Improvements in Automatic Regulators for Electric Generators.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 25th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Regulators for Electric Generators.
I, EUGEN CONRADY of Fleece Mills, Keighley in the County of York,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
It has for its object the production of apparatus or mechanism that shall
automatically regulate the actions of electric generators for any difference of
potential, tension, pressure, voltage or current-strength produced thereby so as to
keep same in any desired normal condition whether these said electric generators are
dynamo-electric machines or primary or secondary batteries, and that in such a
manner as to meet the well known varied requirements of either lamps, motors
or other electrical apparatus or instruments operated by or making use of the
electricity thus generated.
This apparatus or mechanism is further designed to perform its functions with
accuracy and precision by the expenditure of only a very small amount of electrical
energy.
.
To attain this object employ a solenoid or electro-magnet (preferably the
former, which is therefore alone hereinafter described) the same being suitably
wound and connected to the generator so that its core or armature will be moved
either in one direction or the other by any deviation of the said generator from its
normal working condition, and this motion of the core or armature I employ for
actuating reversing mechanism driven by a separate and additional motor, which
accomplishes the desired result whether such result is to be attained by (a) the
operating of means for varying the resistance of the magnet circuit of shunt or
compound wound dynamos, by mechanism hereinafter described, (b) actuating the
throttle valve or expansion gear of steam engines used as motors for those dynamos,
by the employment of any well known mechanism, (c) shifting the brushes in
"series-wound" dynamos, (d) varying number of exciting turns on magnet in
series wound dynamos by operating the well known cut-out stud and lever
mechanism, (e) varying the exciting current in series-wound dynamos by actuating
a variable resistance connected in shunt to magnet winding or (f) by varying the
number of cells in circuit where primary or secondary batteries are the generators,
and the said desired result, no matter which of these methods are to be used, is thus
effected at an expenditure of no more electrical energy than is necessary to place the
reversing mechanism into effective operation.
The reversing mechanism consists of a disc mounted to revolve upon a lever
which is pivoted at one end to suitable supports, while its other end is coupled to
the core of the solenoid (or armature of an electro-magnet) by which it is to
be operated, and on this lever or in parts connected therewith may be mounted a
sliding weight for adjusting the mechanism so as to cause it to regulate for the
exact difference of potential or for the exact current strength required to maintain
the desired normal condition of the generator.
This disc has a concentric groove made in one or other of its faces (or this
groove may be made in the periphery of this disc, provided the other parts
operating in connection with it are arranged to suit this position of groove) for the
reception of a rotary friction pulley which derives its rotary motion from any prime
motor, such as from the main shaft driven by the steam engine or other motor or
from a separate electric motor or otherwise, by which means as the disc is raised or
lowered by the movements of its lever one or other of the sides of its concentric
groove will be pressed into contact with this continuously rotating friction pulley

page_text: so that it will be thereby rotated either in one direction or the other as the case
may be.
The motions of this rotary disc are imparted, either by suitable cord, driving
band or chain mechanism, or by toothed or other gearing to apparatus for
controlling the generator as above described.
The variable resistance may consist of a number of wire spirals connected in series
and arranged around the periphery of a barrel or bobbin of insulating material
these wires being made to extend longitudinally from the flange at one end thereof
to that on the other end.
This barrel or bobbin is mounted to revolve in bearings so that metal pegs
connected to the consecutive joints of the wire spirals and extending radially from
one of its flanges, may be successively brought into contact with mercury contained
in a suitable receptacle as said barrel is revolved by the rotary disc above described,
this mercury thus forming one terminal of the variable resistance while the other
terminal is formed by one of the bearings of the barrel which is in electrical contact
with said barrel's metallic spindle to which one of the ends of the system of wire
spirals is connected, thus the resistance is varied in accordance with the movements
of this rotary barrel.
The rotary motion of this barrel derived from the disc is preferably by means
of a band belt or cord which passes around a small drum formed axially on said
disc and then extends around a pulley formed on the barrel, or toothed or other
gearing might be employed for this purpose.
