USRE12931E - Reuben b - Google Patents

Description

R. B. BENJAMIN.

PLUBAL LAMP SOCKET. APPLICATION FILED rmms. 1909.

Reissued Mar. 30,1909. 12,931. I

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' PLUBAL LAMP socm'r.

AYPLIOATIOH FILED 11513.23. 1909. Reissued Mar. 30,1909.

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. UNITED STATES vPAT'Eisrr OFFICE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC ,MAMNU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

LINOIS, A CORPORATION QF ILLINOIS.

PLU'aAL Lamsocimr.

Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Beinued Mar. 80, 1.90.9.`

Original No. 818,589, dated February 16, 1900,l Serial No. 888,078. Application for reissue tiled February 88, 1909. Serial No. 479,676. Y

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that II REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements 'in Plural Lamp -Sockets, of

which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, relciencebeing had to the accom anying drawing, forming a part of this specification. -l v My invention relates to improvements in plural 1am sockets, one of theobjects of m invention eing to provide a socket in whicii` the cover or inclosing casing may be readily removed to afford access to the binding posts of the device and to the screws or the ike by which the socket is secured in position.

In sockets which have been in commercial use heretofore, it has been necessary, in removing the'coyer thereof 'for the purpose of gaining access to 'thebinding posts of the device to, i-*ei'nove from each of the threaded shells ofthie' socket a bushing by which the cover is'supported, and it is one of the objects of my present invention to (provide a spcket in which access to the bin ing posts may be obtained with the smallest expenditure of time and effort.

Another object of my invention is to' provide a socket which may be readily assembled and which will permit ready access to the various parts of the device for the purpose of repair, etc.

Still another object is. the provision of means in connection with a lural lamp socket, whereby the-amount of ight desired may be conveniently obtained by switchin in or out of service either a sin le centra lam or a grou of lamps in alcirc e, or all of the amps com ined. p

Two of the structures which I have worked out as embodying the above characteristics are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, l

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of my invention; Fig.` 2 is an inverted plan view of the base with the cover and one contact late in section on the line 2'-2 of,

' Fig. 1; ig. 3 is a detailsectionshowing the manner in which one'o'f the binding posts of the cluster is\monted; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modification ofmy invention; Fig.

t'act plate thereof being in section; andFig. 6 is an enlarged'section of a portion of the casing employed in this form of the device.

accordance with my invention, I provide .a suitable basic or sup orting part 1, which may be of any suitable orm, but in the present instance takes the form of an insulating base of with this base or supporting art, I provide a metallic casin Ior cover 2, etachabl .connected therewit and ha a plura t of lamp openings 3. Registering .with t ese lamp openings I provide a plurality of lamp holding devices 4, which, in the present instance, are in the form ofthreaded shells, and are carried upon and removable with a contact plate 5. This contact plate is removably connected with the basic or su `portingpart 1,.by means of a detachab e connection consisting of clips 6 suitably se-V cured upon the supporting part 1 by means of screws 7, and set in recesses 8 formed in said supporting part, whereby the nturned portion 9 ofthe cli will be almost .flush with the lower face o the supporting part 1. Coperating with these clips is an out-turned flange formed upon the upper partv of the contact-plate 5, and havin A thereof adapted to engage ehindfthe inturned portion 9 of the clips, and a portion 11 slightly larger than the portion 10 which forms a stop to prevent the portion 10 from beinoP rotatedpast the engaging point. At 12, t'lie ilange 1s entirel cut away to permit the contact plate at t is point to pass the projections or nturned portions 9 of the clips, whereby when the plate is placed in position, and slightly rotated, the portion 10 lo' the flange thereof will engage behind' the nturned portion- 9 of the supportin .clips and maintain the plate in position. ne of the supporting cli s 6 is rovided with a binding post 13, w ich in t is instance is in the form of a screw secured thereon, toy

whictlii one of the supply wires may be see cover 2 is carried by and removable with the contact plate 5, and for connectin the two together, I provide in one form 0% the device insulating bushings 14, which pass through the openings 3 in the cover and screw u on the threaded shells 4, and are provide with flanges .15 adapted to engage the walls of the casing 2. By this means, the

porcelain', and coperatingy a portion 10V casing is not only connected to and supported c by the threaded shells and the eontactlplate '5, but the threaded shells are also ins ated from the metallic casing'.

