AN IMPROVED JOINT OR UNION CONTACT FOR ELECTRIC PROVISIONAL SP FITTING
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Wolf Defries, of the firm of J. Defries and Sons, of
No 147 Houndsditch, London, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers, for
an Invention of "AN IMPROVED JOINT OR UNION CONTACT FOR ELECTRIC
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Wolf Defries at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th February 1883.
WOLF DEFRIES, of the firm of J. Defries and Sons, of N° 147 Houndsditch,
London, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers, "AN IMPROVED JOINT OR
UNION CONTACT FOR ELECTRIC FITTINGS"
My Invention relates to an improved joint or union contact which I propose
applying as a connection between any parts of the electric circuit where the
conducting wires, or the tubes containing them, require to be readily separated, and
put together again, such as for example such parts of an Electrolier, or Electric
Light bracket, or arm, or lampholder or socket as may be required to be readily
separated and put together again; also as a swivel joint to a swing bracket, or
other moveable electric fitting; or at the top of a pendant Electrolier in combination
with a ball and socket joint.
For the purpose of my invention I take the ends of the wires which conduct the
current of Electricity to the part of the Electrolier or bracket to be connected, and
draw them each through a hole in a plug of insulating material. One wire I coil
up in a small cylindrical coil and let into the centre of such plug, and the other I
bend round into a circular hoop, which I lay flat on the surface of or in a groove
on the plug and concentric with the coil formed by the other wire. The whole is
then placed in a liner which is screwed on to the Electrolier, or other fixture,
through which the leading wires are brought. Over the liner I place a cap screwed
to fit the other part of my joint. This other part consists of a piece of insulating
material screwed to fit the cap above mentioned, and on the end of the screw is a
circular metal plate of diameter equal to that of the flat coil of wire in the other
part. To this I attach one of the wires used to complete the circuit in the part of
such Electrolier or bracket required to be attached. Or I may make this plate out
of the end of such conducting wire as in the afore mentioned part of my union

page_text: contact. A wire or pin, which I prefer to split to ensure good contact, and for
which I may or may not use the second conducting wire itself, is fixed in the
centre of this insulating material and concentric with the metal ring, and to this is
attached the other wire. This pin projects so that when the flat coil of wire is
brought in contact with the metal plate, by screwing up the cap on to the
insulating material, the metal pin is at the same time inserted into the central coil
of wire, thereby connecting both wires in whatever position it may be turned on
it axis when screwed up.
By any suitable provision to enable the cap to be only partially tightened the
aforesaid connection is applicable for a swivel joint. For the joint at the head of a
pendant Electrolier. I propose to attach my apparatus just below the ball of an
ordinary ball and socket joint, with a device to prevent the ball revolving in the
socket whilst leaving it free to swing in any direction; for example I cut a vertical
slot on one side of the ball, and insert into this the end of a pin screwed into the
socket in a horizontal direction in a line with the centre of the ball;
ог I may use
any other device which 1 may find suitable for this purpose. The leading wires
may then be led up through the hole with sufficient slack to allow the swing of an
Electrolier whilst the joint below will allow of the Electrolier being turned round
as required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Wolf Defries in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th August
1883.
WOLF DEFRIES, of the firm of J Defries and Sons of N° 147 Houndsditch
London in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers "AN IMPROVED JOINT OR
UNION CONTACT FOR ELECTRIC FITTINGS
"
My Invention relates to an improved joint or union contact which I propose
applying as a connection between any parts of the electric circuit where the
conducting wires, or the tubes containing them, require to be readily separated and
put together again; as for example such parts of an Electrolier, or Electric Light
bracket, or arm, or lampholder, or socket as may be required to be readily separated
and put together again; also as a swivel joint to a swing bracket, or other moveable
electric fitting; or at the top of a pendant Electrolier in combination with a ball
and socket joint.
For the purpose of my Invention I take the ends of the wires which conduct
the current of Electricity to the part of the Electrolier or bracket to be connected,
and draw them each through a hole in a plug of insulating material. One wire I
coil up in a small cylindrical coil and let into the centre of such plug, or in lieu of
this coil I may insert a short metallic tabe into the plug; the other wire I bend
round into a circular hoop, which I lay flat on the surface of or in a groove on the
plug and concentric with the coil formed by the other wire; or I may insert a
metallic washer into the plug in a similar manner and connect the wire thereto.
The whole may then be placed in a liner which is screwed on to the Electrolier,
or other fixture, through which the leading wires are brought. Over the liner I
place a cap or coupling screwed to fit the other part of my joint.
This other part consists of a piece of insulating material screwed to fit the cap
above mentioned and on the end of the screw is a circular metal plate of diameter
equal to that of the flat coil of wire in the other part. To this I attach one of the
wires used to complete the circuit in the part of such Electrolier or bracket required
to be attached. Or I may make this plate out of the end of such conducting wire,
as in the aforementioned part of my union contact.
A wire or pin, which I prefer to split to ensure good contact and for which I
may or may not use the second conducting wire itself, is fixed in the centre of this
insulating material and concentric with the metal ring, and to this is attached the
other wire.
This pin projects so that when the flat coil of wire is brought into contact with
the metal plate by screwing up the cap on to the insulating material the metal pin
is at the same time inserted into the central coil of wire, thereby connecting both
wires in whatever position it may be turned on its axis when screwed up
By any suitable provision to enable the cap to be only partially tightened the
aforesaid connection is applicable for a swivel joint-For the joint at the head of a
pendant Electrolier I propose to attach my apparatus just below the ball of an
ordinary ball and socket joint, with a device to prevent the ball revolving in the
socket, whilst leaving it free to swing in any direction; for example I cut a vertical
slot on one side of the ball, and insert into this the end of a pin screwed into the
socket in a horizontal direction in a line with the centre of the ball; or I may use
any other device which I may find suitable for this purpose
The leading wires may then be led up through the hole with sufficient slack to
allow the swing of an Electrolier whilst the joint below will allow of the Electrolier
being turned round as required.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing:
Figure 1. Represents an external view of a coupling arranged for the purpose of
carrying an incandescent lamp.
Fine 9 To section showing the intronal notation of the same

page_text: WOLF DEFRIES (L.S.)