IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Ritson Parkin Wallace of Distington in the
County of Cumberland and Francis Cherry, of S. George's-in-the-east in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
LAMPS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Ritson Parkin
Wallace and Francis Cherry at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 6th September 1883.
JOSEPH RITSON PARKIN WALLACE of Distington in the county of Cumberland
and FRANCIS CHERRY of S. George's-in-the-East, in the county of Middlesex,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS
"
'
This invention relates to Electric lamps in which the arc is regulated auto-
matically by the action of the electric current producing the light, the arrangements
being such that both the length of the arc, and the feed of the carbon electrodes
producing the light, are regulated by the armature of a single electro-magnet
actuated and controlled by the current of electricity passing through the lamp.
These arrangements are of the following character:-
The
Both the electrodes are moveable, one, hereinafter referred to as the "Feed
carbon," to the extent of its whole length, the other, hereinafter referred to as
the "floating carbon," within certain limits controlled by the movement of the
armature of the electro-magnet, and regulated by an adjustable spring.
carrier of the "floating carbon is hung to the armature of the electro-magnet,
and an adjustable spring is fitted to the said carrier for the purpose of holding the
armature away from the magnet when the latter is not excited, or, if preferred
this may be effected by the weight of the carrier and armature. The "feed
carbon" is lifted or lowered, that is fed towards the "floating carbon" by means of
a counterweight, the motion of which is controlled by a trigger carried by or
connected with the armature of the electro-magnet, and adapted to act on the
escapement wheel of a train of wheels set in motion by the aforesaid counterweight.
The action of this trigger and escapement wheel is such that an independent
movement is allowed to the "floating carbon without affecting the "feed carbon."
ID 1
"

page_text: $
"
When no current is passing through the lamp the "floating carbon" is held
away from the "feed carbon to the full extent allowed by the adjustable spring,
but when the current is sent through the lamp, the electro-magnet is excited, its
armature is attracted, and the "floating carbon" is thereby drawn towards the
"feed carbon" and should the latter be within the field of movement of the
floating carbon" contact is made between them and the current passes through
them; the excitation of the electro-magnet then ceases, the armature is released, is
moved away by the spring, or falls away by gravitation, and the "floating carbon"
is moved away with it out of contact with the "feed carbon" and the arc is
formed between them. If, however the "feed carbon" is at too great a distance
for the "floating carbon to make contact with it, the armature is attracted
nearer to the electro-magnet and the beforementioned trigger carried by or
connected with the armature releases the escapement, the counterweight moves the
"feed carbon so as to make contact with the "floating carbon" and the armature
is released as before; the trigger then stops the further feed of the "feed carbon,"
'floating
but being free to slide on the tooth of the escapement wheel it allows the "
carbon" to be separated from the "feed carbon" by the action of the adjustable
spring, and the arc is formed between the electrodes.
"
"
When the lamp is burning the arc is controlled and regulated by the saine
movements, that is to say, as the length of the arc increases through the burning
away of the electrodes, the resistance to the passage of the current increases and the
electro-magnet becomes gradually excited, the armature is attracted proportionally
and the "floating carbon" brought nearer to the "feed carbon." A regular and
steady arc is thus maintained, until the carbons are so much consumed that the
limit of play of the "floating carbon" is reached, when the trigger releases the
to be fed forward so as to reduce
escapement wheel allowing the "feed carbon "
the resistance until the current passing through the arc is sufficient to relieve the
electro-magnet and stop the feed of the "feed carbon, the 'floating carbon"
retreating as the "feed carbon
"
advances.
"
"
"
By these simultaneous movements effected by the same excitation of the same
magnet, the carbons are kept practically at an equal distance from each other a
very small increase of the rssistance of the are causing the "floating carbon" to be
drawn towards the "feed carbon" until the full movement of the floating
carbon" is reached, when the "feed carbon" is allowed to approach. The arrange-
ments render it impossible for the electrodes to remain in contact when the current
is passing, the slightest catch of the trigger stopping the feed, while the full play
of the trigger on the tooth of the escapement wheel is allowed to the "floating
carbon"
It will be understood that the "feed carbon" is moved forward by successive
steps and that the "floating carbon" follows up as it were the combustion of the
quantity of "feed carbon" consumed, retreating when the feed takes place and
again following up the combustion of the part fed forward and so on continuously.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Ritson Parkin Wallace and Francis Cherry in the
Patent Office on the 6th March 1884.
