Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Sensitivity of Receivers for Waves of Light, Heat or Electricity.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Sensitivity of
Receivers for Waves of Light, Heat or Electricity.
We, AXEL ÖRLING, 7, Engelbrektsgatan, Electrician, and CARL GUSTAF GEORG
BRAUNERIIJELM, 19, Engelbrektsgatan, Colonel, both of Stockholm, in the King-
dom of Sweden, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
In directing torpedoes or other vessels by the action of light-, heat-, or
electrical rays from a search-light or the like on electrical resistances composed
of a material which as regards its electrical conductivity is sensitive to said
rays, the difficulty has been experienced that the action of the rays on the torpedo
or vessel moves it away from the source of the rays. This difficulty is obviated
by the present invention which relates to a receiving-apparatus for the rays
emitted, the sensitivity of which is regulated in a degree corresponding to the
distance that the apparatus moves away from or approaches to the source of rays,
so that the strength of the electric current flowing through the circuit when the
apparatus is under influence of the rays emitted does not diminish to the same
extent as heretofore with a decreasing intensity of the rays.
In the accompanying drawing is shewn in a side-elevation and a vertical section
a receiver for the active rays, arranged in accordance with this invention.
The apparatus shewn in the drawing is essentially composed of a series of con-
ductors a, a
a', a of suitable material, located within an enveloping
casing, from which the air has been wholly or partially removed, in a non-
conducting, preferably U-shaped holder H, H', between two terminals ¹, 2, of
an electric circuit, which terminals are movable in relation to each other. Said
conductors, which form part of the circuit, normally exert a great electrical
resistance. While under the influence of heat-, or electrical waves, how-
ever, their resistance is materially reduced because the conductors are polarized
and consequently favour the flow of the electric current. As shewn in the draw-
ing the conductors a, a¹
a, a are arranged in two rows viz., one lower
row of conductors a resting on the bottom H¹ of the holder H, at some distance
from one another, and one upper row of conductors a¹ located respectively
between every of the former, and resting on the conductors a lying on the
bottom H', so as to be supported by them. The electric current from the battery B
flows through the electromagnet M, belonging to the relay R, and the screw con-
.

page_text: tacts to the contact terminal and thence through the threaded spindle s, the
armature A, and the screw contacts back to the battery. The threaded
spindle s is at one end made to slide but not turn in a bearing while its threaded
portion passes through a hole in the armature A which hole is provided with
corresponding threads for engaging with those of the spindle. The armature A
is held by a spring f in satisfactory contact with the conductor L. The
holder H, H together with the conductors a, a¹
a, a, the armature A,
and threaded spindle s, are located within a closed air-tight and non-conducting
casing from which the air has been evacuated.
One end of the casing O is embraced by a fork-shaped electromagnet M' the two
poles of which are situated directly opposite the ends of the armature A. The
magnet Mis journalled on a shaft which by means of suitable gearing is con-
nected with a rotating shaft g or other moving part of the machinery, for instance,
the shaft of the screw-propeller.
When the conductors a, a .. a, a are not under influence of the rays
from the search-light their resistance to the electric current is so great that the
latter is unable to bring the relay R into action. As soon, however, as the afore-
said conductors are struck by the rays emitted, their power of resistance to the
electric current is diminished and the latter being increased in force of relay R
will be brought into action so that the steering-apparatus in known manner is
actuated in one direction or the other. When the rays emitted are light rays,
the conductors a, a¹
a, a may suitably be made of selenium. When
electric rays are used, the conductors should be made of a dia-magnetic and
the objects of a paragmagnetic substance, though it is also possible to use con-
ducting objects of equal magnetic properties.
When the shaft is rotated, the magnet M will be revolved by means of the
gearing from the said shaft, though at a comparatively slow rate of speed, the
armature A will take part in the rotation of the magnet, and the threaded spindle s
will be slid farther into its bearing h, so that the distance between the contact-
terminals, 12, is increased. Simultaneously the distances between the con-
ductors a resting on the bottom H are also increased, so that the conductors a
will drop lower down between the former conductors a descend between the
conductors a, all the conductors will be more strongly polarized and acquire
greater sensitivity to the rays emitted, and as a result the electric current will
not suffer such a rapid loss in strength with decreasing intensity of the rays as
would otherwise be the case.
1
P
1000
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating the Sensitivity of
Receivers for Waves of Light, Heat or Electricity.
We, AXEL ORLING, of 7, Engelbrektsgatan, Electrician, and CARL GUSTAF GEORG
BRAUNERIIJELM, of 19, Engelbrektsgatan, Colonel, both of Stockholm, Sweden,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
In directing torpedoes or other vessels by the action of light-, heat-, or
electrical rays from a search-light or the like on electrical resistances composed

