IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DIVISION AND REGULATION Οι ταπητα απ
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Edward Dunston, of Donhead-Saint-Mary, in the
County of Wilts, and Gustav Pfannkuche, of 11, Delahay Street, in the City
of Westminster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DIVISION AND
REGULATION Οι ταπητα αππmm 1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Edward Dunston
and Gustav Pfannkuche at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 22nd August 1881.
ROBERT EDWARD DUNSTON, of Donhead-Saint-Mary, in the County of Wilts,
and GUSTAV PFANNKUCHE, of 11, Delahay Street, in the City of Westminster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DIVISION AND REGULATION OF ELECTRIC CURRENTS."
This Invention consists in the application of the principle of the solenoid to the
division and regulation of an electric current or currents, as, for instance, that used
for the production of the electric light.
The main or a branch current or currents will circulate the helices of the
solenoids, and the suction thus exercised on their cores or plungers will vary as
the strength of the current varies, and the motion thus produced is employed to
throw resistances in or out, and so regulate the current or currents as required.
Two derived circuits may be taken from one main, and the current passing
through each maintained either equal or in any required proportion by the
opposing suction of the solenoids on the two branches, causing an automatic
adjustment of their several resistances.
The main current or that on any derived circuit may be kept uniform by a
modification of the means used for division, i.e., by adding or subtracting
resistance automatically as required.
Or the position of the brushes on the commutator may be shifted automatically
by the same means.

page_text: and in the same manner as though each derived its energy from a separate
generating source.
In this case as long as the current in the two derived circuits remains equal or
in the required ratio the cores within the solenoids are in equilibrium and do not
move, so soon however as one circuit receives more than its share of current the
iron core within its solenoid becomes more strongly attracted than that within
the opposing solenoid, and the resulting motion causes two arms to move over, the
two sets of stops, which stops are in connection with the two sets of resistance
(coils or otherwise), whereby resistance is thrown out of one circuit and into the
other until the balance has been recovered.
A similar arrangement is applicable in electric arc candle lamps, in which two
or more positive carbons sustain an arc between themselves and one negetive
carbon causing two or more distinct arcs.
Or suppose the lamp to consist of four positive carbons, having consequently four
arcs. The primary current is divided into two by means of one pair of solenoids
and resistances, and then each of these two derived circuits is treated in a similar
manner. There is no limit to the number of balanced subdivisions in this way
obtainable.
Like means can also be employed in dynamo electric machines, in which the
field magnets are excited either by a circuit derived from their own machine
(commonly known as "wound on the shunt") or by a separate machine for the
purpose.
In this case the ratio of the current circulating the field magnet coils to that
of the current circulating in the external or lamp circuit is kept constant by
winding one solenoid with the external circuit, and the other with the field
magnet circuit. In this case only one moving arm and one set of resistances are
required.
The solenoids are in equilibrium when the machine is giving its maximum
current, and there is then no resistance inserted in the field magnet circuit. As
soon however as the resistance rises in the external circuit tending to lessen the
current therein and increase that in the field magnets, the core within the solenoid
formed by the field magnet circuit is the most strongly sucked in, and resistance
is thrown into the field magnet circuit until equilibrium has been re-established.
This adaptation is for use with machines supplying current to incandescent
lamps.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we claim the means of and
the apparatus for the division and regulation of electric currents, substantially as
described and represented in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Edward Dunston, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.