US1238868A - Electric-lighting apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATIUN FILED JAN-5. 1915.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

:MAL #626/ ATT'CRNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES WINT, 0F PHILAPEIIPHI.A1ENNSYIAVNIA, ASSIGNOB T0 WIRT QQMRANY.,

0F IHIIDEIPHIA, PENNSYIVNIA, A CORBQRATIQN 0F 4 ELECTRIC-LIGHTING- APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

Application-men Jannary 5, 1815, Serial No. 55.1. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, (Ennemis WLRT, aciti-V zen of the United States, residin in the city of Philadelphia, State of Penns vania, have invented certain new and useul Improvements in Electric-,Lighting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for regulatf ing the amount of light given by a plurality of electric lamps, particularly electric incandescent lamps, the quantity oflight ranging from that furnished by all the lamps at full voltage to that of one or more lamps at considerably lower voltage.

In one of its forms my invention is embodied in simple and compact structure whereby any number of a cluster of lam s may be brought into or cut out of circuit, with means for cutting into or out of the circuit of one or more of the lamps resistance to vary the current in said lamp or lamps.

By my invention a great range in the quantity of light produced by a predetermined number o light producingunits is possible at high eiiicienc in current consumption. This results rom the fact that some of the units operate only upon full voltage of the supplycircuit, without interposed resistance, and the amount of light is reduced by cuttin such units successively out of circuit,- an the final unit or units dimmed by interposed resistance. Therefore energy is wasted only when such resistance is in circuit.

My invention is therefore applicable to theaters or the like where great variations in lighting may eliiciently be obtained.

And it will be understood that the individual lam s hereinafter described may be supplanted y a group of lamps, each group being controlled as described as if it were a single lamp.

For an illustrationof one of many forms my invention may take reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view, somepa-rts in elevation, of controlling means -for a lamp cluster.

Y Fig. 2 is a plan view of a resistance ele 5o ment and associated parts.

3 is a bottom plan view of a brush or contact member of the switching mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational ,view of the brushor contact with its associated OPH-atinof means.

lig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an arrangement of the electrical circuits.

Figs. 6 and 7 yareplan and edge views, respectlvely, of an element ofthe contact membex'- oi' brush.

Referrin first to Fig. 5, which illustrates one mode 0% connection suitable for the practice of my invention, 1 and 2 represent the two conductors of any suitable supplycircuit, ordinarily a constant potential circuit delivering either direct or alternating current. The conductor 1 connects at with they conductor 4 which connects with one ter? minal of each of the lamps L1', L11, U and Ls adapted to form a lamp cluster for any desired illumination purposes, the lamp Lr being regulable while the lamps L1, L2 and L?, are connected to operate only at full voltage of the supply circuit. The supply conductor 2 connects with the movable contact or brush member 5 which is adapted toengage the contactsv 67, 8, 9, 10, 11 and .12, the brush member 5 having such angular extent that it is adapted to simultaneously engage at least four of these contacts, when there are four lamps.

A suitable resistance conductor R has its one terminal connected to the contact 6 and its Other terminal to the contact 9, the contacts 7 and 8 being connected to intermediate pointsof theresistance R. The other or remainin terminal of the lamp Lr is connect.- ed to t e contact 9, and the remaining or other terminals of lamps L1, L2 and La are connected respectively with contacts 10, 11 and 12 by conductors 13, 14 and 15 respectively. The lamps are customarily held in suitable lamp soc ets 16, 17, 18 and 19.

With the brush 5 in the position illustrated in Fig. 5, current is cut oi from all the lamps. By movin the brush 5 in a clock-wise direction it will first engage contact 6 whereupon current of smallest value will ass throu h lamp Lr causin it to operate at owest canle power, due to t e factthatentire resistance R is in such case in series with it. Moving the brush into engagement with contact 7 causes a part of resistance R to be cut out of the lamp circuit with result that it will now glow at a higher candle power; moving the switch into engagement with contact 8 cuts out' a'nother section of resistance R and causes an increasein intensity of light and when the brush 5 engages Contact 9 resistance Ris cut 5 out of circuit and the lamp Lr is connectedl directly across the supply conductors 1 and 2 and it therefore lows at its highest candle power. Moving tlie brush into engagement with Contact 10, and remaining in enga ment with contact 9, lamp L'r4 and lamp 1 will both glow at full candle power. Mov-` clock-wise direction and the contacts engaged in an inverse order to that described.

