US1960562A - Lamp - Google Patents

Description

May Z9, 1934.

T. K. WEBSTER, JR

LAMP

Filed May 15. 1931 Patented Mey 29, 1934 narran s'rA'r-ss escasez LAMP Towner K. Webster, Jr.

, Winnetka, Ill., assigner to Webster Products Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May 15, 1931, Serial No. 537,537

16 Claims.

My invention concerns chiefly a portable lamp in which the lamp bulb is within and substantially concealed by a vase adapted to be set on a mantel shelf, chest, table, or the like-preferably high enough to bring the top of the vase near or above eye heightand arranged to throw the light rays divergently upwardly to the ceiling and thus to illuminate the room indirectly.

My invention also concerns a reflector placed between the vase and the lamp and means for supporting it from, and at a spaced distance inwardly from, the inside wall of the vase. The use of a separate reflector affords a better reflecting surface than could be incorporated on the inside 153 wall of the vase itself. It also permits an insulating space between the reflector and the vase to prevent the detrimental effect of the overheating of the surface material of the vase, and the eifectiveness of this insulating space is preferably in- 120 creased by providing an upward air passage through the bottom of the vase, whereby a chimney-like action is obtained for the up-owing air between the reflector and the vase and between the reflector and the lamp bulb. I preferably solve the problem of mounting the reector on the hard smooth inside wall of the vase, by areas of fabric tape or the like secured on the inner wall of the vase and engaged by prong fingers extending from the reflector.

Another feature of my invention is the mounting of the lamp socket from a base which is made of a more substantial material which permits the vase itself being made thinner and of a lighter and less expensive material, such as a papieri mch.

Another feature is the switch control arrangement conveniently accessible from without the vase and yet utilizing a standard switch type of lamp socket.

rIhese, together with other objects, features and advantages of my invention, are set forth in the following description of a specific embodiment thereof, and in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my vase lamp; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a plan view; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed plan section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate somewhat diagrammatically alternative methodsof holding down the lower end of the reflector.

The vase portion proper 10 of my vase lamp is here shown of inverted bell form and is pref- (Cl. E40-81) erably formed from a tightly pressed or molded pulp material such as papier-mch. It may be suitably lacquered inside and out to give the desired surface texture and color. The base 11 may be of wood, metal, or, as here shown, of molded composition. The vase has a down-turned leg and lia-nge 12 and a top plate 13. A standard lamp socket 14 is mounted bythe nuts 15 cen-k trally of the top plate 13. At its margins the top plate`13 is secured by screws 16 to the thickened inturned bottom flange 17 of the vase l0. The flange 17 leaves a large circular opening 18 in the bottom of the vase. This opening provides for an upward air passage and also permits the insertion of the socket 14 after the socket has been assembled upon the base 11, thereby simplifying the assemblage. The top plate 13 of the base 11 is of spider form, leaving kidney-shaped air passages 19 communicating with the air passage 18 in the bottom of the vase.

The switch in the socket is preferably of the pull chain type, the chain 2O extendingrthrough an eyeleted opening 21 in the wall of the vase radially opposite the chain port 22 of the socket. Preferably only the terminal 23 of the chain is normally exposed.

A frusto-conical sheet metal reflector 24 is interposed between the wall of the vase and the lamp bulb 25. 'Ihe reflector is preferably more or less vertically centered opposite the filament point of the lamp, with the upper edge of the reflector an inch or two below the top of the vase. Dropping the filament point of the bulb some distance below the top edge of the vase has the dual function of properly narrowing the angle of light emanating from the vase, and preventing the more intense light from normally reaching ones eyes if the top edge of the vase should come a little below eye level. I have found that nickel plated sheet Zinc is a satisfactory and economical material for the reflector, which may be drawn from iiat stock, spun from tubular stock, or, as here shown, rolled up from sheet stock and seamed as at 26. The top and bottom edges of the reflector are preferably beaded as at 27 and 28 for reinforcement and for preventing cutting of the hand when the lamp bulb is unscrewed or the inside of the reflector is cleaned.