JOSEPH RITSON PARKIN WALLACE of Distington in the County of Cumberland
and FRANCIS CHERRY of St Georges-in-the-East in the County of Middlesex
IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS
"
"
This invention relates to electric lamps in which the arc is regulated automatically
by the action of the electric current producing the light, the arrangements being
such that both the length of the are, and the feed of the carbon electrodes
producing the light, are regulated by the armature of a single electro-magnet
actuated and controlled by the current of electricity passing through the lamp.
Those arrangements are of the following character:-
·
"
"
"
Both the electrodes are moveable, one, hereinafter referred to as the "Feed
carbon to the extent of nearly its whole length, the other, hereinafter referred to
as the "floating carbon," within certain limits controlled by the movement of the
armature of the electro-magnet, and regulated by an adjustable spring. The
carrier of the "floating carbon" is hung to the armature of the electro-magnet,
and an adjustable spring is fitted to the said carrier for the purpose of holding the
armature away from the magnet when the latter is not excited, or, if preferred this
may be effected by the weight of the carrier and armature. The "feed carbon
is lifted or lowered, that is fed towards the "floating carbon" by means of a
counterweight, the motion of which is controlled by a trigger carried by or
connected with the armature of the electro-magnet, and adapted to act on the
escapement wheel of a train of wheels set in motion by the aforesaid counterweight.
The action of this trigger and escapement wheel is such that an independent
movement is allowed to the "floating carbon" without affecting the "feed carbon."
When no current is passing through the lamp the "floating carbon" is held
away from the
feed carbon" to the full extent allowed by the adjustable spring,
but when the current is sent through the lamp, the electro-magnet is excited, its
armature is attracted, and the "floating carbon" is thereby drawn towards the
"feed carbon and should the latter be within the field of movement of the
floating carbon" contact is made between them and the current passes through
them; the excitation of the electro-magnet then ceases, the armature is released, is
moved away by the spring, or falls away by gravitation, and the "floating carbon
is moved away with it out of contact with the "feed carbon" and the arc is formed
between them. If, however the "feed carbon" is at too great a distance for the
floating carbon" to make contact with it, the armature is attracted nearer to the
electro-magnet and the before mentioned trigger carried by or connected with
the armature releases the escapement, the counterweight moves the feed carbon
so as to make contact with the " floating carbon" and the armature is released as
before; the trigger then stops the further feed of the "feed carbon," but being free
to slide on the tooth of the escapement wheel it allows the "floating carbon" to be
separated from the "feed carbon" by the action of the adjustable spring, and the
arc is formed between the electrodes.
"
وو
"
"
"
And in order that the said invention may be more fully understood we will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings
in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a lamp constructed in accordance with our
invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of same at line 1-2 of Figure 1 looking
anda

page_text: Figure 3 13 a transverse section of same at me 1-2 01 Figure 1 looking
downwards,
Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal section at line 3-4-5 of Figure 2, and
Figure 5 is a detail to enlarged scale of certain of the parts.
A is the main frame or casing of the lamp containing the electro-magnet and
other working parts, B is the cover or cap for the casing A, and C is a prolongation
of the casing A containing the "feed carbon" tube and carrier and the weight for
moving the same. The casing, its cover and its prolongation may be of any other
suitable form and arranged in any other way suitable for containing or carrying
the mechanism of the lamp. D is the "feed carbon" contained in the tube E,
F is the feed carbon carrier, G is a cord one end of which is fixed to the lower end
of the "feed carbon" carrier F; the cord is then carried up through a long slot H
in the tube E, over a V-grooved pulley I, a guide pulley or roller J, and the other
end is secured to the counterweight K which is free to move up or down in the
prolongation of the case A and on the tube E. Lis the guide for steadying the
upper end of the "feed carbon" D and for conducting the electric current thereto;
and the more effectually to insure the passage of the current to the said carbon the
guide L is fitted with a spring tongue piece or brush M to secure perfect metallic
contact between the guide L and the carbon D. The guide L is insulated from the
cover or cap B by insulating material N. The axis of the V-grooved pulley I is
connected with a train of wheels O and causes the same to rotate under the action
of the counterweight K whenever the escapement wheel P (which is connected
with the train of wheels O) is liberated by a trigger or catch Q. It will be under-
stood that by these arrangements the "feed carbon can be moved upwards by the
weight to the extent of nearly its whole length. The lower end of the tube E is
insulated from the prolongation C of the case by insulating material R, but is
connected electrically to the similarly insulated terminal S by means of a metallic
plate T. The terminal U is in metallic contact with the bottom of the case C.
