Improved Means for Supporting or Suspending Electroliers and the like, and for Facilitating the Raising and Lowering of the same.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 16th May, 1896-Accepted, 20th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Supporting or Suspending Electroliers and
the like, and for Facilitating the Raising and Lowering of
the same.
I, HAROLD FARADAY, of the Firm of Faraday & Son, Electric Light Engineers,
3 Berners Street, Oxford Street, in the County of London, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is designed to provide improved means for supporting or
Buspending electroliers and the like, and for facilitating the raising and lowering
of the same.
My said invention comprises means whereby I am enabled to obviate the use of
drums or rollers fixed on the ceiling or of counter weights, pullies and other
unsightly apparatus also the use of cords depending from the sides of such
electroliers or fittings which cords are unsightly and obstruct. the light, my
improvements moreover enabling the electrolier or other fitting to be very readily
raised, lowered or secured in any desired position as required.
In my improved device there is combined, with the electrolier or other electric
light fitting, a drum or roller on which the conductors, whereby the electrolier or
the like is suspended, are wound. This drum or roller is fitted inside or upon the
said electrolier or electric-light fitting or within the shade or shades thereof so as,
if desired, to be entirely concealed thereby; it will thus be seen that in my
improved device the drum travels up and down with the electrolier or other fitting
instead of being fixed to the ceiling as heretofore.
The said drum or roller contains a spring which is so connected to the body of
the electrolier or the like and to the said drum that it constantly tends to wind the
said conductors onto the drum. In order to lock the drum in any desired position
against the pressure of the said spring I provide a spring-pawl engaging with a
suitable ratchet-wheel on the said drum. This pawl is provided with an arm or
lever to which is attached a chain, cord or linkwork which passes down' through
a suitable tube secured to the lower part of the electrolier in such a position as not
to obstruct the light therefrom. The said tube is provided at its lower end with
a handle whereby the electrolier or other fitting may be pulled down against the
pressure of the said spring, the pawl meanwhile riding.
.over the teeth of the
ratchet-wheel as the drum rotates. The chain, cord or linkwork above mentioned
is provided at its lower end with a knob or handle extending beyond the lower end
of the tube; this handle when pulled causes the said pawl to release the ratchet-
wheel and allow the spring to coil up the conducting wirea as the electrolier or the
like is raised. When the electrolier has been raised to the desired height, the
chain, cord, or link work is released and the spring-pawl again locks the drum by
means of the ratchet-wheel above mentioned.
The electrical connections between the conducting wires coiled on the drum
above-mentioned and the electric lamps on the electrolier are made in any suitable
manner such, for example, as through the pivots of the said drum, which are
insulated from one another for this
purpose.
It will be seen that in this manner I am enabled to produce a very elegant and
convenient apparatus for the purpose specified, all the. mechanical parts for the
raising and lowering being entirely hidden within the fitting, the said handle
forming a ready means of raising and lowering the electrolier or other fitting
whilst enabling the end of the chain, cord or linkwork controlling the spring-pawl
above mentioned to be arranged so as not to obstruct the light from the lamps and
.

page_text: in the most convenient position for use, i.e. within or near the handle, whereby
the electrolier is raised and lowered. By the use of my improved device I am
moreover enabled to considerably reduce the length of the conducting wires
necessary for any given travel, as compared with some of the arrangements at
present in use.
It is obvious that the details of my improved device may be varied as required
and the parts made of any suitable materials without departing from the nature of
my said invention.
Dated the 16th day of August 1895
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Means for Supporting or Suspending Electroliers and
the like, and for Facilitating the Raising and Lowering of
the same.
"
I, HAROLD FARADAY, of the Firm of Faraday & Son, Electric Light Engineers,
3 Berners Street, Oxford Street, in the County of London, 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 is designed to provide improved means for supporting or suspending
electroliers and other pendent electric light fittings, and for facilitating the raising
and lowering of the same.
An important feature of my said invention is the employment of a spring drum
or roller mounted in or upon the electrolier or pendent electric light fitting and
movable up and down therewith, and upon which are wound the flexible conductors,
whereby the fitting is suspended, suitable means being provided for retaining the
fitting at any desired height, and for releasing it when required to permit it to be
raised by the reaction of the spring.
By my said invention I am enabled to dispense with drums or rollers fixed to the
ceiling, and I obviate the necessity for employing counter-weights, pulleys, and
cords depending from the sides of the electroliers or fittings, or other devices which
are unsightly or obstruct the light. My improvements, moreover, enable the
electrolier or other fitting to be very readily raised or lowered and secured in any
desired position.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice :-
-
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical central section, of one form of
electrolier or pendent electric light fitting having my improvements applied
thereto, and
Figure 2 is a plan of the same, some of the parts being removed.
The electrolier shown in the drawing comprises a box or casing formed of two
metallic shells A, B, which are hinged or otherwise suitably attached to a ring or
disc C of suitable insulating material. To the lower part A of the said box or
casing are attached the lamp-holders D and the stem E of a handle E for raising
and lowering the electrolier.'
'
In the box or casing A, B is mounted a spring drum or roller F the axle of
which is held in place by brackets C' attached to the disc C. On this drum or
roller are wound the flexible conductors G which extend through an opening B¹
at the top of the box or casing, and whereby the electrolier suspended from a
ceiling rose c or other suitable support, and is supplied with current.

