Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1899
I, WALTER CRUDGINGTON, of 17, Edgbaston Road, in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to electric arc lamps, and has for its object principally.
to prevent the consumption of the light-giving body, and increase the volume of
light, which is attained by striking the are in high vaceua instead of by employing
consumable carbon electrodes naked to the atmosphere.
According to my invention there is little or no consumption of the carbon
electrodes the points between which the arce is struck, always remain at a fixed
distance apart, so that no feed or regulating mechanism is required and the current
does not require to be shunted in order to make each of the points alternately
negative and positive in order to ensure their equal consumption although if
necessary, regulating means may be provided for feeding up one or both of the
points in the event of there being some small consumption after long use.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I provide a cap or top, having
metallic and adjustably-mounted brackets depending from it, which respectively
carry the carbon tips of the lamp, and which may be suitably secured in sockets
of the adjustable brackets, which are connected to the terminals of an electric
circuit. The carbon electrodes and brackets are enclosed within a globe provided
with means for exhausting the air therefrom in order to obtain high vaccua.
I may employ in connection with one or both of the carbon brackets, solenoids
or electro-magnets arranged to admit of the points approaching one another to
take up wear due to the consumption after continued use.
On the current entering, it passes through the one tip, and on the two
carbons being made to approximate, the current passes from the one to the other,
and strikes the lighting arc, and then passes out of the lamp by the return ter-
minal, and whereby an intense light, without the consumption of the electrodes,
is obtained in the vaccua.
Instead of employing carbon points, I may employ platinum.

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to electric arc lamps, and has for its object principally,
to prevent the consumption of the light-giving body and increase the volume
of light which is attained by striking the arc in a high vaccuum instead of by
employing consumable carbon electrodes naked to the atmosphere.
According to my invention there is little or no consumption of the carbon
electrodes and the points between which the arc is struck remain practically at a
fixed distance apart, at all times when the current is passing, so that-in ordinary
use no feed or regulating mechanism is required and the current does not require
to be an alternating one in order to make each of the points alternately negative
and positive in order to ensure their equal consumption although if necessary,
regulating means may be provided for feeding up one or both of the points in
the event of there being some slight consumption after long use.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents an elevation of an electric
lamp constructed in accordance with my invention, whereby an electric arc is
struck between a pair of carbon electrodes situated in a high vaccuum, or within
a sealed globe from which the air has been exhausted, there being, consequently,
no appreciable consumption of the carbons when the current passes, such as
ordinarily occurs in electric lamps in which the carbons are exposed to the
atmosphere.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the lamp mechanism, by which, on the current
being applied, the top carbon is raised to such a height as to strike the arc.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures
of the drawings.
a is a glass or transparent globe from which the air has been exhausted and
then sealed or made air-tight, and within the vaccuum thereby formed, the arc
light apparatus 6 is situated. This consists of a bottom carbon electrode c, fixed
in a holder d, carried by a frame, and a top carbon e, whose holder f, is carried
by a metal rod 9, sliding in the hollow core h¹, encircled by a coil h, the whole
being suspended within the sealed globe by the wires i, j, which pass through and
are fused into the crown of the said globe.
The arrangement of the said carbon electrodes, with the other parts of the lamp
is such that when current first enters the lamp, it passes from the wire j, round
the coil h, which is thereby rendered active and raises the rod q, and holder of
the top carbon until the latter is removed to a distance from the lower carbon
sufficient to admit of the striking of the are, and so long as the current continues
to pass, the electrodes remain in the same relative positions, as being contained
in a vaccuum, no combustion or hurning away of the carbon can occur.
Either a continuous or an alternating current may be employed but--on first
starting the lamp I prefer to employ an alternating current which removes the
slight film due to dust or the like which I have found accumulates upon the
bottom.
In order to ensure the complete absence from the globe of air or other gases
capable of supporting combustion. I may before exhaustion and sealing, com-
pletely fill the same with some gas, such as carbon mon-oxide, nitrogen or the
like in which no consumption of the carbon electrode can occur, and then I with-
draw as much as possible of this gas by the ordinary means for producing a high
vaccuum and finally seal the globe, thus ensuring that the gas remaining will be
in such a rarified state. in addition to being a non-supporter of combustion. as to
render impossible any burning away of the carbons.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
In electric are lamps, locating the carbon electrodes within a sealed globe from

page_text: which air or gas has been exhausted, so as to strike the arc in a high vaccuum
and thereby prevent the consumption of the carbons, whose relative positions
remain practically constant while the lamp is in use, substantially as described and
set forth.
1011 1
1000
WALTER CRUDGINGTON.
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.