Improved Means for Tapping Incandescent Lamp Circuits for Supplying Currents to Motors and Electro-medical and other Appliances.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1893
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Tapping Incandescent Lamp Circuits for
Supplying Currents to Motors and Electro-medical and other
Appliances.
A communication from abroad by ALEXANDER FRANK VETTER, of the Firm of
J. C. Vetter & Co., of 104, East 23rd Street, in the City of New York, United
States of America, Manufacturers.
I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the Firm of Fell & Wilding, of 1 Queen Victoria
Street in the City of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention for "IMPROVED MEANS FOR TAPPING INCANDESCENT LAMP
CIRCUITS FOR SUPPLYING CURRENTS TO MOTORS AND ELECTRO MEDICAL
AND OTHER APPLIANCES to be as follows:-
"
"
The term " lamp" as hereinafter employed will be understood as meaning an
incandescent electric lamp, the term "circuit or lamp circuit" as meaning an
electric circuit suitable for such lamps, and the terin "current as meaning
an electric current suitable for incandescent electric lamps.
"
The object of the present invention is to provide for conveniently tapping a
lamp circuit so as to take the electric current in parallel with a lamp, or in series
with it, according to the requirements, for use in external translating devices such
as electric motors, medical apparatus, etc.
This invention consists in an improved device for adapting the current to the
recipient device which for purposes of description I hereinafter term a current
adapter which is in the form of a combined lamp-socket and tap, which may be
inserted in place of the lamp in an ordinary lamp-socket, or may itself constitute a
wall-socket, or be attached in any approved way to a flexible cord or other electrical
fixture. The current-adapter as it is hereinafter termed is furnished with a
chamber containing a switch by means of which the current may be turned on or
off the lamp, and controlled as. regards the external translating device, and is
provided with electrical connections for receiving flexible cords or wires for taking
the current from the current-adapter either in parallel with the lamp or in series
with it.
"
In one arrangement the current-adapter is constructed with a metallic collar or
"ferrule which forms a screw-threaded socket to receive a lamp at one end,
hereinafter considered its upper end, and is provided at its other or lower end with
a plug-forming ferrule which is adapted to screw into an ordinary lamp-socket.
The invention is not limited or confined to this or any particular method of
attaching the current adapter in the electric circuit, or of attaching the lamp
thereto, but for convenience the current-adapter will be hereinafter described as so
constructed. Said plug-forming ferrule incloses a body of insulating material, or
an insulating space, through the centre of which extends a screw-rod. Upon the
upper end of this ferrule is placed a casing of insulating material, which is
provided with a chamber to contain the several parts of the switch, and with a
cover of insulating material above which a nut is screwed on the upper end of said
rod. On an insulating collar surrounding said rod within said chamber is fulcrumed
a switch-lever, which projects through a slot in the side of the casing, and is
furnished with an insulating handle. A pair of contact-springs coact with said
switch-lever. Of these the upper one is electrically connected with said socket-
forming ferrule together with an internal post, by one of two or more screws which
attach this ferrule to said cover of the casing. The lower contact-spring is
electrically connected with said plug-forming ferrule together with an angled plate

page_text: and a screw by which these parts are attached to the bottom of the casing. The
two contact-springs lie above and below the path of the switch-lever, and project
a short distance into the path of said lever, so that when the lever is swung on its
fulcrum it will pass between the springs and establish an electrical connection
between them. To facilitate the entrance of the lever between the springs it is
wedge-shaped in cross-section.
Said internal post is furnished with a threaded aperture for receiving the metallic
shank of a post hereinafter referred to as post "i" which extends radially from
the outer surface of the casing. The said post may consist of a metallic tube,
split longitudinally to receive the terminal of the flexible cord, and inclosed in an
insulating casing, or it may be of any other suitable construction. An upwardly
extending arm of said angled plate is connected electrically in like manner with
another radial post hereinafter referred to as post "2." To said rod is electrically
connected another angled plate, which is connected in like manner with a third
radial post, hereinafter referred to as post "3."
Both the said ferrules are of the customary sheet-metal form, and consequently
threaded both externally and internally. To give the body of the current adapter
when it is in use a plain cylindrical form, the socket-forming ferrule has been
inclosed by a cylindrical cover held in place by an internally threaded and flanged
top-ring.
