An Electric Regulator.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1892-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Electric Regulator.
We, EDWARD JOHN HOUGHTON, of Camden, Underhill Road, Dulwich, S.E.
Electrical Engineer and WILLIAM WHITE, of 58 Bread Street, in the City of
London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
This invention relates to an electric regulator or apparatus which, being
introduced into an electric circuit, effects automatic regulation of the current by
introducing into the circuit more or less resistance according as the current, or it
may be the electromotive force is increased or diminished.
For this purpose, a
wire, preferably of metal of comparatively low conductivity, such for instance as
German silver, is bent into the form of a spiral or volute of many convolutions, and
is laid on a plate of good conducting metal such as copper to which the outermost
convolution is fixed, and to which also one of the circuit conductors is connected.
The other conductor of the circuit is connected to the central convolution of the
coil through the coil of a solenoid which, as well as the volute coil, may thus form
part of the circuit to be regulated or which may be in a shunt. The central
convolution of the volute is connected to the core of the solenoid, the attraction on
which is suitably counterpoised by an adjustable spring so that when the current,
in the circuit or its electromotive force is normal, a number of the inner convolutions
of the volute are lifted off from the plate in the form of a cone, these convolutions
constituting a certain resistance.
When the current or electromotive force in the circuit increases, the solenoid
core, being attracted with greater force, raises a greater number of the volute
convolutions off from the plate, thus introducing more resistance into the circuit;
when, on the other hand, the current or its electromotive force diminishes, the
solenoid core being less attracted, allows more of the volute couvolutions to lie on'
the plate, thus lessening the resistance in the circuit.
Dated this 5th day of January 1892
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Electric Regulator.
We, EDWARD JOHN HOUGHTON, of Camden, Underhill Road, Dulwich, S.E.
Electrical Engineer, and WILLIAM WHITE, of 58, Bread Street, in the City
of London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an electric regulator or apparatus which, being
introduced into an electric circuit, effects automatic regulation of the current by
introducing into the circuit more or less resistance according as the current, or it
may be the electromotive force, is increased or diminished.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section partly in elevation and
Fig. 2 is a plan of regulating apparatus according to this invention. S is a solenoid
coil forming part of the circuit to which the regulator is applied, or it may be in a
shunt to the circuit taking a portion of the current. K is an iron core pressed down
by a spring k contained within a tube the lower end of which is screwed through
a nut k¹ so that by screwing the tube more or less downwards, the force of the
[Price 8d1

page_text: spring can be adjusted. On a rod R extending up from the core K is fixed
insulated a head r to which is screwed the innermost convolution of a wire V bent
into the form of a spiral or volute having a number of convolutions, the outermost
convolution being attached at v to a bed plate P of copper or other good conducting
metal on which some of the convolutions lie. The wire V is of metal, (such as
German silver) which is of low conductivity offering considerable resistance to
passage of an electric current. The conductors being attached at W and W¹, the
current passes through the solenoid coil S and also through the wire volute V.
When the electromotive force in the circuit and in the coil S is low, the core K,
not being strongly attracted upwards, is forced down by the spring k and most or
all of the convolutions of the wire V then lie upon the bed plate P, so that the
current passes mostly through the plate, meeting with very little resistance. But
when the electromotive force increases, the core K is attracted upwards lifting a
number of the convolutions of V up from the plate, and the current, having then to
pass through all these convolutions, meets with considerable resistance by which it
is regulated. The coil V, instead of merely lying on a plate of good conducting
metal, may lie in a layer of mercury contained in a metal tray. Also the convolu-
tions of V, instead of being such as to lie on a flat bed plate, may take a conical
form resting on a cone C as shewn diagrammatically in Fig. 3. Or the cone C
may be dispensed with, as shewn diagrammatically in Fig. 4, all the convolutions
being in contact with each other except such as are separated by the lifting of the
innermost convolution.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
Apparatus for automatically regulating electric currents wherein a spiral of
resisting wire, forming part of an electric circuit, has a greater or less number of
its convolutions separated from a conducting bed, or from each other, thereby
introducing more or less resistance into the circuit, by the movement of a core
which according as the electromotive force in the circuit is greater or less is more
or less attracted by a solenoid having its coil in the circuit, substantially as
described.
Dated this 1st day of October 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.