US3385592A - Universal bulb holder - Google Patents

Description

May 28, 1968 R. F. HASELL ET AL UNIVERSAL BULB HOLDER Filed May 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Shee t l FIG-l.

4s 4s 29 I 42 42 1 IE 30 24 32 It LOSED f \28 4 4 WITH LAMP 1 W 3O WlTHOUT LAMP I6 EXHl-XUST HEAD 24 so Fl 2 5 46 23 Q G- 22 as 0 20 I2 34 44 INVENTORS Richard F- Husell 26 8 Robert M. Brody .21 BY III ATTORNEY May 28, 1968 R. FQHASELL ET AL 3 5 v UNIVERSAL BULB HOLDER Filed May 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 52b 24 a Q 8 Q 24 30 2223 g4}: 28

United States Patent M 3,385,592 UNIVERSAL BULB HOLDER Richard F. Hasell, Bloomfield, and Robert M. Brady,

Hazlet, N.J., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 26, 1965, Ser. No. 458,942 6 Claims. (Cl. 269-287) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Universal 'bulb holder for securely retaining in predetermined fixed position a wide variety of differently shaped light bulbs. The bulb holder comprises an annular support member which has a plurality of contact arms fitted inwardly therefrom. Each arm has two projecting portions, an upper and a lower portion that contact the bulb. The lower projecting portion of each arm is initially contacted upon insertion of the bulb and this pivots each arm until each other projecting portion also contacts the bulb. The bulb is thus securely retained and positioned within the holder. The center of gravity of each arm is located so that upon removal of the bulb the arm pivots back to the bulb receiving original position.

This invention relates to various processing machines for lamps, including mercury vapor lamps and the like, and more particularly, to an improved bulb holder for such machines adaptable to receive different sizes and configurations of bulbs.

It is necessary for the proper functioning of lampfabricating machines that the bulbs be retained in a holder which consistently and with accuracy places each bulb with its longitudinal axis in true alignment with the machine.

Since the bulb is generally placed in this holder by some automatic loading devices, it is also necessary that the holder be capable of obtaining each alignment automatically and without constant supervision or added manipulation by an operator.

Heretofore, such bulb holders have comprised two sets of fixed points, each set having three points which contact and hold the bulb in position. The sets are separated by a fixed vertical distance along the bulb in order to assure that the longitudinal axis of the bulb is correctly positioned. In this way, the use of these points assisted in retaining and holding the bulb from movement in a horizontal plane and the use of two sets of such points, separated along the longitudinal length of the bulb, served to align the lamp in the proper position.

The conventional holder of the prior art, however, required that the fixed points contacting each bulb were accurately adjusted in this particular position and understandably could only be set to accommodate one particular size bulb at a time. It therefore necessitated a complete removal of one bulb holder from the machine and a complete changeover to another bulb holder whenever it was desired to run a different lamp in the machine. Such a changeover requires a great deal of down time and essentially stops the production line causing a loss ofvaluable time and output.

Heretofore, it has also been most difficult, due to the fragile nature of the glass envelopes of lamps, to effectively maintain a bulb holder capable of exerting a positive holding force on the bulbs positioned in the holders. Instead, most present holders generally depend on the mere Weight of the bulbs alone to afford stability and avoid moving or tipping in the holder.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difiiculties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of an 3,385,592 Patented May 28, 1968 improve-d bulb holder, especially for mercury vapor lamp envelopes and the like, which bulb holder effectively supports the bulb and provides automatic centering for the bulb to obtain accurate alignment for any processing machine upon which the holder is employed.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved bulb holder which provides a positive gripping force exerted on the bulb to prevent tipping or other movement while the bulb is positioned in the holder.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved bulb holder which is capable of accommodating various size and shape bulbs, thereby eliminating the down time previously necessary during a production change and thereby save the resultant cost.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view showing one type of bulb retained in position in an exhaust machine by the bulb holder of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical-sectional view taken along the line IIII of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows and showing the details of the upper portion of the bulb holder,

FIG. 3 is a reduced sectional-elevational view taken on the line III--III in FIG. 2, in the direction of the arrows and showing a side view of the details of the bulb holder of the present invention and indicating the disposition of the bulb holder when a bulb is placed in its proper position.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views similar to FIG. 3, showing the use of the present invention with other alternative envelope shapes,

Although the principles of the present invention are broadly applicable to a holder for supporting lamp envelopes, and especially those of mercury vapor lamps during the performance of various working operations performed on such lamps, the holder of the present invention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with a vertical-type exhaust machine for such lamp envelopes and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

With specific reference to the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, and referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bulb holder is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10.