The center contacts for the lamps are mounted within the casing 2, and Yregister .with the lamp holding devices or sockets 4.

These center contacts are preferably 'mounted upon an `insulating member 17, forming in the present instance, a part of the basic or supporting member 1. The center contacts are in the form of upturned lugs 18 formed upon ametallic ring 19, secured upon the front face of' the insulating member 17,

16 and held in position by means of a metallic ring which in turn is secured upon the insulating member 17 by means of screws 21.

` This ring 2O carries a binding post 22, which inthe present vinstance is in the form ot a.

20 Iscrew, suitably secured thereon, to which one of the supply wires of the circuit may be secured, an opening 23 beingjormed 1n the insulating member 17 for the passage of the In addition to the series of threaded lamp shells 4, which, it will be noted, are arranged concentrically around the insulating mem# ber `17, I provide, a central depending threaded lamp shell24, also secured to the contact plate 5. The center lamp contact for this receiving shell is mounted u on the front face of a projection 25 forme on the insulat' member 17, and comprises a ,plate 26 avingfa portion 27 thereof, bent a6 hack upon itse and over a projection 28 on the insulating member 17 to forma spring center contact or the depending lamp secured in the threaded shell 24. The dending or center lamp may be arranged to 40 lighted with the rest of the lams if so desired in which case the contact p ate 26 wculd te connected directly with the ring 20, but in the present instance, it is shown as having an independent binding post in the form of a screw 29 to which a suppl wire may be secured, whereby the centr lam maybe connected to be lighted indepen ent y of the remaining lamps of the cluster. By the above described construction, it will be noted that the casing or covering is carried bythe lamp supporting means, which is in turn removably mounted upon the basic or su porting part of the lamp socket. When the amp supporting means and the inclosing cover are removed from position, the various binding posts of the cluster are exposed and may be readily connected to the supply wires. Y An opening 30 is formed in the insulating member 17 through which the conductor for the binding post 13 may pass and the openings 23 and 31 permit the suplgy wires for the binding posts 22 and 29 to led thereto. After the supply wires have been lsuitably connected to their bindgaping the contact plate and cover may maar - -plate register -with the clips 6, Then, by

'and

' changes and modifications may be made be readily securedin position b :rst lai n the same upon the base in a position whic the openings 12 in the 'flangeof the contact rotating the contact plate, the` portions 10 70 of the ange be caused to pass behind engage with thel intumed portions 9 of the clips 6, the portions 1 1 of the Bange forming stops to prevent the contact' plate from being .rotated too far. 75

It will also be noted that all of the binding posts are mounted u on the basic or supporting part of the c uster and that when the casing is secured in place communication is established between the bindingfpost 13 80 and the outer lamp engaging contacts through the parts which constitute the separable connection between the basic part and the contact plate 5. c

In the modification of my invention shown in Figs'. -4 and 5, the cover shown therein is formed of metal having a coveringfof iictile material 2*, such as porcelaine-enamel or the like, and is provided with sleeves 32 into which the threaded shells A4 of the cluster project. By the provision of the porcelainenamel upon the cover the contact plate 5 may lie in close engagement with the cover without danger of short circuits or the like, the iictile material forming a perfect insulation between the contact plate and the metallic ortion of the cover. In this construction havedispensed with the use of the threaded bushings as the contactplate 5 lying lin close engagement with the cover2 100 and the threaded shells 4 projecting into the sleeves 32 of the cover serve to readily support the cover in position. The construe` tion of the remaining parts of the form shown in the modification is the same as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, with the exception that I have not shown in this modification the central lamp feature. This feature may, however, be used if so desired. y

While in the present application I have shown certain forms of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to oe limited to the construction shown, as various without departing from the spirit of my invention, as set forth inthe appended claims.' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a plural lamp socket, the combination with a basic or supporting part, of lampengaging contacts carried thereby, a air of shells arranged concentrically one wit in the other, lamp-receiving sockets carried by the inner of said shells, the outer of said shells having openings registering with said sockets,v and means for detachably securing ythe inner shell to said basic rtion.

