Improvements relating to Electric Lamps and to Apparatus connected therewith.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1891-Accepted, 13th June, 1891
Improvements relating to Electric Lamps and to Apparatus
connected therewith.
I, Alfred LYSTER SHEPARD, of 8 West Kensington Gardens, in the County
of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to electric lamps and to apparatus connected therewith.
My said invention is applicable to are lamps which are arranged in multiple
series, that is to say, in parallel groups of two or more in series, and is especially
useful on circuits on which the potential is liable to drop to a pressure so low as to
be insufficient for the proper working of the lamps as heretofore arranged and
regulated.
An important feature of my said invention consists in providing, in combination
with the lamp-circuit, a lamp whose regulation is controlled by a coil or coils in the
main circuit so that while keeping the current constant, it will take up or absorb in
its are any excess of potential, or compensate for diminution of potential below
the normal; the remainder of the lamps, being regulated by coils shunted on their
own arcs are thus protected from the effects of such variation of potential.
My said invention is further designed to provide improved means for switching
the said shunt coils out of circuit when the carbons are consumed.
In applying my said invention to that class of arc lamp in which the carbons are
operated by a motor controlled by a relay, I wind the relay-coil of one of the lamps
with thick wire and place this coil in the main circuit, the other lamp or lamps
being regulated by a shunt coil; this thick wire coil lamp acts as a governor to the
other lamps, absorbing any extra potential in its own arc, or shortening its are if
the pressure or potential falls below the normal, the other lamp or lamps still
keeping the same are to which they were regulated.
It often happens, in working a number of lamps in parallel or in multiple series,
that the attendant forgets to switch off the lamps after the carbons are burnt out,
thus causing damage to the fine wire coil of the relay (when a shunt coil is used to
regulate) and also waste of current. To guard against such accidents or neglect I
so arrange the parts that an electro-magnet placed in the lamp-circuit attracts an
armature and brings together two contacts thereby energizing the shunt circuit as
long as the current flows through the lamp. When the carbons are sufficiently
burnt and are prevented by a suitable stop from feeding any more, the main current
through the lamp being interrupted the magnet releases the armature and the shunt
circuit is thus interrupted.
My invention has been principally designed to be used on parallel circuits of say
one hundred volts with two lamps in series, but it is also applicable to parallel
circuits of higher potential with more lamps in series.
In the latter cases, 1 sometimes find it advantageous to use more than one
governor lamp as a regulator arranged in the manner above described when two
lamps are used in series.
Although I have hereinbefore described how my said invention may be advan-
tageously applied in the case of arc lamps provided with controlling relays, it is
obvious that I can regulate the burning of other forms of arc lamps by utilizing
similar arrangement of governor lamp controlled by the main current, in conjunction
with a lamp or lamps controlled by a shunt current.
De 1
1900
a
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COME ELD DI MULETUATIOA.
Improvements relating to Electric Lamps and to Apparatus
connected therewith.
I, ALFRED LYSTER SHEPARD, of 8 West Kensington Gardens, in the County
of Middlesex, 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 :-
My invention relates to electric lamps and to apparatus connected therewith.
My said invention is applicable to are lamps which are arranged in multiple
series, that is to say, in parallel groups of two or more in series, and my said inven-
tion is especially useful on circuits in which the potential is liable to drop to a
pressure so low as to be insufficient for the proper working of the lamps as hereto-
fore arranged and regulated.
An important feature of my said invention consists in providing, in combination
with one or more lamps whose regulation is controlled by coils shunted on their own
arcs, a lamp whose regulation is controlled by a coil or coils in series with its arcs
so that this lamp, while keeping the current constant, will take up or absorb in its
are any excess of potential, or will compensate for diminution of potential below the
normal; the remainder of the lamps are thus protected against any injurious effects
of variation of potential.
My said invention is further designed to provide improved means for switching
the said shunt coil or coils out of circuit when the carbons of the corresponding
lamp or lamps are consumed.
