US1757969A - Christmas-tree-lighting outfit - Google Patents

Description

May 13, 1930. 1 B. MANsoN 1,757,969 CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING ouTFTT f Filed July 3, 1928 i l? ZATNVENTOR l `r ATToRNEgIs Patented May 13, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFlCE LEON B. MAN-SON, OF CORONA, NEVI YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NOMA ELECTRIC CORPORA- TION, OF NEVV YORK, 1*-1'. Y., A CORPORATON OF NEW YORK CHRISTMAS-TREE-LIGHTING OUTFIT Application filed July 3, 1928.

My present invention has 'for its object to provide a simple and effective circuit controlling device adapted to be used in connection with display lighting outfits for producing novel effects by causing the intermittent flickering or burning of incandescent lamps, a practical adaptation of the invention being found in applying it to Christmas tree lighting outlits.. The circuit controlling means by which my invention is carried out includes a pair of thermally actuated circuit closers of bi-metallic material, for automatically and intermittently closing and opening the diillerent lamp circuits, and in combination therewith l also provide manually operable switching means for short circuiting the circuit controller, whereby they are rendered ineffective and the lamp circuits are maintained closed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, talren in connection with the accompanying drawings in which-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a two circuit display outfit embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a view of the thermally actuated circuit closers and switch means for short circuiting the same; Figure 8 is a central sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2, showing the complementary sections of the switch housing secured together; and Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 1X-4t* of Figure 2.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures illustrate similar parts.

By way of illustration, I have shown the device embodying this invention as employed with a plurality of lamp circuits arranged in separate branches fed from a common source of current supply. Between these branches and the main circuit lead wires I interpose a plurality of normally open contacts each of which is movable and operates automatically to close its respective circuit upon a rise in l temperature of a resistance element associated therewith which is connected across the opening between said contacts.

In illustrating my invention, l have shown two branch circuits each embracing a separate group of lamps in series, the lamps ot Serial No. 290,211.

one group being indicated by the numeral 5, and those of the other by the numeral 6. rlhe circuit for the iirst group of the lamps includes conductors 8 and 9 and the circuit of the second group of lamps includes conductors 9 and 10. The conductor 9, common to the two circuits, is connected to one terminal 11 of an attachment plug 12; and the conductors 8 and 10 are connected respectively through individual thermally actuated circuit closers, hereinafter more particularly described, to the other terminal 15 oit the attachment plug 12, so that the circuits et the groups of lamps 5 and 6 are separately, automatically and intermittently closed and opened.

The device embodiyng this invention includes a pair of circuit closers 13 and 14, housed within a suitable casing of insulating material made up of complementary sectionsl 16 and 17, which are secured together by means of transverse bolts 18 passing therethrough. rlhe circuit closers 13 and 14 arc each made from united strips oi' metal, having diierent coeiiicients of expansion, which are so bent as to provide :toot portions 19 and yieldable arms 2O carrying at their' upper ends contacts 21. The circuit closers 18 and 14 have their foot portions 19 in electrical contact and are attached to the outwardly projecting arm of a metallic bracket 22, which is secured in position within the section 16 by a screw 28 to which the conductor leading from the terminal 15 ot the attachment plug 12 is connectedA ln order to prevent shitting of the bracket 22 the supporting portion of that bracket may be confined between a pair of ribs 2i projecting outwardly from a suitable boss 25 termed on the inner wall of the section 16.

Adjacent the 'free ends of the arms 2O of the circuit closers 13 and 14, a pair of bosses 26 are disposed which are iiorn'ied integral with the section 16 and proj et outwardly 'tr-om the inner Ylisce thereof. Upon these bosses a pair oil contact bracket lll' are secured having' lateral projiections carrying contacts adapted to be engaged by the contacts 21 ot the circuit closers 1?; and lil. The brackets 2T constitute the fixed terminals of the branc lamp circuits and in Figs. 2 and 4 the conductors 8 and 10 are shown permanently attached to them. rlhe circuit closers 13 and 14 include arms 2G which constitute the movable portions ot each ot these circuit closers and fixed to them are the resistance elements such as the surroundii'ig windings 29 ot resistance wire, the lower ends of which, as viewed in Figure 2, are connected to their' respective arms, and the upper ends ot which, as also shown in Figure 2, are oined by conductors 30 to the bases of the contact brackets 27. The resistance windings 29 are separated throughout the greater portion of their respective lengtns from the arms 2O by a layer of suitable insulating material 31, which envelop the greater portion of the arms 20.

