US1728938A - Illuminating device - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 1929 MORRIS KIBSCHSTEIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK ILLUMINATING DEVICE Application led August 10, 1928. Serial No. 298,786.

This-,invention relates toilluminating devices and more particularly to improved electric illuminating sets of the ty e known as Christmas tree, or decorative lig ting outfits.

It has become highly desirable to provide for the ready connection of one or more standard Christmas tree lighting outfits in parallel to a single electrical source to aliord more or less illumination, or to ornamentally illuminate large 'objects such as Christmas trees and the like. It is the object of this invention to provide an improved unitary device of the character described of simple construction and cheap manufacture, which is provided with means for readily connecting an indelinite series of said devices in parallel across a single electric power supply to make a lflexible unit for illuminating objects requiring greater or lesser amount of` illumination.

In accordance with the present invention,

a Christmas tree outfit having a plug for connecting with the electrical source issol con: structed that 'it may receive another unit which need not have any plug for direct attachment to the electrical supply, but can be readily connected in parallel to said first unit and which has in addition means for receivingsimilar plugless units so that any number of units may be connected in parallel and all 3 0 .supplied through the single plug on the irst outfit;

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which shall be simple in construction, comparatively cheap to manufacture, and practical and ellicient to a high degree. l

Other. objects of this invention `will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in vthe features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scopey of application will be indicated in the following claims. In' the accompanyin' drawing, in which is shown one of the varlouspossible illustra# tive embodiments of this invention, l y Fig. 1 is a plan view of a Christmas tree outlit embodying the invention;

mas tree outfits connected 1n parallel;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modified structure; an

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a modified construction.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 2 an electric decorative outlit A connected in parallel to an outfit B.

The outfit A comprises a number of the usual electric lamp sockets 10 adapted to receive lamps 10-b here shown as connected in series through conductors 11 in the manner well known in the art. consist of a set of eight sockets, the end sockets being provided with lead Wires connected to the terminals of an attachment plug which may be connected to the usual 110-120 volt lighting circuit. t

The outfit A is shown to comprise eight sockets 10, connected to a usual attachment glug 12 by lead wires 13, 14. Where it is esired to illuminate larger objects or to obtain more illumination, the outfit B may be connected across the lead wires 13, 14, in

parallel. To this end, each ofsaid lead wires 13,14, has interposed therein an outlet socket 15 adapted to receive a plug member 16 forming the terminals of outfit B. Said outfit B also comprises eight electric lamp sockets 10a connected to each other by conductors 11". The outer two of said ei ht sockets`10 of Such outfits usually said outfit B are connecte by wires 17, 17,

16 to said sockets 15.

The socket 15 may comprise a substantially cylindrical body portion 20 of insulatingmaterial, preferably finished and shaped to resemble the sockets'lO. Said body 20 is provided with a central longitudinal opening 21 extending therethru. Sald opening 21 is widened at the mouth or plug receiving end of the body 20 to form a shoulder 22. A c lindrical hollow metallic member 23 is fitte into' said opening 21 and comprises a flange portion 24 seated on said shoulder 22, and a bottom end wall 25 having an 'opening'26 therein. Said body 20 may be recessed adjacent the opening 21 to form a channel 27 between the metallic member 23 and the body 20. Said member 23 in each of sockets 15 .forms the current carrying part interposed in the leads 13, 14. To make the connection, the lead 13 may be splitto provide two wire ends, one of which may be inserted in opening 26 and solderedvto the end wall 25, the other of which may be extended into channel 27 and soldered to said member 23 as at 28. It will be understood that socket 15 is similarly interposed in lead 14, and thatl sockets 15a at each end of outlet B are likewise connected to conductors 17, 18 and 17, 19 respectively. 'Each of plug members 16 comprises a cylindrical insulating body 29 ofU-shaped cross-section having an opening 30 in the bottom wall 29 thereof. A short cylindrical metallic post 31 may be inserted thru said opening 30. Said post 31 is formed within a flange 32 at the upper end thereof seated on said'bottom wall 29 and fixedv to the body 29. The lower portion of said post 29 is preferably split longitudinally ordinary screw plug. e

as at 33 to provide a resilient end portion 34. The conductor wire 18 may be connected to said post 31 as by soldering the end 35 of said wire to flange 32 of said post 31.

