Improvements in Fittings for Electric Light and like Purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fittings for Electric Light and like Purposes.
I, GUSTAV BYNG of No. 69-71 Queen Victoria Street, in the City and County
of London, electrical engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in fittings for electric lighting
and other similar purposes, particularly applicable to switches, wall plugs, and
ceiling roses, and has for its object the attainment of a high degree of insulation
due to the especial structure of the articles.
In constructing switches according to my said invention, and taking for example
those in which two contact plates are disposed upon or around a circular china
base, with a lever or contact bar operated by a central handle against the tension
of a spring, I form the china or porcelain base with a circular wall having an
internal recess. Within said recess I place the spring, cam, or other mechanism, the
lever or contact bar being raised above the level of the contact pieces, which are pre-
ferably bent at right angles to fit the bar aforesaid when it is in the position of con-
tact. By these means I obtain a long break, and also the interposition of a solid china or
porcelain wall between the opposite poles of the switch. The lever or contact bar
is necessarily bent at each end to dip below the interposing wall in order to engage
with the contact pieces before referred to. In adapting my invention to a "link"
or "tumbler" switch, I form upon, or attach to, the base, three walls or partitions
arranged centrally, but cut to form two segments, carrying the mechanism, and
interposing a perfect insulating medium between the contacts of opposite polarity.
Said contacts are placed further apart than is usual in such switches, and the
third wall or partition projects so as to divide them. The lever or contact bar
is forked, so as to embrace said wall or partition in either the "make" or "break"
position, and effect the ordinary functions of a switch with practically no risk of
setting up an are on the "break."
In adapting my invention to ceiling roses, I place the two contact pieces upon
the circular base, with a central dividing wall of china or porcelain, which is
branched at each end into forks approximately at an angle of 45° relatively to
the main wall or partition, which may be suitably pierced to act as tension grips
for resisting the strain imposed upon the flexible cord or conductor attached to
the fitting I am thus enabled to interpose an insulating wall between the two
opposite contact pieces and at the same time to combine an efficient cord grip
therewith.
In constructing a wall socket and plug according to my invention, I employ
a circular base of china or porcelain, with two holes or recesses sunk vertically
therein to about df the total depth thereof. At or near to the base of said block,
a side hole communicates with each of the recesses before described and two metal
tubes of the usual construction are inserted within said recesses and fixed by
means of screws passing through the aforesaid side holes, these screws also acting
as contact terminals. Single or multiple polar contacts may thus be arranged
upon the same base, with a solid wall of china or porcelain between each contact
rn

page_text: piece of opposite polarity, and the circumference of said base and its projections
may be provided with a screw thread or equivalent device for holding a suitable
cover in place. The pins or contact pieces of the plug itself are similarly divided
by an interposing wall or partition of china or porcelain às hereinbefore described.
Dated this 8th day of October 1896.
FREDK. WALKER,
73 St. Stephen's Road, Upton Park, London, E., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Fittings for Electric Light and like Purposes.
. I, GUSTAV BYNG of No. 69-71 Queen Victoria Street, in the City and County
of London, Electrical Engineer, 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:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in fittings for electric lighting
and other similar purposes, particularly applicable to switches, wall plugs, and
ceiling roses, made of china or porcelain, and has for its object
the attainment of a high degree of insulation due to the especial
structure of the articles, a wall of insulating substance or material
being interposed
interposed between all terminals, connections and fittings of
opposite signs, or between such metallic contact bars, which on the breaking of
the circuit might by proximity set up an arc, said wall being also of refractory,
or non-inflammable material such as porcelain, china, or the like.
In order that my said invention may be the better understood I have appended
the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 Sheet 1 is a plan
view of a switch with the cover removed, Figure 2 an elevation thereof, the cover
being shown in section, and Figure 3 an elevation with the cover in situ. Figure 4
is a reverse plan of the plate carrying the contact bar, showing the mechanism
thereof. Figure 5 is a plan of the insulating base plate. Figure 6 is a plan view
of a link switch constructed according to my invention, and Figure 7 is an eleva-
tion thereof the cover being removed in both cases. Figure 8 is a plan view of
the base plate thereof. Figure 9 is a plan view of a wall socket according to my
invention, with the cover removed, and Figure 10 is an elevation thereof, the
cover being shown in section. Figure 10 is a part sectional elevation of the plug
adapted to said wall socket, and Figure 11 is a plan of the under or contact
side thereof. Figure 12 is a plan view of a ceiling rose according to my invention,
with the cover removed. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
throughout the several views as regards the essential parts of the invention.
In constructing switches according to my said invention, and taking for an
example those in which two contact plates are disposed upon or around a china
base, with a lever or contact bar operated by a central handle against the tension
of a spring. I will refer to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Sheet 1. I form the china
or porcelain base A with a circular wall B having an internal recess H, Figure 5.
Within said recess I place the spring, cam, or like device shown by the reverse
plan view Figure 4, or any modification thereof, the lever or contact bar D being
raised above the level of the contact pieces a a', which are shaped to coincide
with the ends of the bar D at the position of contact. Referring to Figure 5,
it will be seen that a perfectly isolating medium is interposed between the con-
tact pieces a a¹ and also the mechanism which is enclosed in the recess H. The
bar or lever D is bent at each end so as to dip below said solid wall, said bar D
is pivoted at E upon a plate Cattached to B by screws or the like, the under

