AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING, ENSURING THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE ELECTRIC BURNERS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING,
ENSURING THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE ELECTRIC BURNERS." A communication
from abroad by Michael Avenarius, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, at
Kiev, Russia.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd July 1880.
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
" AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING, ENSURING THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE
ELECTRIC BURNERS." (A communication from abroad by Michael Avenarius,
Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, at Kiev, Russia.)
The alternate currents produced by dynamo-electric machines can find an
extensive application for producing electric light, provided however the working
of the burners placed in the same circuit be independent of each other, at least
as far as is the case with gas burners communicating with one principal conduit
or main.
This result is attained according to this Invention in a very simple and effective
manner by means of the derived circuits (shunt circuits), each of which contains an
electrolytic apparatus.
Supposing electric lamps, or regulators, or burners are placed in any desired
number in the same circuit, and fed by a dynamo-electric machine producing
alternate currents
Each of the conducting wires of the burners is connected to the corresponding
electrode of a voltameter. The construction of the voltameter must be such as to
permit the varying of the polarization of the two electrodes of the apparatus as
well as its resistance, according to the polarisation of the carbons of the corre-
sponding burners and to the intensity of the electric light required.
An electrolytic apparatus of most simple and rational construction may be as
follows:-It consists in a cylindrical glass vessel provided with a metallic bottom
and a wooden lid; the latter carries a metal plate fixed on wooden supports and

page_text: provided with a binding screw. The plate and the lid are provided with two holes,
through which is passing a metallic rod, carrying at its end (inside the glass vessel)
a metallic disc. The latter has a glass stick (as a prolongation of the metallic rod)
whereon are fixed in number required metallic discs. The diameter of all these
discs must be as nearly equal as possible to the inside diameter of the vessel, in
order to prevent transmission of the current by the liquid between the sides of the
vessel and the metallic discs. The thickness of the discs must be considerable in
proportion to their distance from each other. It is of advantage to give each of
the discs a coating of platinum. The position of the rod (which is provided with
divisions or a scale), and the distance of the lowermost disc from the metallic
bottom of the vessel are fixed by means of a set screw. The bottom is provided
with the second binding screw, and the vessel is filled with water slightly
acidulated.
The polarisation of the described apparatus is determined by the number of
metallic discs, and its resistance by the distance of these discs from each other,
and principally by the distance of the lowermost disc from the bottom of the
vessel.
It is obvious that the form, substance, or material of the described electrolytic
apparatus may vary without separating from the principle of the Invention.
The number of electrolytic apparatus may be equal to the number of the burners
or any other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st January
1881.
"
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING, INSURING THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE
ELECTRIC BURNERS." (A communication from abroad by Michael Avenarius,
Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, at Kiev, Russia.)
The alternate currents produced by dynamo-electric machines can find an
extensive application for producing electric light, provided however the working
of the burners placed in the same circuit be independent of each other, at least
as far as is the case with gas burners communicating with one principal conduit
or main.
This result is according to this Invention attained in a very simple and effective
manner by means of the derived circuits (shunt circuits), each of which is containing
an electrolytic apparatus.
And in order that this Invention may be fully understood I will now proceed
to describe the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Supposing, for instance, C₁, C₂, C, (Figure 1) are electrical burners (regulators,
Jablochkoff's candles, &c.,) placed in any desired number in the same circuit, and
fed by the dynamo-electric machine M producing alternate currents.