It will now be obvious that to connect outf it B in parallel and outfit A, it is merely necessary to insert the resilient end portions 34 of lu'g members 16 intol the openings 35 of holow members 23 of sockets 15.

Any number of outfits B ma be added, the plugs 16 of each added outfit ein attached to sockets laof the preceding out t.

A consumer need bu only one set A and then purchase standar unit B from time to time as required to add to the series which may be connected thru plug 12 to a single outlet socket. The sets B may very easily and simply be attached or detached since each of said sets includes a pair of plugs 16 for connecting to a precedlng outfit and a air of` sockets -15 for receiving the plugso a suc'- ceeding outfit.

Flg. 3 shows a modified construction of the complementary sockets and plugs for connecting the sets to one another. In this construction the sockets 36 interposed in lead 13a com rises an ordinary electric lamp socket simi ar to socket 10,- and adapted to receive a lamp when not used for connecting to another set. The plug 37 connected to the conv ductor 18 comprises a metallic screw threaded shell member 38 receivable in socket 36. Said plug 37 is made somewhat similar to an However, the threaded member 38 is provi d with a metallic bottom wall 39. When attached to the socket v36, said vbottom wal1'39 forms an electrical connection between the central contact and the shell. of said socket, thus completing the circuit thru said socket and lamps in the remaining sockr eight when the modified plugs and socket 37, 36 are used. A

Fig. 4 diagrammatically showsa modified construction illustrating an adaptation of the invention to decorative sets comprising a number of sockets connected in parallel. Outfit A show n in Fig. 4 comprises eight usual sockets 110b connected in parallel across leads 13", 14b attached to an attachment plug 12". Sockets 15b similar to socket 15 may be interposed in said leads 13,`14. Outfit B comprises sockets 10c connected in parallel Aacross leads 18, 19C. Similar sockets 15e may be 4interposed in said leads 18?, 19C, which terminate in single terminal plugs 16c similar to plugs 16. Said plugs 16c may be received in sockets l5b o f outfit A for dctachably connecting outfit B to said outfit A. Additional outfits similar to outfit B may be added by plugging to sockets 15 as will now be understood.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is Well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. l

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might bemade in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Having thus described my invention, I claim as .new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A unitary Christmas tree lighting set comprising a set of electrically connected lamp sockets, an attachment plug connected with the socket at each` end of said set, and complementary sockets interposed in the circuit between each of said plugs and the adj acent socket adapted to receive similar attach ment plugs from a second lighting set.

2. A unitary Christmas tree lighting set comprisin be inserte to apower outlet, a plurality of lamps connected together in series, lead wires connecting said lamps with the circuit terminals of'said attachment plug, and sockets formed to receive single terminal plugs interposed in said lead wires.

3. In an electric illuminating device of the character described, in combination, a Christmas tree set comprising an attachment plug adapted to be attached to an electric power outlet, a plurality of electric lamps connected in series, lead wires connecting said lamps with 'the terminals ofsaid attachment plug, sockets adapted to receive complementary plugs interposed in said lead Wires and a second Christmas tree set comprising a plurality of-lamps connected in series and complementary plugs at eachend of said set attached to said sockets.

llO

an attachment plug adapted tol 4. In an electric illuminating device of the character described, in combination, a Christmas tree set comprising an attachment ,plug adapted to be attached to an electric power outlet, a plurality-of electric lamps connected iny series, lead wires connectin said lamp with the terminals of said attacment plug, sockets adapted to receive complementary plugs interposed in said lead wires, a second Christmas tree set comprising a plurality of lamps connected in series and com lementary plugs at each end of said set attac ed tc said sockets, and similar sockets adapted to re-Y ceive` complementary plugs from another 1`5 Christmas tree set interposed in said second set between said plugs and the end lamps of said second set.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

MORRIS KIRSCHSTEIN.

Images