IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC-LIGHT APPARATUS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of 7, Whiteball Place, in the City
of Westminster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC-LIGHT
APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Jacques Ambroisė Mandon,
of Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wise at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th November 1880.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC-LIGHT APPARATUS." (A communication from abroad
by Jacques Ambroise Mandon, of Paris, in the Republic of France.)
This Invention has for its object improvements in electric light apparatus, and
relates particularly to a novel method whereby two pencils or carbons, each formed
as an arc of a circle, are kept with their upper extremities or poles in proper
relative positions, notwithstanding the consumption, wasting, or wear due to the
action of the electric current producing the light. To this end each carbon or
pencil is carried or supported and balanced by apparatus arranged so that in pro-
portion as the carbon or pencil is consumed or reduced by the action of the electric
current the carbon or pencil will automatically move upward in a circular path
about a centre coincident with that of the circle whereof the carbon or pencil
represents an arc. The same kind of supporting and adjusting apparatus is used
for each carbon, therefore a description of the nature of one convenient arrangement
will suffice. The carbon is carried by an adjustable balance lever supported by
an insulated axis. This axis has connected to it another balance lever, to which is
connected by a circularly curved arm a float immersed in an insulated bath of
mercury or other liquid, which is traversed by the current and is contained in a
stationary but adjustable vessel. This vessel is formed as an arc of a circle, of
which the balance lever axis is the centre, and is situated on the same side as the
carbon or pencil of a vertical line cutting that axis. The curved arm or stem
carrying the float is so proportioned as to dimensions and weight, and the parts are
so arranged, that as the carbon or pencil is consumed and reduced in weight during
the operation of producing light, the float will gradually ascend in the bath of
CD 071

page_text: mercury, and the curved arm or stem simultaneously emerge from the liquid in such-
wise that the loss of carbon or pencil will be correctly compensated by a proportional
upward movement thereof.
The axis of the balance levers may with advantage have cone centres. It works
in insulated bearings; the electric current is conducted first to the mercurial or
other bath (itself insulated at the under part), thence through the float stem,
oscillating axis, and balance levers to the carbons, pencils, or electrodes.
The thrust of the mercurial baths and the various parts of the electric lamp as
above described may be modified, as shewn in the annexed Drawing, which is
appended by way of illustration. In this arrangement the mercury is contained in
the straight tubes A, A³, which are separately insulated by the cross piece B on the
standard C. The supports D, D¹, carry each a friction roller E, E', to guide the
carbon holders F, F1, where they emerge from the mercury. These holders termi-
nate each at its lower extremity in an ellipsoidal float, and they are guided at
their upper ends by friction rollers J, J', on the arms K, K¹. These arms are
jointed to an insulating axis L carrying a horizontal armature M and a counter-
weight N which balances the whole, the arm K¹ oscillating round the axis L. The
current entering at X traverses the insulated arm K and passes by the friction
roller J into the upper extremity of the carbon H, which at the commencement is
in contact with carbon H¹. The current passes through the carbon H', the friction
roller J, the arm K', and its support. L, and leaves by the wire Y after passing
round the bobbin P, which attracts the armature M. When the arm K is oscillated
the end of the carbon J¹ draws away from the end of the carbon J, and the voltaic
arc is established.
It will be seen that proportionately as the carbons waste they are maintained
in position by the upward thrust of the rods immersed in the mercurial baths, the
diameter of which is determined with relation to the weight of the carbon.
In this arrangement the current does not pass through the mercury, which is
insulated, and the carbons lie in contact with one another until the voltaic arc is
automatically established by the electro-magnet.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
May 1881.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC-LIGHT APPARATUS." (A communication from abroad
by Jacques Ambroise Mandon, of Paris, in the Republic of France.)