Instead of the wire spirals forming the metallic resistance, being arranged
around a barrel they may be mounted upon a rectangular frame carrying a
moveable lever-arm through which the electric circuit is completed, and when this
class of apparatus is used I preferably form the end of the lever, for contact with
the terminals of the metallic resistance, in two parts (which may be styled primary
and secondary parts) separated by a layer of insulating material but connected
together through a resistance equal to that of any of the wire-spirals mounted in
the rectangular frame, by which means as this lever is moved by the regulating
mechanism so that both of its end parts are entirely clear of or out of contact with
one terminal into contact with another terminal for increasing the said resistance,
such resistance will be increased by that of one complete wire-spiral, however
provided it has only been moved by its said mechanism so far as to bring the first
part of its two parted end into contact with the said next terminal, while the other
part still remains in contact with the preceding termiual, then two wire-spirals will
be connected in parallel and the resistance will only have been increased by half
that of one of said wire spirals as will be understood, the decreasing of the
resistance being effected in the same gradual manner as the lever-arm is moved in
the opposite direction.
The lever-arm is actuated by the regulating mechanism by means of a belt or
cord operated by the grooved disc, this belt or cord being preferably passed
around an idle pulley so as to effect such operations in both directions either
by having a retracting weight attached to its loose end or by carrying said
belt or cord entirely around said idle pulley back to said disc and so making same
endless.
Or again instead of a metallic resistance being made use of, such resistance
may be a liquid this liquid being preferably contained in an annular groove formed
concentrically with a pivotal pin on which is mounted a rotary arm, one end of
which reaches into said liquid while the other carries a counterbalancing weight.
The inner walls of the annular groove are covered with insulating material and a
radial partitioning-piece also insulated is placed in said groove so that while the
pivotal pin forms one of the joining parts of this resistance the other joining part
is mounted on this partition so that the circuit is thus completed through the
liquid.
To this rotary arm is attached a grooved pulley around which passes the cord,
chain belt or the like, operated by the reversing mechanism hereinbefore described,

page_text: and in this form the mechanism admits of a perfectly gradual change of
resistance.
When the reversing mechanism is used for varying the number of cells in primary
or secondary batteries, more play is allowed for the friction pulley in the groove of
the revolving disc and springs or weighted levers are made to operate in con-
nection with the disc's lever in order to prevent its being operated in either
direction by the solenoid until the electro-motive force of the battery differs from
its normal slightly more than half of the electro-motive-force of oue cell, thus
rapid fluctuations in the regulating mechanism and in the electro-motive-force of
the battery will be avoided.
The winding of the solenoid or electro-magnet has to be varied to be in accordance
with the requirements as to whether the regulation of the current of the generator
or of the difference of potential at its terminals is the purpose for which the
mechanism has to be employed.
To adapt the regulator to control the current produced by the generator the
solenoid is wound with an appropriate number of turns of comparatively thick
wire through which the whole current passes.
When the difference of potential at the terminals of the generator is to be kept
constant then the solenoid is wound with a fine wire and connected in shunt to the
said terminals.
To moderate the effect of variations of temperature on the resistance of the
shunt circuit a large additional resistance is connected in series with the solenoid
winding such resistance being made of a metal (as German silver) or other
substance the resistance of which is little affected by temperature. Or a suitable
incandescent lamp might advantageously be used for such additional resistance.
To compensate for any drop of potential in the mains or feeders connecting the
generator with the area of supply, a few additional turns of comparatively thick
wire are wound upon the solenoid arranged as last before described and connected
in series with the generator so that the whole current passes through those turns in
such direction as to oppose the magnetising effect of the shunt winding.
If several dynamos are to be connected in parallel for supplying the current as
in central stations then the one first connected to the mains (hereinafter called
pilot dynamo) may be controlled by either one or the other of the two last
described regulators, while to distribute the load so that each dynamo subsequently
connected shall carry its proportionate part, each additional dynamo has its
separate regulator which is actuated by the permanently magnetised steel core of
a solenoid wound differentially with two wires one connected in series with
the pilot dynamo while the other is in series with its respective additional dynamo.
The permanently magnetised steel core of the differentially wound solenoid is
balanced so that it will not actuate the reversing mechanism unless there is a
difference in the magnetising power exerted by the differential windings thus each
dynamo is caused to take a definite proportion of the load in accordance with the
arrangement and proportioning of the differential winding.
Dated this 10th day of July 1893
EUGEN CONRADY,
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Regulators for Electric Generators.
