IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC ARC LAMPS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Jones, Mechanical Engineer, and Albert Edward
Jones, Electrician, both of Church Terrace, Queen's Road, Battersea in the
County of Surrey for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
ARC LAMPS,"
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Jones and Albert
Edward Jones at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March
1883.
EDWARD JONES Mechanical Engineer and ALBERT EDWARD JONES Electrician,
both of Church Terrace Queens Road Battersea in the County of Surrey
'IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC ARC LAMPS."
Our invention relates to improvements in electric arc lamps and consists of
means for ensuring the steady gradual feed of the carbons without breaking
circuit, and for preventing the sudden extinction of one lamp in a circuit from
interfering with and extinguishing or destroying the other lamps in that circuit.
For regulating the steady feed of the carbons we employ a lever suitably
balanced or supported which lever is actuated by a solenoid or electro magnets
arranged on the differential principle.
The manner in which the said lever acts on the feed gear will differ according
to the construction and action of the lamp to which it is to be applied. In the
case of an arc lamp in which the carbon holders are supported by cords and pulleys
so that their tendency to move towards each other is simultaneous, we arrange
our feed regulating lever to grip and act upon the supporting cord in the following
manner.
Pivotted to the same fulcrum pin as that on which the regulator lever rocks, is
a link or rocking piece provided with a smooth surfaced extension at its free end,
over and against which smooth surface the cord or band which supports the two
carbon holders is passed. The free end of this link is elastically supported by a spiral
spring or its equivalent and it is so arranged with respect to the rocking lever
that when the solenoid acts on the longer arm and draws the lever towards it, the

page_text: short arm of the lever will bear against the smooth surfaced extension of the
elastically supported link and grip the band or cord passing over the said surface.
The action is as follows:-
When the current passes, assuming the carbons to be touching the main coil of
the solenoid will be powerfully excited and will draw in the core which in this
arrangement is attached to the long arm of the rocking lever thereby depressing
the short arm, and causing it to nip the band or.cord."
The further movement of the lever towards the solenoid will still further
depress the short arm of the lever against its yielding link, and will give a
downward pull to the band or cord. The effect of this will be to slightly raise
one carbon and lower the other, thereby striking the arc. As the arc lengthens
the main solenoid current will diminish in intensity and that in the branch circuit
will increase; the core will be gradually released, and the short arm of the lever
will be lifted. The first effect of this gradual release of pressure will be, that the
spring-supported link will rise, and allow the band or cord to straighten out, and
subsequently the pressure will be so slight that the band or cord will be free to
slip over the smooth surface on the link or rocking piece and allow the two
carbons to approach simultaneously, and restore the arc to its normal size.
The regulator lever in this arrangement is fitted with an insulated stud adapted
to make contact with another stud and short circuit the lamp in the event of the
carbons breaking; a suitable resistance. being interposed in this short circuit to
prevent interference with the other lamps in the circuit from an increased or
unequal current. Means are provided for adjusting the action of the regulator
lever with respect to the solenoid, and for varying the grip put upon the band or
cord by which the carbon holders are supported.
In applying our invention to are lamps in which only one carbon holder, say
the upper, is fed forwards to maintain the normal length of arc, we prefer to
actuate our regulator lever by means of two electro magnets on the differential
principle, rather than by means of a single differential solenoid, causing it to rock
between the said two magnets as the current varies, in such a manner as to strike
the arc, gradually lower the upper carbon holder, momentarily release the upper
carbon holder, and again arrest its descent, without at any time breaking the
continuity of the electrical current.
We prefer to balance the regulator lever when actuated by two electro-magnets
on the differential principle, and on this balanced lever we mount a simple train of
wheels, one of which gears with a rack on the upper carbon holder and another is
a star wheel or provided with spur teeth, adapted to come in contact with a fixed
stop and be arrested when the lever is in a certain position.
