IMPROVEMENTS IN INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS, AND IN. THE MODE AND MEANS OF REGULATING THE ILLUMINATING POWER THEREOF
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS, AND IN.
THE MODE AND MEANS OF REGULATING THE ILLUMINATING POWER THEREOF
communicated to him from abroad by Richard Henry Smith Thompson,
of the state of Kentucky, United States of America,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th June 1883.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS IN
INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS, AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OF REGULATING
THE ILLUMINATING POWER THEREOF," a communication to me from abroad by
Richard Henry Smith Thompson, of the state of Kentucky, United States of
America,
This invention consists in an improved mode of and means whereby the amount
of light emitted by the incandescent loop or filament may be increased or
diminished without changing the color or degree of incandescense of the same
and whereby the amount of electricity used will vary directly as the illuminating
power of the lamp increases or diminishes.
To accomplish these objects I employ a lamp, the incandescent loop or filament
of which is of substantially uniform resistanco and may or may not be hermetically
closed in an exhausted globe, though I prefer to have it so inclosed or enclosed
in a globe containing a non-combustion supporting gas, and I shall refer to such a
lamp in more particularly describing this invention.
The loop or filament is attached to and insulated from suitable supports; the
leading in wires are sealed in the globe, and connected therewith are inovable
electrodes which bear upon the loop so as to include more or less of it between
them thereby allowing that portion only of the loop so included to become
incandescent.
The lamp may otherwise be constructed as follows :—
The globe is preferably hermetically sealed or contains a non-combustion

page_text: ends of which are connected to a supporting frame secured in the base of the
globe. This frame may be of insulating material or the loop may be insulated
from it. Upon the said frame is carried a platform, which is made of insulating
material or in two parts, suitably insulated from each other. To the platform is
fixed a rack bar, which engages with a pinion on the shaft of the armature of an
electric motor, located in the base or neck of the globe. Upon the platform are
supported the electrodes, which bear upon the loop or filament.
Upon the lower part of the stem of the globe are three metal rings, of which
the upper and lower ones are connected to the electrodes by flexible conducting or
leading in wires, which are sealed into the glass, the middle ring is connected by
another wire, also sealed in the glass to one of the brushes of an electric motor,
the other brush being connected by a flexible conductor to one of the electrodes.
The-socket or stand for the lamp consists of a base provided with binding
screws.
-
Upon the base is an upright, containing the switch mechanism, and made
hollow at the upper end to admit of the base or neck of the globe being inserted
therein. Projecting into this socket are three conductors, the upper ends of which
are arranged at different heights, and the lower ends being arranged to bear upon
the switch. These may be of spring material for the purpose hereinafter stated.
This switch consists of a disk of insulating material having upon its face plates
of conducting material. A suitable handle or thumb piece may be attached outside
of the stand for operating the switch. To the binding posts.are connected suitable
conductors, leading to the switch.
When the globe is placed in the socket or stand the three metal rings on the
neck thereof come in contact respectively with the spring conductors, thereby
forming the electric circuit for the lamp.

page_text: '
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on tho
22nd December 1883.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS, AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OF REGULATING
THE ILLUMINATING POWER THEREOF," a communication to mo from abroad by
Richard Henry Smith, Thompson, of the state of Kentucky, United States of
America,
This invention relates to improvements in incandescent electric lights. The
object of the improvements is to provide means for regulating the amount of
light or illuminating power furnished by the lamp without changing the character
of the same and to save electricity in proportion to the 'diminution of the light.
This invention consists in an improved mode of and means whereby the amount
of light emitted by the incandescent loop or filament may be increased or
'diminished without changing the colour or degree of incandescense of the same and
whereby the amount of electricity used will vary directly as the illuminating™
power of the lamp increases or diminishes.
To accomplish these objects I employ a lamp, the incandescent loop or filament
of which is of substantially uniform resistance and may or may not be hermetically
closed in an exhausted globe, though I prefer to have it so inclosed or enclosed in
a globe containing a non-combustion supporting gas, and I shall refer to such a
lamp in more particularly describing the invention.
The loop or filament is attached to and insulated from suitable supports; the
leading in wires are sealed in the globe, and connected therewith are movablé
electrodes which bear upon the loop so as to include more or less of it between
them thereby allowing that portion only of the loop so included to become
incandescent.
The devices for moving the electrodes may be included in the globe or not as
desired and may be either mechanically or electrically operated.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig 1, is a side elevation of a lamp. Fig 2, is a section of the socket or lamp
holder. Fig 3, is an enlarged view of the working parts of a lamp. Figs 4 and 5,
are sectional views showing the different positions of the switch, and Fig 6, is an
enlarged side view, partly in section, of the working parts of a lamp.
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts.
The globe G, is preferably hermetically sealed or contains a non-combustion
supporting gas. I have shown the working parts of the lamp as contained within
the globe. These consist of a loop or filament A, the ends of which are connected
to the supporting frame C, secured in the base of the globe. This frame may he
of insulating material or the loop may be insulated from it. Upon the frame C,
is carried the platform P, which is made of insulating material or as shown may
be made in two parts p and p¹, suitably insulated from each other. To the
platform is fixed a rack bar R, which engages with a pinion on the shaft of the
armature of un electric motor E, located in the base or neck of the globe.
"
Upon the platform are supported the electrodes B, B, which bear upon the loop
or filament A. I have shown two electrodes on cach side of the loop which is tho
preferable form though one may be used provided the filament is large and stiff
enough to sustain sufficient pressure from the electrode to insure good electrical
contact.
Upon the lower part of the stem of the globe are three metal rings f. f¹, fll, of
which the upper and lower ones fand f", are connected to the electrodes B, B', by

