IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING ELECRIC LIGHT
Year: 1853

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Christopher Binks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th January 1853.
(Void by reason of notice to proceed not having been given within the
time prescribed by the Act.)
I CHRISTOPHER BINKS of Albert Villa North Woolwich in the
County of Kent do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING ELECRIC LIGHT" to be as follows.
My Invention relates to the forms arrangements and modes of
working the electrodes and to the materials of which to construct the
electrodes, for producing light by electricity.
First part-In the ordinary arrangements of the carbon electrodes for
producing light by a current of voltaic electricity two rods or pencils of
solid charcoal are used, being placed end to end and describing a straight
vertical line broken only at the point of juxta-position of the twoends,
between which is left a minute intervening space measuring ordinarily
from about 'th to of aninch according to the strength of the passing
current of electricity. These rods, though not in actual contact at their
points of juxta-position, form part of the circuit connecting together
the two poles of the battery, for the (so called) current of electricity
passes through this intervening space, giving rise, in its passage to the
Price

page_text: evolution of the electric light. But the quantity of light so evolved is
in all such arrangements, perpetually varying; for the quantity of light
varies according to the distance one from the other of the carbon ends
or points and this distance is continually altering through possible
alterations in the power of the battery-through the burning of the
carbon-the disintegrating action upon it of the current of electricity
and the transference which takes place of particles of carbon from the
one electrode to the other. The result is an intermittent light the
effects of a perpetual fluctuation in the amount evolved, which no
contrivance, hitherto applied, with a view to the maintaining of the
carbon points at a fixed distance under all the existing conditions of
change, has yet been able to obviate. Now, this first part of my In-
vention consists in so constructing and arranging the electrodes that
the unavoidable changes arising, as just described, in the material
structure and in the relative distance of the electrodes are, in their
inevitable effects upon the evolved quantity of light, and upon the
manner of its evolution, rendered either entirely imperceptable, or
less perceptable than under the methods hitherto followed; whereby,
consequently, by my Invention a more uniform light or one less
variable and intermittent is obtained; and my plan is as follows;-
In place of forming each electrode (whether made of carbon or of
other material) of a single rod or pencil (as heretofore) I fort of
two, three, four or more separate rods or pencils, and consequently
have as many light emanating points as there are separate rods; and
these rods are placed close together and all act together as a common
centre of emanation for the production of one light, so that the chances
of perceptable variations in the amount and effects of the light evolved,
are reduced in proportion to the number of points into which the
electrode is divided, and that are brought into action at one time.
This kind of arrangement I call the "compound electrode "-A ne-
gative "compound electrode " may consist, for example, of two or three
or four, or more solid cylinders or rods of charcoal or other material
placed side by side close together but without actual contact and
having as many points (as there are rods) to be broughtin juxta-position
(for the light giving points) with the other or positive electrode. And

page_text: the oppositive or positive electrode, in this arrangement may consist of
several cylinders or rods placed and acting side by side, or of only one
cylinder or rod with its extremity brought into close juxta-position
with the ends or points of the opposite compound electrode. The
bundle or group of separate cylinders, forming such a compound elec-
trode, may have one common connection with the battery; or each
cylinder may constitute an independent conductor. In all arrange-
ments of light giving electrodes where the material forming them is
destructable under the action of the electric current, as carbon is, one
of them is more rapidly worn away than the other, and the one least
acted on is called the "non-consuming" and the other the "wasting"
electrode. In the practical use of my Invention, of the several and
various arrangements it is obviously capable of assuming, I prefer to
employ a single rod of charcoal or other material for the non-consuming
electrode, and to place this undermost, and to use as the wasting elec-
trode a combination of three separate rods connected by one common
conductor to the battery-But I do not confine my Invention to the
use of this arrangement only; both electrodes may be "compound"
and may be collectively connected with the battery; or each of its rods
may have an independent communication with the battery; and the
"non-consuming electrode" may be a "compound" one; whilst the
"wasting" electrode is made to consist of only a single rod &c. &c.
But howsoever varied in detail the nature of my intention is the
same namely, in place of one point of emanation only, as hitherto, to
have several points for each light. In an arrangement, for example,
in which three rods of charcoal form a compound wasting electrode,
should one of the three points become removed beyond the maximum
light distance, by waste or transfer &c., in quantity of the electricity
that would otherwise pass through this one point is, thereupon, trans-
ferred to the other two points still within full acting distance; and this
transference serves immediately to increase the action and conse-
quently the quantity of light given out by these two more active points.
In the same way it results if two of the points be thrown out of action,
fullyorcomparatively, and onlyoneremains in fullactivity-amoreactive
current passes through this one remaining acting point, and the lightit

