US512448A - Socket for incandescent lamps - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Modem T. L. PPARR, Jr. SOCKET FOR INOANDESGENT LAMPS.

I No. 512,448 Patentd Jan. 9, 1894. r

II llll llllilllu Ill lllllizi i [LEW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. PFARR, JR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

S OCKET FOR INCANDESCENT LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,448, dated January 9, 1894. Application filed February 13, 1893. Serial No. 462,094. (No model.)

T at whom at may concern.-

. tion with incandescent lamps.

Heretofore where incandescent lamps have been employed for lighting purposes, and it was desired to transmit light or power from one of such lamps, permanently secured to a bracket, to a distant point, as for instance to i a drop light or toa motor for operating a fan or other contrivance, it was necessary to remove the bulb from the lamp and insert a plug in the lamp socket with conductors at tached thereto of sufficient length to carry the electricity to the point of use. Such a connection was of necessity made at the expense of the light in the lamp from which the connection was made to the drop-light or motor. It was impossible, therefore, to trans unit the electricity from the fixed lamp to a distant point to supply another lamp or a motor, and yet have the benefitof the light in the fixed lamp.

The object of my-invention is to provide a socket and plug by. means of which the electricity may be transmitted from one fixed lamp to a distant point to be used for lighting or other purposes without dispensing withthe light afforded by said fixed lamp unless so desired. I

To these ends my invention comprises, generally stated, a bulb holder for an incandescent lamp having terminals therein adapted to connect with the supply wires, and a loop containing a switch leading from said terminals to the lamp of a removable branch fitting or plug having contact points and adapted to enter through the side of the bulb holder and contact with the terminals beyond the loop and switch in the bulb holder, so providing for carrying the current from the bulb holder to a drop light, motor, or like device, without interfering with the burning of the lamp supported in the bulb holder.

It also consists in certain other improvements in connection with the device as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

' To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view illustrating-the electro- I lier with branches therefrom to run a motor, or for a drop-light. Fig. 2 is a cross section illustrating the connection between the bulb holder and the branch fitting or plug. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views of another form of the device, and Figs. 5 and 6 are views of the bulb holder showing the movable collar.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each View.

As above indicated, the object ofthe invention is to provide for the branch fittings to be applied to the bulb holder, and in the accompanying drawings the bulb holder is represented at at having the bulb or lamp b, two such bulb holders and lamps being illustrated in Fig. 1, while a branch fitting c is connected to each such bulb holder, one extending to the motor operating a fan d, and the other extending to the drop-light e upon a table 6, the connections from the bulb holder to the drop-light or fan being made by means of the usual covered wires. In the ordinary construction of the bulb holder the current is carried to the same through suitable wires, the one Wire being connected to the binding screw f and thence to the spring fingers f retaining the bulb, while the other is connected to the contact spring of the bulb holder through the binding screw g, the current from the two wires being thus carried to the carbon filament within the lamp. For the purpose of making connection with these two binding screws or contact surfacesfg I connect to them the contact pieces f 2 g which extend toward one side of the bulb case, the form thereof being preferably that of spring lips so as to engage with the contact points of the branch fitting c. The contact pieces f 2 g are arranged oppoite the openings h it formed in the side of the shell or case a of the bulb ,holder, these openings providing for the entrance of the branch fitting which has the hollow insulated tubes or like projecting portions 0 within which are the contact points 7c 70, which also preferably have the form of spring lips, as shown, and which, when the tubes 0' 0 pass through the openings 72. it, provide for the bringing of the contact points k 70' into engagement with the contact pieces f 2 The connection from the bindingscrews fg to the contact pieces is made in any suitable way, and is made above the key i which turns on or cuts the current 01f the lampheld within the bulb holder, so that the current is taken from the conductorsin such position that it does not interfere with the turning on or turning olt' of the lamp held in the bulb holder, adding simply another short circuit through the main conductors to which the wires feeding the current to the bulb holder are connected. U The contact pieces 7a k are connected to suitable conductors within the plug or branch-fitting c, the wires to carry the current from the branch fitting being c011- neeted to suitable binding screws therein and leading thence to the drop-light which contains a like bulb holder, so that the light is carried from the main bulb holder on the electrolier to the drop-light, and the current can be arranged by the turning of the ordinary switches within the bulb holders so as to feed both the lamp on the main bulb holder on the electrolier and that on the drop light. In the same way the current is carried to the motor, or other like connections with which it is to be utilized.

