IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAMP SUSPENSIONS; BRACKETS, CHANDELIERS, AND THE LIKE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAMP SUSPENSIONS; BRACKETS, CHANDELIERS, AND
THE LIKE." A communication from abroad by Oscar Falbe, of Berlin, in the
Kingdom of Prussia.
Sealed the 12th August 1879, and dated the 11th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th March 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAMP SUSPENSIONS,'
BRACKETS, CHANDELIERS, AND THE LIKE." [A communication from abroad by
Oscar Falbe, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia.]
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of lamp "suspensions,"
wall brackets, chandeliers, and the like, and the said improvements have for their
object to enable these articles to be readily taken to pieces for packing, and to be
put together by any unskilled person without instruction or the use of screws or
tools. Besides the greater convenience and the economy in space and packing
material obtained by packing these articles in pieces instead of screwed together,
the great liability to breakage is avoided, which is a very important consideration.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have illustrated
one application of the improvements by way of example in the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a lamp suspension complete, and Figures
2 to 15 illustrate various methods of connecting the pendant frames at points A
and B, with the rings supporting the shade and the lamp. Figure 2 is a vertical
section, Figure 3 a top view (partly in section), and Figure 4 a side view of one
form of fastening. It consists of a socket a, in which fits a corresponding stem b,
which projects from the inner edge of the pendant frame, and is provided with a
spring c on its top side, which, when stem b is pushed into the socket, is flattened
down and causes the stem 6 to fit tightly enough in the socket a to hold the parts
together; whilst to disconnect the parts, it is only necessary to overcome the power
of the spring. This form of fastening is applicable both at points A and B.

page_text: A slight modification of this fastening is shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, in
which the spring c is provided with a small nib or prolongation f at its free
extremity, which is received in a notch d in the end aperture of the socket a, so
that the shoulders at either side of the nib f on the end of the spring are received
within the box like socket, thus forming a snap fastening, to disconnect which it is
only necessary to depress the nib f when the spring is released, and the parts can be
withdrawn from the socket.
Figures 10 and 11 show a form of fastening intended chiefly for connecting the
pendant frames at B to the ring supporting the shade, but which may also be used
for the connection at A. a is a sort of box on the pendant frame open at top, and
on the inside at b is a spring fixed therein, and having a catch formed on its upper
free end which projects from the top of the box a, and engages in a corresponding
slot d in the ring. To connect the parts, the springs are bent until they pass
through the slots d, and then released, whereupon the catches e engage with the
edge of the slots d, and hold the parts together. Figures 12 and 13 show another
modification of the first described form of fastening. In this case the spring is
dispensed with, and the parts are locked together by a cross pin c, or a wedge or
key c¹. Lastly, Figures 14 and 15 show a similar fastening to the last, except that
instead of a cross pin or wedge key, a sort of latch c is used which engages in a
notch across the end of pin b, which in this case projects completely through the
socket a. The socket a may either be on the rings supporting the vase. and lamp,
or on the pendant arms or frames, the pin b with the spring or other locking
device being of course on the opposite part to the socket a.
0.1
The above described fastenings are also applicable to the other parts of lamp
suspensions, for instance, to the pendant rigid rods used in lieu of chains, and they
are also applicable to chandeliers or candelabra, whether intended for 'lamps or
candles, as will be readily understood.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of 'the conditions of the Letters Patent 'filed
by the said Alexander Melville'Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th September 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAMP SUSPENSIONS,'
BRACKETS, CHANDELIERS, AND THE LIKE." A communication from abroad by
Oscar Falbe, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia.
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of lamp "suspensions,"
wall brackets, chandeliers, and the like, and the said improvements have for their
object to enable the frames of these articles to be readily taken to pieces for
packing, and to be put together by any unskilled person without instruction or the
use of screws or tools.
Besides the greater convenience and the economy in space, (packing material, and
freight effected by packing these articles in pieces instead of screwed together, the
great liability to breakage is avoided, which is a very important consideration.
Although lamp suspensions, chandeliers, and the like can now be taken to pieces
for packing, yet there are many difficulties attending the fitting together of the
parts as tools and skilled labor are required.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have illustrated
one application of the improvements by way of example in the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a lamp suspension complete; Figures 2 to
13 illustrate details on a larger scale of various forms of connections, more
particularly intended for connecting the pendant frames with the ring A that
supports the lamp, instead of the screws usually employed; and Figures 14 and 15
show details of the connection of the said frames with the ring B supporting the
sbade. Figure 2 is a vertical section; Figure 3, a top view (partly in section); and ·
Figure 4, a side view of one form of fastening. The fastening for each pendant
frame C consists of a socket a fixed or formed on the ring A, in which fits a
corresponding stem 6 that projects inwards from the pendant frame C, and is
provided with a spring c on its top side, which, when stem 6 is pushed into the
socket, is flattened down and causes the stem 6 to fit tightly enough in the socket a
to hold the parts together; whilst to disconnect the parts, it is only necessary to
overcome the friction due to the pressure of the spring. This form of fastening is
also applicable for connecting the frames C to ring B.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, show a slight modification of this fastening, the spring c
being in this case provided with a small nib or prolongation fat its free extremity,
which is received in a notch d in the end aperture of socket a, the said aperture
being of the form shown in Figure 8, so that the interior of the socket a being of
the square form in cross section seen in Figure 9, the shoulders at either side of the
nib fon the end of the spring are behind, and engage with the inwardly projecting
corners at either side of notch d, thus forming a snap fastening, to disconnect which
it is only necessary to depress the nib f, which is accessible, as shown in Figure 5,
whereupon the spring is released, and the parts can be withdrawn from the
socket.
Figures 10 and 11 show another modification of the same form of fastening. In
this case the spring is dispensed with, and the parts are locked together by a cross
ping passing through a hole in the socket a and stem b, or by a wedge or key h
passing across the inner end of the socket a, and through a hole in the stem b,
which in this case projects completely through the socket a, as indicated by dotted
lines. Figures 12 and 13 show a similar fastening to the last, except that instead
of a cross pin or wedge key, a sort of latch i is used that engages in a notch across
the end of pin b, which in this case also projects completely through the socket a.
The sockets a are described as being on the rings A, B, but they might be on the

page_text: pendant arms on frames, the pin b with the spring or other locking device being of
course on the opposite part to the socket a.
Figures 14 and 15 show a form of fastening intended chiefly for connecting the
pendant frames C to the ring B supporting the shade, but which may also be used
for the connection to A. k is a sort of box on the pendant frame C open at top,
and on the inside at l is a spring fixed therein, and having a catch ' formed on its
upper free end which projects from the top of the box k, and engages in a cor-
responding slot m in the ring B. To connect the parts, the springs are bent until
they pass through the slots m, and then released, whereupon the catches l¹ engage
with the edges of the slots m, and hold the parts together.
The above described connections or fastenings are also applicable to the other
parts of lamp suspensions, for instance, to the pendant rigid rods used in lieu of
chains, and they are also applicable for connecting the parts of wall brackets,
chandeliers, or candelabra, whether intended for lamps or candles, as will be readily
understood.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
The application to and employment in lamp suspensions, wall brackets, chan-
deliers, and the like, of the hereindescribed means of fastening together the different
parts of which they are composed, substantially as shown and described, for the
purpose specified.
In witness whereof I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
A. M. CLARK.
(L.S.)