Improvements in or connected with Electric Circuit Closing Devices for Lamps Arranged in Series Circuits.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL DI ECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electric Circuit Closing Devices
for Lamps Arranged in Series Circuits.
I, ALBERT AUGUSTUS GOLDSTON, of 6, Horsell Road, Highbury, in the
County of London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
My invention relates to circuit closing devices for series circuits.
In the Specification of a former Patent No. 14094 of 1889 I have described a
circuit closing device which is normally maintained open by the tension of the
leading in wires of the lamp and which, upon the tension being relieved, allowed
the circuit closing or short circuiting to be brought about as desired.
My present invention is an improvement upon this and comprises a new com-
bination of parts and apparatus of improved construction providing greater
efficiency and certainty of action and general durability.
In carrying out my invention I provide a base piece of any suitable insulating
material and I secure to this two pendent metal brackets or supports, preferably of
a V shape, attached at their double ends to the base and connected to the main
circuit wires. To each bracket on the limbs or legs facing each other I pivot two
levers or bearings, one of which is longer than the other, preferably the upper one,
and protrudes through the limb of the bracket so as to allow of a spiral spring
being attached thereto, the other end of the spring being brought down between
the limbs and secured to an eye provided in the narrow end of the bracket. Each
pair of levers carries a contact making piece and is so arranged that it works with
a parallel motion, the spiral springs before mentioned tending to normally bring
the two opposite sets of levers together so that the two faces of the contact pieces
shall make contact with each other. By this parallel arrangement I ensure good
and flat contact between the contact makers irrespective of whether this action is
simultaneous or otherwise which was not the case with the arrangements described
in my said former Specification.
The contact pieces are linked to the levers by means of pins or cottars which can
readily be removed, whereby the contact makers can be cleared or refaced and
replaced without disturbing any other part of the device. I sometimes provide the
contact pieces with renewable surface pieces.
A hole is made longitudinally in each of the contact pieces through which a
flexible conductor forming the leading wire is passed, and this is secured by means
of a set screw so that the length of the leading wire may be regulated. The
flexible conductor passing through the contact pieces and being joined direct to the
bracket and main circuit as described, prevents any undue resistance which would
arise if the continuity were dependent upon any of the movable joints.
The conductors are advantageously connected to the lamp terminals by means of
specially constructed couplings each of which has a nipple having a hole therein
screw threaded at one end and made larger at this end than at the other. After
passing the flexible wire through the smaller hole, which is just large enough to
receive it, it is drawn through and the strands are then opened out for a short
distance and turned back on themselves to enlarge the end; the conductor is then
drawn back again through the nipple so that the enlarged end jams in the hollow
which is screw threaded and a lug upon a clip forming part of the coupling is
screwed into the nipple and tends to spread the strands, thereby forming a perfectly
mechanical and electrical joint.

page_text: The clip is made in the form of a hinge, one piece being pivotally connected to
the other and capable of being brought towards the other by means of a screw, so
that by placing the terminal lugs or wires of the lamp between the free ends of the
hinge they can then be tightly clamped together enclosing the lamp lugs or wire
terminals and thus make good contact.
The necessary tension upon these leading in wires for causing the contact pieces
to separate is provided through the medium of a hoop or ring attached to the lower
ends of the V brackets and insulated at its supports by means of insulating flanges
or washers secured to the ends of the hoop or ring. This hoop or ring is fixed to
the brackets by means of a hollow union nut screwed on to the bottoms of the
brackets.
I provide at the bottom of the ring or hoop a boss having a square hole through
which I pass a pin partly square and partly threaded the said pin being furnished
with a winged or other nut so that the pin may be drawn up and down vertically
through the boss. An eye is provided in the upper end of the pin so that any
suitable attachment to the lamp itself or bulb may be made by means of netting or
otherwise, or an easily fracturable piece may be inserted between the lamp bulb
and the stretching screw. This tension arrangement also affords a ready means
for switching off the lamp. The said hoop or ring also serves to support a
reflector.
When the stretching ring or hoop is not desired I substitute two sliding pins
insulated from the brackets by means of insulating washers and union nuts as
before described and a suitable ring piece, which may form part of a reflector, is
provided with set screws and adapted to move vertically upon the sliding pins and
when this stretching piece or reflector is pressed down upon the lamp and the
necessary tension applied to separate the contact pieces, the set screws are screwed
up so as to grip the pins and thus set the lamp and device ready for action.
