IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC CANDLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray, of Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC CANDLES." A
communication from abroad by the Société Générale d'Electricité (Procédés
Jablochkoff), of Paris, France, an Incorporated Company.
ealed the 27th May 1879, and dated the 24th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th March 1879.
"IM-
JOHN IMRAY, of Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
PROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC CANDLES." [A communication from abroad by the
Société Générale d'Electricité (Procédés Jablochkoff), of Paris, France, an In-
corporated Company.]
This Invention relates to improvements in electric candles of the kinds described
in the Specifications to Letters Patent granted to R. Applegarth on the 11th Sept.
1876, No. 3552, for a communication from P. Jablochkoff to R. Werdermann on
the 12th Dec. 1876, No. 4805, and to P. Jablochkoff on the 6th Feb. 1877, No.
494. In these candles, which are intended to dispense with regulating mechanism,
the carbons are described as being placed side by side separated by insulating
material, such as porcelain, kaolin, or sulphate of lime, which becomes fused,
volatilised, or otherwise dissipated as the carbons consume. Thus, without the
intervention of any mechanism the carbons are kept at the distance suitable for the
maintenance of the voltaic arc between their points. The heat of the arc fuses the
insulating material forming an incandescent drop which radiates a comparatively
soft light, and which serves as a partially conducting mediam between the carbons,
so that several such lamps can be worked in one electric circuit. In some of the
Specifications referred to it was mentioned that hollow metal rods might be
employed in lieu of the carbons, and that siliceous or earthy matter or carbon
powder might be employed as the insulating material; the kindling of the candle
was also described as being effected by the use of a match, consisting of a small
piece of carbon uniting the two carbon points, and becoming heated on the passage
of the current. Such having been the general character of the Inventions set forth
in the Specifications referred to, the improvements which form the object of the
present Invention relate to the constitution and arrangement of the conductors, and

page_text: of the insulating or imperfectly conducting material which becomes consumed in
producing the light, and to means of kindling or rekindling the candles, as will
now be described. Instead of carbons, two metallic wires are according to this
Invention placed parallel to one another or slightly inclined, each being entirely
enclosed in an insulating material consisting chiefly of mineral carbonaceous matter,
such as anthracite, which is moulded so as to surround the two wires in cylindrical
form with a thin middle rib uniting the two cylindrical coatings. Thus is formed
an electrical candle with two metallic wicks which throughout the body of the
candle are insulated from each other, but which at the summit are put in electrical
communication through the material which when heated and calcined becomes
partially conductive. These wire wicks and the material between them are
there consumed. Should the candle be extinguished the calcined upper portion of
the insulating material has sufficient conductivity to reestablish the voltaic arc
between the wires, without the need for applying any separate match for this
purpose. The wire wicks instead of being both inclosed in one candle may be in
separate casings of anthracite composition, which can be placed parallel to one
another or arranged obliquely so as-to-meet at their points, or can be used like the
carbon sticks ordinarily employed in regulator lamps. Also, instead of only two
wicks, four or other even number of metallic wicks may be used in one candle.
The insulating material may, have ingredients which undergo chemical reactions; at
the luminous summit of the candle, producing increased light, and also providing for
longer duration of a given length, of candle. Thus, magnesia agglomerated with
chloride of magnesium being employed as the casing of wicks of iron wire, the heated
iron reduces the magnesia separating, magnesium which burns with great lustre
becoming again oxidised. For the purpose of kindling the candle on the 'first
instance instead of attaching to its summit a separate carbon match, the end is
simply dipped in paste or glue containing carbon in suspension. It is however
of advantage to provide means of rekindling at all parts of the candle, available in
case of extinction at any period of its consumption. For this purpose metallic
particles, particularly zinc, are mixed in various, proportions from one to ten per
cent. with the insulating material used to separate the carbon or metallic wicks,
such as the mixture of sulphate of lime and sulphate of baryta often employed for
this purpose. The presence of 'these metallic particles does not interfere with the
insulating effect, but gives sufficient conductivity at the extremity of the candle to
effect its kindling. Instead of metallic particles' métallic oxides may be employed
in, this way, these oxides becoming reduced in presence of the voltaic are fat -the
extremity of the candle. In order to provide for the kindling of successive
candles as each became in turn consumed, a commutator was described in some of
the 'Specifications above referred to, so arranged that when one candle was con-
sumed the next in order was brought automatically into circuit. Such com-
mutating arrangements are according to the present Invention dispensed with.