When the current-adapter above described is to be used, it is inserted into an
ordinary wall-socket or the like, and the current passes in and out by said rod and
said plug-forming ferrule.
A wall-socket embodying the improved current-adapter is formed by omitting
said plug-forming ferrule and carrying wires from the angled plate first named
and from said rod into and through a suitable base or wall-piece so as to be
connected with the leads in the usual manner. Otherwise the construction of the
current-adapting wall-socket may be identical with that of the form for use in
connection with ordinary fixtures.
Flexible cords for use in connection with the current adapter may be provided at
one end with metallic terminals adapted to enter said radial posts and at the
opposite end with binding posts to receive pins projecting from the translating
device to be supplied with the current, or with terminals or posts at both ends as
may be required.
The external translating device which is to be supplied with the current is
connected by said cords with said posts 1 and 3 when it is to be used in parallel
with the lamp, in which case the current from the generator flows to the said rod
and second angled plate, where it divides, part going through the carbon filament
of the lamp and another part going through said post 3 and the translating device
back to said post 1 and the contact-spring permanently connected therewith, and
thence through the switch-lever and the other contact spring back to the
generator.
When the cords from the translating device are connected with said posts 1
and 2, and the switch-lever is removed from between the contact springs, the
current flows through the translating device and the lamp in series.
When the cords from the translating device are connected with said posts 2
and 3, the current from the generator flows through said rod second angled plate
and post 3 to the translating device, and thence through said post 2 and, first
angled plate to said plug-forming ferrule or to the return lead direct, without
lighting the lamp.
Dated this 24th day of January 1893.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Tapping Incandescent Lamp Circuits for
Supplying Currents to Motors and Electro-medical and other
Appliances.
A communication from abroad by ALEXANDER FRANK VETTER, of the Firm
of J. C. Vetter & Co., of 101, East 23rd Street, in the City of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturers.
I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the Firm of Fell & Wilding of 1 Queen Victoria
Street in the City of London, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention for "IMPROVED MEANS FOR TAPPING INCANDESCENT LAMP
CIRCUITS FOR SUPPLYING CURRENTS TO MOTORS AND ELECTRO-MEDICAL
AND OTHER APPLIANCES," and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The term "lamp," as hereinafter employed, will be understood as meaning an
incandescent electric lamp; the term "circuit or "lamp-circuit" as meaning the
electric circuit of one or more such lamps composed in part of the lamp-fixtures;
the term "current as meaning an electric current suitable for such lamps; and
the term "translating device" or "external translating device as meaning a motor,
electro-medical appliance, or other electric or electro-magnetic appliance which can
be operated by such a current or one of less amperage.
"
"
,,
The object of the present invention as a whole is to provide for conveniently
tapping a lamp-circuit so as to take the current therefrom, at will, either in parallel
with a lamp or in series with it, as well as direct, according to the requirements, for
use in such external translating devices. When the current is taken in parallel,
the lamp may be used for lighting purposes and the overflow of the current utilized
for charging storage batteries, or for other purposes. When the current is taken
in series with the lamp the quantity of current which passes to the external trans-
lating device is regulated by the candle-power of the lamp; and such conveniently
obtained current is thus adapted for the operation of various translating devices
requiring different amperage or quantity currents, such as electro-medical
apparatus. When the current is taken direct, the full force of the current is
obtained, as for operating 110-volt motors, drop-lights, and like appliances capable
of receiving the full force of the current.
The improved circuit-tapping device, in connection with an ordinary lamp,
inserted therein, serves to adapt the current to the recipient translating device, as
above, and consequently, for the purposes of description, is hereinafter termed a
"current-adapter."
This current-adapter is in the form of a combined lamp-socket and tap, which
may be inserted in place of the lamp in an ordinary lamp-socket, the lamp being
inserted in the current-adapter, or may itself constitute a wall-socket, or be attached
in any approved way to a flexible cord, or to other electrical fixtures, like an
ordinary lamp-socket.
