IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Julius Sachs at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd March 1881.
JOSEPH JULIUS SACHS, of Sunbury, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRIC LAMPS."
My Invention relating to improvements in electric lamps has reference to an
improved method of automatically setting up the carbons so as to maintain them
always at the same point or at the requisite distance apart.
According to one mode of carrying out my said Invention I place the two
carbons in tubes arranged side by side, either vertically or at an angle, with the
bottoms of the carbons resting upon a plate or upon the side of a body of a globular
or other suitable shape, such plate or body being composed of asbestos, porcelain, or
other suitable material.
At the point of contact of the carbons with the plate or body the latter may be
perforated so as to admit of the emission of the light whilst preventing the carbons
from passing through. As then the carbons wear they descend by gravitation,
assisted if necessary by a weight or spring, and are thus always maintained in
contact with the plate or body so as to ensure constancy and uniformity in the
light.
According to another mode of carrying out my said Invention I arrange the two
carbons (in tubes) point to point, with the interposition between them of a plate or
plates or body, which may be perforated in the manner hereinbefore described.
As then the carbons wear the upper one descends in the manner herein before
explained, and the lower carbon is raised by the action of a spring or its
equivalent, so that the two carbons are always maintained in contact with the
plate or plates or body, which is so adjusted as to preserve the carbons at the
required distance apart to obtain the voltaic arc.
In either arrangement the plate or plates or body with which the carbons are in
contact may be raised or lowered by means of screws or any other suitable means.
This plate or body in addition to maintaining the carbons at a uniform distance
apart serves to augment the illuminating power of the lamp, as the plate or body
becoming highly heated by the passage of the electricity increases the luminous
effect of the flame.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Julius Sachs in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st Septemb-1.00.1-
JOSEPH JULIUS SACHS, of Sunbury, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRIC LAMPS."
My said Invention relating to improvements in electric lamps has reference to
an improved method of automatically setting up or regulating the carbons so as to
maintain them always at the same point or at the requisite distance apart.
According to one mode of carrying out my said Invention I place the two
carbons in tubes arranged side by side, either vertically or at an angle, with the
bottoms of the carbons resting upon a plate or upon the side of a body of a globular
or other suitable shape, such plate or body being composed of asbestos, porcelain,
or other suitable material.
At the point of contact of the carbons with the plate or body the latter may be
perforated or slotted so as to admit of the emission of the light whilst preventing
the carbons from passing through.
As the carbons wear they descend by gravitation, assisted if necessary by a
weight or spring, or in the case of an excrescence forming on one of the carbons
this carbon is free to rise, so that the carbons are thus always maintained in contact
with the plate or body, whereby constancy and uniformity in the light are
ensured.
According to another mode of carrying out my said Invention, I arrange the
two carbons (in tubes) point to point, with the interposition between them of a
plate or plates or bodies, which may be perforated or slotted in the manner
hereinbefore described. As then the carbons wear the upper one descends in the
manner hereinbefore explained, and the lower carbon is raised by the action of a
spring or its equivalent, or if an excrescence forms upon one of them this carbon
rises or descends, as the case may be, so that the two carbons are always maintained
in contact with the plate or plates or bodies, which are so adjusted as to preserve
the carbons at the required distance apart to obtain the voltaic arc.
In either arrangement the plate or plates or bodies with which the carbons are
in contact, may be raised or lowered by means of screws or any other suitable
means. This plate or body, or a supplementary strip connecting the carbons, may
also serve to augment the illuminating power of the lamp, as when made of suitable
material by becoming highly heated by the passage of the electricity it increases
the illuminous effect of the flame.
It is obvious that a greater number than two carbons may be employed in
conjunction if desired.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying Drawings are vertical sections of lamps
illustrating by way of example three respective modes of carrying out my said
Invention.
Referring to Figure 1, a, a, are the carbons which are arranged in tubes b, b, and
rest at their lower ends upon a plate c of asbestos or equivalent material so as to
be free to fall or rise as required, according to the wear or degree of excrescential
formation at the points of the carbons. The plate c is perforated with a series of
holes d of smaller diameter than the carbons, or a slot may be substituted for the
holes, and in first starting the lamp the carbons are adjusted to position over two

page_text: of such holes, or to such points in the slot the distance between which is found to
be adapted to the strength of current obtained, the adjustment being effected by
means of a screw e or otherwise. A strip f of graphite or equivalent material is
provided for forming continuity between the two carbons. The plate c is sup-
ported by a suitable stand g, and the tubes 6 may be suspended or otherwise
supported at h.
Figure 2 shews a number of carbons arranged around a plate c after the manner
of an argand burner. When these carbons are in sufficiently close proximity, as
in the example illustrated, connecting strips such as that shewn at f in Figure 1
are not required.
In the example illustrated in Figure 3 the carbons a, a, are arranged opposite
each other in tubes b, b, with their points in contact with plates. c, c, which are
adjusted to a suitable distance apart, according to the strength of the current, and
may be maintained in their adjusted position if necessary by means of distance
pieces. A spring k is employed for maintaining the lower carbon in contact with
its plate.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore
in part recited Letters Patent is,―
Regulating the carbons of electric lamps by automatically maintaining them in
contact with a relatively stationary body or bodies, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof,. I, the said Joseph Julius Sachs, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOSEPH JULIUS SACHS. (L.S.)