page_text: of a material which as regards its electrical conductivity is sensitive to said
rays, the difficulty has been experienced that the action of the rays on the torpedo
or vessel moves it away from the source of the rays. This difficulty is obviated
by the present invention which relates to a receiving-apparatus for the rays
emitted, the sensitivity of which is regulated in a degree corresponding to the
distance that the apparatus moves away from or approaches to the source of rays,
so that the strength of the electric current flowing through the circuit when the
apparatus is under influence of the rays emitted does not diminish to the same.
extent as heretofore with a decreasing intensity of the rays.
In the drawing left with the Provisional Specification is shewn in a side-
elevation and a vertical section a receiver for the active rays, arranged in accord-
ance with this invention.
The apparatus shewn in the drawing is essentially composed of a series of con-
ductors a, a¹ a¹, a of suitable material, located within an enveloping
casing, from which the air has been wholly or partially removed, in a non-
conducting, preferably U-shaped holder H, H¹, between two terminals 1, 2, of
an electric circuit, which terminals are movable in relation to each other. Said
conductors, which form part of the circuit, normally exert a great electrical
resistance. While under the influence of heat-, light-, or electrical waves, how-
ever, their resistance is materially reduced because the conductors are polarized
and consequently favour the flow of the electric current. As shewn in the draw-
ing the conductors a, a¹ .a, a are arranged in two rows viz., one lower
row of conductors a resting on the bottom H of the holder H, at some distance
from one another, and one upper row of conductors each located respectively
between every one of the former, and resting on the conductors a lying on the
bottom H', so as to be supported by them. The electric current from the battery B
flows through the electromagnet M, belonging to the relay R, and the screw con-
tacts to the contact terminal and thence through the threaded spindle s, the
armature A, and the screw contacts back to the battery. The threaded
spindle s is at one end made to slide but not turn in a bearing while its threaded
portion passes through a hole in the armature A which hole is provided with
corresponding threads for engaging with those of the spindle. The armature A
is held by a spring f in satisfactory contact with the conductor L. The
holder H, H together with the conductors a, a¹ a, a, the armature A,
and threaded spindles, are located within a closed air-tight and non-conducting
casing from which the air has been evacuated.
One end of the casing is embraced by a fork-shaped electromagnet M¹ the two
poles of which are situated directly opposite the ends of the armature A. The
imagnet M is journalled on a shaft p which by means of suitable gearing is con-
nected with a rotating shaft or other moving part of the machinery, for instance,
the shaft of the screw-propeller.
When the conductors a, u¹
a, a are not under influence of the rays
from the search-light their resistance to the electric current is so great that the
latter is unable to bring the relay R into action. As soon, however, as the afore-
said conductors are struck by the rays emitted, their power of resistance to the
electric current is diminished and the latter being increased in force the relay R
will be brought into action so that the steering-apparatus in known manner is
actuated in one direction or the other. When the rays emitted are light rays,
the conductors a, al
a¹, a may suitably be made of selenium. When
electric rays are used, the conductors a should be made of a dia-magnetic and
the objects a of a paramagnetic substance, though it is also possible to use con-
ducting objects of equal magnetic properties.
When the shaft y is rotated, the magnet M will be revolved by means of the
gearing from the said shaft, though at a comparatively, slow rate of speed, the
armature A will take part in the rotation of the magnet, and the threaded spindle s
will be slid farther into its bearing h, so that the distance between the contact-
terminals, is increased. Simultaneously the distances between the con-

page_text: ductors a resting on the bottom H₁ are also increased, so that the conductors a¹
will drop lower down between the former conductors, nearer the bottom H¹. In
the same ratio as conductors a descend between the conductors a, all the con-
ductors will be more strongly polarized and acquire greater sensitivity to the rays
emitted, and as a result the electric current will not suffer such a rapid loss in
strength with decreasing intensity of the rays as would otherwise be the case.
The conducting bodies will also continually offer new contact-surfaces thus making
tappings or other methods of restoring the sensitiveness after each exposure un-
necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a receiver for waves of light, heat or electricity, the combination of a
non-conducting holder, two end contacts located in said holder so that the distance
between them may be adjusted, and two rows of conductors between said end-
contacts, the conductors of the one row resting on the bottom of said holder, and
the conductors of the other row resting on and between the conductors of the
bottom row, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a receiver for waves of light, heat, or electricity, the combination of a
closed non-conducting casing from which the air has been wholly or partially
removed, a non-conducting holder inside said casing between two terminals of an
electric circuit, an armature in contact with one of said terminals, a threaded
spindle through the said armature, two rows of conductors between the said
spindle and the other of said terminals, and a moveable magnet outside said casing
adapted to rotate the said armature, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The improved receiver for waves of light, heat or electricity herein before
described and illustrated in the drawing.
Dated this 17th day of Catalan 1900
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham.