IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan Brown, Patent Agent, of 38, Southampton
Buildings, London, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS."
A communication from abroad by Gustavus Palmer Harding, of 15, Rue de la
Chaussée d'Antin, Paris.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th July 1881.
WILLIAM MORGAN BROWN, Patent Agent, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS." [A communication from abroad by Gustavus
Palmer Harding, of 15, Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris.]
These improvements in electric lamps relate to those kind of lamps where the
upper carbon descends by gravity, and relates to the means by which the carbon
is regulated to fall as required, and to the clutches and holders of the carbon rod.
In one form the carbon is suspended by any ordinary means, such as a chain,
metallic band, or other suitable means, and is regulated to descend as required by
means of an escapement which is actuated by an automatic make and break, such
escapement being arranged so that the recoil is equal to half or any desired
amount of the descent, such recoil being the means of producing the arc required.
Instead of using a brass rod for a carbon holder, as usually done, I employ two
or more tubes sliding in each other, as in a telescope, and fix my chain or metallic
band to one end of the smallest tube, while as to the other I fix the carbon. By
this means the length of the lamp is considerably reduced.
Where a lamp is required to burn for 12, 18, or more hours, and where a slight
vacillation is not important, instead of employing two carbon holders I employ two
or more carbons fixed in the same double holder, and I find that the current
switches itself from one to the other without interrupting the light in the least. I
also sometimes use a thin piece of paper, or asbestos paper, or other insulator
between the carbons to more effectually separate them, the whole being of course
in contact with the carbon holder.

page_text: In another form of the Invention I use a new form of clutch lamp, in which the
armature is cut or made in two pieces and made to swing on pivots. Underneath
the split armature is placed a pair of magnets, which may be wound with fine wire
and placed in a shunt circuit when the lamp is working with an alternating current,
or are wound with coarse wire and placed above the armature when working with
a continuous current. Two regulating springs are placed above the armature,
which serve to pull the split armature up, thereby producing the arc and gripping
the upper carbon until the arc becomes too large, when a portion of the current
goes through the shunt magnets and pulls the armature down, thereby releasing
the upper carbon.
The carbon holder I also make of iron in place of brass, the action of the magnet
then retaining it where desired without the aid of clutches, and of skeleton form;
or a coating of iron on the carbon may be employed, so that the armature may
have a direct action on the carbon or carbon holder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th January 1882.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, Patent Agent, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS." A communication from abroad by Gustavus
Palmer Harding, of 15, Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris.
These improvements relate to the kind of lamps known as gravity and regulator
lamps.
In one form, Figure 1, the carbon is suspended by any ordinary means, such as a
chain, cord, or metallic band A, or other suitable means, and is regulated to descend
as required by means of an escapement B, which is actuated by an automatic make
and brake (shunt) or other equivalent device C, such escapement being arranged.
with a recoil action, and so that the recoil is equal to one half, one quarter, or any
desired amount of the feed, which recoil serves to produce the arc by giving falls of
precise measure, and separation of the carbons after contact.
In this kind of lamp I prefer to use what I call the telescopic carbon holder D,
which I make by taking two or more tubes E, E¹, which are inade to slide in each other.
To the top end of the smallest tube E¹ I fix my chain, cord, or metallic band A, and
to the bottom end I fix the carbon rod F. By the use of this form of holder the
length of the lamp is considerably reduced; or a socket for holding the carbon may
be used, sliding between guide rods or grooves, in which case, the carbon holder
being short, the length of carbon may be increased or that of the lamp decreased.
Figure 1 is a diagram representing this form of lamp. A, A¹, is a metallic chain
or cord which is wound on a pulley C, the escapement shown in Figure 1 being
placed near. The pulley C is fixed on the same spindle as the escapement.
The action of the current on entering the lamp is to pass through, shunt, coil,
and attract the armature, which, moving the escapement, allows one tooth of wheel
to escape and carbon to fall; contact is then made by platinum point, and armature
freed, when escapement moves back and recoil is obtained; this takes place until
carbons are in contact, and on separation by recoil the lamp is lighted.
"
Figure 2 represents a new form of clutch lamp. In this lamp I use what I call a
" cone
clutch," which is made of a tube of brass A, the end of which is made in the
shape of a double cone, and is split vertically up a certain length into two or more
parts; on the top of this cone clutch is fixed the armature B, which is actuated by
a pair of electro magnets or solenoids C, C¹; on the opposite side of the armature
are two adjustable springs D, D', which act in opposition to the magnets. The
inner cone or clutch works in another split tube or cone E, which is fixed to the
base of the lamp. It is evident that when the cone clutch inoves down, being split,
it will spring open, and thereby release the carbon holder F, and in ascending it
will grip and raise the carbon holder, thereby forming an arc. Figure 3 represents
another form of clutch lamp, which I term the split armature lamp. In this lamp
I use the armature as a clutch, cutting it in two halves A, A', the carbon holder Ċ
working between them; each half of this armature is pivotted on supports D, D¹,
and regulated by a spring on one end. Above the armature is placed a pair of
coarse wire or differential magnets. While at rest the carbons rest on each other,
but as soon as the current is started the split armature is drawn up and grips the
top carbon holder, at the same time forming the arc.
The armature itself may be in two pieces, acting as a clutch or holder, and raising
or lowering the carbon in accordance with the action of current.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said

page_text: Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it under-
stood that what I claim is,-
1st. In an electric lamp where the carbon descends by gravity, the use of an
escapement, the recoil of which, lifting the carbon, produces the arc, substantially
as described.
2nd. In an electric lamp, subatantially as described, the use of a moveable cone
clutch in combination with another fixed tube or cone, and magnets to actuate the
same, substantially as described.
3rd. In an electric lamp, the use of a telescopic carbon holder, thereby reducing
the length of the lamp, substantially as described.
4th. In an electric lamp, the use of a split armature clutch, substantially as
described.
5th. I claim the use of an armature in two pieces, itself acting as a clutch or
holder, and raising or lowering the carbon in accordance with the action of
current.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan Brown, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
W. MORGAN BROWN. (L.S.)