Improvements in Means for the Distribution of Electricity
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 4th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for the Distribution of Electricity
I, HENRY EDMUNDS of 10 Hatton Garden in the City of London, Electrical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the distribution of electricity by means of storage
batteries charged from a central or main station and giving out current at the
places of utilization.
According to the said invention two or more cables are led in proximity to the
various points for local supply, these constituting the discharge circuit for sets of
storage batteries the wires to carry the current for local utilization being connected
to these cables at any places desired. A single cable may be led from the generator
at the central or charging station in proximity to the places where the storage
batteries are placed.
A switch is placed in connection with each set of storage batteries the said
switches being constructed for instance as described in the Specification of my
Patent No. 8641 of 1887 and for the same purpose. It is preferred however to
arrange the contacts on a rotary switching device and so that the batteries
discharge in parallel. The switch may be arranged as a time switch it being
actuated by a pendulum arrangement for instance (in either of the circuits) which
rotates the switch and causes the completion of the connections as required. It is
preferably so arranged that when the charging current ceases the switch also stops
when the contacts are in position to put all the groups of cells or batteries in
parallel in the discharging circuit. Each set of batteries is arranged in groups of
cells and the various sets are connected to the cables of the discharge circuit in
parallel forming one large discharge circuit of low potential. The cycle of
changes in the electrical contacts caused by the switches may be as follows-
The switches are moved so as to disconnect say every third group of each set of
storage batteries from the discharge circuit and put them into the charging circuit.
The charging current then passes through these batteries and thereafter at the
proper time the switches are moved so as to put these batteries out of the charging
circuit into the discharging circuit and at the same time putting into the charging
circuit another group of batteries to receive charge and so on.
The arrangement may include motors or motor generators are lamps or other
electrical devices in the charging circuit which can be brought into operation when
desired for instance the motor-generators may supplement the current in the
discharge circuit or motors may be operated in. the charging circuit without
drawing from the current from the batteries.
Dated this 4th day of November 1890.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for the Distribution of Electricity.
I HENRY EDMUNDS late of 10 Hatton Garden in the City of London but now
of 39 Victoria Street in the City of Westminster Electrical Engineer, 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 :--
This invention relates to the distribution of electricity by means of storage
batteries charged from a central or main station and giving out current for the
ועווש

page_text: places of utilization and relates more particularly to the invention claimed under
Letters Patent No. 8641 of 1887 granted to me.
According to this invention two or more cables are led in proximity to the
various points for local supply, these constituting the discharge circuit for a set or
sets of groups of storage batteries or cells connected in parallel the wires to carry
the current for local utilization being connected to these cables at any places
desired. A single cable may be led from the generator at the centraltor charging
station in proximity to the places where the storage batteries are placed.
A switch is placed in connection with each set of storage batteries for placing
the groups of batteries or cells of each set one after the other in the charging
circuit (irrespective of the condition of the batteries as regards charge) at stated
intervals of time leaving the other group or groups of the set in the discharging
circuit. The said switch is arranged for instance as described in the Specification
of the aforesaid Letters Patent No. 8641 of 1887, except that it is arranged so that
he contacts come into position periodically by rotation of the part carrying, the
contacts, the switch being arranged as a time switch and being actuated for instance
by a pendulum arrangement in either of the circuits which rotates the switch as
hereinafter more fully described and causes the completion of the connections as
required, and at predetermined intervals of time irrespective of the state of the
batteries as regards charge as hereinbefore stated. The said switch is preferably
so arranged that when the charging current ceases the switch also stops with the
contacts in the position in which they put all the groups of batteries or cells in
parallel in the discharging circuit. Each set of batteries is arranged in groups of
cells and the various groups are connected to the cables of the discharge circuit in
parallel forming one large discharge circuit of low potential. The cycle of changes
in the electrical contacts caused by the switches may be as follows:-
Supposing there are several sets of storage batteries each consisting of three
groups of batteries or cells connected in parallel the switches are arranged so as to
disconnect at stated intervals of time one group of each set from the discharging
circuit and put the said group into the charging circuit leaving the others in the
discharging circuit. The charging current then passes through the group thus
placed in it and thereafter at the proper time the switches are moved so as to put
the said group out of the charging circuit into the discharging circuit at the same
time putting into the charging circuit another group of each set to receive charge
and so on.
The arrangement may include motors or motor-generators arc lamps or other
electrical devices in the charging circuit which can be brought into operation when
desired for instance the motor-generators may supplement the current in the
discharge circuit or motors may be operated in the charging circuit without drawing
from the current from the batteries.
And in order that my invention may be better understood I will describe with
reference to the accompanying drawings an arrangement for operating a set of
batteries containing three groups of cells premising however that I do not restrict
myself to this number of groups as other number may be used if desired!
Figure 1 of the drawings is a front elevation of a rotary switching device suited
to the purposes of my invention.
Figures 2 and 3 are elevations of each end thereof and
Figure 4 is a plan of the same.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are respectively a detached side elevation, transverse vertical
rection and plan of the timing mechanism suited to be used for operating the said
switch, and
Figure 8 is a contact making and breaking device suitable for use in connection
with the timing device.
Figures 9. 10 and 11 are respectively a side elevation, front elevation and a
vertical section of retaining and releasing mechanism for the rotating switch.

page_text: Figures 14 and 15 are plane projections of the same, respectively.
Figure 16 is a diagram shewing a suitable general arrangement of the
leads and
Figures 17 to 24 are diagrams shewing the order of the operations in transferring
the different groups of batteries or cells from the local or discharge main, to the
charging main and vice versa as hereinbefore explained.
The device illustrated by Figures 1 to 4 consists of a back board or base A
carrying the rotary switch or commutator B. C represents mechanism for changing
the position of the switch or commutator B at the predetermined intervals of time
and mechanism for retaining and releasing the switch.
The rotary switch or commutator B is mounted on a spindle E carried in
brackets Fixed to the base A. and is caused to rotate by a weighted lever G
connected by a cord H to a disc I mounted loosely on the spindle E and attached
by a sleeve to another disc K carrying a pawl L for engaging with teeth or
projections M on the end of the switch or commutator B.
When the weighted end of the lever G falls the cord H by reason of its connection
with the disc I causes the said disc and the disc K to partly rotate and the pawl L
on the said disc K by engaging with one of the teeth M on the commutator B to
transmit a partial rotation to the said commutator B to the extent of one third of a
revolution or sufficient to bring the contacts on the said commutator into proper
position to change the circuits as required. The weighted lever G. is then returned
to its former position by a snail cam N (Figure 5) carried on a spindle O operated
by the timing mechanism as hereinafter explained which cam acts on a roller Pon
a lever which is centered at one end to the frame of the timing mechanism and is
connected at its opposite end by a strap R to the sleeve which connects the discs K
and I so that the said discs are caused to turn on the spindle E so winding up the
cord H on the disc I and bringing the pawl L into engagement with the next tooth M
on the commutator B. When the lever Q raised to the highest point by the
cam N the weighted lever G is in position ready to again descend to operate the
commutator so that by a slight further rotation of the cam N the roller l' will leave
the cam surface and the lever Q will suddenly descend whereupon the lever G will
also descend and again impart rotation to the said commutator B as hereinbefore
described. The periods at which the commutator is partly rotated is therefore
determined by the periods at which the timing device rotates the cam N. The
rotation of the cam N is effected by a train of gearing S operated by a pawl T
centered to an armature U of an electro, magnet V. This magnet has two coils with
pole pieces projecting from both ends thereof, an armature being provided at each
end of a spindle to oscillate between the poles. One of these armatures U carries
a regulating pendulum W and the other armature U at the opposite end of the
spindle carries a metallic spring contact X which is insulated from the said
armature. The spring contact X works, in contact with a stationary contact piece Y
one side of which is coated or covered with insulating material so that when the
armature oscillates in one direction the said spring contact is in electrical contact
with the metallic surface of the piece Y but when moving in the reverse direction
it is in contact with the insulated surface of the said piece Y so that the electrical
contact is alternately made and broken by the oscillations of the pendulum. To
effect this the piece Y is so set that its ends y' and y² (see Figure 8) are not in a
line parallel with the direct line of oscillation of the spring piece X so that the
said piece in moving in one direction passes to one side of Y having the contact on
it and in its return movement it bears on the other side of Y having the insulating
surface on it. Z is a detent to prevent the return motion of the gearing S. Referring
to Figure 16 I will describe the general arrangement of the leads in connection with
the three groups of cells A* B* C* comprising one set of batteries. d represents
a dynamo and B the rotating switch or commutator herein before described. The
charging mains e from the dynamo are connected at and to the brushes the
current from entering the commutator direct and the current from "passing first.
by the bar to a coil h and therefrom by another bar to the brush and thence

page_text: to the commutator as shewn in Figure 1. The coil is thus always excited when
the dynamo is started to work thereby attracting the armature and releasing a
detent from a bar m centered at m² (see Figures 39 and 11) and permitting the
commutator to rotate to the extent of a third of a revolution as herein before
described. When the dynamo is not at work the armature & is not attracted by the
magnet and takes the position shewn in Figures 3. 9 and 11 when the detent
engages the bar m the lower end of which bar engages one of the teeth of the
ratchet wheel n on the commutator which teeth are arranged at about mid-way
between the position occupied by the teeth M at the opposite end of the commutator
so that when the weighted lever G hereinbefore described falls for imparting motion
to the said commutator the commutator is permitted to rotate only to say about
one sixth of a revolution to bring the contact pieces on the commutator into such a
position as to put the three groups of battery cells in parallel into the discharging
mains as herein before mentioned. When the dynamo starts again the armature kis
attracted so as to release the detent and permit of the commutator by the further
descent of the lever G rotating another sixth of a revolution thereby completing
one third of a revolution to place one of the batteries into the charging main. The
current from the positive pole of the dynamo entering the commutator by the
connection passes through a star wheel (Figures 12 to 15) fixed to a metal
tube passing through the said commutator but insulated from the spindle E by a
tuber of insulating material.
P
The tube is in electrical contact by pins s with contact surfaces t t t on the
commutator B so that the current entering the star wheel passes through the tube q
and pins s to the surfaces tt2 and through any of the brushes which may at the
time be in contact therewith and thence it passes to the positive pole of the battery
in connection with the brushes thus in contact with the said surfaces. The current
from the negative pole of the dynamo entering the connection passes as before
described through the coil and bars i and j to the brush thence to the com-
mutator by the continuous contact surface and surfaces to the brushes in
contact therewith and thence to the negative pole of the battery in connection with
the said brushes. The continuous contact surface u with the surface ² is connected
to the surfaces by bars to inserted in the body of the commutator as shewn.
U
Figure 17 is a diagram shewing two groups of cells B C in the discharging
main and a group A in the charging main the commutator B being then in such
a position that the contact surfaces t and are in contact with the brushes a l
the current passing then from the dynamo through these surfaces and brushes
and then through the wires y y' (see Figure 16) to the respective poles of the
battery cells Ax which are being thus charged whilst the current from the groups
of battery cells B* C* passes by the wires 1, 2, 3, 4 to the brushes 5, 6, 7, 8 (see
Figure 1) into the commutator B. The positive current from the groups Bx
and Centers the said commutator by the brushes 6 and 7 and contact piece 9 and
passes therefrom through the brushes 10 and 11 into the discharging-bar 12
(see Figure 1) and thence to the discharging main (Figure 16). The negative
current from the group B enters the cominutator by the brush 5 and surface
contact piece 13 to the brush 14 thence to the discharging bar 15 (shewn
partly by dotted lines in Figure 1) and to the discharging main. The negative
current from the group Centers the commutator by the brush 8 and surface
contact piece 16 and therefrom by the brush 17 to the discharging bar 15 and
thence to the discharging main the groups B and C being thus discharged in
parallel. From the description hereinbefore given of the way in which the group A*
is charged and the groups B and Cx discharged it will be readily understood that
by a partial rotation of the commutator B other contact surfaces thereon will be
brought into position to transfer one of the groups B* C* into the charging main
and the group Ax into the discharging circuit. The diagrams 17 to 24 illustrate the
cycle of operations which takes place by one revolution of the commutator B.