A similar embodiment of apparatus to operate in accordance with description of Fig. 5 is illustrated in Figs. l to 4 inclusive, 1n which reference characters corresponding to those in Fig. 5 illustrate similar parts.

Within any suitable support or standard 20 is disposed a pipe 21 through which extend the supply conductors 1 and 2 which may be in the orm of a flexible cord 22. A spider member 23 is screw threaded on the upper end of the ipe 21 and clam s the spun metal shell mem er 24 a ainst tlie member 20. Each of the lamp soc ets 16, 17, 18 and 19, of which 19 is invisible, is sup orted upon the shell 24 by the usual nipplis 25 upon which are threaded the nuts 26 engaging the inner wall of the shell 24.

Threaded into the spider 23 is the bolt 27 surrounded by the insulating washer 28 and the insulatin sleeve 29. Surroundin the insulating tu e 29 is the metallic tu e or sleeve `30`having the bottom `flange 31 provided with the lug or ear 32 to which the supply conductor 2 is secured by screw 33.

The resistance conductor R may be' disposed in any suitable way, but is here shown as wound in the form of a helical coil embedded in a cylinder of hardened plastic insulating -material 34 having a central cylindrical opening through which the aforementioned tube 30 extends and having the outer sheet metal cover 35. It will be understood that neighboring convolutions oi the resistance helix are separated and insulated from cach other. The contact bars (i to 12 inclusive are also molded and held in the insulatng.material 34, their upper ends forming the contacts which are shown fiush with the upper surface of the insulating material 34. Bars 6` 7, 8 and 9 have lugs or clips 36 by which they lare connected to the resistance 'conductor R, bars 6 and`9 with opposite ends of the resistanoeR and bars 7 and 8 at points 1intermediate 'the ends. These contact bars, `preferably at least bars 9, 10, 11 and 12, extend belowthe lower face of the insulating material 34 and= are provided with binding screws 37, 38, 39 and 40 by which the conductors connectin with one terminal* of each lamp socket o? each lamp are held in electrical communication with the contact bars.

The cylinder or insulating material 34, in which the l'resistance conductor R is embedded is held between the iiange 3l of tube 30 and thefla'nge 41 on the metallic tube 42 engaged by the nut 43 threaded upon the tube 30.

Rotatable upon the tube 42 is the tube 44, conned beneath the nut 43, and secured at its lower end to the Washer 45. Secured between the shoulder 46 on the tube 44 and the washer 45 are the disk of insulating material 47, insulating washer 48` and the four contact springs 49 suitably held or secured to the rotatable insulating disk 47 to which is secured the flanged pull chain or cord drum 50 to opposite sides of which -are attached the pull chains or cords 51 and 52 for rotating the drum 50 and parts attached thereto.

The metallic contact springs 49 have the preferably integral resilient downwardly inclined portions 53 terminating in the contacts 54 which form the movable contact member or brush 5 which are in permanent electrical communication with the conductor 2 through lug 32, tube 30, tube 42, and sleeve or tube 44 and washer 45. The super-imposed contact springs 49 are preferably secured to register in correct angular position by prick punchings 55.

Upon the nut 43 rests the insulating Washer 56 upon which rests the metallic shell member 57V whose upper side is engaged by the nut 58 threaded upon the bolt 27 which holds the shell 57 at its lower edge against the cylinder of insulating material 34 within which is embedded the pin 59 engaging in a notch in the lower edge of shell 57 to revent its rotation with respect to the mem er 34. Attached to the shell 57 is a tube 60 through which the chains or cords 51 and 52 extend to the drum 50 and'to the exterior for purposes of manipulation.

Resting upon the head 61 of the shell 24 is a shell 62, slotted at its upper edge at 63 to receive the tube 60. A cover 64 for the shell 62 is heid in place by the ornamental nut 6 adapted. also to hold a shade.