The construction of the branch fitting can, of course, be varied according to the bulb holder with which it is to be connected, the construction shown in Fig. 2 being that usually employed with the ordinary Edison lamp in which the binding screws for the wires are located some distance from each other, and the key or switch between them, and therefore two openings in the side of the shell a are required, and the contact pieces of the branch fitting pass through the same to make contact with the conductors of the bulbholder. In such case the branch fitting consists of a small case or box 0 of suitable shape, having the wires leading from the contact points 7.; k to suitable binding screws k 71: therein and suitable insulating material being employed so as to prevent the current from passing between the said binding screws, the wire cords 70 70 leading from said binding screws, this being a very simple construction. Another example of the device when applied to another form of bulb holder is shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, the binding screws Z Z to which the wires are connected being seated in a suitable insulating block, and extending through the same and connected to suitable contact springs with which the bulb engages. In such case I can eniploya single tube, or like projecting piece from the branch fitting, which will contain both of the contact fingers or points, the same being insulated from each other by a suitable longitudinal strip within the tube, and the case of the bulb holder having only one opening in the side thereof, and the tube being passed into the bulb holder so that its contact points engage with the binding screws or like surfaces. For such purpose, it may be necessary to change somewhat the form of the device by drawing the binding screw to one side so as to permit the entrance of the tube. This is clearly shown in Fig. 4., in which an is the insulating block having the binding screws Z Z to which the wires are connected,said clamps also being connected to the contact springs with which the bulb is brought into contact when held in the bulb holder. The branch fitting 19 has extending out from one side thereof the tube 1', which tube contains both contact pieces .9 s which are separated by the insulating strip 7 extending longitudinally of the tube. When such tube is inserted through the opening k in the side of the shell of the bulb holder, its contact pieces 3 s will be broughti nto contact with the clamps Z Z, and the current is thus conducted into the branch fitting, the contact pieces s s being connected to suitable binding screws t t to which the wires are connected.

Further illustration of the device is not considered necessary, as the principle of this construction is above clearly set forth.

When in use, as the branch fitting is removable from the bulb holder, the user can simply insert its contact points into the opening or openings in the side of-the bulb holder, so that they are brought into electrical connection with the positively and negatively charged surfaces, and the current will pass through the contact points into the branch fitting and thence by the wire cords to the lamp, or motor operating the fan, or like device. This will not in any way interfere with the use of the lamp in the main bulb holder, as by turning the key the said lamp can be lighted and used independently of connection to the drop-light, fan, or other like device. When it is not desired to use the side withdraw the branch fitting or plug from the bulb holder, when the circuit to the droplight, fan, &c., is immediately broken. For the purpose of covering the openings in the sides of the bulb holder, a suitable collar to may be employed, which can be slipped around the body of the bulb holder so as to expose theopening or openings therein, and when the branch fitting is removed from the bulb holder, such collar can he slipped over the opening or openings.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a bulb holder for an incandescentlamp having terminals therein adapted to connect with the supply wires, and a loop containing a switch and leading from said terminals to the lamp, of a removable branch fitting or plug having contact points and adapted to enter through the side of the bulb holder and contact with the terpieces containing spring contact points adapted to engage with the spring contact pieces of the bulb holder, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination with a bulb holder for an incandescent lamp, having charged sur- 15 faces therein, and having one or more openings in the side of the case thereof, of a branch fitting or plug havingcontact points adapted to enter said openings, a movable collar on said bulb holder adapted by its movement to 20 cover or uncover said openings, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said THOMAS L. PFARR, Jr., have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS L. PFARR, JR. Witnesses:

RoB'r. D. TOTTEN, J. N. OooKE.

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