The regulator lever having been drawn into such a position that the spur wheel
of the train is prevented from rotating, the gear wheel at the other end of the
train will be locked to the rack, and the further motion of the lever will cause the
rack to be bodily lifted and the arc to be formed.
As the arc lengthens, and the first electro magnet is neutralized by the second,
the lever will gradually change its position lowering the upper carbon as it does
so, and this will continue until the descent of the lever has released the spur
wheel from its stop, when the train of wheels will be free to rotate, and the carbon
holder will fall by its own weight a distance of one or more teeth, thus restoring
the arc to its normal length without breaking contact at any point.
Two or more sets of carbon holders may be actuated consecutively in the same
manner by means of a pawl and ratchet arrangement; a stud or projection on one
carbon holder serving at the lowest point of its descent to automatically disengage
a catch or detent and throw another pair of carbons into action.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Jones and Albert Edward Jones in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd September 1883.
EDWARD JONES Mechanical Engineer and ALBERT EDWARD JONES Electrician
both of Church Terrace Queens Road Battersea in the County of Surrey
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC ARC LAMPS "
Our Invention relates to improvements in electric arc lamps and consists of means
for ensuring the steady gradual feed of the carbons without breaking circuit and for
preventing the sudden extinction of one lamp in a circuit from interfering with and
extinguishing or destroying the other lamps in that circuit
For regulating the steady feed of the carbons we employ a lever suitably
balanced or supported, which lever is actuated by a solenoid or electro-magnets
arranged on the differential principle.
The manner in which the said lever acts on the feed gear will differ according to.
the construction and action of the lamp to which it is to be applied-In the case of
an are lamp in which the carbon holders are supported by cords and pulleys so that
their tendency to move towards each other is reciprocal and simultaneous, we
arrange our feed regulating lever to grip and act upon the supporting cord in the
following manner.
Pivotted to the same fulcrum pin as that on which the regulator lever rocks, or
otherwise connected with the said lever is a bearing piece or rocking arm provided
with a smooth surfaced projection or finger at its free end, over or against which smooth
surface the cord or band which supports the two carbon holders, passes. The free
end of this bearing piece is elastically supported by a spiral spring or its equivalent
and the said bearing piece is so arranged with respect to the regulating lever that
when the solenoid acts on the longer arm and draws the lever towards it, the finger
or smooth surfaced projection on the said lever will bear against the smooth surfaced
projection or finger of the elastically supported bearing and cause the band or cord
to be gripped between the said surfaces.
This part of our Invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying
drawings in which Fig: 1 is a diagram view showing this novel feed regulating
mechanism in its simplest form, together with the electrical fittings and connections
appertaining thereto. Fig 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of a cord or tape lamp
fitted with a feed regulator according to our Invention, and Fig: 3. is a back
elevation of the same. Figures 4. 5. 6. 7. 8 are detail views to be explained
hereafter. In all these figures the same letters of reference indicate like or
corresponding parts.
The principle of action of our feed regulator will be more easily understood by
referring in the first place to the diagram view Fig: 1, in which A is the positive
electrode or upper carbon holder sliding within a tube B, and making electrical
contact therewith by means of the copper springs C C. A. guide D prevents the
electrode A from turning round within the tube B
E is a flexible cord or tape serving, in conjunction with the pulleys F, and G, to
support the upper and lower electrodes, the upper electrode being suitably weighted
to cause the two electrodes to approach each other. H is the lower electrode or
carbon holder, suspended from or supported by the pulley G and moving vertically
in a suitable guide or guides. The pulley F is attached to the top frame of the
lamp and the cord or tape E, after passing over the pulley F and under the pulley G
is secured to a fixed point, I. It will be seen that by pulling the middle length of
cord or tape downward in the direction of the arrow, the upper carbon will be
raised and the lower carbon lowered, and that on releasing the said cord or tape,
or allowing it to gradually slip the two electrodes will approach each other.

