Improvements in Holders for Incandescence Electric Lamps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 8th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Holders for Incandescence Electric Lamps.
I, WALTER OSMOND ROOPER, of 78 Eastgate Street, Stafford, in the County of
Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates more especially to holders for the larger kinds of incan-
descence electric lamps; but it is also applicable to the smaller kinds when their glass
bulbs are suitably shaped to enable the holders to be applied thereto.
According to my improvements the holder consists of a cylindrical body made of
vulcanite fibre, cbonite, china, or other suitable non-conducting material, to the outer
surface of which are attached two or more spring clips which embrace the neck of the
lamp bulb or globe, and two metallic attachments fitted with binding screws for
connecting the leads to the lamp wires. The upper external part of the body of the
holder is screw threaded to receive a screwed cap of brass or other suitable material
having a hole in the centre of the top thereof through which the leads or conducting
wires are passed on their way to the aforesaid metallic attachments. The upper
part of the body of the holder has formed in it a cylindrical chamber into which
is screwed or otherwise secured a cross feather or partition of non-conducting
material. In this partition are formed two slits which taper or narrow as they
approach the top of the partition, and at one side of each slit a saw cut is made
across the partition which allows the side of the slit to spring slightly outwards so as
to bind or jamb the branch leads which are passed through the slits in the partition
after having been passed through the central hole in the aforesaid cap.
passing through the aforesaid slits the leads are passed through lateral holes in the
body of the holder and are then connected to the binding screws on the metallic
attachments whereby they are brought into electrical connection with the lamp wires.
Instead of chambering out the upper part of the body of the holder and fitting a
partition therein as above described, I, in some cases, pass the leads through the
central hole in the cap, and then tie them into a knot to prevent them from being
drawn out through the said hole when the weight of the lamp is supported by the
knot which then bears against the under side of the cap, or against a non-conducting
washer interposed between it and the knot. The ends of the two leads are then
carried down a central hole in the body of the lamp and out through lateral holes in
the same to the metallic contact attachments as before.
After
According to another modification the body of the holder is screwed to a pipe or to
a socket screwing on to another pipe or other suitable fitting, the leads being passed
down the said pipe out through lateral holes formed therein and in the body of the
holder, and connected to the binding screws outside the said body as before.
By means of the above described improvements I am enabled to produce a lamp
holder which forms, with the lamp, a complete electric light fitting, and in which the
set screws or other attachments for connecting the leads and lamp wires are relieved
from all strain caused by the weight of the lamp, lamp holder, or lamp shade, because
in the arrangements above described the weight of those parts is taken either by the
tapered slits in the partition, by the screwed cap, or by pipe or socket as the case
may be.
Dated this 8th day of March 1889.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Holders for Incandescence Electric Lamps.
WALTER OSMOND ROOPER of 23 Greengate Street Stafford, 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:-
This invention relates more especially to holders for the larger kinds of incan-
descence electric lamps; but it is also applicable to the smaller kinds when their
glass bulbs are suitably shaped to enable the holders to be applied thereto.
According to my improvements the holder consists of a cylindrical body marked "A"
upon the figures on sheets 1. 2. & 3 of the drawings made of vulcanite fibre, ebonite,
china, or other suitable non-conducting material slightly tapered on 2 sides at its
lower portion, to the outer surface of which are attached two or more spring clips
marked "B." upon the drawing, which embrace the neck of the lamp bulb or globe,
and two metallic attachments marked "C" upon the drawing, fitted with binding
screws for connecting the leads to the lamp wires. The upper external part of the,
body of the holder is screw threaded, to receive a screwed cap of brass, or other'
suitable material marked "D" upon the drawing, having a hole in the centre of the top
thereof, through which the leads or conducting wires, are passed on their way to the
aforesaid metallic attachments.
The upper part of the body of the holder has formed in it a cylindrical chamber
into which is screwed or otherwise secured a cross feather or partition of non'
conducting material (see figures on sheet 1 of the drawings). In this partition are
formed two slits which taper or narrow as they approach the top of the partition, and
at one side of each slit a saw cut is made across the partition, which allows the side
of the slit to spring slightly outwards, so as to bind or jamb the branch leads
which are passed through the slits in the partition after having been passed through
the central hole in the aforesaid cap. After passing through the aforesaid slits the
leads are passed through lateral holes in the body of the holder, and are then
connected to the binding screws on the metallic attachments whereby they are brought
into electrical connection with the lamp wires.
Instead of chambering out the upper part of the body of the holder, and fitting a
partition therein as above described, I, in some cases, pass the leads through the
central hole in the cap and then tie them into a knot (see figures on sheet 2 of the
drawings) to prevent them from being drawn out through the said hole, when the
weight of the lamp is supported by the knot which then bears against the under
side of the cap, or against a non conducting washer interposed between it and the
knot. The ends of the two leads are then carried down a central hole in the body of
the lamp, and out through lateral holes in the same to the metallic contact attach-
ment Cas before.
According to another modification (see figures on sheet 3 of the drawings) the
body A of the holder is screwed to a pipe or to a socket screwing on to another pipe,
or other suitable fitting the leads being passed down the said pipe out through lateral
holes formed therein and in the body of the holder and connected to the binding
metallic contact attachments C outside the said body as before.
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.-A new means of attaching lamps to the electric light leads of a lamp holder
which forms a complete and self contained electric light fitting.
2. The set screws or metallic contact arrangements for connecting the leads and
lamp wires are relieved from all strain caused by the weight of the lamp, lamp holder,
or lamp shade because this weight is taken by either the tapered slits in the partition,
by the screwed cap or by the pipe or socket as the case may be.

page_text: 3. The spring clips embrace the lamp securely, and hold it steadily, and the lamp
can be easily disengaged therefrom.
4. When the pipe or socket attachment is used the leads can be placed within the
pipe or socket, and thus protected from wet or injury.
5.-By means of this holder the operation of fixing or changing a lamp is simplified
and can be executed by one man with ease.
Dated this Seventh day of December 1889.