The inner surface of the vase is smooth and hard. To form metallic or integral attaching means for the reflector would be expensive and would complicate the inside mold in the manufacture of the vase proper. The inexpensive reflector attaching means I have here shown comprises a set of three spring metal strips 29 spaced ssi about the outer side of the reflector and extending longitudinally from substantially top to bottom. rIhey are here shown as riveted to the reflector at 30. The upper end of each strip 29 is horizontally offset to engage the outwardly flaring mouth of the vase l0. The lower end of each strip 29 terminates in a pointed nger or claw 32, which is turned outwardly and somewhat upwardly. Preferably, however, the claws 32 do not directly engage the inner wall of the vase, but engage patch-like pieces of fabric 33, such as gummed tape, secured at corresponding intervals about the inner wall of the vase opposite the claws.

In assembling, the reflector with its anchoring strip 29 is inserted into the belled mouth of the vase until stopped by the outer ends of the upper offsets 3l engaging the narrowing diameter of the vase. The pointed ends of the spring claws 32 are then engaging the anchoring fabrics 33. Any subsequent inverting of the vase, or vibration in shipping, will not let the reflector work out of position because the claws 32 only dig more tightly into the fabrics 33. The offsets 31 and the claws 32 hold the reflector in properlyspaced position in reference to the wall of the vase and to the lamp bulb.

The lacquer or other surface finishing for the inside wall of the vase would be detrimentally affected if directly exposed to the heat of the relatively powerful lamp bulb, as might also the papier-mch material of the vase itself. The reflector 24, in addition to increasing the lighting effect of the lamp vase, prevents such overheating of the inner wall of the vase. 'Ihe reflector shieldsthe wall from the more direct and close radiation from the lamp bulb. The metallic reflector also tends to diffuse over a large area such heat as it does absorb.

The air between the reflector and the bulb, and also to a lesser extent between the reflector and the wall of the vase, is heated, causing a chimney-like action on the air, which draws a substantial current up between the legs of the base, through the air passages 19 and 18, past the reflector, and out through the mouth of the vase.

My lamp vase may be set on a mantel, shelf, piano, or wall bracket, chest, or other convenient place where preferably the top of the vase comes below eye height, or at least not much lower than eye height. Its divergent light isdirected upon the ceiling and, depending upon its particular placement, on the upper walls. The room is thus illuminated indirectly but relatively uniformly. The lamp, however, whether in use or not in use, preserves the appearance of an ornamental vase, as the source of light is not directly visible.

Only the terminal 23 of the pull chain is normally visible. Locating the pull chain port 21 directly opposite the port 22 of the pull chain socket subjects the chain itself to a minimum of wear or likelihood of failure in service. The use of a light vase wall, with a heavier base, and the mounting of the socket member near the base, gives a greater stability to the vase, permitting the use of slender and graceful lines forsthe vase with small danger of breakage or upsetting.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated alternative methods of holding down the lower end of the reflector, In Fig. 5 a plurality of wires 35 extend from holes in the lower end of the reflector down to the base, where they pass through suitable holes in the base spider plate 13. 'I'hey may be anchored by offsetting the ends of the wires. The

anchoring strips 29 and their offsets 3l are used, but the spring claws 32 are omitted.

In the modification of Fig. 6 the spring claws 32 at the lower ends of the strips 29 are similarly omitted, but one of the strips 29 continues as a downward extension 36 to the eyelet 2l, by which it is anchored against the inside wall of the vase.

I claim: K

1. A vase lamp comprising a vase having upwardly diverging walls and an open top, a lamp bulb within the vase, an upwardly diverging reflector surrounding the bulb and spaced from it and the wall of the vase, the top of the bulb and the top of the reflector being spaced downwardly from the top of the vase, and means engaging the inner wall of the vase for holding the reflector in position, said wall engaging means being the sole means of supporting the reflector and permitting the insertion of the reflector into the vase but preventing its removal.

2. A vase lamp comprising a vase of an inverted bell form, a lamp bulb within the vase, a socket for the lamp bulb supported wholly by the, bottom of the vase lamp, a reflector surrounding the lamp bulb and spaced inwardly from the outwardly flaring-wall of the vase, and means engaging the inner surface of the vase in the regionof the reflector and constituting the sole support for the reflect-or, said means comprising an outwardly and upwardly extending claw for engaging the inner wall of the vase.

