Improvements in Insulating Bases for Electric Switches, Fuse Blocks, Ceiling Plates, and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 17th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Insulating Bases for Electric Switches, Fuse Blocks,
Ceiling Plates, and the like.
I, GUSTAV BINSWANGER of 71 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C. Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The object of my invention is to produce electric light fittings for instance switches,
fuse blocks, ceiling plates and the like-which are usually made of china bases-in
such a manner that the attachment metallic parts as plates of the conducting screws
or terminals which would be in circuit can be affixed to the china bases so as to ensure
that no metallic part is fixed, or shown, or protruding from, or at the back of the
china base aforesaid.
It is customary now to form such bases with perforations or holes passing through
from front to back or top to bottom of same, the conducting metal parts being then
affixed by means of screws and nuts which project at the back of the china bases,
with the consequent risk-
-as would occur in the case of the access of moisture-of
leakage of the electric current.
Now, with a view to avoid this drawback. I provide china bases with projecting
walls vertically disposed on the front, top, or outer surface of said bases, and I form
these vertical walls with perforations or holes through which the metal screws are
passed for securing the metal conductor. These metal screws can be easily fixed to
the walls of the china bases forming very convenient locations for the terminals for
the attachment of electrical wires and leaving the back of the china bases of such
electrical fittings entirely free from conducting metal parts.
Dated this 90th day of June 1980
JAMES
STEVENSON,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Insulating Bases for Electric Switches, Fuse Blocks,
Ceiling Plates, and the like.
I, GUSTAV BINSWANGER, of 71, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of my invention is to produce electric light fittings, for instance switches,
fuse blocks or cut-outs, ceiling plates or ceiling roses, and the like-which are usually
made with china bases-in such a manner that the attachment to the china bases of
the metallic parts (such as the plates of the connecting screws or the terminals, which
would be in circuit) can be so made as to ensure that no metallic part shall be fixed to,
shown at, or protrude from the back of the china bases. It is customary now to form
such bases with perforations or holes passing from the front to the back or from the
top to the bottom of the same and to affix the conducting metallic parts by means of
screws and nuts which project at the back of the china bases, with the consequent
risk as would occur in the case of access of moisture-of leakage of the electric
current:
Now with a view to avoid this drawback I provide china bases with projecting
walls vertically disposed on the front, top or outer surface of the said bases, and I
form those vertical walls with perforations or holes through which metal screws are
passed for the purpose of securing the aforesaid metallic parts of the fittings. These
metal screws can be easily fixed to the walls of the china bases and form very
מ

page_text: convenient locations for the terminals for the attachment of the electric wires and leave
the back of the china bases of such electric fittings entirely free from conducting
metallic parts.
In order that my invention may be thoroughly understood I have appended the
accompanying sheets of drawings, which illustrate applications of my invention to
various electric light fittings.
Figs. 1 and 2 are a plan and section respectively of a circular cut-out.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views of a single pole cut-out, and Figs. 6 and 7 are views of
a double pole cut-out.
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are views of a cut-out for distributing boards.
Figs. 11 and 12 are views of what is known of as a "wall plug."
Fig. 13 is a plan of a switch.
Figs. 14 and 15 are a plan and sectional elevation of what is known as a coiling
rose or ceiling plate.
In Figs. 1 and 2, A, A are projections formed on the china base B and provided
with perforations. C, C are studs or pins passing through the perforations in the
projections and provided at one end with heads c, c. The wires carrying the current
to and from the cut-out, after being passed through the perforations D, D made in
the base B, are connected to the heads c, c by means of clamping screws c', c'. The
ends of the lead or other fusible wire forming the cut-out are connected to the studs
or pins C, C by means of the nuts c², c² turning on the ends of the same.
In Figs. 3, 4 and 5, A is a projecting wall or piece formed on the china base B
and provided with projections A¹, A¹. C, C are studs or pins provided at one end
with heads c, c and passing through perforations in the projections A', A¹. The wires
carrying the current to and from the cut-out, after being passed through the perfora-
tions D, D made in the base B, are connected to the heads c, c by means of clamping
screws c¹, c¹. Metal angle pieces E, E are placed in connection with the studs or
pins C, C and are provided with screwed studs. The ends of the lead or other
fusible wire forming the cut-out are connected to the angle pieces E, E by means of
nuts e, e turning on the screwed studs formed thereon. F is the cover of the
cut-out.
