Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Measuring Electrical Energy.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Feb., 1891-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SE MULTIQALION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Measuring
Electrical Energy.
We, LUCIEN ALFRED WILHELMINE DESRUELLES, and RAPHAEL FENELON
ODILE CHAUVIN, both of 18, Avenue Percier, Paris, France, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to apparatus for measuring electrical energy.
Our improved apparatus comprises a voltameter which is traversed by the
electric current to be measured, and in which the relative position of the electrode.
is changed by the electro-deposition due to the action of the current, the said
electrodes serving alternately as anode and cathode, and such change of position of
Our said
the electrodes being utilized for effecting the reversals of the current.
apparatus also comprises mechanism which is actuated by an electric motor, or by
one or more electro-magnets, when the circuit of such motor or magnet is com-
pleted by the voltameter, and the object of which is to effect the different operations
which the apparatus has to perform, namely the distribution or commutation of the
current, the interruption of the circuit of the said motor or magnet, and the
movement of the mechanism for registering the amount of electrical energy
measured by the apparatus.
In carrying our said invention into practice, we employ, in the voltameter, a
fixed or stationary electrode, and a movable electrode so arranged that, when
the current is caused to flow in one direction through the voltameter, metal will be
deposited upon the said movable electrode and a proportionate quantity of metal
will be yielded or given up to the electrolytic bath by the stationary electrode, and
consequently the weight of the said movable electrode will be increased and the
said electrode will descend; and, when the current is caused to flow in the reverse
direction, metal will be deposited upon the stationary electrode, while the movable
electrode will yield or give up to the electrolytic bath a proportionate quantity of
metal the weight of the movable electrode will thus be diminished and the said
electrode will rise.
We utilize the rising and falling of the said movable electrode to complete the
circuit of the electric motor or magnet which effects the commutation or reversal of
the electric current flowing through the voltameter. This motor or magnet is
included in a shunt from the main line, through which flows the current to be
measured. And we provide suitable means whereby the said circuit will be
interrupted as soon as the current in the voltameter has been reversed.
If the movement of the aforesaid electrode is regulated for a predetermined
quantity of metal deposited and dissolved, it is only necessary to know to what
number of ampère hours this quantity of metal corresponds for one movement of
the said electrode, and to know how many times the direction of the current has
been reversed, in order to ascertain the amount of electrical energy, measured in
ampère hours, represented by the current that has passed through the voltameter.
We can attach the movable electrode to a float supported upon a stratum of
petroleum or the like on the top of the electrolytic bath. Or, in place of this float,
we can use a spring or springs of any suitable description, the said spring or springs
being connected with a lever for completing the motor-circuit. Each electrode
preferably consists of a series of metal plates, connected by cross-pieces of the
same metal. The stationary electrode may rest upon the bottom of the electro-
lytic cell.
The movable electrode is provided with rods which extend through the cover of
the electrolytic cell, and the upper ends of which are bent over and dip into mercury

page_text: contained in suitable cups, thus forming the necessary electrical connections with
the movable electrode, whilst permitting the required movement thereof.
We combine, with the voltameter having a movable electrode as above mentioned,
an electric motor, or one or more electro-magnets, which is or are connected by
suitable gearing with the commutator for reversing the direction of the current
flowing through the said voltameter; and we arrange, in combination with the
movable electrode, a device for closing the circuit in which the said motor or
magnet is included, and suitable means for breaking or interrupting the said circuit
when the motor or magnet has reversed the current. Therefore when the said
electrode rises, it will complete the motor-circuit and thus cause the operation of
the motor, which, through the said commutator, will effect the desired reversal of
the current. As soon as this reversal has taken place, the motor-circuit will be
interrupted. The current in the voltameter being reversed, the weight of the
movable electrode will then be gradually diminished until the said electrode, in
descending, again completes the motor-circuit, thus causing another reversal of the
current flowing through the voltameter, and, when such reversal has taken place,
the motor-circuit will be again interrupted, and so on.
The electric motor is preferably constructed to operate at a difference of potential
equal to that existing between the terminals of the circuit the current in which is
to be measured.
To provide for the breaking or interruption of the motor-circuit when the reversal
of the current through the voltameter has been effected, we find it advantageous to
employ a device which is operated by the motor or magnet, and which breaks the
contact at the proper time. For instance, we provide the following combination of
parts, that is to say :-A piece or block of insulating material to which are attached
two screws or contact pieces, is so arranged that it can be moved up and down as
hereinafter mentioned. The movable electrode is provided with a rod extending
through the corer of the electrolytic cell and having an arm which extends into the
space between the said screws or contact pieces, so that the rising and falling of the
said electrode will move the said arm into contact with one or the other of the said
screws or contact pieces.
