Improvements in Electric Lighting.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 9th July, 1889-Accepted, 9th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Lighting.
EUGEN RITTER VON MOESE-NOLLENDORF 28 Martin's Lane Cannon Street E.C.
London Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is the arrangement of circuits for Electric lighting in
such manner that with the same quantity of electricity a greater number of lights
may be fed than before, or the same number of lights as before with a smaller quantity
of electricity.
I base upon the principle that the eye will retain the impression of a strong light
for a short space of time even after the light has been extinguished.
Consequently if a strong light be interrupted in quick succession, these interruptions
will not be perceived if they are quick enough. Thus if an electric light is inter-
rupted 15 times and more in one second the eye fails to notice the interruptions and
will see the light as a continuous one.
Supposing an electric circuit, the current of which is just strong enough to feed
one electric light, was fitted with two such lights instead of one and the current was
passed every fifteenth or twentieth of a second alternately to one and to the other
light, the two lights would to the eye of the observer appear to burn continuously and
have the same effect as two lights, whereas in reality the two lights would burn
alternately.
For the rapid interruption of the electric current, necessary for this purpose, a
rotary interruptor or commutator is best suited.
employ a commutator of the following construction:
A small disc or wheel of any non-conducting material is partly (in half or according
to circumstances in a suitably greater or smaller part of its circumference) covered
with metal or any other well conducting material, which again is connected in
conduction with the metallic, conducting axis.
Erom this axis the conduction or electric connection passes through the standard or
support of the cominutator, to the line.
On opposite sides of the commutator or interruptor are arranged metal springs in
such a manner that they bear or press against the commutator wheel or disc.
Said springs are connected with the circuit of the lamps.
The interruptor is rotated by means of a suitable gearing from the motor or the
dynamo electric machine with a speed of about 15-20 rotations per second.
The current passes from the source of electricity alternately to the two commutator-
springs, hence through the conducting part of the commutator to the axis and through
the standard or support alternately to one or the other lamp and back to its source
by a suitable circuit closing connection.
A rotation of 180 of the commutator effects the transmission of the circuit from
one lamp to the other alternately so that the carbons of these lamps are alternately
brought to incandescence.
A sufficiently great speed of rotation secures the lasting effect of the burning
lamps upon the retina of the eye, so that at a certain number of rotations of the
commutator (10-15 turns per second) the periodical extinction of the lamp is not at
all perceived and the eye beholds both lamps as if continually burning.
This system is employable as well for electric arc-light as incandescent light and
both for alternate as well as currents of one and the same direction.
-It is a matter of course that according to this system any number of lamps may be

page_text: connected and actuated and that in place of the commutator described any other
arrangement or device may be employed securing the necessary number of inter-
ruptions.
E. EATON & Co.,
Agents for Applicant.
.COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Lighting.
EUGEN RITTER VON MOESE NOLLENDORF Backerstrasse 30, Vienna I. Austria
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 is based upon the fact that the human eye can absorb only a limited.
number of luminous impressions in a certain space of time. If that number is
exceeded the eye fails to notice the interruptions and will see the image as a
continuous one. For instance, if an electric circuit, the current of which is just
strong enough to supply one incandescent lamp, is fitted with two such lights instead
of one in such manner, that the current will be supplied with rapid interruptions of a
small fraction of a second, alternately to one, and to the other of the two lamps, in
reality both filaments would glow alternately in very short interruptions, but to the
eye of the observer these interruptions being too short, would not be perceptible and
both lamps would appear to glow continuously.
are the
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a diagram of such an arrange-
ment; a and b are the incandescent lamps, c is the rotating interruptor or
commutator, c¹ are the conducting parts thereof, c is the axis and ee
brushes or spring contacts. The interruptor is here a wheel, cylinder, or a roller, c
made of, or covered with non-conducting material. One half or according to
circumstances a smaller or greater part of the circumference of roller c is covered
with metal or any good conductor c', which is connected conductively to the metal
axis c³.
Coming from the source E along line M, standard d, and axis c² the current
passes through the brushes e e to the lamps alternately. On opposite sides of the
interruptor the brushes or spring contacts e.e are arranged in such manner that
they bear upon roller or cylinder c. These brushes e e are in connection with the
lamp circuit (see fig. 2).
Figure 2 represents a diagram of another arrangement, being provided with
several circuits. Here the interruptor is in connection with seven brushes and is
covered on its surface with conductive metal strips or bands in spiral lines in such
a way, that, one brush after the other comes in contact with the conducting strip so
that in the same instant in which the one strip leaves the contact another strip will
establish it.
Instead of the interruptor or commutator as described above, I may employ
any other interruptor, which affords a sufficiently great number of interruptions
per second.
In both drawings similar letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts. From the electric source E the current passes alternately by way of line M,
standard d, axis c², conducting parts c', to the brushes e, e¹ and to the lamps a & b,
whence the current is closed by any suitable return circuit.
My improved system distinguishes itself from other systems by interrupting the
direct main current, for supplying the lamps, whereas in other systems the current
is interrupted only in order to produce induction.currents, which supply the incan-
descent lamps.
In my system a main current is by means of a suitable interruptor or commutator
into several currents of short duration, which pass in very rapid intervals to any

page_text: number of circuits having each either one or several incandescent lamps, which
glow and extinguish alternately in very short intervals, so that the eye cannot
perceive the interruptions for the reasons given above.
In order to prevent that my improved distribution of the current does not
diminish the luminous effect of the several lamps, I must employ a current of a
greater intensity and I have found that the consumption of electric energy is not
proportional to the number of circuits but increases at a considerable smaller rate.
The great advantage of my system consists in producing the same luminous, effect
as an increased number of lamps would give, but without being obliged to increase
the consumption of electric energy in proportion to the given number of circuits, as
just in the moment, when the current passes through one lamp or through one group
of lamps, the resistances of all other lamps or groups of lamps or circuits are shut
out, which process takes place alternately and repeatedly in all lamps or circuits. In
figure 2 a modified arrangement is shown in which the commutator is made to
supply seven circuits, or lamps, or groups of lamps a a.. C.
"
For this purpose the commutator is provided with the spiral conducting strips cl...
with which as the commutator revolves the seven springs or brushes ee.. come in
accurate successive contact. By this arrangement the production of sparks is
prevented as the one contact will not be broken until just when the following one
has been established. As to the rest the arrangement shown in figure 2 is the same
as that in figure 1.
Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is :-
In systems of electric lighting the alternate application of currents of short dura-
tion, but of higher intensity than necessary for one lamp or one group of lamps for
several lamps or groups of lamps, and the distribution of such currents in short
intervals to several circuits every one of which has intercalated one of several lamps
which are supplied direct by the alternating currents in such manner that the
consumption of electric energy is not proportional to the number of circuits but
increases in a far smaller proportion, substantially as herein described.
Dated 9th July 1889
E. EATON & Co.,
Agents for Applicant..