IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO ELECTRIC LAMPS.
Year: 1879

page_text: $5
LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Samuel Hickley, of Catford Bridge, in the County
of Kent, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO ELECTRIC
LAMPS.
"
Sealed the 23rd April 1880, and dated the 25th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Samuel Hickley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th October 1879.
ARTHUR SAMUEL HICKLEY, of Catford Bridge, in the County of Kent.
MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO ELECTRIC LAMPS."
$6 IMPROVE
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to electric lamps
the object being to provide an apparatus of moderate cost, simple and durable
construction, that shall be easy of regulation and automatic in its action.
The "are" is produced between a circular disc or ball electrode and a pencil
shaped electrode, which are carried upon two arms substantially parallel, standing
out from a plate or frame-work, said arms also acting as brackets for carrying the
coil or coils and other parts for conveying the electric current or currents.
Upon the extremity of the lower arm is carried a metal coned carbon holder,
which cone is divided into two parts, one fixed, the other movable, for purpose
of clamping the electrode and arresting its forward motion when acted upon by a
locking detent or presser, which consists of a pivoted lever, one end of which carries
an armature in juxtaposition with a face above end of the electro-magnet. This
pencil electrode is held in a carrier free to work within the said cone, and having
attached thereto chains or lines carrying counterbalance weights, or levers, or
springs, or other means, such as a float and mercury, or water or otherwise may be
used that will act to raise or advance the carbon, as will be well understood. The
disc or ball electrode is carried on an axle secured therein, and turning in centres
at the extremity of the fork of a lever pivotted upon the arm before referred to,
the end of said forked lever carrying an armature in juxtaposition with a second
face of the electro-magnet, and a strap across the frame carries an adjusting thumb
screw, hereinafter called the arc regulating screw, to act upon the armature end of
the ball electrode lever. On the axle of the disc or ball electrode is fitted a ratchet
wheel in gear with a pawl pivoted to the rigid part of the arm,

page_text: One terminal of the electric circuit is on the arm of the pencil electrode, and the
other terminal is in connection with one end of the coil forming the electro-magnet,
the other end whereof is in electrical connection with the ball electrode.
The action is as follows:-When the instrument is at rest, that is, when no
current is passing, the lever carrying the disc or ball drops by its own weight, so
that its opposite arm comes in contact with the are regulating screw, and the
armature is removed from the face of the electro-magnet, and also the locking
detent of the pencil electrode falls by its own weight free of the locking half of the
cone of the pencil electrode, and its armature is also removed from its face of the
other end of the electro-magnet, and thus by the dropping of the disc or ball
electrode and the rising of the pencil electrode the two are in contact.
Now on passing the current through the electro-magnet and electrodes the two
armatures are attracted, one to actuate the locking detent of the pencil electrode,
and the other to raise the disc or ball electrode, thereby producing the electric arc.
The adjustment of the arc regulating screw regulates the drop of the disc or ball
electrode, which drop governs the length of arc, as should the are become too long
or become extinguished by the consumption of the pencil electrode or otherwise,
the electro-magnet loses its power and allows the armatures to fall away, and thus
put the locking detent out of action, which will allow the pencil electrode to be
advanced until the magnet is again fully charged, when the armatures will be again
attracted, and the detent be applied and so on. At each drop of disc or ball lever
the pawl will ride over one or more teeth of the ratchet wheel of the disc or ball
axle, and upon the said lever being again raised the disc or ball will be slightly
turned, so as to present a new face to the pencil electrode.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Samuel Hickley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th April 1880.
ARTHUR SAMUEL HICKLEY, of Catford Bridge, in the County of Kent.
MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO ELECTRIC LAMPS."
" IMPROVE-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to electric lamps,
the object being to provide an apparatus of moderate cost, simple and durable
construction, that shall be easy of regulation and automatic in its action.
เ
In the Drawings Fig. 1 is a top view, and Fig. 2 a side view of an electric lamp'
apparatus constructed according to this Invention; and Figs. 3 and 4 are like views
of a modification of construction.
"
The " arc is produced between a circular disc or ball electrode a and a pencil.
shaped electrode b, which are carried upon two arms A and B substantially parallel,,
standing out from a plate or frame work C, shown in the Drawings as a plate, but
the same may be a pedestal, or be supported on a pedestal similar to a gas or lamp,
standard, or two or more of the lamps inay be arranged back to back or in a cluster,
of three or more to form a chandelier or pendant. The arms A and B also act as
brackets for carrying the coil or coils D, and other parts for conveying the electric,
current or currents and operating the lamp, E being the terminals to which the
current cables are secured.
Upon the extremity of the lower arm B is carried the metal carbon holder c, c²,
which is divided into two parts c, c', the one c fixed and of a piece with arm B, the.
other c' movable, said portion c¹ of the divided holder sliding upon two horizontal
pins upon the adjacent face of the fixed part c for purpose of clamping the
carbon b and arresting its forward movement when acted upon by the locking,
detent or presser arm d pivoted at e, and terminating at its lower end where it.
presses upon c in a non-conducting runner, as shown, and at the other end ter-"
minating in an armature d', as shown in Fig. 1, but in Fig. 2 carried by an adjustable,
spring plate d2 depending from the upper carbon carrier A¹, and acting with it.
The stem of screwg passes freely through the spring plate d² of the locking detent d;,
the armature d' is in juxtaposition with a face at one end of the electro-magnet D.
As shown by the Drawings in solid black, the arm B is insulated from the upper.
portion of the mechanism. The pencil electrode b is held in a socketed carrier b',
free to work within the carbon holder c, c¹, and having attached thereto chains or
lines carrying counterbalance weight F, or springs or other means such as float
and mercury or water or otherwise may be used that will act constantly to raise or
advance the carbon b, as will be well understood; f is a tubular piece, which may
be screwed on, as shown, to arm B to enclose this part 6' and F. The arm B is
adjustable in and by the socket and binding screw fastener G to ensure correct,
relation of the carbons a and b; g is an adjusting screw for restricting the fall of
the locking detent or presser arm d.
The electrode a is carried on an axle secured therein, and turning in centres a
at the extremity of the fork of a-lever A¹ pivoted upon the arm A, the inner end of
said fork lever A' carrying an armature A³in juxtaposition with the electro-magnet
D, and a strap across the arms A carries the adjusting thumb screw H, which I call
the arc regulating screw, to act upon the armature end of the electrode lever A'.
On the axle of the electrode a is fitted a ratchet wheel h-in gear with a pawl i
pivoted to the end of the rigid arm A.
One terminal E of the electric circuit is on the arm B of the pencil electrode b,.
and the other terminal is in connection with one end of the coil forming, the
electro-magnet, the other end whereof is in electrical connection with the ball
electrode a.
The dotted lines k in the Drawings represent a globe which will when used be
supported upon wire brackets or a gallery upon the rigid part c of the pencil electrode
bolder.

