Improvements in or relating to Suspenders for Shades, Reflectors, or Lamps, Especially Applicable to Electric Lamps.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 16th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Suspenders for Shades, Reflectors,
or Lamps, Especially Applicable to Electric Lamps.
I, WILFRID SWANWICK BOULT of 123 St. Johns Road, St. Johns in the County of
Kent, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of suspenders applicable to various kinds of lamps
shades or reflectors but especially to electric lamps and shades, the object being to
provide means whereby the shade with or without the lamp can be tilted in any desired
direction and I prefer to carry out my invention in the following manner.
In addition to or in substitution for the ordinary central grip of the lamp holder the
shade is suspended by a series of cords or equivalent attached either to it or to pro-
jecting arms on the shade carrier at points some distance from and disposed round
the centre, preferably in a plane parallel to the base of the shade and passing through
the centre of gravity of the suspended and movable load.
Each of the suspending cords referred to passes through an eye or equivalent on the
central cord by which the whole apparatus is held (this usually being formed of the
insulated conducting wires) and has its ends fastened to opposite points on the shade
or shade-carrier as explained. A convenient arrangement is formed with two cords at
right angles passing through a common eye in the suspending wires. The cross cords
instead of being fixed at the ends may pass over pulleys in various different ways and
be joined together, the cord being fastened to the central suspending wires instead of
moving through an eye.
The apparatus can be considerably modified without departing from the spirit of my
invention; an example of this would be where the cords fastened at one end to the
shade or reflector and passing through eyes or pulleys carry on their other ends
balance weights or equivalent.
Dated this 15th day of December 1888.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Suspenders for Shades, Reflectors,
or Lamps, Especially Applicable to Electric Lamps.
I WILFRID SWANWICK BOULT of 24 King's Mount, Birkenhead, in the County of
Chester, Civil 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 that class of suspenders applicable to various kinds to
various kinds of lamp shade or reflectors but especially to electric lamps and shades,
the object being to provide means whereby the shade with or without the lamp can be
tilted in any desired direction and I prefer to carry out my invention in the following
manner.
In addition to or in substitution for the ordinary central grip of the lamp holder the
shade is suspended by a series of cords or equivalent attached either to it or to
projecting arnis on the shade carrier at points some distance from and disposed round
the centre, preferably in a plane parallel to the base of the shade and passing through
the centre of gravity of the suspended and movable load.
Each of the suspending cords referred to passes through an eye or equivalent on the
central cord by which the whole apparatus is held (this in the case of electric lamps

page_text: usually being formed of the insulated conducting wires) and has its ends fastened to
opposite points on the shade or shade-carrier as explained. A convenient arrangement
is formed with two cords at right anglos passing. through a common eye (or separate
eyes in the same block) in the suspending wires. This arrangement is shown in
elevation in the drawing herewith, Fig. 4 where A is the end of an incandescent lamp
projecting beyond the shade or reflector B. C is a cap screwing on to the top of a
combined lamp-holder and shade-carrier of ordinary construction; and from this
proceed four arms two of which C D. and CD' are shown. the other two being behind
these, the four arms radiating from the centre at equal horizontal angles. From the
outer end D. of the arm CD. a cord E E. is led up, and through the eye F, in the
block G. (which block is inserted, between the two conducting wires or cables
forming the suspending cord H.), and down' at the back to the outer end of the arm
directly behind D¹. Similarly the cord E', E' proceeds from D¹ through F¹ to the
arm behind D. The lower portion H' of the suspending cord H is relieved from
the weight of the lamp &c. and has to be left with an excess of length to allow the
apparatus to be tilted similarly to the one shown in Fig. 2 which is another exemplifica-
tion of my invention hereinafter to be described.
As, in order that the two cords E E. and E' E' may always divide the weight
equally between them and hold the lamp &c. steadily, it is in some positions of the
apparatus necessary that the cord EE should be slightly longer than the cord E' E'
and in some other positions slightly shorter, it is desirable that one or both of these
cords should be of a sufficiently elastic material or be attached to the arms through the
intervention of springs. The cross-cords instead of being fixed at the ends may pass
over pulleys in various different ways and be joined together so as to form an endless
cord or be fastened to the central suspending wires instead of moving through an eye.
Another and slightly different form of apparatus embodying the application of my
invention is shown in Figs. 1, 2, & 3. in which reference letters are the same as in Fig. 4.
Figs. 1, and 2 are elevations showing two different positions of the lamp &c. and
Fig. 3 is a plan.
In this case only three arms are used and one continuous adjusting cord, which cord
need not be at all elastic. In lieu of a block shaped as G in Fig. 4 a convenient
form is that of an inverted basin with a hole through the bottom for the main
suspending cord and small ones near the lip for the adjusting cord. This block J. rests
upon an indiarubber washer (inside the basin and invisable) tightly gripping the main
cord passing through the bottom of the basin. The course of the adjusting cord may
best be traced by means of Figs. 1 and 3. Starting from the small hole K. in the basin-
shaped block J. it passes through D, K², D', K², Ď² to K again. The ends of the cord E.
may either be held at K or simply be joined to form an endless cord free to slide
through all the holes K, and D. Another way with three arms is to fasten one end of
the adjusting cord to the outer end of one arm, then run the other end first through an
eye in the main cord, then through an eye at the outer end of the next arm, then an
eye in the main cord, and finally to attach it to the outer end of the third arm.
To allow for the variable length of main cord H¹ between J and C without ever
having any undue proportion of slack, it is only necessary to push the indiarubber
washer inside J. into a suitable position on the main cord.
The apparatus can be considerably modified without departing from the spirit to my
invention; an example of this would be where the cords fastened at one end to the
shade or reflector and passing through eyes or pulleys carry on their other ends balance
weights or equivalent.`
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. In a lamp suspended from a single point of support by a flexible cord, the use of
an adjusting cord or cords such as E. E between the main suspending cord H. and
radiating arms C. D. for the purpose of adjusting the position of the lamp and shade so

page_text: 2. In a suspension lamp-fitting the combination with the main cord of a block or
equivalent such as J. or G. attached to the main cord for the adjusting cord to pass
through substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a suspension lamp-fitting the combination with the main cord of an india-
rubber washer for holding in position the block or equivalent referred to in the second
claiming clause substantially as described.
4. In a suspension lamp-fitting the use of arms such as CD. projecting from the
lamp and shade-holder for tilting it up to any reqired angle substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a suspension lamp-fitting the combination of a block such as J or G.
cords E. E and arms CD. CD for adjusting the position of the lamp and shade
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. The complete adjustable lamp-fitting substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of September 1889
WILFRID S. BOULT.