IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS, AND IN MEANS FOR BRINGING A NUMBER OF CARBONS SUCCESSIVELY INTO CIRCUIT, AND FOR VARYING OR EXTINGUISHING THE LIGHT
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Honry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lano, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS, AND IN MEANS FOR
BRINGING A NUMBER OF CARBONS SUCCESSIVELY INTO CIRCUIT, AND FOR
VARYING OR EXTINGUISHING THE LIGHT." A communication from abroad
by Charles Albert Hussey and Amzi Smith Dodd, of the City and State of
New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th June 1881.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS, AND
IN MEANS FOR BRINGING A NUMBER OF CARBONS SUCCESSIVELY INTO CIRCUIT,
AND FOR VARYING OR EXTINGUISHING THE LIGHT." [A communication from
abroad by Charles Albert Hussey and Amzi Smith Dodd, of the City and State of
New York, United States of America.]
These improvements consist in the combination in an electric lamp with a trans-
lucent body capable of being rotated or turned, and containing within it two or
more independent carbons, of means whereby when the body is rotated or turned ⚫
the ends of the carbons or holders receiving the ends of the carbons are successively
connected with the electric circuit in which the lamp is used, so that one carbon
may replace another which is of no further use.
The improvements also consist in the combination with an electric lamp of a
stationary contact point, and a number of resistance devices arranged upon a
common support, which may be rotated to bring the resistance devices into the
electric circuit of the lamp to vary or extinguish the light.
The improvements also consist in the combination with an electric lamp of a
rotary spool furnished with coils of fine wire and means connected with the electric
circuit of the lamp, whereby on the rotation of the spool by a hand picce more or

page_text: less of its coils may be thrown into the lamp circuit for the purpose of varying
the resistance in the electric circuit, and thereby varying or extinguishing the
light.
The body of the lamp consists of a translucent hollow bulb or oblong spheroid of
glass with prolonged ends. Extending through these ends at short distances apart
are holders (preferably made of metal) for carbons supported within the body, and
employed to produce light in vaccuo when heated by an electric current to a stato
of incandescence. These holders may be provided with any suitable means whereby
to fasten the carbons to them, and the carbons may consist of carbonized strips of
paper, bamboo, or other suitable material. The carbons are preferably bent into
the form of a bow or curve, and but one is designed to be in the electric circuit of
the lamp at a time to produce light. The one in circuit occupies preferably the
uppermost position. The body is partially rotated or turned around to bring the
carbons one after another as may be necessary into the uppermost position and
into the electric circuit.
The carbon holders at one end of the lamp are connected to a ring or band of
metal, which forms one journal of the body of the lamp, and the other carbon
holders are respectively connected to metallic strips or plates insulated from one
another, but forming part of a commutator or circuit changing wheel which forms
the other journal of the said body. The ring or journal may be supported directly
in a metal bearing, and one end of the electric circuit wiro may be brought into
direct contact with it, but a portion of the commutator or circuit changing wheel
made of insulating material fits into another bearing, and the other end of the
electric circuit wire is connected to a brush or metallic plate which bears on that
portion of the commutator or circuit changing wheel where the plates are arranged.
Thus the electric circuit will comprise the ring or journal, the brush or metallic
plate, the strip or plate of the commutator or circuit changing wheel on which
the latter bears, the carbon holder connected to said strip or plate, the uppermost
carbon and the carbon holder at the opposite end of said carbon.
The lamp bearings are carried by hollow arms provided with a socket which
may be applied to any suitable support. The circuit wires may then be led
through the arms, and may be conducted from the source of electricity to the arms
in any suitable manner. The lamp body may be rotated by hand or automatically
by a simple mechanism, consisting of a ratchet wheel having a rigid connection
with the commutator and a pawl pivotted to one end of a lever. The lever near
ono end carries an armature for an electro magnet, which is to be in the lamp circuit,
and at the other end the lever has connected to it a spring. When the uppermost
carbon is all right and the circuit thereby completed, the electro magnet draws and
holds down its armature, at the same time presenting the pawl to a new tooth of
the ratchet wheel, but when the said carbon becomes burned away or broken, the
consequent break in the circuit effects the demagnetization of the electro magnet
and the release of its armature, and the spring thereupon draws down the outer
end of the lever, thereby causing the pawl to move the ratchet wheel one tooth
forward.