'2. In^a cluster or p ural lam socket, a

basic or supporting part, a plrahty of lamp-4 13u n receiving shells, means for supporting said casing, and means adapted to completo the circuit through the lamps whenJsaid shellsupmrting member is attached to said supporting part.

3. ln a plural o`r cluster lamp socket, the combination with a basic or supporting part, of center lamp-engaging contacts carried thereby and a contact plate comprising a bowl -shapcd shell. detachably connected therewith having openings to permit the lamps to engage said center contacts.

4. ln a plural or cluster lalnp socket, the combination with a basic, or supporting part, 'ol' a hemispbei'ical contact plate iaving openings therein to permit the lam s to engage thc center contacts, detachab y connected with said basic or supporting part, and a casing carried by and removable with said contact plate.

. 5. In -a cluster or plural lamp socket, a

suitable basic or supporting part, lamp sup-v porting means detachably connected with said basic or supporting part, a circular metalliccasing having lamp openings carried by said lamp supporting means, registerin center contacts suitably inclosed byv sai casing, and binding posts suitably disposed y within Said casing and adapted to be disclosed by the detachment of said casing and lamp supporting means.

6. The comblnation with a suitable basic or supporting part, of a circular contact plate detachably connected perip'herally therewith and having suitable lamp supporting means, a cover or casing carried by said lamp supporting means, registering center contacts inclosed by said casing, binding posts suitablly mounted within said casing and disclose by the removalof said casing and contact plate, and detachable means for establishing,r communication between one of said binding posts and said contact plate.

`7. ln a plural or cluster lamp socket, the combination of a series of sockets radially disposed, a single socket disposed axially with relation to said series of sockets, means for supporting said sockets and electrically connecting the same with each other, a center contact for said axially disposed socket, a binding-post for said contact, center contacts for said series of sockets, and a bindingpost common to all of said last-named contacts.

8. In a plural or cluster lamp socket, the

combination of a series of sockets arranged` supporting said sockets and electrically con neeti the same together, a center contact for sai centrally disposed socket, means for connect-in g a lead with said contact a Acenter contact for each of said series of sockets, said last-named contacts being electrically connected together and means for connecting a lead with said last-named contacts.

9. In a plural or cluster socket, the combination of a. base, a series of sockets arranged in a circle, a centrally disposed socket, center contacts for said series of sockets, said contacts being carried by said base, means for conneetin said contacts w ith a source of current supp y, a center con tact for said' centrally disposed socket, and means for independently connecting said last-named contact with a source of current supply.

v10. In a plural or cluster socket, the combination of a series of sockets arranged in a circle, a centrally disposed socket, center contacts for said series of sockets, means for connecting said contacts with a source of current supply, a center contact for said centrally disposed socket, and means for independently connecting said last-named contact with a source of current supply.

11. In a plural or cluster socket, the combination of a easing having a series of openings arranged in a circle and a single central opening, means incloscd by said casing for sustaining a. lamp in`each of said openings, l

olding devices arranged in a circle, a cen-- trally disposed lamp-holding device, contacts for engagimlr the lamps, permanently organized means or connecting a pluralit of said contacts together electrically, a bin ing-post within said body portion for connecting a lead with said last-named means, and a separate binding-post nithin said body portion for connectin one of the contacts of the center lamp-hoizding device with another lead.

13. In a plural lamp socket, a plurality of circularly arranged lamp sockets, a centrally disposed lamp socket, means for connecting together the corresponding contacts of all of said sockets, and means for connecting together the opposite contacts of the circular y arran ed sockets, the remaining contact 'of sai isolated.

14. Ina plural lamp socket, a plurality of circularly varranged lamp sockets, a centrally disposed lamp socket, a terminal to which centrally disposed socket lbeing Vthe centrallydisposed socket is connected.

one contact of each of said sockets is conscribed my name in the presence of two nected, a. secondf terrrlxlinnl tl? *whichl tle opwitnesses.

osito contact o eac o t e circu ary arw :Ranged sockets is connected, and a third. MLUBEN B' BENJAMIN terminal to which the remaining contact of Witnesses;

P. D. PHILLIPS, In witness whereof I have hereunto sub- W. MACNAUGHTON.'

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