The Lighting Time Table

To read the entire tutorial, you can just click on the first link and then continue to the next section at the bottom of each page. Or, you can select links below of interest to you.

PRE 1900 SECTION

Overcoming Obstacles
About Early Electric Lighting, Generators, Arc Lamps, The First Edison Socket, Menlo Park, etc.
The First Fixtures
About The Start Of The First Incandescent Lighting Fixtures
Light Reflection
About Early Light Bulbs And Candle Power vs. WATTS
Edison-Bergmann
About Sigmund Bergmann And The Start Of Bergmann And Company Lighting Fixtures
Lighting Break Down
A Quick Break Down Of Different Lighting Time Periods
Styles 1881 to 1884
Bergmann Fixtures And Styles
Other Pre-1888 Styles
About Early Companies That Sold Lighting Systems And The Fixtures That They Sold With Their Lighting Systems
The U.S. Elect. Co.
The United States Electric Company History And Early Items
The Brush Elect. Co.
The Brush Electric Company History And Early Items
Thomson-Houston
The Thomson-Houston Electric Company History And Early Items
Westinghouse
About The Westinghouse Manufacturing Company History And Early Mergers
Mid 1880's Styles
About The Start Of Electrical Supply Houses and how new lighting styles came about
Pre 1900 Sockets
About Early Light Sockets And How To Tell The Difference
1887 New Items
1888 New Items
1890 New Items
1891 New Items
1892 New Items
1893 New Items
1894-1896 Items
1897 New Items
1898 New Items
1899 New Items
Above are catalog items sold in different years. There is no space to duplicate items, so only new and unique items from each year are shown. You would need to view the catalogs for yourself to be complete as I am only highlighting items. You can view catalogs here.

EXTRA INFO
Victor Shade Holder
About The Victor Shade Holder, Atwood And The Standard Holder

I.P. Frink 1899 Items
About Frink & Wheeler
New Wheeler Inverted
Three Links About Mirror Reflector Manufacturers And Their Items And History.
Wheeler Reflector Co.
NEW - A history of The Wheeler Reflector Company and tips on how to tell if mirror has been replaced on a shade

Early Desk Lamps
Some Help In Telling Them Apart

Vitrite And Luminoid
About The Vitrite Holders And Early Vitrite History

Brush-Swan Holder
About Brush-Swan Shade Holders

Cord Balls
My cord pendant adjuster project, as well as a good history about them.

POST 1900 SECTION

About 1900 Styles
This section covers a basic into into the 1900 section covering information about the 1899 transition, electrical code changes, lighting influence, sharing and licensing of patents and then into the new section of electrical specialty manufacturers,

Electrical Specialty Manufacturers
Harvey Hubbell
This section covers some early history periods of pre Hubbell-Grier, Hubbell-Grier, Harvey Hubbell, Hubbell Company. It also covers a number of items that helped change lighting styles,

Benjamin
This section covers some early history periods for the Benjamin Electric MFG. Co, as well as a small section on Dale and The Federal Electric Company
Dale
Federal Electric

This post 1900 section continues to be under current construction

Please Check Back.

Harry Henderson Cutler (Legally changed his name to Harry Hudson Cutler) who was an inventor and manufacturer from Brookline Massachusetts. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1881 at the age of 22. In 1883 he formed a mechanical engineering company with a friend named George Mower. It only lasted about a year and dissolved after Mower moved to England. (later 1895-1923 Mower becomes Great Britain's largest electrical controls manufacturer selling Cutler-Hammer starters. In 1971 he got bought out by CH) From 1883 until 1885 Cutler worked for Thompson-Houston in Lynn, Mass as a student engineer. In 1885 moved to Akron Ohio working as a general manager for Citizens Electric Light & Power Co. where he invented a means of stopping induction troubles in arc lighting that was causing problems in telephone circuits. Cutler installed and operated Akron's first incandescent lighting system. In 1887 moved to Newton Mass and worked as general manager of the Newington Electric Light & Power Co. During his four years there he was called in from time to time by his old employer Thompson-Houston to be an expert witness in different court cases dealing with telephone companies protesting induction problems. Cutler always won by explaining his methods that he invented and used in both Akron and Newton. Cutler moved in 1891 to Chicago where he worked for the Electrical Expert Co.

Franklin S. Terry a 22 year old bookkeeper with the Electrical Supply Company of Connecticut. He was transferred in 1884 to Chicago where he started a new branch for his Company. In 1889 while still working for the Electrical Supply Co. he started his own company called the Sunbean Incandescent Lamp Co.

