Improvements relating to Electrical Resistances.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements relating to Electrical Resistances.
I EDWARD WINGFIELD BOWLES of 28 Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention, which relates more particularly to what are known as
liquid resistances, is to prevent the waste of electro-motive force at such times as a
resistance is not required, this waste or loss being caused by bad contact between the
plates, when at rest, due to the collection of dirt, the formation of crystals, or from
other causes.
To this end, the invention consists in providing means so constructed and arranged
that, when the resistance is not required, the current shall be automatically short-
circuited, and the resistance entirely cut out, thereby preventing any loss of E.M.F.,
due to bad contact of the plates.
In carrying out this invention, as applied, for example, to a wheel or a lever moving
one pole plate to and from the other by means of a rod or cord, the wheel or lever
working the apparatus is provided with a suitable contact piece or pieces so placed
that, when the two pole plates are touching, these contact pieces shall come into
electrical connection with other contact pieces, thereby short-circuiting and cutting
out the resistance, without the necessity for employing an extra switch.
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NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
I EDWARD WINGFIELD BOWLES of 28 Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster,
Civil 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 object of this invention, which relates more particularly to what are known as
liquid resistances, is to prevent the waste of electro-motive force at such times as a
resistance is not required.
In liquid resistances, as at present constructed, one pole plate, which is fixed at the
bottom of a suitable reservoir, is made cup or trough shaped, and the other pole
plate (which is movable, being supported by a cord or chain passing over a pulley,
or in any other convenient manner) is externally of the saine shape as the inside of
the cup or trough, so that when it is let down into the cup, it will, theoretically,
make good contact all over.

page_text: This good contact is, however, liable to be interfered with, by (among other things)
the accumulation of dirt on the bottom pole plate, and thus the waste of E M F takes
place, as above mentioned.
Now, the present invention consists in providing means, so constructed and
arranged that the current shall be automatically short-circuited, and the resistance
entirely cut out, thereby preventing any loss of E M F, due to bad contact of
the plates.
The manner of carrying out my invention will depend somewhat on the form of
the resistance apparatus; thus, for example, if the movable plate is supported by a
cord passing over a wheel, I may use brushes attached to the wheel in such a
position that when the pole plates are together, the brushes will have come into
contact with other and fixed contact pieces in the 'circait, thus short-circuiting, and
entirely cutting out, the resistance, without the necessity for employing an extra
switch.
Or, in case a lever is used, it may carry a metallic piece, which will bridge over
two fixed contact pieces in the circuit, with the before mentioned result.
It will be unnecessary for me to further enumerate the various forms of liquid
resistances, and to explain the application thereto of my invention, as any competent
person would be able, from the description given above, to adapt the invention to
such other forms.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained 'the nature of thy said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 'I
claim is
In a liquid resistance, short-circuiting, or entirely cutting out, the resistance, by
adapting to the device or appliance which carries or supports the movable pole plate,
contact pieces, which, when the pole plates, are together, 'come into electrical
connection with fixed contact pieces in the circuit, 'and bridge over the space between
such contact 'pieces, as set forth.