IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITHI ELECTRIC LAMPS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Falconer King, Electrician, and Andrew Betts
Brown, Engineer, both of Edinburgh, in the County of Midlothian, North
Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITHI
ELECTRIC LAMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Falconer King and
Andrew Betts Brown at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
2nd December 1881.
WILLIAM FALCONER KING, Electrician, and ANDREW BETTS BROWN, Engineer,
IMPROVE-
both of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain.
MENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH ELECTRIC LAMPS."
This Invention relates to electric lamps of the kind giving light by the are
between carbon points, and it comprises simple and efficient apparatus for moving
one or both carbons in a manner to compensate satisfactorily for their gradual
consumption, and to keep the light very steady; also automatic apparatus whereby
the circuit supplying two or more lamps is maintained without any (but possibly a
momentary) interruption in the event of any one of the lamps ceasing to act, and
whereby an extinguished lamp takes its place in the circuit again whenever it
has been either automatically or otherwise adjusted or restored to a working
condition.
A
In carrying out the Invention according to one modification, in which the
carbons are in a vertical line, the upper carbon is held by the bottom end of a rod
which passes up through a stuffing box into a vertical cylinder of size and
length corresponding to the size and length of the carbons employed.
piston working in the cylinder is fixed or connected to the upper end of the
rod, and the cylinder is filled with oil or other suitable liquid.
The weight
of the piston and rod and parts attached to it tends to force the liquid from
the bottom end of the cylinder through a small passage or pipe leading to the top
of the cylinder, and the rate of flow through this passage or pipe is automatically
adjusted to correspond to the rate of consumption of the carbons. For the

page_text: purpose of the adjustment the passage or pipe has for outlet at its upper end a
small port in a horizontal port face, on which there rests a small slide valve; and
this valve is connected to the iron core of a solenoid placed horizontally, and to an
adjustable spring, the spring tending to open the valve and the solenoid to close it.
The electric current working the lamp is made to pass through the coil of the
solenoid; and when in consequence of too great separation of the carbon points and
increased resistance the current passing through the solenoid is weakened it allows
the spring to draw back the iron core and open the valve; and when the carbon
points are too near the consequently stronger current causes the solenoid to act on
the iron core so as to close the valve more or less and thereby diminish the rate of
descent of the upper carbon. When the spring is properly adjusted the action of
the parts is to keep the distance between the carbon points practically uniform.
The liquid passing the valve flows into the upper end of the cylinder; and when a
carbon has been consumed the rod and piston are raised for receiving a fresh
carbon, the liquid passing from the upper to the under side of the piston through a
check valve in the piston or in a separate passage; or the piston may be constructed
so as on being pushed up to positively open a valve or passage through it for the
liquid.
When the upper carbon holder reaches the lowest point to which it is intended
to go a short-circuit contact is formed between a piece carried by it and a piece
carried by the lower carbon holder, such pieces being connected to the circuit wires.
And when from any cause the carbon points become too far separated for the
passago of the electric arc, another short-circuit contact is automatically formed to
carry the electric current past the inactive lamp in a manner not to interfere with
the action of other lamps in the same circuit. Shunt or branch wires are connected
to the circuit wires connected to the two carbon holders and in one of these branch
wires there is included any convenient resistance piece such that the current will
have slightly more resistance in passing through it than in passing through the
carbons when the points of these are at a proper distance apart. When from any
cause there is too great an interval between the carbon points the solenoid which
controls the valve of the cylinder becomes unable to resist the action of the spring,
which then draws the iron core fully back and in doing so also moves a metal
piece carried by the core or otherwise, so as to fonn contacts with the ends of the
shunt or branch wires these ends being suitably placed for that purpose. In this way
the circuit is then made to pass through the branch wires and is kept complete
notwithstanding that the one lamp is inactive. Afterwards if the inactive lamp is
readjusted by hand or if through the continued descent of the piston in the cylinder
the carbon points become automatically brought near enough for the production
of the light the current having then less resistance through the carbons of the
lamp than through the branch wires will pass through the lamp and solenoid and
automatically restore all the parts to their proper working condition.
The various parts are susceptible of modification without altering the action or
character of the arrangements. The piston rod may pass out at the upper end of
the cylinder and have the holder for the upper carbon attached to its upper end.