Edward West Hammer was a sales promoter. (salesman)

Charles Wirt was a inventor who had worked at Menlo Park with Thomas Edison and who Francis Jehl was talking about when he said "Charles Wirt, a man who succeeded in life and became well known to the profession" in the book Menlo Park Reminiscences v3-p965. In 1892 he started his own company called the Wirt Electric Company of Philadelphia.


Frank R. Bacon left Princeton in 1892 because of the death of his mother to work in his fathers grain business in Milwaukee. During this time he saw the growing demands for electrical equipment and hoped some day to become a success starting a company that manufactured it. In 1896 Bacon and an inventor named Lucius Gibbs formed a partnership and incorporated under the name the American Rheostat Company in Milwaukee. It's only product was one to one that was close to the same product being manufactured by Cutler-Hammer.



In 1892 Cutler and his friend Franklin Terry formed a partnership with Edward Hammer and Charles Wirt. The four of them set up a machine shop in Chicago designed to manufacture "electrical specialties". This new company was called the Chicago Electric & Manufacturing Company. They took on clients and did most any kind of electrical work such as light poles, telephone systems, incandescent and arc lighting systems and other type of custom work dealing with designing circuits and installing meters. In 1893 Wirt left the Company and moved to Philadelphia where he started his own company called the Wirt Electric Company. The three remaining partners started a new company called the Cutler-Hammer Mfg. Co. This was because they had purchased the exclusive rights to an invention by a Detroit inventor named Harry H. Blades. This new invention which was an electric starting box for motors with a "no-voltage release system". This new product achieved instant success. The Company still also operated as an electric specialty shop.

In 1894 Terry left the Company to put more time into his Sunbeam Co. and improve his incandescent lamps. His Company was bought out by the National Electric Lamp Co. in 1901 which was bought out by the General Electric Co. in 1911. Terry later became the manager of General Electric's light bulb manufacturing operations.

In 1896 a man named Frank R. Bacon and a local Milwaukee inventor named Lucius T. Gibbs formed a partnership and incorporated under the name the American Rheostat Company in Milwaukee. Their only invention and product was a starting box that was just granted a patent (March 3rd 1896) and was similar to the one manufactured by Cutler-Hammer in Chicago. There was a problem in that Gibbs & Bacon's box had several flaws and bugs. It only took Gibbs a few months to toss in the towel and sell his part of the Company to Bacon. The search then started to find investors. After his father declined to invest in his Company, he found a local Milwaukee man named Frederick L. Pierce to come in as a partner. The box was improved and sold on the open market.

Almost a year later, Western Electric filed a suite against Cutler-Hammer on another product that they were manufacturing and selling. About the same time, Bacon (American Rheostat Co.) filed a law suite against Cutler-Hammer over patent issues because their starter box patents were so similar. During this turmoil Hammer sold his interests in Cutler-Hammer to Cutler for 10,000.00 and left Cutler as sole owner. In the middle of 1897 Bacon approached Cutler with a deal to sell out to him and end all of the fighting. American Rheostat bought Cutler-Hammer, the plant and all rights to their patents, but moved to Chicago and used the Cutler-Hammer name. Bacon would be the president of the Company and Cutler the plant manager and chief engineer. Cutler became vice president in 1902 while continuing his duties as chief engineer until 1907 at which time he took a less active role. This same year (1907) Cutler-Hammer bought out the Wirt Electric Company (cutlers former partner). This is about the same time that Cutler-Hammer started selling electric switches and sockets as shown in the patents below.

Cutler retired in 1916 at the age of 57. At this times Company sales had reached 3.6 million. Bacon died at age 77 in 1949 after being president for over 50 years. At his death the Company was doing over 40 million in sales.

Cutler-Hammer was acquired by Eaton Corporation in 1978. Cutler-Hammer is now one of the principal trademarks of Eaton's electrical business segment.

