IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR REGULATING THE PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Wilde at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1882.
HENRY WILDE of the City of Manchester Electrical Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN MECHANISM FOR REGULATING THE PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY."
Whereas it is known that when a number of incandescent lamps are lighted in
the same electric circuit and if it be desired to extinguish some of them, a larger
quantity of electricity passes through the remainder of the lamps, thereby
producing an unnecessary degree of illumination in them and endangering the
continuity of the carbon filaments.
Now my invention consists in an arrangement of mechanism by which the speed
of the electro-generating machine is regulated to supply the varying amount of
electricity required to maintain the varying number of lamps in the circuit to their
normal degree of incandescence
In this improvement a solenoid of high resistance or an electro-magnet is placed
in the major circuit in which the lights are produced and as the strength of the
current in the solenoid varies with the diminished or increased number of lamps in
the circuit contacts are made (by means of an iron core within the solenoid acting
on a balanced lever) with metal studs connected respectively with two sets of
electro-magnets, either of which is excited by the direct major or minor current
of the electro-magnetic induction machine.
The electro magnets are mounted on the faces of two iron discs which are carried
on a horizontal axle and between the electro magnets on the same axle is mounted
another iron disc which constitutes the armature of the electro magnets on each
side of it. Motion is given to the armature disc by means of suitable belts and
gearing connected with the steam engine or other prime mover and as the electro-
magnets are excited on one side or other of the armature disc they are brought into
forcible contact with it and the discs on which the electro-magnets are mounted
are carried round the axle in the same direction as the armature disc.
To the bosses of the electro-magnet discs, which act as drums or rollers, cords or
chains are attached which are connected with the valves of the steam engine or
other motor by suitable means, and as one or other of the electro-magnet discs
rotates so the valve is opened or closed by the winding up of the cords in one
direction or the other on the roller bosses of the electro-magnet discs and the speed

page_text: of the steam engine and electro generating machine are regulated to produce the
amount of electricity necessary to maintain the lamps to the normal standard of
illumination.
Another method of giving a reversible motion to the rollers on which the cords
are wound for opening and closing the valves of the steam engine or other prime
mover is to employ a clutch and three bevel wheel arrangement, the clutch being
thrown in and out of gear by means of a lever actuated by two sets of electro
magnets excited alternately in the same manner as the electro-magnets on the
discs in the arrangement above described. Motion may be given to the bevel
wheels and rollers by suitable belts and gearing connected with the steam engine
or other prime mover.