IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAN- DELIERS, BRACKETS, AND BRACKET ARMS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomson King, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAN-
DELIERS, BRACKETS, AND BRACKET ARMS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME." A communication from abroad by John
Henry Hobbs, of the City of Wheeling, County of Ohio, and State of West
Virginia, one of the United States of America.
caled the 9th March 1877, and dated the 23rd October 1876.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Thomson King at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd October 1876.
JOHN THOMSON KING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CHANDELIERS, BRACKETS, AND BRACKET ARMS, AND IN AP-
PARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME." A communication from
abroad by John Henry Hobbs, of the City of Wheeling, County of Ohio, and State
of West Virginia, one of the United States of America.
Fig. 1 is a side view slightly in perspective of a two-arm or two-light chandelier
illustrative of my improvement as applied in the manufacture of gas chandeliers.
Fig. 2 shows a section through xx of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows a section through y
--
y of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 shows a side elevation of a two-light oil burning chandelier.
Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a mold and plunger, such as I employ in
pressing the bracket arm glass attachments of the chandelier, and the lower part
of the centre piece.
Fig. 6 illustrates my improvement as applied to a wall bracket.
Previous to the date of the present Invention glass chandeliers were made, so
fur as I am aware, wholly by blowing and hand manipulation, including under the
latter term drawing, grinding, cutting, polishing, etc. This method of manufacture
is comparatively slow, and is somewhat expensive.
By my improvement, as applied to gas-burning chandeliers and brackets, I
employ metallic gas pipe or tubing for conducting the gas to the burners, as is
common in the art, and envelope or encase these metallic pipes or tubes on such
of their sides as are exposed to observation with pressed glass tubes on the vertical
pipes, and with u-shaped or open-sided pressed glass trimmings on the laterally
projecting metallic bracket pipes, and so attach the same to the metallic pipe that
the latter will support the trimmings and casings so attached.

page_text: In Figs. 1 and 3 a represents a gas pipe, which constitutes the vertical metallic
stem of the chandelier. At or near its lower end it branches into two or more
metallic bracket arms a', which extend radially out either straight or curved, and
to the outer ends of these are affixed the gas burners or tips b. On the vertical
stem a I arrange a series of pressed glass tubular cases or trimmings c, c¹, c², of
any desired exterior shape or style of ornamentation; these tubular cases or trim-
mings are made by the use of suitably shaped moulds and plungers. The lower
section c is preferably made of the form of an inverted bowl, so as in connection
with the counter piece e to form a neat centre piece for the chandelier. The longer
tubulars sections c¹ alternate in any desired order with the saucer-shaped rings c²,
and the style of exterior ornamentation of any or all these parts may be varied to
suit the taste of the designer, or to satisfy the eye of the purchaser.
In describing them as tubular I do not mean to imply that the sides of each
tube must necessarily be close at all points, since they may be more or less open,
which effect could be secured by making them in sections or detached portions of
ribbed or other openwork, such as is used in metallic ornaments of metallic chan-
delier stems, and then arranging such sections around the stem a, and securing
them together or on to the stem by any suitable fastening, such as rivets,
bands, etc.
The lower part of the trimming consisting of the lower half e of the centre picce
and the radial trimmings d, which are applied to the bracket arms a¹, may be
pressced in one piece or in separate pieces, as may be preferred. For pressing them
in one piece I make use of a mould and plunger, such as are represented in Fig. 5.
B is the female part of the mould; B¹ is the ring plate, and D is the plunger.
The mould B has a central cavity e¹ of suitable form and size for the pressing
therein of the lower part e of the centre piece, and the central part d' of the plunger
is correspondingly shaped for giving to such piece e a bowl shape. From the
central cavity e¹ two or more radial cavities extend out of suitable size and
shape, so as in connection with a corresponding number and arrangement of plunger
wings to press the bracket trimmings of u form or open sided on top.
The mould cavities and plunger faces are to have the desired style of ornamentation
cut thereon, except as such ornamentation may be made by subsequent operations,
such as cutting, etc. The proper quantity of molten glass to form the trimmings
e, d, d, is dropped into the mould cavity e¹, after which a down stroke of the
plunger causes a portion of the molten glass to flow out along the cavities e², and
also shapes the product e, d, d, in the manner well known in the art.