LAMP SOCKET Pat. No. 1038151 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 09/14/1908 Approved: 09/10/1912 Patent Class: 200/420 Witnesses: A. C. Maage H. Lewis	ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1111798 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 10/05/1911 Approved: 09/29/1914 Patent Class: 200/431 Witnesses: G. L. Rockwell Frank H. Hubbard	SUPPORT AND RECEPTACLE FOR ELECTRICAL DEVICES Pat. No. 1119359 Inventor: Olaf Larsen Applied: 11/15/1911 Approved: 12/01/1914 Patent Class: 200/293 Witnesses: Geo. Haynes Frank H. Hubbard	ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC SWITCH DEVICES Pat. No. 1136239 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 11/15/1911 Approved: 04/20/1915 Patent Class: 200/331 Witnesses: O. Larsen Frank H. Hubbard
ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1136240 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 08/26/1912 Approved: 04/20/1915 Patent Class: 200/51.16 Witnesses: Frank H. Hubbard J. L. Johnson	ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1136680 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 09/25/1911 Approved: 04/20/1915 Patent Class: 200/51.16 Witnesses: Geo. Haynes G. L. Rockwell	CASING CAP FOR LAMP SOCKETS Pat. No. 1141120 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 11/15/1911 Approved: 06/01/1915 Patent Class: 285/149.1 Witnesses: Frank H. Hubbard J. S. Brock	ELECTRIC SWITCH DEVICE AND RECEPTACLE Pat. No. 1143206 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 10/05/1911 Approved: 06/15/1915 Patent Class: 200/293 Witnesses: H. L. Rockwell Frank H. Hubbard
PUSH BUTTON Pat. No. 1143207 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 08/03/1912 Approved: 06/15/1915 Patent Class: 200/331 Witnesses: H. L. Rockwell Frank H. Hubbard	CASING FOR LAMP SOCKETS Pat. No. 1146885 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 05/02/1914 Approved: 07/20/1915 Patent Class: 439/753 Witnesses: Geo. Haynes H. L. Rockwell	ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1160620 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 11/20/1911 Approved: 11/16/1915 Patent Class: 200/8R ; 200/60 Witnesses: Geo. Haynes H. L. Rockwell	ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1162076 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 05/19/1911 Approved: 11/30/1915 Patent Class: 200/435 Witnesses: Geo. Haynes W. L. Rockwell
ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1162866 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 05/31/1911 Approved: 12/07/1915 Patent Class: 200/435 Witnesses: H. L. Rockwell J. S. Brock	ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1168005 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 08/14/1912 Approved: 01/11/1916 Patent Class: 200/51.16 Witnesses: F. L. Rockwell Jeanette S. Brock	PUSH BUTTON FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES Pat. No. 1183076 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 11/05/1913 Approved: 05/16/1916 Patent Class: 200/345 Witnesses: F. H. Hubbard T. H. Watson	ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1184104 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 04/28/1911 Approved: 05/23/1916 Patent Class: 200/439 Witnesses: H. L. Rockwell F. H. Hubbard
ELECTRIC ATTACHMENT DEVICE Pat. No. 1184105 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 11/20/1911 Approved: 05/23/1916 Patent Class: 200/51.09 Witnesses: Geo. Haynes U. L. Rockwell	ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1186585 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 08/14/1912 Approved: 06/13/1916 Patent Class: 200/437 Witnesses: D. L. Rockwell Chas. A. Schowalter	ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1227801 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 10/02/1911 Approved: 05/29/1917 Patent Class: 200/430 Witnesses: W. L. Rockwell Frank H. Hubbard	CASING FOR LAMP SOCKETS OR THE LIKE Pat. No. 1228027 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 12/08/1913 Approved: 05/29/1917 Patent Class: 439/753 Witnesses: F. H. Hubbard L. A. Watson
CASING FOR LAMP SOCKETS OR THE LIKE Pat. No. 1228028 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 12/18/1913 Approved: 05/29/1917 Patent Class: 200/298 Witnesses: F. H. Hubbard L. A. Watson	LAMP SOCKET Pat. No. 1248135 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 11/09/1914 Approved: 11/27/1917 Patent Class: 439/753 Witnesses: H. Watson Tekla Bast	PULL CHAIN SWITCH Pat. No. 1249117 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 09/15/1911 Approved: 12/04/1917 Patent Class: 200/418 Witnesses: H. L. Rockwell Frank H. Hubbard	ELECTRIC SWITCH Pat. No. 1252586 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 06/30/1915 Approved: 01/08/1918 Patent Class: 200/438 Witnesses: L. A. Watson Tekla Bast
CASING FOR LAMP SOCKETS OR THE LIKE Pat. No. 1267875 Inventor: Charles J. Klein Applied: 04/08/1912 Approved: 05/08/1918 Patent Class: 200/293 Witnesses: H. L. Rockwell Frank H. Hubbard