IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS OR LIGHTING APPARATUS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS OR LIGHTING APPARATUS." A com-
munication from abroad by James John Wood, of Brooklyn, New York,
United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th June 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS OR
LIGHTING APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by James John Wood of
Brooklyn, New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to that class of lamps in which the regulating armature
carries a vibrating train of wheels which is engaged at the leading pinion with a
rack on the carbon-holder and which has a terminal scape-wheel or detent which
is brought up against a stop-tooth when the armature is attracted to separate
the carbons, and is withdrawn from the stop when the armature is retracted to
allow the top carbon to descend and the gear train to run down to feed the
carbons.
Heretofore lamps of this kind have generally been non-focussing with one carbon
only engaged with, and actuated by, the vibrating train, the other carbon being
fixed, and the object of the said Invention is to provide an improved focussing
lamp of this kind in which both the positive and negative carbon-holders will be
engaged with the vibrating train so that both carbons will be regulated or moved
simultaneously by means of the train in order to keep the arc at a constant point
or focus. To this end the main feature of the said Invention consists in a simple
connection between the second or negative carbon-holder (which in this case is
movable) and the spindle of the gear train which.is geared with the first or positive
carton-holder. This connection consists of a rotary spindle or shaft mounted in
stationary bearings and geared on one side with the spindle of the vibrating train
[Price 6d1

page_text: which meshes with the positive holder so that as the train is vibrated up or down
by the usual regulating movements both carbon-holders will be moved simul-
taneously in opposite direction to or from each other and at a proper speed thus
producing a proper focussing action in a very simple manner. The said Invention
also comprises some minor features as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying Drawings
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved focussing lamp having the
mechanism removed from the mechanism-case of the lamp.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the mechanism-case with its
contained mechanism, the line of view being the same as in Figure 1, but the carbon
holders being broken off above and below the case.
Figure is a sectional elevation at right angles to Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of Figures 2 and 3, with the top of the case
removed.
Figure 5 is a detail view shewing the manner of connecting and adjusting the
retracting spring of the armature.
Figure 6 is a detail view showing the insulating coupling for the connecting
shaft between the negative holder and the vibrating train.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3, a indicates an H-shaped pendant armature which
plays between two pairs of differential magnets i, k of the usual tubular form which
project towards each other respectively from the upper and lower heads b b' of the
lamp-frame, and enclose the horns of the H-shaped armature as best shewn in
Figure 2. This armature is pivotted by trunnion screws to an armature lever'd as
shewn in Figures 2, 3, and 4 which lever is pivotted on trunnion screws c' between
the fixed standards c, c of the lamp-frame (Figures 3 and 4) and carries the usual
train of wheels e. This wheel-train e is pivoted to the armature lever at its outer
and lower corner on the pivot screws fas seen in Figures 3 and 4 and the leading
pinion e' on the first spindle e¹¹ of the train meshes with the rack teeth on the positive
carbon holder g while the terminal detent wheel e¹ of the train approaches a stop-
tooth h¹ on a spring h whose inner end if fixed to a post depending from the upper
head of the lamp frame while its outer and free end bears upon the upper and
outer corner of the wheel-train as shewn best in Figure 3.
Now the main magnet i is of low resistance and is arranged in the direct or arc
circuit while the magnet k is of high resistance and is arranged in a shunt around
the arc as usual so that when the lamp is put in circuit with the carbons together
the main magnet i will become strongly attractive and will move the arma-
ture a downward and sway the armature lever d so as to bodily raise the
wheel-train and bring the detent wheel against the stop tooth and thus lift and
sustain the positive carbon-holder and thereby produce the separation of the carbon
points to form the arc. As the carbons burn away and thus lengthen the arc, the
attraction of the shunt magnet / gradually increases and finally, with the assistance
of the retracting spring 1, overcomes the attraction of the separating magnet i and
moves the armature and wheel train in the opposite direction so as to withdraw
the detent-wheel from the stop-tooth and thus release the train of wheels and
allow the carbon holder g to descend and by the necessary feed to restore the arc
to its normal length and when restored the action of the main magnet i will again
preponderate and bring the detent-wheel against the stop tooth and so hold the
parts until the next feed is required.
