US1512888A

US1512888A - Lighting set

Info

Publication number: US1512888A
Application number: US451635A
Authority: US
Inventors: Haft Lester
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1921-03-11
Filing date: 1921-03-11
Publication date: 1924-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 1941-10-21

Description

L. HAFT LIGHTING SET Filed March 11. 1921 MY/4222f Patented a. 21, 1924.

UNITED STATES v 1,512,888 PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER HAFT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LIGHTING SET.

Application fllefnarch 11, 1921. Serial No. 451,635.

I ments in Lighting Sets, of which the follow ing is a specification. My invention relates to the illumination I of objects, such for exampleas Christmas trees, and, more particularly, to an electric illuminating set of the type which has become known to the trade as a Christmas tree, or decorative, outfit.

Such outfits, as they have long since become standardized, consist either of. a single set of eight miniature lamps connected together in series, about a foot apart, and with lead wires of convenient length connected to the terminals of an ordinary screw attachment plug, for connection to the usual lamp socket in a lighting circuit, or of sixteen, twenty-four, or thirty-two such lamps connected together eight in a series and with the lead wires of each series tapped into a junction box the leads of which are in turn connected with an attachment plug. The usual 110 to 120 volt potential on the lighting Heretofore, therefore, it has been neces-' sary, in order to suitably illuminate largeobjects or trees, or when greater brilliancy of illumination was desired, to purchase a numof these small outfits or one or more of the larger outfits as required and to find a separate lamp socket, or other source of current, to which to attach each separate outfit employed. Dealers have accordingly been obliged to buy, and to carry in stock, such an arbitrarily selected assortment of the four different sizes of outfits as each might think necessary for his trade.

The object of the present invention is to obviate the above, and other, defects in the prevailing standard practice, by providing an improvedor unitary outfit, of simple -construction and of low cost, which can either be used alone or can be readily connected one to another in an indefinite series, without the 7 use of tools and with no more skill than that possessed by the average adult or child, and which thus serves as a unit for a flexible system c pable of expansion and contraction as requi d.

To this end, I make use of an outfit with a single series of eight lamps and I incorporate therein, and preferably as a permanentpart thereof, an ordinary threaded socket or other standard electric coupling member, of standard lamp size adapted to receive the attachment plug of a second outfit, which coupling member is connected in multiple with the lead wires of the outfit so that a second, and

each additional, outfit connected on thereto will receive across its terminals the full voltage of the lighting circuit to which the out fit is attached. I

As a secondary feature I provide each outfit with a screw cap or plug of insulating material which is inserted in the socket and is intended to remain therein until its removal is required for the attachment to the socket of a second outfit, thus safeguarding against accidental shock or short-circuit when the outfit is in use. A

The invention willbe clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a view, largely diagrammatic, of one form of my improved lighting set or unit; Fig. 2 is a similar view of a slightly modified form thereof; and Fig. 3 is a detached side view of the screw cap usually provided with each outfit.

As here illustrated the screw plug 10, an ordinary attachment plug adapted to be inserted in any standard socket in the usual lighting circuit, the two lead wires 11 attached to the terminals of the plug, and the miniature lamps 12 connected together in series constitute what has been referred to as the standard eightdamp or single series lighting outfit, the lead wires thereof being covered in the usual manner either separately or in the form of a duplex cord or cable. Incorporated in and forming a part of this outfit is a threaded socket 13, adapted to receive the attachment plug 10, or a similar, attachment plug of a second lighting outfit, the terminals of which are connected in multiple with the lead wires 11 by branch-lead wires 11. The form shown in Fig. 2--differs from that illustrated in Fig. 1 only in the fact that the branch lead wires to the socket are attached to the main 'lead wires of the outfit within the attachscrew cap or plug 14, of any suitable insulating material or composition, is preferably provided with each outfit, screwed into the socket 13 where it is expected to remain until its removal is re-' quired for the attachment tothe socket of the plug of a second outfit, thus protecting the metallic parts of the socket from injury during handling and safeguarding against accidents 'from shock or short-circuit when the outfit is in use.

Among the new and beneficial results produced by my improved or unitary light-- ing set may be mentioned the followmg: In the first place, production and marketing are simplified and cheapened, since, the

sets being all of a singlesize and standard, the old junction box is elimlnated and it is no longer necessary to make sets of different sizesand to provide different sized boxes for different sized sets. Again, jobbers and retailers are relieved from the necessity of buying and carrying in stock, as formerly, a quantity of each of four different sized outfits, thus reducing the size of the stock which they are required to carry andrendering it all saleable. And, finally, it provides a flexible system of illumination, easily manipulated without tools and with only the skill possessed by the average child, which permits consumers to first purchase a small equipment at a minimum initial expenditure and then to add thereto from time to time by the purchase of more sets and, for any occasion, to connect up as many or few sets as required and to attach the entire series to a single lamp socket or other outlet from a 1i hting .circuit, the eight lamps in each set uniformly receiving theentire voltage on the drcuit, and which also facilitates the making of repairs, when a lamp breaks down in use, since for the purpose it is only necessary to disconnect the-eight-lamp set in'which the defective lamp is found instead of hav: ing to take down, outfit of say lamps.

being as formerly, the entire twenty-four or thirty-two It will, of course, be'understood that any of the ordinary forms of quick detachable connectors may be used in the place of and as an equivalent for the screw attachment plug, and that when such other form of connector is used the proper complementary connectingmember is to be substituted for the threaded socket here shown and described by way of example. I

What I claim as new, and desire to se-' cure by Letters Patent, is

1. A unitary Christmas tree lighting set comprising an attachment plug adapted to be inserted in a standard lamp socket, a plurality of miniature lamps connected to-' gether in series, lead wires connecting said lamps with the circuit terminals of the attachment plug, 'a complementary attachjment member adapted to receive the similar attachment plug of a second lighting set, i

tachment plug, lead wires, and miniature lamps connected'together'in series, of a complementar attachment member connected in multiplli with said lead wires and a cap of insulating material adapted to be, insert'ed in said complementary attachment member to protect it from in ury and as a safeguard against accidents om shock or I short circuit.

In testimon whereof, I have aflixed-my signature tot is specification. I

LESTER vHAFT.

' and lead wires connecting the terminals of