This Invention has for its object improvements in electric-light apparatus, and
relates particularly to a novel method whereby two pencils or carbons are kept
with their upper extremities or poles in proper relative positions, notwithstanding
the consumption, wasting, or wear due to the action of the electric current
producing the light. To this end in one arrangement, wherein each carbon is
formed as an arc of a circle, each carbon or pencil is carried or supported and
balanced by apparatus arranged so that in proportion as the carbon or pencil is
consumed or reduced by the action of the electric current, the carbon or pencil will
automatically move upward in a circular path about a centre coincident with that
of the circle whereof the carbon or pencil represents an arc.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2, a plan of
an electric light apparatus according to this Invention, wherein each carbon is
formed as an arc of a circle. The apparatus contains two separate and similar
parts, shewn respectively at the right and the left of the Figure. The same kind of
supporting and adjusting apparatus is used for each carbon; therefore a description
of the nature of one, say, that at the right hand side of the Figure, will suffice for
both.
A is the base plate; B, the supporting column; c, c, centres of insulating
material fixed in the ends of a half ring or collar cast on to the column; D, an axis
or spindle, upon the central portion of which are fixed four arms E, F, G, K,
arranged in pairs; X, a carbon holder fixed at the outer end of the arm E; Y, a
pencil or carbon formed as an arc of a circle; M, a counterweight internally screw
threaded to fit upon the screwed end of the arm F; G, a radius arm bent at right
angles, forming by its prolongation K and counterweight N a balanced arrangement;
I, a curved metallic arm joined to the extremity of the radius arm G; J, a float
carried by the curved arm I; N, a counterweight fixed at the extremity of the
arm K to balance the arms G and K; L is a circularly curved fixed metallic tube
in which the float J moves, the curvature of the tube being struck from the centre
around which the float J rotates. This tube is filled, or partly filled, with mercury:
or other liquid which is traversed by the current; O is a bottom or plug of
insulating material fixed in the tube L; P, a screw serving to regulate the position
of the tube L. In operation, the carbon is carried by the adjustable balance
lever X supported on its insulated axis D. This axis has connected to it the
second balance lever G, to which is connected by the circularly curved arm I the
float J, immersed in the bath of mercury or other liquid, which is insulated and is
traversed by the current. The curved arm or stem I is so proportioned as to
dimensions and weight, and the parts are so arranged, that as the carbon or pencil
is consumed and reduced in weight during the operation of producing light, the
float will gradually ascend in the bath of mercury, and the curved arm or stem.
simultaneously emerge from the liquid, in suchwise that the loss of carbon or pencil'
will be correctly compensated by a proportional upward movement thereof.
The axis of the balance levers has cone centres. It works in insulated bearings ;
the electric current is conducted first to the mercurial or other bath (itself insulated
at the under part), thence through the float stem, oscillating axis, and balance
levers, to the carbons, pencils, or electrodes.
Before the pencils or carbons are inserted, the carbon holders arrange themselves.
I

page_text: in the position of equilibrium, that is, at an angle of 45 degrees with the horizon,
but after the pencils or carbons are fixed in their places the carbon holders assume
a vertical attitude. In this position the extremities of the two carbons touch.
-
If then electric currents of opposite polarity be led to the respective halves of
the apparatus, the electric arc will establish itself between the extremities of the
carbons, which will attract one another, the attraction contributing to the fixity of
the luminous point, which burns with great steadiness and without any hissing or
other noise; this latter advantage being attributable to the passage of the current
through the mercury, which damps or quenches the vibrations of the electric fluid.
The position of the carbon holder when the carbon or pencil is nearly consumed
is shewn in dotted lines on the left hand side of Fig. 1.
The thrust of the mercurial baths and the various parts of the electric lamp, as
above described, may be modified, as shewn in Fig. 3, Sheet 2, which illustrates
apparatus on 'the principle of this Invention, as arranged for keeping in proper
relative positions the upper ends of two straight carbons or pencils. In this
arrangement the mercury is contained in the straight inclined tubes A, A¹, which
are separately insulated by the crosspiece B on the standard C. The supports
D, D', which carry the friction rollers E, E', are attached to the upper parts of the
tubes filled with mercury, in which are plunged the rods F, F', terminating at
their lower extremities in floats G, G¹, of ellipsoidal form.
