Improvements in Holders for Electric Glow Lamps and analogous Electrical Contact Devices.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896°
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Holders for Electric Glow Lamps and analogous
Electrical Contact Devices.
I, THOMAS RICHARD DAVIS KENNY, of 26 Hanover Square, Maningham Lane,
Bradford, in the County of York, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Holders for electric glow lamps are constructed with spring contacts or terminals
and means whereby the holder can be secured to the ends of the conducting wires
and the lamp can be by a bayonet joint or otherwise readily secured in the holder
so that the lamp terminals will be in electrical connection with the conducting
wires and my invention has reference mainly to improvements in glow lamp holders
of this kind.
For the purpose of enabling efficient electrical contact between the conducting
wires and the holder terminals to be made in a simple manner without screws, I
provide spring clips adapted to grip the barrels that contain the pins, plungers or
equivalent spring contacts which constitute the holder terminals, and to such
spring clips I connect the ends of the conductors in such a way that on forcing the
barrels into the clips, efficient electrical and mechanical connection is made between
the conductors, the barrels, and the clips. The details of construction may be
varied. According to one arrangement the clips are in the form of split tubes so
perforated and slotted that the ends of the conducting wires can be readily secured
one to each clip. These clips are placed in recesses in opposite sides of an
insulating block with their axes parallel to that of such insulator, which is con-
structed of any suitable insulating material such as china, and with holes or slots
so arranged that the barrels can be pushed therethrough through the clips and
into other holes or slots in the insulator; the clips being thus threaded on the
barrels, and the ends of the latter being held in the holes or slots of the insulator,
the clips are secured in efficient electrical contact with the conductors which
are also effectually secured and insulated, and the position of the barrels is such
that their contained spring contact plungers can make contact with the lamp
terminals in the ordinary way when the lamp is secured in the holder. In another
arrangement the clips are in the form of spiral springs.
I sometimes according to my invention construct the body of the holder of one
or more pieces in suchwise that the insulator, when wired, can be slipped into
position from one end and locked in its place without removing, as is usually
necessary, that portion of the holder which in use is the further from the lamp, the
locking being effected by means of the shade carrying-ring which is made to hold
in engagement with the insulator, one or more spring or other holding devices
lecated between the insulator and the said ring. Or the holding device may
consist of a circular or semi-circular spring adapted to be sprung outside the socket
and having its ends bent at right angles so as to project through the socket and
into the insulator, and to lock itself iu when forced through the hole in the socket.
Such a device can be used with or without the aid of the shade carrier-or the
locking device may be a solid T like pin-other locking arrangements independent
of the shade ring can be used, such as a spring tongue forming part of the socket
but located below the shade ring; or a spring adapted to act in the same way, but
rivetted to the socket instead of forming part of it, or a spring projecting from the.

page_text: inside of the socket through holes in the same and connected to or underneath the
insulator. Or the insulator may have in it two oppositely arranged holes and an
intermediate slot or recess fitted with a bridge like spring whose arch projects
laterally beyond the periphery of the insulator so as to press against the inner
surface of the socket or, it may be, enter a slot or hole in the socket, to hold it in
place.
Spring friction contacts such as hereinabove described can be applied in other
analogous cases where it is desired to make contact between a flexible cord or
thin wire and any other conductor, as for example in common wall plugs and the
like.
Improvements in Holders for Electric Glow Lamps and analogous
Electrical Contact Devices.
1, THOMAS RICHARD DAVIS KENNY, of 26 Hanover Square, Manningham
Lane, Bradford, in the County of York, Electrical 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 to improvements in holders for electric glow lamps, and to
improvements in spring contacts or terminals whereby the holder can be readily
secured to the ends of the conducting wires without using any binding or other
screws, and the lamp can by a bayonet or other joint, be readily secured in the
holder, so that the lamp terminals will be in electrical connection with the con-
ducting wires. The holder is simple in construction, and cheaper to manufacture
than those heretofore used, and accomodation is made for readily fixing the lamp
shade or reflector in position.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention, the following is a
complete description of same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
in which :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the appliance for attaching the conducting wires to
the spring contacts or terminals and to the lamp holder, and commonly termed the
insulator.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan view in section, on line A. B. of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the spring clips with a piece of wire attached
thereto.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of spring clip.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of lamp holder.
Fig. 8 is a sectional side view of a modified form of lamp holder and shade.
Fig. 9 is a sectional side view of another form of lamp holder.
The remaining figs. are details.
According to this invention, for the purpose of making efficient electrical contact
between the conducting wires 1 and the holder terminals 2 in a simple manner, and
without using binding or other screws, I provide spring clips or split spring
tubes 3, adapted to grip the barrels 4, which contain the ordinary pins, plungers,
or equivalent spring contacts which constitute the holder terminals 2, and to such