To provide means for fastening the trimmings thus made to the metallic tubes of
the chandelier a closed or solid stem is projected downwards the necessary distance
from the lower end of the vertical stem u. A hole h is made at the bottom of the
central cavity e¹, into which projects (on the down stroke of the plunger) a pin or
mandril h¹ made for that purpose on the lower end of the central part d' of the
plunger. By these devices a hole is made in the lower end of the piece e, through
which the solid stem above mentioned projects, and a nut a screwed thereon holds
the trimming in place.
Other means of attachment may be employed if so preferred. By the use of
other mandrils s and recesses s¹ holes are made in the bottoms of the trimmings d
for the attachment to the tubes a¹ of the usual gas cocks b¹, which cocks may also be
employed to support the trimmings d. These radially projecting trimmings may, like
those applied to the vertical stem a, have any desired exterior style of ornamentation, or
be made of any desired shape, provided only it follows the general shape of the gas
conduit a straight or curved, and be open on the upper side to a length equal to
the length of the bracket arms a¹. The other sides may, as described with reference
to the tubular sections c¹, be more or less open or be made in sections, and banded
or riveted together.
Various modifications may be made in the mould and plunger, as for example, the
plunger wings d² may be made separate from the central part d', and being adjusted
in place in the cavities c², like a core in a mould, the molten glass may by the action

page_text: of the central plunger be caused to flow out into and fill such cavities with a
like effect; but so far as relates to the article produced the parts c, e, which go to
make the centre piece, may be made separately from the rest by the ordinary
operation of blowing, and then combined with the other parts made of pressed
glass.
In Fig. 4 I have shown the same improvement as applied to a hydrocarbon chan-
delier. Here tubular stems are not necessary, though for chandeliers intended to be
used with either gas or oil tubular stems may be used, as in Fig. 1. The solid stem
(when used) has any convenient means m for suspension. The parts having the
same letters as in Fig. 1, are made in the same manner, and similarly put together,
and, as shown, differ only in exterior shape or style of ornamentation. The lamp
bowl n takes the place of the burners or gas tips b of Fig. 1.
In Fig. 6 I have shown a wall bracket composed of a gas conduit a¹, burner b,
with u-shaped pressed glass trimming d, and wall piece c, these parts being made
and applied in like manner as described with reference to similarly lettered parts in
Fig. 1.
In the term pressed glass I include porcelain, glass, or other like vitreous material
capable of being melted and pressed, and solidifying in like manner as ordinary
glass. Where transparent glass is employed the metallic stems and bracket arms
should be coated or plated with some metal or material which will prevent or
conceal oxidation; but if the glass employed be sufficiently opaque to conceal
from sight the oxidized appearance of the stems and bracket arms such coating or
plating will not be necessary, though even then it may be used. The tubular trim-
mings described may be applied to the stems of pillar lights, such as are used on
counters, tables, and newel posts.
I clain herein as my Invention,-
1st. Open-sided pressed glass trimmings constructed for attachment to metallic
brackets or bracket arms, substantially as described.
2nd. The combination in a chandelier of bracket arms a¹, pressed glass u-shaped
trimmings d, and centre piece c, e, substantially as set forth.
3rd. The combination in a chandelier of a centre piece c, e, having a hole in the
bottom, or other suitable means of attachment to a supporting stem, and two or
more outwardly extending pressed glass trimmings d, d, substantially as set forth.
4th. A chandelier composed of metallic stems and arms, pressed glass tubular
trimming on the vertical stems, and u-shaped or open-sided pressed glass trim-
mings on the bracket arms, substantially as set forth.
5th. A pressed glass centre picce composed of the bowl-shaped pieces c, e,
adapted for use on a metallic stem and bracket arms, substantially as set forth.
6th. The pressed glass sections c, c', in combination with a vertical stem a, sub-
stantially as set forth.
7th. In a wall bracket the sections c, d, arranged on an arm a¹, substantially as
described and shown with reference to Fig. 6.
8th. A mould for pressing glass trimmings for metallic chandeliers having a central
cavity for the pressing of the lower part of a centre piece, and radial cavities for
shaping the bracket trimmings in combination with a plunger which shall shape
the centre piece, and also force the glass outwardly into the radial cavities, sub-
stantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomson King, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six
J. T. KING. (L.S.)