I sometimes provide an external globe or protection for the lamp and arrange
this to be supported or secured by a nut at the bottom of the stretching hoop or
ring which nut cannot be removed until another nut has first been slackened or
detached which would relieve the tension on the lamp and leading wires and thus
compel the lamp to be short circuited before the globe is removed.
In some cases I cause the globe or external protection to provide the necessary
tension upon the lamp and leading wires, and by an arrangement with a suitable
stretching screw passing through the bottom of the globe or protection I can
dispense with the stretching hoop and ring. It is obvious moreover that in this
case upon the external globe or protection becoming fractured the tension upon the
lamp and leading wires will be released and the circuit closing or short circuiting
be brought about.
In order to operate upon more than one lamp in one device or apparatus I
provide a central or third V or Ụ bracket and in such a case each limb of this
bracket carries a pair of levers and contact makers so as to operate with the other
pairs of levers and contact pieces. The connections are made in the same manner
as hereinbefore described in relation to the single form and each lamp is connected
in series with the other, the connection being preferably made by joining the two
inner flexible conductors together after they lead from the contact pieces at their
upper ends. The operation of the two sides of the device is quite independent.
The tension exerting arrangement may be provided by an adjustable device in
connection with the central bracket.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electric Circuit Closing Devices
for Lamps Arranged in Series Circuits.
I, ALBERT AUGUSTUS GOLDSTON, of 6, Horsell Road, Highbury, in the
County of London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to electric circuit closing devices for lamps arranged in
series circuits.
In the Specification of a former Patent No. 14094 of 1889 I have described a
circuit closing device which is normally maintained open by the tension of the
leading-in wires of the lamp and which, upon the tension being relieved by the
breakage or otherwise of the leading-in wires allows the circuit closing or short
circuiting to be brought about as desired.
My present invention is an improvement upon this and comprises a new com-
bination of parts and apparatus of improved construction providing great efficiency
and certainty of action and general durability.
In the accompanying drawings:
--
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a lamp having my improved circuit
closing device applied thereto; and,
Figure 2 is a plan of part of the same:
Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views drawn to an enlarged scale and illustrating
the construction of a detail; and,
Figures 5 and 6 are an elevation and plan illustrating another detail:
Figure 7 is a sectional view illustrating another detail of my invention :
Figure 8 is a sectional view illustrating a modification of my invention; and,
Figure 9 is a sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale of a detail of the same :
Figures 10 to 16 are views illustrating further details.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
In carrying out my invention I provide a base-piece a of any suitable insulating
material and I secure to this two pendent metal brackets or supports b, b prefer-
ably of a Vor U-shape, attached at their double ends to the base and adapted to
be connected to the main circuit wires at b', 6'. To each bracket b pivot a
lever c and a link c¹ in such a manner that the levers and links on one bracket
face those on the other bracket. The said levers are longer than the links and
each lever protrudes through one limb of its connected bracket so as to allow of a
spiral spring d being attached thereto at one end, the other end of the spring
being brought down between the limbs and secured to an eye e provided at the
lower end of the bracket. Each set of levers and links carries a contact making
piece and is so arranged that it works with a parallel motion, the spiral springs
before mentioned tending to normally bring the adjacent ends of the two opposite
sets of levers and links towards each other so that the adjacent faces of the
contact pieces f, f shall make contact. By this parallel arrangement I ensure
good and flat contact between the contact makers irrespective of whether this
action is simultaneous or otherwise, which was not the case with the arrangements
described in my said former Specification. The contact pieces are pivotted to
the levers and links by means of pins or cotters g, g which can readily be removed,
whereby the contact makers can be cleaned or refaced and replaced without
disturbing any other part of the device. I sometimes provide the contact making
pieces with separate surface pieces f¹, as shewn in Figures 10. 11 and 12 which
represent respectively a sectional elevation of one of the contact pieces and a front
and a side view of the surface piece detached, whereby the same may be renewed
as required without interfering with the body of the contact piece; this also
enables me to employ surfaces of a material different from that of the body of

page_text: the contact piece which is very advantageous where an electrical resistance is
required.
A hole h is made longitudinally in each of the contact pieces f (as shewn in
Figure 2) through which a flexible conductor /³ forming the leading-in wire is
passed, and this is secured by means of a set-screw i so that the length of the
leading-in wire may be regulated. The flexible conductor passing through the
contact pieces and being joined direct to the brackets f, and main circuit as
described prevents any undue resistance which would arise if the continuity were
dependent upon any of the movable joints. The flexible conductor may be in two
parts, the ends being connected by two separate set-screws as shewn in Figure 13.
