The New York herald., 1879-08-25
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.

accomplished. The long sought after perfect regu-
lator for keeping the carbons in their relative posi-
tions and preventing either extinguishment Of the
voltaic arc or the occasional hickering. which has
hitherto proved somewhat of q drawback. appears at
last to have been found. Within the past week the
Fuller Electrical Company of this city have
secured the patent Of regulator. which
works entirely without clockwork resembling
in that respect the famous Jablochkoif candle Of
Paris. but differing from it in permitting the
bons be held. not side by side in the latter in
vention. but in vertical line thus securing the full
effect of the voltaic Tho regulator
Of an electro-magnet arranged as to be operated
by the ightgiving current. and. in turn operating
an ingenious and very simple mechanical contriv-
ance which keeps the carbons always in exactly the
same relative position. Notwithstanding the
consumption the points caused by the heat Of the
electricity
To understand the importance Of perfect regu-
lator in system Of electric lighting it IS necessary
to examine the principle by which the electric light
is produced. There are two ways of OBJ tanning light
from electricity. The first is by passing strong
current Of electricity through piece OF thin
tory metal. as. tor instance, platinum which pro-
duces the best results. The electricity thus passing
through heats the metal to white heat and the
consequence is Of course light. depending for its
brilliancy first upon the intensity OF the current
and second upon the sze character and scope of the
metal SO heated. This system is called the incan-
descent system. and is the one upon which Mr..
Edison has been working so long.
The second method Of producing light from elec-
trcity is by passing the electric current from one
carbon point another through short intervening
space of from onesxteenth to oneeighth OF inch.
tem light Of great intensity is produced, single
light having frequently been brought to intensity
equal to that OF 900 candes but in practice is
found more expedient to make the light Of much
less intensity. say from 5000 to 5000 candles. The
light consumes the carbon points aud necessitates
constant automatic adjustment. The carbon system
is the one which the attention and researches OF
electricians aud inventors have been most largely
directed, although the incandescent method has nu-
merous followers.
THE WORK or ALL NATIONS.
The history Of the electric light extends over
iabors Of scientists inventors in almost every
nation in the world. At time the honors OF
making electricity the light OF the future appeared
shifted the glory to France. from whence in duo
time it captured by Germany. only to be wrested
in the progress OF science by America and 10
inventors of all those nations belong nearly equal
proportions the credit OF making the electric
light what it is. Its development might
not inaptly be compared to the building of q mon
ument to which persons OF every nation contrib
uted. and the glory OF whose construction belonged
no more him who laid the first stone than to him
who topped the summit The first public exhibition
of electric light occurred in Paris theatre in
effects OF the rising Its was SO great
the accounts narrate that it saluted with unan
e.tana.d to tns 9
lightning. artificial rsinbows and luminous ioun-
tains.
REGULATORS PAST AND PRESENT
As has been stated. 1t s absolutely necessary in
the carbon system to have some means of keeping
the carbons relatively the position else the
little while the space intervening between the
carbon points to become too great for the current
rltShvr lf.,ht
result. The first practical apparatus for thus regu.
lating the carbons was devised by Thomas Wright.
which is the technical term for the electric
light. to play between two disks OF carbon
having their circumferancs cut into shape and
few years afterward LIE Mott. OF France, improving
upon this apparatus. devised . cockwork regulator
that kept the light comparatively steady for several
minutes at time. but the Pickering was still too
great to make II a practical success. He fol-
lowed successfully by Archerean, Iacassagre and
CARTE each of whom in certain essentiais Drought
up the standard Of regulators to greater
perfection. Foucaults regulator. afterward de-
vised, tor long time the best.
1t differed in many details from the that had
gone before and gave comparative satisfaction. The
next advance was by Serrin whose regulator kept
the carbons exceedingly steady in their relative po-
sitions. number of other inventors added to the
list until iew years ago one was devised which for
time promised to supersede all others. The IN
question was the invention Of NJ. Jablochkoff, o
Russian engineer Previously ali the regu-
view to keeping the carbons on the vertical
line with their points slightly separated from
the other Jablochkoff conceived the idea of placing
the carbon pencils III upright position. side by
side. separated little from each other by insu-
lating material. This device entirely dispensed
with the hitherto cumbersome clock work, and the
invention speedily introduced into Paris and
other cities of Europe. where It attained large
was found in practice to possess certain
drawbacks. principal among which was the
o oowsr sny mus anc'ng ns IL
returned TO the old form. seeking diligently for de-
vices to keep the carbons in vertical line without
the use Of clockwork. considerable advance was
made few years ugo by Mr.. Fuller, an American
electrician. since dead. He constructed regulator
consisting OF y rod with a toothed rack upon one
side holding one OF the carbon pencils. by means
OF pinion which gcared with the rod motion was
given TO q train OF wheels arranged on n lever. BY
this device, when the current flowed the end OF tho
lever attracted by an electromagnetic to LIT
the rod and with 1t the carbon pencil about one
ing carbon. thus producing tho voltaic
arc. When the carbons had burned away
and in doing the wheels were released and the
upper carbon moved downward the merest fraction
OF AN inch. In practice the apparatus worked with
flicker was almost entirely obviatcd. Tho In
ventor soon afterward made an important improve
ment In machines tor generating the electric
tion with capital Of $0,O00.000 began tho work Of
putting the light In practical operation
THE GENERATING MACHINES
In the machines for generating the electric current
the improvements have been marked and impor-
thHt Us III tne reRuatOrs. nrst Inhcnine was
made In Paris by pixii 1882. 1t speedily fol-
lowed by Clsrk's, Nandet's and Sienens. The Alli-
ance machine, Invented by Nollet. professor Of
physics In Brussels, was next In order. With
them competed q number Of others, among
which may be mentioned the generators
of Wilde aud Ladd. OF England. The Gramme
chine. invented in France by NJ Grammc. introduced
number Of features tending to the prod ducton
of electricity OF much greater intensity for given
horse power and at much less expense. 1t soon
found It's way into tho principal cities OF Europe
few months ago the Uramme patents after long no.
gotiatons, were purchased for tho United States Dy
Colonel H. D. Crosby, president OF the Fuller Eec
trical Company, and since then have been used by
that company In connection with their Keith and
Fuller generators.
ELECTRIC rioHr.
Tho great obstacle that boon hitherto offered to