Year: 1897

page_text: We, WILLIAM ROBERT RAWLINGS, and JOHN JOSEPH RAWLINGS, of 82, Gloucester
Road, South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Electricians, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in switches for electric currents so con-
structed in combination with the ordinary bayonet or screw lamp holders as still
to give a large and quick break which in practice it is found is desirable and often
imperative. The lower or insulating internal portion of the lamp holder is so
extended on each side as to form a race which is arranged with suitable angles
upon which contact makers are mounted. To electrically connect such contact
makers a flat or other shaped spindle which will not twist, runs through the said
race and such spindle has a direct slide movement. Mounted loosely on the said
spindle between two pins or screws is an insulating block carrying one or more
telescopic tubular plungers or two or more small spring plungers connected to
each other. The said plungers when in one position electrically connect the contact
makers or a selection of them and when in another position the said contact makers
are electrically disconnected. The angles of the race are so designed as that the
said plungers exerting a constant but variable pressure on the said contact makers
or insulating base on which the same are mounted together combine to give a
quick break and positive movement to the plungers from one point to another
when the spindle is operated. The block containing the plungers being loosely,
mounted as aforesaid also contributes to this result. The said block can also be
operated by means of a lever working on a pin or socket or knuckle joint, or the
block can be attached to a spindle with a twist movement in which case, the
spindle instead of running through the centre of the race would run at right
angles across or into the said race and the said spindle at the centre of the race
would have an arm at right angles to the rest of the spindle and on the said arm
would be mounted the said insulating block in which the plunger or plungers would
be contained, or with a twist movement the plungers instead of operating in a race
there could be one plunger mounted in the block, and one contact maker mounted
also on the block but electrically connected with each other. The contact maker
would whilst the block was in one position rest against a tubular telescopic
plunger so suitably fixed in the insulating base of the switch as to make
contact at one end with the lamp and at the other end with such contact maker.
Whilst the said block was in the same position the plunger mounted thereon at
right angles to the contact maker last mentioned would also rest against another
contact maker mounted on the base of the switch. Both the contact maker on
the block and the contact maker of the base are so mounted together with the block
and base at such angles to their respective plungers as that the said block is given
a quick break and positive movement from one point to another when operated.
Where lamps have two or more separate filaments or it is desired to give two or
more electric circuits we arrange two or more sets of contact makers as desired in

page_text: such a way and at such angles that a selection of them can be connected or dis-
connected, as required. To achieve this the angles of the insulating base or block
upon which the plungers traverse are altered. Although we prefer to fix the
plungers in the block attached to the spindle or handle it is evident that the
plungers may be fixed in the side or in the base of the switch in any of the ways
set forth in our complete specifications numbered 22402 and 23071 of 1896.
We, WILLIAM ROBERT RAWLINGS, and JOHN JOSEPH RAWLINGS, of 82, Gloucester
Road, South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Electricians, 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 switches for electric currents so con-
structed in combination with. the ordinary bayonet or screw lamp holders as still
to give a large and quick break which in practice it is found is desirable and often
imperative. The lower or insulating internal portion of the lamp holder is so
extended on each side as to form a race which is arranged with suitable angles
upon which contact makers are mounted. To electrically connect such contact
makers a flat or other shaped spindle which will not twist runs through the said
race and such spindle has a direct slide movement. Mounted loosely on the said
spindle between two pins or screws is an insulating block carrying one or more teles-
copic tubular plungers or two or more small spring plungers electrically connected to
each other. The said plungers when in one position electrically connect the contact
makers and when in another position the contact makers or a selection of them
are electrically disconnected. The angles of the race are so designed as that the
said plungers exerting a constant but variable pressure on the said contact makers,
or insulating base on which the same are mounted, together combine to give a
quick break and positive movement to the plungers from one point to another
when the spindle is operated. The block containing the plungers being loosely
mounted as aforesaid also contributes to this result. The said block can also be
operated by means of a lever working on a pin or socket or knuckle joint or the
block can be attached to a spindle with a twist movement in which case the
spindle instead of running through the centre of the race would run at right
angles across or into the said race and the said spindle at the centre of the race
would have an arm at right angles to the rest of the spindle and on the said arm
would be mounted the said insulating block in which the plunger or plungers would
be contained, or with a twist movement the plungers instead of operating in a race
there could be one plunger mounted in the block and one contact maker mounted
also on the block but electrically connected with each other. The contact maker
would whilst the block was in one position rest against a tubular telescope
plunger so suitably fixed in the insulating base of the switch as to make
contact at one end with the lamp and at the other end with such contact maker.
Whilst the said block was in the same position the plunger mounted thereon at
right angles to the contact maker last mentioned would also rest against another
contact maker mounted on the base of the switch. Both the contact maker on
the block and the contact maker of the base are so mounted together with the block

page_text: and-base-at-such-angles to their respective plungers as that the said block is given
a quick break and positive movement from one point to another when operated.
Where lamps have two or more separate filaments, or it is desired to give two
or more electric currents we arrange two or more sets of contact makers as desired
in such a way and at such angles that a selection of them can be connected or dis-
connected as required. To achieve this the angles of the insulating base or block
upon which the plungers traverse are altered.
Although we prefer to fix the plungers in the block attached to the spindle or
handle, it is evident that the plungers may be fixed in the side or in the base of
the switch in any of the ways set forth in our complete specifications numbered
22402 and 23071 of 1896.
The drawings annexed more particularly describe the mechanism of the switch
and its parts.
Fig. 1 is a cross section of a bayonet switch holder. A is the insulating base
of the switch extended on each side as to form a race. B is a spindle hole in which
the spindle above mentioned slides. C is the insulating block with the plungers
mounted therein. D is a screw connecting the insulating block to the metal
cover of the switch. E and E2 are the connecting terminals a for wires. F
are the fixing screws of the terminals. G is one of two of the usual plungers of
lamp holders. H is the metal case of holder and switch combined.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the insulating base A showing the race with the-angles
suitable for causing a quick break, and also the contact makers J¹ and J2 mounted
thereon. K and K2 are the screws for fixing the usual plungers G (Fig. 1) of
the lamp. The contact maker J¹ is electrically connected with one of the lamp
plungers by being attached to the screw. K¹ and K2 connects the second plunger
of the lamp holder to connecting terminal E2.
Contact maker J2 is so arranged as shown in the drawing as to be electrically
connected with terminal E'. It is evident that if the plungers (mounted in block
C Fig. 1) are moved between the contact makers J¹ and J2 the circuit would be com-
pleted through the lamp to terminals E1 and E2 to which the connecting wires
are attached. When the block is operated by means of the spindle to the opposite
end of the race the contact makers are electrically disconnected. If two or more
plungers are mounted in the insulating block if is evident that by means of the
designs for contact makers shown in our patent 23071 of 1896 that a selection
of filaments or lamps can be used. Or if the races of the insulating base and
contact makers are varied as shown in patent 28704 of 1896, or if the block and
contact makers and parts are arranged as shown in our patent 22402 of 1896, or
our patent 24766 of 1896 a selection of filaments or lamps can be used. By the
above mentioned means filaments of a greater or lesser resistance can be used.
Having now more particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
(1) A switch for lamp holders with an insulating block carrying telescopic or
spring plungers operated by means of a spindle between a race constructed in the
manner shewn in Figures 1 and 2 whereby a large and quick break is obtained.
(2) A switch for lamp holders made by means of the particular combinations
of the parts herein before described or referred to.
Dated this Ofth day of November 1897