The regulator will now be described. It consists preferably of coils of fine wire
of high resistance arranged upon a spool made of a suitable insulating material.
This spool is supported by means of a spindle in a barrel or case, which at one
end is connected to the socket from which the arms supporting the lamp extend.
On the outer end of the spindle of the spool is a handle whereby the spool may be
partially rotated or turned. The wire may be continuously wound upon the spool
or wound thereon in separate coils which may be connected. Outside a portion of
the spool is a series of brass or other metal bars which are connected to the heads of
the spool, and are thereby insulated from each other. Encircling the remaining
portion of the spool and connected to the heads of the spool is a brass or other
metal shell. The bars are respectively connected to loops extending from the
wire on the spool. One wire of the electric circuit connects to a loose sleeve on a
metallic stem extending from the spool, so that the wire will not be turned when

page_text: the spool turns. Electrical communication will be extablished with the first bar
by means of a wire extending to this bar from the said stem. The other wire of
the electric circuit leads to a metallic spring, which is termed a contact piece,
affixed to the inner side of the shell or barrel though insulated therefrom, and
bears on the bars as the spool is rotated. The resistance is increased by bringing
the bars successively into contact with the spring, and the light is thereby
diminished in intensity, and when the insulated shell comes into contact with the
spring the electric circuit is broken and the light is put out.
By the rotation of the spool the light may be gradually turned down or put out
with about the same ease that an ordinary gas jet could be turned down or put
out, and it may be relighted, and the intensity of the light gradually increased by
rotating the spool so as to reduce the number of bars in contact with the spring.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th December 1881.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS, AND
IN MEANS FOR BRINGING A NUMBER OF CARBONS SUCCESSIVELY INTO CIRCUIT,
AND FOR VARYING OR EXTINGUISHING THE LIGHT." A communication from
abroad by Charles Albert Hussey and Amzi Smith Dodd, of the City and State of
New York, United States of America.
These improvements consist in the combination in an electric lamp with a
translucent body capable of being rotated or turned, and containing within it two
or more independent carbons, of means whereby when the body is rotated or
turned the ends of the carbons or holders receiving the ends of the carbons
are successively connected with the electric circuit in which the lamp is used, so
that one carbon may replace another which is of no further use.
The improvements also consist in the combination with an electric lamp of a
stationary contact point and a number of resistance devices arranged upon a
common support, which may be rotated to bring the resistance devices into the
electric circuit of the lamp to vary or extinguish the light.
The improvements also consist in the combination with an electric lamp of a
rotary spool furnished with coils of fine wire and means connected with the
electric circuit of the lamp whereby on the rotation of the spool by a hand piece
more or less of its coils may be thrown into the lamp circuit for the purpose of
varying the resistance in the electric circuit and thereby varying or extinguishing
the light.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of an
electric lamp and regulator embodying the improvements; Fig. 2 is a transverse

page_text: section of the lamp body and carbons; Fig. 3 is an end view of a commutator or
circuit changing device comprised in the lamp; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the
electric lamp regulator on the plane of the line x, x, Fig. 1, and looking in the
direction indicated by the arrow which is adjacent to said line; Fig. 5 is a
transverse section of the said regulator on the plane of the line y, y, Fig. 1, and
looking in the direction indicated by the arrow which is adjacent to said line;
Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrative of the variable resistance comprised in the regulator,
and Fig. 7 is an end view of the lamp, including an illustration of means for
automatically shifting the carbons of the lamp successively into the electric circuit
of the lamp. Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
A designates the body of the lamp, consisting of a translucent hollow bulb or
oblong spheroid of glass with prolonged ends A. Extending through these ends at
short distances apart are holders B, B', (preferably made of metal) for carbons C,
supported within the body A and employed to produce light in vacuo when heated
by an electric current to a state of incandescence. These holders B, B₁, may be
provided with any suitable means whereby to fasten the carbons to them, and the
carbons may consist of carbonized strips of paper, bamboo, or other suitable
material. The carbons are preferably bent into the form of a bow or curve, as
shewn in Fig. 1, and only one at a time is intended to be in the olectric circuit of
the lamp to produce light. The one in circuit occupies preferably the uppermost
position. The body A is partially rotated or turned around to bring the carbons
one after another as may be necessary into the uppermost position and into the
electric circuit.