From the. foregoing description taken in connection with the description of Fig. 5 it will be understood, that by pulling upon one or the other ofthe chains or cords 5l or 52 the drum 50 Will be rotated as willalso the brush contacts 54 attached thereto, these contacts 54 being all electrically connected to each other and to the conductor 2, as de` scribed, and "adapted .to engage the conf tacts 6 to 12 inclusive, the angu of the contacts 54 being suliiclent at least to simultaneously engage as many contacts as there are lamps in the cluster.

It is obvious that my invention is in no way limited as to the number of lamps in the cluster and that as respecting even a single lamp, features of my invention are available. And it will be further understood that my invention is not limited to the regulation of candle power of only one of a plurality of lamps, but that more than one lamp of a group or cluster may have adjustable resistance associated therewith.

What I claim is:

1. A regulable lamp cluster comprising a support, a plurality of lamps, holders carried by said support, lamps for said holders, resistance conductor and a plurality of contact bars embedded in insulating material, a plurality of said contact bars connecting with said resistance, a lamp connected with said resistance, the remainder of said contact bars connecting with the remainder of said lamps, and relatively movable contact mechanism adapted to engage said contacts to vary the resistance in the circuit of a lamp and to bring the remainder of said lamps successively into circuit.

2. A regulable lamp cluster comprising a support, a plurality of lamp holders carried by said support, a resistance conductor, a series of contacts part of which are connected with said resistance conductor and others with said lamps, and relatively movable contact mechanism for engaging said contacts in succession and a plurality of them simultaueously.

3. A resistance conductor and a plurality of contact bars embedded in insulating material, a plurality of said bars connected to said resistance, said contact bars extending through said insulating material and forming contacts at one end and some of said bars ha ving connectors at the other end, relatively movable contact mechanism adapted to engage the contact ends of said bars, and a plurality of lamps, said contact mechanism controlling the circuit of part of said lamps directly and of the remainder through said resistance.

4. A resistance conductor and a plurality of' contact bars embedded in insulating material, a plurality of said bars connected to said resistance, said contact bars extending lar extent v through .said 'insulating'. material and forming contacts at one end and some of said bars .ing with said4 connector ends of said bars, and asupply circuit connection to said contact mechanism.

5. The combination with an electric lamp, of a stationary mass of insulating material, a resistance conductor embedded in said mass, a plurality of contact bars embedded in said mass, connections from a plurality of said bars to said resistance conductor, a rotatable contact controlling the circuit of said lamp and adapted to engage said bars, a cord actuated member attached to said rotatable contact, and a shell member inclosing said cord actuated member and said contact in a chamber formed by said shell member and said insulating material.

G. The combination with an electric lamp, of a single stationary helical coil of resistance conductor and contact bars disposed parallel to the axis of said coil and electrically connected to said coil, a mass of insulating material embedding said conductor and said contact bars, said bars having exposed ends, and a rotatable contact member controlling the circuit of said lamp and adapted to engage said contact bars.

7. The combination with an electric lamp, of a stationary helical coil of resistance conductor and contact bars disposed parallel to the axis of said coil, a mass of insulating material embedding said conductor and said contact bars, said bars having exposed ends, a rotatable Contact member controlling the circuit of said lamp .and adapted to engage said contact bars, and an axial supporting member for said insulating material, said contact rotatable upon said axial member.

8. A regulable lamp cluster comprising a shell, a plurality of lamps on the exterior thereof supported thereon, a stationary cylindrical mass of insulating material within said shell, a resistance conductor and a plurality of contact bars embedded in and supported by said insulating material, a plurality of said bars connected to said resistance conductor, others of said bars connected to terminals of said lamps, a contact rotatable about the axis of said insulating material adapted to Aengage said bars, and means extending to the exterior of said shell for rotating said contact.

9. The combination with au electric lamp, of a resistance coil, contact bars disposed parallel to the axis of said coil and connected thereto at different points, and a rotatable contact member controlling the circuit of said lamp and comprising superposed simifixed my signature in the presence of the 1er Contact elements having Contact fingers, subscribing wltnesses.

said elements being displaced with respect to each other to effect a spacing of said CHARLES WIRT' fingers similar to the spacing of said con- Witnesses: tact bars. E. A. LYoNs, In testimony whereof I have hereunto af- NELIJE FIELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing theemmissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. 0. A

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