Improvements in Magneto Electric Apparatus for Firing Ordnance and for similar Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1889
Improvements in Magneto Electric Apparatus for Firing Ordnance
and for similar Purposes.
I, HENRY JULIUS SMITH, residing at Pompton, in the County of Passaic and State
of New Jersey, one of the United States of America, 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:—
The invention is an improvement on a magneto-electric machine formerly invented
by said Henry Julius Smith, and largely in use in nearly all civilized countries.
In the drawings it has been considered unnecessary to show the supports for many
parts of the machine.
Figure 1, is a front view, the front of the casing being removed, the top shown
in section.
Figure 2, is a top plan.
Figure 3, a detail of binding post.
Figure 4, a side view with side of casing removed.
The electro-magnet, A, consists of cores wound with insulated wire in such manner
as to cause the poles of the magnet to show opposite polarity on the passage of a
current. The polar extremities of the magnet are concaved to receive the rotary
armature, A. Armature, A¹, is rotated by the depression of handle, O, attached to
rack-bar, O¹, the handle being allowed to rise without turning the armature by a
suitable clutch engagement. The rotation of the armature produces an electric
current. The extreme depression of bar, O¹, depresses spring, H, thus breaking
an electric circuit between spring, H, and an arch, G, which will be described.
Wire, a, leads from, one pole of the magnet to binding post, B. From post, B, a
wire, b, leads to the insulated metallic pin, 3. One wire of a primer or other circuit
wire of the circuit to be operated will in use be connected to binding post, B.
The
The wire, c, leads from the other pole of the magnet to the metallic pin, 2.
same wire, c, by its branch c¹, leads also to the spring, H. A wire connection, d,
from wire, c, leads to the resistance coil, D, and a circuit through this resistance coil
connects to the binding post, C, by means of wire, e, and from post, C, a further wire, g,
extends to pin, 1. The loop, d, e, and the resistance coil, D, are new elements in this
machine.
A wire, leads from the metallic bridge, G, to the standard or pivot, 4, of a switch
lever, K, which lever has a metallic body and projections, 5, and, 6, which projections
can be brought into contact with pins, 1, and, 2, and the lover itself may be swung
against pin, 3, by means of handle, L. The wires and pins are insulated unless
described as being connected.
Now, suppose the switch to be in the position shown in Figure 2, and an electric
primer, P, to be connected to the posts, B, and, C, by wires, h, and, i, in usual manner.
An electric current generated by the machine passes by wire, a, to post, B; as the
connection, b, stops at pin, 3, the circuit must be from post, B, by wires, h, i, to
post, C. Thence by wire, e, through resistance coil, D, and thence by wire, d, c, to
the other pole of the magnet, completing the circuit.
The resistance coil, D, is of such relative conductivity that the machine will generate
a circuit slightly in excess of the resistance of the coil, but not enough to fire a
primer or circuit of primers in excess of the resistance of the coil.
Resistance coil, D, is supported on a bracket, R. A magnet, s, is pivoted to the
end of said bracket, and a bent wire or pointer, T, is secured to the magnet near the
pivot. The weight of this wire tends to keep the magnet swung away from coil, D,
but when the current passes through the coil, D, the magnet, s, is attracted and moves
the wire, T, so that the pointer, U, comes opposite the sight-hole, V, in the casing, X,

page_text: thus showing that the circuit through the primer is complete. Should the circuit
through the primer be broken the pointer will not be moved.
When it is desired to fire the primer, the switch, K, is swung into the position
shown in dotted lines, Figure 2. The pins, 1, and, 2, are thus in metallic connection,
and connection by wire, &, through pins, 2 1, (and the switch) is made to post, C,
thus by a short circuit cutting out the resistance coil, D, but at the same time
establishing a new short circuit by means of wire, b, pin, 3, switch bar, K, pivot, 4,
wire, spring, H, and its bridge, G, and the wire, e, connected to spring, H,
the post, C, being also in line by means of the connection, y, from pin, 1.
When the depression of handle, O, and bar, O', breaks the short circuit by
depressing spring, H, the other circuit through the primer remains, and the primer
is fired.
For convenience, I attach a fork, Y, to such of the binding posts, so that the
wire of a primer may be quickly caught in the fork, and held where only a temporary
fastening is required.
It will be understood that the construction may be varied within reasonable limits
without departing from my invention.
This machine has been successfully used. The circuit testing device does not
increase the size of the machine over that formerly constructed.
The indicator, being withdrawn from its indicating position by its own weight is
very simple. The binding posts described are very convenient for merely testing a
primer, when it is not expected to fire it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1
1. A magneto electric machine of the character described, having a resistance
coil in the circuit, a switch by which said coil may he cut out, an indicator actuated
by said coil when in circuit, said coil being connected to the binding posts to which
a primer may be connected, the general arrangement being substantially as described.
2. In a magneto electric firing machine, the magnet connected to the binding
posts as described, a resistance coil, a switch by which said coil may be thrown
into or out of circuit, a pivoted magnet, and a gravitating indicator connected to
said magnet in position to move before an aperture in the casing, substantially as
described.
3. In combination with the binding posts, and forks thereon with which a primer
may be temporarily engaged, a resistance coil and a switch for short-circuiting said
coil out of the main circuit of the posts, substantially as described.
4. In combination with one of the binding posts of a magneto electric firing machine,
a pair of metallic pins connected through a resistance coil to one post, a switch piece
in position to connect said pins, a second short circuit connected to the switch piece,
and a trip by which the second short circuit may be broken so that the current will
be through both posts, substantially as described.
5. In a magneto electric firing machine of the character described, a short circuit
having a resistance coil, a second short circuit without a resistance coil, a switch
by which either short circuit may be made or broken, and a circuit breaker by which
the circuit without resistance coil may be broken while in connection with said
switch, all combined and relatively arranged, substantially as described.
Dated this 6th day of A
11000
0
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.