page_text: When the first named movement is performed the arc will be struck, and if the
carbons be then allowed to approach each other gradually and steadily the arc will
be maintained as the carbons are consumed. The arrangement for striking the are
and regulating the feed of the carbons is as follows. A solenoid K wound on the
well-known differential principle acts on a core or amature of soft iron L, pivotted
or moveably connected at M to one end of a lever N. This lever is mounted to
rock upon a fixed fulcrum, n, carried by a bracket 0 (not shewn in the diagram)
and the short arm of the lever N is provided with a suitably formed piece of
hardened steel, glass or other suitable material, P, which forms as it were the
gripping end or finger of the said lever.
Pivotted on the same fixed fulcrum n is a small lever or bearing piece Q provided
with a similarly projecting piece of hardened steel, glass or other suitable material R,
and this small lever or bearing piece Q is held up by a spring S. A stop T (not
shewn in the diagram) serves to prevent the small lever being pulled beyond a
certain point, so that when the lamp is out of action the cord will not be gripped
between the parts P and R; thus allowing the carbons to come freely together until
they rest upon each other.
The action is as follows.
When the current passes, assuming the carbons to be touching the main coil of
the solenoid K will be powerfully excited and will draw in the core L, which in
this arrangement is attached to the long arm of the rocking lever N; thereby
depressing the short arm and causing its finger or projection P to nip the band or
cord E against the finger or projection R of the smaller lever, or spring supported
bearing, with an elastic grip, the intensity of which can be regulated by adjusting
the tension of the spiral spring S
The further movement of the lever N towards the solenoid will still further
depress the short arm of the lever against the yielding or elastically supported
bearing and will give a downward pull to the band or cord E. The effect of this
will be to slightly raise one carbon and lower the other, thereby striking the arc.
As the arc lengthens the main solenoid current will diminish in intensity and that
in the branch circuit will increase, the core will be gradually released and the short
arm of the lever will be lifted. The first effect of this gradual release of pressure
will be that the spring supported bearing will rise and allow the band or cord
to rise also, and straighten itself out, and subsequently the pressure will be so slight
that the band or cord will be free to slip over or between the smooth surfaces on
the main lever and the yielding bearing Q respectively, and allow the two carbons
to approach simultaneously and restore the arc to its normal size
We would here remark that the gripping surfaces which we prefer to use consist
each of a short piece of glass tube secured to the lever and to the yielding bearing
respectively by pins passing through their centres, but these gripping surfaces may
consist also of cylindrical pieces of ivory or polished steel, and they may be fitted
to rotate after the manner of bowles or rollers
The regulator lever N is fitted with an insulated stud adapted to make contact
with another stud and short circuit the lamp in the event of the carbons breaking;
a suitable resistance being interposed in this short circuit to prevent interference
with the other lamps in the circuit, from an increased or unequal current.
This arrangement is shown in the diagram Figure 1. Mounted on the long
arm of the lever N is a piece of carbon or other suitable material U connected by
a wire with the positive pole of the lamp and insulated from the lever N by the
insulating material, V,
When the lever N falls to its lowest position owing to the differential solenoid
being weakened, the insulated contact stud of carbon makes contact with a
similar contact point or stud U', and allow the current to pass from the positive
pole of the lump through a suitable resistance ✗ to the negative pole of the lamp.
By this arrangement the sudden extinction of one lamp in a circuit will not
interfere with or extinguish or destroy the other lamps in that circuit

page_text: Referring now to the drawings of the complete lamp, Figures 2 and 3, the action
of the feed regulator lever will be readily understood from the preceding
description; but a few words of explanation of the parts not shown in the diagram,
aid of some modifications of construction will be desirable.
It will be seen that the guide tube B for the electrode A is placed centrally of
the lamp and constitutes a backbone or support for the several parts, and greatly
simplifies the construction.
