IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS T "
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS
T
"
LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN OBTAINING LIGHT DI ELECTRICITY." A Communication from
abroad by Francisque Million, of Lyons, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th June 1881.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of
23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN OBTAINING LIGHT BY
ELECTRICITY." A communication from abroad by Francisque Million, of Lyons, in
the Republic of France.
.
The Invention has for its object,―
First. To enable light to be given for a relatively long period, whilst the
expenditure of electricity is reduced as low as possible.
Second. To ensure a fixed and regular light during the entire period of the
duration of the light.
Third. To arrange several lamps upon a single circuit, at the same time
permitting of placing in action only those required, and with the certainty that the
extinction of one of these lamps will not involve that of the others.
These results are obtained, first, by the employment of long slender carbons
guided and conducted by special means; second, by an improved arrangement of
regulator.
Third. By an automatic derivation of the current.
Each of the two carbons is mounted at one end in a carriage, and at the other
passes through a mouth piece, from which it receives the electricity through a
pivotted platinized bearing piece or roller pressed upon the carbon by a spring.
These carbons traverse two tubes supported by rods or columns insulated from the
other parts of the apparatus, and said rods or columns carry centreing sockets to
enable the two carbons to be adjusted in line with each other.

page_text: These rods or columns are also the conductors of the currents, binding nuts
serving as contacts.
The entire of the regulator and of the lamp is mounted upon a framing. A drum
has two cords connected thereto, which cords pass over guide pulleys, and are then
attached to the outward or rear end of the carriages. Two windlasses have two
cords wound thereon, which after passing over two guide pulleys are attached to
the forward ends of the carriages. A counterpoise suspended by cords wound upon
the small drums of the windlasses operate the larger drums thereof. The counter-
poise is hollow, and is so placed as to receive the matters proceeding from the
combustion of the carbons.
The combination of these parts constitute the means employed for conducting
the carbons. A key placed upon the first mentioned drum enables the carriages
to be drawn back when it is required to renew the carbons. Upon the axis of the
said drum is keyed a ratchet wheel, which is held by a click furnished with a
spur, and operated by a lever, having at one end a counterpoise, and at the other a
fork, to which are attached two bars passing through two solenoids; a stop serves
to work the click. A toothed wheel keyed upon the axis of the drum gives motion
to a pinion keyed upon the axis of a wheel giving motion to a fly. These various
parts constitute the regulator.
A resistance coil with a core made of a bundle of iron wire, a solenoid with
mercury contact, and a solenoid of substitution are the parts of the automatic
derivation of the current.
The regulator is protected from the weather, dust, and other matters by a box
capable of being readily closed and opened. A reflector is fixed to the framing; it
is provided with side flues for the escape of the gases given off from the com-
bustion of the carbons. The lamp is suspended by two rings. The contacts can
with or without visible conductors receive the current; they are formed with
platinum points, are insulated from the box, and are protected by caps.
All the parts conducting electricity are coated with caoutchouc in order to
prevent all possible accidents.
It is well known that the light is of greater power in proportion as the tempe-
rature is more elevated. The inventor has endeavoured with a single current to
reduce as much as possible the voltaic arc, and he has naturally been led to take
carbons as small in diameter as the passage of the currents will permit. This
causes a further profit to be derived from the electricity employed for heating
thicker carbons, and the cones of shadow are considerably reduced, but this gives
rise to a much more rapid combustion.
As it is desired to obtain a lamp capable of working a long time the carbons are
considerably lengthened, thereby permitting the above described system of
conducting and guiding it.
The solenoid with mercury contact is mounted upon a cylindrical part of non-
conducting material, which latter is formed with a central space to receive
mercury. In rest, the counterpoise on the lever carrying the click pushes the
latter against the ratchet wheel, which in turning carries with it the drum which
winds up a part of the cords which draw back the carriages and carbons and
consequently separates the latter; the bar of this solenoid descends by its own weight
into the mercury, the level of which is raised by reason of the displacement produced
by this bar to the height of a pair of contacts, and connects them. If therefore the
electric current is brought by the conductor connected with the solenoid of
derivation and with the solenoid with mercury contacts, it will not be able to pass,
as the carbons are separated, and thereby prevent the formation of the voltaic arc,
it will follow another conductor will pass from the one contact to the other through
the mercury, then through the resistance coil and the substitution solenoid to the
opposite conductor, but the current by traversing the substitution solenoid will
magnetize the bar and attract it with so much more power that all the current
will pass by this solenoid, the bar being connected to the click lever will draw it
also; this last will draw back the click which will be raised by the friction of the

page_text: spur on a stop. The ratchet wheel will thus be freed, the counterpoise operating
the windlasses will by the suspension cords rotate the windlasses and wind up the
traction cords, which will draw forward the carriages as also the carbons with a
motion governed by the speed given to the fan.
