An Automatic Commutator for Use in the Production of Luminous Effects.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Commutator for Use in the Production of Luminous
Effects.
I, ADOLPHE PRUDENT JOSEPH WIERRE, of 50, Rue de Turenne, Paris, France,
Manufacturer of Bronzes, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
This invention relates to an automatic commutator for use in the production of
luminous effects in lieu of the moters properly so-called ordinarily employed
for this purpose. The objections to the use of these motors are their high cost;
their high velocity which entails the use of speed-reducing gear and great noise;
the large space which they occupy; the cost of maintenance, and large expendi-
ture of current. By means of the commutator of this invention the above objec-
tions are obviated and the regulation of the luminous effect is readily effected.
My invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing
wherein Figure 1 represents an elevation of the general arrangement of the com-
mutator and Figure 2 a plan of the same, shewing the electric connections.
Figure 3 is a detail view of a cam disc. The same letters of reference denote
like parts in all the figures.
a
The apparatus consists essentially of an electro-magnet a mounted on
bracket p, the current entering the electro-magnet by a wire connected to a
terminal and passing out by a wire y connected to post d, thence through
springs z z¹ carried by the post d and terminal and provided with silver or
platinum contact pieces c c forming a "trembler". b is the armature of the
electro-magnet which is suitably inclined and fixed on a horizontal spindler carry-
in a rocking beam provided with a counterweight q whereby the armature is
normally brought to an oblique position as shewn, the amplitude of movement
of the beam h produced by the attraction of the armature and the consequent
duration of the luminous effect being regulated by a screw h¹. Another screw
carried by the beam presses the contacts c c¹ of the "trembler" together when
the beam is oscillated under the action of the counterweight. the contact being
broken when the beam is moved in the opposite direction by the attraction of the
magnet. Upon the beam h is pivoted a pawl i held by a spring i in engagement
with the teeth of a ratchet wheel e, a detent k mounted upon one of the standards
preventing backward movement of the ratchet wheel. Upon the spindle t of the
ratchet wheel are keyed cam discs fl. f. f³, revolving in contact with corresponding
friction rollers mounted on circuit closing levers 11, 12, 13. Each lever is raised
by a springo and carries on an ebonite insulating strip 1. a bridge contact.
the bridge contacts 123 respectively corresponding to the levers 11, 13, 13, and
dipping alternately into corresponding pairs of mercury cups, the cups n of all
the pairs being connected to a common pole, while the other cups of the
pairs m¹, m³, m³, are insulated from each other and connected to lamps 4 of
different colours.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the current passes, the electro-

page_text: magnet attracts the armature, rocks the beam, and rotates the ratchet wheel €
and cams f which cause the levers to be depressed alternately. When
the lever is depressed, its bridge contact / dips into the mercury cups n, m³,
and the lamps connected thereto are lighted, so as to produce a blue light for
example. The rotation of the cams being brought about by the repeated oscilla-
tions of the beam, the lever escapes from its cam and is raised by its spring
and consequently the lamps which were put in circuit by its bridge contact are
extinguished. The next lever 12 is immediately depressed in its turn, the circuit
is completed through the bridge contact 2 dipping into the mercury cups n and m³,
and the corresponding lamps 4 are lighted and produce a white light. When the
lever rises, those lamps are extinguished and the lighting of the lamps connected
with cup m³ by the depression of lever 13, for producing a red light for example,
and also their extinguishment, is effected in a similar manner, the first mentioned
blue lamps being then re-lighted, and so on in an automatic and continuous
manner. The duration of lighting of the lamps for producing different luminous
effects would vary according to the speed of the ratchet wheel which may be
regulated by means of screw h¹.
It is to be understood that instead of an electro-magnet, a solenoid may be
employed.
Detal L
0711
T
4535
*ԲԲՈԼ
Dated this 25th
25th day of May
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
An Automatic Commutator for Use in the Production of Luminous
Effects.