The regulating mechanism so far as described may be said to be similar in action
and construction to that heretofore used in non-focussing lamps of this class the
positive carbon holder being raised to produce separation and allowed to descend
to produce the feed in the usual manner. It will be noted however by reference to
Figure 1 in connection with Figures 2 and 3 that instead of the positive carbon
being held in the lower end of the positive holder g this end of the holder terminates
idly and works in a closed tube m¹ which depends from the lower head of the lamp-
frame, while the main portion of the holder is extended upwardly in the manner
usual in focussing lamps through a long tube m which rises from the upper head b¹,

page_text: and from the top of the holder a lateral overhanging arm g¹ projects and is provided
with a pendant angularly adjustable clamp q from which the positive carbon hangs
vertically as shewn fully in Figure 1. The negative carbon is held in the clamp of
the negative holder r which rises in line with the positive carbon out of a guide
tube 8 which extends from the top of the lamp frame parallel with the guide tube m
of the positive holder as seen best in Figure 1. The lower portion of the negative
holder is provided with rack-teeth similar to those on the positive holder as shown
in Figures 1, 2, and 3, terminates within the mechanism-case, and may descend
when fully depressed into a short tube 8' which projects from the lower lead of the
mechanism case. But as hereinafter described the length and stroke of the negative
holder is only about half as great as that of the positive holder as usual in focussing
lamps.
Referring now to Figures 23 and 4, it will be seen that according to the said
Invention the back of the negative holder meshes with a small pinion A fixed on
one end of an independent spindle B, which spindle is pivoted or journalled at
each end in fixed bearings or hangers C, C, which project from ths head b', and on
the opposite end of this spindle is fixed a small gear wheel D, which gears with a
pinion on one end of the leading spindle of the gear-train, which spindle is
geared as herein before described by a second pinion e' with the rack of the positive
carbon holder. Hence this spindle B with its wheel D and pinion A, forms a positive
operative connection which gears the negative carbon holder with the wheel train
and regulating mechanism of the lamp and it will be observed in reference to
Figures 3 and 4 that this spindle is geared on one side of its diameter, through
the pinion A with the negative holder and on the opposite side of its diameter
through the wheel D with the gear-train and positive carbon holder and that the
gear-wheel D is of twice the diameter of the pinions which mesh with the carbon-
holders. Hence whatever motions are made by the leading pinions e' v of the
wheel train which will represent the motions of the positive carbon, corresponding
motions will be imparted to the negative carbon but in the opposite direction and
of half the extent. Thus referring to Figure 3, suppose that the wheel train is
moved bodily upward under the impulse of the preponderating downward
attraction of the main magnet i when producing the separating movement as
indicated by arrows the positive carbon-holder will be also raised bodily and the
non rotating pin v will now be moved in a short tangential path like a rack over
the gear wheel D, thus partly rotating the same and thereby slightly depressing
the negative-holder r so that both carbon points will be moved and separated
simultaneously and at proportionate rates and will thus produce the proper
focussing action during the separating movement. The action of the parts during
the feed motion will be understood by referring to Figure 2 where the arrows
represent the parts moving in the reverse direction to that indicated in Figure 3.
Thus when the wheel-train is sufficiently depressed by the preponderating
attraction of the shunt magnet so as to withdraw the detent wheel from the stop
tooth the gear train will be released and the positive carbon-holder which is much
longer and heavier than the negative holder will be free to slowly descend under
the action of gravity and the retarding influence of the gear-train and in so doing
will revolve the leading spindle e of the gear-train in the direction indicated by
the arrow in Figure 2 and this will cause the connecting spindle B to revolve in
the opposite direction and thereby to raise the negative holder r so that the carbon
points will simultaneously approach each other the positive carbon descending and
the negative carbon ascending; thus producing the proper focussing movement
during the feed as well as during the separation as will be readily understood.
The arc will thus be kept at a constant point or focus notwithstanding the
consumption of the carbons and it will be readily seen that by the simple
connection described between the movable negative-holder and the vibrating
gear-train a very efficient and simple form of focussing lamp is produced with
very little more than the mechanism used in an ordinary non-focussing lamp of
the same tvne.

page_text: A small point t (see Figure 4) projects from the guide tube m of the positive
holder to indicate the proper focussing point for the carbons and serves as a guide
when inserting fresh carbons in the holders.
