Improvements in Electric Regulators.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in Electric Regulators.
I, HARRY NEVILLE Moody, of 68, Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County
of London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
•
My invention relates to electric apparatus for automatically regulating the
distance apart of the carbons in an electric arc lamp, or for automatically effecting
regulation of electric circuits either by introducing and cutting out resistances, or
by directly controlling the source of power, as for instance storage batteries,
dynamos, or steam, gas, oil, water, or other motors.
For this purpose I employ a spindle mounted in bearings and continuously
rotated in one direction by any suitable means, such as an electric motor or the
power stored in a spring or weight, or transmitted to the spindle from any
convenient source, and in proximity to this spindle I arrange one or more solenoids
or coiled conductors with or without iron cores, which solenoids are connected
either in series or parallel with the main circuit according to whether it is desired
to control the current or the pressure in the circuit.
Upon the said spindle and rotating with it I provide a loose sleeve capable of
movement along the spindle, and on the sleeve is mounted a disc of iron and two.
reversed friction cones or other form of drivers; between these cones on another
spindle is mounted a following friction cone or other corresponding follower, and
this is the medium through which by suitable gearing the necessary regulating
movements are transmitted to the arc lamp carbons, resistance switches, engine
valves, or other apparatus requiring regulation as aforesaid.
The sleeve carrying the iron disc and friction cones is so balanced by the magnetic
action of the solenoids as opposed to gravity, a spring, or other device, that both
drivers are out of gear with the follower when the normal current is passing through
the solenoids.
The action of this regulator is as follows
:-
When the normal current is passing through the solenoids the sleeve carrying
the friction cones is in balance, as explained above, and the follower is at rest; if
the current in the solenoids rises above the normal, the iron disc becomes attracted
in that direction and causes one of the friction cones to gear with the follower
which is thus rotated in one direction; should current however fall below the
normal, the action of the solenoid becomes weaker and the sleeve is moved in the
reverse direction and causes the other cone to engage with the follower, which is
thus rotated in the opposite direction.
This intermittent rotation of the follower and its spindle in either direction is
transmitted through any convenient kind of gearing or driving medium and made
to serve the purpose of regulation.
To provide for interruption of circuit, I may use a fly wheel upon or connected
to the rotating spindle for the purpose of storing sufficient power to rotate the
spindle for some time after such interruption; by this means I am able to obtain
seme useful additional work which, for example, in an are lamp will serve to bring
the carbons together ready for restarting. The whole is or may be suitably.
enclosed.
Dated this 20th day of May 1895.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Agent.

page_text: BACCOS ators.
I, HARRY NEVILLE MOODY, of 68, Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County
of London, Electrical Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to electric apparatus for automatically regulating the
distance apart of the carbons in an electric arc lamp, or for automatically effecting
regulation of electric circuits either by introducing and cutting out resistances, or
by directly controlling the source of power, as for instance storage batteries,
dynamos, or steam, gas, oil, water, or other motors.
For this purpose I employ a spindle mounted in bearings and continuously rotated
in one direction by any suitable means such as an electric motor or the power stored
in a spring or weight or transmitted to the spindle from any convenient source,
and in proximity to this spindle I arrange one or more solenoids or coiled conductors
with or without iron cores, which solenoids are connected either in series or parallel
with the main circuit according to whether it is desired to control the current or.
the pressure in the circuit.
Upon the said spindle and rotating with it I provide a loose sleeve capable of
movement along the spindle, and on the sleeve is mounted a disc of iron and two
reversed friction cones or other form of drivers; between these cones on another
spindle is mounted a following friction cone or other corresponding follower, and
this is the medium through which by suitable gearing the necessary regulating
movements are transmitted to the arc lamp carbons, resistance switches, engine
valves, or other apparatus requiring regulation as aforesaid.
The sleeve carrying the iron disc and friction cones is so balanced by the magnetic
action of the solenoids as opposed to gravity, a spring, or other device, that both
drivers are out of gear with the follower when the normal current is passing through
the solenoids.
I will now fully describe my invention and its operation in reference to the
accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a part sectional side elevation showing
the general arrangement of the automatic regulating device when applied to the
regulation of the carbons in an arc lamp; and Fig. 2 shows a general end elevation
of same with some parts removed.
A is the steel spindle constantly rotated in one direction when the regulator is
in operation, as shown in this case by a motor armature B which may if required
be replaced by any other form of motor, or by a coiled spring or weight, or the
spindle may receive its motion from any suitable source according as the applications
of the regulating device allow of one or other form being used.
fork fast on the shaft A and attached to iron disc D fixed to the loose sleeve d
C is a driving
which carries the reversed friction driving cones E E¹; by this arrangement the
disc D is driven at the same speed as the rotating shaft A, and at the same time it
is allowed free movement in a direction parallel to the axis of the rotating shaft.
SS are the solenoids, and their tendency to lift the rotating disc is opposed by a
weight or spring F, the tension of which spring may be varied by means of the
milled head G. By this means a wide range of regulation is obtained without
introducing any additional friction; all these parts, viz. the shaft A, driving
fork C, iron disc D, and tension regulating device G and F all rotate together and
at the same speed.
The cone drivers E and E' are capable of separately coming into driving contact
with the driven cone or follower H mounted on a spindle suitably carried, and since
the drivers E E' rotate in the same direction but at opposite points of a diameter