To ensure good contact and prevent overheating of the contacts, we provide
suitable means whereby the pressure of the said arm against the screws or contact
pieces will be increased by magnetic attraction. For this purpose, the said arm is
inade either of magnetized steel, so that, when brought against one or the other of
the screws or contact pieces, it will be held thereto by magnetic attraction or of
soft iron and so arranged in combination with one or more magnet-coils in the
motor circuit that it will be held to one, or the other of the said screws or contact
pieces by magnetic attraction when, but not until the motor-circuit is completed by
the said arm touching the said screw or contact piece. Actual magnetic contact
between the said arm and the screws or the like, is preferably prevented either by
making the latter or the arm of platinized steel, or by the introduction of some
non-magnetic metal between them, or by making the screws of non-magnetic metal,
and so arranging an electro-magnet or piece of magnetized steel relatively to the
said screws that the arm will be attracted to the screws but cannot touch the said
magnet or piece of magnetized steel. We thus avoid any undesirable results that
might otherwise be caused by residual magnetism. The insulating piece or block
carrying the said screws or contact pieces is connected by means of a link or con-
necting rod (which is slotted to permit a certain amount of lost motion), with a
crank-pin fixed in a wheel or disc operated by the motor or magnet; for example
in one of the wheels of the registering mechanism. By these means, in each
operation of the commutator, the said insulating block will be moved up or down,
thus drawing out of contact with the aforesaid arm, the screw or contact piece
against which the said arm rests. The motor-circuit being thus interrupted, time
is allowed for the required electrolytic action to take place before the current is
again reversed by the movement of the cominutator.
353
Our improved apparatus is so arranged that the whole of the current to be

page_text: measured must pass through the said voltameter and so that the direction of the
current through the voltameter can be reversed without reversing the current in the
main line.
We find it advantageous to make the said commutator of sections which are
partly annular and partly semi-annular, and to provide suitable brushes some of
which bear against the annular parts of the said sections of the commutator, and
the others against the semi-annular parts thereof. The former serve for connecting
the apparatus with the main line or circuit through which flows the current to be
measured, and the latter for connecting the electrodes of the voltameter with the
said circuit, and for permitting the reversal of the direction of the current through
the voltameter when the commutator is operated, without reversing the current in
the main circuit.
Dated this 7th day of Mor 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Measuring
Electrical Energy.
We, LUCIEN ALFRED WILHELMINE DESRUELLES and RAPHAEL FENELON
ODILE CHAUVIN, both of 18bs Avenue Percier, Paris, France, 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 :---
Our invention relates to apparatus for measuring electrical energy.
Our improved apparatus comprises a voltameter (i.e. an instrument for measuring
the quantity of electricity that has passed through it) which is traversed by the
electric current to be measured, and in which the relative position of the electrodes
is changed by the electro deposition due to the action of the current, such change
of position of the electrodes being utilized for effecting the reversals of the current
relative to the meter and for causing the said electrodes to serve alternately as
anode and cathode. Our said apparatus also comprises mechanism which is actuated
by an electric motor, or by one or more electro-magnets, when the circuit of such
motor or magnet is completed by the voltameter and the object of which is to
effect the different operations which the apparatus has to perform, namely the
distribution or commutation of the current, the interruption of the circuit of the
said motor or magnet and the movement of the mechanism for registering
the amount of electrical energy measured by the apparatus.
In carrying our said invention into practice we employ in the voltameter a fixed or
stationary electrode, and a movable electrode attached to a support that will permit
of a rising and falling movement which are so arranged that when the current is
caused to flow in one direction through the voltameter and metal is deposited upon
the movable electrode the said electrode will descend owing to its increased weight,
and when the current is caused to flow in the reverse direction, and metal is
deposited upon the stationary electrode while the movable electrode is caused to
yield or give up to the electrolytic bath a proportionate quantity of metal, the said
electrode will rise owing to its diminished weight. We utilize the rising and
falling movement of the said movable electrode to complete the circuit of the
electric motor or magnet which effects the commutation or reversal of the electric
current flowing through the voltameter. This motor or magnet is included in a
shunt from the main line through which flows the current to be measured. And
we provide suitable means whereby the said circuit will be interrupted as soon as
the current in the voltameter has been reversed.
If the movement of the aforesaid electrode is regulated for a predetermined
quantity of metal deposited and dissolved it is only necessary to know to what

page_text: number of ampère hours this quantity of metal corresponds and how many times
the direction of the current has been reversed, in order to ascertain the amount of
electrical energy measured in ampère hours represented by the current that has
passed through the voltameter.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, and
Figure 2 a vertical transverse section of our improved apparatus for measuring
electrical energy.
Figure 3 is a side elevation, and
Figure 4 a plan of the said apparatus.