I, EUGEN CONRADY of Fleece Mills Keighley in the County of York,
Electrical Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
It has for its object the production of apparatus or mechanism that shall

page_text: automatically regulate the actions of electric generators for any difference of
potential, tension, pressure, voltage or current-strength produced thereby so as to
keep same in any desired normal condition whether these said electric generators
are dynamo-electric machines or primary or secondary batteries, and that in such
a manner as to meet the well known varied requirements of either lamps, motors
or other electrical apparatus or instruments operated by or making use of the
electricity thus generated.
This apparatus or mechanism is further designed to perform its functions with
accuracy and precision by the expenditure of only a very small amount of electrical
energy.
In the accompanying sheets of drawings ;-
Fig. 1 is front elevation of the apparatus or means, made in accordance with
this invention.
Fig. 2 is end view of parts shown by Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is sectional end elevation on line A B of parts shown by Fig. 1 and as seen
in the direction indicated by arrow a.
Fig. 4 is also a sectional elevation of parts shown by Fig. 1 but as seen in the
opposite direction to that indicated by arrow a.
Fig. 5 is sectional back elevation enlarged scale of certain of the parts
hereinafter described.
Figs. 6 and 7 are end elevation and top views of the parts shown by Fig. 5.
Figs. 8 and 9 are drawings in detail illustrative of modifications hereinafter
referred to.
Figs. 10 and 11 are illustrative of certain devices made use of as is hereinafter
explained.
Fig. 12 is a drawing showing in perspective the method of using a liquid
resistance in combination with my improved mechanism.
Fig. 13 is a drawing in detail illustrating a device employed when my improved
apparatus is used in connection with primary or secondary batteries.
Similar letters and figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout the
several views.
I attain the object of my invention by making use of a solenoid (or in place of
this I might employ an electro-magnet but I prefer the former and so refer to it
alone in the following description) which is suitably wound and connected to the
generator so that its core 6' will be moved either in one direction or the other by
any deviation of the said generator from its normal working condition, and this
motion of the core b¹ I employ for actuating reversing mechanism driven by a
separate and additional motor, which accomplishes the desired result whether such
result is to be attained by (a) the operating of means for varying the resistance of
the magnet circuit of shunt or compound wound dynamos, by mechanism hereinafter
described, (b) actuating the throttle valve or expansion gear of steam engines used
as motors for those dynamos, by the employment of any well known mechanism,
(c) shifting the brushes in "series-wound "dynamos, (d) varying the number of exciting
turns on the magnets in series wound dynamos by operating the well known cut-out
stud and lever mechanism, (e) varying the exciting current in series wound dynamos
by actuating a variable resistance connected in shunt to magnet winding, or (/) by
varying the number of cells in circuit where primary or secondary batteries are the
generators, and the said desired result, no matter which of these methods are to be
used, is thus effected by an expenditure of no more electrical energy than is
necessary to place the reversing mechanism into effective operation.
The reversing mechanism consists of a disc c mounted to revolve upon a lever d
which is pivoted at d to the supports e, while its arm d2 is coupled by the rod b² to
the core of the solenoid by which it is to be operated, and on this lever d (or on
extra arms or parts attached thereto) may be mounted a sliding weight f for
adjusting the mechanism so as to cause it to regulate for the exact difference of
potential or the exact current strength required to maintain the desired normal
condition of the generator.

page_text: The disc has a concentric groove ¹ made in one or other of its faces (or this
groove may be made in the periphery of the disc e provided the other parts operating
in connection with it as hereinafter described are arranged to suit this position of
groove, however I preferably use the arrangement first before described and the one
illustrated by the drawings) for the reception of a rotary friction pulley g which
derives its rotary motion from any prime motor, such as from a main shaft driven
by a steam engine or other motor or from a separate electric motor or otherwise,
by means of a driving cord passing around its grooved driving pulley g', so that as
the disc c is moved by the lever d through the actions of the solenoid bone or other
of the sides c2 or 3 of its concentric groove c¹ will be pressed into contact with its
continuously rotating pulley g by which it will be thereby rotated either in one
direction or the other as the case may be.
с
The motions of this rotary disc care imparted either by suitable cord, driving
band or chain mechanism as hereinafter shown and described, or toothed or other
gearing devices may be employed for controlling the generators as above described.
