Improvements in Electric Lamp Holders
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Lamp Holders.
A communication from abroad by JOSEPH BENJAMIN MOORE, of Minneapolis,
in the County of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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:—
This invention relates to spring clasp electric lamp holders, and the object of the
invention is to provide a device for attachment to an incandescent electric lamp by
means of which the same may be readily attached to a desk, table or other support,
or may be supported upon a desk or table and to make the lamp readily movable
with respect to said clasp..
The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which―
Figure 1 is an elevation of one of the lamp holders shown connected with an
incandescent lamp socket.
Figures 2 and 3 show modifications thereof, the ends being bent at an angle with
the main plate of the clasp and provided with one or more holes.
Figure 4 a view of the clasp fitted with a swivel clamp adapted to engage the
lamp socket.
Figures 5 and 6 show the swivel clamp in a different position with respect to the
main plate of the clasp.
Figure 7 shows one of the holders especially adapted for use upon typewriter
copyholders.
Figure 8 shows a stand especially adapted for use with the device.
Figures, 9 and 10 illustrate a wall bracket especially adapted for use with the
clasp.
In the drawings, 2 represents the bulb of an ordinary incandescent lamp,
3 represents the socket thereof and 4 the insulated conductor wire connected there-
with and adapted to permit the lamp to be moved to any convenient position in the
room. A flat piece of brass, steel or other suitable material 5 is arranged to be
secured upon the top of the socket of the lamp and projects therefrom at substan-
tially right angles to the main portion of the bulb. A threaded thimble 6 is
arranged to be screwed into the end of the socket passing through a hole in the
strip 5 and having a shoulder 7 (Figure 2) that engages the upper surface of said
strip. A spring 8 is arranged on the side of the strip 5, and is curved sharply
away therefrom at the head of the strip, thence slanting gradually back to the
strip and having a curved end 9 adapted to bear against the rear end of the strip 5.
The end of the strip 5 may also be curved in a direction opposite to 9, thereby
making the clasp more easily attachable to the wall of a desk, pigeon hole
or other thin piece of furniture (Figure 5). As shown in Figure 1, the ends of the
plate 5 are extended beyond the lamp socket and beyond the end of the spring 8
and are provided with holes 10 and 11 by means of which the whole device
may be
hung from either end upon a hook or nail in the wall or upon any stand specially
designed therefor. In the remaining figures of the drawing, the plates 5 of
the springs 8 remain practically the same, the only difference being in the
heads of the holders and the means for attaching the lamp thereto. Figure 2
shows a holder which is specially designed for the use indicated in Figure 7.
As there shown, the end of the plate is not only set out at an angle but is

page_text: swivelled by means of the pin 10' and the feet 11 to the main plate 5, whereby
the lamp 2 is left free to be swung from one side to the other for more easy adjust-
ment of its light with respect to the copy upon the standard or holder plate 12
supported upon the swivel pedestal 13.
Figure 3 shows the end of the plate 5 bent at right angles thereto and the rubber
bushing 6 secured in the outer hole while the other opening 14 is used for the
flexible cord 4 to hold the same in place. With this form of holder, the lamp is
held in a plane with the shelf upon which the clasp is fixed.
Where lamps are to be secured upon horizontal shelves, it is often desirable to
swing the lamps from one side to the other so that the lamp will shed its light in a
particular spot desired. Such movement is provided for in the devices shown in
Figures 4, 5 and 6, that shown in Figure 4 being adapted to allow movement of the
lamp at, right angles to the line of the plate 5, while that form shown in Figures 5
and 6 gives freedom of movement in a plane parallel to that of said plate. The
clamp rings 15 are substantially alike consisting in split rings having the feet 16
provided with openings through which the screws 17 are adapted to be inserted to
draw said feet together and tighten the ring about the lamp socket 3.
These rings
are secured pivotally on the ends of the plates 5 by loose rivets or pins 20 passing
through the plate and ring. In Figure 4 the ring is thrown into line with the
plate 5 by turning the end 21 of the plate 5 at right angles to the plate and
pivoting the ring thereto, while in Figures 5 and 6 the rings are pivoted directly
on the straight ends of the plates, which ends, however, may be slightly bent or
curved to conform to convenience.
In Figure 8 a desk or table lamp stand is shown which is devised for use with
this holder. The cross piece 25 is secured on the top of the pedestal 26 in any
suitable manner or formed directly therewith, and is provided with a longitudinal
slot or mortise extending preferably clear through the strip. The plate 5 of the
clasp is inserted through this mortise and is held therein by the pressure of the
spring 8 upon the top of the cross bar 25. The electric lamp is thus conveniently
supported on the table, and, by virtue of the flexible cord connection, may be moved
to any part thereof.
It is often desirable to secure the electric lamps upon the wall, while at the same
time leaving them removable therefrom. For this purpose, the hollow chambered
bracket 28, shown in Figures 9 and 10 and provided with a mortise or slot or
chamber 29 like that of the cross piece 25, is provided, into which the plate 5 of
the clasp or holder may be inserted. This bracket is provided in its back with the
openings 30 having the slot continuations 31 adapted to slip down over the shanks
of the screws 32 in the wall or partition 33 when the heads have passed through
the larger parts of the openings into the interior chamber of the bracket. These
heads may of course be left visible, but the bracket is preferably made of
rectangular tubing, thereby providing a finished face 35 covering up the screw
heads and openings in the back 36 of the bracket.
Figure 11 illustrates a clamp similar to the swivelled clamp ring form of holder
shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the difference being that the sides of the ring 37 are
made of spring material and only long enough to just embrace the lamp socket.
With this form, no threaded screw 17 is needed to draw the ends of the clamp
together.
It is obvious that various minor modifications will readily suggest themselves to
one skilled in the art, and the invention is not therefore confined to the exact con-
struction shown and described, but the plate 5, adapted for attachment to a lamp
and provided with the spring 8, is claimed broadly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination, with the plate 5 adapted to be secured to an electric lamp,
of the spring 8, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. The combination, with the plate 5, of the spring 8, said plate and spring
provided with curved ends, and means for securing a lamp on said plate, sub-
stantially as described.
3. The combination with the plate 5 and the spring 8, with the swivelled means
for securing an incandescent electric lamp on said plate, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the spring 8 having the curved end 9, with the straight
plate 5, and means whereby an electric lamp may be secured thereto, substantially
as described.
5. The combination with the plate 5, of the spring 8 fixed thereon, with a swivel
ring on said plate whereby a lamp may be secured thereto, substantially as
described.
6. The combination, with the plate, of a spring fixed thereon, whereby the plate
may be secured on a shelf or other piece of furniture, with a swivel ring 15 having
feet 16 and adapted to be tightened by a screw 17, substantially as described.
7. In a wall bracket, the rectangular bent tube adapted to receive the plate 5
and having the slotted holes 30 adapted to engage supporting screws or pins
provided in the wall or partition, substantially as described.
8. The combination, in a lamp stand, of the slotted or mortised cross bar 25 with
the pedestal 26, substantially as described.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.