AN IMPROVED COMBINED HOLDER AND SWITCH
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Elias Sibley, of Cannon Street in the City of
London, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED COMBINED HOLDER AND SWITCH
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Elias Sibley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th August 1882.
CHARLES ELIAS SIBLEY, of Cannon Street, in the City of London, "AN IMPROVED
COMBINED HOLDER AND SWITCH FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS."
My invention relates to an improved combined socket and switch for holding
incandescent electric lamps in such a manner that a portion of the same device
which holds or retains the lamp may also be used for making and breaking the
electric circuit so as to cause the light to be developed in the said lamp or to be
extinguished, as may be desired.
The chief object of my said invention is to provide an apparatus or device of
the kind above described, which will be simple in construction, easily operated,
inexpensive, and so made that it may be readily applied to any ordinary gas
bracket or chandelier by inexperienced persons.
The chief novel feature of the said invention consists in so arranging and
combining the parts of the said socket that the conducting wires in connection
with the filament or part to be rendered incandescent may be readily and
instantaneously connected with, or disconnected from, the wires of the electric
circuit in the manner substantially as hereinafter described.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a circular base-piece from
the lower face of which there is an extension which is screw threaded at its free
end and is made taper in the manner of an ordinary gas-burner so that it may be
screwed into the bracket or other gas-fitting, in place of the burner, in such a
manner that my improved holder will be supported by the said bracket or fitting.
In the upper face of the said base-piece or disc I secure two metallic plates each of
which is opposite to the other, one of these plates being connected with one of the
circuit terminals and the other plate with the other circuit terminal, one end of
the said terminals being screwed into the base or disc from the lower face thereof

page_text: and into the metallic plates. There are also two apertures in the said base or disc
designed to receive the ends of the wires leading from the lamp. This base or disc
fits into a sleeve or annular portion which surrounds the same, and within this
sleeve I fit a circular cap or cover the lower face of which rests upon the upper
face of the aforesaid base or disc, both being surrounded by the sleeve. This cap
also has two apertures for the passage of the wires from the lamp, and between
these apertures, on the upper face of the cap, there is a projecting piece or nipple
serving to prevent the wires from coming in contact with each other. In the
lower face of the said cap there is an annular channel in which the wires from the
lamp lie when said wires are in contact with the aforesaid plates. The cap is
secured to the sleeve by means of small pins, or otherwise, in such a manner that
when the sleeve is revolved the cap will participate in its motion. The lamp rests
upon the upper face of the cap being secured by a metallic or other band around
the holder, and the wires from the lamp pass through the apertures in the
cap and
into those in the base or disc below the same. In this condition the lamp is out
of the circuit, as the wires from the former not being connected with the metallic
plates, bave no connection with the circuit wires. The outer periphery of the said
sleeve is furnished with a bead or projection entirely surrounding the same which
bead is milled on its edge to facilitate the turning of the sleeve. It will be seen
that when the said holder, forming my invention, is in place, and the terminals
thereof are connected with the electric circuit, it is only necessary to turn the
sleeve in order to obtain the light or extinguish the same, as, by effecting this
rotation for a certain distance, the wires from the lamp are caused to extend along
the surface of the disc and the end of one wire to be in contact with one of the
metallic plates, and the end of the other wire with the other metallic plate, and by
continuing to turn the said sleeve or by turning it in a contrary direction the said
plates are removed from connection with the wires.
The non-metallic parts of my improved holder are made of ebonite or some
other insulating or non-conducting material so that there is no passage for the
electricity excepting through the wires, the plates, and the terminals or binding
studs.
The details of construction may be varied without departing from the principle
of my invention so long as provision is made for the lamp being held in such a
manner that by turning a portion of the said holder the wires of the lamp may be
readily and conveniently connected with, and disconnected from, the circuit wires,
substantially as set forth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Elias Sibley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th February 1883.
"AN
CHARLES ELIAS SIBLEY, of Cannon Street, in the City of London,
IMPROVED COMBINED HOLDER AND SWITCH FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC-LAMPS.
"
My invention relates to an improved combined bolder or socket and switch for
incandescent electric lamps, and its object is to provide an apparatus or device
which will hold or support the lamp and can be used for making or breaking
the electric circuit so as to cause the light to be developed in the said lamp or to be
extinguished, as may be desired, and which apparatus or device will be simple in
construction, easily operated, inexpensive, and so made that it may be readily
applied to an ordinary gas-bracket or chandelier by inexperienced persons.
The chief novel feature of the said invention consists in arranging and combining
the parts of the said device as hereinafter described so that the conducting wires in
connection with the light-emitting conductor of the lamp may be readily and
instantaneously connected with, or disconnected from, the wires or terminals of the
electric circuit.
A combined holder and switch constructed according to my present invention is
illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the said device.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan of the disc to which the terminals of the circuit are secured,
and
Figure 4 is an inverted plan of a plug forming part of the said device as
hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing.
a represents a disc of vulcanite, wood, or other suitable insulating material,
having an extension or stem b at the extremity of which is a taper screw-threaded
portion 6' similar to that of an ordinary gas-burner so that it may be screwed into
a bracket or other gas-fitting in place of the burner, c, c¹ are two metal posts or
terminals fixed firmly in the disc a and adapted to receive the circuit wires in the
usual manner. Two apertures d, d' are formed in the disc a to receive the ends of
the wires leading from the lamp. This disc fits into a sleeve or annular piece e
having a milled portion e¹ to facilitate the turning of the said sleeve. Within this
sleeve I also fit a circular plug f the lower face of which rests upon the upper face
of the disc a, both being surrounded by the sleeve e. The plug is secured to the
said sleeve by the pins g which also serve for securing the metal socket has shown
in Figure 2, and the said plug has two apertures k, k' for the passage of the wires
from the lamp. The plug fand the sleeve e are made of vulcanite, wood, or other
suitable insulating material.
The lamp rests in the socket h and the wires from the lamp are passed through
the apertures in the plug fand temporarily through those in the disc a.
In the lower face of the plug f an annular channel or groove is formed, in which
the ends of the wires from the lamp lie when the said plug is rotated upon the
disc to bring the said wires in contact with the terminals c, c' as hereinafter
described.
When the lamp is inserted in the socket h and the wires thereof are passed
through the said apertures, the said wires are not in contact with the terminals c, c'
and the lamp is therefore out of the circuit. In order to complete the circuit
through the lamp and cause the light to be developed therein, it is only necessary

page_text: to turn the sleeve e in one direction through an angle of ninety degrees so as to
bring the said wires into contact with the said terminals and cause them to lie in
the said groove as shewn at m in Figure 4; and, when it is desired to extinguish
the light, the said sleeve is turned to a slight extent in the opposite direction to
break the circuit.
The details of construction of my improved device may be varied without
departing from the principle of my invention, so long as provision is made for the
lamp being held in such a manner that by turning a portion of the holder as above
set forth the wires of the lamp may be readily and conveniently connected with,
and disconnected from, the circuit wires.
Having thus fully described the nature of my said invention and shown in what
manner the same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I
wish it understood that I claim :-
First. The combined holder and switch consisting essentially of the socket and
plug secured to the sleeve or annular piece, and the disc carrying the circuit
terminals (with or without the screw-threaded stem or extension), all constructed
and fitted together substantially as described so that the said plug can be rotated
upon the disc for the purposes specified.
Second. The combination of the said holder and switch with the conducting
wires of an incandescent electric lamp as, and for the purposes, above set forth
..
In witness whereof I the said Charles Elias Sibley have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fifth day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.