The holder of the lower carbon may also be moved by means of a piston and
cylinder at a suitable rate relatively to the motion of the upper carbon, so as to
rise and keep the position of the arc approximately at the same height.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lettors Patent filed by
the said William Falconer King and Andrew Betts Brown in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 31st May 1882.
WILLIAM FALCONER KINO, Electrician, and ANDREW BETTS BROWN, Engineer,
both of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH ELECTRIC LAMPS."
Our said Invention relates to electric lamps of the kind giving light by the arc
between carbon points, and it comprises simple and efficient apparatus for moving
or feeding one or both carbons in a manner to compensate satisfactorily for their
gradual consumption and to keep the light very steady; also automatic apparatus
whereby the circuit supplying two or more laiups is maintained without any (but
possibly a momentary) interruption in the event of any one of the lamps ceasing
to act, and whereby an extinguished lamp takes its place in the circuit again
whenever it has been either automatically or otherwise adjusted or restored to a
working condition.
In carrying out our Invention according to one modification in which the carbons
are in a vertical line, the upper carbon is held by the rod of a piston working in a
vertical cylinder containing oil or other suitable liquid. The weight of the piston
and rod and parts attached to it tends to force the liquid from the bottom end of
the cylinder through a small passage or pipe leading to the top of the cylinder, and
the rate of flow through this passage or pipe is automatically adjusted to
correspond to the rate of consumption of the carbons. For the purpose of the
adjustment the passage or pipe has for outlet at its upper end a small port in a
horizontal port face on which there rests a small slide valve, and this valve is
connected to the iron core of a solenoid, the coil of which has passing through
it the current working the lamp. The action of the current passing through the
solenoid coil combined with that of a spring effects the desired adjustment of the
valve as hereinafter explained.
When the upper carbon holder reaches the lowest point to which it is intended
to go, a short circuit contact is formed between a piece carried by it and a piece
carried by the lower carbon holder, such pieces being connected to the circuit
wires. And when from any cause the carbon points become too far separated for
the passage of the electric are another short-circuit contact is automatically formed
to carry the electric current past the inactive lamp in a manner not to interfere
with the action of other lamps in the same circuit.
The various parts are susceptible of modification without altering the action or
character of the arrangements. The piston rod may pass out at the upper end
of the cylinder and have the holder for the upper carbon attached to its upper end.
The holder of the lower carbon may also be moved by means of a piston and
cylinder, or by connecting gearing or otherwise at a suitable rate relatively to
the motion of the upper carbon so as to rise and keep the position of the arc
approximately at the same height.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and representing a modification of our improved
arrangements.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 is a
vertical section of an electric arc lamp as made with our improvements. Figure 3
is a diagram showing the short-circuit arrangements for two or more lamps. In
these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.

page_text: The frame of the lamp is represented as of a usual construction, and consists of upper
and lower horizontal cross bars 4, 5, connected by vertical side rods 6. The holder 7
for the lower carbon 8 is fitted to the bottom frame bar 5, and the holder 9 for the
upper carbon 10 is fitted to a movable horizontal cross bar 11, which is fitted to slide
on the vertical side rods 6 which act as guides. The upper carbon holder 9 has
attached to it the bottom end of a rod 12, which passes up through a stuffing box into a
vertical cylinder 13, fixed to the upper frame bar 4, and of a size and length corres-
ponding to the sizo and length of the carbons employed. A piston 14 working in
the cylinder 13 is connected to the upper end of the rod 12, and the cylinder is filled
with oil or other suitable liquid. The weight of the piston 14 and parts attached
to it tends to force the liquid from the bottom end of the cylinder 13, through a
small passage or pipe 15, leading to the top of the cylinder, and the rate of How
through this passage or pipe 15 is automatically adjusted. Across the top of the
cylinder 13 there is fixed a narrow block 10, having formed in it a passage to which
the pipe 15 is connected, and having a port or outlet opening 17 in a horizontal
port face formed on the top of the block 16. On the port face there rests loosely
a small block 18, acting as a valve to the port 17, and this valve 18 is connected
by a light rod or wire to an iron core 19 arranged inside of a solenoid coil 20,
placed horizontally. The electric current which works the lamp is led through the
solenoid coil 20 so as to tend to move the core 19 in the direction for moving the
valve 18 over the port 17, and an adjustable spring 21 is connected to the outer ond
of the core 19, so as to-tend to move it in the opposite direction and uncover the
port 17. The solenoid 20 is supported on a bracket 22 fixed to the side of the
cylinder 13, and the adjusting screw of the spring 21 is held by a small bracket 23
fixed on the bracket 22; whilst the outer end of the core 19 is supported by a
suspension link 24 connected to a small bracket 25, also fixed on the bracket 22.