Within the section 16 of the housing is carried a manually operable switch member 33 ot suitable spring metal, one end oit which is beneath the bracket 22 and is electrically connected thereto and the other or Atree end is disposed within the space ailorded between the inner tace ot the section 16 and the inner or adjacent ends ot the bases or" the contact brackets 2?'. The switch member 33 normally tends to maintain a position out ot contact with the bases oit the brackets 27, but may be moved into contact therewith, in order to short circuit the switch arms 13 and 14 and their windings 29. This movement is effected by a cam or lever 35, pivoted in the section 16, and having its inner end contacting with the switch member 33 intermediate its ends. 1n the normal operation ot the device, the switch member 33 is retracted in the position, shown, in Figures 3 and 4. Current passes from the terminal 11 through the conductor 9, the lamps 5 and 6 of the conductors 3 and 10, thence through the conductors 30, and the resistance wires 29 to the contact arms 2O oi the circuit closers 13 and 14, trom whence it passes through bracket 22 and to the terminal 15. Under such conditions the current flowing through the conductors 8 and 10 is insutticient to light the lamps, due to the resistance o'i'ered by the resistance wires 29. As the current flows through the resistance wires 2 the heat generated therein is transmitted to the arms 20 of the circuit closers 13 and 14 causing them to move laterally to carry their contacts 21 into engagement with the lined terminals carried by the brackets 2?, whereupon the resistance wires 29 are short circuited, with the result that suiiicient current is permitted to pass through the wires 8 and 10 to effect illumination ot the lamps 5 and 6. Upon short circuiting the resistances 29, the current passing through the conductors 3 and 10, follows the line ot least resistance with the result that the resistances 29, and the arms 20 are permitted to cool, with 'he result that the arms 2O move to their open circuit positions, shown in Figure 2, thus leaving only the resistance wires 29 in the respective circuits of indeiinitely.

he lamps 5 and 6 preparatory to their being again illuminated in the manner above described. 'lhis intermittent opening and closing ot the lighting circuit through the separated branch lamp circuits may be continued Simultaneous opening and simultaneous closing of the lighting circuits through the conductors 3 and 10 is not assured, since'the circuit closers 13 and 14 are not synchronized in their operation. In the absence ot synchronized operation o1c the circuit closers 13 and 14, lighting ot the group of lamps 5 may occur in one instance simultaneous with the lighting of the group of lamps 6, or at another time this may occur either prior or subsequent to the lighting of the group ot lamps 6. To short circuit the circuit closers 13 and 14, the cam switch lever 35 is moved in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figuie 3, whereupon the tree end ot the switch member 33 is moved into engagement with the base portions ot the contact brackets 27, whereupon the lighting circuit through the conductors 3 and 10, their respective lamps 5 and 6 and the conductor 9, which is common to two groups ot lamps, is maintained closed until such time as the cam switch lever 35 is moved to its position shown in Figure 3 and the shunt or short circuiting connection around the circuit closers 13 and 14 through the switch arm 33 is thereby broken.

1What is claimed is 1. A circuit closer comprising a housing, a bracket secured to the inner wall of the housing and serving as a terminal, a ther'mostatically controlled switch arm having one of its ends secured to said bracket and its opposite end free to move into and out of closed circuit position, a Contact bracket secured to the inner wall of the housing adjacent the free end of said switch arm, a resistance carried by and surrounding the switch arm, said resistance being permanently electrically connected to said brackets and affording a permanent current path between said brackets and arranged to eitect movement of the tree end of said switch arm into contact with said contact bracket, a manually operable switch member having one end secured to the first mentioned bracket and its opposite end located intermediate said housing and said Contact bracket and adapted to be moved into engagement with said contact bracket to short circuit said resistance, and a switch lever pivotally connected to said housing and adapted to cooperate with said switch member to move such member into engagement with said contact bracket.

2. A circuit closer comprising a housing, a bracket secured to the inner wall of the housing and serving as a terminal, a pair of theiniostatically controlled switch arms having angularly disposed foot portions superimposed one upon the other and secured to said bracket, said switch arms each having n," LA) a free end adapted to move into and out of closed circuit position, a pair of contact brackets secured to the inner wall of the housing adjacent the respective *free ends of said switch arms, a resistance carried by and surrounding each switch arm7 said resistances .being permanently electrically connected to the respective contact brackets and to the irst mentioned bracket and affording permanent current paths between the rst named bracket and the respective contact brackets and arranged to effect movement of the free ends of said switch arms respectively into contact with said contact brackets, a manually operable switch member having one end secured to the lirst mentioned bracket and its opposite end located intermediate said housing and said contact brackets and adapted to be moved into engagement with said contact brackets to short circuit said resistances, and a switch lever pivotally connected to said housing and adapted to cooperate with said switch member to move such member into engagement with said contact brackets.

In testimony whereof7 I have axed my signature to this specification.

LEON B. MANSON.

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