An Adjustable Electric Light Fitting with Improved Detachable and Rotary Contacts
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 12th Nov.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Adjustable Electric Light Fitting with Improved Detachable
and Rotary Contacts,
ALFRED ERNEST ALBERT MORTIMER, Buyer, 13, Mountford Road, Dalston,
N.E., and WILLIAM JOHN HEAD, Commercial Clerk, 60, Chesnut Road, Totten-
ham, N., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Adjustable electric light fittings with improved detachable and rotary contacts.
This invention relates to electric light pendants, brackets, standards &c.
enabling the light or lights on such fittings to be revolved on an axis by means of
ball bearing, and concentric fittings for the electrical contacts, without twisting or
injuring the wires. Also an arrangement for raising or lowering pendant lights.
The revolving contact attachment is constructed by this invention as follows-
The inner part where electric connections are made consists of 2 discs of porcelain
or other insulating material upon which is mounted the metal work.
One disc has terminals to which the wires are brought and attached, to one
terminal is a metal pin passed through the centre of disc, to the other
terminal is attached a metal ring or band projecting at right angles to disc, and
in a radius with the pin, between pin and ring a space is allowed to divide poles
and receive fittings on other disc.
The second disc has terminals, to which wires are brought, attached to one
terminal (or terminals if arranged for more than one light) is a socket to receive pin
on the first mentioned disc, round this is insulating material, outside latter and
attached to other terminal (or terminals if arranged for more than one light) is a
circular piece of metal channelled out to receive projecting ring or band on other
disc, thus making electrical contact between the two discs, and at same time per-
mitting discs to be revolved for the purpose mentioned.
The discs are enclosed in metal case made in 2 halves and joined by screw
thread, each end of case has aperture for receiving the tubes of the pendants,
brackets, standards &c. also the wires, one disc is fixed permanently to one half of
case, the other disc is fixed to separate cup arrangement attached to tube passing
through aperture in case.
'
The cup is supported on a ball bearing to allow of rotary motion in external
case, arrangement being made to prevent balls from being displaced when fitting
is taken apart for wiring.
As an alternative balls can be dispensed with and any ordinary form of bearing
used.
If the fitting is not required to be revolved but simply detachable to facilitate
easy wiring and dispense with making joints in wires, the arrangement of con-
centric contacts as described will be used and ball bearing dispensed with, both
discs would be fixed to separate halves of external case, and connections made as
described to prevent disturbance of wires.
To provide an arrangement for raising or lowering a pendant or standard, the
tube from revolving cup would have fixed to it a yoke or fork piece and in the
077

page_text: latter a hollow ball made in sections if desirable would be pivoted free to move
round its axis; fixed in this ball at right angles to yoke would be two tubes, one
carrying weight as counterbalance, the other tube having a ball at end fixed
similar to ball just described, and from this latter ball would be suspended the
light. Both balls would have slots cut in them to allow access for wires, and
fitting to move without disturbing wires.
It is claimed that ball bearings and concentric attachments can only be used
for electric light in this fitting or attachment.
Data
1411 1
1002
An Adjustable Electric Light Fitting with Improved Detachable
and Rotary Contacts.
We, ALFRED ERNEST ALBERT MORTIMER, Buyer, 13, Mountford Road, Dalston,
N.E., and WILLIAM JOHN HEAD, Commercial Clerk, 60, Chestnut Road, Totten-
ham, N,. 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 the construction of electric light pendants, brackets,
standards, and the like, in such a manner that the lights can be turned round, it
may be on ball bearings, without twisting or injuring the conducting wires.
The accompanying drawing is a vertical section of a junction for an electric
light pendant according to this invention.
The upper shell A is attached to the tube down which the two insulated con-
ductors L'L' descend. Within the shell A is fixed a disc or plate B of insulating
material on the upper side of which are fixed two metal pieces C, D to which the
conductors L L' are respectively attached and held by set screws in the usual
way. Through the piece C and the disc B passes a pin E, and the piece ]) is
connected by a pin passing through the disc to a ring F which surrounds a collar G
of insulating material.
An inner shell H has fixed in it a disc or plate K of insulating material which
has on its under side a metal piece M receiving one of the insulated conductors L³
going to the light, and this piece clamps a metal boss N which passes through K
and encloses the pin E. The other conductor L3 for the light passes through K
and is attached to a collar P which surrounds the ring F. Thus the conductor L
is in connection with L2 through the piece C, the pin E, the boss N and the
piece M, while L' is connected to L3 through the piece I the ring.F and the
collar P, the connections being such that the shell H and the conductors L2 L3
and tube Q attached to H can revolve, while the electrical connections remain
unbroken. The shell H is preferably supported on balls R on a lower shell S
which is fixed to the upper shell A.
It will be seen that the electrical connections described serve not only to permit
the turning of the lights but also give facilities for making the connections in
situ. Thus, the conductors L L' can be readily attached to the disc B which can
then be screwed up to A and the conductors L2 L³ can be attached to the disc K
before it is screwed to the shell H, and then it only requires the two discs to be
put together to make the electrical connections.
Obviously several conductors such as L, L1, L2, L3, might be connected to the
metal pieces on the discs B and K, for the supply of different lights.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
An adjustable electric light fitting, with detachable and rotary contacts, sub-
stantially as described, with reference to the drawing.
Dated this 14th day of September 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.