page_text: gives out increased in proportion-After the same manner it occurs
when in place of a "compound electrode" of three points, one con-
sisting of four or five or of any other greater number is used-The
wasting and shifting in distance of all the points in such compound
electrodes can seldom, if ever take place exactly to the same extent
and at exactly the same moment of time consequently a failure in any
one point to give out light, or its full quantity of light, is comparatively
unimportant, and those points least wasted or shifted compensate for
or reduce the effects of such a deficiency to an extent that no contri-
vance, when applied to the old or single rod electrodes, has yet been
abie to secure.
I claim as my Invention the forming of the electrode of two, three,
or more rods or pencils or points of charcoal or other material, instead
only of one rod or pencil as heretofore; or of so constructing the
electrode that it shall have two three or more light emanating points
for each light in place of only one light emanating point as heretofore.
The second part of my Invention consists in using for the carbon
electrodes the charcoal obtained by subjecting lignite to destructive
distillation in close vessels; that is, I fully carbonize lignite and employ
the hard close grained charcoal thus obtained as the light giving elec-
trodes, for which it is admirably adapted, and has not hitherto been used.
Third part-I form carbon electrodes by covering metal with a coat-
ing of carbon obtained by painting over the surface of the metal with
tar or melted pitch, or other like material, or mixtures of any materials
which, on being strongly heated, in close vessels, yield a residue of
solid carbon. Of such materials I prefer to use tar, pitch, bitumen
asphaltum and rosin, or mixtures of finely pulverized charcoal, or lamp
black, with some adhesive vehicle, which, on being dried or strongly
heated leaves a residue of solid or compact carbon. In this way I
cover wires (platinum-copper &c. &c.) narrow slips of metal rods,
bars, plates, or any other forms, with carbon; leaving or not (at option)
one portion of the metal uncovered by which portion to connect the
electrode with the battery. The portion coated with the carbon is that
used as the electrodes proper, or parts brought in juxta-position as the
striking points.for the production of the light. By this means I obtain

page_text: good conducting carbone lectrodes, economise the power of the battery,
and have power of electrodes more available than the fragile and im-
perfectly conducting long and thick rods, or cylinders of carbon in use.
Or in place of coating metal in the manner above described, I drill
holes or cut grooves in solid pieces of charcoal for insertion of the wire
or rod or other shaped metal intended to act as the conductor, or, I affix
thin slips or cuttings of charcoal or charcoal vencer by some adhesive
material to the surfaces of slips, bars, plates or other forms of metal to
act as the conductor and to obtain improved forms and kinds of elec⚫
trodes for production of the electric light.
I do not claim as my Invention the use of carbon obtained by the
destructive distillation of tar, or of a mixture of such carbon and of
lamp black, for such carbon, and mixture of carbon, have long been
known and used for electrodes; but I claim the use of lignite carbon'
for electrodes, and the improved electrodes formed by coating or cover-
ing metal with carbon or charcoal as above described.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in attaching one or both of
the electrodes to a floating stem or stems,placed and working in some
liquid (as water mercary oil &c.) in order to obtain a simple and
convenient power for moving the electrodes in order to maintain them
at their proper relative, distance, or to replace them in their proper
positions for producing the light, when shifted out of it by the disinte-
grating action of the electrical current on the charcoal and for this.
purpose I balance the stem carrying the electrode in the liquid so that
as the carbon is burnt away the stem becomes lighter and rises out of
the liquid, and, in so doing readjusts the distance or presents a fresh
poirt or surface of carbon to the action of the opposite electrode.
Fifth part. In place of bringing (as heretofore generally dono in
such arrangements) the carbon electrodes together end to end in order
to obtain thestriking or light emanating points (as when two cylindrical
rods are, as usual, brought in juxta-position end to end) I so form the
electrodes that they can be placed and act concentrically; as, for
example, a long cylindrical rod or pencil of charcoal placed and acting
partly within a hollow cylinder or ring or truncated cone of charcoal,
the latter being a little longer in diameter than that necessary to merely