The said conductors are advantageously connected to the lamp terminals by
means of specially constructed couplings, each of which has a nipple j, Figures 3
and 4, and a clip k, Figures 5 and 6. The nipple has a hole therein screw-
threaded at one end and made larger at this end than at the other.
After passing
the flexible wire through the smaller end of the hole j', which is just large
enough to receive it, the wire is drawn through a little way and the strands are
then opened out for a short distance and turned back on themselves to enlarge
the end. The conductor is then drawn back again through the nipple so that the
enlarged end jams in the screw-threaded hole, as shewn in Figure 4, and a pin k¹
upon the clip k, Figure 5, is screwed into the nipple and tends to spread the
strands, thereby forming a perfectly mechanical and electrical joint.
a
The clip kis made with a hinged jaw 2, the hinge of which is arranged in such
manner that when the said jaw is tightened up onto the leading-in wire
terminal of the lamp it is parallel with the adjacent face of the fixed jaw. The
jaw is capable of being brought towards the other jaw by means of a screw k³
so that by placing the terminal lugs or wires of the lamp between the jaws
they can then be tightly clamped together upon the lamp terminals to make a
good contact.
The necessary tension upon the leading-in wires for normally retaining the
contact pieces f,f apart or out of contact is provided for by pulling or pressing
upon the lamp, by suitable mechanism capable of being adjusted to allow of
varying the distance between the contact pieces.
For this purpose a bow m as shewn in Figure 1 is advantageously attached to
the lower ends of the V brackets b, b by nuts m', m' having flanges m², m² which
clip the edges of insulating washers m³, m³ secured upon the ends of the bow m,
as shewn in Figure 7.
At the bottom of the bow m is a boss n having a square hole through which I
pass a square pin n' screw-threaded at the corners, the said pin being furnished
with a winged or other nut n' below the boss n and a nut n³ above the said boss,
whereby the pin may be drawn up and down vertically through the boss. An
eye is provided in the upper end of the pin n¹ so that any suitable attachment to
the lamp bulb may be made by means of netting n or the like, or an easily
fracturable piece may be inserted between the lamp bulb and the stretching pin n¹,
such fracturable piece may be obtained by forming an eye in an extension of
or attachment to the lamp bulb, as shewn in Figure 14; or by forming a simple
extension on the lamp bulb more easily breakable than the lamp bulb itself, such
as by leaving on the bulb a portion of the sealing-off tube. This tension arrange-
ment also affords a ready means for switching off the lamp as by slackening the
nut n² the contact pieces f, f are allowed to come together. The said bow as
shewn also serves to support a reflector o, the latter being held in position by two
pairs of nuts p, p¹ in a manner which will readily be understood by reference to
Figure 7.
It will be obvious that the use of an easily fracturable piece is equally applicable
for normally bolding out of action any other short circuiting device than that
depending on the relief of the tension of the leading-in wires: such an arrangement
is shewn in Figure 14^. 13 indicating the easily fracturable piece on the bottom of
the lamp and la contact making piece attached to the said piece and adapted to

page_text: close the circuit by making contact with another piece 15, the lamp in this instance
being rigidly held or supported by any suitable means.
When the stretching bow m (or its equivalent) is not desired I substitute an
arrangement wherein pressure is placed upon the top of the lamp by means of the
reflector o or its equivalent, such as a ring. In this arrangement, which is shewn
in Figure 8, pins q. q are fixed to the lower ends of the brackets b, b but insulated'
therefrom by means of insulating washers m³, m³ and nuts m³, m' as before described..
The reflector is provided with sockets r, r having set-screws r³, r' (as shewn most
clearly in Figure 9) adapted to fit onto and move vertically upon the pins q, q in.
such a manner that when the reflector is pressed down upon the lamp the necessary
tension can be applied to separate the contact pieces f. f, the set-screws r¹, L
being screwed up so as to grip the pins q, q and thus set the lamp and device ready
for action.
I sometimes provide an external globe or protector n³ for the lamp and arrange
this to be supported or secured by a nut n° at the bottom of the stretching bow, as
shewn in Figure 15, which nut cannot be removed until the nut n2 has first been
slackened or detached which would relieve the tension on the lamp and leading-in.
wires and thus compel the lamp to be short circuited before the globe is removed.
In some cases I cause the globe or external protector to provide the necessary
tension upon the lamp and leading-in wires by arranging the stretching screw n¹ to
pass through the bottom of the said globe or protector, as shewn in Figure 16,
whereby I can dispense with the stretching bow. It is obvious, moreover that, in
this case upon the external globe or protector becoming fractured the tension upon
the lamp and leading-in wires will be released and the circuit closing or short.
circuiting be brought about.
