Apparatus for Automatically_Regulating the Potential in the Conductors for Two or More Sets of Electrical Lamps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 3rd May, 1890.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by the firm of SIEMENS AND HALSKE, of Markgrafen-
strasse, Berlin, in the German Empire, Electrical Engineers.]
Apparatus for Automatically_Regulating
the Potential in the
Conductors for Two or More Sets of Electrical Lamps.
We, SIEMENS BROTHERS AND COMPANY Limited of 12 Queen Anne's Gate West-
minster in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to means of automatically regulating the potential in the
conductors for two or more sets of electrical lamps, when two or more sets of lamps
are connected in series and the conductors are so arranged that all of them, except
the two end ones, are common to two sets of lamps.
The accompanying drawing is a diagram illustrating apparatus for the purpose of
equalising the potential in the supply of two sets of lamps 1 and 2 notwithstanding
that several of the one or of the other set may be cut out of circuit. The apparatus
consists of two main parts, what may be termed a meter M, and a regulator A. The
meter M consists of two electro magnets E¹ and E2 with a spring armature F
between their poles, which armature, according as it is attracted by the one or the
other, makes contact at K' or K2 and thereby closes the circuit for the one or the
other of two relay electromagnets P¹ or P. Between the poles of these magnets is
pivotted at W a three armed iron lever S. Two of the arms are curved so as to
partly encircle the two poles P¹ P2; the third arm terminates in a toothed segment
which gears with a pinion T. To the pinion are attached two contact arcs CC, the
one or the other of which is brought by the partial revolution of the pinion T to make
contact introducing one, two, or more of a set of resistances, which may be lamps L.
The two main leads + and- and the intermediate lead for the two sets of lamps 1 and 2
being connected as shewn to the magnets E' E', P1 P2 and to the arcs C¹³ and
resistances L, when the potential for the one set of lamps, say the set 1, exceeds that
for the other set 2, the armature F makes contact at K', the magnet P¹ is excited
causing the lever S to move and the pinion T to turn so as to bring the arc C' over
one, two, or more of the resistances L which are thus introduced in the circuit of
the lamps 1, making up for those of the lamps of the set 1 that may have been cut
out of circuit. In like manner, should the potential for the set of lamps 2 be in
excess, the regulating apparatus operates so as to introduce one, two, or more of the
resistances L into the circuit of the lamps 2. When there are more than two sets of
lamps, several of the above described apparatus have to be used.
Dated this 2nd day of Jule 1889
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Automatically Regulating the Potential in the
Conductors for Two or More Sets of Electrical Lamps.
We, SIEMENS BROTHERS AND COMPANY Limited, of 12 Queen Anne's Gate, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineers, 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 :-
>
This invention relates to means of automatically regulating the potential in the
rn 017

page_text: conductors for two or more sets of electrical lamps, when two or more sets of lamps
are connected in series and the conductors are so arranged that all of them, except the
two end ones, are common to two sets of lamps.
The drawing accompanying our Provisional Specification is a diagram illustrating
apparatus for the purpose of equalising the potential in the supply of two sets of
lamps 1 and 2 notwithstanding that several of the one or of the other set may be cut
out of circuit.
The apparatus consists of two main parts; what may be termed a meter M and.a
regulator A between which may be interpolated a relay.
The meter M consists of two electromagnets E' E as shewn, or of two solenoids,
which are on a shunt of the lamp circuit, the two sets or groups of which aro
arranged in series. If the same number of lamps are in action in each group, the
current in both electromagnets will be equal and consequently they will exercise an
equal attraction on the spring armature F situated between them.
.
If in the one group, a lamp be put out of action, the potentials of the two
lamp groups will become different and consequently the attraction of the one electro
magnet or solenoid will become greater than that of the other, so that the armature F
in moving towards the former will close one or other of the two contacts K' K2 closing
a circuit whereby the regulator A will be put in action, either directly or through
a relay. The action of the meter M consists therefore in comparing the potentials
of the two lamp groups with each other and in putting the regulator in action as
soon as any difference in the potentials occurs, irrespective of the amount of such
difference.
The regulator A operates as follows: When the meter closes one of the con-
tacts K K the regulator is put in motion so as automatically to include
resistances or lamps in the one or the other group of lamps, and thus equalize the
potentials in the two groups again. For this purpose, according to the arrangement.
shewn on the drawing, the regulator consists of an iron armature S having an arm
with a toothed segment and capable of oscillating on a pivot W. The armature is
formed with two curved arms that embrace respectively the cores P¹ P² of two
electro-magnets.
The coils of these electromagnets being connected respectively to the contacts K' K'
as shewn, it will be seen that if the spring armature of the meter M be brought
against, say, the contact K' owing to the alteration of the potential in group 1, the
electromagnet P¹ will be excited, and in attracting the curved arm of the armature S,
will cause this to turn on its axis W and in thereby turning the toothed segment
will cause this to partially rotate a pinion T with which it is in gear. On the axis
of this pinion are fixed two contact pieces C1 C2 which are insulated from each other
but fixed together so as to move with the axis of T.
The contacts C¹³ are so connected with the circuit wires of the lamp groups,
that, when, by the attraction of S by P¹ as before stated, the contact piece C is
caused to make contact with one or more resistances or lamps L these will
be included in the lamp group 1 thereby making up for those of the lamps of 1
that have been cut out of circuit, and thus equalizing the potentials in the two
groups.
In like manner, should the potential for the set of lamps 2 be in excess, the
regulating apparatus operates so as to introduce one, two, or more of the resistances L
into the circuit of the lamps 2. When there are more than two groups of lamps,
several of the above described apparatus have to be used.
It will be obvious that the construction of the regulator may be variously modified ;
in all arrangements however the main feature is maintained that the contact
pieces C¹ C², or their equivalents, by means of which the potentials in the two groups
is to be maintained equal, are either fixed together or are otherwise so dependent
upon each other that by their means equalizing resistances can only be included
either in the one or in the other of the groups.
Consequently when the same number of lamps are in action in both groups, it
cannot occur that the apparatus causes the same number of resistances.to be included

page_text: in each group for maintaining the equality of the potentials therein; in this case
the contact pieces CC can only assume the middle position shewn, in which they do
not include resistances in either of the groups.
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 the potential in the conductors for two or
more groups of electrical lamps, consisting of the combination of a measuring and
regulating apparatus, of which the former serves to compare the potentials existing
in the said groups, and on the occurrence of any difference between such potentials,
causes the regulating apparatus to be actuated so as, by means of a contact arm or
equivalent device, to include one or more resistances in the one group or the other,
whereby the potentials in the two groups will be equalized, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of March 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.