An Improved Mode of and Apparatus for Distributing Electricity.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 26th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Mode of and Apparatus for Distributing Electricity.
1, ALBERT HARRIS HOWARD of 10 Oakley Crescent, Chelsea in the County of
Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The chief object of this invention is to connect groups of storage batteries with tho
dynamo machines which supply them with electricity, and disconnect such machines
therefrom automatically, for the purpose of replacing an exhausted battery by a
charged battery, and at the same time avoiding the breaking of the battery circuit.
In order to attain this result, and provide a continuous supply of electricity from the
central station to any given number of groups of storage batteries in series, I provide
for each supply of electricity required, say, a group of four batteries, which I will
designate A, B, C and D.
The dynamo machines at the central station I connect through a switch with the
several groups of batteries, and this switch I actuate by means of a clock which makes
and breaks the circuit of a local battery, thereby causing an armature, actuated by a
electro magnet, to move the switch, and throw the dynamo out of connection with the
groups of batteries, and into connection with a suitable resistance automatically at
given periods, for the purpose of permitting a commutator to come into action, and
throw out an exhausted battery from its group, and bring it into connection with the
dynamo, while a charged battery is brought into connection with the acting batteries
of the group.
The switch may consist of a rock shaft fitted with a pair of three-prong forks
dipping into mercury cups in electric connection with the dynamo machine, a suitable
resistance, and all the groups of storage batteries.
Supposing, now, the battery A to be in the dynamo circuit, for the purpose of
receiving a charge of electricity, and that an interval of, say, five minutes from the
last change or shift of the dynamo current is indicated by the clock, the electro
magnet above mentioned will now be put in action, to shift the switch by the clock
closing the circuit of the local battery, and the dynamo current will be thrown into
the resistance.
The charged battery A will, by means of the commutator be now connected in
parallel with the battery B, which was previously in connection with C and D, supplying
a current to the lamps or other apparatus. B with next be thrown out, leaving A
connected in series with C and D. To complete the mutation, B is brought into
parallel with C, then C is shifted into parallel with D, and D, the exhausted battery, is
placed in direct electric connection with the dynamo.
The battery D thus takes the place of the battery A, and continues to receive a
supply of electricity until the next mutation occurs. When D is charged, it is
introduced into the storage battery circuit, and, by a similar series of mutations to
that above described, the now exhausted battery, C, is withdrawn, and placed in the
dynamo circuit, to be recharged.
In like manner, when C is charged, it is placed in circuit with D and A, and B is
withdrawn, for recharging, and so on, each charged battery being placed in the storage
battery circuit, and an exhausted battery being withdrawn and placed in the dynamo
circuit, for recharging, without interruption to the working circuit.
These mutations are effected by means of a commutator, which is coupled up with
the several batteries A B, C and D, and with the dynamo. This commutator, which
comes into use on the breaking of the main circuit, will be be conveniently actuated
by a pawl taking into the teeth of a ratchet wheel, and receiving motion from a

page_text: rocking armature, the magnet of which is in the main circuit, and situate adjacent to
the group of batteries.
Dated this 21st Ja
T. 1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Mode of and Apparatus for Distributing Electricity.
I, ALBERT HARRIS HOWARD, of 10 Oakley Crescent, Chelsea, in the County of
Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to he performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain novel means of connecting groups of storage
batteries forming parts of home installations, with the dynamo machines at the central
station from which they receive their supply of electricity, and of disconnecting such
machines therefrom automatically, for the purpose of supplying each storage battery
of a group in turn with electricity, without disturbing the working current.
In order to attain this result, and furnish a continuous supply of electricity from the
central station to any given number of groups of storage batteries in series, provide
for each supply of electricity required, say, a group of four storage batteries, which I
will designate A, B, C & D.
The dynamo machines at the central station connect, through a switch at the
central station, with the line wire leading to and from any given number of these
groups of storage batteries, and this switch I actuate by means of suitably timed
mechanism, which will throw the dynamo out of connection with the groups of batteries,
and into connection with a suitable resistance, automatically, at given periods, for the
purpose of permitting a commutator to come into action, and detach a battery from
its group, and bring it into connection with the dynamos while a replenished battery is
brought into connection with the acting batteries of the group.
In the accompanying drawings
:—
Fig. 1 shews in side elevation the arrangement of switch that I employ for throwing
the current of the dynamos alternately into the line and into a resistance; and,
Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.
In these figures, A is a horizontal shaft mounted in standards A' fixed to a
platform A². This shaft is fitted with a pair of three-armed switches a, a', a², which
dip respectively into mercury cups, carried by the platform. The cups bb
connect with the positive and negative brushes of the dynamos, as will be seen in the
diagrams Nos. 1 and 2, and the mercury cups and 26 connect respectively with
the line wires B, and with a suitable resistance B, as also illustrated in the diagrams.
Pendent from the shaft A, is an arm A³, which is intended to receive an impulse
from a rock lever D, fulcrummed on a standard on a base plate E, which serves to
support, by means of pillars, the platform A².
