Improvements in Incandescent Electric Lamp Holders.
Year: 1896

page_text: ..
Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1896
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Incandescent Electric Lamp Holders.
I, ALFRED WATSON the younger, of 27 Dora Road, Small Heath, in the City
of Birmingham, Art Teacher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates particularly to the insulators of incandescent electric
lamp holders, and has for its objects a superior insulation, a more perfect con-
duction of the current from the main wires to the lamp, and a transmission of
current from the main wires to the lamp plates without a break.
My improvements consist in the employment of flexible conducting wires
connected directly to the top terminals of the holder and the main wires respectively.
Thus, in carrying out my invention I take an ordinary incandescent lamp with
a brass cap at the neck having studs upon the opposite sides which engage a
bayonet slot in the holder, having fitted within it, a half insulator of a box
construction adapted to telescope another half part through which and the other
half insulator (inade preferably from earthenware or like non-conductor) the
flexible conducting wires pass.
The filament, which is platinum tipped at the ends as usual, terminates in
metallic contact plates carried on the end of the cap and with which the top
terminals come in contact and make electrical connection. These top terminals,
which are carried by plates fitted or secured in any way to the inner half of the
insulator, have connected with them the inner ends of the flexible conductor wires
passing through both the insulator sections, one of which is divided by a partition
or diaphragm and the other, which may be solid, has a cleft middle part into
which the aforesaid partition takes to admit of the one part telescoping over the
other and to admit of the distance between the said parts being increased or
diminished for adjustment.
The outer ends of the flexible conductors are directly connected to the main
wires, so that should the cap not fit properly within the holder, then the insulated
sections, which are normally and automatically separated by a coiled spring or
springs located between opposed flanges of them, are made self adjusting.
It is understood that the flexible wires are slack within the holder, that is,
they are never pulled or stretched tight.
Instead of employing a slack and flexible wire, made of a number of very fine
wires stranded or twisted together the same may be only a single flexible wire,
arranged in the form of a very quick running helix so as to give the necessary
slackness to allow for the adjustability.
It is also understood that the diaphragm crossing one of the insulator sections
is for the purpose of separating the conductor wires, each of which is always
completely surrounded by walls of non-conducting or insulating material.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1896.
ALFRED WATSON, JUNIOR,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Incandescent Electric Lamp Holders.
I, ALFRED WATSON the younger, of 27 Dora Road, Small Heath, in the City
of Birmingham, Art Teacher, 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 particularly to the conductors of incandescent electric
lamp holders, and has for its objects, a superior insulation, a more perfect con-
duction of the current from the main wires to the lamp, and a transmission of
current from the main wires to the lamp plates without a break.
My improvements consist in the employment of flexible conducting wires
connected directly to the top terminals of the holder and the main wires respectively.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents an incandescent lamp provided
with one form of insulator constructed according to my invention.
In carrying out this form I take an ordinary incandescent lamp a, with a brass
cap a', at the neck having studs a³, upon the opposite sides which engage in
bayonet slots b¹, in the holder b, having fitted within it, a half insulator c, whose
lower end c', is adapted to telescope into another and plunger-like half part ³,
through which and the other first-named half insulator c, (made preferably from
earthenware or like non-conductor) the flexible conducting wires d, pass.
The filament e, which is platinum tipped at the ends e¹, as usual, terminates in
metallic contact plates e, carried on the end of the cap a', and with which the
lower terminals d', of the insulator come in contact and make electrical con-
nection. These terminals, which are carried by plates fitted or secured in any way
to the lower or plunger half of the insulator, have connected with them the lower
ends d, of the flexible conductor wires passing through both the insulator sections,
one of which may be divided by partition or diaphragm and the other, which
may be solid, may have a cleft middle part c, into which the aforesaid partition c³,
takes, to admit of the one part telescoping or working plunger-like over the
other and to admit of the distance between the said parts being increased or
diminished for adjustment.
B
The upper ends of the flexible conductors are directly connected to the main
wires g, so that should the cap not fit properly within the holder, then the insulated
sections, which are normally and automatically separated by a coiled spring or
springs f, located between opposed flanges c, c, of them, are made self adjusting.
It is understood that the flexible wires are slack within the holder, that is,
they are never pulled or stretched tight.
It is also understood that the diaphragm crossing one of the insulator sections
is for the purpose of separating the conductor wires, each of which is always
completely surrounded by walls of non-conducting or insulating material.
Instead of employing a slack and flexible wire made up of a number of fine
wires stranded or twisted together the same may be only a single flexible wire
arranged in the form of a spiral helix or coil. An application of this form of
flexible conducting wires is shown in the arrangement illustrated by Figures 2
to 8 of the drawings in which
Figure 2 represents a vertical section of the insulator, which is made all in
one piece instead of in two telescoping sections, whilst the lower terminals or
contacts of the conducting wires are made to slide plunger-wise or telescopically
within the body of the insulator.
Figure 3 is a topside plan of the said insulator and Figure 4 is an underside
plan of the same.