page_text: =
flexible conducting or leading in wires k, k, which are sealed into the glass, the
middle ring f¹, is connected by another wire 4, also sealed in the glass to one of the
brushes g, of the electric motor E, the other brush g', being connected by a flexible
conductor to one of the electrodes B,
The socket or stand for the lamp consists of a base provided with binding
screws a, a¹.
Upon the base is the upright U, containing the switch mechanism d, and made
hollow at the upper end to admit of the base or neck of the globe being inserted
therein. Projecting into this socket are three conductors b, 61, 611, the upper ends
of which are arranged at different heights, and the lower ends being arranged to
bear upon the switch. These may be of spring material for the purpose hereinafter
stated.
This switch consists of a disk of insulating material having upon its face
plates d, d, of conducting material. These may be of a variety of forms of which
I have shown one. A suitable handle or thumb piece may be attached outside of
the stand for operating the switch. To the binding posts a and a¹, are connected
suitable conductors E, E¹, leading to the switch, the ends of which are shown as
branched or forked at d, and bearing upon the face of the switch.
When the globe is placed in the socket or stand the three metal rings fƒ³‚ƒ”,
on the neck thereof come in contact respectively with the spring conductors b, b¹, b¹¹,
thereby forming the electric circuit for the lamp.
The operation of the lamp is as follows:-
Normally the switch d, is turned so that the end of one of the conductors e, e¹, is
entirely upon the insulating material of the switch when obviously no current will
flow through the lamp. When the switch is in the position shown in Fig 2, the
current entering through the binding post a², passes directly by way of the
conductor e¹, to the metal-plate-d, of the switch, thence to the spring b₁₁, to the
metal ring f, on the neck of the globe, through conductor, and the electrode B¹,
to the loop A. From here it passes to the electrode B, and by way of flexible
conductor, ring f, and spring b, to the plate ", on the switch and out by the
wire e, to the binding post a.
When the switch is turned to the position shown in Fig 4, the current entering
as before passes by means of the forked arm of e', to the plate d¹¹, of the switch
where it divides, one portion passing by the spring b¹, ring f, to the brush g, of
the commutator, through the wire of the armature to the brush g', to the
electrode B. The other portion of the current passes by spring b, ring f, and
conductor &, directly to the electrode B, and uniting with the first portion it all
passes through the loop and by electrode B¹, and connections ", f, b¹¹, to the
plate d', and out by e, as before.
The passage of a portion of the current through the armature causes it to rotate
and by means of the pinion W, and rack bar R, the electrodes are drawn down
exposing more of the loop to the current thus increasing the amount of incan-
descent surface and consequent light. When the desired quantity is reached the
switch is turned to the position shown in Fig 2, and the current passes as before
described.
If it is desired to diminish the amount of light the switch is turned to the position
shown in Fig 5, when the current entering as before at e', passes through spring 6",
ring f", conductor k, to the electrode B, through loop A, and electrode B, when it
divides, one portion passing to the brush g', through the armature and out by
brush g, and conductor k', ring f', spring b', to switch, the other portion passing
direct from the electrode B, to the switch where the two portions reunite and pass
out by wire e. It will be seen that the current in the armature is reversed and the
armature is consequently caused to revolve in the opposite direction to the former
case and the electrodes are raised decreasing the length of the loop included between
them and consequently the amount of light, as before when the desired amount is
reached the switch is returned to the position shown in Fig 2.
It is evident many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit

page_text: of the invention. The loop may be made to move and the electrode remain fixed
as shown in Fig 1. Other means than the rings and springs may be employed to
make electrical connection between the globe and the socket.
It is ovident that when electro magnets are used as field magnets for the motor,
different arrangements of circuits must be made, which will readily suggest
themselves to those skilled in the art. If a solenoid or an electro magnet is
used as a motor, the arrangement of the circuits will be obvious to any skilled
electrician.
Mechanical means may evidently be used in some instances to change the
relations of the electrodes and the loop, but I prefer electrical means operated by
the current supplying the light giving portion of the lamp.
What I claim is :-
1. The mode of varying the illuminating power of electric lamps by increasing or
diminishing the extent of filament or loop through which the current passes,
substantially as described.
2. The combination in an electric lamp, of a filament and electrodes movable with
relation to each other, and a motor for effecting the change in position,
substantially as described.
3. The novel improvement in electric lamps herein set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Herbert John Haddan have hereunto sot my hand
and seal this 22nd day of December A.D. 1883.
TT T HADDAN 601