The use of this rock lever (the means for actuating which will be presently described)
is to rock the shaft A at given intervals, and depress the arms a', a', a², a², alternately
into their respective mercury cups, for the purpose of closing the circuit of the dynamos,
either with the line wire or with the resistance.
The arms a, a of the switch, it will be understood, always remain in contact with the
mercury of their cups b, b.
In order to lock the switch when it has brought the resistance within circuit, and
retain it in position until the desired inntations have been effected in the storage
batteries, I provide a bolt, as at f, which, under the pressure of a spring f¹, will cause
it to enter a notch of a sector arm A, carried by the rock shaft A, and thereby hold
the dynamo in circuit with the resistance.
The bolt is the extension of the core of a solenoid F, which is supported on the

page_text: platform A²; wires from this solenoid connect, the one, through a resistance, with
the line wire B, the other with the mercury cup on the platform A³, a second
and adjacent mercury cup f³ being also connected with the line wire B.
A metallic
fork projecting from the rock shaft A, but insulated therefrom, dips into these
cups when the switch is tipped to bring the dynamo into the resistance circuit, and
by this means the solenoid is put into connection with the main line B, which at this
time derives its current from the batteries.
Before explaining the nature of the mutations by which the several batteries of the
series are in turn thrown into connection with the line wire, for the purpose of having
their supply of electricity renewed, I will explain the arrangement of time mechanism
which I have found suitable for working the switch, its use being preferred to
clockwork, as being dependent on the engine which drives the dynamos, and working
therefore in consonance therewith, instead of independently thereof.
The rock lever D is attached to a tension spring D*, which tends to pull over the
lever in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1, and tip the switch to the right, for the
purpose of putting the dynamo into resistance. The lever is forced back by the rotation
of a cam D, which hears upon a pin d upon the side of the rock lever. This cam
is keyed to a horizontal shaft G mounted in standards on the bed plate E, and keyed
to the end of this shaft is a band pulley D, which receives rotary motion by suitable
driving gear from the engine.
The continuous motion thus obtained I convert into an intermittent motion by
releasing the rock lever D, say, once in every 5 minutes, and thereby causing it,
through its impelling spring, to rock the switch as above explained. This result I
obtain by mounting in the cam disc D¹, a short axle carrying a pair of pinions of
twenty teeth, and causing these pinions to revolve, the one in gear with a wheel G'
with fifty one teeth fixed to one of the standards, in which the shaft G turns, while
the other pinion gears with a wheel G3 of fifty teeth, mounted loosely on the shaft G.
Affixed to this wheel G³, is a disc G, fitted with, say, two pins set diametrically opposite
each other. These pins serve, as the wheel which carries them rotates, to release a
catch d, which, engaging with the rock lever D, locks it out of action.
The forward motion of the rock lever, to tip the switch, occurs when a depression
of the cam D is presented to the pin d of the rock lever D, at which time the
spring D of the rock lever will come into action, and cause the tipping of the
switch.
The rotation of this notched cam, will cause its pinions, at every revolution around
the shaft G, to drive back the wheel G³ the distance of 1 tooth. Now, if the shaft G
receives five revolutions per minute from its pulley G', the wheel G³ will make a
complete rotation in ten minutes, but as the disc carried by the wheel is fitted with two
pins, the tipping of the catch d', and the consequent rocking of the switch to the right,
will occur once in every five minutes.
It now remains to explain how this automatic time-regulator is employed to effect
the mutations needed in the groups of batteries, to ensure a continuous and uniform
supply of current from the dynamos to the several batteries, in succession, composing
the group.
Leaving now, for the present, the central station, I come to a consumer's installation,
which is provided, as already explained, with a group of four storage batteries in
communication with a commutator.
Fig. 3 shews the commutator in end elevation, and
Fig. 4 is a front view of the same.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew detached views of the rings I¹ 12, and the metallic connection
of certain of the plates with which they are fitted.
H is a base plate fitted with a frame H', in which is mounted the commutator axle 1.
Keyed to this axle 1, is a pair of commutator rings I 12, fitted respectively with four
plates 1, 2, 3, 4, and 1*, 2*, 3*, 4*. For the purpose of effecting the mutations to be
hereafter described, I connect the plate 2* electrically with plate 3, and plate 3* with
plate 4. Surrounding the rings 1 12 are brushes in metallic .connection with the

page_text: opposite poles of the batteries which compose the group. The respective connections
of these brushes with their batteries, is illustrated in the diagrams Nos. 3 to 11.
The plates 1, 2, 3, 4 and 1*, 2*, 3*, 4*. it will be understood, pass in order under
the brushes as the rings are rotated.
The plates 1, 1 are metallically connected with the insulated rings K-K* mounted
on the axle 1. The rings K K, through brushes in electrical connection with the
main lines B, are brought into connection with the dynamo. Similarly plates 2, 3, 4,
and 2*, 3*, 4*, are in metallic connection with the insulated rings L L on the axle I,
and by means of brushes leading to the lamps, a current of electricity is supplied
thereto from the batteries.
M is a solenoid in the main line circuit, fitted with a core from which projects
upwards a rod m, carrying a pawl m'. Connected to the top of this rod, and led over
stationary guide pulleys, is a cord m², the free end of which is attached to a weight m³.