page_text: Each of the conducting wires of the burners is connected to the corresponding
electrode of the voltameter V, V₁, V., Vs. The construction of the voltameter must
be such as to permit to vary the polarization of the two electrodes of the apparatus
as well as its resistance, according to the polarisation of the carbons of the
corresponding burners and to the intensity of the electric light required.
Figure 2 shews, as an example, an electrolytic apparatus of the most simple form
and construction. It consists in a cylindrical glass vessel H, provided with a
metallic bottom A and a wooden lid B; the latter carries a metal plate D fixed on
wooden supports, and provided with a binding screw d. The plate D and the lid B
are provided with two holes through which is passing a metallic rod E, carrying at
its end (inside the glass vessel) a metallic disc F. The latter has a glass stick E¹
(as a prolongation of the metallic rod E), whereon are fixed in number required the
metallic disc plates F₁, F₁, F. The diameter of all these discs must be as nearly
equal as possible to the inside diameter of the vessel H, in order to prevent the
transmission of the current by the liquid between the sides of the vessel and the
metallic discs. The thickness of the discs must be considerable in proportion to
their distance from cach other (this distance must not exceed some millimeters).
It is of advantage to give each of the discs a coating of platinum. The position
of the rod E (which is provided with divisions or a scale) and the distance of the
lowermost disc or plate from the metallic bottom of the vessel are fixed by means
of a set screw G. The botton A is provided with the second binding screw b, and
the vessel is filled with water slightly acidulated.
The polarisation of the described apparatus is determined by the number of
metallic discs, and its resistance is determined by the distance of these discs from
each other, and principally by the distance of the lowermost disc from the bottom
of the vessel.
It is obvious that the form, substance, or material of the described electrolytic
apparatus may vary without departing from the principle of the Invention. The
number of electrolytic apparatuses may be equal to the number of the burners or
any other.
The described form of the polarisator has only one defect, depending on the
horizontal position of the discs F, F,, videlicet, if the working of the system must last
a considerably long time the gases produced by the decomposition of water by the
current can accumulate on the under surface of the discs, and thereby interfere
with the proper working of the apparatus.
To obviate this the discs or plates F, F, may be placed in an inclined position
on their axis or rod E, E¹; no Drawing of this however is shown, as the modifi-
cation is obvious. But still better it is to arrange them in a vertical position as
represented on Figure 3, where F, F₁, F., are metallic plates fixed in a glass vessel
or box H, which is filled with some electrolytic substance (acidulated water or the
like); the vessel H is provided with binding screws a, b, for the conducting wires.
The regulation of the resistance may be produced by making one of the terminal
plates For Fm movable, and by drawing this plate more or less out. The plates
F, F, being in this case tightly inserted between the sides of the vessel H, their
thickness has no influence on the action of the apparatus, and these plates may
be of thin sheet metal.
The vessel H may obviously be made of a cylindrical form, in which case the
plates are also made in the form of a series of metal cylinders F, F, F, Fm, as
shown in plan in Figure 4; these plates are equal in height, but of different
diameters, and placed concentrically upon a base of hard india-rubber or other
insulating material. All these cylindrical plates F, F, F,, Fm, are enclosed in a
glass vessel H having two conducting wires S, S₁, passing through it and soldered
This combination
respectively to the external and internal plates F and F m.
forms a polarisator when the glass vessel is charged with some hydrolite,
acidulated water or the like.
In this form the apparatus might be employed for the lighting of streets, if the

page_text: intensity of the burners should be a determined and a constant one. But if the
apparatus is to be applied to different burners, and it is desirable to regulate at
will the intensity of the burners, the resistance and the polarisation of the apparatus
must vary accordingly.
The polarisation may be modified by fitting the conducting wires S, S', with
screw clamps (instead of soldering them to the cylindrical plates), thus permitting
the wires to be attached to some or other of the said plates, and by this means to
introduce any desired number of plates in the circuit.
The variation of the resistance of the apparatus may be attained in the following
manner, and as shown in the plan section, Figure 5, and in perspective view
(partly in section) in Figure 6-Instead of the innermost cylinder Fm two glass
cylinders I and K are employed, and also two half cylindrical plates, one of which L
is placed close to the outer cylinder the glass cylinder K, and the other, P, close to
the inner side of the cylinder I. To the plate L is attached the conducting wire S₁,
and the other plate P is connected by a metallic strip O to the inner metal
cylinder Fm of the series.
On filling the apparatus with a liquid the passing current will have to traverse
the space between the plates P and L. For regulating at will the resistance of the
apparatus it will be sufficient to place between the plates L and P half cylinder R
of glass capable of being turned around the common axis u of the apparatus.
I, K, and R are glass cylinders and half cylinder; F¹, F', Fm, are cylindrical
metal plates, as in Figure 4; S, S¹, are conducting wires; N is an arm of wood for
turning the half cylinder R of glass around the axis U, whose lower end is lodged
in a corresponding cavity of the india-rubber base X, and the upper end passes
through the cover of the apparatus; U₁, a connecting piece between the axis Û and
the half cylinder of glass R.
2
The polarisation of the apparatus depends upon the material of the metal plates
F, F, F, Fm, and on the quality of the liquid employed. The experiments have
shown that the plates of platinum afford twice as much polarisation as gilt copper
plates. In employing soluble glass the polarisation is much stronger than with
sulphuric acid. For instance, 6 plates of platinum with a solution of silicate of
natron give the same effect as 10 similar plates placed in a solution of sulphuric
acid.
The action of the polarisator is as follows:-If the polarisator is introduced into
a circuit of an electrical battery, the electromotive force of which is not exceeding
the polarisation of the described apparatus, the current will not pass through the
polarisator, but produce therein a polarisation equal to the electromotive force of
the battery.
If this force exceeds the polarisation of the polarisator the current will pass
through the apparatus, and the strength of the current depend on the difference
between the electromotive force of the battery and the polarisation of the
polarisator.
In case the action of the battery is variable in strength and direction there will
either be a current or not. In case the current is produced the polarisation can
have a like or an opposite polarity with the electrical power of the battery, i.c., it
can increase or weaken the current furnished by the battery.
If, in case of using alternate currents of magneto electrical machines, the gas
polarising the plates of the apparatus could not leave the plates before the changes
of the direction of the currents, the polarisation of the plates in its end result
would not change the electrical power of the current, though in practice this result
will be only approximately obtained.
The foregoing general observations will serve to explain the following action of
the polarisator in particular cases:―
In the combination shewn in Figure 1, the polarisators V₁, V., are in shunt or
derived circuits in such a manner that the whole current furnished is divided in
two parts, one of which is passing through the burner, and the other through