The insulated carbon holders I, I', are fixed at the upper extremities of the
rods F, F, and they carry each a pencil or carbon lying in a line, which is a
prolongation of the axis of the respective tube of mercury which controls that
pencil or carbon. The two pencils or carbons meet at a common point where
the illumination takes place and where the electric arc establishes and maintains
itself.
The pencils or carbons are guided at their upper ends by friction rollers J, J', on
the arms K, K'. These arms are jointed to an insulating axis I carrying a hori-
zontal armature M and a counterweight N which balances the whole, the arm K¹
oscillating round the axis L. The current entering at K traverses the insulated
arm K by the bush a, and passes by the friction roller J into the upper extremity
of the carbon H, which at the commencement is in contact with carbon H. The
current passes through the carbon H¹, the friction roller J¹, the arm K', and its
support L, and leaves by the wire Y. The electro magnet P. insulated from the
support O upon which it is carried is excited by a current traversing a shunt
circuit (d'un courant derivé vers l'électro-aimant) and attracts the armature M.
When the arm K¹ is oscillated the end of the pencil or carbon J¹ draws away from
the end of the carbon J, and the voltaic arc is established.
It will be seen that proportionately as the carbons waste they are maintained
in position by the upward thrust of the rods immersed in the mercurial baths, the
diameter of which is determined with relation to the weight of the carbon.
In this arrangement the current does not pass through the mercury, which is
insulated, and the carbons lie in contact with one another until the voltaic arc is
automatically established by the electro-magnet.
In order that the carbons may be entirely consumed, there is attached to each of
them at its lower end a clip or plate of copper R, R; which maintains contact with
the guide pulley J or J' after the pencil or carbon holder has passed the said guide
pulley.
In case of extinction of the light by the failure of the arc, the counterweight N
draws the electrodes together and effects their re-lighting.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention (as communicated to
me as aforesaid), and the manner in which it is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I would have it understood that, what is considered to be
novel and original, and is therefore claimed as secured to me under the Letters
Patent herein before in part recited is, in electric light apparatus,―
1. The combination of two contiguous pencils, carbons, or electrodes, each, having
the form of a quadrant or part circle, and balanced so as to turn freely round a

page_text: centre of rotation with a counterweight, and a curved, insulated, and fixed tube
containing mercury and receiving a float connected to a rod or stem in the form of
a quadrant or part circle, such floats and rods or stems being so formed and
proportioned as to section and weight that as the pencils, carbons, or electrodes
waste or consume, the floats and rods rise a proportionate distance from the
mercury, whereby the luminous point where the voltaic arc is established remains
fixed in space, the whole constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawings.
2. The combination of two straight pencils, carbons, or electrodes, guided and
tending towards a common point in or near which the voltaic arc is established,
each pencil, carbon, or electrode being fixed on a float from which it is insulated,
the said float dipping into an insulated straight tube filled with mercury, and being
of such form, section, and weight that in proportion as each carbon wastes or
consumes and becomes shortened by a certain quantity, the corresponding float
which directly balances its weight by its upward thrust emerges an equal distance
from the mercury, whereby the luminous point remains fixed in space with an
ordinary electro magnet upon a shunt circuit to move, as before explained, the
extremity of the pencil, carbon, or electrode at the moment when the voltaic arc is
to be established, the whole constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as
described with reference to Fig. 3 of the Drawings.
3. The application, substantially as described, of the upward thrust of the
mercury exerted on the pencils, carbons, or electrodes through the medium of floats
of determined form, section, and weight to maintain the electrodes in equilibrium
notwithstanding the waste or consumption thereof, and thus to maintain fixed in
space the luminous point where the voltaic arc is established, and that whether
the electrodes be curved or straight, insulated or not from the floats which serve as
their supports, and whether they be guided in direction by turning round a centre
of rotation, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or by guide rollers, as in Fig. 3.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. LLOYD WISE. (L.S.)