the hook-like projections on the said plates inwards or
towards one another.
It will be seen by reference to Figure 19 that the pusher of each plate is situated
at the opposite side of the socket e to that at which the hook projections ƒ³ on the

page_text: projections inwards, as seen in Figures 17 and 19, and pressure upon the pushers
by the thumb and finger forces them outwards and compresses the spring 1, as seen
in Figure 18. The parts being in the positions represented in Figure 18, the solid
foot of the oil reservoir c is introduced into the socket e, and on removing the
pressure from the pushers y, z, the hook-like projections ƒ ƒ³, by the action of
the spring 1 close upon the exterior of the foot x, and hold it securely in the
socket e.
Although we prefer to make the foot for the external hook-like projections of the
socket to engage with in one piece with the oil reservoir, yet the said foot may be
made separately therefrom and attached to it in any convenient way.
Instead of employing a set of internal hook-like projections for engaging with an
undercut in the foot of the reservoir, or a set of external hook-like projections for
closing upon the exterior of the foot of the reservoir, both internal and external
hook-like projections may be used. In this case the foot is properly shaped for the
two sets of hook-like projections to engage with and close upon.
In applying our Invention to the connecting of the oil roservoirs of lamps to
suspended stands, such as the stands of hall lamps and the like, and to brackets, we
secure to the stand a socket and parts thereof of the construction described, and we
secure to the bottom of the oil reservoir a foot of the construction described; and
we connect the foot to the socket in the manner described with respect to a table
lamp.
Besides connecting lamps or the reservoirs of lamps to their pillars or stands our
Invention may also be used for connecting flower vases, fruit dishes, epergnes, and
other like articles to their stands or supports.
Having now described the nature of our Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention,
the improvements in connecting lamps, or the reservoirs of lamps, to their pillars or
stands herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings;
that is to say, securing to the pillar or stand of the lamp a circular socket containing
internal or external, or both internal and external, sliding hook-like projections and
pushers constructed as described and illustrated, and securing to or making in one
piece with the base of the oil reservoir of the lamp a circular foot constructed as
described and illustrated, for accurately fitting in the circular socket on the pillar
or stand the connection of the foot of the oil reservoir to the pillar or stand, being
effected by the engaging of the said hook-like projections with the said foot, and
its disconnection by disengaging by means of pushers the said hook-like projections
from the said foot, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Frederick Spittle, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Olerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM FREDERICK SPITTLE. (L.S.)