US348049A

US348049A - Charles g

Info

Publication number: US348049A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1886-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 1903-08-24

Description

(No Model.)

C. G. PERKINS,

PUSIBLB GUT-OUT FOR INGANDESGBNT ELECTRIC LAMPS. No. 348,049. Patented Aug. 24, 1886.

WITNESSBS: INVBNTOR UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICEu CHARLES G. PERKINS, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE IMPERIAL ELEC/TRIO LIGHT COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FUSEBLE CUT-OUT FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming peut of Letters Patent No. 348,049, dated August 24,1886.

(No model.`

T all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, CnAnLEs G. PERKiNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county ol' New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fusible Gut-Outs for Electric Incandescent Lamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will 1o enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to fusible cut-outs for electric incandescent lamps, and has for ils object, in common with other inventions of its class, to provide, in connection with every lamp and in close proximity thereto, means whereby the lamp is automatically cut out when there is an excess of current on theline.

My improvement consists, mainly, in so con- 2@ structing such cut-outs that itshall be mechanically impossible to push the safety-plugs into place without making the proper electrical contacts, that the contacts, when made, shall be electrically good, and that thesafety-plugs shall be easy ot' restoration in case of destruction in use or from any canse whatever.

A secondary object of my improvement is to make a necessary attachment to an electric incandescent lamp serve also as an ornament 3o when mounted for use.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention, I will now describe its construetion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l represents an incandescent lamp and lamp-socket, together with my improved cut-out and a device for coupling it to an electrolier or bracket. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of my improved cut-out, and it also shows in to section the coupling device mentioned above. Fig. 3 is a plan of myimproved cut-out. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the safety plug which forms a part of my cut-out, and Fig. 5 is a detail of one part ofthe coupling device.

The lamp A and thesocket I3 may be of any ordinary construction, though I have shown my multiple carbon lamp and my socket having switch operating mechanism projecting through its side.

The lamp and the socket form no part of my present invention, and are not claimed in this application.

C is my cut-out, and itconsists of an inclosing insulating-ball, I), and a removable safety- 1.ilng,E,containcd within a cavity in the same. The insulating-ball carries the usual circuitterminals, and has secured to it the screwthreaded top and bottom pieces, d d, for attachment, respeetivcly,to the lamp-socket and the lamp fixture or support. The terminals consist in this instance of the rings e e, connected by the wire w', and the pins or screws h 7L', which make contact, when the cut-cutis in position, with correspondingrings and pins in the socket and support. The safety-plug E carries the contactsprings m in for making electrical contact with the pins 7L 7L when the plug is pushed into place. The pins 7L h project into the space occupied by the safety-plug E far enough to make contact with the springs. A thumb-piece, n, on the safety-plug Il] furnishes convenient means for witlulrawing` it or putting it into its place at will. A fusible wire, w, joins the two springs in in', and is held in place by the same screws which attach the springs to the plug. To give greater length and resistance to the safetywire it may be passed, as shown, through a perforation, s, eX- tending through the body of the plug. It will of course be understood that the pins 71. It and and the rings c e form parts, respectively, of the direct and return circuits of the lamp, which, being understood, it is also clear that the safety-wire w normally' formsa part ofthe lamp-circuit, and thatit will be fused or melted in case the current on thelamp-eircuit becomes excessive. The plug E has notches on oppoJ site sides, as shown, and these notches receive the ends of the springs m m and those of the pins h 7L', the plug having suitable depressions to allow the springs some play. The notches serve as guides to carry the springs always into contact with the pins h h', as the plug cannot be pushed into place until the notches come into line with the said pins. The rings e e are in reality springs which are attached at one end to the insulating-ball countersunk in the same for the greater part of their length, and raised at the opposite end to form a spring contact with countersunk IOC electric-lamp iixture.

rings on the socket and fixture, respectively. The shading in Fig. 3 shows the raised end of the spring.

Thetop and bottom pieces, d d', will usually be made after an ornamental pattern, and

these, taken in connection with the ball, will -to the end of a bracket-arm and to the bottom of the cut-out. I isan insulating-piece adapted to fit into the upper part of the ring 0, and having the pin orpdiskY terminal 71l and the counter-sunk ring terminale, to the,

former of which the wire W is attached, and to the latter the wire WV. To make the connection, the ring O is iirst secured in place on a fixture, andthe insulating-piece T fitted loosely in the ring. The cut out is then screwed down, and the circuit is complete through wire WV, pin h, pin h', spring m', safety-wire w, spring m, pin h, up through the lamp, when the switch is in the right posil tion, and back through ring e, wire w,ring e',

ring e, and wire W.

The coupling device above described is not claimed herein, as it forms the subject of a distinct application filed atthe same time herewith, and covering a coupling device for electrical conductors.

I have represented my ring O as being provided with screwthreads forjoining it to the lamp-support and to the cut-out; but any other suitable means of attachment may be employed, if preferred.

So far as my present invention is concerned I do not desire that it be limited by the fact that I show it in connection with my coupling device, as my cut-out may be used with other coupling devices or it may be joined directly to the end of a iiXture-ar'm,if the arm is suitably constructed. In fact, my coupler, when secured in position, becomes the end of the supporting-arm, and for present purposes may be regarded asa permanent part thereof.

Owing. to the fact that the pins or screws h h extend into the notches in the plug, that is extend beyond the outer surface thereof, the plugcannot be thrust into place until it has been turned so. as to bring the notches into line with the pins or screws. When it has been so turned, it can easily be pushed in, as the springs will yield on being pushed against the rounded ends of the pins.- VBy reason of their resiliency they will then preserve good electrical contact with the pins.

Having now described my invention, what I claim,and desi rc to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

The combination, with a safety-plug having notches, substantially as described, of contactsprings located within the notches and circuitterminals adapted to projectinto the notches, whereby the plug is prevented from being pushed into place until the contacts are in line, and whereby spring connection is preserved between the contacts when the plug is in position.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES G. PERKINS.

` Witnesses: y

GEO. C. COFFIN, GEO. C. WILDE.