US996963A

US996963A - Electric-lamp cluster.

Info

Publication number: US996963A
Application number: US44732708A
Authority: US
Inventors: Reuben B Benjamin
Original assignee: Benjamin Electric Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Benjamin Electric Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1908-08-06
Filing date: 1908-08-06
Publication date: 1911-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 1928-07-04

Description

11. B. BENJAMIN.

ELECTRIC L5H? CLUSTEEV I urmouxon rum: we. 5, 12am.

. I 4 996,963. Patented July 1911.

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'R. B. BENJAMIN. m c'rmc LAMP GLUSTEB. APPLIGLTION FILED AUG. 6, 1908.

Patented July 4, 1911.

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Q 1 2x672 or: $52 t; I -fi UN] TED STATES PATENT REUBEN B. BENJ AMIN, F CHICAGd, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC .MANUFACTURIHG COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

' i ELECTRIC-LAMP CLUSTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 8, 1908. Serial No. 447,327.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Inn proveinents in ElectrieLarnp Clusters, of which the following isa full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. a

This invention relates 'to electric lamp clusters of that class in which a plurality of lamp sockets are supported from a central hollow body. In such clusters, as heretofore constructed, it has been usual to connectthe socket to the hollow body by means of intermediate conductor-containing pipes.

One method consisted in securing a pluralit of hollow stems to the hollow body in such manner as to project radially therefrom, the

. other ends of said hollow stems carrying --bet,\veen the hollow body and the 7 facture and neat in appearance, while affording facilities for the ready; insertion and connection of the conductors.

It. is another object of this invention to provide means for securing the lamp sockets to the hollow body without the necessity of using intermediate pipes or the like.

if or a full understanding of the invention reference is to be. had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a partly sectional elevation of a cluster according to my invention,

adapted to be secured to a conduit; Fig. 2 1s a plan of the device shown in Flg. 1, showing the lamp sockets turned through a i right angle; Fig. 3 is a section on the line S-3 of Fig. 1, looking 111 the direction of the arrows; fig. 4 is a erspcctive view of the 'hollow supporting lOdyRVltl'l the cap and the lamp sockets removed; Fig-'5 is a perspective view illustrating my preferred means for connecting the lamp sockets to the supporting body; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the cap;

Fig. 7 is a partly sectional elevation of a device similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but provided with a plug for use in connection with a socket; and Fig. 8 shows a modified form of my device.

Like characters of reference refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the specification and drawings.

The lamp cluster consists of a hollow supporting body 10, preferably'of spherical shape, to which are secured a plurality of lamp sockets 11, these sockets being of the. class known as angle sockets. I have illustrated a device having two of these lamp sockets attached to the supporting body 10, but three or more mav be used if desired, the number being limited only by the relative size of the supporting body 10 and the sockets l1.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, the supporting body 10 is provided with circumfcrentially disposed openings 12 through which pass the tubular portions 13 of hollow, eyelet-shaped connecting members 14 which are secured to the angle sockets 11 and serve to connect: the 35 latter to the supporting body. Each angle socket- 11 is, in the form of my device illustrated, formed with a hollow preferably rectangular boss 15 extending from the side thereof. The boss 15 is formed" with an aperture 16 of approximately the saine'sizh as the aperturcs 12 of the supporting bod Through the apertures 16 and 12 exten s the tubular portion 13 of the eyelet.or coni nccting member 14, which latter is, at its outer end, flanged outwardly at 17 ot'er a washer 18, so as to confine the latter between the flange l7 and the inner face of the hollow boss .15. In assembling the parts, the

washer 18 is firmly gripped between the flange 17 and the inner. face of the boss 15 so that a rigid connection is effected between the connecting n1ember,14 and the boss 15. The connectin eyelet members 14 are flared outwardly wit in the supporting body 10 to form curved flanges 19, the curvature of which corresponds with the inner curvature of the supporting body 10. This operation of outwardly flaring the inner .ends of the connecting members M is so conducted that Patented July 4, 1911.

