Improvements in and connected with Arc Electric Lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Arc Electric Lamps.
We, GUSTAV BINSWANGER, of 71 Queen Victoria Street, in the City and
County of London, Electrician, and ARTHUR ERNEST ANGOLD, of 12, James
Grove Peckham in the County of Surrey, Electrician do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in and connected with arc electric
lamps, and has for its object the attainment of a regular feed, and the lamps
so made may be adapted to work with either continuous or alternating electric
currents.
"
66
In carrying our invention into effect, we preferably arrange the carbon carriers
so as to maintain the are within an approximately constant focus. The upper
carbon carrier is freely suspended between suitable guides by a linked chain passing
over a sprocket wheel, or like device, and the lower carbon carrier is suspended at
the other end of said chain, and works in a similar manner between guides. The
sprocket wheel over which the chair passes is mounted upon a spindle, which also
carries a finely toothed ratchet wheel, and a grooved or other brake periphery
concentric thereto. Said spindle is mounted in suitable bearings within a frame,
which is pivotted at one end to a fixed portion of the framework of the lamp
mechanism. A rocking frame is pivotted below the frame which holds the sprocket
wheel and is attached at one end to a core which is free to move vertically within
"shunt or
two solenoids, the coils of which are respectively in
series," (or in
the case of running the lamps in "parallel," a "series coil only is employed)
relatively to the circuit, or electrical system to which the lamps are adapted. A
short projection or arm is fixed to, or formed upon, the rocking frame, and on
this arm at a suitable distance from the axis of the rocking frame is fixed a pin,
parallel to the said axis. Said pin carries a pawl arranged to engage with the
teeth of the ratchet wheel aforesaid, and also a brake block corresponding to the
brake periphery concentric to the ratchet wheel, actually constituting a compound
wheel. A short lever, which may be termed a saddle pin is forked over the pin
before described, and bears upon its other extremity a short stud engaging with a
recess in the upper frame, said recess being placed at a point between the spindle
carrying the ratchet wheel, and the pivot of said frame.
"
The interaction of the two frames, the compound ratchet and brake wheel,
together with that of the saddle pin, when acted upon by the solenoids, is such as
to produce the striking of the arc, and regular feeding of the carbons, by the
action aforesaid aided by that of the pawl, brake block, and sprocket wheel and
chain.
This arrangement of mechanism determines that the weight of the brake wheel
shall be supported by one of the three parts, viz., the saddle pin, brake block, or
pawl.
When the core in the solenoids is in its lowest position, the weight of the
brake wheel rests upon the saddle pin, leaving the wheel free to move, and the
carbons come together by virtue of the greater weight of the upper carrier. As
the core rises, the weight of the wheel is shifted on to the brake block gripping
the brake periphery for the purpose of transmitting the movements of the core
to the carbons. In the highest position of the core, the wheel is made to rest on
the pawl engaging in the teeth of the ratchet wheel. This latter action need not

page_text: necessarily occur in the working of the lamp, and is simply intended as a safe
guard to make the grip upon the compound wheel more certain.
The striking of the arc, and feeding of the carbons is accomplished as
follows;
The rising of the core through the solenoids by the medium of the rocking
frame shifts the weight of the wheel on to the brake block, thus imparting a rotary
motion to the brake and sprocket wheels, which in turn lifts the chain carrying the
upper carbon slide, and similarly lowers the bottom one, thus striking the arc.
In feeding, the fall of the core will rotate the wheel backwards until its weight
again rests upon the saddle pin. The wheel being thus free to move will feed the
carbons together, until again arrested by the upward motion of the solenoid core,
and consequent shifting of the weight.
By means of the mechanism herein before described, a rotary motion is transmitted
to the brake wheel when the core is in its lower positions, but when it rises a slight
upward movement of the compound wheel takes place, separating the carbons at a
greater rate of speed, due to the leverage although the speed of the core is normal.
That is to say, we attain the greatest movement of the core at feeding point,
relatively to its total movement while striking the arc.
We place a small guide wheel to engage with the chain carrying the lower
carbon slide, in such a manner that any pull upon the lower carbon carrier relieves
the saddle pin, brake block, or pawl of the weight of the wheel. A pneumatic
cushion, dash pot, or the like is arranged to act upon the rocking frame for the
purpose of preventing "pumping" or irregular action.
When the lamps are intended to be adapted to a system of alternating electric
currents, the core is laminated, and a short core fixed within the shunt solenoid to
compensate what is known as "self induction," so as to afford an even pull and
protect the solenoid from becoming over heated in the event of the carbons being
burned out, and an excessive E.M.F. maintained in the shunt coil.
D this orth 1
1005
FREDK. WALKER,
73 St. Stephen's Road, Upton Park, London, E.,
Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in and connected with Arc Electric Lamps.
We, GUSTAV BINSWANGER of 71 Queen Victoria Street, in the City and
County of London, Electrician, and ARTHUR ERNEST ANGOLD of 12 James
Grove Peckham, in the County of Surrey, Electrician, 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 :-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in and connected with arc electric
lamps, and has for its object the attainment of a regular feed, and the lamps so
made may be adapted to work with either continuous or alternating currents.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we have appended the
accompanying two sheets of drawings in which
Figure 1 Sheet 1 represents an elevation of the lamp with the cover removed.
Figure 2 is a plan view with the plate a removed, and
Figure 3 is a plan view of the lower part of the lamp as viewed from a.
Figure 4 represents a plan of the lower carbon holder.
On Sheet 2 Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, are various views of the regulating
mechanism, viewed from different points.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.
In carrying our invention into effect we preferably arrange the carbon carriers

