Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 7th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 7th Apr., 1887.
EDWARD JOHN HOUGHTON 1 Pilkington Road, Peckham, S.E. Electrical Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
When dynamo electric machines are being worked it sometimes happens from
various causes that an abnormal amount of sparking or fire occurs at the commutator
brushes which if not quickly stopped may burn the brushes or commutator or
otherwise injure the apparatus. In order to prevent this taking place I have invented
a mechanical fuse as shewn in the accompanying drawing.
The figures shew two brushes or collectors in their holders-B. is the brush
or collector-C. and Care metal plates with terminal screws on them, the plates and
screws being insulated from the brush and its holder A. D and D are pieces of
stiff wire connected metalically to C and C. E is a piece of lead or other metal
easily fused by heat: C. D. E. D' and Care made to form part of the shunt or
main circuit of an electrical machine so that when excessive sparking or flame
occurs at the brush the soft metal rod or strip E shall be melted and disconnect
the circuit.
Figure 1 represents the fuse intact with a current of electricity flowing through it.
Figure 2 shews it after it has been melted or broken by sparking or fire.
E. J. HOUGHTON.

page_text: I, EDWARD JOHN HOUGHTON, of 1 Pilkington Road, Peckham in the County
of Surrey, 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 :—
When dynamo electric machines are being worked it sometimes happens from
various causes that an abnormal amount of sparking or fire occurs at the commutator
brushes, which, if not quickly stopped, may burn the brushes or commutator, or
otherwise injure the apparatus. In order to prevent this taking place I have invented
a mechanical fuse as shewn in the accompanying drawing.
The figures shew two brushes or collectors in their holders.-B is the brush or
collector, Cand are metal plates with terminal screws on them, the plates and
screws being insulated from the brush and its holder A, D and D₁ are pieces of stiff
wire connected metallically to C and C, E is a piece of lead or other metal easily
fusible by heat, connected to the ends of D D¹. C, D, E, D' and are made to form
part of the shunt or main circuit of an electrical machine. By this arrangement
it will be seen that when excessive sparking or flame occurs at the brush, the soft
metal rod or strip E will become melted owing to its close contiguity to the brush,
and thus the circuit will be interrupted.
Fig. represents the fuse intact with a current of electricity flowing through
it Fig. 2 shews it after it has been melted or broken by sparking or fire.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
:-
The use in combination with the commutator brushes of dynamo electrical machines,
of a fuse of easily melted metal forming part of the shunt or main circuit of the
machine and arranged in close contiguity to the brush where it is in contact with the
commutator, so that when excessive sparking or flame occurs the fuse will be melted
and the circuit broken, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 7th day of March 1887.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.