Improvements in Arc Lamp Standards and Climbing Poles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Arc Lamp Standards and Climbing Poles.
I, WILFRID L. SPENCE of The Elms, Seymour Grove, Manchester, Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in arc lamp standards and climbing poles,
and has for its objects :-Simplification in construction, reduction of wear, and the
rendering of the pole weather-proof.
It has been proposed to construct are lamp standards with a collapsible and
extensible ladder in the interior of the pillar; the arrangement being that a
vertical bar to which a number of short rods are articulated, at intervals, is moved
up or down in the centre of the post and in so doing causes the rods to project out
horizontally (thus forming steps up to the lamp), or to be withdrawn into a more
or less vertical position within the body of the standard.
It will be seen that to work freely the step rods should be somewhat curved but
this arrangement gives a bad foothold to the lamp trimmer. I overcome this
objection by the following device: The shank of the step is shortened somewhat
and is given a considerably greater curvature than is necessary for mere smoothness
of working, and on the end I place a distinct "tread or cross-piece (which may
be perfectly straight) and which is, speaking broadly, at right angles to the tangent
at the point of juncture. Thus when the step is drawn in the flat tread lies closely
against the body of the pole. It will be understood that the wearing surface now
remains outside the post whereas in the earlier arrangement it was withdrawn
inside. In order that the wear and consequent abrasion of the paint on this step
may not be a disfigurement I arrange a raised design on its surface, such, for
instance, as a coat of arms or a geometrical pattern, this then will be kept bright
by wear and so help out the ornamentation of the post. To secure smoothness in
working the shank of the step may be made of bronze or similar metal.
To keep the conducting cables, which run up inside the pole, from undue wear
I draw them through holes in an insulating plug, say of porcelain, placed over the
open end of the post at the top, they are then drawn taut and secured in the holes
by wedging or otherwise, thus abrasion is prevented. As a further protection
it is sometimes convenient to place the wires in a separate tube or tubes inside
the post.
In certain cases I find it a good plan to combine this collapsible ladder on the
lower part of the pole with the well known simple draw-out pegs on the upper
portion-a somewhat less expensive construction. To get the requisite stiffness
and watertightness I fit these pegs as follows: A short iron or other tube is fixed
horizontally in the post from side to side wherever a step is wanted and ends flush
with the external faces. This tube acts as a guide in which the draw-out peg
slides and it has on one or both sides a slot engaging with a projection on the peg
which limits the motion of the latter to the predetermined length of the slot. One
end of the tube is permanently closed by a plug, which may be of an ornamental
character, and out of the other end the peg is drawn for climbing. A similar
ornamental cap may be fitted to this peg to make both sides alike when the steps
are pushed home. By this construction the weather is completely cut-off from the
interior of the post which is therefore perfectly dry under all conditions. The
cables, moreover, are entirely protected from wear.
Dated this Second day of June 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Arc Lamp Standards and Climbing Poles.
I, WILFRID L. SPENCE of The Elms, Seymour Grove, Manchester, Civil
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 improvements in arc lamp standards and poles adapted
for climbing, and has for its objects: Simplification in construction, reduction of
wear and the rendering of the pole weather-proof.
It has been proposed to construct arc lamp standards with a collapsible ladder
in the interior of the pillar, the arrangement being that a vertical bar, to which a
number of short rods are articulated at intervals, is moved up or down in the
centre of the post and in so doing causes the rods to project out horizontally (thus
forming steps up to the lamp), or to be withdrawn into a more or less vertical
position within the body of the standard. It will be seen that to work freely the
step rods should be somewhat curved but this arrangement gives a bad foot hold to
the lamp trimmer. I overcome this objection by the following device: The shank
of the step is shortened somewhat and is given a considerably greater curvature
than is necessary for mere smoothness of working and on the end is placed a distinct
"tread" or cross piece, which may be perfectly straight, and which is, speaking
broadly, at right angles to the tangent at the point of juncture. Thus when the
step is drawn in the flat tread lies closely against the body of the pole. It will be
understood that the wearing surface now remains outside the post whereas in the
earlier arrangement it was withdrawn inside. In order that the wear and con-
sequent abrasion of the paint on this step may not be a disfigurement I arrange a
raised design on its surface, such, for instance, as a coat of arms or a geometrical
pattern, this then will be kept bright by wear and so help out the ornamentation
of the post.