page_text: so as to maintain the arc within an approximately constant focus. The upper
carbon carrier x is freely suspended between suitable guides z by a linked chain d
passing over a sprocket wheel B or like device, and a guide wheel C and carrying
the lower carbon holder M at the other extremity, which works between guides w w
in a similar manner. The sprocket wheel B over which the chain d passes is
mounted upon a spindle S, and in the following description of the regulating
mechanism reference may be had to Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the appended
drawings. Said spindle S also carries a finely toothed ratchet wheel A and a
grooved or other brake periphery P concentric thereto. Said spindle is mounted
on a frame F, which is pivotted at the other end to a fixed portion H of the lamp
frame, formed upon or attached to the plate a Figure 1. A rocking frame F¹ is
pivotted below the frame F to the standard or bracket H, and is attached at the
end opposite to said pivot, to a core G which is free to move vertically between
two solenoids, D D' the coils of which may be respectively in "shunt" and "series
(except when the lamps are used in "parallel "a series coil is only used) relatively
to the circuit or electrical system to which the lamps are adapted. A projection or-
arm J is fixed to, or formed upon the rocking frame F¹ and upon this at a suitable
distance from the pivot thereof and parallel thereto, is placed a pin carrying a fixed
pawl K arranged to engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel A, and also a brake
block L, corresponding to the periphery P, grooved or otherwise shaped to engage
with it. A short lever M hereinafter termed the "saddle pin," rests loosely upon
or is forked over the fixed piu in the arm J, and bears upon its other extremity a
short stud N engaging with a recess in the upper frame F, placed as shown, at a
point between the spindle S and the pivot 1 of the frame F.
"-
The interaction of the frames F and F¹, the compound ratchet and brake wheel
together with that of the saddle pin M; when acted upon by the solenoids D D',.
as indicated by the second position shown by dotted lines on Figures 6 and 7,
Sheet 2, is such as to produce the striking of the arc, and regular feeding of the
carbons by such action as aforesaid, aided by that of the pawl K brake block L.
sprocket wheel B and chain d.
This arrangement of mechanism determines that the weight of the brake wheel P
ratchet wheel A and sprocket B, shall be supported by one of three parts, namely,.
the saddle pin M, brake block L or pawl K.
When the core G is in its lowest position within the solenoids, D D', the weight
of the composite wheel, brake P ratchet A and sprocket B rests upon the saddle
pin M, in which case the wheel is free to move, and the carbons are brought
As the
together because of the excess of weight of the upper carbon carrier ..
core G, rises, by the increased magnetic pull of D, the weight of the wheels is
transferred to the brake block L, which grips the brake periphery P, and transmits.
the movements of the core G directly to the carbons through the chain d. When
the core G is in its highest position as shown by Figure 7 Sheet 2 and by the dotted
outline Figure 6, on the same sheet, the wheels rest upon the pawl K which then
engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel A. This latter action need not
necessarily occur in the working of the lamp, but is intended as a safeguard to
make the grip upon the compound wheel more certain.
The striking of the arc and feeding of the carbons may be described as
follows: The rising of the core through the solenoids by the medium of the
rocking frame F¹, transfers the weight of the wheels and suspension to the brake
block L, which action imparts a rotary motion to the brake ratchet, and sprocket
wheels, (P, A, B, respectively) which in turn lifts the chain d carrying the carbon
holder X, and also lowering the bottom carbon holder Q, thus striking the arc.
During the action of feeding the carbons, the fall of the core will rotate the
compound wheel backwards until its weight again rests upon the saddle pin M.
Said wheel being thus free to move will feed the carbons together until again
arrested by the upward motion of the solenoid core and the consequent shifting of
the weight thereof.
By means of the mechanism herein before decribed, a rotary motion is imparted.

page_text: to the compound wheel, when the core G is in its lower position, but when it rises,
a slight upward movement of said compound wheel takes place, in other words it
is raised bodily, thus separating the carbons at a greater rate of speed, due to the
system of leverage, although the speed of the core G itself is normal. By these
means we attain the maximum movement of the core at the feeding point, relatively
to its total movement when striking the arc.
A pneumatic or liquid dash-pot f Figure 1, or a similar resilient appliance is
arranged to act as a cushion to the rocking frame F, thus preventing what is
generally known as "pumping" or irregular action.
When lamps according to our invention are intended to be adapted to a
system of alternating electric currents, the core is laminated, and a short fixed
core is fixed within the shunt solenoid to compensate self induction and prevent
said solenoid from becoming overheated in the event of the carbons being burned
out, and an excessive E.M.F. thus maintained in the shunt coil.
The lower carbon holder shown by the plan view Figure + and also Figure 1
consists in an arm b attached to the sliding carrier with a clip c pivotted
thereon, and controlled by the screw i, so that the carbon is held in true alignment
irrespective of size. The connection between the terminals and the electrode does
not depend upon body contact, but absolute security is afforded by using elastic
spiral conductors round guides Z and w¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First. In are electric lamps the construction, arrangement, and combination of
parts substantially as and for the purposes herein described, and shown by the
appended drawings.
Second. In are electric lamps, the combination of a rocking frame F¹ and an
upper frame F carrying a composite wheel and also a ratchet A and brake
periphery P, and a sprocket or chain wheel B, and chain d, with a brake block L,
saddle pin M, and pawl K, substantially as herein described and shown by the
appended drawings.
Tbird. In arc electric lamps, the method of and means for sustaining the weight
of the composite wheel A B P, with the suspensory chain d upon either the brake
block L, the pawl K, or the saddle pin M-N, and producing by such action the
requisite striking and feeding movement as herein described and shown and for the
purposes set forth.
Dated this 29th day of January 1806
FREDK. WALKER,
Fellow of the Society of Patent Agents,
88 Queen Victoria Street, Agent for the Applicants.