The current-adapter is furnished with a chamber containing a switch, by means
of which the current may be turned on or off the lamp, and controlled as regards
the external translating device, and is provided with electrical connections for so
attaching flexible cords or wires as to take the current from the current-adapter in
parallel with the lamp or in series with it, as shown on the accompanying sheet of
drawings, in which :—
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a current-adapter, constructed according to this
invention, in the form of a combined lamp-socket and tap for insertion in ordinary
lamp-sockets;
Figure 2 is a plan view of said current-adapter Fig. 1 ;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the same, with its lamp-socket portion (A Fig. 1)

page_text: Figure 4 represents a longitudinal section on the line 4—4, Fig. 3 ;
Figure 5 represents a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 3;
Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in the direction of the arrow 6, (Fig. 5,), with the
switch-lever in the position in which it is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5;
Figure 7 is a small-scale elevation of the current-adapter in the form of a
wall-socket, showing a lamp as such lamp is inserted in either form of the current-
adapter;
Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of a pair of connecting cords, partly in section;
Figures 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views of the switch and circuit, illustrating
respectively the operation of an external translating device in parallel and its
operation in series.
Like letters and numbers refer to like parts in all the figures.
The current-adapter proper, in either of its forms, is composed of a "lamp-
socket" portion, A, and a main portion or "tap" B or B2, said tap being provided
with a switch-lever, C, and with radial binding-posts 1, 2, 3; and it is used in
connection with a pair of flexible conductors or connecting cords," D, Fig. 8, an
ordinary lamp, E, Fig. 7, and a lamp-circuit G, as illustrated diagrammatically by
said Figs. 9 and 10.
For convenience, all that portion of the current-adapter proper above its joint
marked 7, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4, or to the right of said joint as seen in Fig. 7, is
denominated its "lamp-socket" portion, (A,) seen in plan in Fig. 2; the remainder
is denominated the tap, one form of which, (B,) is seen in plan in Fig. 3.
In the arrangement represented in detail by said Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, said
lamp-socket portion A of the current-adapter is constructed with a metallic collar
or ferrule a, which forms a screw-threaded socket a² to receive a lamp (E) of a
well known system, ("Edison's,") and at the opposite end of the current-adapter
the tap B is provided with a plug-forming ferrule which is adapted to screw into
an ordinary lamp-socket of like construction. The invention is not limited or
confined to this or any particular method of attaching the current-adapter in the
lamp-circuit, or of attaching the lamp, but for convenience the current-adapter will
be hereinafter described as so constructed.
This
Said plug-forming ferrule incloses a body of insulating material, or it may be
an insulating space, through the center of which extends a screw-rod c.
ferrule (b) projects from what may be termed the bottom, 3, of a switch-casing of
insulating material forming part of said tap B. The chamber d of this switch-
casing contains the several parts of the switch of the tap, as hereinafter more
particularly described, and it has a cover a³ of insulating material, (forming part of
said lamp-socket portion A) through which said rod e extends into the lamp-
socket a², where it is provided with a screw-nut, e.
On an insulating collar, f, surrounding said rod c within said chamber d, the
switch-lever C swings as in Fig. 3. It projects therefrom through a slot g, Fig. 4,
in the side of the casing, and is furnished at its outer end with an insulating handle h,
Fig. 4.
P
The
A pair of contact-springs, i, j, coact with said switch-lever. Of these the one
marked i is electrically connected with said socket-forming ferrule a, together with
an internal "post" k, by one, marked 1, of two or more screws, l, m, Figs. 2 and 6,
which attach this ferrule a to said cover a³ of the switch-casing. The other
contact-spring, j, is electrically connected with said plug-forming ferrule b,
together with an angled plate n, by a metallic strip or wire o and a screw
by which these parts are attached to the bottom of the switch-casing.
two contact-springs lie on the respective sides of the path of the switcli-lever C,
and normally, as in Fig. 5, and in full lines in Fig. 3, project a short distance
into the path of said lever, so that when the lever is swung on its fulcrum, as in
dotted lines in Fig. 3, it will pass between the springs and establish an electrical
connection between them. To facilitate the entrance of the lever C between the
springs and j, the lever is wedge-shaped in cross-section, as in Figs. 9 and 10.
Said internal post k is furnished with a threaded aperture, exposed to view in

page_text: Figs. 5 and 6, which receives the metallic shank of the first, hereinafter termed
post "1," of said binding-posts, 1, 2, 3, which are ordinary binding-posts, and may
for the purposes of this invention be of any suitable construction. As shown in
the drawings they have transverse threading holes to receive terminal pins 7 Fig. 8
on the ends of the cords D, and have longitudinal screws with insulating knobs at
their outer ends and metallic shanks to contact with said pins q. An arm of said
angled plate n is connected electrically in like manner with the second, hereinafter
termed post "2," of said binding-posts 1, 2, 3; and to said rod c is electrically
connected another angled plate, r, which is connected in like manner with the third,
hereinafter termed post "3," of said binding-posts 1, 2, 3.
