Combination Lampholder and Switch.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 1890
TRUVITUNAL DE MOLETOMIJAJA.
Combination Lampholder and Switch.
We, JAMES TAYLOR RATTRAY, of 237 Thorn Place, Blackness Road, Instrument
Maker, and KENNETH LowDos. of Gowan's Court, 21 North Tay Street, Electrical
Engineer, both of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide a combination lampholder and switch for
capped incandescent lamps, which shall be simple in its action, easily manufactured,
and not liable to go out of order.
In carrying out our invention, according to one modification, we secure the wires
for conveying the electrical current to the switch, by means of a hollow cap and two
wedges of non-conducting material, said wedges being kept from rotating by means
of a pin. The ends of said wires are in permanent electrical circuit with the switches.
Said Switches consist of two pieces of metal placed within a cylinder of non-conducting
material, and are placed on each side of its axis and parallel to same. The switches
are free to move backwards and forwards in their respective places, and are con-
strained to protrude somewhat by springs of metal, the other ends of said springs
being in circuit with the material to which the wires are fastened.
The cylinder of non-conducting material, with its appendages, fits easily into a
hollow cylinder; and is pressed fowards the end next the wires by a spring. The
cylinder's movements are directed by guides and when its spring is fully compressed,
projections on the said cylinder are pushed along the grooves and turned into catches
on the external cylinder.
The top of the lamp fits into similar guides: on the other end of the hollow
cylinder, said guides being of such a form, that when the projections on the cylinder
of non-conducting material are in their catches, the points of the switches are against
the terminals of the carbon filament on the lamp.
In a second modification we make each switch in two parts, with a spring between
them thrusting them apart, and the part next the wires has a spring pushing it agains
the other spring, the combination acting in such a fashion, that when the lamp is in
position two parts press against same, and the other two against the wire terminals,
the springs acting as conduciors between each two parts.
In a third modification we controll the movements of the cylinder of non-conducting
material by means of an eccentric non-conductor actuated from the outside of the
hollow cylinder. and used instead of the beforementioned guides and catches.
Dated this 20th day of September 1$89.
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co..
41. Reform Street, Dundee Applicants' Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Combination Lampholder and Switch.
We, JAMES TAYLOR RATTRAY. of 237 Thorn Place. Blackness Road. Instrument
Maker, and KENNETH LOWDON, of Gowan's Court, 21 North Tay Street, Electrical
Engineer, both of Dundee. in the County of Forfar, 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:—
The object of our invention is to provide a combination lampholder and switch for
capped incandescent lamps, which shall be simple in its action, easily manufacturell,
and not liable to go out of order.

page_text: In carrying out our invention, according to one modification, as represented on
the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings (namely Sheet No. 1).
Fig. 1.
represents a sectional elevation at A. A., Fig. 2. an external view looking on B. B.,
and Fig. 3. a plan with the cap removed, of our combined lampholder and switch.
In this modification we secure the wires 1. for conveying the electrical current to
the switch by means of a hollow cap.2. and two wedges 3. of non-conducting material,
said wedges being kept from rotating when the cap 2. is being screwed on, by means
of a pin 4. The ends of said wires are in permanent electrical circuit with the
switches, being held in position by the screws 5. screwed into the brass thimbles G.
Said switches consist of two pieces of good conducting metal 7. placed within a
cylinder S. of non-conducting material-preferably of vulcanized fibre-and are placed
on each side of its axis and parallel to same. The switches 7. are free to move
backwards and forwards in their respective places, and are constrained to protrude.
somewhat by springs of good conducting metal 9. the other ends of said springs
being in circuit with the thimbles 6. to which the wires 1. are fastened. The cylinder
S. with its appendages, fits easily into a hollow cylinder 10. and is pressed towards
the end next the wires 1. by a spring 11. The cylinder's movements are directed
by guides 12. and when its spring 11. is fully compressed, projections 13. on the said
cylinder S. are pushed-along the grooves or guides 12. and turned into catches 14.
on the external cylinder. The reason why we partly turn the cylinder 8. when
making connection with the lamp is to clean the points of the switches 7. or in other
words give a rubbing contact. The top of the lamp fits into guides 15. similar to
those shown at 12. said guides 15. being of such a form, that when the projections 13.
on the cylinder S. are in their catches 14. the points of the switches are against the
terminals of the carbon filament on the lamp.
Fig. 1. shows the combined lampholder and switch with the evlinder S. in its upper
position, that is to say, the points of the switches 7. clear of the lamp terminals, while
Fig. 2. shows the cylinder S. in its lowest position and ready to complete the circuit
when the lamp is placed into the guides 15. 16. are slickets which permit of the
mean diameter of the cylinder 10. being adjusted to the neck of the lamp.
17. are washers screwed on to the cylinder 10. and are for the purpose of supporting
a shade should such be required.
In a second modification, as represented on the accompanying sheet of explanatory
drawings (namely Sheel No. 2.) Fig. 4. represents a-sectional elevation at C. C. Fig. 5.
an external view, and Fig. 6. a plan with the cap removed.
In this modification we make each switch in two parts 18. and 19. with a spring 20.
between them thrusting them apart: the combination acting in such a fashion, that
when the lamp is in position. the two parts 18. press against same, and the other
two 19. against the wire terminals, the springs 20, acting as conductors between each
two parts.
In our provisional specification we said that the part 19, of, the switch next the
wires 1. had a spring pushing it against the other spring, but we find the combination
to work better with only the one spring 20. between each switch 18. and 19. and
therefore have not shown it in our drawing. The wires 1. are fastened to a
cylinder 21. of vulcanized fibre, or other non-conducting material.by means of screws 5.
screwed into the brass thimbles G. The cylinder 21. is fixed to the hollow evlinder 10.
by screws 22. and the other cylinder S. is actuated in like manner to that in our
first modification. 23. shows a simpler and cheaper form of non-conducting guide
than that shown in our first modification. Figs. 4. and 5. show the combined lamp-
holder and switch with the evlinder S. in its upper position, that is to say the points
of the switches clear of the lamp terminals.
In a third modification as represented on the accompanying sheet of explanatory
drawings (namely Sheet No. 3.) Fig. 7. represents a sectional elevation at D. D.
Fig. 8. a plan with cap removed, Fig. 9. an external view and Fig. 10. a plan of same
with the cap removed.
In this modification we controll the movements of the cylinder 8. by means of an
eccentric 24. made of vulcanized fibre, or other suitable material, actuated by the

page_text: handle 25. and used instead of the beforementioned guides 12. and catches 14. The
cylinder S. is made to partially rotate when moved along its axis by means of the
pin 26. sliding in the angled slot 27.
Figs. 7. and S. show the combined lampholder and switch with the cylinder 8. in
its upper position, that is to say the points of the switches 7. clear of the lamp
terminals while Figs. 9. and 10. show the cylinder 8. in its lowest position and ready
to complete the circuit when the lamp is placed into the guides 15.
In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:-
(1) fu a combination lampholder and switch, the general construction, com-
bination and arrangement of parts, substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 1. 2. and 3.
(3) In a combination lampholder and switch, the general construction, com-
bination and arrangement of parts, substantially as described, with reference to
Figs. 4. 5. and 6.
(3) In a combination - lampholder and switch, the general construction, com-
bination and arrangement of parts, substantially as described, with reference to
Figs. 7. 8. 9. and 10.
Dated this 27th day of March 1890
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
Applicant's Agents.