As shewn in Figure 1 the standard of the lamp is provided with means of
adjustment whereby the body of the lamp may be raised or lowered slightly to
better adjust the focus point of the carbons to the focus of the reflector with
which the lamp may be provided. This adjustment is made by turning the milled
nut w in one direction or the other which nut screws upon the non-rotating stem y
which slides in the pedestal x and thus raises or lowers the lamp. The nut wis
free to turn on the top of the pedestal but is prevented from moving up or down
by a stud which engages with a groove around the pedestal while the screw-stem y
is free to rise up or down by the action of the nut w but is prevented from turning
by a stud which engages with a slot in the stem as shewn in Figure 1.
The retracting spring of the armature lever I prefer to adjust as shown in
Figures 4 and 5 that is to say, by means of an elbow lever ¹ which is pivoted on
the edge of one of the standards c and whose short arm is first bent downwardly
and then horizontally to overlie the side of the standard; through this overlying
end is screwed an adjusting screw " which bears upon the side of the standard
so that by turning this screw in or out the long arm of the lever will be moved
up or down to correspondingly increase or decrease the tension of the spring.
The direction of the current and the arrangement of the insulation is shewn best
in Figures 2 and 3 the insulation being indicated by granulation.
The circuit wires are connected to the binding posts +,-which depend from the
lower head of the lamp as seen in Figure 3.
The positive post is in metallic connection with the frame of the lamp and the
current passes thence through the lamp-frame and rises through the positive
carbon holder and passing from the positive to the negative carbon, thence
descends through the negative holder and its guide-tubes which is insulated from
the lamp frame as seen best in Figure 2. The current then passes from the lower
end of the guide-tube s to one end of the main magnet coils which is connected
with the said tube as shown in Figure 2 and flowing through the coils of the said
magnet the current finally passes off by the negative post to which the other end
of the coils is connected as seen in Figures 2 and 3 the negative post being
insulated from the lamp-frame. The ends of the coils of the shunt magnet k may
be connected respectively to any convenient positive and negative parts of the lamp
one end as shewn at the top of Figure 2 and the opposite end connected with the
negative binding post or with the end of the main magnet coils near the binding
post as shewn in Figures 2 and 3.
The connecting spindle is electrically divided or insulated at one point as shown
in Figures 2 and 6 by an insulating coupling 3, 3 otherwise it would form a
passage for the direct flow of the current from the positive to the negative holder.
This coupling as shewn in detail in Figure 6 consists of a non-conducting
dise 2 and two small metal hubs or cross heads 3 3 which are screwed on opposite
sides of the disc at right angles to each other so as to be out of metallic contact
with each other and in these hubs the ends of the two sections of the shaft are
fixed as shewn in Figures 2 and 6.
The end of the shaft which gears with the negative holder as seen in Figure 2
is journalled in a socket or bearing screw 4 which is insulated by the non-conducting
sleeve 5, from the hanger C which is connected with the lamp-frame thus pre-
venting electrical connection between the negative holder and the lamp-frame,
through the spindle B as will be understood.
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 in an electric lamp or lighting apparatus,
First. The combination with regulating mechanism equipped with a vibrating
wheel-train meshing, with one carbon-holder, of an independent rotary connection
or spindle mounted in fixed bearings and geared with the vibrating train and with

page_text: the other carbon-holder, whereby the motions imparted by the vibrating wheel-
train to the first carbon-holder or vice versa are simultaneously imparted to the
second holder in the opposite direction, thereby producing a proper focussing action
at the carbon points, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Second. The combination with positive and negative carbon holders one of
which overbalances the other and with regulating mechanism having a vibrating
wheel-train geared with one carbon-holder, of an independent rotary spindle geared
on one side of its diameter with one carbon-holder and on the other side of its
diameter with the spindle of the wheel-train which meshes with the other carbon-
holder, substantially as herein set forth, and for the purpose specified.
Third. The independent rotary spindle B provided with a pinion A to gear with
one carbon-holder, and a gear-wheel D adapted to gear with the spindle of the
wheel-train which gears with the spindle of the other carbon-holder, and divided
between the said gear wheel and pinion by an insulated coupling, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The combination with regulating mechanism and a retracting spring 7, of
an elbow lever and a fixed standard to which the same is pivoted one arm of the said
lever being connected with the said spring and the other being bent to overlie the
said standard and provided with an adjusting screw passing through the said
bent arm and bearing on the said standard substantially as shown and described
and for the purpose specified. .
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Third day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.