The several candles, four for example, in one lantern, are all permanently connected
to the circuit' wires, so that each has an equal chance of becoming kindled when
the electrical current is sent into the circuit. There is always however: some
difference of conductivity at the summits of such candles, and consequently. when
the current is transmitted one or other of those that 'are in the circuit presenting less
resistance than the others will become kindled, and its resistance being farther
reduced by the starting of the voltaic parc, it will continue to be the only one
kindled until it becomes consumed, whereupon the one of next lowest resistance
will become kindled, and so on till all are consumed.
$

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Imray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
September 1879.
"IM-
JOHN IMRAY, of Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
PROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC CANDLES." A communication from abroad by the
Société Générale d'Electricité: (Procédés Jablochkoff), of Paris, France, an In-
corporated Company.
This Invention relates to improvements in electric candles of the kinds described
in the Specifications to Letters Patent granted to R. Applegarth on the 11th
September 1876, No. 3552, for a communication from P. Jablochkoff to R. Werder-
mann on the 12th December 1876, No. 4805, and to P. Jablochkoff on the 6th
February 1877, No. 494. In these candles, which are intended to dispense with
regulating mechanism, the carbons are described as being placed side by side
separated by insulating material, such as porcelain, kaolin, or sulphate of lime,
which becomes fused, volatilised, or otherwise dissipated as the carbons consume.
Thus, without the intervention of any mechanism the carbons are kept at the
distance suitable for the maintenance of the voltaic arc between their points. The
heat of the arc fuses the insulating material forming an incandescent drop, which
radiates a comparatively soft light, and which serves as a partially conducting
medium between the carbons, so that several such lamps can be worked in one
electric circuit. In some of the Specifications referred to it was mentioned that
hollow metal rods might be employed in lieu of the carbons, and that siliceous or
earthy matter or carbon powder might be employed as the insulating material; the
kindling of the candle was also described as being effected by the use of a match
consisting of a small piece of carbon uniting the two carbon points, and becoming
heated on the passage of the current. Such having been the general character of
the Inventions set forth in the Specifications referred to, the improvements which,
form the object of the present Invention relate to the constitution and arrangement
of the conductors and of the insulating or imperfectly conducting material which
becomes consumed in producing the light, and to means of kindling or rekindling.
the candles as will now be described. Instead of carbons two metallic wires are
according to this Invention placed parallel to one another or slightly inclined, each
being entirely enclosed in an insulated material consisting chiefly of mineral
carbonaceous matter, such as anthracite, which is moulded so as to surround the
two wires in cylindrical forn, with a thin middle rib uniting, the two cylindrical
coatings. Thus is formed an electrical candle with two metallic wicks, which
throughout the body of the candle are insulated from each other, but which at the
summit are put in electrical communication through the material which when
heated and calcined becomes partially conductive. These wire wicks and the
material between them are there consumed. Should the candle, be extinguished the
calcined upper portion of the insulating material has sufficient conductivity -to
re-establish the voltaic are between the wires, without the need for applying any.
separate match for this purpose. The wire wicks instead of being both enclosed in
one candle may be in separate casings of anthracite composition, which can be
placed parallel to one another or arranged obliquely so as to meet at their points,.
or can be used like the carbon sticks ordinarily employed in regulator lamps. Also,
instead of only two wicks four or other even number of metallic wicks may be used:
in one candle. The insulating materials may have ingredients, which undergo,
chemical reactions at the luminous summit of the candle, producing increased light..
and also providing for longer duration of a given length of candle. Thus, magnesia
agglomerated with chloride of magnesium being employed as the casing of wicks of
iron wire, the heated iron reduces the magnesia separating magnesium which burns,
with great lustre becoming again oxidised. A wick consisting of a metallic wire,
encased as above described may be employed with advantage for the negative.
