New-York tribune., 1896-11-29
A NOVEL CIRCUIT BREAKER.
A NEW AUTOMATIC DEVICE USED IN THE
ELECTRIC TINE SERVICE.

James Hanblet electrician in charge OF the West
arm Unions time service in this CITY, has recently
added a new bit of apparatus TO the equipment or
his office In past years Mr. Hamblet has designed
some OF the finest tmepieces in this country. The
Trbunes tower clock is one of them. And he was
pioneer in the field Of time distribution by electric
means Hence every advance no matter how
trifing which is made in this art possesses peculiar
interest for this veteran in chronological science.
The astronomers in the Naval Observatory at
Washington. by observations of the passage OF GER
tain standard stars across the meridian. are able
10 regulate their clock closely that ii gives true
time within fraction of a second This instrument
is the standard for the whole country. few min
utes before noon every day il Is put In telegraphic
communication with Mr.. Hamblet's Office. where
after. proper preparatory signals. 1t ticks of the
hour Of l2 as recorded by the observatory clock.
with absolute precision. There is in this apartment
another remarkable tmepiece. II runs with such
accuracy that its own independent noon signal sell
dom varies from the Washington signal more than
q tenth OF second: often the difference Is less
Now this New-York instrument is the master clock
which controls hundreds, perhaps thousands. OF
other clocks in this city and vicinity. by means OF
electricity Something ike twenty five thirty
senarate wire circuits opers ted by the ticking
of Mr. Hamblet's clock.
Should anything go amiss with one OF these wires
the fact Is maically signalled by the ringing
OF a bell few tests. occupying but ten or fifteen
seconds, perhaps. ana IN no way interfering win
the rest Of the service. enable Mr.. Hamblet to de-
,erm,ne on which wire the mischief exists He is
chen sbIe 10 adopt the necessary remedial
Rut the new bit of apparatus which he has intro
ouced goes step further. 1t shuts of the current
from the wire automatically. to prevent further
trouble.
The device Is simple and neat and to any one
familiar with electrical appliances ntelligibA
glance II consists principally OF horizontal cage.
made Of four ve-y slender brass rods eight inches
long and so arranged to nclose steel ball about
hye-eighths Of an inch in diameter. The cage is
poised nearly at the middle, that It can "teeter'
slightly; but one end is a trife heavier than the
other, and its normal position is an eighth or a
quarter OF an inch lower than the other end. The
hall while unable TO escape, rolls freely In the
cage when II has reason to- but usually II remains
at the right-hand end From the under side OF
the rocking nclosure short arm projects down.
ward. The latter at Its lower extremity carries q
bit Of steel called "armature" and when this is
attracted by an electro-magnet. close by. the arm
moves enough TO tilt the cage and start the ball
a-rong toward the other end. An electric current
controlled by the master clock is flashed through
the magnet once every second. The duration OF
Its influence is long enough to affect the armature
and tilt the cage. but short that the falls
back into It's usual position before the ball has
rolled more than inch But suppose that some
to the Office equipment should fail TO open II
ought to, within a hundredth part of a second
Of order. In such case the magnet just referred
to would not release the armature the cage would
the steel bail would roll as far as it could Just be-
fore reaching the extreme left-hand end It would
moved three -eght6s Of an inch. That lever would
open an electric switch and break the circuit In
e~ S nss would thus be- prevented % Tbe Seyc
works. therefore. like a safety valve.