US2121993A

US2121993A - Cord reel for stand lamps

Info

Publication number: US2121993A
Application number: US158340A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stocks Christopher Richard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-08-10
Filing date: 1937-08-10
Publication date: 1938-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1955-06-28

Description

June 28, 1938. c. R. sTocKs 2,121,993

coma REEL FOR STAND LAMPS Filed Aug. 10, 1 957 INVENTOR C. R.;SZO clcs Patented June 2 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT O CE com) REEL FOR STANI YLAM PS Christopher Richard Stocks, Sacramento, Calif, Application August 10, 1937, Serial No. 158,340

8 Claims. (01. 242407) This invention relates generally to floor or bridge lamps and in particular is directed to a cord reel adapted for use in combination with a lamp of such type. I- am aware that cord reels '5 for floor lamps have heretofore been known but such prior devices have been, in most instances, complicated instructure and expensive to manufacture. Further, they did not provide the desired ease of operation; that is the cord reel spring was of such type and so mounted thatwhen a substantial length of cord was drawn from the reel, the torque was excessive.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a cord reel for floor lamps which is simple inconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, and one which operates smoothly and effectively regardless of l the amount of cord withdrawn from the reel. 7

Another object of -my invention is to provide a cord reel assembly arranged for mounting as a unit in the base portion of a floor lamp, the assembly being easily removable for replacement or repair if necessary. 7 These objects Iaccomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

The figure on the drawing is a sectional elevation of my improved cord reel assembly as mounted in connection with the base portion of a floor lamp.

- Referring now moreparticularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the numeral l indicates the base of a floor'lamp, such base being hollow and provided with an upstanding sleeve 2 in which is seated the lower end of the vertical tubular standard 3 of the lamp as is usual.

A relatively large cord reel or drum 4 is disposed horizontally within the hollow base I and is formed integral with a vertical spindle 5 which extends upward through sleeve 2 and into the lower portion of the tubular standard 3. The reel 4 and spindle 5 are preferably made of di- 5 electric material such as bakelite. The spindle 5 is hollow and communicates at its lower end with a central, downwardly opening cavity 6 in the drum. The drum is formed with a relatively deep cord receiving groove 1 and a passage 8 leads from cavity 6 to the bottom of groove 1. The lower portion of dielectric spindle 5 is provided with a metallic sleeve 9 surrounding the same in fixed connection, the lower end of this sleeve being preferably molded into the upper surface of reel 4 'as at 10. The metallic sleeve 9 is threaded at its upper end toreceive an ad--' justment nut II which also serves as a thrust bearing as will hereinafter appear. vThe nut ;H is locked to sleeve 9 by means of a'set screw Ill. The nut II. rests on the upper end of a bushing l3 through which the spindle 5' and sleeve 9 turn distance within standard 3 and surrounding spin-i- .dle 5.' A collar I8 is fixed in the upper end of housing I! and serves as the bearing for the up-" per end of spindle 5. A set screw [9 holds the housing I! in place on bushing 13 while a set screw 20 maintains collar I8 in place.

A relatively long, helical wound torque spri 2| of small pitch surrounds spindle 5' withinhousing I1, one end of this spring being con-f nected with 'nut ll while the other end'is con-' nected with collar [8. This spring is madecf relatively light spring'wifre which gives thespring an exceedingly small torque action for each revolution-0f the spindle and reel and which will permit of a substantial number of revolutions of w reel 4, without excessive spring resistancetbeing set up. I l.- When inuse, my improved cord'reel assembly is mounted in connection with a'floor lamp in" the manner hereinbefore described and a rela tively light and flexible electric cord 0 extends" from the globe sockets of the lamp'within skirt" 3 and isthreaded through spindle 5 into cavity 6. From cavity 6 the cord extends through p assage 8 and is then wound about-the reel groove I a number of times,- the outer or freeen'd' of the cord being passed through an opening 0 in one side of the base. This opening'maybe provided with a suitable'grommet if desired. Of course such outer or free end of the cord is pro vided with the usual two-prong plug adapted to engage in an electric outlet socket.

When it is desired to connect the lamp cord 0 with an electric outlet socket the necessary; amount of cord is unreeled from reel 4. .When. this occurs spindle 5 rotates andplacesspring 2| undertorque. As the spring 2l is relatively long and of light torque, a considerable amount of the cord may be taken from the reel without increasing the torque excessively and the cord leading to the outlet socket will normally be held under light tension. Also when not in use the cord will run back onto the reel easily and without snapping back. It is necessary with my construction that the cord C be quite light and flexible in order that it may run back onto the reel under the influence of the light torque spring 2|.