The tendency of this weight is to raise the core m, and bring its pawl m' into action
upon a ratchet wheel of four teeth, keyed on the axle I. As, therefore, the pawl rises,
under the drag of the weight m³, it will drive round the ratchet wheel the distance of
one tooth, thereby giving a quarter turn to the axle I, and the rings 11 I attached
thereto.
When the current from the dynamos is passed through the line B, the solenoid M
will be caused to draw down its core, thereby raising the weight which is connected to
the rod of the core, and hold it in position for imparting a further movement to the
commutator rings. In this way, the plates 1, 2, 3, 4, and 1*, 2*, 3*, 4*, will be
caused to pass under the surrounding brushes, which are in communication respectively
with the several batteries of the installation, and thereby bring the four batteries
successively into connection with the dynamo circuit.
Referring now to the diagrams Nos. 3 to 11 inclusive, I will explain the course of
the mutations by which this result is effected, while the supply of electricity to the
lamps is maintained unaltered.
Diagram No. 3 shews the battery A as cut out of the lamp circuit, and in connection
with the line wire, its brushes being in contact with plates 1, 1*, of the rings I, I,
the batteries B, C, and D remaining in the lamp circuit, which circuit is maintained
by their brushes being in contact with the plates 2, 3, 4, and 2*, 3*, 4*.
[Note, in this and in the following diagrams, the insulated rings on the commutator
shaft are drawn as concentric rings of gradually decreasing diameter, for the purpose
of shewing, at a glance, the several rings of which the commutator is composed.]
Diagram No. 4 shews the first change from No. 3 position, caused by the rotation of
the rings 11 12³.
In this diagram, battery A is cut out from the dynamo circuit, but no change in
relation to the other batteries, B, C, and D, has taken place.
In diagram No. 5 owing to the further rotation of the rings II, battery A is
connected in parallel with battery B, the lamp circuit remaining otherwise unchanged.
Diagram No. 6 illustrates the next mutation, in which the battery B is cut out of
the lamp circuit, by reason of its brushes having left the plates 2, 2*, and been
brought into contact with an insulated portion of the rings. The further rotary
movement of these rings next causes battery B to be put back in parallel with C, as
shewn in diagram No. 7.
The next change illustrated in diagram No. 8, shews battery Û cut out by its brushes
having left the plates 3, 3, and being in contact with an insulated portion of the
rings. The further rotation of the commutator puts the battery in parallel with
battery D, as illustrated in diagram No. 9, and the further rotation of the commutator
cuts out the battery D from the lamp circuit, as illustrated by diagram No. 10.
It only now remains, for the completion of the mutation, to put battery D into
connection with the line wire; this is illustrated at diagram No. 11, which shows the
plates 1, 1, in connection with battery D.
The result of this last movement is to provide a way for a back current from the
battery D.to and. through the solenoid F, which draws back the bolt f, and releases

page_text: the switch, thereby allowing it to fall over by its own weight, and bring the dynamos
again into connection with the main line.
The current from the dynamos into the battery D, will continue to flow until the
switch is again reversed by the action of the time wheel apparatus.
The cutting out of the dynamos from the main line will effect the release of the
weight m³, and cause it to pull round the commutator rings another quarter of a
rotation, thereby effecting another mutation of the batteries, similar in effect to that
described and illustrated by diagrams Nos. 3 to 11.
In like
The battery D, which took the place of A, will, after changes like those detailed,
replace C, which will now become the recipient for the dynamo current.
manner, the battery B will take the place of C, and so on, till the cycle is completed.
From the foregoing explanation it will be understood that the batteries, while
giving out current for lighting, are never at that time receiving a charge of electricity.
This mode of distributing the electric current ensures a steadiness of light, but the
disadvantage hitherto experienced in carrying out this system of distribution, has
been the multiplication of delicate machines, (one for each installation) needed for
switching the dynamos in and out of circuit.
Now, according to my invention, the mechanism which automatically switches the
main current on to a resistance, and back to the line, is placed in the central station,
and acts simultaneously on all the installations in the circuit.
The switching apparatus, which is necessarily delicate, and requires constant super-
vision, is, according to my invention, always open to the inspection of a resident
engineer, whereas, when located at distant installations, it is liable to be neglected,
and to become a constant source of embarrassment.
It will be understood that the periods between the cycles of changes may be
lengthened or shortened according to requirements; the time I have mentioned has
merely been given to facilitate the understanding of the action of the mechanism.
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
1. In a system of electric distribution from a central station, through storage
batteries situated at various points on the external circuit, the use, at the central
station, of a periodically acting automatic switching apparatus, for diverting
(temporarily) the entire dynamo-current from the batteries in charge, to a resistance,
& allowing mechanism situated at the various storage stations on the line, to come
into action & effect the changes in the local circuits, as & for the purpose above
described.
2. In combination with the storage batteries at each installation, a rotary com-
mutator arranged to effect the cycle of changes in the connection of the batteries with
the line wire, and with each other, as and for tho purpose above set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1890.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.