US544505A - Frank g - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. G. ECHOLS.

SAL'ISPBNDING DEVICE FOR LAMPS. No. 544,505. Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

(No Model.)

F. G. ECHO LS. SUSPENDING DEVICE PoR LAMPS.

Patented Aug. 13,1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK G. ECHOLS, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PLUME la ATWOOD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

sUsPENDlNc DEfvlcE FoR LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,505, dated August 13, 1895.

Application led October 8, 1894.

,To all whom it may camera:

Beit known that I, FRANK G. ECHOLS, of Wlaterbury,` in the county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented an .Im-j provement in Suspending Devices for Lamps, of which the following is a specification'. l

The suspending devices which have heretofore been provided for oil-lamps have usually had a spring sufficiently strong for vsupporting the Weight of the lamp or other article and a pawl or other blocking device to act in preventing rotation of the spring-barrel, and thereby holding the lamp in a given position, and in some instances the pawl or blocking device has been thrown out of action by moving the lam-p laterally in one direction or another. t

The present invention is made for simplifying the construction of the parts and lessening their expense, and at the same time for allowing the lamp or other device to be drawn up or down with rapidity and without interruption and for reliably holding the parts in any given position by the action of a ball that is caused to roll in between a stationary and 'a moving part of the fixture, and thereby prevent the spring drawing up the lamp untilsuch lamp has been slightly drawnV down, to relieve the pressure upon the ball and allow it to roll out of. the way and permit the rotation of the spring-barrel in one direction or the other.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan View, partially in section, representing the improvement with the ball in position for preventing the rotation of the spring-barrel. Fig. 2 is a section of the line a: :c of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the spring-barrel and yoke at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view below the line y y, Fig. 3, showing also a guide-finger as added to the hub of the spring barrel head; and Fig. 5 is a diagram of a modification.

The yoke A is usually provided with a bail or hook A', and the axis B of the spring-barrel C is supported by the yoke, and there are sheaves or rollers D, over which pass the chains E, that descend through the crown or cap G to the cross-bar H, to which the lamp VSerial No. 525,200. (No model.)

or other article to be suspended is hooked or otherwise connected, and the upper ends of the chain E are fastened to the exterior surface of the spring-barrel C, as is usual in lampsupports that have heretofore been made, and it is to be lunderstood that the strength of the spring isto be suflicient for supporting the weight of the lamp and for drawing the same up when not otherwise acted upon.

vTheiupper end or head I of the spring-barrel is made with an internal ratchet, the b'ottorn plate 2 of which may be slightly concave, and the rim is made asaseries of steps or internal ratchet-teeth 3,and there is a ball K, preferably of hard metal, that is free to roll upon the bottom plate 2 'of the internal ratchet 3, and when out of action the ball rolls toward the center portion of the plate 2,

Vbut when thrown outwardly, either by centrifugal action or by the tipping of the axis of the spring-barrel, by a lateral movement given to the lamp, the ball K rolls into one of the internal ratchet-teeth 3 of the rim and inter-k venes between the same and the stop L upon the yoke A, so that the further movement of the spring and barrel is effectually prevented, and the parts held by the pressure of the spring until such pressure is removed by pulling down the lamp and allowing the ball to roll toward the middle of the bottom plate 2.

The stop L is connected with the yoke A, preferably by a plate extending across over the ball to the cross-bar of the yoke, the stop L being a flange depending from the plate L', and the downwardly-projecting flanges N are advantageously employed below the yoke A and within the internal ratchet, so as to coniine 4the ball Kapproximately to ythe position where itcomes into operation; and it will now be understood that when the lamp is drawn down the ball K remains upon 'the bottom plate 2 near the middle portion'thereof, and the lamp can be freely raised or lowered so long as the ball remains near the middle portion of the bottom plate 2; but should the lamp'be moved upwardly with sufficient speed for the centrifugal force of the rotating internal ratchet to throw the ball K outwardly, it

3 of the rim and forms an effectual block between such ratchet-tooth and stop L, thus preventing the lamp being drawn upwardly with rapidity should the hold upon the lamp be lessened; and when manipulating the lamp by hand it is advantageous to draw the same down to the desired place and move the lamp laterally,so that the ball rolls in between one of the internal ratchetteeth 3 of the rim and the stop L, and by allowing the spring to draw up the lamp slightly said ball is clamped vand held in position, so that it cannot escape until the lamp has been drawn down again slightly; and when the lamp is to be elevated it is only necessary to apply sufficient force in pulling the lamp down to liberate the ball K, so that it will roll toward the middle part of the bottom plate 2 and remain out of action while the lamp or other article is moved up or down. t

It is advantageous to cast the arbor B and the lower part ll of the yoke-frame and the vertical standards 12 all in one, as shown in Fig. 3, and to slot the arbor for theinner end of the spring, so that the barrel C can be put in place around the arbor B and then the spring be inserted into the barrel, and the head or top plate I ot' the spring-barrel is then placed around the arbor B and the lugs 13.0f the spring-barrel pass into mortises in this head I.

