Street Light Technical Information Willis Lamm   STREET LIGHTS: Patents from 1910 through 1919

Patents are an effective way to understand the development of street lighting in the United States. In this section I have posted patents as I located them. (Early patents are difficult to locate as they were not cross-indexed.) All patents are listed in order of their filing dates. Click on the patent number or thumbnail to view the entire patent.

By 1910 inventors were not only working on improved ways to reflect and refract electric light, but they were also starting to develop mercury vapor lamps.

Patent No. 1153443 Filing date: April 30, 1910 Patent date: September 14, 1915 Title: Reflector for Vapor-Lamps Inventor: Joseph C. Pole Assignee: Cooper Hewett Electric Co. Claims: Double parabolic reflector designed to keep the mercury vapor lamp from absorbing its own light.

Patent No. 1085145 Filing date: January 24, 1913 Patent date: January 27, 1914 Title: Lamp Supporting Structure Inventor: Otis A. Mygatt Assignee: C. F. Massey Co. Claims: Concrete multiple luminaire lamp structure.

Patent No. D046514 Filing date: July 30, 1914 Patent date: October 6, 1914 Title: Lamp Post Inventor: Edwin D. Smith Claims: Lamp post design.

Patent No. 1133266 Filing date: July 31, 1914 Patent date: March 30, 1915 Title: Gas-Lamp Inventor: Guy B. Collier Claims: Improved ignition and ventilation.

Patent No. 1236594 Filing date: December 31, 1915 Patent date: August 14, 1917 Title: Illuminating Appliance Inventor: Otis A. Mygatt Assignee: Holophane Co. Claims: Double prismatic refractor to improve the direction of radiated light.

Patent No. 1230992 Filing date: July 14, 1915 Patent date: June 26, 1917 Title: Lamp Support Inventor: Melzar W. Brigham Claims: Clamp type pole mount for bracket arm.

Patent No. D048862 (Design Patent) Filing date: January 20, 1916 Patent date: April 11, 1916 Title: Design - Ornamental Lantern Inventor: Owen E. Hill Assignee: Western Electric Co. Claims: Ornamentally improved lamp design.

Patent No. 1299936 Filing date: February 20, 1917 Patent date: April 8, 1919 Title: Lighting Unit Inventor: Ward Harrison Assignee: General Electric Co. Claims: Band type refractor to refract light in conventional luminaires.

Patent No. D051221 (Design Patent) Filing date: May 19, 1917 Patent date: September 4, 1917 Title: Design - Lamp Post Inventor: Fayette Draper Bulla Assignee: George Cutter Co. Claims: Ornamentally improved lamp post.

Patent No. 1274495 (Design Patent) Filing date: June 16, 1917 Patent date: August 6, 1918 Title: Film Socket Inventor: Herman H. Ashinger Assignee: George Cutter Co. Claims: Socket insert that holds a film cutout.

Patent No. 1297432 (Design Patent) Filing date: February 25, 1918 Patent date: March 18, 1919 Title: Film Socket Inventor: Herman H. Ashinger Assignee: George Cutter Co. Claims: Improved film cutout socket insert that is easier to reload.

Patent No. 1293161 Filing date: April 22, 1918 Patent date: February 4, 1919 Title: Lamp Construction Inventor: Frederick Shannon Mills Claims: Post lamp design using indirect lighting to reduce glare.

Patent No. 1618816 Filing date: May 3, 1918 Patent date: February 22, 1927 Title: Light-Control Switch Inventor: Henry R. Davies Assignee: Industrial Research Corp. Claims: Lamp control using photosensitive tubes. (Early photoelectric control.)

Patent No. 1357559 Filing date: November 1, 1918 Patent date: November 2, 1919 Title: Globe-Holder Inventor: Richard A. Heilenday Assignee: Standard Oil Co. Claims: Electric globe holder with improved heat ventilation.

Patent No. 1297432 (Design Patent) Filing date: December 18, 1918 Patent date: January 10, 1922 Title: Film Socket Inventor: Herman H. Ashinger Assignee: George Cutter Co. Claims: Improved film cutout socket that is more vibration resistant.

Patent No. 1366914 Filing date: July 9, 1919 Patent date: February 1, 1921 Title: Safety Cut-Out Switch Inventor: Oliver M. King Claims: A switch that automatically cuts out a suspension luminaire when the lamp is lowered for servicing.

Patent No. 1466110 Filing date: November 17, 1919 Patent date: August 28, 1923 Title: System of Street Lighting and Apparatus Therefor Inventor: Charlie G. Beckwith Claims: Post mounted luminaire equipped with dual output autotransformer to provide power to the main luminaire as well as a low output "warning lamp" to help drivers see the lamp post.

Continue to 1920 - 1924

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Please note: This index is a work in progress. If you notice an error or are aware of something that is missing, please feel free to Email me. Thanks!