Figure 17 represents the group A in the charging circuit as herein before
described and the groups B and C in the discharging circuit. Figure 18

page_text: represents a resistance Y* placed in parallel with the group A whereby the
charging circuit is maintained unbroken during the transfer of the group from the
charging to the discharging main. Figure 19 represents the battery A* cut out of
the charging circuit leaving only the resistance Y therein so as to maintain the
continuity of the circuit. Figure 20 represents the group A* placed in parallel
with the groups B and C in the discharging circuit the resistance Y* still being
in the charging circuit to maintain its continuity. Figure 21 shews the group Bx
cut out of the discharging circuit, and Figure 22 shews the group Bx placed in
parallel with the resistance in the charging circuit after which the resistance may
be cut out so as to cause the whole of the charging current to pass into the
The same cycle
group B as described with reference to the group A Fig. 17.
of operation takes place with reference to the group C. Figure 23 shows an
alternative arrangement whereby the charging main is short circuited by the
contact piece 20 on the commutator so as to cut the resistance out of the charging
main when the groups of batteries are all in the discharging main and Figure 24
represents the resistance reinserted in the charging main as also shown in
Figure 20.
The timing mechanism which regulates the times at which the commutator is
caused to turn is worked by a shunt from the brushes g g in the charging main.
The current enters the coils V by one wire direct and by another wire it passes first
through the contact device XY and contact strip 19 (Figure 8) to the coils V.
The armatures U U₁ are thus (by reason of the circuits through the coils being
broken and completed by the contact device X Y) alternately attracted and
released so as to impart an oscillating motion to the said armatures and thereby
transmit motion through the pawl T to the train of gearing S and raise the levers Q
and G at certain definite periods which may be regulated by varying the gearing S
or by altering the length of the contact surface on the piece Y. When the dynamo
ceases to work the current for the timing mechanism is supplied from the battery
which is at that time in the charging main and continues working until the
commutator makes its next partial rotation to about the extent of one sixth of a
revolution whereupon the current will be cut out of the timing mechanism by
reason of the main being short circuited by the brushes being both in contact
with the plate 20 of the commutator Figure 14, or in the case of the commutator
illustrated by Figure 15 by the charging current being shunted through a resistance.
For the purpose of cutting the charging current out of the distributing device, I
provide the switch illustrated in Figures 9, 10 and 11 consisting of a lever 21
carrying two rods or projections 22, 23 of conductive material which when it is
desired to cut out the current are caused to bear upon and move the brushes y g¹
out of contact with the commutator. This may be effected either by hand or
automatically. To effect this by hand a swinging insulated arm 22× is pressed
against a pin 23× projecting from a swinging arm 24 and passing through a slot 24×
in the frame 25. The pin 23× engages in a notch or recess in the lever 21 so that
when the pin is disengaged from this recess by incans of the arm 22× a spring 25*
connected to the lever 21 will cause the end of the lever carrying the rods 22, 23
The
to descend and move the brushes g g out of contact with the commutator.
bar 23 first comes into contact with the brush y and also with a brush 26 connected
with one terminal of the resistance Y the other terminal of the resistance being
connected to the negative main f' as shown at 27 Figure 16 the result being that
the current is not suddenly short circuited but is first shunted through the
resistance and thus sparking is prevented. The bar 22, by the further descent of
the lever 21 comes into contact with the brush thereby short circuiting the
charging main outside the resistance Yx. When it is desired to place the
distributing device in the circuit the lever 21 is returned by its handle to its
former position in which it will be retained by the pin 23× engaging in the notch or
recess in the lever 21. The distributing device is automatically cut out of the
charging circuit, should the circuit through the group of cells being charged be

page_text: broken, as follows:-The current in the shunt which operates the timing device
passes through a coil 28 so that when the circuit through the battery being charged
is broken the coil 28 will receive an increase of potential which will cause an
armature 29 to be attracted and an arm 30 carried thereby.to act on the swinging
arm 24 so as to cause the pin-23x to be disengaged from the notch in the lever 21
which lever 21 will then under the action of the spring 25*.move the brushes g¹
out of contact with the commutator as hereinbefore described. This automatic
arrangement for cutting the distributor out of the circuit prevents (in the event of
the circuit to the batteries being broken) the burning of the coils V and also
ensures the continuity of the charging circuit. 31 (Figures 1 & 2) is a switch for
breaking the circuit in the discharging main when required. Fuzes should be
provided on the main discharge circuit and also to each of the groups of cells to
prevent overheating.
2
A motor-generator may be provided to supplement the supply to the discharge
circuit when the demand is too great for the batteries to supply. This motor
generator is represented at 32 Fig. 16 and is operated by the current from the
dynamo d. The current generated by the motor-generator 32 is conducted to the
discharge main by the wires 33. When the dynamo is charging the batteries
the motor-generator is cut out of the circuit by the continuous contact surface u
(Fig. 15) on the commutator making contact with the negative brush and a
brush 34 which is in electrical connection by the wire 35 Fig. 16 with the motor-
generator. When the dynamo discontinues to work and the whole of the batteries
are discharging in parallel as in the diagrams 20, 23 and 24, the motor-generator 32
may by means of the switch 37 be placed in direct electrical connection with the
dynamo by the wires 36 so that the dynamo when started will operate the motor
generator the circuit being broken through the distributing device by the switch 37
when the motor generator is being operated. 38 is a battery placed in the charging
circuit to prevent the current from the dynamo & being short circuited when the
motor generator is not being operated. 39 is a counter operated by the timing
mechanism to indicate the number of partial revolutions of the commutator B.
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. In an arrangement such as is claimed under the aforesaid Letters Patent
No. 864187 the combination with groups of batteries or cells connected in parallel
with each other and discharging into discharging mains of a rotary switch for
placing each of the groups of batteries or cells alternately into the charging circuit
periodically at stated intervals of time (irrespective of the condition of the batteries
or cells as regards charge) and leaving the other group or groups in the discharging
mains substantially as hereinbefore explained and with or without motor generators
or equivalent devices in the charging circuit as, herein before stated.
2. The combination of parts constituting the apparatus hereinbefore described
and illustrated by Figures 1 to 16 of the drawings for distributing electricity from
groups of battery cells and for transferring at stated intervals of time each group
of cells alternately from the discharging main into the charging main and vice versa
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In apparatus for distributing electricity a rotary switch or commutator caused
to make a partial rotation at definite periods by timing mechanism constructed
arranged and operating substantially in the manner hereinbefore described with
reference more particularly to Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The arrangement of contact making and breaking mechanism for regulating
the speed of the timing mechanism for operating the rotary switch or commutator
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference more particularly to Figure 8
of the accompanying drawings.
5. The arrangement of parts for automatically effecting the release.and stoppage

page_text: of the rotary switch or commutator B substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the parts hk and m Figures 3, 9, 10 and 11 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. The combination of the parts for automatically cutting the distributing
device out of the charging circuit should the battery circuits become broken or
should the potential in the battery circuit from any cause be increased to a
dangerous extent substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figures 9, 10 and 11 of the accompanying drawings and with or without the hand
operating device described and illustrated.
7. In combination with apparatus for distributing electricity a motor-generator
operated by the current from the dynamo and arranged as described for the purpose
of supplementing the supply of electricity from the batteries to the discharge main
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of September 1891.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.