In order to operate upon twe lamps in one device or apparatus I provide a.
central or third V or U-bracket, and in such a case each limb of this bracket
carries a pair of levers and contact makers so as to operate with the other pairs of
levers and contact pieces.
The connections are made in the same manner as hereinbefore described in.
relation to the single form and each lamp is connected in series with the other, the
connection being preferably made by joining the two inner flexible conductors.
together after they lead from the contact pieces at their upper ends. The operation
of the two sides of the device is quite independent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an electric circuit closing device for lamps arranged in series circuits the
combination of two brackets, a lever and a link pivotted to each of the said brackets
and carrying contact making pieces in such a manner that when brought together
their adjacent faces will be retained parallel, and springs which operate to move
the contact pieces into contact when the tension is removed from the leading-in.
wires, substantially as described.
2. In an electric circuit closing device for lamps arranged in series circuits and
operating by the relief of the tension of the leading-in wires, a bow, a ring or its
equivalent provided with means for adjustment for moving the lamp for the purpose
of placing the leading-in wires under tension and so separating the contact pieces,
substantially as described.
3. In an electric circuit closing device for lamps arranged in series circuits and
operating by the relief of the tension of the leading-in wires and having contact
pieces arranged and operating in the manner referred to in the first claiming clause
the combination with the bracket of a bow insulated from the said brackets and
provided at its lower part with a screwed pin or its equivalent adapted to be
connected to the lamp for the purpose of placing the leading-in wires under tension
and so separating the contact pieces, substantially as described.
4. In an electric circuit closing device for incandescence lamps for use in a series.

page_text: circuit and in which there are pivotted arms or contact makers normally held out.
of contact by tension applied to the leading-in wires of the lamp, the contact
makers separately mounted upon levers and links forming a parallel motion, so that
the faces of such contact makers make parallel contact whereby sparking is
prevented in combination with brackets carrying the said levers and links, springs
which normally tend to bring the contact makers together, the bow or its equivalent
secured to but insulated from the said brackets and the wire-netting or its equivalent
connected to the lamp and to an adjusting screw or device in the bow for the
purpose of placing the necessary tension upon the leading-in wires, substantially
as described.
5. In an electric circuit closing device for lamps arranged in series circuits and
having contact pieces arranged in the manner referred to in the first claiming clause,
the combination with the leading-in wires of couplings having nipples and clips
arranged and operating, substantially as described by reference to Figures 3 to 6
of the accompanying drawings.
6. In an electric circuit closing device for lamps arranged in series circuits and
having contact pieces arranged in the manner referred to in the first claiming clause,
the combination with the brackets to which the levers carrying the said contact
pieces are pivotted, of insulated pins upon the lower ends of the said brackets and
adjustable sockets fixed to a reflector or to a ring or its equivalent adapted to
press upon the top of the lamp for placing tension upon the leading-in wires,
substantially as described by reference to Figures 8 and 9 of the accompanying
drawings.
7. In an electric circuit closing device for lamps in series circuits and operating
by the relief of the tension of the leading-in wires pivotting the contact making
pieces to the operating levers whereby the adjacent faces of the contact pieces are
retained parallel when closed substantially as described.
8. A contact making piece having a separate detachable surface as, and for the
purpose, substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 10, 11 and 12 of the
drawings.
9. The combination with the contact making pieces of means for regulating the
length of the leading-in wires as, and for the purpose, described and as illustrated
in Figure 1 and Figure 13 of the accompanying drawings.
10. In an electric circuit closing device for lamps arranged in series circuits and
operating by the relief of the tension of the leading-in wires, an external globe or
protector so arranged that it cannot be removed without first relieving the tension
upon the leading-in wire and so short circuiting the lamp, substantially as described
and illustrated in Figure 15 of the drawings.
11. In an electric circuit closing device for lamps arranged in series circuits and
operating by the relief of the tension of the leading-in wires an external globe or
protector to provide the necessary tension upon the lamp and leading-in wires and
provided with a stretching screw or its equivalent, substantially as described and
illustrated in Figure 16 of the drawings.
12. In an electric circuit closing device for lamps arranged in series circuits, a
lamp with an easily fracturable part formed by an eye or other extension of the
lamp bulb, substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 14 and 14ª of the
drawings.
13. An incandescent electric lamp for use in connection with circuit closing
devices for series circuits, the said lamp having formed upon or attached to it
an easily fracturable piece or extension substantially as, and for the purpose,
described.
This 10th do of Amil 1901
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.