When in the working of the lamp the carbon points become too far separated
the electric current experiences increased resistance, and in consequence of this the
action of the solenoid coil 20 on the core 19 becomes lessened and allows the
spring 21 to draw out the core and move the valve 18, so as to increase the
opening of the port 17. In consequence of this movement of the valve 18 the
piston 14 descends more quickly and lessens the distance between the carbon
points. And when the carbon points are too near, the consequently stronger electric
current causes the solenoid coil 20 to act on the core 19, so as to close the valve
18 more or less and thereby diminish the rate of descent of the upper carbon.
When the spring 21 is properly adjusted and the carbons are of uniform quality,
the action of the parts is to keep the distance between the carbon points practically
uniform so-long as the electric current which works the lamp continues practically
uniform. The port 17 is formed with a very shallow tapering groove or extension
at the side, towards which the valve 18 moves when closing the port; and when
the valve covers the main opening of the port 17 and has its edge working over
the tapering groove the action is extremely delicate, and on this account the
steadiness of the light is rendered very perfect. An adjustable screw stop 37 is
provided to limit the closing movement of the valve 18.
The liquid passing the valve 18 flows into the upper end of the cylinder 13, and
when a carbon has been consumed the rod 12 and piston 14 are raised for receiving
a fresh carbon, the liquid passing from the upper to the under side of the piston,
either through a check valve in the piston or in a separate passage, or as we prefer,
through a passage in the piston which is positively opened on commencing to push
up the piston rod 12. The piston 14 is formed with a central passage which is
larger than the central part of a valve 20 fixed on the upper end of the piston rod.
This valve 26 is formed with feathers which guide it in the piston passage, and at
its upper end there is a disk provided with a leather or other suitable washer
which closes down upon the top of the piston passage. Below the piston 14 there
is a disk 27 with studs on its upper face, and. when the piston rod 12 is pushed up
the valve 26 is raised so as to open the piston passage, and does not raise the piston
until the studs on the lower disk 27 reach it. Thero is then a free passage for the

page_text: liquid through the piston as long as the piston is being raised, but the valve 26
closes whenever the piston rod 12 is allowed to descend again.
When in consequence of excessive distance of the carbon points or other cause
the current passing through the solenoid coil 20 is so weak as to allow the iron
core 19 to be drawn fully back by the spring 21, a metal piece 28 carried by the
core makes metallic connection between contact pieces 29, 30, carried by but
insulated froin a small bracket 31 fixed to the bracket 22. One of these contact
pieces 29, 30, is (as shown in diagram, Figure 3) connected by a shunt wire 32 to
the main wire 33 conducting the current to the solenoid coil 20; and the other
one is connected by a shunt wire 34 to the continuation 35 of the main wire which
conducts the current onwards from the lamp, this latter being connected to the upper
carbon, whilst the solenoid coil 20 is connected by a wire 36 to the lower carbon.
The same arrangements are made in connection with each of the lamps of a series
in the same main circuit, and the shunt wires 32, 34, are made such as to have
slightly greater resistance than that of a lamp. In this way when any lamp
becomes inactive in consequence of the distance between the carbon points being
too great, the current will pass through the shunt wires and the main current will
continue to pass and work the remaining lamps. Afterwards if the inactive lamp
is readjusted by band, or if through the continued descent of the piston in the
cylinder the carbon points become automatically brought near enough for the
production of the light, the current having then less resistance through the carbons
of the lamp than through the branch or shunt wires, will pass through the lamp
and solenoid, and automatically restore all the parts to their proper working
condition.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the
precise details herein described or delineated, but that what we believe to be novel
and original, and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The arranging or combining together of the parts of and connected with an
electric lamp in the improved manner herein before described.
2. The feed regulating arrangement in which a solenoid core acted on by the
lamp current and by an adjustable spring is connected directly to a small valve
block lying and sliding upon a horizontal port face, through the port of which
liquid has to pass from a cylinder correspondingly with the movement of the carbon
or carbons, substantially as herein before described.
3. The combination of the shunt wires with the solenoid and valve details,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, on behalf of the said
William Falconer King and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN. (L.S.)