:

page_text: electrode, the other or positive electrode being a stick of carbon. By this arrange-
ment a difficulty which sometimes presents itself in the working of the Jablochkoff
electric candle with a continuous current is obviated, that is to say, when in order
to provide for uniform linear consumption of the two parallel wicks, the negative
carbon is made considerably smaller in sectional area than the positive; this
smaller carbon offering great resistance is apt to become heated by the passage of
the current and consequently disintegrated. By making the negative wick as
above described, a carbon tube or casing enclosing a metallic wire, its conductivity
is so far increased without increase of the area of its carbon section, that heating
and disintegration are avoided whilst equable linear consumption of the two wicks
is secured. For the same purpose the negative wick instead of being made as a
carbon tube or casing of small section enclosing a metallic wire may be a small
rod of carbon baving on it a layer of copper deposited electrolytically on its
surface. For the purpose of kindling the candle in the first instance, instead of
attaching to its summit a separate carbon match, the end is simply dipped in
paste or glue containing carbon in suspension. It is however of advantage to
provide means of rekindling at all parts of. the candle, available in case of
extinction at any period of its consumption. For this purpose metallic particles,
particularly zinc, are mixed is various proportions from one to ten per cent. with
the insulating material used to separate the carbon or metallic wicks, such as the
mixture of sulphate of lime and sulphate of baryta often employed for this
purpose. The presence of these metallic particles does not interfere with the
insulating effect, but gives sufficient conductivity at the extremity of the partially
consumed candle to effect its kindling. Instead of metallic particles metallic oxides
may be employed in this way, these oxides becoming reduced in presence of the
voltaic arc at the extremity of the candle. In order to provide for the kindling of
successive candles as each becomes in turn consumed, a commutator was described
in some of the Specifications above referred to, so arranged that when one candle
was consumed the next in order was brought automatically into circuit. Such
commutating arrangements are according to the present Invention dispensed with.
The several candles, four for example, in one lantern are all permanently connected
to the circuit wires, so that each has an equal chance of becoming kindled when the
electrical current is sent into the circuit. There is always however some difference
of conductivity at the summits of such candles, and consequently when the current
is transmitted one or other of those that are in the circuit presenting less resistance
than the others will become kindled, and its resistance being farther reduced by
the starting of the voltaic arc, it will continue to be the only one kindled until it
becomes consumed, whereupon the one of next lowest resistance will become
kindled, and so on until all are consumed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 a vertical section, and Fig. 3 a sectional plan of
one form of duplicate wick as above described, consisting of two metallic wires c, c,
enclosed in cylindrical casings a, a, united by a middle rib b; Fig. 4 is a side
view and Fig. 5 a plan of a single wick consisting of a wire a enclosed in the
casing b; Fig. 6 is a sectional plan of a quadruple wick consisting of four wires
encased; Fig. 7 is a side view and Fig. 8 a sectional plan of a duplicate wick, the
negative side consisting of a wire a in a casing b united to the positive carbon c by
a middle rib d; Fig. 9 is an elevation and Fig. 10 a plan of a stand for four
candles a¹, a², a³, and as, of the kind described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
Each of these candles is held in a spring clamp, one jaw p' of which is in metallic
connection with a ring A, whilst the other jaw q' is in connection with a central
plate C. The ring A and the plate C are connected to the circuit respectively by
conductors E and F. In this arrangement each of the four candles has an equal
chance of becoming kindled when the lamp is put in circuit, but there being always
a slight difference of conductivity at their summits, one will first become kindled,

page_text: and the resistance being lessened by the formation of the voltaic arc, this one
candle will go on burning to the exclusion of the others till it is consumed, where-
upon one of the others will in like manner become kindled, as set forth above.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents,
I claim in respect of the wicks or electrodes of electrical lamps and electrical
candles such as those known as Jablochkoff candles,―
First. Constructing the wicks or electrodes of metallic wires enclosed in an
imperfectly conducting casing consisting chiefly of mineral carbonaceous matter,
such as anthracite, substantially as herein described.
Second. The combination of two, four, or other even number of wires in one
carbonaceous casing so as to form a candle of the Jablochkoff type, substantially as
herein described.
Third. In electric wicks having wire cores, introducing into the composition of
the casing ingredients which undergo chemical reaction with the wire, as, for
example, magnesia with iron wire, substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
Fourth. In electric wicks having wire cores introducing into the composition of
the casing particles of metal, such as zinc, for the purpose of facilitating rekindling
in case of extinction.
Fifth. The arrangement in one stand of a number of electrical candles held in
clamps, the jaws of which are connected to one and the same circuit, substantially
as and for the purpose herein set forth with reference to Figs. 9 and 10 of the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Imray, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JOHN IMRAY. (LS.)