IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING ELECTRICAL CURRENTS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Percy Ruskin Allen of Victoria Works, Belvedere Road,
Lambeth in the County of Surrey for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING ELECTRICAL CURRENTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Percy Ruskin Allen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th November 1882.
PERCY RUSKIN ALLEN of Victoria Works, Belvidere Road, Lambeth in the County
of Surrey, "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING
ELECTRICAL CURRENTS
"
My Invention has for its object to provide a convenient means for regulating and
controlling electrical currents, more especially adapted for regulating and controlling
the current to incandescent electric lamps, being as it is capable of operation for
regulating the intensity of the light or the extinguishing of the same by operation
by means of a tap or handle resembling and operated as that employed for
regulating or stopping the flow of gas to gas-lamps. According to my said
Invention there is arranged in the instrument a series of carbons as a variable
resistance for the current, and also a direct metallic circuit, through which the current
passes clear of the carbons when the lamp is lighted to its full intensity. The tap
or operating handle is provided with a screw which screws upon a rod to compress
more or less the carbons, and the said tap has also contact pieces, which when the
light is neither full on nor extinguished bear upon contact pieces, upon the body of
the instrument, so that the current flows through the carbons. By turning the tap
or handle the screwed rod acts through suitable contact pieces upon the carbons to
compress them less or more, so as to regulate the light to a less or greater intensity
the contact pieces, on the tap or handle still maintaining their contact with the
contact pieces on the body of the instrument, which contact pieces are lengthened
for this purpose,
By turning the tap or handle to its full extent, in one direction the contact pieces
thereon leave the contact pieces on the body part giving passage through the
carbons and come upon other contact pieces on the said body part, which give a

page_text: metallic circuit, past the regulator other than through the carbons and the light is
then at its fullest inten-ity. By turning the tap or handle to its full extent in the
other direction, the contact pieces thereon leave the contact pieces, giving the
pas-age through the carbons and the circuit is entirely broken and the light
extinguished.
I may employ in combination with the tap, a variable metallic resistance, arranged
so that when the carbon resistance is varied a corresponding definite amount of
metallic resistance is cut out or short circuited, so that the compensating ratio
between the metal and the carbon remains the same. The metallic resistance may
be arranged in various ways for example it may be a special wire coil, or it may be
the metallic portion of the instrument -its-lf, which is made of the proper size,
shape and material to effect this purpose. A convenient compensating arrangement
is to carry the carbons in a block of insulating material in the body part of the tap,
around the centre stud or rod by which the carbons are compressed, and to bore
+mall holes in the said block at right angles to allow of the heat radiated from the
carbons striking upon the said stud or rod so as to cause it to expand and
com ensate for the decrease of resistance when the carbons get hot. . The carbons
and other parts may be variously arranged according to my invention, for instance,
in place of being carried in a block of insulating material in the body of the tap,
they may be situated in the tube which carries the lamp and a contact piece be
fixed to the knob of the operating handle, which is upon-a-rod.for.compressing the
carlions after the manner before describeil :
This contact piece rubs over a plate.to give current to the lamp at the same time
thatit compresses or releases the carbons and also gives the full current to the lamp
-or stops it entirely after the manner herein before-described-
بستم

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Percy Ruskin Allen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
May 1883.
PERCY RUSKIN ALLEN of Victoria Works Belvedere Road Lambeth in the County
of Surrey IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING
ELECTRICAL CURRENTS
"
My Invention has for its object to provide a convenient means for regulating and
controlling electrical currents more especially adapted for regulating and controlling
the current in incandescent electric lamps being as it is capable of operation for
regulating the intensity of the light or the extinguishing of the same by operation
by means of a tap or handle resembling and operated as that employed for regulating
or stopping the flow of gas to gas lamps.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood I will now proceed
to particularly describe the same and the system mode or manner in or under
which the same may be carried into effect reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and Figures marked thereon.
Figures 1. 2 and 3 are sections of apparatus constructed according to my
Invention the section Figure 1 being taken on the lino 1. 2. Figure 2 the section
Figure 2 being taken on the line 3. 4 Figure 1 and the section Figure 3 being
taken on the line 5. 6 Figure 1. Thero is arranged in the instrument a series of
carbons a as a variable resistance for the current and also a direct metallic circuit
through which the current passes clear of the carbons when the lamp is lighted to
its full intensity. The most convenient mode of carrying the carbons a is in a
block of insulating material i carried in the body part or enveloping casing of the
tap as shewn clearly in the Drawings small holes being bored in the said block i
at right angles to the series of carbons to allow of the heat radiated from the
carbons striking upon the hereinafter described stud or rod b so as to cause it to
expand and compensate for the decrease of resistance when the carbons become
hot. The tap or operating handle c is provided with a screw which screws upon
the rod 6 to compress more or less the carbons a by means of the disc f which is
carried by the said rod band may be screwed as shewn so as to be adjustablo
thereon. The said disc fpresses upon plugs f which enter recesses in the block i
and carry contact pieces f³ (preferably with a knife edge) which each bear upon
two of the piles of carbons of the series. The said tap c carries contact pieces c²
which when the light is neither full on nor extinguished bear upon contact pieces
upon the body of the instrument so that the current flows through the carbons a
By turning the tape the screwed rod b is caused through the disc ƒ plugs ƒª and
contact pieces f³ to bear upon the carbous to compress them less or more so as to
regulate the light to a greater or less intensity the contact piece c² on the tap or
handle still maintaining their contact with the contact pieces d which are of a
length to admit of this being continued in a circular direction as shewn in Figure 4
which is a face view of the body of the tap looking in the direction of the arrow
Figure 2 but with the casing and handle removed.
By turning the tap or handle c to its full extent in one direction the contact
pieces c² thereon leave the contact pieces & which give passage through the carbons
and come upon other contact pieces g on the body part which contact pieces give a
metallic circuit through c² past the regulator without the said current passing
through, the carbons and the light is then at its fullest intensity This direct
metallic circuit is from the one lead wire h through the metallic piece h³ through
the contact piece 7 on the one side through c to the contact piece 7 on the
other side and thence through the other metallic piece h² to the other lead