This motion will continue until the carbons come into contact with each other;
then the current first referred to will pass partly through the solenoid with mercury
contacts, will continue its course to the contact connected with one of the columns
supporting the guide tubes, then through such column to the mouthpiece, which
will communicate it to the carbons, and thence it will pass to the opposite conductor,
but the said current by traversing the solenoid with mercury contacts will magnetize
the bar of the latter and will thereby raise it, the mercury will fall to its own
level, the contacts thereof will be isolated, and all the current will pass by the
carbons which are in contact; the solenoid of substitution having no more current
will cease to magnetize its bar and as the counterpoise actuates the click lever, the
latter will return gently, the click will again fall upon the ratchet wheel which
will be pushed forward, will wind up the cords and draw the carbons backwards,
thereby establishing the arc.
The lamp once in action, the combustion of the carbons will permit the voltaic
arc to increase, and consequently will increase the resistance to the passage of the
current, it will therefore follow that part of the current will pass through a
conductor to the solenoid of derivation, will magnetize its bar, which will be
attracted with so much the more force that the arc will be larger, the click lever
will be consequently moved and the click will be raised, which as before explained
will permit the gradual approach of the carbons.
The click will be held up so long that the resistance of the arc will force the
current to pass through the derivation conductor with sufficient power that the
action of the derivation solenoid upon its bar can counterbalance the action of the
counterpoise of the click lever.
When the arc has arrived at the power which will be equal with the effort
exerted by the solenoid of derivation, the size of the arc or its resistance will
remain constant, as all change in this resistance will influence the derived current,
and by breaking the equilibrium will cause the approach of the carbons as above
described, and so rapidly that the light is not in anywise effected.
In case of accidental extinction of a lamp, the current ceasing to pass by the
solenoid with mercury contacts, the magnetization of the bar of the latter will
cease, and it will fall by its own weight into the mercury, will raise the level of
the latter to the height of the contacts, and the current will continue its course
through the conductor connected with said contacts passing through the resistance
coil, the solenoid of substitution, and will rejoin the other conductor to follow its
course towards the other lamps mounted on the same circuit without any stoppage,
these various courses being instantaneous.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd December 1881.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of
23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
" IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN OBTAINING LIGHT BY
ELECTRICITY." A communication from abroad by Francisque Million, of Lyons, in
the Republic of France.
The Invention has for its object, first, to enable light to be given for a relatively
long period, whilst the expenditure of electricity is reduced as low as possible;
second, to ensure a fixed and regular light during the entire period of the duration
of the light third, to arrange several lamps upon a single circuit, at the same
time permitting of placing in action only those required, and with the certainty
that the extinction of one of these lamps will not involve that of the others.
The results are obtained, first, by the employment of long slender carbons guided
and conducted by special means; second, by an improved arrangement of regulator;
third, by an automatic derivation of the current.
And in order that the said Invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, fully to
describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Each of the two carbons A, A¹, is mounted at one end in a carriage a, a¹, and
at the other passes through a mouthpiece B, B¹, from which it receives the
electricity through a pivotted platinized bearing piece or roller b, b¹, pressed
upon the carbon by a spring; these carbons traverse two tubes c, c', supported by
rods or columns D, D¹, insulated from the other parts of the apparatus by two
discs d, d, and said rods or columns carry centering sockets and screws V to
enable the two carbons to be adjusted in line with each other.
These rods or columns are also the conductors of the currents, binding nuts
U, U¹, serving as contacts.
The entire of the regulator and of the lamp is mounted upon a framing E.
A drum F has two cords G and G¹ connected thereto, which cords pass over guide
pulleys g, g, and are then attached to the outward or rear end of the carriages a, a'.
Two windlasses H, H³, have two cords I, I, wound thereon, which after passing
over the two guide pulleys i, i, are attached to the forward ends of the carriages
a, a. A counterpoise J suspended by cords k, k', wound upon the small drums
h, h, of the windlasses operate the larger drums H, H¹, thereof. The counter-
poise J is hollow, and is so placed as to receive the matters proceeding from the
combustion of the carbons.
