IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE of INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Swan of Gateshead in the County of Durham,
Engineer for an Invention of
16
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE of
INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Swan at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th August 1883.
ALFRED SWAN of Gateshead in the County of Durham Engineer "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS
The object of my Invention is to simplify and expedite the manufacture of
Incandescent Electric Lamps -It has hitherto been the custom in making
Incandescent Electric Lamps to connect together the conducting wires to which the
carbon filament is attached by embedding them for a certain distance in a round or
flattened rod of glass enamel or other insulating material or by forming a bar
(narrow or broad as the case may be) of glass enamel or other insulating material
which thus holds the wires firmly together and at the required distance apart.
When the conducting wires with carbon filament attached have been fitted into
the bulb or glass onvelope of the lamp this glass rod or connecting bar (as the case
may be) ceases to have any practical utility its value being merely to keep the
conducting wires firm and united during the processes attending the attachment of
the filament to the conducting wires and to prevent any strain upon the carbon
filament after it is attached to the conducting wires and until it is fixed firmly in
the bulb such as would be the case if the conducting wires were drawn far apart
or pressed close together-According to my Invention I substitute for the connecting
rod or bar of insulating material a temporary and movable appliance for connecting
the wires together which appliance (made of insulating material) connects and
holds the wires rigid during all operations until they are attached firmly to the
glass or other material of which the envelope of the lamp is made or it can be
made of insulating material and employed only at such times as it is necessary to
handle the wires or the wires with the carbon filament attached. One of the
appliances I have used is a small clip made of ebonite or other insulating material
which like a bar connects the conducting wires to which the filament is to be
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attached together-This clip holds the wires together until they are fused into the
bulb or the closing piece of the bulb when it (the clip) is removed. Another
appliance is a pair of tweezers grooved in such a way that the wires fitting into
the grooves when handled are always at the requisite distance apart to prevent
strain on the carbon filament-This Invention applies to the present incthods of
fixing the carbon filament in the bulb but it applies also to a method of proceduro.
I have invented for simplifying the manufacture of the lamp and to allow of an
casy arrangement by which the conducting wires may be either brought out at the
side of the neck of the bulb or at the end of it-According to my said Invention
I form holes or perforations for the insertion of the terminal wires carrying the
carbon filament in the neck part of bulbs used for Incandescent lamps by softening
the glass parts where the said holes are to be made and then blowing or drawing
up nipple pieces which on being cut off at their tops give the requisito passages and
glass for fastening in the said terminal wires. Or the holes may be simply pierced
after the glass is softened at the said parts (The shaping of the neck of the bulb
and the contraction of the tube connected therewith may be effected either before
or after the holes for the terminal wires are made) The neck is then cut so that
there are produced the bulb proper with a portion of the neck and enclosing picco
carrying the tube for attachment to the pump-The terminal wires carrying the
carbon filament are then passed into and secured in the said holes in the closing
piece which is then sealed by means of the blow pipe on to the neck part of tho
bulb proper-The bulb may then be exhausted and sealed up in the ordinary
way Or the holes or perforations may be made in that portion of the neck which
is a part of the bulb proper after the portion with the tube for attachment to the
pump has been cut off-The connecting wires are then passed through these holes
secured by fusion of the glass in their places and the cut off portion of the neck
forming the closing piece and exhaust tube is then sealed on to the neck part of
the bulb proper-The connecting wires according to this method protrude through
the side of the neck of the bulb and not from the end of the neck as in the method
formerly described-A modification of my Invention is the use of perforated cast
glass closing pieces which fit the neck of the bulb the perforations or holes for
passage of the terminal wires boing produced therein in the process of casting

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Swan in the Patent Office on the 13th February 1884.
ALFRED SWAN of Gateshead in the County of Durham Engineer.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS"
"IMPROVE-
The object of my Invention is to simplify and regulate the manufacture of
Incandescent Electric Lamps-It has hitherto been the custom in making
Incandescent Electric Lamps to connect together the conducting wires to which
the carbon filament is attached by forming or casting on them a round or flattened
rod or a bar of glass enamel or other insulating material which holds the wires at
the required distance apart When the conducting wires with the carbon filament
attached have been fitted into the bulb or glass envelope of the lamp this glass rod
or connecting bar ceases to have any practical utility, its purpose being inercly to
keep the conducting wires firm and united during the processes attending the
attachment of the filament to the conducting wires and to prevent any strain upon
the carbon filament (after it is attached to the conducting wires and until it is
fixed in the bulb) such as would be the case if the conducting wires were drawn
far apart or pressed close together-According to my Invention I substitute for
the connecting rod or bar of insulating material a temporary and moveable
appliance or clip for connecting the wires together which appliance or clip holds
the wires together until they are fused into the bulb or the closing piece of the
bulb when the clip is removed-This Invention applies to the present methods of
fixing the carbon filament in the bulb but it applies also to a new method of
procedure I have invented for simplifying the manufacture of the lamp and to
allow of an easy arrangement by which the conducting wires may be either
brought out at the side of the neck of the bulb or at the end of it-I will explain
this with reference to the accompanying drawings.