The positive carbon is held firmly in the holder A by the jaws a α which form
a spring socket, tapering inwards
The flexible cord or tape E may be of silk or any other suitable material and
with the view of equalizing the strain on each end of the cord its upper end,.
instead of being attached to a ring or binding screw fixed to the top plate Y, is
preferably led around a small pulley I suspended underneath the top plate and
returned under and over the double pulleys G and F and made fast to the positive:
electrode A
By arranging the pulleys as described the weight of the carbon holder A pulls
up the negative carbon holder H at one-half the speed at which it itself travels,
thus approximately equalizing the effect of the different rates of consumption of
the two carbons, when burning.
.
Two solenoids, K, each on the differential principle, and two solenoid cores L are
preferably employed in this lamp for actuating the lever N.
The two cores L are connected together so as to form an armature which is
connected or pivotted to the long end of the lever N by means of a joint such as M,
adapted to move with very little friction. The drawing shows the long arm of the
lever turned up and bent over to rest upon a knife-edge or pointed pin carried by
and midway of the armature or core-connector L of the double solenoid K K, but
any other suitable connection can be used to connect the lever with the armature,
The spiral spring L' allows of the pull exerted by the solenoids K K being accurately
adjusted to the current.
It will be seen that the lever N is bent or curved to pass round the upper
electrode guide tube B and that its fulcrum pin n is carried by a bracket Ọ clasped
around the said tube B
The elastically supported or yielding bearing Q, is pivotted on the same fulcrum
pin n, and is conveniently formed with a tail piece or extension Q₁ seen best in
Figure 3, through which a set screw or stop, T, passes, and by adjusting this screw
stop, T, the extent of the upward movement of the link Q by the spiral spring S
can be accurately determined This is an important point, as it prevents the
gripping fingers P and R from continuing to hold the cord or tape when the
regulating lever drops to a certain position or when the lamp is not in action, and
thus allows the carbons to come freely together and rest the one upon the other.
Figures. 4. 5. 6 and 7 show various arrangements of levers N and elastically
supported or yielding bearings Q for gripping the cord or tape E and embodying
the same principle of action as is above described.
In Figure 4 the projection or finger P on the lever L is arranged to act on the
outside of the cord E and the finger R on the yielding bearing Q to act on the inner
side or surface of the cord.
In Fig 5 the yielding bearing Q has two gripping fingers R. R¹. upon it, and
the gripping finger P of the lever N is arranged to press the cord or tape E against
and between the two fingers R R'. In this case the thrust of the gripping fingers
is very nearly at right angles to the tape or cord E
:
In Figure 6 another modification is shown the gripping fingers P and R being
arranged to give first an upward pressure to nip the cord and then an inward and
downward pull around the fulcrum pin n as a centre.
Fig: 7 is practically the same arrangement as is shown and described with
reference to Figure 1 the finger or projection P however taking a beak-like instead
of a cylindrical, form.
In all these arrangements the same principle of action obtains, although the way

page_text: of connecting the lever N with its yielding bearing Q necessarily varies slightly in
some of these arrangements.
In all cases the first upward movement of the lever N causes the cord or tape to
be gripped between the fingers or projections P. R., and the further upward
movement of the lever N causes the tape to be forcibly drawn or pulled against the
pressure of the adjustable spring S
Similarly, on gradually allowing the lever N to descend, the grip on the cord or
tape E will be first relaxed and the cord will move slowly end wise and gradually
straighten itself out, and next the pressure between the surfaces P and R will
become so slight that the cord or tape will be able to slip between the smooth
surfaces P and R, thereby allowing the carbons to approach and restoring the
arc to its normal length
.
It is obvious that the lever N and its elastic or yielding bearing Q may be
arranged to grip and put a pull upon a cord or other flexible connection for the
electrodes in a horizontal or oblique as well as in a vertical direction and produce
effects similar to those above described.
Fig: 8 shows in detail the hole through which the positive carbon passes
from its guide tube B and the spring which steadies it against the side of the
said hole.
We would remark that we may use weights instead of springs to adjust the
levers N and Q, but that we prefer to employ springs.
