Year: 1886

page_text: ISAAC PROBERT Electrical Engineer 88 Penrose Street Walworth Road
London S.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is an improved device for turning a current of electricity on or
off a branch or branches of an electric circuit; but is chiefly designed for use in
Incandescent Electric Lighting.
The apparatus is called a "Switch." It can be readily attached to an Incan-
descent Electric Lamp Holder, or placed elsewhere in circuit with a lamp or lamps.
The Switch comprises two segments of metal attached to and almost surrounding a
boss of insulating material. The ends of one segment are at a suitable distance,
usually about one-sixteenth of an inch, away from the corresponding ends of the
second segment. Around the segments is a ring of insulating material which can
be moved in a circular direction between two non-conducting flanges or shoulders,
or a shoulder and a flange. The ring has a piece of metal let into its thickness or
otherwise attached to its interior surface which serves to electrically connect the
segments, or to sever such connection, according to the direction in which the ring
is moved. I prefer to make the metal piece springy, but an inelastic piece
of metal may be substituted for the spring and will produce the same effects.
I shall hereafter refer to the metal piece in the ring as the connector. When it is
considered necessary to doubly ensure the electrical union of the two segments, or
to enlarge the surface of contact, I employ two or more connectors instead of one.
An electric circuit is completed with my switch by causing the connector or
connectors to bridge over the insulating medium between the ends of the segments
whereby the segments are put into "series" on one side of the electric circuit.
The space through which the ring can be moved is usually about three-sixteenths
of an inch and is limited by a stop which I place in any convenient part of my
switch.
Claim. I hereby claim as my invention an apparatus for turning an electric
current on or off a branch or branches of an electric circuit substantially as
described.

page_text: I ISAAC PROBERT of 88 Penrose Street Walworth Road London 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 is an improved device for turning a current of electricity on or
off a branch or branches of an electric circuit; but is chiefly designed for use in
incandescent electric lighting.
The apparatus is called a switch it is illustrated by the sectional drawing
annexed. It can be readily attached to an incandescent electric lamp holder, or
placed elsewhere in circuit with a lamp or lamps. The switch comprises two
segments of metal a. a attached to and almost surrounding a boss b of insulating
material. The ends of one segment are at a suitable distance, usually about one
sixteenth of an inch, away from the corresponding ends of the second segment.
Around the segments is a ring c of insulating material which can be moved in a
circular direction between two non-conducting flanges or shoulders or a shoulder
and a flange. The ring has a piece of metal & let into its thickness or otherwise
attached to its interior surface which serves to electrically connect the segments,
or to sever such connection, according to the direction in which the ring is moved.
I prefer to make the metal piece springy, but an inelastic piece of metal may be
substituted for the spring and will produce the same effects. I shall hereafter
refer to the metal piece d in the ring as the connector. When it is considered
necessary to doubly ensure the electrical union of the two segments, or to enlarge
the surface of contact, I employ two or more connectors d and d¹ instead of one.
An electric circuit e. e. e. is completed with my switch by causing the connector d
or connectors d and d¹ to bridge over the insulating medium between the ends of
the segments a. a whereby the segments are put into series on one side of the
electric circuit.
The space through which the ring can be moved is usually about three sixteenths
of an inch and is limited by a stop f which I place in any convenient part of my
switch.
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
An apparatus for turning an electric current on or off a branch or branches of
an electric circuit substantially as described.
1000