To provide guide and alignment means for vertical movement in order to promote adaptability to various configuration of lamp envelopes, as hereafter explained in detail, the bulb holder 10 may be afiixed to a guide post 12 by means such as cap screws 14. The guidepost is held in a vertical position yet is adjustable vertically by means such as rollers 16 mounted to freely move on suitable pins 18 and thereby forcefully engage two opposite sides of the guidepost 12. These rollers may be mounted by their pins on a suitable receiving structure such as that shown at 20 to provide support for the guidepost 12.

The bulb holder itself, aside from its mounting, comprises a support 22, shown in an annular shape and held in a generally horizontal position. Pivotably attached to the support 22 are a plurality of arms 24 in spaced relation to each other and adjacent the opening 23 in the support 22.

The arms 24 are shown here retained by means such as projections 26 on the support 22. The projections are grouped in pairs with a sufficient space therebetween to receive the arms. The arms are pivoted about suitable pins 28, which span the distance between the projections of each pair, thereby allowing the arms 24 to pivot freely about the pins.

The arms are so constructed that when free, the weight concentrated on the outward edge 30 tends to drop downward until some obstruction is met, such as the periphery of the support 22 as shown in the open without lamp dotted position, of FIG. 1. To express this another way, the center of gravity of each arm 24 is located on the opposite side of the pivot point 28 from the bulb connecting portions or rollers 34 and 44.

The pivoted arms 24 each have a first pro ecting portion, shown generally at 32, which projects generally inwardly from the support 22. The inwardly projecting first portion 32 makes first contact with a lamp envelope inserted into the opening 23. A convenient means of providing such a contact point on this first arm portion 32 is shown by the use of a roller 34, secured in a bifurcated section of the arm portion 32. The roller 34 is freely rotatable about a pin 36 which is secured in position between the bifurcated sections of the arm portion 32 by means such as a fiat head rivet 38, retained by a cotter pin 40.

In this way, a convenient means is provided for the contacting of any object desired to be placed in the holder by the roller 34, located within a bifurcated section and freely rotatable upon such contact.

A second projecting arm portion 42 is also provided on each of the arms, above the first arm portion 32 and disposed outwardly of said first portion from the center of the opening in the support 22.

A contacting means similar to that on the first arm portion 32 may also be employed on the second arm portion 4-2. As shown, the contacting means comprises a roller 44, supported within a bifurcated portion of the second arm portion 42 by means such as a pin 46 which pin may be held in place by a fiat head rivet 48, secured by a cotter pin 50. In this Way, the contacting means, of the second arm portion 42 operates similar to that contacting means provided on the first arm portion 32 in that the roller 44 will freely rotate upon contact with any object placed against it.

The bulb 52 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is diagrammatically shown supported in FIG. 3. The present universal bulb holder is also adapted to receive and retain other bulb shapes. In FIG. 4 is shown a modified bulb shape 52a which has a relatively sharp radius of curvature at the neck portion thereof. In FIG. 5 is shown another shape of bulb 52b as received and retained by the present bulb holder. Because of its construction, the present bulb holder can receive and retain any type of different bulb shape without changing the adjustment, as production is shifted from one shape to another.

Although it is believed that the foregoing description is sufiicient to make the operation apparent, the following review of its operation will be made.

The particular machine, here an exhausting machine, is first set up to take a certain shape of lamp envelope by adjusting the distance from the bulb holder 10 to the machine proper. This distance is shown in FIG. 1 as d The desired distance such as d is achieved by raising or lowering the guidepost 12. When the distance is set, any means, not shown, to lock the guidepost into its position may be utilized. This distance, once set, need not thereafter be changed during the run of one type of lamp and only need be varied when the machine is set up for a different lamp.

The bulb such as 52 may then be loaded into the bulb holder, either by automatic means or by hand. The bulb is preshaped by previous operations and is placed into the holder 10 with its open neck end downward toward the exhaust machine. The neck surface of the bulb first comes into contact with the first arm portion 32 of each arm 24 by engaging each of the rollers 34. The weight of the bulb forces the first arm portions 32 about the pivot pins 28 of each of the arms 24, causing the surface of each roller 44 to come in contact with the bulb 52. In this position, the Weight of the bulb upon the first portion 32 of each arm causes a steady force to be exerted on the bulb by the second portion 42 of each arm 24 and holds the bulb firmly in its position for the desired operation. Thus the bulb is securely held in position by six points of contact which are circumferentially spaced about the bulb and also longitudinally spaced on the bulb.

The removal of the bulb from the bulb holder is also a simple operation and is effected by simply grasping the upper portion of the bulb, either mechanically or by hand, and lifting it in an upward manner. This relieves the weight from the first portion 32 of each arm 24, thus allowing each arm 24 to pivot by its own weight as the bulb is removed. As the bulb is further removed, each arm 24 will return to its natural resting place, as shown in the open position of FIG. 1. The bulb holder is, at this point, ready to receive the next bulb of the same type without any further alternations or adjustments.