3. A vase lamp comprising a vase having a hard smooth inner surface, a lamp bulb within the vase, and a reector surrounding the lamp bulb and spaced inwardly from the wall of the vase, means for supporting the reflector from the wall of the vase comprising an outwardly and upwardly directed claw extending from the reflector, and a layer of softer and semi-penetrable material on the inside surface of the wall of the vase adapted to be engaged by said claw.

4. A vase lamp comprising a vase having a hard smooth inner surface, a lamp bulb within the vase, a reflector surrounding the lamp bulb and spaced inwardly fromthe wall of the vase, means for mounting the reflector on the inner surface of the wall of the vase comprising a plurality of claws extending outwardly from the reflector at one end thereof, a plurality of spacing members extending outwardly from the reflector at the other end thereof for engagement with the wall of the vase, and areas of soft material secured on the inner surface of the vase in the vicinity of said claws and adapted to be engaged thereby to prevent removal of the reflector.

`5. A vase lamp comprising a vase having a hard smooth inner surface, a lamp bulb within the vase, a reflector surrounding the lamp bulb and spaced inwardly from the wall .of the vase, means for mounting the reflector on the inner surface of the wall of the vase comprising a plurality of claws extending outwardly from the reflector at the bottom thereof, a plurality of spacing members extending outwardly from the reflectorat the top thereof for engagement with the wall of the vase, and areas of soft material secured on thev inner surface of the vase in the vicinity of said claws and adapted to be engaged thereby to prevent removal of the reflector.

6. A vase lamp comprising a vase having a hard smooth inner surface, a lamp bulb within the vase, a reflector surrounding the lamp bulb and spaced inwardly from the wall of the vase, means for mounting the reflector on the inner surface of the wall of the vase 'comprising a plurality of angularly spaced spring metal strips secured longitudinally of the reliector and having at their upper ends outward oisets for spacing the relect-or from the inner surface oi the wall of the vase and having at their lower vends outwardly and upwardly extending claws, and fabric adhering to the inner surface of the-wall of the vase adjacent the claws and engaged thereby.

'7. A vase lamp comprising a thin walled vase member, of pulp material, a base of heavier material, a narrow thickened inturned flange at the bottom of the vase defining a large central opening, means for securing the base to said ilange at the under side of the flange, a spider centrally of the base having a hub portion and air passage openings communicating with said central opening of the Vase-like member, a lamp socket mounted on said hub and extending upwardly into the vase, and a lamp bulb mounted in the socket and below the upper edge of the vaselike member.

8. A reilector for a Vase lamp of the type described comprising an upwardly diverging sheet wall, a plurality of radially spaced outwardly projecting spacing members near the top, and a plurality of outwardly and upwardly extending spring claws near the bottom of the reflector.

9. The combination with a vase lamp comprising a base having an upwardly directed lamp socket mounted thereon, an open top vase member of lacquered relatively light pulp material mounted at its bottom on the base, and a lamp bulb mounted in the socket and disposed within the vase member below the top thereof ,-of means .for protecting the inside surface of the vase member from the heat of the lamp bulb comprising a reflector shell surrounding the bulb and at a. spaced distance inwardly from the inner surface of the vase member, forming upward air 'j passages between the reiiector shell and the vase and between the reflector shell and the bulb, and communicating air inlet passages in the bottom of the vase member and in the base, discharging air upwardly through the lower interior of the vase member, through to both of said upward air passages and out through the open top.

10. The combination with a vase lamp comprising a base having an upwardly directed lamp socket mounted thereon, an open top vase member of lacquered relatively light pulp material mounted at its bottom on the base, the vase member having a smooth, relatively hard inner surface, and a lamp bulb mounted in the socket and disposed within the vase member below the tcp thereof,--of means for protecting the inside surface of the vase member from the heat of the lamp bulb comprising a reflector shell surrounding the bulb and at a spaced distance inwardly from the inner surface of the vase member, forming upward air passages between the redector shell and the vase and between the reflector Shell and the bulb, communicating air inlet passages in the bottom of the vase member and in the base, discharging air upwardly through the lower interior of the vase member to both said upward air passages, and means for supporting the reflector shell wholly from said inner surface of the vase member.

