IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS OR LIGHTING APPARATUS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
Commu-
and Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS OR LIGHTING APPARATUS."
nicated to him from abroad by Robert Mondos, of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th December 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent
Agents Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS
OR LIGHTING APPARATUS" [A communication to him from abroad by Robert
Mondos, of Paris, France.]
This invention relates to improvements in the electric lamps described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent dated 15th December, A.D. 1881 N° 5490,
which lamps appertain to that class in which the regulation is effected without
clockwork, the movement of the carbons being effected by means of the electric
current itself. The lamp described in the said former specification is characterized
by the two successive movements which are given to the carbons or electrodes; the
first, a rapid movement to separate the carbons and develop the electric arc between
them, and the second a novement produced in proportion to the consumption of
the carbons to maintain a suitable distance between them for the passage of the
current.
I will now proceed to describe the improvements comprised in the present
invention as applied to a lamp in which there are two sets of carbons, the current
only passing through one or the other set. The mechanism for regulating the
movement of the upper carbon is arranged at the top of the lamp. The light is
produced by the descent of the lower carbon by reason of an armature being drawn
downward by an electro-magnet, when a current passes through the coils of the
This magnet is suitably connected to the cross-bar of the lamp-frame.
same.
To prevent any vibration of the carbons which are only held at their upper part,
I may arrange below the regulating or brake mechanism another electro-magnet

page_text: the poles of which are opposite two apertures in a tube surrounding the carbon, and
which attract the upper carbon so as to steady it and prevent vibrations.
In another arrangement of lamp there are two successive movements of the
carbons; the first rapid for developing the arc, and the second for regulating and
maintaining the separation of the carbons. But the movement of the carbons,
instead of being effected by means of armature-levers, each provided with a counter-
weight, is obtained by means of a single electro-magnet actuating two levers
connected by links and acted upon by a single counterweight, thereby simplifying
the mechanism.
A rod which carries the upper carbons passes into a tube having at its lower end
a flange designed to abut against a screw. This tube passes through the eye of a
lever oscillating upon a pivot fixed in a bracket and carrying at one end an
armature and at the other end a counter weight. Upon the said lever are articulated
connecting rods or links which are connected to a lever pivotted to an arm fixed to
the said tube. The last named lever carries the brake device for arresting the rod
of the carbon-holders through an aperture formed in the said tube. An electro-
magnet is placed in a shunt from the main circuit taken from a terminal and from
one of the rods which support the cross-bar carrying the lower carbons.
According to another arrangement, which is particularly suitable where the lamp
is exposed to violent shocks, I provide the upper carbon-holding rod with teeth like
a rack which gear with a pinion mounted between two brackets fixed to a lever.
The arbor of the said pinion carries a wheel gearing with another wheel, the axle
of which carries a fly or flying pinion. I arrange a fixed stop which prevents the
said fly from rotating and consequently the aforesaid rod from descending, even in
case of a violent shock, except when a lever, descending by the attraction of an
armature (which is also caused to descend), releases the said fly from the said fixed
stop.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June
1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC-LAMPS OR LIGHTING
APPARATUS A communication to me from abroad by Robert Mondos, of Paris,
France
This invention relates to improvements in the electric lamp described in the
specification of former Letters patent dated 15th December A.D. 1881 N° 5490.
The principle of the lamp hereinafter described is the same as that described in the
said former specification, and is still characterized by two successive movements of
the carbons, the first of which is sudden and causes the formation of the electric
arc, while the second regulates and maintains the length of the arc. The movement
of the carbons is caused by means of a single electro-magnet which actuates two
levers, connected by links, acted upon by a counterweight, thus simplifying the
mechanism.
The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which ;-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the same, and
Figures 2 and 3 illustrate modifications hereinafter described.
The rod A, which carries the upper carbon-holders B B, passes into a tube C
provided at its lower end with a plate D designed to abut against a screw E. This
tube passes through the eye F of a lever G oscillating upon a pivot o, and
carrying at one end the armature H and at the other end the counter-weight P.
Upon the lever G are jointed two links e e abutting against a lever J which
oscillates at a upon the arm K fixed to the tube C. This lever J carries the
brake c for arresting, when required, the rod A of the carbon-holders through an
aperture formed in the tube C.
The electro-magnet L is placed in a shunt from the main circuit taken from the
binding screw d and the rod I which supports the cross bars carrying the lower
carbons.
When the carbons are too far apart the current passes partly into the shunt
including the electro-magnet, whereby the armature H is attracted; the eye F
clamping the tube C causes it to descend until the plate D comes into contact with
the screw E. The links e e then pulling the lever J cause the brake c to release
the rod A, and the upper carbons descend until they are sufficiently near to the
lower carbons for the current to pass from the one to the other; moreover as the
current no longer passes through the electro-magnet the armature ceases to be
attracted and the counterweight raises the lever G and the parts connected there-
with to their normal position. As may be easily seen from the above the arrange-
ment of a single electro-magnet, an armature, and a lever with a counterweight,
acts upon the rod A and the tube C which surrounds it.
Figure 2 shows an arrangement particularly suitable when the lamp is exposed
to violent shocks. The rod A is formed with teeth like a rack which gear with a
pinion g mounted between two brackets h fixed to the lever G. The shaft of the
pinion g carries a wheel K gearing with another wheel p the axle of which carries
a flyer q. A stop piece is fixed at t in order to prevent the said flyer from rotating
and consequently the rod A from descending, even in case of a violent shock, except
when the lever G, descending by the attraction of the armature H, releases the
flyer from the fixed stop-piece t.
Figure 3 shows another arrangement in which the rod A is made with teeth,

page_text: like a rack, which gear with a wheel 1, upon the axle of which is mounted another
wheel m which gears with a pinion n fixed upon the axle of a ratchet wheel x
maintained in position by means of a pawl y and a counterweight P acting as a
brake. When the armature H is attracted the counterweight ceases to rest upon
the ratchet, and the pawl being fixed to the lever rises with it, in consequence of
which the rod A supporting the upper carbons descends until the said carbons are
sufficiently near to the lower ones.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that i claim.
First An electric lamp provided with a single electro-magnet acting upon a
lever having a counterweight, substantially as described with reference to Figure 1
of the drawing.
Second. The means, substantially as described with reference to Figure 2 of the
drawing, for preventing a too rapid movement of the carbons.
Third The mechanism substantially as described with reference to Figure 3 of
the drawing, wherein the rod A is formed with a rack connected, by means of
Buitable gearing, with a ratchet wheel acted upon by a pawl, and a counterweight
which serves as a brake, for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my hand
and seal this thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three