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the commutator and contact poles, and
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic representation of the wire connections.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the drawings.
a is a vessel constructed of sand-stone, glass, earthenware, or other material
adapted for holding a saline solution forming the cell of the voltameter; is the
space containing the electrolyte, and a quantity of petroleum which on account
of its smaller specific gravity rests on the top of the electrolyte and forms a cover
thereto. d d are stationary metallic plates resting on the bottom of the cell a and
connected by cross-pieces e constructed of the same metal as the plates . The
series of plates d constitute one electrode of the voltameter. A box floats in the
petroleum c, the said box having plates arranged to extend downwards between
and alternate with the fixed plates d and thereby divide up the electrolyte into
spaces bounded on one side by a fixed plate and on the other side by a movable
plate. The plates g are also connected by suitable metallic cross-pieces ' and
constitute the other electrode of the voltameter. The said clectrodes d, g are
formed of any suitable metal as for instance copper, zinc or nickel and the electrolyte
.may be composed of the sulphates of these metals.
The float for carrying the movable electrode is provided with three rods h h¹²
which are fixed preferably to the base of the said "float and extend through the
cover of the cell a. Two of the said rods are bent over at their upper ends
and dip into mercury cups mounted on the said cover i to form the necessary
electrical connections with the movable electrode, whilst permitting the required
up and down movement thereof. These rods are constructed preferably of nickeled
iron.
The third rod carries at its upper end a magnetized horizontal bar for the
object hereinafter specified.
We combine with the voltameter having a movable electrode as above described
an electric motor which is connected by suitable speed reducing gearing m with a
commutator and drives the said commutator thereby acting to reverse the
direction of the current flowing through the said voltameter as hereinafter described.
We arrange in combination with the movable electrode a device for closing the
circuit in which the said motor is included and suitable means for breaking or
interrupting the said circuit when the motor has reversed the current.
The commutator a constructed of two parts insulated from each other and shaped
substantially as shown in Figure 4, has four contact poles or brushes 1, 2, 3, 4, the
connections with which are clearly shown in the diagrammatic representation,
Figure 6. From this diagram it will also be readily seen that in one position of
the commutator the current is caused to pass in one direction through the voltameter,
and when the commutator is rotated through half a revolution the current is caused
to pass through the voltameter in the opposite direction, and so on, the reversal
taking place at every half revolution of the commutator. The motor / which
drives the commutator is placed in a shunt circuit, and the connection therewith is
only completed at intervals depending on the position of the movable electrode.
The making and breaking of this circuit is effected by the aforesaid bar & which
traverses with the movable electrode and moves between two adjustable screw
contact pins o o¹ which are in electrical contact with the motor. Therefore when

page_text: the said bar k makes contact with either of the pins o o¹ the circuit through the
motor is complete and the said motor is then actuated.
The electric motor is preferably constructed to operate with a difference of
potential equal to that existing between the terminals of the circuit the current
in which is to be measured.
To ensure good contact and prevent overheating of the contacts we provide
suitable means whereby the pressure of the bark against the screws or contact
pieces will be increased by magnetic attraction. For this purpose the said bar is
made either of magnetized steel, so that, when brought against one or the other of
the screws or contact pieces it will be held thereto by magnetic attraction, or of
soft iron and so arranged in combination with one or more magnet coils in the motor
circuit that it will be held to one or the other of the said screws or contact pieces
by magnetic attraction when but not until the motor circuit is completed by the
said bar touching the said screw or contact piece. The same result may be
obtained by making the screws or contact pieces magnetic preferably through the
means of electro-magnets actuated by the current that passes through the contact
pieces on contact being made. Actual magnetic contact between the said bar and
the screws or the like, is preferably prevented either by making the latter or the
bar of platinized steel, or by the introduction of some non-magnetic metal between
them or by making the screws of non-magnetic metal and so arranging an electro-
magnet or piece of magnetized steel relatively to the said screws that the bar will
be attracted to the screws but cannot touch the said magnet or piece of magnetized
steel. We thus avoid any undesirable results that might otherwise be caused by
residual magnetism.
To provide for the breaking or interruption of the motor-circuit when the
reversal of the current through the voltameter has been effected, we find it
advantageous to employ a device which is operated by the motor and which breaks
the contact at the proper time. For instance we provide the following combination
of parts, that is to say-The contact pins o o' are carried by a block of insulating
material which is mounted in a slot 1 formed in a standard y. The said block may
be moved up and down in the said slot but is preferably constructed to work with
sufficient friction to retain the block in any position to which it may be set.