Referring now to the arrangement for maintaining the circuit should the arc
become abnormally long or the carbons break or burn out, which would destroy
the arc; at the bottom of the lever N is fitted as described above the piece of
carbon U suitably insulated from the lever N and electrically connected by a
branch wire with the positive pole of the lamp. V represents the insulating
material in all the Figures.
Insulated from the tube B is a bracket W which carries a similar contact
piece U¹, these contact pieces U U₁ always resting on each other when the
armature of the solenoid K is not raised. The bracket W is connected by a
suitable resistance X (Fig 3) to a similar bracket W₁ at the lower part of, and
insulated from, the tube B, the bracket W¹ being connected to the negative pole
of the lamp.
If the carbons should be broken or burnt out, the armature at once descends and
brings the contact pieces U U₁ (carried by the lever N and bracket W) together;
thus establishing a shunt circuit which includes the resistance X, and is clearly
shown with the other connections in the Diagram view Fig 1.
We would remark that it is not necessary that solenoids of the form shown
should be used as any other kind of solenoid or magnet may be used to actuate
the lever N
In applying our Invention to arc lamps in which only one carbon holder, say
the upper of each pair, is fed forwards to maintain the normal length of arc, we
prefer to balance our regulator lever, and actuate it by means of two electro-
magnets, or by a single electro-magnet wound on the differential principle, causing
the balanced lever to rock between the said two magnets or the poles of the
single magnet as the current varies, in such a manner as first to raise the upper
carbon holder to strike the arc then to gradually lower the upper carbon holder,
next to momentarily release the upper carbon holder, and again to arrest its
descent in an absolutely certain manner, without at any time breaking the
continuity of the electric current.
We prefer to balance this form of regulator lever by means of an adjustable
weight, and to fork this balanced lever to receive a simple train of wheels and other
devices, connecting the said train of wheels with a rack or racks on the holder or
holders of the upper carbon of each pair. A star wheel or a wheel provided with
spur teeth is adapted to come in contact with an adjustably fixed stop, and thereby
to positively arrest, the descent of the carbon when the lever is in a certain
position.

page_text: Two or more sets of carbon holders may be actuated consecutively in the same
manner by means of a pawl and ratchet arrangement, a stud or projection on one
carbon holder serving at the lowest point of its descent, to automatically trip or
disengage a catch or detent, and throw another pair of carbons into action.
This arrangement of balanced regulating lever is shown in Figures 9 and 10
of the accompanying Drawings as applied to a lamp in which two pairs of carbons
are used, and in which the negative carbons are practically stationary and the positive
carbons are fed down to maintain the arc. Fig: 9 is a plan view and Fig 10 an
elevation of the feed regulating mechanism and adjoining parts of the lamp.
Fig: 11 is a detail view of the tripping mechanism and will be described
hereafter.
A A' are the positive carbon holders to which are attached toothed rods A² A³.
B B¹ are guide sockets through which the rods A² A³ pass. C is the feed regu-
lating lever forked as shown in the plan view to receive a train of wheels and
rocking o on pivot pins c c carried by the lamp frame D. The frame D may
conveniently consist of two discs of metal connected by pillars and nuts as shewn.
The lever C is balanced by means of an adjustable threaded weight E mounted on
a screwed pin e projecting from the lever.
F is a shaft extending between the forked arms of the lever C, and mounted on
points so as to rotate freely. G G are toothed wheels gearing respectively into the
teeth of the rods A2 A³ and mounted loosely on the shaft F
Each of the wheels G G¹ carries a pawl g g', which engages with the teeth of a
ratchet wheel g'g³ fast on the shaft F. H is a wheel keyed to the shaft F between
the wheels G G', and this wheel H is in gear with the train of wheels h. h²; h² on
the shafts I and I¹.
The shaft I also carries a star wheel J and an air brake or fan J¹.