V is the "floating carbon" supported by its carrier W which is free to slide freely
up and down in the sheath or tube X screwed to the cover or cap B. This carrier W
is hung between the forks of the armature Y of the electro-magnet Z. a is a spring
the tension of which can be adjusted by a set screw b. The lower end W₁ (Figure 4)
of the "floating carbon" carrier W rests upon the free end of the spring a; and is
thereby pressed upwards along with the armature Y when the latter is not
attracted by the electro-magnet Z. An adjustable f stop is provided to prevent
the armature Y from coming into actual contact with the poles of the electro-
magnet. The trigger or catch Q is fixed to the armature Y and rises or falls with
it under the action of the spring or the electro-magnet, its end is shaped so as to
take into the teeth of the escape wheel P, and to slide to a certain extent against
the faces of such teeth so as to allow the "floating carbon" to have an independent
movement within certain limits without releasing the escape wheel P and therefore
without affecting the "feed carbon."
"
The electric current enters the lamp at one of the terminals passes through the
electrodes D and V if they are in contact with each other, or the are is formed,
thence by the carrier W to the lamp case and out at the other terminal or vice
versa. But if the electrodes are not in contact with each other, or the arc is not
formed, part of the current passes through the bobbins of the electro-magnet which
bobbins are made of sufficient resistance. Or, if the arc is formed, but offers more
resistance than the bobbins of the electro-magnet, part of the current passes
through the electrodes and part through the bobbins, exciting the electro-magnet
more or less according to the proportion of the current passing through them.
It will now be understood that when no current is passing through the lamp the
"floating carbon "V is held away from the "feed carbon" D by the adjustable
spring a, but when the current is sent through the lamp sufficient thereof is allowed
to pass through the bobbins of the electro-magnet Z, which is then excited, its
armature Y is attracted, and the "floating carbon" V is thereby drawn towards
the "feed carbon" D against the action of the spring a, and if the said "feed

page_text: carbon" D is within the field of movement of the "floating carbon" V contact is
made between them and the current passes through them instead of through the
bobbins; the excitation of the electro-magnet then ceases, the armature Y is
released and along with the "floating carbon" connected to it is moved away by
the spring a so that the " floating carbon" V is moved out of contact with the
"feed carbon" D and the arc is formed between them. If, however the "feed
carbon "D is at too great a distance for the "floating carbon" V to make contact
with it, the armature Y is attracted nearer to the electro-magnet Z and the trigger
or catch connected to the armature releases the escape wheel P; the counter-
weight K then begins to descend and to raise the "feed carbon " D so as to make
contact with the "floating carbon" V, the current then passes through the
electrodes D, V instead of through the bobbins of the electro-magnet, the
armature Y is released as before and is raised by the spring a the trigger then
again takes into the teeth of the escape wheel P, stops its further motion, and
consequently that of the counterweight K, and the further feed of "feed carbon" D.
The trigger Q being free to slide on the tooth of the escape wheel P allows the
floating carbon V to be separated from the "feed carbon" D by the action of
the spring a so as to form the are between the electrodes.
"
"
:
Figure 5 shows to an enlarged scale the escape wheel P, the trigger Q, and the
The full lines
armature Y, and the relative positions of the electrodes D and V.
show the armature Y moved away from the electro-magnet, the trigger in gear
with the escape wheel P, and the "floating carbon" V in its corresponding position
separated from the "feed carbon" D; the dotted lines show the armature Y
attracted towards the electro-magnet and the trigger Q thereby moved downwards
on the face of the escape wheel tooth so as to allow the "floating carbon" to come
into contact with the "feed carbon." It will be seen that if the end of the "feed
carbon were a little lower than shown the "floating carbon" would allow the
armature Y and with it the trigger Q to be drawn down lower so as to release the
escape wheel P and allow the feed of the "feed carbon" to take place.
