US434038A - Automatic electric-lamp hanger and switch - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.,

O. B, WHITE. AUTOMATIC ELBOTRIG LAMP HANGER AND SWITCH. No. 434,088. Patented Aug. 12,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

osoAR B. WHITE, OF CLEVELAND, oi-no.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC-LAMP HANGER AND SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,038, dated August 12, 1890.

Application filed February 15, 1890. Serial No. 340,641. (No model.) i

i will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same. My lnvention relates to improvements in automatic electric-lamp hangers and switches;

and it consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective. Fig. 2 is a side elevation in section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged elevations in section in detail. Fig. 6 is a plan, partly in sec tion, in detail.

A represents the supporting-cable, that in Fig. 1 is shown connected with poles to a, supposed to be located, for instance, on either side of the street for suspend-ing the electric lamp over the street, usually midway thereof.

B is a block that serves as a carrier and V hanger, the same being usually of cast metal on the supporting-cable. Block B is chambered,'as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, to accommodate sheaves O G and cord or halyard c, the axial bolts 0' of these sheaves serving to hold the two members of the block together.

D is the lamp-holder, the same having an upwardly-projecting arm D, this arm having a slot D in which the one end of halyard c is secured and in which slot,below the end of the halyard, operates pawl (I, the latter being pivoted at d. A spring d is secured in mortise d, the ends of this spring engaging the pawls for forcing the latter apart. Arm D of the lamp-holder is adapted to enter chamber 13 of block B, the walls of this chamber,

on opposite sides thereof, having shoulders I) b and b b, and inclines 12 11*, arranged sub-' stantially as shown, the chamber aboveshoulders b I) being broad enough to allow the pawls to reverse-that is, to turn outward and upward past the plane of their axes. By the arrangement shown of halyard c in what is known as the triple fall, the lamp and lamp-holder are prevented from swaying and whirling, and arm D is guided into chamber B in elevating the lamp. \Vhen the lampholder is detached from block B in raising or lowering the lamp, the normal position of the pawls is bearing against spring (Z and in elevating the lamp, as arm D passes up into chamber B the pawls, by engaging the walls of block 13, are snubbed back that is, the pawls are pressed toward each other against the action of the spring, and as soon as the pawls are elevated above shoulders I) b the recoil of the spring distends the pawls, so that as the halyard is slaokened the ends of the pawls rest on shoulders I) b and in such position support the lamp and lamp-holder.

\Vhen it is desired to lower the lamp, the lamp and lamp-holder are first raised by means of the halyard until the lower ends of the pawls are above shoulders Z) l), whereupon the action of the spring, that has been compressed by the engagement of the pawls with inclines D U, throws the pawls apart to approximately a horizontal position, after which, by lowering the lamp, the pawls reverse to the position shown in Fig. 5 and allow the lamp to descend, for the reason that below shoulders I) b the chamber is not broad enough to allow the pawls to return to their depending position.

WV hen thelamp-holderis entirely disengaged from block 13, the pawls return by gravity to their positions bearing against the spring. Block B is provided with a cross-bar B usually of wood, the extremes of which are provided with insulators b for attaching the electric teed-wires E E. The ends of these wires, by means of suitable binding-posts, (shown at E electrically connect, respectively, with springs 6. These springs are usually of brass or other suitable elastic material that is a good conductor otelectricity. Springs 6 are approximately of the form shown in Fig. 3, and normally bear against each other near the lower ends thereof, so that when the lamp is lowered a closed circuit is had.

The lamp-holder is provided with laterallya asgoss' projecting plates G, the free ends thereof being separated some little distance, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6, these plates being secured on opposite sides of the lamp-holder from which these plates are insulated, and consequently the two plates G are insulated from each other. Each plate G is provided with a binding-post g for attaching the respective wires that lead to and connect with the lamp II. In elevating the lamp the free ends of plates G pass between and separate springs e, and hence when the lamp is in its elevated position the electric circuit of the feed-wires includes the lamp. Plates G are usually of brass, and the rubbing-contact of these plates with springs c in raising and lowering the lamp keep the en gaging-surfaces clean, and hence there is no resistance to the electric current between springs c and plates G. In erecting the device, cable A having been placed in position, the two halves of block B are placed together astride of cable A, and in such position are secured by bolts 0 with sheaves C O in place.

Block B for convenience is usually placed on cable A, next the pole that supports the feed-wires E E, and when the ends of these feed-wires are attached to the lamp-hanger enough slack in these wires is provided to admit of sliding block 13 along cable A to the position desired for the lamp. Next a wire, cord, or cable I is attached to block B and leads from thence to the pole on the other side of the street, and by means thereof the hanger is slid along cable A to the position required, thus drawing the feed-wires taut, whereupon cable I is secured to the pole, whereby the hanger is held in the desired position. Halyard 0 leads from the hanger to the pole that supports the feed-wires E E, and hence the draft of the halyard is sus tained by means of cable I, and does not affeet in the least the feed-wires. The halyard passes through a sheave connected with the pole and leads downward to where it is accessible from the ground. WVhenever it may become necessary to repair block B or attachments thereof, cable I is loosened, and by means of the halyard the hanger is drawn against the pole that supports the feed-wires, whereitis more convenientlyhandled. lVhile the lamp is in its elevated position, being supported, as aforesaid, by the pawls, the halyard remains idle, and the halyard, that is usually fastened some distance up the pole, where it is out of the way, should it become loosened will not affect the lampin the least.

lVhat I claim is w 1. The combination, with a lamp-supporting block having an internal ledge therein and a detachable and vertically movable lampholder, of one or more self-acting pawls, combined with the lamp-holder and adapted to engage the ledge in the block and lock the lamp-holder in its raised position and to be automatically disengaged from the block by raising the pawl above the ledge into a space large enough for it to reverse, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with alamp-supporting block and a detachable and vertically-movable lamp-holder, the block havinga chamber and the lamp-holder having an extension adapted to enter such chamber, of gravitypawls, combined with the lamp-holder and adapted to engage an internal ledge of the block, and a spring for distending the pawls, the said chamber of the block having an e11- largcd section in which the pawls may reverse, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a lamp-supportin g block provided with a cross-bar, combined with the electric feed-wires, the latter being electrically connected by springs extending from the cross-bar and normally engaging each other, of a detached and vertically-movable lamp-holder provided with projecting members connected electrically with the respective poles of the lamp, such projecting members being adapted to engage and separate the spring of the feed-wires in elevating the lamp-holder, and means for detachably locking the lamp-holder to the supportingblock, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, thislOth day of January, 1890.

OSCAR l3. WVI'IITE.

Witnesses:

C. H. Donna, WILL B. SAGE.

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