To secure smoothness in working the shank of the step may be made
of bronze or similar metal.
To keep the conducting cables, which run up inside the pole, from undue wear I
draw them through holes in an insulating plug, say of porcelain, placed over the
open end of the post at the top, they are then drawn taut and secured in the holes
by wedging or otherwise. The cables might equally well be strained between
insulated terminals at the upper and lower ends. As a further protection it is
sometimes convenient to place the wires in a separate tube or tubes inside the
post.
In certain cases I find it a good plan to combine this collapsible ladder on the
lower part of the pole with the well known simple draw out pegs on the upper
portion a somewhat less expensive construction. To get the requisite stiffness
and watertightness I fit these pegs as follows: A short iron or other tube is fixed
horizontally in the post from side to side wherever a step is wanted, it ends flush
with the external faces. This tube acts as a guide in which the draw out peg
slides and it has on one or both sides a slot engaging with a projection on the peg
which limits the motion of the latter to the predetermined length of the slot. One
end of the tube is permanently closed by a plug which may be of an ornamental
character and out of the other end the peg is drawn for climbing. A similar
ornamental cap may be fitted to this peg to make both sides alike when the steps
are pushed home. By this construction the weather is completely cut off from the
interior of the post which is therefore perfectly dry under all conditions. The
cables moreover are entirely protected from wear.
I will now describe my invention with reference to the drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 show my improved collapsible ladder applied to a portion of the
standard although it is equally applicable to the whole post. A controlling rod, R,
has hinged to a number of short curved shanks carrying at their free ends flat

page_text: A
plates or treads which by a small movement of the rod are turned from the closed
(vertical) to the extended (horizontal) position. These steps, S, are preferably in
one piece but if desired the tread may be detachably secured to the shank to
facilitate repairs. It will be seen that the wearing surface remains outside the
walls of the post so that dirt is excluded from the cables and switch gear.
design in relief is formed upon the tread so that incidental wear serves to show it
up. The heads of the steps may be sunk wholly or in part in the wall of the
standard (without going completely through) so that they do not obtrude on the
surface. Three thickened rings are shown in the figures into which the step heads
might be recessed when the ladder is closed.
The improved form of draw out step is shown at Figures 3 and 4. It consists
preferably of a round or oval peg sliding in a tube of corresponding section. The
tube is fixed across the post from wall to wall in any suitable manner. I prefer
that shown by Figure 4. An ornamental head is cast on one end of the tube which
is then inserted in holes in the post, the free end is next expanded, as shown at the
left hand, into the countersunk recess so as to secure it rigidly. The sliding step
with a similar head cast on the outside end enters the tube and is prevented from
being completely withdrawn by the tongue, T, which engages a milled slot, M, in
the peg.
This tongue is part of the tube and after being cut it is given a per-
manent set inwards so as to rise in the slot and limit the travel of the step. In
the lower and wider part of the post it is not necessary to have the head on the
tube hollow as it is shown, but with a very thin section as at the top of a post
sufficient foot room cannot be obtained unless the peg travels right through and
enters the opposite head, this construction permits of four inches being easily
obtained when the peg is withdrawn for standing on.
Figure 5 shows the insulating plug for straining the cables so as to keep them
straight and clear of any moving parts. In consists of an insulating block, P,
with holes through which the wires, W, are drawn, they are secured by a nut and
screw. Suitable hinged connections for the steps and a switch arrangement for
series working are described in a previous Specification No. 8196, 1892.
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 arc lamp standard or a post adapted for climbing, the combination with
an internal controlling gear of a step rod carrying a distinct tread or foot plate
which remains always outside the body of the pole, substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. The combination with a step rod and foot plate such as that referred to in
the previous claim of a design in relief on the foot plate substantially as
described.
3. In an arc lamp standard or a post adapted for climbing the combination with
a draw-out step of a guiding tube fixed across the post substantially as described
and illustrated.
4. In an arc lamp standard the combination with an insulating plug or terminals
of means for straining the wires so as to keep them straight.
Dated this 28th day of February 1893.
WILFRID L. SPENCE.