page_text: spring clips or tubes 3 I connect the ends of the conducting wires 1 in such a way
(see Figs. 4, 5 and 6) that on forcing the barrels 4 into the clips 3, efficient
electrical and mechanical connection is made between the conductors 1, barrels 4,
and clips 3.
I prefer that the clips 3 should be in the form of split tubes, so cut or slotted as
at 5 (see Fig. 4) or bent as at 5 (Figs. 5 and 6), that the ends of the conducting
wires 1 can readily be secured to each clip 3. The clips 3 are placed in recesses 6. 6
in opposite sides of an insulating block 7, with their axes parallel to that of such
insulator, and to one another. The insulator 7 is constructed of any insulating
material, such as china, and has holes or slots 8 so arranged that the barrels 4 can
be pushed there-through, and also through the clips 3, and then into other holes or
slots 9 in the insulator 7; the clips 3 are thus threaded on the barrels 4, and the
ends of the latter being held in the holes or slots 8, 9 of the insulator 7, the
clips 3 are secured in efficient electrical contact with the conductor wires 1, which
are also effectually secured and insulated, and the position of the barrels 4 is such
that the spring contact plungers 2 can make contact with the ordinary lamp
terminals in the usual way when the lamp is secured in the holder. The clips 3
may be in the form of spiral springs instead of the split tubes, but I prefer the
above described construction.
The body of the lamp holder 10 is made of one or more pieces, in such a manner
that the insulator 7 when wired can be slipped into position from one end, and
locked in its place without removing as is usually necessary that portion 11 of the
holder 10 which in use is the further from the lamp. The locking is effected by
means of the shade carrying ring 12 which is made to cover one or more springs 13,
or other holding devices cut or formed in the holder 10 (see Figs. 8. 9). Or the
holding device may consist of a circular or semi-circular spring 14, (shewn half
size in the drawings), adapted to be sprung outside the socket or holder 10, and
having its ends bent at right angles so as to project through holes in the socket
or holder 10, and into the insulator 7, so as to lock itself when forced through the
hole in the socket or holder 10. Such a device can be used with or without the
aid of the shade carrier ring 12, or the locking device may be a solid T like pin 16,
to be passed through a hole in the socket or holder 10, and into a hole in the
insulator 7, and locked by the shade ring 12 being screwed over it; a spring
tongue 13 forming part of the socket or holder 10, but located below the shade
ring 12; or the insulator 7 may have in it a spring 18 which engages with a
hole 15 in the sucket or holder 10 (see Fig. 7), such spring being covered by
the shade ring 12 when the latter is in position (see Fig. 8), where the shade
ring is shewn as covering and locking the spring 13, which holds the insulator 7
in position: 19 is a loose or fast flange or ring, against which the top of the shade
rests.
It will be obvious that the form of the holding spring may be varied, but I have
described what I have found to work well in practise.
Spring friction contacts such as hereinabove described can be applied in other
analogous cases where it is desired to make contact between a flexible cord or
thin wire and any other conductor, as for example, in common wall plugs and the
like.
At 20 (Fig. 9) is a key in the socket 10, and at 21 is a key bed in the insulator 7
for preventing the latter turning round in the socket 10. In this fig. the spring
catch 13 is caused to disengage from the insulator by forcing the latter downwards
from the top.
In Fig. 7 the insulator is removed by depressing the spring 18 and then forcing
the insulator downwards.
In Fig. 8, when the shade carrier is removed, the spring catch 13 springs
outwards and disengages from the insulator.
It is obvious with any of the insulator locking devices herein described and
illustrated at 13, 14, 16, and 18, that when there is no shade carrier on the holder,
the insulator can be easily removed, but if a shade carrying ring surrounds the

page_text: socket and covers the locking device, it is impossible then to dislodge the insulator
until the shade ring has been removed.
The lamp holder constructed as herein described is less costly to manufacture,
and the necessity of the usual union ring is obviated.
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.) An insulator 7 having recesses 6. 6, the spring clips or tubes 3. 3, and the
holder terminals 2, all in combination as and for the purpose herein described, and
substantially as illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed drawings.
(2.) A lamp holder, the upper part and socket of which are made in one piece,
together with a spring or catch for holding an insulator in position in such lamp
holder, and a key and key bed for preventing the insulator turning round, all in
combination, as and for the purpose herein described and substantially as illustrated
by Figs. 7, 8, and 9 of the annexed drawings.
(3.) A lamp holder 11, and loose insulator 7, held in position in the socket of the
lamp holder by a spring tongue, the latter being locked by a shade ring such as 12,
all in combination, as and for the purpose herein described, and substantially as
illustrated by Fig. 8 of the annexed drawings.
Dated this 25th day of September 1896.
THOMAS RICHARD DAVIS KENNY,
By his Agents, Brierley & Howard,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.