The variable resistance may consist of a number of wire spirals / arranged around
the peripheries of the discs kk¹ of insulating material these wires h being made to.
extend from the disc k to the disc k¹ as shown.
or with
The shaft m upon which the discs kk' are fixed is mounted upon the bearings n n¹
in which it is arranged to revolve so that metal pegs o connecting the joints of the
wire spirals and extending radially from the disc k, may be successively brought.
into contact with a plain metallic contact p as shown by Figs. 1, 2 and
mercury p¹ contained in a suitable receptacle p² see Fig. 8, as said discs k k¹ are
revolved by the disc c, this metallic contact or p¹ thus forming one terminal of
the variable resistance while the other terminal is formed by the bearing n' which
is in electrical contact with the shaft m to which one of the ends of the system of
wire spirals is connected, in this manner the resistance is varied in accordance:
with the movements of these rotary discs k k¹.
The rotary motion of the discs k k derived from the disc c is preferably by
means of a band, belt or cord 9 which passes around a small drum formed axially
upon or with the said disc c and then extends around the disc k¹ an appropriate
groove being formed peripherally therein for its reception, or toothed or other
gearing might be employed for this purpose.
Instead of the wire spirals which form the metallic resistance, being arranged
upon discs as above described, they may be mounted upon a rectangular frame s
carrying a moveable lever arm t (shown in broken lines Fig. 10 and full lines
Fig. 11) through which the electric circuit is completed, and when this class of
apparatus is used I preferably form the end t¹ for contact with the terminals h² of
the metallic resistance ', in two parts which may be styled primary (1) and
secondary (2) parts, separated by a layer of insulating material but connected
together through a wire spiral 3 of equal resistance to that of the spirals ', by
which means as this lever t is moved by the regulating mechanism as hereinafter
described, so that both of its parts 1 and 2 are entirely clear of or out of contact
with one or other terminal 2 into contact with another of these said terminals h² for
increasing the said resistance, such resistance will be increased by that of one:
complete wire-spiral 4, however provided it has only been moved so far as to bring
its part 1 into contact with the said next terminal, while the other part 2 still.
remains in contact with the preceding terminal, then two wire spirals (one and
the other ³) will be connected in parallel and the resistance will only have been
increased by half that of one of said wire spirals ¹ (or h³) as will be understood,
the decreasing of the resistance being effected in the same gradual manner as the.
lever arm is moved in the opposite direction.
To effect this gradual change or alteration of resistance in connection with the
wire spirals on the discs k¹, double metallic contact pieces p³ pt the one electrically
connected to the other by the spiral ⁄ª (equal in resistance to one of the spirals h)
are employed as shown by Fig. 9.
The lever t is actuated by the regulating mechanism by means of a belt or cord q¹

page_text: operated by the drum r of the grooved disc c, this belt or cord g¹ being preferably
passed around idle pulleys u (Fig. 11) so as to effect such operations in both
directions either by having a retracting weight attached to its loose end or by
carrying said cord q¹ around other pulleys u¹ so that its other end may be coupled
to the drum as shown in broken lines Fig. 11, in which case the weight v may be
dispensed with.
Or again instead of a metallic resistance being made use of as above described,
such resistance may be a liquid, this liquid being preferably contained in an annular
groove w formed in the block wo² made concentrically with a pivotal pin w' on which
is mounted a rotary-arm x, one end a of which reaches into said liquid while the
other carries a counter-balancing weight. The inner walls of the groove w are
covered with insulating material, and a radial partitioning-piece w³ also insulated is
placed in said groove w so that while the pivotal pin wl forms the support for one of
the joining parts to the liquid resistance (that is through the arm a¹) the other
joining part 5 is mounted on the said partition w³ so that the circuit is thus com-
pleted through the liquid.
2
To the rotary arm is fixed a grooved pulley at around which passes the cord g²
operated by the drum r of the disc c and in this form the mechanism admits of a
perfectly gradual change of resistance.
