Improvements in Switches or Connections for Electric Lighting and Power.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Switches or Connections for Electric Lighting and
Power.
We, GEORGE LYON, of the Savoy Theatre in the City and County of London,
Electrician, and HENRY BEVIS of 71 Queen Victoria Street, in the City and
County of London, Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in connections for electric lighting
and power, and has for its object the production of a device whereby multiple
contacts may be effected or other purposes singly or several at one time, and said
device may also be rendered portable for stage or like purposes.
In carrying our invention into effect we employ a base plate of any suitable
insulating material, fitted with a split ring, one portion of which is connected to
one half of a spring contact which is intended to be coupled to one of the leads
of the electric circuit or system. Any number of spring contacts may radiate
from the other portion of the split ring, and a suitable safety fuse may be
interposed between them, and one of the couplings constituting the electric circuit,
from the main or branch leads may be attached to, or form part of said central
safety fuse, or may be used as an independent coupling without the interposition
of a fuse at all. A cover is placed over the base plate carrying one part of
the spring contacts aforesaid, and other spring contacts are arranged and con-
nected together thereon so as to coincide with those on the base plate, a space
being left there between. Each contact is provided with a contact handle coupled
to a flexible double, conductor, and having two metallic faces connected electrically
with each lead or conductor. When these are pushed in so as to make frictional
contact with the spring contacts before mentioned, a circuit is established, which
may be immediately broken by the withdrawal of any of these handle contacts.
And whether one, or all are in operation at once the whole is under the control
of the cut out or safety fuse placed between the segments of the split circular
ring as aforesaid, when such cut out is used.
In any case of adaptation we are enabled to couple a number of circuits, under
perfect control, and also to facilitate portability and rapid adjustment for scenic
and other effects in which quickly arranged and perfectly controlled electric
lighting or power is necessary.
We may, without departing from the essential features of our said invention
vary the details to meet the requirements of any particular conditions of
adaptation.
We may also employ any suitable material, or substance in constructing the
multiple connecting device according to our said invention.
Dated this 29th day of November 1894.
FREDK. WALKER,
73 St. Stephen's Road, Upton Park, E., Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Switches or Connections for Electric Lighting and
Power.
We, GEORGE LYON, of the Savoy Theatre, Strand, in the City and County of
London, Electrical Engineer, and HENRY BEVIS, of 71 Queen Victoria Street, in
the City and 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 :-
Our invention relates to improvements in connections for electric lighting and
power, and has for its objects the provision of a connection or multiple connection
which may be quickly and readily adapted to any temporary position, such for
instance as an extension box for electric lighting or power for stage effects.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan view of the base plate, with the cover removed, and
Figure 2 is a section thereof on the line A. B showing also the cover in position.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of a moveable contact, and
Figure 4 is a plan view of the cover, partly broken away in order to illustrate
the arrangement of the contacts thereon.
Figure 5 is a transverse section on C D, Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connections.
In carrying our invention into effect we employ a base plate E (which may be
identified in the several views, since these are similarly lettered to indicate corre-
sponding parts,) said base plate being made of wood or any suitable insulating
material. A segmental strip F of conducting material is fixed thereto, and carries
three or more U shaped contacts, a a¹ all and a radial projection 6 converging
towards the open centre, and having formed upon, or attached to, its extremity a
clip cor like device to act as one pole of a fusible cut out, X. A second segment Fl
carries a single contact al, and an extension corresponding to 6' and carrying a
similar clip e, so that a fusible cut out or like device may be interposed there
between. A cover G, also made of insulating material, is constructed so as to
correspond to each contact, which in the case of the four way connection illustrated
by the drawings, are foue only, that the conformation is cruciform. shaped
contacts are fixed to the cover G in such a manner that when the letter
is in place a space intervenes between the contacts a land d d¹ du du to
allow of a suitable moveable connecting contact being insertel. One form of
constructing this is shown by the sectional view Figure 3, in which an insulating
handle H carries a ferrule I also of insulating material, enclosing a slip of similar
material Jupen each side of which is fixed conducting plates
which are
coupled to the main or branch leads as the case may be, by means of the screws f
said leads passing through the central perforation of the handle H, as shown.
We do not confine ourselves to this particular form of connecting contact, but may
use peg, spring block or other forms which are well known, to establish an
electrical contact between the upper and lower contact pieces respectively attached
to the base plate A. and the cover G, as herein before described. The diagrammatic
view, Figure 6 shows in diagram the connections. The fixed contacts a and d
are coupled to the mains by means of a moveable connector H as hereinbefore
referred to. Then, (referring to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4) it is evident that connection
may be established by means of similar moveable contacts, HH" H", to any
system of lighting or power, and through any number of divided circuits that the
extension box may be made to carry, always through the fusible cut out X, which
is due to the division of the segmental strips F F', and dill forming the
111
t

page_text: connection with the main circuit. Therefore, starting from this point, through the
cut out as aforesaid, the other divided circuits may be numerous, and each
controlled by the moveable connector corresponding thereto, and the whole
appliance may be fitted and rendered operative in a negligible space of time. We
do not confine ourselves to the U shaped contacts as shown, but may employ metal
strips pressed outwards by the action of spiral or other springs, and may cause
these to be channelled or voluted to embrace a moveable connector of any shape, so
that it carries a double contact, each insulated from the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is;-
First. In connections for electric lighting and power the combination of parts as
and for the purposes herein described and set forth.
Second. In connections for electric lighting and power, the combination of a
portable base A with two or more contacts, having a cover G with corresponding
contacts, with a moveable connector or connectors H substantially as and for
the purposes as herein described with reference to the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
Third. In connections for electric lighting and power, the arrangement of parts
in such a manner that a fusible cut out intervenes between the main and the
branches as herein described and shown with especial reference to Figures 1 and 6
of the appended drawings.
FREDK. WALKER,
73 St. Stephen's Road, Upton Park, E., Agent for the Applicants.