In the double pole cut-out illustrated by Figs. 6 and 7 the parts of the same, which
are in duplicate, correspond to those of the single pole cut-out illustrated by Figs. 3, 4
and 5, and are similarly lettered.
In Figs. 8, 9 and 10, A, A¹ are two projecting walls or pieces formed on the china a
base B and provided with perforations. To one of the projecting walls A a metal
angle piece C is attached and to the other projecting wall A₁ three or any other
number of metal saddle pieces C¹ are fixed. The wire for carrying the current to the
distributing board, after being passed through the perforation D made in the china
base B, is connected to the angle piece C by means of the sweating terminal E, as 4
shown, or by a nut. The lead or other fusible wires forming the cut-outs for the
several circuits are connected at one end to the angle piece by means of the nuts c
and at the other end to the saddle pieces C¹ by means of the nuts c'. The wires of
the several circuits for carrying the current from the distributing board, after being
passed through the perforations D¹ made in the base B, are connected to the saddle 4
pieces C by means of the sweating terminals F.
In Figs. 11 and 12, A is a projecting wall or piece, formed on the china base B.
The projecting wall A is provided with perforations and supports metal pieces C, C¹.
The metal pieces C, C are separated by a plug D of insulating material and of the
usual kind which obtains in wall plugs. A stud E which passes through a perforation 5
in the projecting wall A is provided at one end with a head to which the wire carrying
the current to the wall plug is connected by means of the clamping screw e¹. The
other end of the stud E is connected to one end of the lead or other fusible wire
forming the cut-out by means of the nut e turning. on the end of the stud. The
other end of the lead or like wire is connected to the metal piece C by means of a 5
nute turning on the end of a stud formed in one with or screwed into the metal
piece C. The wire carrying the current from the wall plug is connected to the metal

page_text: piece by means of the clamping screw et screwing into the head of a stud pressing
on the metal piece C₁and passing through a perforation in the projecting wall A.
F, F are perforations made in the base B to permit of the passing therethrough of
the wires carrying the current to and from the wall plug.
In Fig. 13, A, A are projections formed on the china base B and provided with
perforations. Studs C, C, which are provided with heads, pass through the perfora-
tions in the projections A, A. The terminal or contact plates E, E are fixed to the
projections A, A by means of the studs C, C and nuts c¹, c¹. The wires carrying the
current to and from the switch, after being passed through the perforations D, D
made in the base B, are connected to the heads of the stuls C, C by means of the
clamping screws c², c². F is the metal bridge piece or arm of the switch. As shown
in the accompanying drawings no fusible wire is used to carry the current from one
termina! or contact plate to the other, but it might be so employed. The application
of the projections to the chin base of a switch can also be made to other varieties of
switches.
In Figs. 14 and 15, A is the projecting wall or piece formed on the base B and
made in the shape of a letter T. The projecting wall is provided with perforations.
C1, C2 and C³ are three studs or pins passing through perforations in the projecting
wall or piece A. The ends of the studs O, C and C are screwed to receive nuts or
are otherwise provided with connecting devices. The lead or other wire forming the
cut-out is connected to the two studs C and C by means of the nuts d¹ and d². The
wire carrying the current to the ceiling rose is connected to the stud C¹ by means of
the clamping screw d³, and the wire carrying the current from the ceiling rose is
connected to the stud (3 by means of the clamping screw d. The two flexible wires
carrying the current to and from the lamp are passed through perforations E, E
provided in the projecting wall or piece A in order to enable them to carry the weight
of the lamp. The flexible wire carrying the current to the lamp is connected to the
stud C by means of the nut do, and the flexible wire carrying the current from the
lamp is connected to the stud C by means of the nut d. D, D are perforations made
in the base B to allow of the passing therethrough of the wires carrying the current
to and from the ceiling rose. F is the lid or cover of the ceiling rose and G is the
hole provided therein through which the wires carrying the current to and from the
lamp pass.
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). Providing the insulating china bases of electric light fittings such as cut-outs,
wall plugs, switches, ceiling roses and the like with projecting wails or pieces for the
carrying or fixing of the conducting plates, terminal screws and other connecting
parts of the said fittings for the purpose herein specified.
(2). The improved cut-outs, substantially as described herein and illustrated by
Figs. 1 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.
(3). The improved wall plug, substantially as described herein and illustrated by
Figs. 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.
(4). The improved switch, substantially as described herein and illustrated by
Fig. 13 of the accompanying drawings.
(5). The improved ceiling rose or ceiling plate, substantially as described herein
and illustrated by Figs. 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of March 1890.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.