page_text: or the follower H the latter will rotate in one direction when in contact and driven
by the cone E, and in a contrary direction when in contact and driven by the
cone E¹.
The cone H serves as the medium through which by suitable gearing such as
gear wheels h, h1, h2, and screwed spindle h³ the necessary regulating movements are
transmitted to the lamp carbons, or other apparatus to be controlled. For instance
the spindle of the cone H may be coupled either directly or by suitable gearing to
the lever or valve rod controlling the speed of a steam, oil, or gas engine, a turbine,
or other prime mover. Or the wheel H may be suitably coupled to the regulating.
lever of a rheostat or adjustable resistance for putting in or cutting out more or
less resistance in the field circuit of a dynamo, or the wheel H may be suitably
coupled up to the switch lever controlling the number of accumulator cells to be
put in and out of circuit for regulating purposes; or for other purposes where
automatic regulation may be required.
The solenoids S S serve the double purpose of supplying the field magnets for
the motor armature B and also for controlling and regulating the movements and
position of the rotating iron disc D attached to the driving cones or gears EE.
The windings of the solenoids SS may be of any of the known types such as plain
series, plain shunt, or differential, depending on the nature of the circuit which the
regulating device is intended to control. The regulating spring or weight F
if required be replaced by similar solenoids to S S but acting in opposition to same
and placed on the opposite side of the rotating disc D.
may
A heavy flywheel I rotated from the same source as the rotating spindle A serves
to store up energy for use when required, which energy in the case of an arc lamp
may serve to bring the carbons into contact ready for re-starting, in the event of
an interruption in the current supplied to the lamp.
This flywheel I may be connected directly to the rotating spindle, or it may be
connected thereto by means of a suitable gearing as may be most expedient for the
special application of the regulating device under consideration.
The action of the regulating device when applied to regulating the current
passing through an arc lamp is as follows.
The carbons in the first instance are in contact; the lamp is now switched into
circuit; the current passes through the solenoids SS and a small fraction passes
through the motor armature B which is preferably placed in shunt across the sole-
noid windings SS; the motor being thus energised, at once rotates the spindle A
carrying the iron disc and driving cones, at the same time the attractive force of
the solenoids S S is sufficient to overcome the downward tendency of the spring F or
equivalent opposing force, and the weight of the disc D.
The driving cone El is by this action brought into driving contact with the
cone H, driving the latter in a direction such that the carbons are caused to
separate and strike the arc; this action continues until the arc is of normal length,
when the attractive action of the solenoids SS over the spring F or equivalent
device and disc D is exactly balanced and neither of the driving cones attached to
the rotating disc are in contact with the driven cone H; the carbons are therefore
stationary, but owing to the burning away of the carbons, the arc becomes above
the normal length; the current is correspondingly decreased, the downward
tendency of the spring F or equivalent device and disc D is sufficient to overcome
the attraction of the solenoids SS, the disc D therefore falls and brings the cone
driver E in driving contact with the driven cone H, turning the latter in a contrary
direction to that in which rotation took place at first; by this means the carbons
therefore are caused to approach, but so soon as the normal length of arc is
re-established, the carbons again remain stationary; the above action continues
until all the carbon is consumed.
Should however an interruption occur in the supply of current, then the
momentum stored in the flywheel I is sufficient to bring the carbons into contact
for re-starting.
The action of the regulator when wound for regulating the carbons for an arc

page_text: lamp by means of the pressure across the arc is somewhat similar to the above ;
the current is in this case switched on to the lamp when the carbons are apart, the
direction of rotation of the cone E and the driven cone H being such that the
carbons are first brought into contact, and when in contact, the arc is independently
struck by any suitable magnetic device.
For shunt lamps it is not necessary to employ the flywheel [.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
-claim is:-
1. An electric regulator comprising a rotary spindle such as A upon which is
mounted a sleeve carrying an iron disc and two reversed cones all rotated
continuously and synchronously in one direction (when the regulator is in operation)
by an electric motor or otherwise, said sleeve and parts being capable of longitudinal
motion along the rotary spindle by the magnetic influence upon the disc of
adjacently disposed solenoids in one direction and by an opposing force of suitable
kind in the other direction, in such manner that the coned follower H will be
-engaged and driven in opposite directions as and when required, and the desired
regulating movements will thus be transmitted by its spindle either directly or
through interposed gearing to the mechanism to be regulated.
2. The arrangement of gear for electric regulation in which the follower and its
shaft receive and transmit motions as and when required from a continuously rotated
spindle suitably driven through the medium of two reversed gear cones mounted on
a sleeve operated as and when required by magnetic influence in one direction and
a suitable opposing force in the other, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The improved arrangement of electric regulating mechanism herein before
described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated this 20th day of Fahruary 1896