Electric energy saving incandescent lamp socket combination switching device

• US 4,117,376 A
• Filed: 01/24/1977
• Issued: 09/26/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Peter Andrews
• Original Assignee: Peter Andrews
• Inventors: Andrews, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): LaRoche, Eugene R.
• Application Number:
  US05/761,665
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 307/146, 315/64, 315/71, 315/200 R, 315/362, 315/DIG. 4, 200/51.03, 200/51.04, 200/51.05
• US Class Current: 315/200.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/06 Switching arrangements, e.g. from series operation to parallel operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 315/04 Dimming circuit for fluorescent lamps

Abstract

An improved electric energy saving incandescent lamp socket combination having in one embodiment a two-position electric "off-on" switching means, and in another embodiment having a four-position electric "off", low, medium and high switching means for a 1-way and a 3-way incandescent lamp respectively. The lamp socket houses therein a subcombination means that comprises a conventional two-position switching means having at least one single throw "off-on" electrical switching position and a half-wave, electric rectifying, diode which is electrically short-circuitingly connected to any two of generally three electrical terminals which project from at least one surface portion of the conventional two-position switching means. Thereby a person can actuate the lamp socket'"'"'s two-position and/or four-position switching means and at substantially the same time, as desired, actuate the subcombination two-position half-wave rectified "dim" and full-wave "on" subcombination means for providing a one-way incandescent lamp with an electrical switched positions of "off-dim", "off-bright", "off-dim-bright", "off-bright-dim" and the like combinations. The four-position 3-way lamp socket switching means and two-position subcombination will provide eight separate combination of three illuminations, as desired, accordingly.

Claims

1. An electrical energy saving improved lamp socket switching means for providing a half-wave rectified and a full-wave of electric current to an incandescent lamp, comprising in combination:

a said lamp contact shell means positioned on a disc-like member of electrical insulating material having at least one electrical contact member means protruding through at least one surface portion thereof for electrical contact with at least one electrical contacting portion of said lamp when said lamp is removably inserted into said shell means;

said disc-like member being secured to an insulating housing member which substantially houses a first switching means in one portion thereof for switching electric current which is passed thereto by a second switching means, substantially to at least one filament member of said lamp;

said second switching means having a switch supporting portion substantially housed in at least one portion of said insulating housing member;

said first switching means having a rod-like member having a first end portion thereof rotatingly supported by at least one electrical insulating member means which is substantially housed in said insulating housing member;

said first end portion of said rod-like member extends out of pg,16 and beyond an outer diameter portion of said insulating housing member for manual switching rotation and axial switching movement thereof;

said rod-like member also having a generally center portion and a generally end portion which has at least one diameter portion thereof coined outwardly to form at least one generally flat ear-like member which substantially slides substantially captively and also axially key-like within a correspondingly matching key-like opening in an insulating rotating member which has a one-piece rotatable electric current conducting contact member which rotatingly contacts at least two radially spaced electric contact members which are constructed from a resilient electrical conducting material;

said insulating rotating member with said conducting contact member are axially substantially captively retained in one portion of said insulating housing member;

said second switching means having at least one "off" and "on" electrical switching position and having at least two a first and a second electrical terminal;

said second electrical terminal is electrically connected ahead of and to one electrical passing member of said first switching means;

said first and said second said terminal having a half-wave diode electric rectifying means electrically connected thereto for alternatingly passing either a half-wave rectified "dim" or a full-wave "on" portion of said electric current to said first switching means when an outer end edge portion of said rod-like member is axially moved by exerting a manual axial force on said first end portion thereof so that said outer end edge portion will thereby depress and release a switch actuating member of said second switching means;

said first switching means having an electrical "off" switching position and at least one "on" electrical switching position when said first end portion of said rod-like member is manually switchingly rotated.

2. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said shell means is securedely positioned to said disc-like member.

3. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said disc-like member having one centrally located electrical contact member means for electrically contacting a centrally located contact member of a single filament said lamp and said first switching means having an electrically "off" and an "on" switching position;

said lamp socket switching means is so constructed and arranged that when said first end portion of said rod-like member is manually manipulated rotatingly and axially then said single filament said lamp will be in an electrical "off" and half-wave "dim";

"off" and full-wave "on";

"off" and "dim" and "on";

"off" and "on" and "dim" when only one revolution of said first end portion is manually made at each of the above 4 switching sequences.

4. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said disc-like member having one centrally and one off-center located electrical contact member means for electrically contacting a centrally located and on a circular generally off-center located contact member of a two filament 3-way said lamp and said first switching means having an electrical "off" and three electrical "on" switching positions;

said lamp socket switching means is so constructed and arranged that when said first end portion of said rod-like member is manually manipulated rotatingly and axially then said 3-way said lamp will be in eight different combinations of three illuminations and eight separate electrical "off" non-illuminated state.

5. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said second switching means having three said terminals a first second and third so that a person can electrically half-wave "dim" said lamp by either axially pulling or pushing on said first end portion of said rod-like member.

6. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said first switching means passes electric current substantially to two filament members of said lamp.

7. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said second switching means having said supporting portion thereof adhesively secured to at least one portion of said insulating housing member.

8. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said second switching means having said supporting portion thereof secured by riveting means to at least one surface portion of said insulating housing member.

9. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said second switching means having said supporting portion thereof removably secured by threaded screw means to at least one surface portion of said insulating housing member.

10. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said first end portion of said rod-like member having a knob means on an outer end projecting portion thereof for aiding in the rotation and axial movement thereof.

11. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said first end portion of said rod-like member having a knob means adhesively secured to an outer end projecting portion thereof.

12. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said first end portion of said rod-like member having a knob-like member removably secured to an outer end projecting portion thereof.

13. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said first first end portion is rotatingly supported by two electrical insulating member means which are substantially housed in said insulating housing member.

14. In the combination of claim 1 wherein a spacer means having a longitudinal diameter portion of said rod-like member axially retained in an opening through said spacer means which is inserted between one face edge portion of said insulating rotating member and one side portion of said electrical insulating member means for restricting axial movement of said insulating rotating member and said conducting contact member which is in substantially rotating contact with an inside wall portion of said insulating housing member.

15. In the combination of claim 14 wherein said diameter portion of said rod-like member is snugly slidably fitted in said opening through said spacer means in substantially an axial detenting way.

16. In the combination of claim 15 wherein said diameter portion of said rod-like member having two circular grooves formed therein so that at least one inside diameter portion of said opening in said spacer means will be axially detented in said two said grooves when said rod-like member is axially moved for substantially actuating said second switching means.

17. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said generally center portion having two spring detenting first and second circular groove in a longitudinal portion of said rod-like member;

a spring detenting means is held laterally captive and having at least one longitudinal portion thereof detentably retained in said first and then in said second circular groove when said rod-like member is axially moved for substantially passing a half-wave and a full-wave of electric current substantially to said first switching means and to said lamp;

said spring detenting means being substantially housed in a slotted portion of a spring supporting housing member which is substantially housed in one portion of said insulating housing member.

18. In the conbination of claim 1 wherein said generally flat ear-like member snugly slides through at least one portion of said matching key-like opening for retaining an axial moving portion of said outer end edge portion of said rod-like member in a desired substantially detented position depressingly against and releasably from said actuating member of said second switching means.

19. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said conducting contact member rotatingly contacts three said spaced electric contact members and said disc-like member having two a first and a second electrical contact member for electrical contact to two insulated apart contact members of a 3-way said lamp.

20. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said second switching means is a "MICRO SWITCH" type of switching means.

21. In the combination of claim 1 wherein said second switching means is a "CHERRY" type of switching means.