I, ADOLPHE PRUDENT JOSEPH WIERRE, of 50, Rue de Turenne, Paris, France,
Manufacturer of Bronzes, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an automatic commutator for use in the production of
luminous effects in lieu of the motors properly so-called ordinarily employed
for this purpose. The objections to the use of these motors are their high cost;
their high velocity which entails the use of speed-reducing gear and great noise;
the large space which they occupy; the cost of the maintenance, and large expendi-
ture of current. By means of the commutator of this invention the above objec-
tions are obviated and the regulation of the luminous effect is readily effected.
My invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawing accompanying
my Provisional Specification wherein Figure 1 represents an elevation of the
general arrangement of the commutator and Figure 2 a plan of the same, shewing
the electric connections. Figure 3 is a detail view of a cam disc. The same letters
of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
mounted on a
The apparatus consists essentially of an electro-magnet a
bracket p, the current entering the electro-magnet by a wire connected to a
terminal and passing out by a wire y connected to post d, thence through
springs carried by the post d and terminal d and provided with silver or
platinum contact pieces c c¹ forming a "trembler." is the armature of the
electro-magnet which is suitably inclined and fixed on a horizontal spindler carry-
ing a rocking beam h provided with a counterweight q whereby the armature is

page_text: different colours.
normally brought to an oblique position as shewn, the amplitude of movement
of the beam h produced by the attraction of the armature and the consequent
duration of the luminous effect being regulated by a screw h¹. Another screw
carried by the beam presses the contacts c c of the "trembler" together when
the beam is oscillated under the action of the counterweight, the contact being
broken when the beam is moved in the opposite direction by the attraction of the
magnet. Upon the beam h is pivoted a pawl i held by a spring j in engagement
with the teeth of a ratchet wheel c, a detent k mounted upon one of the standards
preventing backward movement of the ratchet wheel. Upon the spindle t of the
ratchet wheel are keyed cam discs f¹, f, f³, revolving in contact with corresponding
friction rollers u², u², u mounted on circuit closing levers 11, 12, 13. Each lever is raised
by a spring o and carries on an ebonite insulating strip 7, a copper bridge contact,
the bridge contacts 123 respectively corresponding to the levers 11, 12, 13, and
dipping alternately into corresponding pairs of mercury cups, the cups n of all
the pairs being connected to a common pole, whilst the other cups of the
pairs m, m2, m³ are insulated from each other and connected to lamps 4 of
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the current passes, the electro-
magnet attracts the armature, rocks the beam, and rotates the ratchet wheel e
and cams f¹ &c., which cause the levers 7 &c., to be depressed alternately. When
the lever is depressed, its bridge contact / dips into the mercury cups n, m³,
and the lamps connected thereto are lighted, so as to produce a blue light for
example. The rotation of the cams being brought about by the repeated oscilla-
tions of the beam, the lever escapes from its cam and is raised by its spring
and consequently the lamps which were put in circuit by its bridge contact are
extinguished. The next lever is then immediately depressed in its turn the circuit
is completed through the bridge contact 2 dipping into the mercury cups n and m³,
and the corresponding lamps 4 are lighted and produce a white light. When the
lever rises, those lamps are extinguished and the lighting of the lamps connected
with cup m³ is effected by the depression of lever 13, for producing a red light for
example, and also their extinguishment, is effected in a similar manner, the first
mentioned blue lamps being then re-lighted, and then the white and afterwards the
red lamps in an automatic and continuous manner. The duration of lighting of the
lamps for producing different luminous effects would vary according to the speed
of the ratchet wheel which may be regulated by means of screw h¹.
It is to be understood that instead of an electro-magnet, a solenoid may be
employed.
The forms, dimensions, details and materials employed in the construction of
the apparatus may be varied without in any way departing from the principle of
the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The hereindescribed automatic commutator for use in the production of luminous
effects constructed arranged and combined substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patant Agents, 53, Chancery Lane. London.