page_text: wire In the Drawing the parts are in the position in which the current is
passing through the carbons. By turning the tap or handle c to its full extent in
the direction opposite to that in which it is turned to complete the metallic circuit
as aforesaid the contact pieces c³ thereon leave the contact pieces d and the circuit
is entirely broken and the light extinguished. Figure 4 is a stop for limiting the
motion of the tap or handle. When the current is passing through the carbons its
course will be from one lead wire h through the metal h³ through one pile of
carbons and by one of the contact pieces f³ to the next pile of carbons and then
by the contact piece d across c² to the opposite contact piece & through the next
pile of carbons and through the other of the contact pieces through the last pile
of carbons and by the other metallic piece 2 to the exit lead wire h. In the
drawing y are pieces of insulating material forming with the casing the body
part of the instrument which may be of the globular form shewn or of any other
shape which may be convenient or desirable.
I may employ in combination with the regulator a variable metallic resistance
arranged so that when the carbon resistance is varied a corresponding definite
amount of metallic resistance is cut out or short circuited so that the compensating
ratio between the metal and the carbon remaius the same The said metallic
resistance may be arranged in various ways for example as is shewn in
Figures 5 to 8. Figure 5 is an elevation with the lid removed. Figure 6 a
transverse section. Figure 7 a liorizontal section and Figure 8 an elevation of the
outside. The carbons a are arranged in substantially the same manner as
herein before described but there are two piles of carbons instead of four and the
-pressure instead of being exerted by a screw is effected by means of a cam or
eccentric on the axis of the handle. The said handle is provided with a
spring plunger or contact piece k which as the-handle is partly rotated comes into
contact with one or other of the studs which lead to more or less of the wire of
-the-coil m in proportion as the carbons a are less or more compressed. When the
piece k-is-in-contact with the metallic circuit is completed in a manner
substantially the same or equivalent-to-that herein before described with reference
to Figures 1 to 4 the carbons-a-and the wire m being both-cut out. When the_
piece is in contact with the circuit is completely-broken and the lamp or-
lamps extinguished. As this apparatus Figures 5 to 8 is essentially similar to-that
shewn at Figures 1 to 4 it will be evident that a similar arrangement of
compensating metallic resistance may be applied to the arrangement Figures 1 to 4.
In place of the special variable metallic resistance described the metallic portion of
the instrument may itself be made to fulfil this office it being made of the proper
size and material to effect this purpose. The openings through the block i as
before explained are for the purpose of effecting this object by causing the heat of
the carbons to act on the rod b I do not limit myself to the shape of the apparatus
shewn nor to the precise arrangements shewn of the carbons and metallic parts
provided that they are arranged to fulfil the same functions in substantially the
same manner for instance in place of the carbons being carried in a block of
insulating material in the body of the tap they may be situated in the tube which
carries the lamp as shewn in figure 9 and a contact piece c³ be fixed to the knob
of the operating handle c which is upon a screwed rod b for compressing the
carbons in a manner substantially like that herein before described, but the
carbons a being in one line. In this arrangement Figure 9 the current when
passing through the carbons goes through the wire hand by the carbons a through
the wire h³ to the lamp the contact piece c' being off the contact pieces g.
When
the tap c is operated so as to bring the contact piece upon the contact pieces g
the current passes by the wire h' across c³ and by the wire ho directly to the lamp
without passing through the carbons The wire h³ may be dispensed with if
desired and the contact piece c³ may be arranged to rub over a plate giving current
to the lamp at the same time that it compresses the carbons substantially as
bereinbefore described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said

page_text: Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is:-
First A regulator or controller for electric currents in which a pile or piles of
carbons is or are arranged in combination with a tap or handle so as to be
comprossed to a greater or less extent as the tap or handle is turned in one or the
other direction and thus vary the resistance in a circuit and so also that the said
tap or handle when in one extreme position completes a direct metallic circuit and
when in the other extreme position interrupts the circuit entirely all substantially
as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Second In apparatus for regulating or controlling electric currents the provision
of means for compensating so as to keep the resistance of the carbons equal during
the continued passage of the current through it by arranging holes passages or
apertures () in the container or holder of the carbons so that the heat given off
by the carbons shall radiate upon the spindle b or its equivalent substantially_ns
herein before described with reference to figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
Third In apparatus for regulating or controlling electric currents the com-
pensating arrangement consisting of the combination of a metallic resistance with
a carbon resistance so that the diminution of resistance in the one is compensated
for by the increase of resistance in the other both being operated by one handle or
tap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 5 to 8 of the
accompanying drawings.
Fourth The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus
for regulating or controlling electric currents substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Fifth The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus
for regulating or controlling electric currents substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in figures 5 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.
Sixth-The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus
for regulating or controlling the current of an electric lamp or lamps substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 9 of the accompanying
drawings
In witness whereof I the said Percy Ruskin Allen have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal the tenth day of May One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three