Moreover the insulating piece or block is provided with a pin p' which is
connected by means of a link or connecting rod r with a crank-pin s fixed in a
wheel or disc t attached to the axis of the commutator n. This wheel may be one
of the wheels of the registering mechanism. The connecting rod has in it a slot or
long aperture which engages with the pin of the block p in such a manner as to
permit an amount of "lost motion." By these incans in each operation of the
commutator, the said insulating block p will be moved up or down thus drawing
out of contact with the aforesaid bark the screw or contact piece against which
the said bar rests. Owing to the lost motion above referred to, the block pis
moved only just before the connecting rod arrives at the end of its traverse or
the dead point of the crank, consequently the current in the motor is not interrupted
until the commutator has made exactly a half turn and has therefore reversed the
direction of the current through the voltameter as above described.
?"
Our improved apparatus is so arranged that the whole of the current to be
measured must pass through the said voltameter and so that the direction of the
current through the voltameter may be reversed without reversing the current in
the main line. The wheel is geared up to suitable indicating apparatus.
The action of our improved apparatus is as follows:-Assuming that the current
is passing through the voltameter in the direction which causes a deposition of
metal on the movable electrode, the increasing weight of the said electrode
due to the added metal will cause the same to sink until the bar k is brought into
contact with the lever contact pin o. As soon as contact is made with this pin,
the shunt circuit containing the electric motor is completed and the said motor is
operated and through the gearing m rotates the cominutator n. When however
the commutator has nearly made a half revolution the connecting rod actuated

page_text: i
"
.
thereby engages with the pin and moves the block p downwards thereby
breaking the contact of the pin with the bar and interrupting the current in.the
shunt circuit and the motor then ceases to work. The direction of the current
through the voltameter is however now reversed and consequently the electro
deposition takes place on the stationary electrodes d, while the deposit previously
made on the plates y is re-dissolved; the said plates thus become lighter and the
float gradually rises until the bar k makes contact with the upper contact pin o¹
when the current in the motor circuit is again completed. The said motor then
drives the commutator again until the circuit is broken by the movement of the
block that is to say until the commutator has made another half revolution as
above described. These operations are continually repeated so long as the current
to be measured is passing. It is obvious therefore that if it is known what
number of ampère hours corresponds with the deposit of an amount of metal
sufficient to depress or raise the plates g a distance equal to that through which the
bar can move between the pins o o', then it is only necessary to know how often
the current through the voltameter has been reversed in order to discover the
number of ampère hours of electrical energy that have passed through the
apparatus.
In a modification of our invention the float fis replaced by a spring or springs
which operate upon a lever which serves to make alternate contact with the screw
pins o of above described. A convenient arrangement is to suspend the movable
electrode from the lever (which has a vertical movement) and to counterbalance it
.by a spring operating to draw the lever upwards. Other equivalent modes of
suspension can be used.
Moreover the said contact making lever may be constructed of iron or have an
iron teminal and the contact of the lever and the screws
o may be ensured as
before explained by the use of an electro magnet placed in the notor circuit and
which is excited immediately the lever touches one or other of the pins o o¹ and
completes the motor-circuit. It will be evident that. this arrangement has an
advantage over the use of magnetized steel for the lever or contact pieces as it
avoids the slight error that might arise with the use of the magnetized steel bar k
due to the said bar attracting the contact pius a little before making actual contact
therewith. The electro magnet may be placed on the lever itself but usually it
will be preferable to place it on or behind the contact pieces.
It is obvious that our improved apparatus may be further modified in detail a
without departing from the nature of our said invention.
Elaving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
First. In an apparatus for measuring electricity by electrolytic action the use of
a commutator which causes the whole of the current to pass through the meter in
alternating directions without interrupting or reversing the current in the mains,
substantially as described.
Second. In an apparatus for measuring electricity by electrolytic action in which
the whole of the current passes through the meter the suspension of a movable
electrode (whose changes of weight actuate the meter) by a spring and lever such
lever opening and closing a shunt circuit substantially as herein described.
Third. In an apparatus for measuring electricity by electrolytic action in which
the whole of the current passes through the meter the use of an electro motor:in a
shunt circuit for the purpose of working a commutator which reverses the current
relative to the meter (but not in the mains outside the meter) and actuating the
recording mechanism substantially as described.
Fourth. In an apparatus for measuring electricity by electrolytic action the
herein described device for completing a shunt circuit and breaking it again when
a movable electrode whose weight varies with the amount of metal deposited upon
it is in its predetermined highest or lowest positions.

page_text: Fifth. In an apparatus for measuring electricity by electrolytic action the herein
described devices for securing good electric contact in a shunt circuit when a
movable electrode has reached its predetermined highest and lowest positions.
Sixth. In an apparatus for measuring electricity by electrolytic action the use of
electro-magnets in a shunt circuit in combination with contact pieces upon such
circuit substantially as and for the purposes described.
Seventh. An apparatus for measuring electricity by electrolytic action constructed
substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated
2nd day of February 1890
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.