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t i i 1 l the outer surface of the flanges 19 will slidably bear against the inner surface of the supporting body, while the outer surface of the hollow bosses 15 will slidably bear against the. outer surface of the supporting body. whereby the lamp sockets 11 may be readily swivelcd lelatively to the supporting body 10. pair of inwardly extending cxcrescences 20. the purpose of which will hereinafter appear, are formed upon the flange 19 The supporting body 10 is formed with a large aperture 21, over which is adapted to be placed a cover 22, to he hereinafter described. The body portion it) is stamped inwardly at certain points, located adjacent the edge of the aperture :Zl approximately in a line with the apertures 1:2, to forut guide strips 312". Lccking lingers 2'3 are so placed in the supporting body that they hear, at the inner faces of their upper ends, against the strips '32. and, at the outer faces of their lower ends. against the inner surfaces of the flanges 19 of the eyelet members H. Screws 2- passing through apertures 25 formed in the body portion adjacent the strips 22- and entering the locking fingers 23, are adapted totighten the. locking tingers :23 against the flanges 19 and thus clamp the latter against .the inner surface of the supporting body 10, whereby the vlamp socket is locked in any position to which it may have been turned. By engaging against the locking linger 23, the excresccnces 20 prevent the turning of the lamp sockets to more than a certain predetermined cxtcnt in either direction. so that any possibility is precluded of the lamp'socket being turned several times in the same directiolt. thereby twisting the conductors and possibly detaching one of them from the binding terminal of the socket.

The cap 22 is of (airrcspo-nding shape to the body portion and, in the construction illustrated, is of partial spherical form. The cap 22 is provided with bayonet slots 26, which will usually he equal in nmuber to the lamp socketsemployed. 'lhc screws-24 .are made to engage,' with their shanks, in the bayonet slots 26 before being tightened to cinnp the angle sockets in position so that,when the screws 24 have been tightened the cap 22 is locked in position and cannot be removed without loosening the screws 24. The cap 22 is suitably apertured to receive an internally scrcw-threzuicd collar 2710' be secured to a conductor-containing conduit or the like. i

In using the lamp cluster, the cap 2.? is first firmly secured to a conduit or thmlike, the conductors being pulled through the col- 'Iar 27.. The conductors are then inserted i1.-.o the supporting body 10 and passed through the connecting eyelet members It into the interior of the lamp sockets, which latter are provided with removable caps 23. The Sockets 11 are preferably formed with spring catches ll normally engaging the caps .23 but capable of being moved, by the pressure of a finger, out of engagement therewith. When the caps 28 are removed, the top faces of the insulating bases within. the sockets and the binding terminals .29 carried by these bases are exposed so that -the connecting of the comluctors is a very simple matter. When etl'ecting these conncctions sufiicient slack wire is left to enable the socket to he turned-in either direction relatively to the hollow body. In previous clusters of this class it has been necessary to remove the sockets in order to wire the same, since the soclus were. supported by their caps which latter were carried upon pieces of tubing secured to the hollow body sockets 11 are then turned to the positions which they arerequit'ed to assume and the screws 24 are tightened so as to clamp the lamp sockets in position relatively to the supporting body 10 and to hack the latter in its connection with the cap 22.

In cases where it is desired to use the lamp cluster in connection with wall sockets or the like the. cap 2'12 is provided, as shown in Fig. 7, with a plug attachment 30. In this case the cap 22 is formed with a boss 31, through which passes a tubular portion 39 of the plug. The portion 212 is enlarged outside the cap 22 to form a shoulder 33 hetween wlnch and the boss 31 is ntserteda washer 34. The tubular part 32 is bentover' within the cap 22 to form a flange 35, between which and the inner face of the boss 31 is inserted a washer 36. in assembling the parts, the washers 3t and 36 are firmly compressed between the shoulder 3 and the flange .35, whereby a secure connection is made bet ween the plug and the cover in the modification illustrated in Fi 8, the cap 92 is dispensed with, the collar .27 being directly mounted in the supporting body 10. in this case an opening 37 is formed in the supporting body 10, such opening being preferably located diametrically opposite the collar 27. the material of the supporting body 10 being bent inwardly at the edge of the opening 37 to form a' screw threaded flange 3. circular cover 39, having a screw threaded peripheral por- "tiori 40, is adapted to screw into and close .the opening 37. In this case the screws 2i are only required to secure the sockets againstturning, hence the slitted and stamped-in strips 22* may be dispensed with, thelocl-ting fingers 23 being provided with outwardly iijent -ends 41 projecting through suitable holes in the supporting body.

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

1. An electric lamp cluster comprising a hollow supporting body; a plurality of lamp sockets; and a plurality of connecting members, one for each lamp'sccket, said connecting members being rigidly fixed at their outer ends to the sides of the lamp sockets and being attached at their inncrcnds to said supporting body. a

An electric lighting device-comprising a hollow supporting body; a plurality of lamp sockets having binding terminals :Iaml a plurality ofjconnecting members. one for each lam socket, said connecting members beinglho low for the passage of conductors to the binding terminals" and rigidly fixed at their outer ends to the sides of the lamp 7 sockets and being rockably attached at their inner ends to said supporting body.