Below the star wheel J and arranged upon the frame D is the adjustable stop K,
the position of which can be regulated by the screw k
Lis an electro-magnet wound on the differential principle, which we prefer to
use instead of two separate electro-magnets wound differentially, as it is more
rigid and can be more easily fixed to the lamp fraine
This electro-magnet consists of a soft iron centre or core as usual but the core is
provided with pole pieces L' and L2 one of which inclines upwards and the other
downwards, and the core is wound for a portion of its length with coarse wire
(forming part of the main circuit) and for the remaining portion of its length
with a fine wire in a shunt circuit, the pole pieces L¹ L³ being of opposite
polarity
The forward extremities of the forked regulating lever C which is made of soft
iron, constitute the armature of the differential electro magnet L and the said
lever (being balanced) is instantly affected by any variation in the magnetismn
of the pole pieces as the current in the differential electro-magnet varies in its two
portions.
M, N are two stops mounted adjustably on one of the pillars of the frame D, for
restricting the movements of the balanced lever C
The toothed rod A³ of one pair of carbon holders is held out of action by a
detent or strut O engaging in the teeth of the rod A. This detent or strut O is
fast on a rock shaft P and is held to its work by the weighted arm or lever Q also
fast on the shaft P, which yields to allow the rod to be lifted but arrests its
downward movement.
The shaft P is cranked or has a short arm R extending from it in an opposite
direction to the weighted arm or lever Q, and a rod S passes through a guide S
and rests on the said short arm R as clearly shown in Figures 10 and 11.
When pressed down by a button on the top of the descending carbon rod A³,
the rod S acting on the arm R rocks the shalf P, disengages the detent on strut
and allows the toothed rod A³ of the other carbon holder A', to descend, subject to
the control of the balanced regulating lever C.

page_text: All the insulation is lettered V. The action of the parts above described is as
follows.
When the current enters by the positive terminal, the upwardly inclined pole
piece L' (nearest to the coarse wire) becomes strongly magnetic and attracts the
extremity of the forked lever C upwards, depressing the star wheel J and causing
it to engage with the stop K thus absolutely locking the train of wheels carried
between the two forks of the balanced lever C.
The toothed wheel G on the one side will then be unable to rotate by reason of
its pawl g engaging with the ratchet gå fast on the shaft F, which shaft is now
prevented from rotating.
The wheels G. G. therefore will act as levers on the toothed rods A' A³ and in
the further upward movement of the lever C under the influence of the magnetism
in the pole piece L¹ will carry with them the rods A2 A3 and carbon holders A A¹,
thereby striking the arc on the carbon carried by the rod A²; the rod A³ having
been held out of action by the detent.
During this lifting of the upper electrode of the one pair of carbons, the wheel G¹
will also lift the rod A³, its pawl g¹ being locked with the teeth of the ratchet g³,
but when the train of wheels is unlocked the wheel G₁ will rotate and allow
the toothed rod As to rest on its strut O, which will arrest its further descent
and the second pair of carbons will remain unaffected by the movements of the
first pair.
As the first pair of carbons is consumed and the arc increases in length, the
current in the coarse wire is weakened, and that in the fine shunt circuit is
strengthened, causing the balanced lever C to be gradually rocked in the reverse
direction, and thereby raising the star wheel J out of contact with the stop K.
This allows the train of wheels to run free, and the wheel G to rotate and steadily
lower the rod A' and carbon holder A. The other wheel G' will now be prevented
from rotating by reason of the strut O locking its toothed rod, but the axle F and
ratchet g³ will be able to over run the wheel G¹, the teeth of the ratchet g³ slipping
under the pawl g¹. As soon as this is done and the normal length of arc established,
the magnetism in the main circuit acting through the coarse wire coil of the
differential electro-magnet, will so strengthen the attraction of the uppermost pole
piece L' as to raise the lever C, lock the star wheel and instantly and absolutely
arrest the descent of the carbon holder A, until the arc again becomes too long.
