IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTINGS FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO RENDERING PROAL
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Hugh Hughes, of Hatton Garden, in the
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTINGS FOR
ELECTRIC LAMPS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO RENDERING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Hugh Hughes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1881.
RICHARD HUGH HUGHES, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTINGS FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO RENDERING GAS FITTINGS SUITABLE FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING."
The Invention has for its object improvements.in fittings for electric lamps,
which improvements are applicable to rendering gas fittings suitable for electric
lighting.
When an electric lamp is mounted on a fixed standard or support I make. and
break contact of the lamp apparatus with the conducting wire by employing &
fixed or moveable key to move a moveable contact piece to or from a fixed or
spring contact piece, such key acting upon a plug, lever, screw, or slide connected
with the moveable or spring contact piece, and moving the same by being con-
nected directly therewith, or by means of a rack and pinion, screw, or other
suitable connection. I provide electric lamps with a moveable globe, cover, or
shade, which is closed at the bottom and open at the top. The globe is fitted to
rise and fall for cleaning and other purposes, and when in position for use the
upper part comes against a reflector or fitting, so as to exclude dust, dirt, and other
matters from the interior thereof.
In pillar lamps the globe, cover, or shade is fixed at its lower part to a sliding
tube or fitting provided with a catch or lock to enable it to be fixed in position
for use, or loosened and lowered for cleaning and other purposes, and if desired the
top can be closed by a fixed reflector or cover.

page_text: The conducting wire may pass through the centre of the fittings where
practicable, but where the fittings are solid or formed of a series of curves or
sharp bends this is impracticable, and I therefore in such cases form a groove or
saw cut in the arm or arms, pillar or pillars, of such fittings, in which I lay
or embed the conducting wire.
In applying my Invention to gas fittings, so as to render them suitable for
electric lighting I make a groove or saw cut as aforesaid in the arm or arms, pillar
or pillars, or other parts thereof to enable an insulated wire to be inserted or
embedded therein. I also remove the gas burner and form or fit the end of the
arm or pillar or other part with screw or other fittings to attach the electric
lamp thereto, and I convert the gas tap or cock into a contact maker of either of
the above descriptions.
-

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Hugh Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st January 1882.
RICHARD HUGH HUGHES, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTINGS FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO RENDERING GAS FITTINGS SUITABLE FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING."
The Invention has for its object improvements in fittings for electric lamps,
which improvements are applicable to rendering gas fittings suitable for electric
lighting.
When an electric lamp is mounted on a fixed standard or support I make and
break contact of the lamp apparatus with the conducting wire by employing &
fixed or moveable key to move a moveable contact piece to or from a fixed or
spring contact piece, such key acting upon a plug, lever, screw, or slide connected
with the moveable or spring contact piece, and moving the same by being con-
nected directly therewith, or by means of a rack and pinion, screw, or other suitable.
connection. I provide electric lamps with a moveable globe, cover, or shade,
which is closed at the bottom and open at the top. The globe fitted to rise and
fall for cleaning and other purposes, and when in position for use the upper part
comes against a reflector or fitting so as to exclude dust, dirt, and other matters
from the interior thereof.
In pillar lamps the globe, cover, or shade is fixed at its lower part to a sliding
tube or fitting provided with a catch or lock to enable it to be fixed in position
for use, or loosened and lowered for cleaning and other purposes, and if desired the
top can be closed by a fixed reflector or cover.
The conducting wire may pass through the centre of the fittings where prac-
ticable, but where the fittings are solid or formed of a series of curves or sharp
bends, this is impracticable, and I therefore in such cases form a groove or saw cut
in the arm or arms, pillar or pillars, of such fittings, in which I lay or embed the
conducting wire.
In applying my Invention to gas fittings so as to render them suitable for
electric lighting I make a groove or saw cut as aforesaid in the arm or arms, pillar
or pillars, or other parts thereof, to enable an insulated wire to be inserted or
embedded therein. I also remove the gas burner and form or fit the end of the
arm or pillar, or other part, with screw or other fittings to attach the electric lamp
thereto, and I convert the gas tap or cock into a contact maker of either of the
above descriptions.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
"
In all the Figures like parts are marked with similar letters of reference.
a, a, represent brackets or other fittings or supports, or parts of the same for use
with electric lamps, which fittings may be specially constructed for the purpose,
or may originally have been used or intended for gas fittings and be altered so as
to convert them into fittings or supports for electric. lamps. 1, 1, and 2, 2, are
the main conductors, those marked 1, 1, are insulated from the fittings, and are
connected to contact pieces b which are also insulated from the fittings, but are
capable of being placed in metallic contact with the contact pieces d, d, of the
conductors 3, 3, leading to the lamp x, which is shown in position for use in,
Figures 10, 11, and 14, but not in the other Figures.