3. An electric lamp cluster comprising a hollow supporting body having a plurality of apertures therein; a plurality of lamp bodywiththe apertures ofthe bosses. registering respectivelyfwith the apertures of sockets, ea'ch lamp socket having a easing shell formed with a. hollow boss'extend' ing at ri ht angles with the axis of the lamp and iaving an aperture formed therein; and means for securing the outer faces of said hollow bosses directly against the outer surface of said supporting body in such manner that the apertures. of the bosses will respectively register with the apertures of the supporting body.

4. Ari-electric lamp cluster comprising a-- hollow supporting body having a plurality. of apertures therein; a pluralityof lamp sockets, each'lamp socket being formed with a hollow boss having an aperture formed therein; and means for rockably securing the outer faces of said hollow bosses directly against the outer surface of said supporting the supporting body.

5. An electric lamp cluster comprising a hollow supportin body; -a plurality of lamp sockets rocliably con'nected lat their sidcs' to said supporting hody;2'and means for limiting the rocking movementof said lal'nptsocketsineither directionfl; 5

i 6, An electric lamp cluster cdmprising a hollow supporting body; a plurality of lamp sockets rockably connected at their sides lto' said supporting body; and means for locking said lamp sockets in any desired position.

means for limiting the rocking movementof said lam sockets in either direction; and means for ocking said lamp sockets in any desired position. i

8. An electric-lamp cluster comprising a hollow sup )orting body having an aperture formed therein; a plurality of lamp sockets having each a casmg provided with an integral lateral extension swiveling connection betweenlsaid supporting body and each of said casing extensions a- Cadetachably connected to said supporting y for closing the a erture thereof; and means for conneetingtiic cluster to a conductor-containing su port.

prising a hollow supporting hody'having an aperture formed therein; a socket swrvel-. ingly connected to said supporting. body; a cap for closin said aperture, said cap being provided with means for connecting the same with a conductor-containin support,

and means for securing said he y to said sockets having swiveling-connection with said supporting bod a-cap for closing said aperture, said cap in ving bayonet connec' tion with said supportingbody and said cap being provided with means for connec- 7 tion with a conductor-containing support, Hand means for locking said cap in position coking said sockets and simultaneously against rotation] 11. An electric lamp cluster comprising a hollow supporting body having an aper tore therein; a plurality of lam sockets rockably connected to said supporting body; a cap for closing the said aperture, said cap having bayonet slots therein; and means, goiiperating with the bayonet; slots of the mp; for locking the cap in-positionion' the ing the lamn sockets in position.

a hollow supportin d having a pinrality of'aperturcs ormed therein; a plurality of lamp sockets; and a plurality f hollow eyelebshaped connecting -members, one for each lam socket, each vconnecting 9. An e ectric lamp-hold 1g device eoin- 12. Anhel ectriclampcluster comprising supporting. body and at the same time lock- 4 scopes of apertures formed therein; a plurality of lamp sockets; a plurality of eyelet-shaped connecting members, one for each lamp socket, each connecting member being rigidly secured at one end to a lamp socket and passing through an aperture of the supporting body and being flared out Within the supporting body so as to form a rocking connection between said lamp sockets and said supporting bod and means for limiting the rocking movementof the lamp sockets. in either direction.

14. An electric lamp clnhter comprising a hollow supporting body-"having an aperture formed therein; a lamp socket; an eyelet-shaped connecting: member rigidly secured at one end to the-lamp socket and passing through the aperture of'the supporting body and being flared out to form a flange within the supporting body so as to effect a I'OCl-Ill'l" connection between the lamp socket and the supporting body; and means, engaging said flange, for locking the lamp socket in any desired position.

15. An electric lamp cluster comprising. a hollow supporting body having an ape:-

ture formed therein; a lamp socket; an eyelet-shaped connecting member rigidly secured at one end to the lamp socket and passing through the aperture of'the supporting body and being flared out to form a flange within the supporting body, so as to efiect a rockingiconnectiou between the lamp socket and tire supporting body, said thereupon; and means, located in the path of said exoreseence, for limiting the rocking movement of the lamp socket.

16. An electric lamp-holding device com prising a hollow supporting body having an aperture therein, a socketswivelingly conregistering with the aperture of the body and having binding terminals, and a cap normally concealing said binding terminals and made removable to afford access to said terminals.

17. In a lamp-holding device, the combination of a hollow body having an aperture, with a socket. comprisin" a casing having an aperture therein sain casing beinglsecured to said body with its aperture in register with the aperture of the body, binding terminals within said casing,, and a cap normally concealing said terminals and made removable to expose the same.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two wituesses;

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. Witnesses:

CHARLES G. COPE, CHAS. L. HOPKINS.

flange being formed with an excresoence nccted to said body in position to cover said aperture, said socket having an aperture