page_text: The conductors G are guided from the drum F to the aperture B' by means of
rollers H, H supported by a bridge-piece J. A ratchet-wheel K is fixed on the
drum or roller F, and a pawl L pivotted at L' to a bracket secured to the disc C,
is kept in engagement with the teeth of the said ratchet-wheel by means of a
spring L so as to retain the drum in any desired position. This pawl is provided
with an arm L' and to this arm is attached one end of a cord M the other end of
which is fastened to a rod N extending down through the tubular stem E' of the-
handle E. The rod N is provided at its lower end with a knob or haudle N¹
below the lower end of the tube E', so that it can be easily manipulated by the
hand which is used to grasp the handle E for the purpose of raising or lowering-
the electrolier.
The electrical connections between the conducting wires G coiled on the drum F
and the electric lamps on the electrolier are made in any suitable manner, for
example through the two parts of the axle of the drum, at opposite sides of the
said drum, the said parts of the axle being insulated from each other for this
purpose, and being electrically connected, respectively to contact pieces or
terminals P, P¹ on the underside of the disc C of insulating material.
To lower the electrolier, it is only necessary to pull it downward by means of
the handle E, in which operation the drum will be turned so as to wind up its.
spring, and the conductors G will be unwound more or less from the said drum..
This operation may be noiselessly performed, if desired, by pulling down the
handle N¹ relatively to the handle E and thus disengaging the pawl L from the
ratchet-wheel K, and keeping it disengaged while the electrolier is being lowered ;-
in this case, when the electrolier is lowered to the desired position, the handle Ni
must be released before the handle E.
The raising of the electrolier can be easily effected by simply pulling down the
handle N' relatively to the handle E, and then, if necessary, pushing the electrolier
upward, when the spring in the drum will, by its reaction, turn the said drum so as.
to wind the conductors G thereon. As soon as the electrolier is at the desired
position, the handle N¹ must be released to permit the pawl L to engage with the
ratchet-wheel K.
The spring drum or roller F being enclosed in the box or casing A, B, is entirely
concealed thereby; it may, however, be mounted in any other suitable position on
the electrolier or other pendent electric light fitting so as to travel up and down.
therewith, instead of being fixed to the ceiling as heretofore.
It is obvious that, if desired, other suitable means may be employed for
connecting the pawl L with the handle N', and that the construction of my improved
apparatus may be otherwise varied without departing from the nature of my said.
invention.
It will be seen that, by my improvements, I am enabled to produce a very
elegant and convenient adjustable electrolier, all the mechanical parts for the
raising and lowering being entirely hidden within the. fitting, and the means for
controlling the retaining device being so arranged as not to obstruct the light from
the lamps. Moreover the knob or handle N₁ is in the most convenient position.
for use, i.e., within or near the handle E, so that it can be operated by the hand
used to raise or lower the electrolier. By my invention I am also enabled to
considerably reduce the length of the conducting wires necessary for any given
travel of the electrolier, as compared with some of the arrangements at present in use..
It is obvious that my improvements can be applied to any other suitable form of
electrolier or electric light fitting, for example to portable standards for rolling
or coiling up the surplus or slack of the conductors for supplying current to the
lamps.
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 :-

page_text: electric light fitting and movable up and down therewith, substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described.
Second. The combination of a spring drum or roller which is mounted in or upon
an electrolier or pendent electric light fitting, and upon which are wound the
flexible conductors whereby such fitting is suspended, a retaining device for holding
the said fitting in any position to which it is adjusted, and means whereby the
disengagement of the said device may be effected by the hand used to raise or
lower the fitting.
Third. An electrolier or other electric light fitting in which the lamps are
carried by a box or casing having enclosed therein a spring drum or roller upon
which are wound the flexible conductors, suitable means being provided for
arresting and permitting the rotary movement of such drum or roller as required,
substantially as herein before described and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. The combination, with a spring drum or roller mounted in or upon an
electrolier or other electric light fitting, of a ratchet-wheel on the said drum or
roller, and a pawl engaging with the said ratchet-wheel and provided with an arm
or tail-piece connected with a rod extending through. the tubular stem of the
handle by which the said fitting is raised and lowered, substantially as described.
Fifth. The improved apparatus constructed substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawing and operating as, and for the purposes,
set forth.
Dated the 16th day of Mer 1906
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.