page_text: Any suitable arrangement of connections and contacts may be employed for
connecting the electric lamp with its support, but those shown in the Drawings
are the arrangements I prefer. The return current is conducted from the lamp x
by conductors 4, 4, which are placed in metallic contact with the fitting a, which,
latter forms the conductor connecting the conductors 2, 2, and 4, 4.
In the arrangement represented at Figures 1 and 2, contact between the main
conductor 1 and the conductor 3 leading to the lamp is made and broken by
means of a plug c which is formed of metal, and is fitted with an insulating piece c¹
passing through the body thereof, whilst the said plug is fitted to work within a
socket liued with insulating material e. Thus when the plug c is in the position
shown in the Drawings, the contact piece b of the main conductor 1 is through the
plug c placed in metallic connection with the contact piece d of the conductor 3,
but when the plug c is turned in the contrary direction, that is to say, at right
angles to that shown in the Drawings, contact is broken between the main
conductor 1 and the conductor 3 by reason of the insulating piece c' being placed
in contact with the contact pieces b, d. The other main conductor 2 is always in
metallic connection with the conductor 4 (not shown in these Figures) by both of
such conductors being constantly in metallic contact with the fitting a.
In the arrangement shown at Figures 3 and 4 the contact piece b is made
moveable within a socket a¹ of insulating material, and the main conductor 1 is
coiled to permit of the said contact piece b being freely moved to and fro as
desired by the lever which is insulated from the fitting a. Thus when the
contact piece b is by the lever f placed in the position shown at Figure 3 in
contact with the contact piece d, the main conductor 1 is placed in metallic contact
with the conductor 3, thereby completing the circuit; but when, as shown by
Figure 4, the contact piece b is by the lever f removed from the contact piece d,
the circuit is broken.
The arrangement represented at Figures 5 and 6 is similar to that shown at
Figures 3 and 4, except that the contact piece b instead of being moved to and
fro by a lever is in the present case moved to and fro by a stud g fixed to the
contact piece band to a ring h, so that by turning the said ring the stud g wil
. be caused to advance in one or the other direction along the spiral slot or screw a²
formed in the fitting a, and thereby move the said contact piece b to and from the
contact piece d as desired.
Figures 7 and 8 are sections, and Figure 9 is an outside view of another arrange-
ment. In this case the fitting a is divided into two parts, capable of endway
motion in relation to each other, whilst the contact pieces b, d, are fixed rigidly,
one in each part of such fitting. These two parts are each-provided with a guide
rod as fitting and capable of sliding within sockets a fixed one to each part of the
fitting a, and one of such guide rods a³ is formed with a toothed rack into which
gears a pinion i, whilst the other rod a³ is formed with two notches a, a, and its
corresponding socket a is fitted with a screw j capable of being screwed into one
or other of such notches a³. Thus by rotating the pinion in one or the other
direction, the two parts of the fitting a are caused to approach or recede from each
other, and by screwing the screw ; into one or other of the notches a³, the two
parts of the fitting a are prevented moving on each other, thereby maintaining
the contact or break of contact between the contact pieces b, d.
Figures 10 and 11 represent respectively a side elevation and a plan of an
adjustable table reading lamp with the arrangement of contact maker and breaker,
represented at Figures 7, 8, and 9, applied thereto. In this case the standard a® is
insulated from the fitting a, as shown, by a bushing a of insulating material, or in
any other convenient manner.
The bracket or fitting a, represented in side elevation at Figure 12, and in plan
at Figure 13, illustrates a method of adapting a gas bracket to the purpose of a
support for an electric lamp: In this case I make a saw cut a³ along the bracket
or fitting a, and lay or embed in such saw cut the main conductor 1 and the
conductor 3, and I make and break contact between such conductors in the following

page_text: manner: I cause the ends of the conductors 1, 3, to project beyond the socket for
the plug c, which socket is somewhat enlarged for the purpose. The projecting
ends of these conductors are somewhat bent or sprung downwards, and the plug c
is provided at its upper end with a conductor c³ traversing a non conductor c¹, so
that when the plug c is turned into the position shown in the Drawings, contact is
made between the conductors 1, 3, but when turned at right angles to such position
contact is broken between such conductors.
The end of the arm is fitted with screw or other fittings, as is well understood, to
attach the electric lamp thereto.
At Figures 14, 15, and 16, a slight modification of the last above described
arrangement is shown. In this case an ordinary gas cock plug is altered so as to
form a contact maker and breaker, and such plug is retained in position by a set
screw working in a groove formed around the plug.
In the lamp shown at Figure 17 the standard or fitting a is provided with a
sliding tube to which the globe 7 is fixed, and such tube k is formed with a right
angled slot k to act in combination with a stud m on the fitting a, so that the
globe when raised into position for use, as shown in the Drawings, can be retained
in such position by the stud m entering the horizontal part of the slot k².
The top of the globe is shown in its raised position to be closed by a fixed
reflector n, but if desired a loose reflector can be used or the top of the globe can
be left open.
In all the cases above described the keys or handles employed for giving motion
to the contact maker and breaker are shown fixed in position, but if desired they
may be made removeable so as to prevent interference with the said parts, and I
would here remark that the contacts b, d, are by preference formed with spring
surfaces to render the same self adjusting for wear, and I would further remark
that I do not claim the use of a screw for making and breaking contact when such
screw is itself the contact piece.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,―
First. The various arrangements of parts for making and breaking contact
between the main conducting wire and the lamp, substantially as herein shown
and described.
Second. Mounting the globe or shade of an electric lamp upon a sliding tube
capable when raised of being locked in position, substantially as berein shown and
described.
Third. Forming a saw cut in the fittings in cases where it is impracticable to
pass the conducting wire through the centre of the fittings, and laying or
embedding the said wire in such saw cut, substantially as herein shown and
described; all the said improvements being applicable to fittings specially
constructed for electric lamps or to gas or other fittings converted for such
purpose.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Hugh Hughes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
RICHP. HUGH HUGHES. (L.S.)