As shown, the bulb holder utilizes three equispaced pivoted arms 24 as this is most desirable for centering and holding bulbs of a generally round configuration. For bulbs of other shapes, however, any practical number of arms may be used to achieve the most accurate centering and retention of the lamp.

It may be seen, and is specifically shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 that the bulb holder is adaptable to retain a great variety of lamps and easily receives a number of various shapes without the need to make any but a simple adjustment in height to suit each type of lamp envelope.

It will be recognized that the objects of the invention have been achieved by providing a bulb holder having easy adaptability for various size and shape lamp envelopes. The device may be easily adjusted without its removal from the machine, thus eliminating costly shutdowns in production whenever it is desired to change the line from one particular lamp to another.

While a best embodiment has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

We claim as our invention:

1. A universal bulb holder for securely retaining in predetermined fixed position any one of a plurality of different bulb sizes, said bulb holder comprising:

(a) a support adapted to be retained in a generally horizontal position and provided with an opening therethrough which is adapted to have the bulb to be retained inserted therein from the upper side thereof;

(b) at least three bulb-supporting arms pivoted from said support and positioned about the opening provided through said support;

(c) each of said pivoted bulb-supporting arms having a projecting first bulb-contacting portion and a projecting second bulb-contacting portion, said second bulb-contacting portions positioned generally above said first bulb-contacting portions, and both of said bulb-contacting portions of each of said arms oriented toward the opening provided through said support;

(d) the center of gravity of each of said arms located on the opposite side of the pivot point of each of said arms from said bulb-contacting portions to position each of said second bulb-contacting portions relatively outwardly both with respect to the opening provided in said support and each of said first bulbcontacting portions when no bulb is retained in said bulb holder; and

(e) upon insertion of a bulb into said bulb holder from the upper side thereof, the lower portions of such inserted bulb first contacting the first bulb-contacting portions of each of said arms, and further insertion of such bulb into said bulb holder pivoting each of said arms until the second bulb-contacting portions of each of said arms contact such inserted bulb; whereby such inserted bulb is securely retained by at least six points of contact which are circumferentially spaced about said bulb and also longitudinally spaced on said bulb.

2. A bulb holder for securely retaining a bulb in predetermined fixed position, said bulb holder comprising:

(a) a generally annular-shaped support adapted to be retained in a generally horizontal position and provided with an opening therethrough which is adapted to have the bulb to be retained inserted therein from the upper side thereof;

(b) three bulb-supporting arms pivoted from said support and substantially equispaced about the opening provided through said support;

(c) each of said pivoted bulb-supporting arms having a projecting first bulb-contacting portion and a projecting second bulb-contacting portion, each of said second bulb-contacting portions positioned generally above said first bulb-contacting portions, and both of said bulb-contacting portions of each of said arms oriented toward the opening provided through said support;

(d) the center of gravity of each of said arms located on the opposite side of the pivot point of each of said arms from said bulb-contacting portions to position each of said second bulb-contacting portions relatively outwardly both with respect to the opening provided in said support and each of said first bulb-contacting portions when no bulb is retained in said bulb holder; and

(e) upon insertion of a bulb into said bulb holder from the upper side thereof, the lower portions of such inserted bulb contacting the first bulb-contacting portions of each of said arms, and further insertion of such bulb into said bulb holder pivoting each of said arms until the second bulb-contacting portions of each of said arms contact such inserted bulb; whereby such inserted bulb is securely retained by six points of contact which are circumferentially spaced about said bulb and also longitudinally spaced on said bulb.

3. The bulb holder as specified in claim 2, wherein the opening provided in said support has a circular configuration.

4. The bulb holder as specified in claim 3, wherein each of said first bulb-contacting portions and said second bulbcontacting portions of said arms comprise rollers to minimize frictional contact with the bulb to be retained.

5. A bulb holder comprising a generally horizontal support provided with an opening therethrough, at least three supporting arms fixed to said support and pivoted about spaced points on said support, each of said arms having a first projecting portion and a second projecting portion both oriented toward the opening provided in said support, each of said second projecting portions positioned generally above said first projecting portions, the center of gravity of each said arm being located with respect to the pivot point of each said arm and said projecting portions to cause the second projecting portion to be naturally disposed outwardly with respect to both the first projecting portion and the opening provided in said support, upon insertion of a bulb into the opening of said support the bulb first contacting each of the first projecting portions of said arms to cause said arms to pivot and bring said second projecting arm portions into contact with said bulb, and said bulb-contacting projections of said arms cooperatively holding said bulb within said support.

6. The bulb holder as specified in claim 5, wherein said horizontal support is an annular member, and three of said arms are equispaced thereabout.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,626,628 5/1937 Rotherham 269217 X FOREIGN PATENTS 506,896 6/1920 France. 733,583 7/1932 France.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

LESTER M. SWINGLE, Examiner.

I. F. MCKEOWN, Assistant Examiner.

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