The carbon holders B are connected to a ring or band of metal D, which, as
here shewn, forms one journal of the body A of the lamp, and the carbon
holders B are respectively connected to metallic strips or plates E' insulated from
one another but forming part of a commutator or circuit changing wheel E, E',
which forms the other journal of the said body. The ring or journal D may
be supported directly in a metal bearing at the end of the arm F, and one end
of the electric circuit wire may be brought into direct contact with it, but a
portion E of the commutator or circuit changing wheel made of insulating
material fits in the bearing at the end of the arin F and the other end of the
electric circuit wire is connected to a brush or metallic plate C, which bears
on that portion of the commutator or circuit changing wheel where the plates E¹
are arranged. Thus the electric circuit will comprise the ring or journal D, the
brush or metallic plate G, the strip or plate of the commutator or circuit changing
wheel on which the latter bears, the carbon holder B¹ connected to said strip or
plate, the uppermost carbon, and the carbon holder B at the opposite end of said
carbon.
The arms F, F', may be made hollow and provided with a socket, which may be
applied to any suitable support. The circuit wires may then be led through the
arms and may be conducted from the source of electricity to the arms in any
suitable manner. The arm F, instead of having the wire pass through it, may form
a part of the circuit if desirable.
A hand piece H connected to the commutator or circuit-changing wheel E, E¹,
may be manipulated to rotate or turn the body A of the lamp, or a mechanism for
turning it automatically may be employed. An example of such mechanism is
shewn in Fig. 7. Here I designates a ratchet wheel having a rigid connection with
the commutator or circuit changing wheel E, E', and J designates a pawl pivotted to
one end of a lever K and engaging with the wheel I. The lever K. near one end
carries an armature L for an electro magnet M, which is to be in the lamp circuit,
and at the other end said lever has connected to it a spring N. When the
uppermost carbon is all right and the circuit thereby completed the electro magnet
draws and holds down its armature, at the same time presenting the pawl J to a
now tooth of the ratchet wheel, but when the carbon becomes burned away or
broken the consequent break in the circuit effects the demagnetisation of the

page_text: electro magnet and the release of its armature, and the spring N thereupon draws
down the outer end of the lever, thereby causing the pawl J to move the ratchet
wheel one tooth forward. The teeth of the ratchet wheel are in number intended
to correspond with the number of carbons; hence at each movement of the ratchet
wheel a new carbon will be shifted uppermost. The electro magnet will then
draw down its armature and present the pawl J to a new tooth of the ratchet
wheel.
The advantage of employing a number of carbons is that the usefulness of the
lamp will be extended over a time corresponding with the number of carbons, for
of course if one carbon will last a given time a number of carbons will when
successively used last several times as long. This is very desirable, as it makes
the lamp need less attention and avoids the expense and trouble incident to
producing a vacuum in the body A of the lamp each time a carbon becomes
useless.
The regulator will now be described:-It consists, as here shewn, of coils of fine
wire of high resistance arranged upon a spool O, which preferably is made of or
provided with flanges or heads of hard rubber or other suitable insulating material.
This spool is supported by means of a spindle in a shell or barrel P, which at one
end is connected to the socket from which the arms F, F', extend. On the outer
end of the spindle of the spool O is a hand piece Q whereby the spool may be
partially rotated or turned. The wire may be continuously wound upon the spool
or wound thereon in separate coils, which may be connected. In this example of
the improvements discs of insulating material are arranged between the coils.