It often happens, in working a number of lamps in parallel or in multiple series,
that the attendant forgets to switch off the lamps when the carbons are burnt out,
thus causing damage to the fine wire coil of the relay (when a shunt-coil is used for
effecting or controlling the regulation), and also causing waste of the current. To
guard against such accidents or neglect, I provide an electro-magnet which is placed
in the lamp circuit, and which, by attracting its armature, maintains electrical
connection between two contacts and thereby energizes the coil in the shunt-circuit,
so long as the current flows through the lamp. When, however, the carbons are
sufficiently burnt and the further feeding of the same is prevented by a suitable
stop, the main current through the lanp being interrupted, the said electro-magnet
will release its armature and the shunt-circuit will thus be interrupted.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown a diagram illustrating the application
of my said invention to that class of are lamps in which the carbons are operated by
a motor controlled by a relay.
a, a are the carbons; b, e are the coils and ', ' the armatures or tongues of the
relays d, d' are the contacts of the relays.
is
It will be seen that, in the circuit shown, there are two lamps in series, one of
which lamps is controlled by a relay the coil c of which is included in a shunt upon
the are, the other lamp being controlled by a relay the coil of which is included
in the main circuit of the lamp in accordance with my invention. The coil
of thick wire, whilst the coil c is of fine wire. The thick wire coil lamp acts as a
governor to the other lamp, absorbing any extra potential in its own arc, or
shortening its arc if the pressure or potential falls below the normal, the other lamp
still keeping the same are to which it was regulated.
e is an electro-magnet the coil of which is included in the main or
lamp circuit;
the armature of this magnet is attached to one end of a lever which is pivoted
at and carries at its other end a V-shaped piece g adapted to connect the two
contacts h, and thus complete the shunt-circuit. The said armature is acted upon
by a spring which tends to turn it about its pivot f' so as to move the V-shaped
piece g away from the contacts ; and thus interrupt the said shunt-circuit. So
long as the lamp is in operation, the current flowing through the magnet-coil will
I

page_text: cause the attraction of the magnet, so that the armature will be held in the position
shown in full lines in the drawing. When, however, the current ceases to flow
through the carbons, the spring; will draw the armature away from the magnet and
move the V-shaped piece g away from the contacts h, h', this switching the shunt-
coil c out of circuit.
My invention has been principally designed to be used on parallel circuits of
say one hundred volts with two lamps in series, but it is also applicable to
parallel circuits of higher potential with more lamps in series.
In the latter
cases, I sometimes find it advantageous to use more than one governor-lamp as
a regulator, arranged in the manner above described when two lamps are used
in series.
Although I have herein before described how my said invention may be advan-
tageously applied in the case of arc lamps provided with controlling relays, it
is obvious that can regulate the burning of other forms of arc lamps by
utilizing a similar arrangement of governor-lamp controlled by the main or lamp
current, in conjunction with a lamp or lamps controlled by a shunt current.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that I
claim-
First. The employment of an arc lamp whose regulation is controlled by a
coil or coils in series with its arc, in conjunction with one or more lamps which
are arranged in series in the same circuit and whose regulation is controlled
by coils in shunts upon their own arcs, substantially as, and for the purpose, above
specified.
Second. The combination, with an
a coil or coils in a shunt upon its
magnet in the main circuit of the
above specified.
arc lamp whose regulation is controlled by
arc, of a switch controlled by an electro-
lamp, substantially as, and for the purpose,
Third. The combination, with an arc lamp whose regulation is controlled by
a coil or coils in a shunt upon its arc, of a switch adapted for completing and
interrupting the shunt circuit and controlled by an electro-magnet in the main
circuit of the lamp, and a governor-lamp whose regulation is controlled by a
coil or coils in series with its arc, substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawing and for the purposes specified.
Dated this oth day of May 1831.
Dated this oth day of ATHу To31.
A. L. SHETARD.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.