page_text: Although the wheel h and catch i are specified for turning the electrode a, never-
theless a clock work mechanism might be employed.
The action is as follows:-When the instrument is at rest, that is, when no cur-
rent is passing, the lever A¹ carrying the disc or ball drops by its own weight, so that
its opposite arm comes in contact with the arc regulating screw H, and the armature
A³ is removed from the face of the electro-magnet D, and also the locking detent d
of the pencil electrode falls by its own weight free of the locking half c' of the
pencil electrode holder, and its armature d', as shown in Fig. 2, is also removed
from its face of the other end of the electro-magnet D, or is carried free, as shown
in Fig. 4, by the falling of A¹; thus by the dropping of the disc or ball electrode a,
and the rising of the pencil electrode, the two are brought in contact. Now on
passing the current through the electro-magnet and electrodes armatures A² and
d of Figs. 1 and 2, or A² of Figs. 3 and 4 are attracted to actuate the locking
detent d of the pencil electrode, and to raise the disc or ball electrode and separate
the same, thereby producing the electric arc.. The adjustment of the arc regulating
screw H regulates the drop of the disc or ball electrode arm A, which drop governs
the length of arc, as should the arc become too long or become extinguished by the
consumption of the pencil electrodes or otherwise the electro-magnet loses its power
and allows the armatures to fall away, and thus put the locking detent out of action,
which will allow the pencil electrode to be advanced to meet the electrode a, thereby
closing the circuit and recharging the magnet, whereupon the armatures will be
again attracted and the detent be applied and so so. At each drop of the disc or
ball lever A¹ the pawl i will ride over one or more teeth of the ratchet wheel h of
the disc or ball electrode, and upon the said lever being again raised, as described,
the disc or ball will be slightly turned so as to present a new face to the pencil
electrode. This gathering up action is but a momentary one.
The locking detent or presser arm d is adjusted in relation to the arm A¹, so that
upon the lift of the armatures A² and d', or A2 taking effect, the movable part c¹ of
the pencil electrode b will first be locked, and then the electrode a will be raised
from it by action of armature A², thus giving the requisite length of arc and allowing
of its most accurate and automatic regulation.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention I
claim,―
First. The construction of electric lamp apparatus berein specified in reference to
Figs. 1 and 2 and Figs. 3 and 4, operating by the electro-magnet or magnets D to
lock or arrest the rise of the electrode b held in the divided holder c, c', by the
locking detent d, d', or d, d², and to actuate the armature A2 to raise the pivoted
lever A' and electrode a to form the "arc," the same regulated and controlled by
the adjusting screw and socket G, screw g, and arc regulating screw H, as set
forth.
Second. In the construction of lamp specified in reference to Figs. 3 and 4 the
spring plate d² of the locking detent d, with its adjusting screw g, operating as and
for the purpose herein set forth..
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Samuel Hickley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ARTHUR SAMUEL HICKLEY. (L.S.)
In the presence of,
WALTER A. BARLOW,
Patent Agent and Engineer,
6, St. Paul's Churchyard,
London, E.C.