page_text: admit the rod, so that the inner surface or edge at the end of the
hollow cylinder or ring or conc, will be close to, but not in actual
contact with, the nearest portion of the side or exterior surface of the
rod,and that the space between them at this point shall constitute the
striking or light emanating point, that is, a narrow zone or belt on
the exterior surface of the cylindrical rod, at the point of it in closest
juxta-position with the inner edge of the end of the hollow cylinderor
cone are the points through which the current of electricity passes and
from which consequently the light is emitted. By any convenient
mechanical contrivance the rod is made progressively to move within
and through cylinder or cone through the entire length of the rod, in
order to replace, by a fresh surface, that wasted from time to time
by the action of the electric current. I prefer to make the hollow
cylinder or cone the "non-consuming" electrode; and as the solid rod
moves into and through it the fresh surface that is thus continually
being presented, by such movement, is that which necessarily is the
nearest to the opposite electrode, and through which consequently
the current passes, and from which the light is obtained. The solid
rods may be cylindrical or angular being inserted in and moving
through apertures of corresponding shapes so that the solid electrodes
may be inserted and move within the other without actual contact.-I
vary this part of my Invention when desirable by using "compound
electrodes," that is in place, for example of one solid charcoal rod
moving within a hollow cylinder I employ two or more rods within
one cylinder, or each of the two or more rods may be placed within
its own corresponding hollow cylinder; but the two or more such sets
are to be placed close together and act for the production of one
light.
Again, in place of entirely encircling the rod of charcoal at the
striking point on its exterior surface with the charcoal forming the:
opposite electrode, as above described, I make the latter to come in
juxta-position with only one side or face or part of the rod; as, for
example, if the rod be a long narrow slip of charcoal, I cause another
slip of charcoal to be placed close and parallel to it, but without actual
contact; and the long slip to slide gradually past the other in a parallel

page_text: direction, so that the point of the side or face of the long slip that is
nearest to the end of the shorter slip, and the end of the shorter slip
itself, shall from the striking points. Or, I place the long slip between
two other slips, so that both sides or faces of it shall be in action,
giving out light at the points nearest to the ends of the two other
slips constituting together the opposite electrode.
.
I claim as my Invention the using of carbon electrode placed and
acting concentrically; or so that the end of one electrode and a point
or points of the side nearest to it of the other electrode shall be the
striking or light emanating points.
The sixth part of my Invention consists in using the metal mercury
for the electrodes in producing light; and for this purpose I employ
two seperate reservoirs of mercury one connected with the positive and
the other with the negative pole of the voltaic batterry, and I cause the
mercury from one reservoir to drop into or upon the mercury in the
other reservoir, or a thin stream of the metal to flow through a minute
aperture from the one reservoir to the other, the quantity so flowing
in a given time being so regulated in proportion to the quantity of
current electricity in use, that the stream of mercury at the point of
contact, or when in the act of coming into contact with the surface of
the other mass of metal it falls into, is partially or fully vaporised by the
heat generated by the electric current, whereby a continuous aud bril-
liant emission and light applicable to many important purposes is
obtained. I vary this part of my intention by causing the drops or
streams of mercury (in place of falling into and the mass of mercury)
to fall upon charcoal, or upon another metal or other conducting end
light-giving material-With charcoal for one clectrode and mercury
for the other a combination is obtained which yields a most brilliant
and valuable light. I confine the mercury so employed in a vessel or
lamp so arranged that the vapourized portion of the metal is condensed
collected and again applied to the same purpose.
1 claim the use of mercurial electrodes for producing light by
electricity, and of one electrode formed of mercury and the other of
carbon or of some other material for the same purpose, and whether two
electrodes or a greater number that two, be used in such arrangements.

page_text: The seventh part of my invention is as follows.-I cause the light-
giving electrodes of voltaiccircuit intended to produce lightsuccessively
to approach to (but without actual contact) and to recede from each
other by such movement imported to one, or to both, or to all the
electrodes, that their distance or the space between them shall within
certain limits be continually changing, and this so rapidly that theeyc
shall be unable to detect the different intensities of the light evolved
under the different distances of the electrodes, or when they are the
nearest to, and when the farthest apart from each other.
There is a certain point in the space between the electrodes in action
in all such arrangems at which the maximum amount of light is
obtained, but which point is not that of actual contact, nor perhaps that
the most immediately preceding actual contact, in the act of approach-
ing to it, But this maximum light point, or the exact distance corre-
sponding with it, is the distance whichinventorshavehithertoattempted
to secure and maintain by a fixture of the electrodes at it, or by con-
trivances for replacing the electrodes in it, when shifted by changes in
the structure of the carbon through disintegration or transfer-But, by
my Invention, I do not fix, or attempt to fix, the distance of the
electrodes at this point, or to replace them in any fixed position when
accidently shifted from it, or attempt (when the maximum light point
itself has shifted through any accidental change in the power of the
battery) to make a corresponding shift for the time being of the position
of the electrodes; but, on the contrary, I employ the convert of allsuch
methods, that is, I cause the electrodes (one or both or all of them if
there be morethan two in the arrangement) to be continually changing
their position, and, in doing so, to travel thro'a certain space within the
limits of which is embraced or lies the said maximum light point, and
the total or effective quantity or intensity of light that I do obtain, is
the mean of all the quantities evolvedwithin this space, and the steadi-
ness of the resulting light is due to the rapidity of the movement and
in the capacity of the eye to detect the differences that really occur―
In this way I obtain a light the quantity of which is the mean of the
two extreme quantities obtained respectively when the electrodes are at
the shortest and at the longest distance, and in consequence of the

