Improvements in the Construction of Lamp Shade Supports.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec., 1891-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Lamp Shade Supports.
I CHARLES BERTHÉLEMY, Mechanician of 2 Boulevard de Strasbourg in the
City of Paris, in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAMP SHADE
SUPPORTS" to be as follows
The object of this invention is to admit of regulating the diffusion of light from.
the lamp, by more or less extending or contracting its area of illumination.
This is effected by constructing the shade support in such a manner that it can.
be more or less expanded or contracted, similarly to the opening and closing of an
umbrella with this view it is formed of a collar to which a number of ribs are
articulated, the other ends of these rods are jointed to flat or other shaped metal
bands, which themselves are hinged one to the other, and constitute the lower end
of the support.
This latter is kept in position on the lamp by means of three or more springs,
the upper ends of which are fixed to the collar, and the lower ones connected to a
clasp, which grips onto any projecting part of the lamp, or to the chimney socket.
The bands at the lower end of the skade support being articulated one with the
other, and with the ribs, can be retained in a zigzag shape, or they may be drawn
out straight, and so form an octagonal, or other figure, according to the number of
bands and ribs employed..
Dated this 3rd day of March 1891.
A. C. HENDERSON & Co.,
46 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Lamp Shade Supports.
I CHARLES BERTHÉLEMY Mechanician of 2 Boulevard de Strasbourg in the
City of Paris in the Republic of France do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention the title of which is "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
LAMP SHADE SUPPORTS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
2:
The object of this invention is to admit of regulating the diffusion of light from
the lamp, by more or less extending or contracting its area of illumination.
This is effected by constructing the shade support in such a manner that it can
be more or less expanded or contracted similarly to the opening and closing of an
umbrella.
With this view it is formed of a collar to which a number of ribs are articulated;
the other or opposite ends of these rods are jointed to flat or other shaped metal
bands, which themselves are hinged one to the other, and constitute the lower end
of the support. This latter is kept in position on the lamp by means of three or
more springs, the upper ends of which are fixed to the collar, and the lower ones
connected to a clasp, which grips onto any projecting part of the lamp, whether
ordinary, duplex, or what not, or to the chimney socket.
The bands at the lower end of the shade support being articulated one with the
other, and with the ribs, can be retained in a zigzag shape, or they may be drawn
out straight, and so form an cctagonal or other figure according to the number of
bands and ribs employed, or the ribs and bands may be closed closely together to
facilitate packing or transport.

page_text: For the better understanding of the invention and its characteristic features I
have by the accompanying 3 sheets of drawings, represented it in various positions,
Fig. 1 being a vertical section of the shade support or frame.
Fig. 2 a plan of Fig. 1.
1
Fig. 3 is a plan showing the support or frame extended to its utmost limit, the
ribs being horizontal.
Fig. 4 shows the support folded to its smallest compass for packing or removal.
Fig. 5 Sheet 2 represents it as having arched or bent ribs.
Fig. 6 is a plan showing it can be developed into a square, and Fig. 7 represents
it as formed into a kind of Maltese cross.
Fig. 8 shows the collar formed of a spiral spring.
Fig. 9 shows the method of adjusting the support and its attachment to
the lamp.
Fig. 10 shows the end of one of the supporting arms of the frame that grips onto
the projecting parts of the lamp.
Fig. 11 is a modification in the method of connecting the supporting springs of
the shade support or frame.
Fig. 12 is a modification of the spring collar seen in detail.
The frame or shade support comprises a spring collar a, of stamped metal,
ribs b, articulated to the collar a and the bands c, c, connecting all the free ends of
the ribs b. The collar a, is provided with a neck a', for the reception of the head
of the lamp shade, so that the movements of the frame in opening and closing do
not disturb the shade, which is thus kept in contact with the collar..
The ribs b, may be round, flat, or any other shape, and are straight, bent, or
curved, they are articulated at d, by any suitable method; at their opposite ends
these ribs are flattened, and pierced with a hole for the reception of the pin f, which
connects them at this part with the ends of the bands c. c', which are also jointed
together at g, and may be flat as shown in the drawings, or any other shape.
When the frame is fully developed or opened out, the ribs bare horizontal, and
the bands c. c', are either partially or fully opened out, and occupy a position more
or less in a straight line with each other between the ribs, so that the frame or
shade support is in the form of a regular polygon as in Fig. 3, or square as in
Fig. 6, or in the shape of a cross as in Fig. 7 Sheet 2.
If on the other hand the frame is folded up as in Fig. 4, the bands c. c', occupy
a closed position between the ribs b, so as to reduce the entire dimensions of the
frame for occupying as small a space as possible.
The frame may also be more or less opened as desired in lieu of the full
development, for more or less diffusing or contracting the luminous rays beneath
and around the lamp, and when the ribs are curved the frame adapts itself to the
form of the globe of the lamp ride Fig. 5. The bands c. cl, may be applied to any
part of the ribs throughout their length, and there may be two or more between
each pair of ribs, and they may be doubled at their points of articulation as shown
by the dotted lines c³ of Fig. 2 Sheet 1. The same dotted lines will also serve
to show that the simple bands e. c can be drawn out in the position illustrated.
Fig. 8 shows the collar as formed of wire, commencing with a ring o and then
twisted spirally a¹, the ribs being articulated to the ring o preferably by means of
links in form of an 8, one of the ends taking the ring, and the other receiving the
bent end of the rib b.
The collar a Fig. 12 Sheet 3 consists of a spiral spring whose spirals are held by
the cloth or other strips a³ a³ or chains; this collar can be folded up which is
convenient for packing.
The appliances for bearing the lamp shade frame and fixing it to the lamp,
consist of three springs, their upper ends being fixed to the collar a, the free ends
being attached to a pivoting clip h, Figs. 9 and 10, having two wings and
spring, for clipping it to one of the projections of the moulding of the lamp, or
to the chimney holder, as in and a respectively Fig. 9. A bend ², at the lower
end of the springs r, may be substituted for the clip h, vide Fig. 11.

page_text: The upper end of each of the springs r, may be connected to the collar a, by
means of a sheath, or socket p, or some equivalent fastened to the collar having a
fixing screw ql, by this means the collar can be raised or lowered on the springs,
and fixed where desired by the screw.
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 :
1st. A lamp shade frame consisting of a variable number of ribs b, either straight,
or curved, articulated by any suitable method to either a rigid or elastic collar,
the opposite ends of these ribs being connected at one or more points throughout
their length by the bands c. c', which allows of the opening and closing (more or
less as required) of the frame, from a vertical to a horizontal position of the ribs,
in the manner, by the means and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2nd. A support to the lamp shade frame, consisting of two or more springs,
attached to the collar a, in a fixed or movable manner, and furnished at their
lower ends either with a movable claw or grip h, or in substitution thereof a simple
bend, in the springs, which grips on any projection of the moulding of the lamp,
or on the glass holder, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this Second day of December 1891.
A. C. HENDERSON & Co.,
46, Southampton Buildings, for the Applicant.