Both the said ferrules a and b are of the customary sheet-metal form, and
consequently.threaded both externally and internally. To mask the socket-
forming ferrule a, it is surrounded by a sheet-inetal cover s, held in place by an
internally-threaded and flanged end-ring s².
When the current-adapter above described is to be used, it is inserted into an
ordinary wall-socket, or other lamp-socket, and the current passes in and out by
said rod c and said plug-forming ferrule b.
A wall-socket form of the improved current-adapter is constructed, as shown
at A B³ in Fig. 7, by omitting the plug-forming ferrule above described, and
carrying wires tu from the said angled plate n and from said rod c respectively
into and through a suitable base or wall-piece v, so as to be connected with the
leads in the usual manner. The bottom of the switch-casing is conveniently
connected with such wall-pieces by a ferrule w. Otherwise the construction of the
improved current-adapter in the form of a wall-socket may be identical with that
of the form for use in connection with ordinary fixtures, as above described with
reference to Figs. 1 to 6.
The flexible connecting-cords D, Fig. 8, may be provided at both ends with the
pin-terminals above described, or, as shown in the drawing, may have such
terminals at one end only, and at the other end binding-posts or socket-terminals
of any suitable construction. (Those here shown are metallic tubes split longi-
tudinally to receive pin-terminals on the translating devices, and inclosed in
insulated casings.) Or the connecting cords may have such binding-posts at
both ends; pin-terminals, in this case, taking the place of the binding-posts 1
2 and 3. The term "binding-posts as herein used is intended to include such
known or improved substitutes.
""
The external translating device F which is to be supplied with the current
through either form of the current-adapter is connected by said cords D with said
posts 1 and 3, as in Fig. 9, when the translating device is to be used in parallel with
the lamp; the switch-lever C being moved to its "on" position, as in dotted lines
in Fig. 3. In this case, the current from the generator in the circuit G, flows to
said rod c and angled plate r, where it divides, part going through the carbon filament
of the lamp and another part going through said post 3 and the translating device,
back to said post 1 and contact-spring i, and thence through the switch-lever C and
contact-spring; back to the generator in the circuit G. In this way the overflow
of current from the lamp E may be utilized for charging storage batteries, or for
other purposes.
When the cords D to and from the translating device F are connected with said
posts 1 and 2, and the switch-lever C is moved to its "off" position, as in Fig. 10,
the circuit being opened between the contact springs, i, j, the current flows through
the translating device F and the lamp E in series, and, the latter acting as a
resistance in the circuit, the current is adapted to the requirements of the
translating device by the candle-power of the lamp as aforesaid; an 8 candle-
power lamp giving of an ampere, a 16 candle-power lamp of an ampere, a
24 candle-power lamp of an ampere, and so on, according to the candle-power of
the lamp.
'
When the cords D to and from the translating device F are connected with said
posts 2 and 3, with the switch-lever C in its said "off" position, the current from

page_text: the generator in the circuit G flows through said rod c angled plate and post 3 to
the translating device, and thence through said post 2 and angled plate n to said
plug-forming ferrule bor to the return lead "direct" and with practically un-
diminished voltage. Thus used, the current-adapter operates merely as a tap,
being a convenient and in its primary form a portable device for conducting the
current to the external translating device without splicing the wires, and. without
displacing or interfering with the occasional use of the lamp.
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 :-
(1) In combination with an incandescent electric light circuit, a " current-
'adapter" introduced into the circuit and provided with a suitable lamp and with a
pair of binding-posts electrically connected in series with said lamp and with an
external translating device, whereby such translating device is furnished with a
current regulated as to amperage by such lamp, as herein before set forth with
reference to Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings.
(2) A current-adapter introduced into an incandescent electric light circuit and
provided with a suitable lamp and having a pair of binding posts electrically
connected in parallel with said lamp and with an external translating device, as
herein before set forth with reference to Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.
(3) The improved current-adapter, in the form of a lamp-socket and tap for use
in connection with ordinary electric fixtures, hereinbefore described with reference
to Figures 1 to 6.
(4) The improved current-adapter in the form of a wall-socket hereinbefore
described with reference to Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of October A.D. 1893.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.