page_text: rapidity with which the changes in distance are made, and by reason
of a well-known law of vision, the different quantities or degrees of
intensity of the light, are imperceptible and consequently a steady or
apparently uniform emanation of light, or one free from any sudden
fluctuation, or fluctuations that are discernable, as obtained. I obtain
these changes in position or distance and the consequent results by
imparting, by any convenient mechanical contrivance, a vibratory, an
oscillating, a rotatory, or other movement to one of the electrodes
whilst the other remained stationary, or by such motion given to both
the electrodes, or to any set or number of electrodes. And I either
employ a single arrangement of electrodes (that is a single negative
and a single positive electrode constituting together a set) as the
source of the light, or I combine together for one light the effects of
two or more sets of electrodes.
This peculiar movement or method of working the electrodes I obtain
by the vibration of a wire or wires carrying the charcoal points and
which points in the act of vibrating successively approach to and
recede from each other within limits that may be adjusted and regu-
lated according to the power of the current of electricity in use; or the
movementcan be given by the vibration of a metallic fork carrying the
carbon on each branch; by an eccentric wheel movement carrying
theelectrodes within the required limits rapidly towards and then away
from each other on each revolution; by the revolution of two dics on a
common axis but revolving in contrary directions carrying carbon arms
or radii acting on the electrodes, and crossing each other scissorwise
but without actual contact at any time, and in this way causing the
emanatry points or edges successively and continually to close uponand
to separate from each other; by the rapid revolution of two carbon
wheels with serrated edges placed and acting edge to edge; by the
revolution of two wheels or rings placed concentrically with the proxi-
mate or light emanating positions serrated or made angular; or the
same general results may be obtained by a variety of other forins and
arrangements of the electrodes; and the requisite motive power can
be obtained by clock-work, by magneto-electric action, or otherwise,
but howsoever arranged or accomplished mechanically I claim as my

page_text: Invention the causing the electrodes for producing light by electricity,
or the light emanating points in a broken voltaic circuit alternately to
approach to and to recede from each other by a movement imparted
to one or to both or to all the electrodes by any mechanical agency,
so that their distance shall be continually changing but by so rapid a
movement that the eye cannot detect the differences in the amount of
light emitted that correspond with the differences in distance, by which
light free from any sudden or apparently sudden fluctuations is pro-
duced. (This method of producing a steady light I call the vibratory
system to distinguish it from the others in this Specification.)
а
The eighth part of my invention is as follows.-When the two lights
giving electrodes in a voltaic circuit are brought into actual contact,
there is a point, in the act of bringing them together, at which the light
is the most intense that the clements engaged are capable under any
conditions of producing. It is a sudden flash of brilliant light; and this
part of my Invention consists in obtaining a steady light by causing
those flashes to follow each other in such rapid succession that the eye
can distinguish no interval between them. By any convenient me-
chanism, I bring the electrodes (whether two, as usual, or any other
number) together, and into actual contact, and again immediately
separate them; and I repeat this making and breaking of contact a
number of times, in such rapid succession, that an apparently uniform
emission of light is obtained-T vary this part of my Invention by
giving to an arrangement of electrodes (whether consisting of two
electrodes, as usual, or of several electrodes combined together for pro-
ducing of one light), yielding flashes of light by the successive and rapid
making and breaking of contact between the opposite electrodes, a rota-
torymotion by which the severaliudependent flashesareblended together
into an apparently uniform ring, or disc or circlet of light (according to
the form of the arrangement used), and in this way I obtain a steady
light or one free from any disagreeable or sudden fluctuations.
The several arrangements of, and contrivances for, working the
electrodes by causing them to vibrate or move between each other that
are given under the seventh or immediately preceding part of my In-
vention, are applicable also to the carrying into practice of this the

page_text: eighth part of my Invention, with this difference only, namely, that
whilst under the former or vibratory system the movement of the elec-
trodes towards each other,stop short of actual contact, in this, (which I.
call the "blending" system) the contact is completed, though immc-
diately broken again, on each vibration ormovement of the electrodes.
I claimus my Invention in order to produce a steady or an apparently
non-intermittent electric light, by whatsover mechanical contrivance it
inay be accomplished, the blending together of independent flashes of
light emitted between two or more carbonor other electrodes on making
and on breaking contact between them, by causing by any convenient
mechanical contrivance, such contact to be made and broken repeatedly
in such rapid succession that no interval can be perceived between the
flashes so produced. And I claim the blending together for one uniform
light independent flashes of light obtained by making and breaking
contactbetween theelectrodes, by causing theelectrodesproducing such
flashes, to rotate or move so rapidly as to blend the flashes altogether,
and give the impression of an apparently uniform light.