Improved Double Arc Lamps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 14th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Double Arc Lamps.
I, WILHELM MATHIESEN, of 131, Leipziger Strasse, Leutzsch, near Leipzig, in
the German Empire, Manufacturer, 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:-
The present invention consists essentially of a double are lamp with alternating
mechanism. The lamp contains two regulating mechanisms completely separate
from each other.
The lamp is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 shews an elevation.
Figures 2, 2, and 2, shew on a larger scale the alternating mechanism.
Figures 3, 4, and 5, shew modifications in the construction of the same.
Figure 6 shews an alternative arrangement of the lamp.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 shew further modifications of the same.
The clock work mechanisms a a¹ (Figure 1) are actuated by the two single
spool electromagnets the latter of which appears partially hidden in the draw-
ing, by means of the respective armatures and drawbars c cỉ. To each clockwork
mechanism there is arranged a pair of movable carbon holders. Without changing
anything in the character of this invention, both clockwork mechanisms might
also be actuated by a single magnet in common. Both clockwork mechanisms
are connected to the reversing mechanism by means of which they are alternately
controlled. This mechanism consists as shewn in Figures 2, 24, 2, of the reversing
leverd bearing two projections e el, which according to the position of the lever d
hold fast or release the one or the other clock work mechanism as well as the
reversible leverf which is under the control of the two bars g gl and the spring h.
Referring to the levers d f shewn in Figures 1 and 2" it is further to be remarked
that the lever possesses at each end respectively one of the striking pieces e
which pieces hold fast or liberate the one or the other clock work (a or a¹) accord-
ing to the position of the lever d; they are also under the control of the reversible
lever f, which stands under the control of the two draw bars 9 g and the spring h.
The lever d is pivotted upon a common shaft with the lever f which serves together
with the two drawbars ý g¹ attached to it to actuate the carbons. The lever f is
moreover constructed in one piece with a heart-shaped eccentric n, the point of
which is in contact with the roller which is supported in spring bearings. The
spring strives to press the aforesaid roller continuously upon the point of the
heart shaped eccentric n, and thus effects a uniform restraint or regulation of
the drawbars g g¹
e¹
If for instance an upward motion of the drawbar 9 takes place this will result
in causing the piece e also to rise, whereby the clock work a is liberated. In the
other case, if the drawbar g and piece e together with the lever d moves down-
wards, the draw bar g¹ will be raised, and consequently the piece el connected
with the lever d will rise also; this motion has as a result the release of the
clock work a'. It will be obvious from this that the lever d and the lever f with
the eccentric n revolve upon a common pivot, the motion of f when reversed as
CD 077

page_text: above described, causing the motion of d by contact therewith by means of one
of the projections g² on f (see Fig., 2")..
The reversing operation is as follows:-
h
As soon as one pair of carbons has been almost burned away, the respective
upper carbon holder comes in contact with a projection upon the corresponding
drawbar, and thereby carries with it the reversible lever f, by means of which
the eccentric piece n is caused to lift the roller i fixed upon the spring h, until
the said roller passes over its dead point at which moment the return movement
of the said roller caused by the action of the spring presses the eccentric together
with the lever f into the terminal position. The two drawbars attached participate
in this motion, and the lever d is suddenly pressed from the one terminal position
into the other terminal position, thus liberating one clockwork mechanism, and
holding the other fast. This arrangement will be clearly understood from Figure 1
of the drawings.