"
The interposition of the train of wheels between the V-grooved pulley I and
the escape wheel prevents the too rapid feed of the "feed carbon" D, and
this effect is favoured by the retarding action of a "flyer" c on the escape
wheel P.
"
When the lamp is burning the arc is controlled and regulated by the same
movements, that is to say, as the length of the arc increases through the burning
away of the electrodes, the resistance to the passage of the current through them
increases, a part of the current is shunted to the bobbins of the electro-maguet
which becomes gradually excited, the armature Y is attracted proportionally, and
the "floating carbon" V is brought nearer to the feed carbon" D. A regular
and steady arc is thus maintained until the electrodes are so much consumod that
the limit of play of the floating carbon" V is reached, when the trigger Q
releases the escape wheel P allowing the "feed carbon " D to be fed forward so as
to reduce the resistance until the current passing through the arc is sufficient to
relieve the electro-magnet and to stop the feed of the "feed carbon," the "floating
carbon" retreating as the "feed carbon" advances.
"
By these simultaneous movements effected by the same excitation of the same
magnet, the carbons are kept practically at an equal distance from each other,
a very small increase of the resistance of the arc causing the "floating carbon"
to be drawn towards the "feed carbon' until the full movement of the
"floating carbon" is reached when the "feed carbon" is allowed to approach.
The arrangements render it impossible for the electrodes to remain in contact
when the current is passing as the slightest catch of the trigger in the teeth
of the escape wheel stops the feed of the "feed carbon," while the full play
of the trigger on the face of the tooth of the escapement wheel is allowed to the
'floating carbon."
*
It will be understood that the "feed carbon" is moved forward by successive
steps and that the "floating carbon" follows up as it were the combustion of the

page_text: quantity of "feed carbon" fed forward at each operation retreating when the
feed takes place and again following up the combustion of the part fed forward,
and so on continuously.
It is obvious that the lamp may be so arranged that the "floating carbon" shall
be below the "feed carbon" instead of above it, and in that case the said "floating
carbon" may be moved away from the "feed carbon," and the armature away from
the electro-magnet by the gravity of the parts instead of by spring action, and the
"feed carbon" would in that case also be fed forward by its own gravity and that
of its carrier aided or not by an additional weight or weights. It would be
secured in its carrier, and the cord G attached thereto at one end, and carried over
suitably arranged pulleys adapted to drive the train of wheels and the escapement
when the latter is released by its trigger, in a manner similar to that herein before
described in reference to the drawings.
Having now described the nature of the said invention and the manner in
which the same is to or may be carried into effect we would have it understood
that what we consider to be novel and therefore claim as the invention to be
secured to us by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
First, In an electric lamp the floating carbon or electrode and its carrier with the
catch or trigger both carried by the armature of an electro-magnet excited
by a derivation or shunt circuit of the electric current producing the light,
whereby the said floating carbon or electrode is drawn towards the feed
carbon or electrode by the said armature, or moved away therefrom by
the action of a spring or by gravity, according as the resistance to the
passage of the electric current through the electrodes varies in relation to
the resistance of the bobbins of the electro-magnet; the escapement wheel
in connection with a train of wheels actuated by a counterweight or by the
feed carbon and its carrier, aided or not by an additional weight or weights,
for effecting and controlling the feeding forward of the feed carbon or
electrode when the said escapement wheel is liberated by the aforesaid
trigger connected with the armature governing the motion of the floating
electrode; the whole arranged combined and operating as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the several figures of the drawings.
Second The arrangement of the escapement wheel and trigger whereby the latter
can slide on the face of the tooth of the escapement wheel without releasing
the same, to an extent equal to the range of the floating carbon or electrode
necessary for steadying and regulating the arc during the combustion of
the part of the feed carbon or electrode last fed forward, as herein before
described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings.
In witness whereof we the said Joseph Ritson Parkin Wallace and Francis Cherry
have hereunto set our hands and seals this fifth day of March in the year of Our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.