The combination of these parts constitutes the means employed for conducting
the carbons. A key placed upon the first mentioned drum F enables the carriages
to be drawn back when it is required to renew the carbons. Upon the axis of the
drum F is keyed a ratchet wheel K, which is held by a click L furnished with a
spur M and operated by a lever N, having at one end a counterpoise O and at the
other a fork, to which are attached two bars P, P¹, passing through two solenoids
Q. Q, a stop R serves to work the click L. A toothed wheel S keyed upon the
axis of the drum F gives motion to a pinion keyed upon the axis of a wheel T
giving motion to a fly X. These various parts constitute the regulator.
A resistance coil Y with a core made of a bundle of iron wire, a solenoid with
mercury contact Z, and a solenoid of substitution Q are the parts of the automatic
derivation of the current.

page_text: The regulator is protected from the weather, dust, and other matters by a box a,
capable of being readily closed and opened. A reflector 62 is fixed to the framing;.
it is provided with side flues f, f, for the escape of the gases given off from the
combustion of the carbons. The lamp is suspended by two rings g, g'. The
contacts h2, h3, can with or without visible conductors receive the current by means
of the fittings 1, 11; they are formed with platinum points, are insulated from the
box, and are protected by caps m, m¹.
All the parts conducting electricity are coated with caoutchouc in order to
prevent all possible accidents.
It is well known that the light is of greater power in proportion as the
temperature is more elevated. The inventor has endeavoured with a single
current to reduce as much as possible the voltaic arc, and he has naturally been led
to take carbons as small in diameter as the passage of the currents will permit ;
this causes a further profit to be derived from the electricity employed for heating
thicker carbons, and the cones of shadow are considerably reduced; but this
gives rise to a much more rapid combustion.
As it is desired to obtain a lamp
capable of working a long time the carbons are considerably lengthened, thereby
permitting the above described system of conducting and guiding it.
In order to facilitate my explanation I have shown at Figure 3 the various
parts relating to the regulation and automatic derivation of the current, but for
the purpose of clearness I have represented the solenoids and bobbins as placed in
the same plane.
The solenoid Z with mercury contact is mounted upon a cylindrical part of non-
conducting material, which latter is formed with a central space to receive mercury 2.
In rest, the counterpoise O on the lever carrying the click L pushes the latter
against the ratchet wheel, which in turning carries with it the drum F which
winds up a part of the cords G, G¹, which draw back the carriages a, a¹, and
carbons A, A, and consequently separates the latter; the bar 1 of this solenoid Z
descends by its own weight into the mercury, the level of which is raised by
reason of the displacement produced by this bar to the height of a pair of contacts
3 and 4, and connects them. If therefore the electric current is brought by the
conductor connected with the solenoid of derivation and with the solenoid with
mercury contacts, it will not be able to pass, as the carbons are separated, and
thereby prevent the formation of the voltaic arc, it will follow another conductor s
will pass by the contacts 3 and 4 through the mercury, then through the
resistance coil Y and the substitution solenoid Q to the opposite conductor v, but
the current by traversing the substitution solenoid Q¹ will magnetize the bar P'
and attract it with so much more power that all the current will pass by this
solenoid, the bar P₁ being connected to the click lever N will draw it also, this last
will draw back the click L, which will be raised by the friction of the spur M on
the stop R. The ratchet wheel K will thus be freed, the counterpoise J operating
the windlasses H, H', will, by the suspension cords, rotate the windlasses H, H',
and wind up the traction cords I, I, which will draw forward the carriages a, a',
as also the carbons A, A', with a motion governed by the speed given to the
fan X.
The gear wheels S and T keyed upon the shaft of the drum F become free in
consequence of the raising of the click L, and allow of the unwinding of the
cords G, G', in proportion to the advance of the carriages a, a'.
This motion will continue until the carbons come into contact with each other,
then the current » first referred to will pass partly through the solenoid Z with
mercury contacts, will continue its course by the contact U, the column D to the
mouthpiece B furnished with an adjustable bearing or contact b platinized on its
inner surface, which will communicate it to the carbons A, A', and thence it will
pass to the opposite conductor v, but the said current r by traversing the solenoid Z
with mercury contacts will magnetize the bar 1 of the latter, and will thereby
raise it into the position shown at Figure 3, the mercury will fall to its own level,
the contacts 3 and 4 thereof will be isolated, and all the current will pass by the

page_text: carbons which are in contact; the solenoid Q' of substitution having no more
current will cease to magnetize its bar P¹, and as the counterpoise O actuates the
click lever the latter will return gently, the click L will again fall upon the ratchet
wheel, which will be pushed forward, will wind up the cords G, G¹, upon the
drum F, and draw the carbons A, A', backwards, thereby establishing the arc.
