Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 15th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
I, WILLIAM JAMES MACKENZIE of 73 John Street, in the City of Glasgow,
Practical Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention relates to improvements in electric arc lamps the main feature of
novelty being the employment in the manner hereinafter set forth of pneumatic
pressure or a vacuum as a means of maintaining and regulating the arc.
The improved lamp as constructed in accordance with one modification of my
invention consists of a cylindrical or other shaped casing which is partially filled
with a mixture of water and glycerine or other liquid not liable to vaporize or to
freeze. To the under end of the casing is attached a frame which carries the lower
carbon holder, one leg of the frame being insulated from the casing and serving as
the conductor of the current to the lower carbon. The upper carbon holder is carried
through guides in an open ended tube passing up through the centre of the casing
and terminating above the level of the liquid therein and it is supported by an annular
bell float or gas holder fitted around the central tube with its lower open end immersed
in the liquid, air or other gas enclosed in the bell or gas holder being subjected to
compression in balancing the weight of the carbon holder as well as the bell itself.
The float is preferably made conical in order that the proper balance may be
maintained while the carbon is consumed and loses weight and greater immersion of
the float takes place-From a point above the level of the liquid a small tube connects
the air space in the bell or gas holder with the air space of a similar bell or float
immersed in a liquid contained within a casing which may form an upper extension of
the lamp case-This bell which is preferably of smaller capacity than the first
mentioned bell or holder and serves as a regulator for it, is suitably loaded and has
suspended from it the core of a double solenoid wound at the lower end with stout
wire in the lamp circuit and at the upper end with fine wire connected to form a shunt
to the arc.
The casings being supplied with liquid the level of which in each case is determined
by the position of an overflow orifice and the air within the floats being suitably

page_text: compressed by blowing through a branch pipe provided for this purpose the current
is passed through the conductors and if the carbon electrodes are in contact the one
with the other the current passing through the main wire of the solenoid the core
will be drawn down and will produce a deeper immersion of the regulating float the
air within which being subjected to further compression will in part pass by the
communicating pipe to the main float and force it up to such an extent as to effect
the separation of the upper and lower carbons and so strike the arc. Should the
upper carbon be raised too high the resistance of the arc being increased more current
will flow through the fine wire portion of the solenoid, and the core and with it the
regulating float will be raised so that the pressure within said float will be reduced-
A portion of the air within the main float will then pass through the communicating
pipe to the regulating float thereby allowing the main float to fall to such an extent as
to bring the upper carbon within the proper are length from the lower carbon-The
regulation of the arc is effected by means of a switch or switches arranged to cut out
a greater or less number of the coils of either or both of the solenoids-To provide
for feeding the carbons together a small orifice is formed in the regulating float at
a sufficient depth below the liquid level to permit the water column to nearly balance
the air pressure in the floats. Through this orifice the air slowly escapes when the
fine wire solenoid raises the float beyond the point at which the water column balances
the air pressure in the floats. When the current is off the air pressure is sufficient
to raise the regulating float so as to allow the air to escape till the upper carbon rests
on the lower one.
The carbon holders are by preference formed of tubes slit at their ends and
provided with a screw nut for clutching the carbons and the lower or stationary
carbon holder is fitted in a ball and socket joint the carbon tube being carried through
a ball held between washers clamped to the frame by screws or other means permitting
of lateral adjustment of the holder while the ball arrangement permits oscillating
movement for adjusting the stationary carbon relatively to the movable carbon-This
form of adjustable carbon holder is applicable to other forms of arc lamps-A flexible
wire connects the movable carbon with a cam switch which when the carbon is burnt
out is turned by the tension of this wire (which is of such length that it is then
strained by the weight of the carbon holder) and the current is switched past the arc.
When the lamp is provided with two or more sets of electrodes a separate float or
bell is fitted to support and actuate each of the movable carbons but only a single
regulating float with the connections above described is required the communication
with the bell or air chamber of each actuating float being made by separate pipes or
branches, and the several floats or carbon holders being differently weighted so that
when the current is passed through the lamp the arc will be struck first between that
pair of elctrodes whose movable carbon is the lightest, then immediately as the
pressure increases an arc is struck in the heavier pair, the lighter carbon rises still
further extinguishing its arc and leaving the heavy carbon alone burning. When the
heavy carbon pair are consumed the lighter carbon again drops down strikes an arc
and continues burning.
In a modification of the invention the arc is maintained and regulated by a vacuum
formed in the casings containing the liquid and within which the float supporting
the carbon and the regulating float are respectively placed. In this case the floats
may be simple hollow cylinders or cones hermetically sealed at their upper ends and
the containing casings instead of the floats are connected by a communicating pipe
which may be provided with a branch for exhausting the casings of air.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.