page_text: side of C being shown by Figure 4 in which a cam d is fixed to or formed upon
the spindle E and controlled by a tension spring e which locks the switch in either
position, and produces a long and quick break when disengaged. The dotted
outline on Figure 1 shows the contact position. In Figure 2 the handle Fis
shown as a dotted outline, and Figure 3 shows the switch with the cover G fixed
in place upon the base A. The general arrangement of the china or porcelain
base A, with the interposing wall B and recess H is shown by Figure 6.
In adapting my invention to a "link" or "tumbler" switch, such as that described
in and shown by the drawings in the specification of Letters Patent No. 3664
of A.D. 1891, and shown by Figures 6, 7 and 8 Sheet 2. I form upon or attach to,
the base A two walls or partitions 11 arranged centrally, but cut to form two
segments carrying the mechanism and interposing a perfect insulating medium
between the contact plates a a¹. Said contacts are placed further apart than is
usual in such switches and a third wall or partition projects so as to divide
them. The lever or contact bar D is forked at in so as to embrace said wall or
partition in the "make" position and thus effect the ordinary functions of a
switch with practically no risk of setting up an arc on the "break." The
mechanism is carried by a plate C, screwed or otherwise attached to the part-
tions B B. Figure 8 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the interposed
insulating walls, or partitions B B and y upon the base A.
In constructing a wall socket and plug according to my invention I proceed
as follows, referring to Figures 9, 10, 10 and 11 of the appended drawings. I
employ a circular base A of china or porcelain A with a raised boss B adapted to
fit and retain a cover G. Two holes or recesses bare sunk in the face of the
boss B, and two metallic tubes are inserted therein, and held by screws c c¹ passing
through side holes in B, and serving as a contact for the terminal screws t
plates f f for safety fuse coupling may be added but are not essential, or said
plates may serve as multiple contacts. The plug, shown partly in section by
Figure 10 consists of a china or porcelain base plate C, upon which is fixed the
split contact pins corresponding to, and fitting the tubes in the recesses b₁,
on the socket. The upper parts of said pins form terminals, and the double wire
or branch lead is carried outwards through a hollow nipple N forming part of
the base C. Said nipple is screwed to engage with a nut S which retains the
cover H in position. Suitable holes are formed in N to enable the conductors
to pass through it centrally, and are so disposed as to act as a cord grip. In both
socket and plug a solid wall or refractory or insulating material is interposed
between all conducting parts.
In adapting my invention to ceiling roses, and referring to Figure 12, I place
the two contact pieces a a¹ upon the circular base A, with a dividing wall B
between them, which is branched at each end as shown, and suitably pierced so
as to form a tension grip for resisting the strain imposed upon the flexible cord
or conductor attached to the fitting. Said holes are indicated by a dotted outline.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. In fittings for electric lighting and other purposes, made of china or
porcelain, the method of and means for interposing a solid wall or partition of the
same material between all separato conducting parks, sulistantially as herein
described with reference to the drawings.
Second. In a switch for electric lighting or other purposes, made of china or
porcelain, the interposition of a solid wall or partition B of the same material
between the contact plates a a', also between all parts made of conducting material,
in combination with a bent contact bar D substantially as herein described, with
reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the appended drawings.
Third. In a switch for electric lighting or other purposes of the "link" type,
the interposition of walls or partitions of china or porcelain B:B and g between

page_text: the contact plates a a¹ and also all parts of conducting material in combination
with a forked contact bar D substantially as herein described with reference to
Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the appended drawings.
Fourth. In wall sockets and plugs for electric lighting and other purposes made
of china or porcelain the interposition of walls or partitions B and N respectively
of the same material between the contacts ccff PP substantially as herein
described with reference to Figures 9, 10, 10 and 11 of the appended drawings.
Fifth. In a ceiling rose for electric lighting or other purposes made of china or
porcelain, the interposition of a wall or partition B forked at each end of the same
material between the contacts a al substantially as herein described with reference
to Figure 12 of the appended drawings.
Dated this fith day of July 1897
FREDK. WALKER,
73 St. Stephen's Road, Upton Park, London, E., Agent for the Applicant.