page_text: the polarisator, whereby are resulting the following peculiar actions of the
polarisator:-
When the current is weak, the electromotive power of the machine being
inferior to the polarisation of the electrical burner, the whole current is absorbed
for producing the polarisation in the polarisator (without the use of this apparatus
this current would be entirely lost, while now it is only temporarily stopped), and
thereupon the current begins to pass through the burner, and lastly through the
polarisator.
For carbon sticks, producing in the air a voltaic arc, the degree of polarisation
is fluctuating, according to Edlund, between the electrical power of a battery from
17 to 25 elements of Daniell. According to experiments at the laboratory of Kiev,
for a Jablochkoff's candle it is approaching the electrical power of one Daniell's
element, and for the carbons in contact it amounts only to a little more than one
tenth of the same.
The polarisation of this apparatus must considerably exceed that of the burner.
In this case the current will be passing through the polarisator much less a time
than through the burner. In case the burner should offer any deficiency, or not
let the current pass freely, its surplus would pass through the polarisator, and even
the extinction of the burner could not have any sensible influence on the burning
of the others.
The turning of the glass plate R of the polarisator permits at will to increase or
diminish the intensity of light furnished by the electrical power.
If the resistance of the polarisator is very slow, as compared with the resistance
of the burner, and its polarisation considerable, then the polarisator regulates the
burning of the electrical burner in whose circuit it is placed.
The time of the currents passing through the burner may be divided into two
periods, one, when the electrical power of the machine is inferior to the polarisation
of the apparatus, and the other, when it is exceeding the same.
During the first period the current will only pass through the burner, and during
the second period principally through the polarisator.
The fluctuations in the strength of the current (caused by the changes in the
working of the machine, by the burning of a greater or smaller number of burners,
etc.) acting nearly exclusively on the latter part, they have little influence on the
burners.
It must be observed that the derivations of the circuit in the several burners of
a private house, public halls, or other places, may also be disposed as shown in
Figure 7. In this case the conducting wire f₁ from a magneto-electric machine or
battery is connected with all the electrical burners C₁, C., C,, i.e., new derivations
f₁, C₁, D₁, f₁, C₂, D₁, f₁, C, D₁, are formed, in each of which a polarisator V, V, V,, is
inserted. Thereupon the free ends of the burners are united amongst themselves
(at D), and conducted to the earth T, or to the opposite pole of the battery.
In this case the polarisators serve to suspend temporarily the passage of the
current from the magneto-electric machine or battery through the polarisator and
the burner, in order that the current at the time of its passing through thei
should already acquire a considerable strength, in which case the strength of the
current passing through the different branches (provided with electrical burners of
the same type) proves independent of the full resistance and of the position of each
branch, that is to say, in so far as gas burners, fed by a common main pipe, are
independent of each other.
This plan should be preferably adopted for street lighting, because in the
combination shewn in Figure 1, considering the great number of lanterns in a
street, the strength of the current passing through the first polarisator V (which in
this case is to be inserted) would be considerable, and consequently the latter
might become heated to a considerable degree, which would be a useless expense of
heat.
Figure 8 is a diagram shewing a complete system of electrical connections for
the lighting of a street.

page_text: One of the conducting wires issuing from the magneto-electric machine M (this
term, as generally employed, meaning dynamo-electrical machines) is conducted
along the street, where lanterns C₁, C., C₁, C₁, and the lamps in private dwellings
ZZZ are to be electrically lighted. The conducting wire f, fm, as corre-
sponding to a main gas pipe, may be called the main conductor.
are
From this main conductor derived conductors or branches C₁, C₁, C₂, C₂,
passing to the burners of the street lanterns, and other derivations d₁, f₁, d, f,... are
led to private consumers. In each of these branches or derivatious a polarisator
V₁, V, V, Y, Y., Ys,... is introduced. One polarisator can also be used for 2, 3, or
more lamps, but in this case the 2, 3, or more lamps, will be depending on each
other.
The opposite wire T of the machine M is conducted to the earth.
The same is done with the free ends of the street burners, i.e., while one of the
carbon sticks of the lamp is connected with the corresponding derivation, the other
is conducted to the earth (T₁, T₂, T¸ . . .).
In case one cannot rely on the insulation of the conducting wires, their ends
should be conducted not to the earth, but to the end of the conductor T issuing
from the machine.
Electrical burners of various systems and of various intensity of light may be
employed, as well in combination with the plan shown at Figure 1, as with that
shewn at Figures 7 and 8.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as the Invention communi-
cated to me,
First. The system of electric lighting with secondary (derived or shunt) circuits
containing electrolytic apparatus, substantially as described.
Second. The described method of dividing the electrical light into any number
of lights of any power desired, and independent of each other, by means of the
polarisator.
Third. The polarisator and its modifications as shewn, and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentyfirst day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
· PETER JENSEN. (L.S.)