page_text: Figure 5 represents a like vertical section of the insulator as Figure 2, but
showing the coils of the spiral conducting wires closed together by the telescoping
terminals or plungers being forced inwards on coming in contact with the contact
plates of the lamp cap.
Figure 6 represents a vertical section of the insulator, taken upon the dotted
line, Figure 4, showing more clearly the couplings for connecting the main lead
wires to the insulator.
Figure 7 represents a vertical section of one of the flexible spiral or helical
conducting wires and its plunger or sliding contact separately and Figure 8 is an
elevation of the same.
Figure 9 is a plan of the upper end of the plunger, and Figure 10 represents,
on a smaller scale, this form of insulator and flexible connection applied to a
lamp holder.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the said Figures 2
to 10.
c is the body of the insulator, having a pair of sinkings or recesses c¹, in its
upper end, separated from one another by the partition, and each having located
within it, a metallic terminal plate c, carrying a socket c, into which the lower
termination of a main lead wire g, takes and is there secured by the binding
screw c
are the plunger contacts, sliding telescopically within the holes, in the
insulator and being taken into electrical contact with the contact plates, on
the upper end of the lamp cap a¹, by coiled springs f, disposed between the under-
sides of the plates c, and the inside bottom ends of the plungers, which are
preferably made hollow as shown, whilst d are the helical or spiral conducting
wires, made fast at their upper ends to the terminal plates c, by the screws c' or by
soldering or otherwise, and at their other ends to the plunger contacts 2. This
latter connection may be rendered electrically good by making a number of
vertical slits around the top edge of the plunger and bulging outwards the
alternate divided pieces (see Figures 7, 8 and 9) to form an annular seating for
the lower coils of the conducting wires, which are finally soldered in place. Besides
forming a seating for the wires, the said bulging or enlargements serve as stops
for preventing the plungers being forced too far outwards by the springs f.
Instead of the conducting wires being in the form of a spiral wire, it may be
a tape or flexible strip or band.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. In electric lamp holders, effecting the transmission of current from the
main wires to the lamp plates, without a break, by the employment of flexible
conducting wires, whose ends are respectively in constant electrical connection
with the terminals or contacts of, the bolder and the main lead wires.
Secondly. In electric lamp holders, the combination with self-adjusting con-
tacts or plungers, of flexible conducting wires, whose ends are in constant electrical
connection, respectively, with the terminals or contacts of the holder and the
main lead wires, substantially as and for the purpose as, described and set forth.
Thirdly. In electric lamp holders, the combination with flexible conducting
wires, the ends of which are in constant electrical connection respectively with
the terminals or contacts of the holder and the main lead wires of the lamp, of the
cognate parts of the insulator, said parts being constructed and arranged substan-
tially as described and set forth in Figure 1.
Fourthly. In electric lamp holders, the combination with flexible conducting
wires having their ends in constant electrical connection respectively with the
plunger contacts of the holder and the lead wires of the lamp, of the cognate
parts of the insulator, said parts being constructed and arranged substantially
as described and set forth in Figures 2 to 10.

page_text: Fifthly. The improvements in electric lamp holders, and in the construction,
arrangement and combination of the parts of the same, substantially as herein
described and set forth in the several figures of the drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1897.
ALFRED WATSON,
By Hy. Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.