The carbons 1 are represented as almost consumed and the upper carbon holder t
has come in contact with the knob k of the drawbar I and has consequently
carried the same with it until the roller i has already reached the dead point of
the eccentric n, it requires therefore only an extremely slight motion of the upper
carbon holder t in order to cause the lever f to reverse, the lever d will thereby
be carried with it and consequently the clockwork a¹ will be liberated.. The said
clockwork will then set itself in motion owing to the weight of the upper carbon
holder, until the pair of carbons 2 approach each other sufficiently, and the new
arc is formed. At the same time the previous arc. is extinguished, and the pair
of carbons 1 are held fast by means of the projection e, so that the carbons cannot
again come into contact. Exactly the same operation takes place when the pair 2
is consumed, the pair 1 having in the meantime been replaced. The reversible
lever is, however, not an essentially necessary part of my mechanism. The
reversal may be effected without this lever, if the two drawbars are arranged
to act directly upon the reversing lever d. It then, however, becomes necessary
to arrange the projections in such a manner that the one releases its mechanisin
when the other is about to detain the corresponding mechanism. As this exact
adjustment is difficult in practice it is desirable to bring the reversing lever
quickly into its terminal position, for which purpose the above described lever f
is devised. Other double arc lamps as far as known to the inventor possess the
drawback that before any change of carbons can take place both carbons must be
burnt out, and invariably both sets of carbons require to be renewed at the same
time. The present arrangement, however, admits of each pair of carbons being
renewed singly, and consequently has the advantage that each pair can be con-
sumed to the last.
Arc lamps provided with this improvement can therefore be utilized in various
manners; either each pair of carbons is renewed separately or both pairs of carbons
can be renewed at the same time according as it is desired to economise carbons or
the labour of renewal. Moreover instead of economising in labour a more brilliant
illumination can be obtained by choosing carbons of smaller diameter and by
doubling the said carbons a normal period of burning may still be obtained.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 shew various modifications in the construction of this
mechanism.
In Figure 3 the leaf spring his replaced by a spiral spring m with slightly
altered lever arrangement.
In Figure 4 a balance weight o is put in the place of the spring, and in Figure 5
the said weight o is not arranged to actuate a lever provided with two special
projections, but by aid of a bar u the same actuates direct the two movable pro-
jections usually utilized for the control in the manner indicated by the diagram.
In place of the weight o springs might be used in the same way, and in place of
the clockwork mechanisms other retarding devices, such for instance as friction
couplings might be placed, and in place of the drawbar knobs kk projections on
the chain roller or upon the chain itself might be utilized. Further, the actuating

page_text: of the reversing lever can be effected electrically as shewn in Figures 6, 7, 8,
and 9.
In Figure 6 the upper carbon holders are provided with contacts p p¹ which
apply themselves to the contacts y q' fastened upon the rods of the lamp, whereby
one of the coils is severally cut in.
In the position of the carbon holder shewn in Figure 6, the coil r is in circuit
and the core s is drawn in, whereby the lever d has been reversed and the second
clockwork mechanism has been released.
If it be desired to renew the pair of carbons 1 before the pair 2 is completely
consumed, the lever d would have free play, and might consequently through
a jolt or otherwise be thrown into the wrong position. In order to prevent this
the lever f is provided with a balance weight o which holds it fast in each terminal
position.
In Figure 7 the spring m is substituted for the said weight for the same purpose,
In Figure 8 the armature iron of the reversing magnets acts direct upon the
iron of the core, so that the residual magnetism assures the terminal position
of the lever.
Figure shews in the same manner as Figure 5 the reversible léver f in con-
nection with the drawbar u which actuates the two points for the reversing.
In a similar manner various other constructional forms of the same principle
may be devised, thus for instance, the levera z z¹ shewn in Figures 5 and 9 may be
combined to form a single lever and so forth.
The lamps of this improved construction can be utilized as shunt lamps and
also as differential current lamps, and be operated by any kind of 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 declare that what I
claim is: :-
1. An improved are lamp with two pairs of carbons and two independent
clock work mechanisms, in which the, release of the one clockwork mechanism
after the consumption of the other pair of carbons is effected by a lever provided
with projections, and actuated either mechanically or electrically, said lever being
arranged alternately to stop or release the said clock works in such a manner
that each pair of carbons can be renewed separately.
2. An arc lamp such as set forth in Claim 1 characterized by the arrangement
of a special reversing lever such as f actuating the reversing lever d proper, for
the purpose of rendering the operation of the said lever d independent of the exact
position of the projections e e¹.
3. An arc lamp constructed according to Claims 1 and 2 and characterized by
the arrangement that the projections of the reversing lever form at the same time
the controlling projections for the clockwork mechanisms, and in which the said
lever can be divided into two levers z z¹ (Figures 5 and 9) connected together, all
substantially as described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this on
01
1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.