Improvements in Arc Lamps.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
Improvements in Arc Lamps.
I, HENRY JOHN BAGLEY, of 171, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London,
Mechanical 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:-
My invention consists of an improved electric arc lamp in which the voltaic arc
is produced by the electric current in an enclosed globe or receptacle hereinafter
referred to as the globe."
66
The voltaic arc is produced between two electrodes of carbon or other suitable
material (hereinafter called the electrodes) in a vacuum in a neutral gas or other
agent by exhausting or sterilizing the atmospheric air in the globe or by filling
the globe with coal gas nitrogen gas or other suitable neutral gas or agent by the
several methods now in use in incandescent lamps or other kindred methods
The electrodes are introduced into the globe by means of apertures therein. An
air-tight joint is made in any suitable manner as for example by juxtaposition
with a suitable elastic ring or washer which is compressed by means of a screwed or
other suitable stopper or plug or by the electrode itself.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 represents a sectional view of an electric arc lamp constructed on the prin-
ciple of my said invention
Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification of the same.
Fig. 3 is a similar view of another modification of the same.
Fig. 4 represents a sectional view of a suitable attachment for applying a Sprengel
or other air pump with lamp in position for exhausting the same and introducing
the electrode.
Fig. 5 represents a section shewing another modification of the air-tight joint.
Fig 6 represents another modification of the air tight joint.
Fig. 7 is another modification of the same
Fig. 8 shews the airtight joint as in Fig 1 with the screw stopper (d) screwed
back.
Fig. 9 shews section and elevation of the elastic ring or washer (el) used in the
air tight joint-Fig. 1.
In each of these figs. similar parts are denoted by the same letters and like parts
by the same letters with the suffix 1 or 2.
"
a
The globe
"is of a spherical or other suitable shape, it is provided with the
necessary cylindrical projections 6 b¹ through which are the apertures for inserting
the electrodes c c these projections are either screwed inside or ground or bored to
fit stoppers d d which are screwed or pressed down upon the elastic rings or
washers ee. In lieu of the stoppers d the projections 6 6¹ may be formed as
shewn in Figs 3 and 4 in which case the washers e el are constructed with apertures
through their centres of smaller diameter than that of the electrodes c c¹. f is a
contrivance of any shape for suspending the lamp and a shade g may be used there-
with.

page_text: A suitable attachment as shewn in Fig 4 may be used for exhausting the globe
by connection with a Sprengel or other air pump in which h is a cylindrical vessel
provided with a projection 62 a stopper and a washer through which the
electrode c¹ may be inserted during the process of exhaustion The screw stopper d³
being firmly screwed down. The vessel h is also provided with another projection k
formed of a shape similar to that of projections b b in Figs. 3 and 4 and of a shape
similar to projections 6 6¹ and stoppers d d' in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 To exhaust
my lamp one electrode is first inserted in one of the projections b and an airtight
joint duly made the attachment is then connected to the other projection b by
means of the elastic tube which is so placed over the projections 61 and k as to
make an air tight connection as shewn in Fig 4. The pump is then connected to
the vessel h at o and after exhaustion the lamp may be filled with a neutral gas at
the inlet i after which the electrode c¹ is fully inserted through washer e and
stopper de removed.
In Figs 1, 2, and 8 the stoppers d d' and the projections bare screwed to fit
whilst in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the stoppers and projections b b₁ are ground to fit
and again in Fig. 3 and in the lamp shewn attached to the exhausting vessel h
in Fig. 4, the air tight joints are made by means of juxtaposition with the elec-
trodes the apertures in the washers e el being of smaller diameter than the
electrodes c c¹ and the projections b b are in these cases formed so that the elastic
washers e el may be forced into position before the electrodes c c¹ are inserted.
The electrodes may be adjusted to the proper distance apart after the air tight
joints are made
It is however unnecessary to exhaust my lamp as the air may be sterilized so as
not to support combustion by passing the electric current through the lamp where-
by the oxygen is used up. The electrodes may then be readjusted if necessary and
no further wasting of the electrodes takes place
The advantages of my invention are as follows:-
My lamp may be made in all sizes taking the place of the present incandescent
electric lamp and having an indefinite life and also obviating as in the case of the
arc lamp now in use the constant attention and renewal of electrodes required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim
18:-
1 An arc lamp in which the arc light is produced in vacuum or in a neutral.
gas or in sterilized atmospheric air so as to prevent the combustion of the electrodes
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying draw-
ings.
Dated thin Oth day of Wa 1900