Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1886.
Specification Accepted, 7th Jan., 1887.
I, ALEXANDER BERNSTEIN, of No. 9A Commercial Road, Pimlico, in the county of
Middlesex, 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:-
In a system of electric lighting in which electric devices such as lamps are placed
in series, it is necessary to provide for a switch which produces a short circuit round
such lamps so as to be able to divert the current from them. If these currents are of
high electro-motive force it is further desirable that the devices or lamps shall be out
of all metallic contact with the circuit if they are not traversed by the current.
The object of my present invention is to provide a suitable simple and effective
apparatus of this kind and further to combine such an apparatus with my improved
automatic cut-out which I have described in my former application dated 28th September
1886 No. 12,315.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawings in which figure 1 represents a
central vertical section of a switch constructed according to my invention, the parts
being in the position they occupy when the lamp or other electrical device is out of the
circuit. Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line A. B. of figure 1. Figure 3 is
a similar section to figure 2 but shewing the parts in the position they occupy when
the lamp or other electrical device is in the circuit. Figure 4 is a similar view to
figure 1 but shewing the handle carrying the contact springs and cut-out removed, and
figure represents an elevation of the said handle and contact springs detached.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the drawings.
The switch consists of a circular box A of insulating material, on the inside of which
metallic contact pieces a, b, c, and d, are placed forming part of a circle. The contact
pieces a, and b, are placed underneath each other and are both insulated from each
other and receive the terminals a', b', of the main line. The contact pieces c, and d,
are situated in the same manner towards each other, the contact piece c, being on a
level with the contact piece a, and the contact piece d, on a level with the contact
piece the wires c, and d', leading to the low resistance lamp are attached to the
contact pieces e, and d. The switch contains in its centre a spindle e, which is held
T

page_text: Upon this spindle e, a flat
by a bracket, attached to the inner side of the box A.
piece of insulating material is fastened and this insulating piece carries the spring h,
at one end and the springs and j, at the other end. A handle A, facilitates the
turning of the spindle e. The spring h, is about as wide as the two pieces a, and b,
and the space between them together. If this spring is therefore put in the position
shown in figure 2, by turning the handle k, it will bring a, and b, into metallic
connection and the circuit of the main line will be closed; therefore no current can
enter into the lamp. If the spindle e, and insulating piece g, however are turned into
the position shewn in figure 3, then the spring h, will rest on a piece of insulation I,
(shown dark in the drawing) and in this case the spring, rests on the contact pieces f
and c, and therefore brings these into metallic connection; at the same time the
spring, rests on the contact pieces, and d, and therefore conveys the current from
the contact piece to the contact piece d. In the position therefore shewn in figure 3
the current would be conveyed through the lamp.
It will further be noticed that if the switch handle k, occupies the position shewn
in figure 2, that the main line is thereby short-circuited, the wires leading to the lamp
being out of all metallic connection with the circuit.
It now remains to be shown how my automatic cut-out is connected with my
improved switch; m, is the said automatic cut-out which is ordinarily of high resistance
and must be placed in parallel to the lamp; it only consumes a very small part of the
current which supplies the low resistance lamp. But if this lamp should give out for
any reason whatever, then the automatic cut-out suddenly becomes of low resistance
and conveys the whole current in a manner which I have described in my said former
application. For the reception of this automatic cut out. I provide two metallic
bosses ",
ando, (figures 1 and 4) which are attached respectively to the metal contact
pieces c, and d. The automatic cut out m, is placed into these bosses, either in the
form of a taper plug, as shewn in the drawings, or it may be screwed into them or
held by springs.
It will be noticed at once that in this way the automatic cut-out m, is connected in
parallel with the lamp, and if there is no current passing through the lamp as in
figure 2 then the said automatic cut-out is out of all metallic connection with the main
wires a¹, and 6²,
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. In an electric short circuiting switch the combination of the two contact pieces a,
and, which receive the terminals of the circuit, with two other contact pieces 6,
and d, which receive the wires leading into the lamp or other device and three springs
attached to a central spindle and capable of either short closing the circuit between it,
and, or conveying the current from a, to c, and b, to d, respectivoly substantially as
described.
2. An electric short closing switch consisting of two contact pieces which receive
the conductors leading to the lamp and which are provided with receptacles for the
automatic cut-out in combination with conducting springs for the purpose of either
short-closing the circuit or of conveying the current to the lamp and the automatic
cut-out substantially as described.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.