The lamp once in action the combustion of the carbons will permit the voltaic arc
to increase, and consequently will increase the resistance to the passage of the
current; it will therefore follow that part of the current will pass through the
conductor t to the solenoid of derivation Q, will magnetize its bar P, which will be
attracted with so much the more force that the are will be larger, the click lever N
will be consequently moved, and the click L will be raised, which, as before
explained, will permit the gradual approach of the carbons A, A¹
The click L will be held up so long that the resistance of the arc will force the
current to pass through the derivation conductor t with sufficient power that the
action of the derivation solenoid Q upon its bar P can counterbalance the action of
the counterpoise O of the click lever N.
When the arc has arrived at the power which will be equal with the effort
exerted by the solenoid of derivation, the size of the arc or its resistance will remain
constant, as all change in this resistance will influence the derived current, and by
breaking the equilibrium will cause the approach of the carbons, as above described,
and so rapidly that the light is not in anywise affected.
To regulate the length of the arc it is only necessary to withdraw or advance
the counterpoise O, then the power required for the solenoid of derivation becomes
larger or smaller, and the equilibrium with the arc can only be established as far
as the latter is itself more or less resisting, that is to say, is larger or smaller.
.
In case of accidental extinction of a lamp, the current ceasing to pass by the
solenoid Z with mercury contacts, the magnetization of the bar 1 of the latter will
cease and it will fall by its own weight into the mercury, will raise the level of
the latter to the height of the contacts 3 and 4, and the current will continue its
course through the conductor s connected with said contacts passing through the
resistance coil Y, the solenoid of substitution Q1, and will rejoin the other
conductor to follow its course towards the other lamps mounted on the same
circuit without any stoppage, these various courses being instantaneous.
It will be seen therefore that by these various parts, the inventor obtains a
practical solution of the divisability of the electric light, of the regularity of
working, and lastly, of the greatest possible economy.
For greater clearness different details and modifications are drawn to a larger
scale, the following being a description thereof.
Figure 4 shows the details of one mouthpiece. The carbon A traverses the
mouthpiece B, which is conical internally, in order that the carbon may pass freely
and yet be held in the direction desired. Two platinized rollers b, b¹, one of
which (b) is fixed to the mouthpiece, and the other to the end of a spring to
ensure continuous contact with the carbon to transmit to it the current. A piece c
soldered to the tube C receives the mouthpiece B which is fixed to it by a binding
screw d. A block with several pulleys E to which is suspended the counterweight
serves to move the carbons. The roller b' can be dispensed with, and that marked b
replaced by a bearing piece, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 5 shows the arrangement of a carriage with wheels. The carbon A
traverses a frame a in which it is held by a spring b. This framing carries
wheels d, d, running on the tube C which is slit along its entire length. This tube
can be replaced by two rods upon which the wheels of the carriage would run.
Figure 6 shows the arrangement of the winch or pulleys for the withdrawal of
the carbons. A framing de fixed to the tube c is traversed by an axle carrying a
large drum or pulley H, upon which is wound the traction cord of the carbons and
two small druins or pulleys h, h, upon which are wound the suspension cords of
. the counterweight. The winch or pulleys can be replaced by a block, as shown

page_text: at Figure 4. Lastly, the counterweight can be dispensed with by mounting upon
the axis of the winch H a barrel enclosing a spiral spring.
The fan can be replaced by a rotary pendulum worked in such manner that the
motion can take place either forward or backward. The solenoids can be replaced
by magnets.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode in which
the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim as
applicable together or separately to electric lamps is,―
First. The employment of mercury contact which permits the passage of the
current in case of the extinction of the lamp.
Second. The resistance bobbin which by its core of iron wire no longer requires
long lengths of conductor wound thereon, provided that it forms two currents of
induction and of the contrary direction.
Third. The mode of regulation by means of the opposition of a counterweight
and of a derived current, the variations of which in the two directions are,
transmitted to the carbons by means of stretched cords.
Fourth. The solenoid, called the solenoid of substitution, because at the time of
lighting the lamp it is substituted for the solenoid of regulation, and permits the
lighting without oscillation of the arc.
Fifth. The general arrangement of the regulator.
Sixth. Conducting carbons of great length by a carriage guided and worked by
cords, chains, or threads stretched by counterweights or springs.
Seventh. Conducting electricity to the carbons by bearing pieces moveable on
their axes and pressed upon by springs, all these parts being platinized.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.