According to my said Invention 1 form holes or perforations as at z Figure 1
(for the insertion of the terminal wires carrying the carbon filament) in the neck
part of the bulbs used for Incandescent lamps by softening the glass parts whero
the said holes are to be made and then blowing or drawing up nipple pieces the
tops of which on being cut off or removed give the requisite passages and quantity
of glass for fastening in the said terminal wires-Or the holes may be simply
pierced after the glass is softened at the said parts -The shaping of the neck of
the bulb and the contraction of the tube y connected thero with may be effected
either before or after the holes for the terminal wires are made-The neck is thon
cut as indicated by the dotted line so that there are produced two portions ono
portion consisting of the bulb proper and a part of the neck (X) and another
portion (X) consisting of the other part of the neck carrying the tubo y. The
terminal wires carrying the carbon filaments are then passed into and secured in
the said holes in the part X2 or the holes or perforations may be made in that part
of the neck which is attached to the part X after the part X has been cut off
therefrom as described and connecting wires be passed through these holes
In either case the said wires are secured by fusion of the glass in their places
and the cut off portion X² is then fused or sealed on to the part X of the bulb
proper and the bulb can then be exhausted and sealed up in the ordinary manner.
A modification of my Invention is the use of perforated cast glass closing pieces
which fit the neck of the bulb the perforations or holes for the passage of the
terminal wires being produced therein in the process of casting This glass closing
piece can be cast with a part for attachment to the pump and it can be fused to u
bulb proper with a neck piece like the part X. Figure 2 shews a series of carbons

page_text: attached to their terminal wires c and held in a support W which prevents their
being injured. From this support they can be readily removed by a clip or
pincers constructed as shewn in elevations at right angles to each other in Figures 3
and 4. The said pincers being pressed upon by the handle v against the spring u
are placed in position as shewn in Figure 2 and when the handle vis relieved
from pressure the pincers grip the wires c at the proper place and the said wires
and the carbon mounted therein can be removed from the support W and readily
applied to the part X' so that the wires pass through the perforations at 2, 3, as
shown at Figure 5. When the perforations are made at the side of the neck the
carbon is introduced as shewn in Figure 6. In order that the pincers can be
reversed so as to hold the carbon in either position as desired the gripping parts t, t³,
may be arranged as shown more clearly in the sectional detail in Figure 4ª upon
central pins a one for each part tt, carried in the heads of the pincers.-² are
springs for keeping the parts tt against the heads when the jaws are opened.
The one part is engaged with the other by means of a pin in the one entering
a hole in the other which will allow of the one part opening from the other but
when one is turned on its centre the other will be turned with it. S' is a squared
head to one of the pins (8) to receive a koy for turning the jaws
The parts tt and the inner checks of the heads may be provided with
projections and recesses to retain the jaws in the position to which they have been
brought The projections and recesses are so shaped as not to prevent the jaws
_being rotated as described. This form of pincers may be used either in manu-
facturing the lamps as hereinbefore described or in any other way in which they
may be useful they serving to hold the wires firmly at the proper distance apart
until they are embedded in the glass. To give a better hold for the wires they
may have a piece of glass placed around them (as indicated at 3 in Figure 5) at
the parts where they are to enter the perforations in the glass part to give
substance for holding the--wires in place when the fusing of the wires into the
glass takes place
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is
First. In the manufacture of incandescent electric lamps, after blowing or
forming the bulb or globe, forming the holes for the passage of the terminal wires
by softening the glass at the parts where the holes are to be formed, and then
blowing or drawing up nipple pieces and cutting or removing the tops or projecting
parts substantially as herein before described.
Second. In the manufacture of incandescent electric lamps forming the bulb or
globe with the exhausting tube attached then forming the holes for the passage of
the terminal wires and severing the bulb or globe into parts, (X and X2 Figure 1)
then inserting the torminal wires (carrying the carbon) into either the one part or
the other and then rejoining the parts and afterwards exhausting and scaling the
lamp all substantially as hereinbefore described. Also the modification wherein a
cast piece is used in place of one of the parts (X³)
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Swan have to this my Specification set
my hand and seal this Eloventh day of February One thousand eight hundred and
eighty four