IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING ELECTRIC INCANDESCENCE LAMPS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOUNTING ELECTRIC INCANDESCENCE LAMPS," a communication to me from abroad
by Jean Marie Anatole Gérard Lescuyer of Paris, France to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to facilitate the mounting of electric incan-
descence lamps in their holders, to ensure perfect contact of the conducting wires
with the holder and to admit of the lamps being instantly removed and replaced.
The invention comprises two parts 1st a pair of metallic semi-sheaths for the neck
of the bulb respectively connected to the platinum conducting wires 2nd a socket
or holder composed of a pair of half round spring clips connected to the circuit
and adapted to receive the sheaths above mentioned these parts being constructed
and fitted together as hereafter described.
The sheaths are stamped out of thin sheet metal their lateral edges being formed
with tongues alternated with recesses of greater width than the tongues so that
when the sheaths are bent to a cylindrical form to embrace the cylindrical neck of
the bulb the tongues of one sheath will enter the recesses of the other the tongues
being of such length that each sheath will embrace an arc of the circumference of
at least 200 degrees without the sheaths touching one another. The sheaths clip
the neck and may be sprung on and off laterally and each is provided with an ear
at its extremity to which the respective platinum wire is soldered, whereby they
are prevented from slipping up or down on the neck. Each sheath is also formed
with a central longitudinal rib terminating in an enlargement or boss for engage-
ment with the-socket of the holder as hereafter described.
The holder consists of a pair of spring clips fixed to a cylindrical base of ebonite
or other insulating material provided with a coned screw stem for fixing into gas
brackets or other supports; the clips being respectively connected to the two parts
TD 011

page_text: of the circuit by wires which may either be visible or be concealed by passing
through the base. These clips are also stamped out of sheet metal and are of
approximately half round section and are formed with a central longitudinal
groove and recess to receive the rib and boss on the sheaths above mentioned
whereby the lamp is securely retained and prevented from turning in the socket so
that lamps may be fixed in any positions without danger of falling out.
The clips
are bowed outwards between the holding part which forms the socket, and the
end by which they are attached to the base in order to impart the necessary
elasticity.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOUNTING ELECTRIC INCANDESCENCE LAMPS (a communication to me from abroad
by Jean Marie Anatole Gérard Lescuyer, of Paris, France) and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This Invention has for its object to facilitate the mounting of electric incan-
descence lamps in their holders, to ensure perfect contact of the conducting wires
with the holder, and to admit of the lamps being instantly removed and replaced
The Invention comprises two parts, 1st a pair of metallic semi-sheaths embracing
the neck of the bulb, and serving to make contact with the socket or holder, said
sheaths being respectively connected to the platinum conducting wires, 2nd a socket
or holder composed of a pair of half round spring clips connected to the circuit
and adapted to receive and make contact with the sheaths above mentioned these
parts being constructed and fitted together as hereafter described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification wherein Figure 1 represents in elevation a lamp unmounted, and
Figure 2 an end view of the same. Figures 3 and 4 represent elevations at right
angles to one another of a lamp mounted in its holder. Figure 5 is a cross section
on line y Figure 3.
a a are the pair of semi-sheaths for the neck of the bulb.
These sheaths are stamped out of thin sheet metal, their lateral edges being
formed with tongues b alternated with recesses c of greater width than the tongues
so that when the sheaths are bent so as to embrace the cylindrical neck of the bulb
the tongues b of the one sheath will enter the recesses c of the other, the tongues
being of such length that each sheath will embrace an arc of the circumference of
say at least 200 degrees without the sheaths touching one another. The sheaths
thus clip the neck of the bulb sufficiently to ensure their retention thereon and
may be sprung on and off. Each sheath a is provided with an ear d at its
extremity to which the respective platinum wires e are soldered, whereby they are
prevented from slipping up and down on the neck. Each sheath is also formed
with a central longitudinal rib f terminating in an enlargement or boss g for
engagement with the socket of the holder as hereafter described.
The holder consists of a pair of spring clips h h fixed to a cylindrical base i of
ebonite or other insulating material provided with a coned screw stem for fixing
into gas brackets or other supports; the clips being respectively connected to the
two parts of the circuit by wires which may either be visible or be concealed by
passing through the base. The clips h constituting the holder or socket are also
stamped out of sheet metal, and are of approximately quarter round section each
embracing only the solid portion of the sheaths. Each clip is formed with a
central longitudinal groove k and recess to receive the rib f and boss g on the
sheaths above mentioned, whereby the correct position of the lamp in its socket is
ensured and it is securely retained and prevented from turning so that lamps may
be fixed in any position without danger of falling out. The clips h are bowed
outwards and alotted at m in order to impart the necessary elasticity to the
holding part which forms the socket. At the lower end they are bent to a half
round form to embrace the cylindrical base i to which they are screwed,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st An electric lamp having the neck of the bulb enclosed in a pair of alternating
tongued contact sheaths each embracing more than half the circumference without
touching one another, for the purpose specified.
2nd An electric lamp mount consisting of a pair of metallic tongued contact
sheaths embracing the neck of the bulb and formed with longitudinal ribs and
enlargements, in combination with a holder formed of a pair of insulated spring
contact clips formed with corresponding grooves and recesses to receive them
and securely retain the lamp in proper position, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 14th day of January 1885.
A. M. CLARK.
By A, M. & Wim Clark,
53, Chancery Lane.