The top bar or yoke A has a central hole for the arbor B, and when put in place its ends receive the upper ends of the standards 12. The capi-piece 14 is now placed upon the arbor B with the inwardly-projecting ends of the bail A in notches in its' under side, and a cross pin or bow'l is passed through a hole or notches in the arbor B and secures all the parts together in the most reliable manner, and there is but little laborin finishing and assembling the parts, and the bail can be turned down to lessen the space occupied in packing the suspending device for transportation. In some instances a guide-finger O is` used, the same being formed of a strip of metal extending nearly radially and having a spring eye or coil around the hub of the spring-barrel head, so that when the barrel is rotated in drawing the lamp down the guide-finger O is against the flange N and the hub of the head turns in its eye, and when the spring is acting to draw up the lamp the guide O is moved by friction against the end ot the Iiange L. Hence the ball is kept out of action except when the parts are tipped after a slight downward movement has been given to move the guide-finger away from the end of the tiange L and allow the ball to roll outwardly, and the linger O will then rest against the ball, as shown in Fig. 4, while the ball forms the stop between the end of L and the internal ratchet 3.

In cases where the ratchet-teeth are around the hub of the cylinder-head the ball will act as a stop between the same and the iiange L when the ball is rolled toward the centenas illustrated in the diagram Fig. 5.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with a spring barrel having a vertical axis, of a nearly level suri tace, a ball adapted to roll upon that surface,

a stationary angular stop and a tooth or angular stop moving with the spring barrel and adapted to clear the stationary stop when the spring barrel is rotated, the ball acting to arrest the movement of the spring barrel when rolled in between the stationary and moving stop, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a yoke frame having a central pin and a suspending device at the upper end, of a spring surrounding the pin, a barrel with which the outer end ot the spring is connected, and chains or cords eX- tending to the article to be suspended and connected to and wound upon the spring barrel,

a nearly fiat head for the upper end of the spring barrel, and a surrounding rim provided with internal ratchet teeth, a stop connected with the yoke frame and extending down within the rim of the head but out of contact with the ratchet teeth, and a ball upon the head adapted to intervene between the ratchet teeth and the stationary stop for arresting the Inovement of the spring barrel, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a suspending de# vice and a spring barrel, of anearly tlat head to the spring barrel, a ball upon such` head, a stationary stop connected with the suspending device, teeth that are rotated with the spring barrel but out of contact with the stationary stop, the rotation of the parts being arrested when the ball intervenes between the stationary and moving parts, substantially as set forth..

4t. The combination with a spring barrel and suspending devices, of a stationary stop-upon 4the suspending devices, a nearly level plate or head connected with the spring barrel and having a surrounding rim with inwardlyprojectin g ratchet teeth that arefree to be moved without coming in contact with the stationary stop, a ball upon the head adapted to roll in between the stop and the ratchet teeth for arresting the movement of the spring barrel, and flanges for retaining the ball in its proper position, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the yoke frame having a central pin and a suspending device, ot a volute spring the inner end of which is engaged by the central pin, a spring barrel surrounding and rotating upon the central pin and connected with the outer end ofthe spring, cords or chains to the article to be suspended and pulleys over which they pass, a nearly level top head to the spring barrel having a rim around its edge with inwardly projecting ratchet teeth, a ball resting upon this top head, and a stationary stop connected with the cross bar of the yoke and extending down withinv teeth and stop, and a. guide Vfinger moved by the rim and with which stop the ball comes the spring barrel, substantially as specified. xo into contact when arresting the movement of Signed by me this 1st day of October, 1894. the ratchet teeth and spring barrel, substan- 3 tially as set forth. F. G. ECHOLS.

6. The combination wit-h the spring barrel, Witnesses: i

circular ratchet, stationary stop and suspend- J. H. HURLBUT, ing devices, of a ball to engage the ratchet L. J. ATWOOD.

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