11. A vase lamp comprising a vase member .j having an upwardly and outwardly flaring open -provide air passages between the bulb and reflector and 'between the reflector and the vase suspension members extending between the upper end of the reilector and the inner surface of the flared portion of the vase below the upper edge thereof for suspending the reflector, and means engaging the lower end of the reflector for holding down the lower end of .the reilector.

12. A vase lamp comprising a vase having an upwardly and outwardly flaring top, a lamp bulb mounted within the vase irember, a reilector surrounding the lamp bulb and disposed below the top of the vase member and spaced inwardly from the wall ef the vase member, and means for securing the reflector in the vase member comprising radial spacing members extending between the reflector and the daring wall of the vase member, and tension members extending from the rellector to the bottom of the vase member and anchored thereto for holding down the reflector.Y

13. A vase lamp comprising a vase member flaring upwardly and outwardly at its upper end, an upwardly opening vertically disposed lamp socket mounted within the vase at its lower end and including a switch having an operating pull chain, a lamp bulb mounted in the socket and within the vase, a reflector within the vase and surrounding the lamp bulb and spaced inwardly from the wall of the vase, an eyeleted aperture in the lower wall of the vase through which the pull chain extends, and means for mounting the rellector from the inside wall of the vase comprising a strip extending downwardly beyond the lower end of the reflector and clamped against the inside of the wall of the vase member by said eyelet.

14. The combination with a vase lamp for indirect ceiling-reflection illumination, comprising an open top vase body having an upwardly and outwardly ilaring open top, the body being formed of a lacquered pulp material, an upstanding lamp bulb mounted within the vase body and disposed below the upper edge thereof and with its region of maximum diameter adjacent the inner surface of the vase body-or" means for protecting the vase body and its lacquer surface from deleterious overheating from the lamp bulb, comprising a heat conducting metal annular reiiector vertically positioned within the vase body below the upper edge thereof and opposite the said region oi` greatest diameter oi the lamp bulb and extending a substantial distance thereabove and therebelow whereby the reilector conducts heat vertically to dissipate throughout its area the heat tending to concentrate in areas on the reflector opposite said region, the reilector being radially positioned intermediate the bulb and vase body to leave air passage spaces between the bulb and reector and between the reflector and the inner surface of the vase body, and a base for the vase body adapted to rest upon a shelf or cabinet top and providing an air inlet passage to the bottom of the vase body for upward passage therewithin of air by natural draft resulting from the heat of the lamp bulb through both said passage spaces in heat transferring surface contact with substantially the entire area of the reflector and out through the open top of the vase body, for absorbing from the reflector the heat thus dissipated throughout its area.

15. A vase lamp for indirect ceiling-reflection illumination, comprising an open top vase body of tubular shape having a relatively broad bottom, a base upon which the bottom of the body rests, the base having feet for spacing it from the supporting surface for the base, a lamp socket supported within the vase, an upstanding lamp bulb supported by the socket and disposed below the upper edge of the vase, an annular reflector surrounding the lamp bulb and below the upper edge of the vase and spaced from the inner surface of the vase body and from the lamp bulb to provide vertical air passages, an air inlet opening in the bottom of the vase body, and an associated air inlet opening in the base, whereby a natural draft of cooling air may pass inwardly beneath the base and its supporting surface, through said associated openings in the base and in the bottom of the body, upwardly through the Vase body and through said passages and out through the top of the body, one of said associated openings being restricted radially of the vase to confine the downwardly directed light to an area well within the periphery of the base to prevent the leakage of light at the bottom of the vase through the air inlet.

16. A vase lamp'comprising a vase open at its top, a lamp bulb within the vase, a reflector within the vase and set below the top edge of the vase and surrounding the lamp but spaced from the wall of the vase leaving an outer passage therebetween and also spaced from the lamp leaving an inner space between the lamp and reflector, air passages through the vase at its lower end for conducting air upwardly to said inner and outer passages, the inner and outer passages being open at their upper ends, the air in the inner passage coming in contact with the lamp and heated thereby to cause the air to move upwardly out through the open top of the inner passage and the reector being subject to heat from the lamp and the air in the outer passage being in contact with the reflector to receive heat therefrom whereby the air in lthe outer passage is also heated to cause it to ow upwardly through the open top of the outer passage, whereby the vase lamp is cooled.

TOWNER K. WEBSTER, JR.

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