page_text: I, WILLIAM JAMES MACKENZIE, of 197 Dumbarton Road, in the City of Glasgow,
Practical Electrician, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in electric arc lamps the main feature of
novelty being the employment in the manner hereinafter set forth of pneumatic
pressure or a vacuum as a means of maintaining and regulating the arc.
As represented in elevation at figure 1 and in vertical section at figure 2 of the
accompanying drawings the improved lamp as constructed in accordance with one
modification of my invention consists of a cylindrical or other shaped casing A,
which is partially filled as indicated with a mixture of water and glycerine or other
liquid not liable to vaporize or to freeze. To the under end of the casing A, is
attached a frame B, which carries the lower carbon holder C, the frame being
insulated from the casing and serving as the conductor of the current to the lower
carbon c. The upper carbon holder D, is carried through guides in an open ended
tube D¹ passing up through the centre of the casing and terminating above the level
of the liquid therein, and it is supported by an annular hell, float, or gas holder E,
fitted around the central tube with its lower open end immersed in the liquid air or
other gas enclosed in the bell or gas holder being subjected to compression in
balancing the weight of the carbon holder D) as well as the bell itself. The float E,
is preferably made conical or slightly tapered in order that the proper balance may
be maintained while the carbon is consumed and loses weight and greater immersion
of the float takes place. From a point above the level of the liquid a small tube F
connects the air space in the bell or gas holder with the air space of a similar bell or
float G, immersed in a liquid contained within a casing H, which may form an upper
extension of the lamp case. The bell G, which is preferably of smaller capacity than
the bell or holder E, and serves as a regulator for it, is suitably loaded and bas
suspended from it the core 1 of a double solenoid J, wound at the lower end with stout
wire in the lamp circuit and at the upper end with fine wire j' connected to form a
shunt to the arc.
The casings A and H being supplied with liquid the level of which in each case is
determined by the position of an overflow orifice a and hand the air within the
floats E, G being suitably compressed by blowing through a branch pipe K, provided for
this purpose the current is passed through the conductors L, and if the carbon
electrodes d are in contact the one with the other the current passing through the
main wire of the solenoid J, the core 1, will be drawn down and will produce a
deeper immersion of the regulating float G, the air within which being subjected to
6,

page_text: further compression will in part pass by the communicating pipe F to the main
float E, and force it up to such an extent as to effect the separation of the upper and
lower carbons d and e and so strike the arc. Should the upper carbon be raised too
high the resistance of the are being increased more current will flow through the fine
wire portion of the solenoid J, and the core I and with it the regulating float G will be
raised so that the pressure within said float will be reduced. A portion of the air
within the main float E will then pass through the communicating pipe F to the
regulating float G, thereby allowing the main float E to fall to such an extent as to
bring the upper carbon d within the proper are length from the lower carbon c.
regulation of the are may be effected by means of a switch or switches arranged to cut
out a greater or less number of the coils of either or both of the solenoids or by
altering the weight upon the regulating float G.
The
To provide for feeding the carbons together a small orifice m is formed in the
regulating float G, at a sufficient depth below the liquid level to permit the water
column to nearly balance the air pressure in the floats. Through this orifice m the
air slowly escapes when the fine wire solenoid raises the float beyond the point at
which the water column balances the air pressure in the floats. When the current is
off the air pressure is sufficient to raise the regulating float G so as to allow the air
to escape till the upper carbon rests on the lower one.
The carbon holders may be formed of short tubes in the ordinary way and the
lower or stationary carbon holder as shown in detail at figures 3 and 4 is fitted in
a ball and socket joint the carbon tube being carried into or through a ball C¹ held
between cups or washers (* clamped to the frame by screws or other means
permitting of lateral adjustment of the holder, while the ball arrangement permits
oscillating movement for adjusting the stationary carbon relatively to the movable
carbon. This form of adjustable carbon holder is applicable to other forms of are
lamps.
A cut out" of any well known form may be employed and in the present instance
it consists of a double solenoid N the upper part n of which is in the main circuit and
the lower part in the shunt circuit. The core of the solenoid is connected to a lever
switch P, which when the carbons are burnt out or the are otherwise inordinately
lengthened is acted on by the descent of the core and makes contact between the
terminals Q, Q and switches the current through branch wires past the arc.
When the lamp is provided with two or more sets of electrodes a separate float or
hell is fitted to support and actuate each of the movable carbons but only a single
regulating float with the connections above described is required, the communication
with the bell or air chamber of each actuating float being made by separate pipes or
branches, and the several floats or carbon holders being differently weighted so that
when the current is passed through the lamp the arc will be struck first between that
pair of electrodes whose movable carbon is the lightest, then immediately as the
pressure increases an arc is struck in the heavier pair, the lighter carbon rises still
further extinguishing its arc and leaving the heavy carbon alone burning. When the
heavy carbon pair are consumed, the lighter carbon again drops down, strikes an arc
and continues burning.
In a modification of the invention the arc is struck and regulated by a vacuum
formed in the casings containing the liquid and within which the float supporting the
carbon and the regulating float are respectively placed. In this case the floats may be
simple i.e. not annular, hollow cylinders or cones hermetically sealed at their upper
ends and may also be closed at their lower ends and the containing casings instead of
the floats are connected by a communicating pipe which may be provided with a
branch for exhausting the casings of air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination of parts constituting the improved electric arc lamp herein
described with reference to the annexed drawings.

page_text: 2. In an electric arc lamp the employment of pneumatic pressure or a vacuum in
conjunction with electrical devices for striking and regulating the arc substantially as
herein described.
3. In an electric arc lamp the combination of a float supporting the movable carbon,
a regulating float communicating therewith and a solenoid or its equivalent arranged
to operate the regulating float, substantially as set forth.
4. In an electric are lamp the regulating float & having in it the orifice m for the
escape of air, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In an electric arc lamp a carbon holder consisting of a tube carried in a ball and
socket joint movable and adjustable on the lamp frame, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Dated this Fontanth
1000
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.