When the reversing mechanism is used for varying the number of cells in primary
or secondary batteries more play is allowed for the friction pulley g in the groove c¹
of the disc c and springs y y' (Fig. 13) are made to operate in connection with the
lever d (or in place of these springs, weighted levers 2 y³ may be used as shown by
Figs. 14) in order to prevent it from being operated in either direction by the
solenoid until the electromotive force of the battery differs from its normal state
slightly more than half of the electro-motive force of one cell, thus rapid fluctuations
in the regulating mechanism and in the electro-motive force of the battery will be
avoided.
All of the parts hereinbefore described are electrically insulated by being
mounted upon an insulating board or slab D.
The winding of the solenoid b has to be varied to be in accordance with the
requirements as to whether the regulation of the current of the generator or of the
difference of potential at its terminals is the purpose for which the mechanism has
to be employed, that. is to say-To adapt the regulator to control the current pro-
duced by the generator, the solenoid is wound with an appropriate number of turns
of comparatively thick wire through which the whole current passes, while when
the difference of potential at the terminals of the generator is to be kept constant
then the solenoid is wound with a fine wire and connected in shunt to the said
terminals.
To moderate the effect of variations of temperature on the resistance of the shunt
circuit a large additional resistance is connected in series with the solenoid winding
such resistance being made of a metal (as German silver) or other substance the
resistance of which is little affected by temperature. Or a suitable incandescent
lamp coupled as described might advantageously be used for such additional
resistance.
To compensate for any drop of potential in the mains or feeders connecting the
generator with the area of supply, a few additional turns of comparatively thick
wire are wound upon the solenoid arranged as last before described and connected
in series with the generator so that the whole current passes through those turus in
such direction as to oppose the magnetising effect of the shunt winding thus
additional tension is required at the regulator terminals in exact proportion to the
current produced by the generator.
If several dynamos are to be connected in parallel for supplying the current as in
central stations then the one first connected to the mains (hereinafter called the
pilot dynamo) may be controlled by either one or the other of the two last described
regulators, while to distribute the load so that each dynamo subsequently connected
shall carry its proportionate part, each additional dynamo has its separate regulator

page_text: which is actuated by the permanently magnetised steel core of a solenoid wound
differentially with two wires one connected in series with the pilot dynamo while
the other is in series with its respective additional dynamo.
The permanently magnetised steel core of the differentially wound solenoid is
balanced so that it will not actuate the reversing mechanisin unless there is a
difference in the magnetising power exerted by the differential windings thus each
dynamo is caused to take a definite proportion of the load in accordance with the
arrangement and proportioning of the differential winding.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
Lion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of means substantially as herein described for automatically
regulating the actions of electric generators.
2. The combination of means for automatically regulating the actions of electric
generators, with mechanism other than and in addition to a solenoid or electro-
magnet for effecting said regulations substantially as specified.
3. The combination of a solenoid or electro-magnet with reversing mechanism for
bringing other energy or power into use for regulating the actions of electric
generators substantially as specified.
4. The combination of a continuously revolving friction wheel, a grooved wheel
for contact therewith mounted on a lever as specified and a rotary drum of variable
resistance substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of a continuously revolving friction wheel, a grooved wheel
mounted on a lever so as to be thereby brought into contact with said friction
wheel, a frame carrying wire spirals arranged as described, a lever arm having its
extremity in two parts one insulated from the other for completing circuit through
said wire-spirals and an extra wire-spiral mounted on said lever arm substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
6. The combination of a continuously revolving friction wheel, a grooved wheel
for contact therewith, a lever upon which said wheel is mounted, a solenoid or
electro-magnet, a rotary drum of variable resistance and duplex contact pieces
electrically joined together by a wire spiral of equal resistance to any one of
those in the rotary drums substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. The combination of reversing mechanism with an annular vessel containing a
liquid resistance and means for varying said resistance substantially as herein
specified.
8. In means for regulating the actions of electric generators the employment of
an annular vessel containing a liquid resistance in combination with the means
herein described whereby said resistance may be varied substantially as set forth.
9. The combination of reversing mechanism of the description herein specified
with means for regulating the operations of same so as to enable it to be
advantageously used in connection with primary and secondary batteries substan-
tially as set forth.
10. The combination of regulating mechanism as herein described with a
compound wound solenoid substantially as and for the purposes specified.
11. The combination of regulating mechanism with a differentially wound solenoid
and means for operating same substantially as herein specified.
Dated this 9th dor of & nril 1904
EUGEN CONRADY,
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.