The air brake or fan ensures the smooth and even running of the wheels when the
star wheel is disengaged
During the above operation the uppermost of the second pair of carbons is held
up by the strut or detent O, but when the positive carbon holder of the first pair
of carbons has descended to its lowest position and that pair of carbons is
consumed or nearly so, a projection on the toothed rod of the descending carbon
will encounter the vertical rod S, press it down rocking the shaft P and throwing
the strut or detent O out of engagement with the rod of the positive carbon holder
of the second pair of carbons.
This second pair of carbons then becomes subject to the regulating movements
of the lever C, and the shaft F when it rotates simply over runs the wheel G and
its pawlg; the ratchet wheel g² slipping under the said pawl g.
- We do not limit ourselves to the use of a differentially wound electro-magnet
such as that above described, as any suitable kind of magnet or solenoid may be
used to give motion to the lever C.
By the foregoing arrangement the lever may be so adjusted and balanced as to
act with the greatest sensitiveness and precision, the arc will be struck however
slowly the lever C may rise, and the movement of the train of wheels can always
be arrested with certainty at any desired point
Three or more pairs of carbons can be arranged to come into action automatically
and to be regulated and fed forward by a lever, such as C, in the manner above
described.

page_text: Having now described the nature of our "Improvements in Electric arc lamps"
and explained in what manner the same may be carried into practical effect we
wish it to be understood that We claim :
First: In an electric are lamp in which the carbons are suspended or upheld by
a tape, cord or other flexible connection, the use of an automatic regulating lever
and an elastic or yielding bearing arranged to cooperate with the said lever to
grip and pull or relax or release the said tape or cord, and thereby to raise or
lower the carbons for the purpose of striking and maintaining the arc, as set forth.
Secondly The means described with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings
for automatically gripping the tape, cord or other flexible connection serving to
support the carbons in an electric arc lamp, pulling the cord to strike the arc,
and relaxing or releasing the cord to maintain the arc, substantially as set forth.
Thirdly The combination with a tape or cord serving to support one or more
carbons in an electric arc lamp, of a regulating lever N, yielding or elastic
bearing Q, means for automatically actuating the said lever, and means for short-
circuiting the lamp and shunting the current through a suitable resistance, when
the said regulating lever falls to a certain position, all arranged and operating as
and for the purpose set forth.
Fourthly The combination, with a central guide tube B forming a back bone for
the lamp, and a cord or tape serving to support the electrodes in an arc lamp, of
an automatic regulating lever N carried by a bracket on the said tube B, a yielding
bearing or spring supported rocking arm Q pivotted to the said lever or upon the
same fulcrum pin, and means for limiting the movement of the said bearing in one
direction, all as and for the purpose setforth.
Fifthly In an electric arc lamp the combination with a feed regulating lever
actuated by a differential solenoid or by an electro-magnet or magnets and carrying
a train of wheels in gear with a rack or racks attached to the electrode or electrodes,
of an adjustable weight for balancing the said lever and rendering its action more
prompt and sensitive, an air brake or fan in gear with the train of wheels for
regulating the speed of descent of the electrodes, and an adjustable stop adapted
to engage with a star wheel or its equivalent and positively lock the said train of
wheels to the racks at any desired position of the lever, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
Sixthly The arrangement of mechanism described with reference to Figures 9. 10
and 11 of the Drawings for striking the arc and regulating the feed of one or more
pairs of carbons in an electric arc lamp and for automatically bringing into action
a fresh pair of carbons when one pair is burnt out
Seventhly In an electric are lamp in which a lever carrying a train of wheels
and actuated by electricity serves to regulate the feed of the carbons, the combination
and arrangement of pawl and ratchet and trip mechanism described with reference
to Figures 9. 10. and 11 of the drawings for the purpose of enabling one pair of
carbons to be regulated without affecting the other pair or pairs, and for bringing
into action fresh carbons when the previous pair has been consumed.
In witness whereof we the said Edward Jones and Albert Edward Jones have
hereunto set our hands and seals the 30th day of August in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight bundred and eighty three.
EDWARD JŪNES.
(L.S.)
ALBERT E. JONES. (L.S.)