If for any reason it is necessary to remove the cord reel assembly from the lamp as for repair or replacement, the screws l5 need only be removed and the entire assembly can then be Withdrawn.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cord reel assembly for a lamp having a hollow base and a tubular standard, said assembly comprising a reel adapted to be disposed horizontally within the hollow base of the lamp, a vertical spindle projecting upward from the reel and adapted to extend into the tubular lamp standard, means to secure the spindle against longitudinalmovement without restricting the rotation thereof, a helical torque spring surrounding the spindle, and means connecting the spring at one end with the spindle and at the other end with the standard; said last named means comprising a non-turnable bushing mounted within the standard, about the spindle, and a thrust element surrounding the spindle and fixed thereon, said element engaging the upper end of the bushing.

2. A cord reel assembly for a lamp having a hollow'base and a tubular standard, said assembly comprising a reel adapted to be disposed horizontally within the hollow base of the lamp, a vertical spindle projecting upward from the reel and adapted to extend into the tubular lamp standard, a bushing surrounding the lower portion of the spindle, means to secure the bushing within the standard, a thrust element on thespindle and engaging the upper end of the bushing, a bearing collar surrounding the upper end portion of the spindle, means to secure the collar in connection with the standard, and a helical torque spring surrounding the spindle between the thrust ele ment and collar, the adjacent ends of the spring being secured to said element and collar respectively.

3. A device as in claim 2 in which the spindle includes a unitary and surrounding sleeve extending through and projecting beyond the upper end of l the bushing, the projecting portion of said sleeve being threaded; said thrust element comprising a nut on the threaded portion of the sleeve.

4. A cord reel assembly for a lamp havinga hollow base and a tubular standard, said assembly comprising a reel adapted to be disposed horizontally within the hollow base of the lamp, a vertlcal spindle projecting upward from the reel and adapted to extend into the tubular lamp standard, a bushing surrounding the lower portion of the spindle, a flange extending outwardly from the lower-end of the bushing and adapted to engage the under surface of the base, mounting screws extending through the flange from beneath, the reel having an opening therein to afford access to said screws, a thrust element on the spindle and engaging the upper end of the bushing, and a helical torque spring surrounding the spindle, said spring being connected at one end with the thrust element and at the other end with the standard.

5. A cord reel assembly for a lamp having a hollow base and a tubular standard, said assembly comprising a reel adapted to be disposed horizontally within the hollow base of the lamp, a vertical spindle ,projecting upward from the reel and adapted to extend into the tubular lamp standard, a bushing surrounding the lower portion of the spindle, meansv to secure the bushing within the standard, a thrust element on the spindle and engaging the upper end of the bushing, a bearing collar surrounding the upper end portion of the spindle, a housing within the tubular standard and surrounding the spindle in clearance relation, said collar being mounted within the upper portion of the housing, the lower portion of the housing being secured in connection with the bushing, and a helical torque spring surrounding the spindle between the thrust element and collar and secured at adjacent ends thereto.

6. A cord reel assembly for a lamp having a.

hollow base and a tubular standard comprising a cord reel adapted to be disposed in the base, a tubular spindle upstanding from the reel to project into the standard and through which the cord passes to the reel, a bushing about and engaging the spindle immediately above the reel, a thrust element rigid with the spindle above and riding on top of the bushing, a spring mounted in connection with the spindle and bushing and acting to yieldably resist rotation of the spindle in one direction, and means removably mounting the bushing in the base.

'7. A cord reel assembly for a lamp having a hollow base and a tubular standard comprising a cord reel adapted to be disposed in the base, a tubular spindle upstanding from the reel to project into the standard and through which the cord passes to the reel, a bushing about and engaging the spindle immediately above the reel, a thrust element rigid with the spindle above and riding on top of the bushing, a spring mounted in connection with the spindle and bushing and acting to yieldably resist rotation of the spindle in one direction, a flange on the bushing engaging the under face of the base about the standard, and removable screws securing the flange against the base.

8. A cord reel assembly for a lamphaving a hollow base and a tubular standard comprising a cord reel adapted to be disposed in the base, a tubular spindle upstanding from the reel to project into the standard and through which the cord passes to the reel, a bushing about and engaging the spindle immediately above the reel, a thrust element rigid with the spindle above and riding on top of the bushing, a spring mounted in connection with the spindle and bushing and acting to yieldably resist rotation of the spindle in one direction, a flange on the bushing disposed between said base and the reel, and screws securing the flange against the base and inserted from below; the reel having an opening therethrough to register with the screws one at a time to render the same accessible for removal without first removing the reel.

CHRISTOPHER RICHARD STOCKS.