Outside the coils of wire are brass or other metal bars R, R³, R², R³, R, R³, Rº, R7,
which are connected at short distances apart to the heads of the spool O and are
thereby insulated from each other. Preferably these bars are arranged obliquely
to the axis of the spool. Encircling the portion of the coils of wire not covered
by these bars and connected to the heads of the spool O is a brass or other metal
shell S. These bars R, R', R³, R³, R², R³, R, R7, are respectively connected to
loops extending from the wire on the spool 0 or loops connecting the separate
coils of wire wound thereon. Preferably they are connected with the bars in a
line extending spirally around. the spool and not circumferentially around the
same, One wire of the electric circuit connects to a loose sleeve O' on a metallic
stem 02 extending from the spool O, so that the wire will not be turned when the
spool turns. Electrical communication is established with the bar R by means
of a wire extending to this bar from the stem 0%. The other wire of the electric
circuit leads to a metallic spring T, which is termed a "contact piece," affixed to
the inner side of the shell or barrel P though insulated therefrom, and bears on the
bars R, R, etc., when the spool O is rotated. When the spool O is rotated so that
the bar R is brought into contact with the spring T the electric current does not
pass through any of the wire coiled upon the spool, and hence the lamp is at its
greatest illuminating power. When the spool is rotated so as to bring the bar R¹
in contact with the spring T the electric current his to pass through the first coil
of wire on the spool, and the illuminating power of the lamp is somewhat
diminished, and when the spool is rotated to bring any of the succeeding
bars R2, R3, R, R, Rº, R7, in contact with the spring the current is caused to
pass through more coils of the wire, and the illuminating power of the lamp is
diminished in proportion to the additional resistance offered to the passage of the
electric current. When the spool is rotated so as to bring the shell S into contact
with the spring the electric circuit is broken as the said shell by the heads of the
spool is insulated from the bars and the light is put out. A pin U on a spindle of
the spool operating in conjunction with pins extending from the shell or barrel P
limits the rotation of the spool.
By the rotation of the spool the light may be gradually turned down or put out
with about the same ease that an ordinary gas jet could be turned down or put
After putting it out it may be relighted and turned gradually up by rotating
the spool to finally bring the bar R in contact with the spring T. The diagram,
out.

page_text: Fig. 6, shows the coils removed from the spool O and bars R, R¹, R², R³, R+,
detached, and a spring T which in connection with the bara makes the circuit.
This diagram is merely made to conduce to a clear understanding of the regulator.
This regulator may be applied to a single lamp, as shewn, or it may be applied
to an electric circuit in which are a number of lamps to regulate them in unison.
The shape of the body A of the lamp and of the carbons may be varied in
many ways, hence the improvements are not confined to the particular form of
lamp shown.
Although coils of wire only are here shown as the means of resistance in the
regulator many other materials and substances will serve the same purpose.
Having now described this Invention for Improvements in Electric Lamps and
in Means for bringing a Number of Carbons successively into Circuit and for
varying or Extinguishing the Light," as communicated to me from abroad and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,―
First. In an electric lamp the combination with a body capable of being rotated
or turned, containing within it two or more independent carbons, of means whereby
when the body, is rotated or turned the ends of the carbons or holders receiving.
the same are shifted to bring the carbons successively into the electric circuit,
substantially as specified.
Second. The combination with an electric lamp of a stationary contact piece,
and a number of resistance devices arranged upon a common support, which may
be rotated to bring the resistance devices into the circuit of the lamp to vary or
extinguish the light, substantially as specified.
Third. The combination with an electric lamp of a rotary spool furnished with
coils of fine wire and means connected with the circuit of the lamp whereby on
the rotation of the spool by a hand piece more or less of its coils may be thrown
into the lamp circuit and the resistance in the circuit varied, substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord