Improvements in Drops or Suspending Mechanism for Electric Light and other like Fittings.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1891-Accepted, 12th Mar.,
1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drops or Suspending Mechanism for Electric Light
and other like Fittings.
I, WILLARD ELBRIDGE DOW, Electrician, residing in the Town of Braintree,
County of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of the 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 to a drop, more particularly designed to be used for incan-
descent electric-light lamps; but, as will be obvious from the description given, it
is applicable to many other useful purposes.
This improved drop is composed of a hollow roller closed at its opposite ends,
an axial spindle that extends loosely through and projects from the opposite ends
of the roller, a ratchet on one end of the spindle, supports, one for each pro-
jected end of the spindle, and both supports and projected spindle ends relatively
constructed for engagement with and disengagement from each other and in.
engagement to hold the spindle against turning while the roller is free to turn
on the spindle, a spiral spring within and surrounding the axial spindle of the
roller and at its opposite ends attached to the spindle and the roller, respec-
tively, and a gravity or other suitable pawl pivoted and in position on one end
of the roller to be engaged with and by centrifugal force resulting from the
rotation of the roller held out of engagement with said ratchet of the spindle
in combination with a cord or cords, or such like, suitably held on the roller
immediately of its length and otherwise so as to present two end portions to
be wound on, the one toward one end and the other toward the other end of
the roller, and wound to present end portions, one extending from one side and
the other extending from the other side of the roller, but in opposite directions,
and otherwise all for operation together substantially as hereinafter described.
The invention further consists in the combination, with the above, of a carrier
or holder for and suitable to join both of said opposite end supports of the roller-.
spindle. This holder preferably is adapted to inclose the said roller and all its
said attachments, and it is so made that each of its opposite sides has a guide-eye
for the passage of the end portions of the cord wound on the roller, substantially
as hereinafter described.
Further than the above this invention consists in other features, all as will
hereinafter fully appear.
"
In the drawings forming part of this Specification the drop of this invention is
illustrated, and
Figure 1 is a side view of the drop and of an incandescent electric-light depending'
from it.
Fig. 2 is a central vertical and longitudinal section of the roller and its end
supports and guide-eyes at opposite sides of the roller and the two cord-sections
and showing in section a spherical shell incasing the roller and having the roller-
supports and guide-eyes attached to it.
Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections on lines 3 3 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of a casing or shell different from that of Figs. 1 and 2 and
hereinafter explained.
Fig. 6 is a detail in plan to illustrate a manner of attaching the cord to the
roller.
In the drawings, B is the roller. The roller is hollow and closed at both ends,

page_text: and the block D, closing one end, is attached by screws or otherwise so as to be
inserted and removed at pleasure.
C is an axial spindle of the roller B, extending loosely through and projected
from the opposite closed ends of the roller. Each projected end C C³ of the
spindle is flattened on its opposite sides, and it is set into and engaged with slotted
supports or ear-pieces E E, located at opposite sides of and rigidly held on a
spherical shell or case A, incasing the roller.
b is a spiral spring within the roller B and surrounding the spindle C. This
spring b at one end is attached to the spindle C, and at the other end to the head-
block D of the roller.
The shell A is in two halves or sections, adapted, as at A²; to overlap each other,
and when placed upon each other their overlapping portions A' are fastened
together by screws (not shown) or otherwise detachably.
The end supports E E for the roller B. as shown, are both held on one and the
same shell-section, and the other shell-section has fixed on its opposite sides lugs F
in position with the sections placed together to lie across the open ends of the
spindle-supports E E and so insure the retention of the spindle against accidental
escape from its end supports.
The spindle C at one end has a ratchet dd, shown, Fig. 3, as notches on opposite
sides of the spindle. G is a gravity-pawl at one end pivoted on the end D of the
roller and at its toe end g in position to engage the ratchet d d and engaged
therewith to hold the roller against turning and disengaged to allow the roller to
be turned.
H is a loop or eye midway of the length and fixed on and projected from one
side of the roller B, and it is at right angles to the axis of the roller.
JJ' is a cord which midway or thereabout of its length lies in the roller-loop H,
and otherwise wound on the roller is disposed so as to extend upward and down-
ward from and at opposite sides of the roller and thereby in substance the cord
is divided into two working sections, one J passing upward and the other J'
passing downward from the roller, and for each section there is a guide-eye a,
both of which are held on the shell A, one at its upper and the other at its
lower side.
A mode of bringing a continuous cord held on the roller into two working
sections, as explained, is shown in Fig. 6; and it consists in bending or doubling
the cord about one end of the loop H and winding it as so doubled one or more
times around the roller and then leading one section upward and the other down-
ward from and at opposite sides of the roller.
In using this drop the upper section J of the cord J J is attached to a suitable
support, for example the ceiling M of a room. Then pulling slightly downward
on the lower section J of the cord J, J' releases the pawl G from the ratchet d, d
of the fixed spindle C and so the roller is freed to turn in either direction, in one,
by pulling down on said cord-section J' and in the other direction by the tension of
the spring 6 of the roller. Both said turnings of the roller are controlled by the
hand of the operator holding the cord section so that neither shall be too slow to
allow the pawl to engage the ratchet until by the turn of the roller the desired
height or position of the drop or roller in relation to the ceiling M has been
secured. The turning of the roller by pulling down on the cord-section J'
unwinds that section as also the other section J from the roller and so the roller or
drop is lowered in position and the turning of the roller from the action of the
spring of the roller winds both cord-sections on the roller and so the roller or drop
is raised in position and in either instance the roller is made fast by then allowing
the pawl to engage the ratchet.
The axial spindle C of the roller is always stationary in its opposite end-
béarings.
The drop described and as shewn has an incandescent electric light N suspended
from the lower working section J' of the cord J J' and when the drop is so used

page_text: obviously the cord should then be suitably adapted and, as well-known, to act as
an insulated conductor of the electric current to the light. The shell or case A
as is obvious, serves the purposes of a carrier or holder for the end supports EE
of the roller-spindle, for the upper and lower guide eyes a a of the cord J J, and
of a guard or protector of the roller, the end supports for its stationary spindle
and the portions of the cord wound on the roller.
Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of the casing for the roller, &c.; and it consists
of an annular frame having the roller, its axial spindle and the supports therefor
severally contained within and held thereon, the same as described for the shell of
the other figures.
In the drop of this invention as the roller B rotates on an axial spindle C fixed
at its opposite ends against rotation, steadiness of rotation of the roller and of the
upward and downward movement of the drop are insured, and again the con-
struction of the drop is not only thereby made most simple but most convenient
and ready. This combination of roller and axial spindle is distinctive feature in
the combination of parts making up the drop of this invention.
The shell in two parts detachably connected, and, as has been explained, together
relatively carrying the supports E for the axial spindle C of the roller, and means,
such as lugs F, to hold the spindle against accidental escape from its supports, as
a whole is quite important, as on the detachment of the parts of the shell the roller
and spindle are thereby freed for removal, or without their removal suitably
exposed for adjustment of the cord and of the other parts should the cord and they
from any cause have become disarranged, entangled, or otherwise placed out of
operative condition. Again, the loop H projected from the roller for the cord JJ'
is important not only as a holder for the cord, but also as a guide for the winding
and separation of the cord into its two lengths, all as has been explained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
First. A drop for electric lights and other purposes, consisting of a pair of
supports, a non-rotating spindle having a ratchet and provided with projecting ends
engaged with and held against axial turning movement by the pair of supports, a
hollow roller solely supported by and adapted to freely turn upon the non-rotary
spindle and having a block or head provided with a pawl arranged to engage and
disengage the ratchet on the spindle, a spiral spring inclosed within the roller and
having one end attached thereto and its opposite end connected to the spindle,
and a cord wound on the roller in the same direction and extending at opposite
sides of said roller in opposite directions, substantially as described.
Second. A drop for electric lights and other purposes, consisting of a pair of
supports, a non-rotating spindle having a ratchet and provided with projecting ends
engaged with and held against axial turning movement by the pair of supports, a
hollow roller solely supported by and adapted to freely turn upon the non-rotary
spindle and having a block or head provided with a pawl arranged to engage and
disengage the ratchet on the spindle, an eye fixed to and projecting laterally from
the periphery of the roller, and a cord doubled through said projecting eye to
constitute two branches which are both wound upon the roller in the same direction,
and at opposite sides thereof extended in opposite directions, substantially as
described.
Third. A drop for electric lights, &c., composed of a hollow roller B, an axial
spindle C, on which said roller is free to turn and having projecting ends C³ C³, a
ratchet dat one end C' of spindle C, supports E for said spindle ends C C³, and
it and they relatively adapted to be engaged and disengaged and engaged to secure
the spindle against turning, a shell or casing in two parts, one holding said supports
and roller and spindle and adapted to close said supports against the escape there-
from of the axial spindle C, a spiral spring b, incased in the roller B and at its

page_text: opposite ends attached thereto and to the spindle C, and a pawl to engage ratchet d,
in combination with a cord or cords held and wound on the roller and presenting
end portions at opposite sides and in opposite directions of the roller, substantially
as described, for the purpose specified.
Dated this Eighth day of June 1891.
WILLARD ELBRIDGE DOW.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.