A NEW AND USEFUL MECHANISM OR APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR SUPPORTING ONE OR MORE GAS BURNERS, AND CONDUCTING GAS TO SUCH, OR FOR VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES.
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Monson, of the State of 'Connecticut, of the
United States of America, for the Invention of "A NEW AND USEFUL
MECHANISM OR APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR SUPPORTING ONE OR MORE GAS
BURNERS, AND CONDUCTING GAS TO SUCH, OR FOR VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL
PURPOSES.
Sealed the 13th April 1858, and dated the 17th February 1858.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Monson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Decla-
ration, on the 17th February 1858, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE IT
KNOWN that I, CHARLES MONSON, of the State of Connecticut, of the
United States of America, have invented "A NEW AND USEFUL MECHANISM OR
APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR SUPPORTING ONE OR MORE GAS BURNERS, AND CON-
DUCTING GAS TO SUCH, OR FOR VARIOUS OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES," and I do hereby.
declare that the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which it is to be
performed, or in other words its construction and mode of operation, are fully
described and represented in the following Specification and the accompanying
Drawings, of which Figure marked A is a top view of the apparatus; Figure
marked C is a perspective view of it when it is in an extended state; Figure.
marked D denotes it in a state of contraction; Figure marked E exhibits one

page_text: of its lateral conducting tubes, while Figure marked F represents such con-
ducting tube, and the manner in which it is applied to the joint tubes with
which it operates.
The nature of my Invention consists in a peculiar combination and arrange-
ment of one or more tubes and a series of levers by which the whole apparatus
either may be extended or contracted, and a clear passage for gas or a fluid be
still maintained. throughout the said tube or tubes; my Invention being par-
ticularly useful for supporting one or more gas burners.or a gas chandelier,
and either from the wall or the ceiling of a room, and when it may be desirable
to have such burner or burners or chandelier movable either toward or away
from the said wall or ceiling, or adjustable at various distances therefrom.
In carrying out my Invention I make use of a system. of levers jointed
together and known by the common appellation of "Jacob's ladder" or "lazy
tongs," such being shown at a, a, a, etc. b, b, b, etc., they being jointed together
where they cross one another, and also at their ends. Each two of these
levers, except those at the extremes of the system, cross one another at their
centers, and there turn on a pin, fulcrum, grummet, or short tube c; at its
outer end each lever laps on another lever, and both turn on one of a series of
joint tubes d, d, d; etc. Each joint tube d is connected with two other joint
tubes by means of two pipes of the form shown in Figure E, and in the
manner denoted by Figure F, the connection tubes being represented at e, e, e.
One connection tube is arranged on one side of the system of levers while the
other is disposed on the other side thereof, as shown in the Drawings, par-
ticularly in Figure marked A, or the top view of the apparatus, and also in
the Figure marked C. Each tube e near its two extremities is bent at right
angles to its remainder, as shown in Figures E and F; the branches or parts
so bent are extended into and made to fit closely two of the joint tubes. The
series of levers terminates at each end in two shorter levers g, g, each of which
at its outer end turns in one of the main joint tubes, while at its inner end
it turns on another joint tube h, opening into a screw connection i, and being
connected at either one or both ends, according to circumstances, with the
adjacent main joint tubes by one or two smaller connection tubes h, h, as
shown in the Drawings. Both branch tubes which may enter a joint tube
may turn in it, or one may be soldered or fastened in the joint tube so as
turn with it, while the other may be so applied to the joint tube as to be
capable of turning in it, the arrangement of the joints being such as to enable
the whole apparatus to be extended, as shown in Figure C, or to be contracted
together, as represented in Figure D.
Furthermore, the connection of the tubes with one another and with the two

page_text: screw connections at the two extremities of the series of levers should be such
that there shall be either one or two continuous passages from one screw.
connection to the other, whereby, in case of gas being allowed to pass under,
pressure into one screw connection, it shall flow through the pipes and be
carried by them into the other screw connection, to which one or more gas
burners or a chandelier may be so applied as to receive such gas.
Figure B is a section of one of the screw connections and the joint tube in
which it works. Thus my said apparatus, when applied to a gas conduit
terminating at or near the ceiling of a room, may be used as a pendant or.
support for a gas burner or chandelier, in which case it will be perceived that
most if not the whole of the strain or weight of the said burner or chandelier
will be borne by the system of levers and their joints, rather than by the
branch tubes e, e, e.
Instead of constructing the apparatus altogether in the above-described
manner, the several tubes e, e, e; may be dispensed with, and a long or con-
tinuous flexible tube constructed of caoutchouc, or other suitable material or
composition of materials, may be led from the joint tube of one screw
connection to and through the several joint tubes to the joint tube of the outer
screw connection, in such manner.as to enable the system of levers either to
be extended or contracted lengthwise. In this way a continuous tube or
conduit for gas may be employed instead of sectional tubes e, e, connected as
herein-before described.
It should be noted that the tube apparatus can be extended or contracted
with great facility and freedom, as by means of the action of the jointed levers
the parts move simultaneously with a uniform motion; also that it has a long
reach as compared with the space which it occupies when folded, especially if
the levers are either numerous or long; also that there is little or no strain
upon the lateral tubes, it being all upon the levers and their joints or joint
tubes, which can be made so as to render the system as strong as may be
desirable, so that no weight even of the heaviest chandelier can produce any
injurious strain upon the gas conduit extending through the said system of
levers, the joints of the tubes being merely rolling joints with extensive
superficial bearings can be constructed easily so as not to leak. When,
however, the continuous flexible conduit is employed all objections to the
leakage of the joints may be avoided. The apparatus, under any extension
of it within its limits of motion, may be confined in position by means of one
or more clamp screws suitably applied to it, or by means of a counterbalancing
weight or other suitable mechanical device or devices.
1.do not claim the above-described system of jointed levers by itself, but_

page_text: what I do claim as my Invention is, the combination and arrangement of a
system of lovers substantially as described with one or more conducting tubes:
so as to operate essentially in the manner and for the purpose as herein-before
specified.
what I do claim as my Invention is, the combination and arrangement of a
system of lovers substantially as described with one or more conducting tubes:
so as to operate essentially in the manner and for the purpose as herein-before
specified.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature and seal, this
First day of February, One 'thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
so as to operate essentially in the manner and for the purpose as herein-before
specified.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature and seal, this
First day of February, One 'thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.