IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR REGULATING THE FEED OF ELECTRODES IN ELECTRIC LAMPS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR REGULATING THE FEED OF
ELECTRODES IN ELECTRIC LAMPS." A communication from abroad by
_ Alphonse Isidore Gravier, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd December 1881.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lanc, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR REGULATING
THE FEED OF ELECTRODES IN ELECTRIC LAMPS." [A communication from abroad
by Alphonse Isidore Gravier, of Paris, in the Republic of France.]
This Invention relates to the regulation of the electrodes in that class of electric
lamps in which clock work is employed, the object being to produce a more delicate
regulation of the electrodes than has been heretofore obtained.
For this purpose two electro magnets are used to control the movements of an
Oscillating locking bar, which engages with the flyer as scape wheel of the clock
mechanism for the purpose of locking and releasing the same, and thus controlling
its movements.
The carbon electrode to be regulated is carried by a vertical rack-bar which
forms the propelling weight of the clock, and thus on the release of the scape
wheel the feed of the carbon instantly commences.
A tendency is given to this locking bar to drop into the locking position by
the pressure of a light spring, a counterweight, or its equivalent.
The electro magnet situate on the weighted side of the locking bar is coiled with
a comparatively thick wire and is set in the main circuit of the lamp. The office
of this magnet, which is the more powerful one, is to draw forward the oscillating
Price Cd1

page_text: bar and retain it in its locking position. The electro magnet on the opposite side
of the locking bar is coiled with a fine wire to offer a greater resistance to the
passage of a current than the coils of the more powerful magnet. The greater
resistance inagnet is placed in a secondary or derived circuit, one of its terminals
being connected with a terminal of the other magnet.
The effect of this arrangement is that when tho are has increased to such an
extent as to offer an undue resistance to the passage of the current in the main
circuit, an increased proportion of the current will pass to the derived circuit,
thereby increasing the attractive power of the electro-magnet in that circuit to an
extent that will enable it to pull over the locking bar, release the scape wheel, and
set the clock work in action. So soon as the resistance in the main circuit has
decreased by the approach of the carbons, the electro magnet in the circuit will
regain its superior attraction and return the oscillating bar to its original position.
Adjustable stops are provided for limiting the motions of the locking bar.
The principle involved in the action of the above described apparatus admits of
application in different way; thus, for example, instead of using two electro
magnets, which alternately come into action for locking and unlocking, the same
result may be obtained by employing a spring for operating the locking bar, and
a single magnet for releasing the scape wheel.
This magnet may be coiled with the wire of both the main and the derived
circuits in such manner that the currents passing through the coils will neutralize
each other. So soon however as the balance is destroyed by the elongation of the
arc, the magnet will be caused to attract the locking bar and release the scupe
wheel.
Again an electro magnet situate in a derived circuit and acting to unlock the
scape wheel may be controlled by, say, a "Deprez" galvanometer, so arranged as
to complete the circuit when a given point is reached and thus enable the electro
magnet to act, breaking the circuit and consequently stopping the action of tho
electromagnet when the feed of the electrode is required to be resumed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Edward Nowton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd June 1882.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR REGULATING
THE FEED OF ELECTRODES IN ELECTRIC LAMPS." A communication from abroad
by Alphonse Isidore Gravier, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
In the regulation of electric currents, as in the regulation of gaseous currents,
three facts present themselves.
1st. If the quantity flowing should be constant, because the conductor feeds only
one receiver t, t', should be rendered invariable.
t is the tension at the point of entrance, and t¹ the tension at the point of
exit; t, t, represent always a certain number of volts.
2nd. If the quantity flowing is limited by the amount which can pass through a
constructor at a maximum velocity it suffices to render constant. The value of
t, t, may be neglected.
t is the tension at the entering end of the conductor, and the tension at the
exit end, the difference t, t¹, being very sınall!
3rd. If the quantity flowing should be sometimes very considerable and some-
times very small, because the conductor feeds a whole network, it is T that should
be made to vary at the starting point.
In the first case the regulator known as the rheometric regulator is employed.
In the second case it is a tension regulator.
In the third case it is a regulator of emission.
Let us take the rheometric regulator; and in order to better understand the
Invention let us take as an example a voltaic arc lamp.
We have to render constant the intensity of the current which traverses the
lamp by rendering invariable the difference t, t'.
Generally in speaking of a lamp which is regulated by a branch circuit, it is
said "so long as the main current (the current which crosses the arc) preserves a
certain intensity, that is to say, so long as the voltaic arc is not too long the
clock work is locked and prevents the descent of the moveable rod, but so soon
as the balance is disturbed the attractive power of the electro magnet, which
is in the derived circuit, is increased, the arinature is attracted, the clockwork
released, and the rod descends. This causes the diminution of the arc by the
approach of the carbons to each other."
This language, which applies to all the known apparatus, is a good expression
of what should be, but in reality it only expresses what one would wish it
should be.
In effect, so soon as the point of equilibrium is passed, it is necessary that the
mechanical action for re-establishing the equilibrium should come into effect.
Generally this is far from being the case, the regulating power has to increase and
sensibly exceed that which balances the magnetic action in order to begin to
regulate.
With the ordinary regulator it may be observed this regulating action only
produces its effect under a difference of tension of from 8 to 12 volts, which is
enormous, and which represents a work equivalent to 8 or 12 kilogramme metre
seconds (K. M. S.) for a lamp which utilizes 10 Webers.
It has been seen that so soon as the point of equilibrium is passed, it is necessary
that at that instant a mechanical action should intervene to re-establish the
equilibrium.

page_text: It should be added that this mechanical action should be independent and
come into action only at the moment when t, t¹, is passed, and that its action
should cease at the precise moment when t, t', is re-established.
The object of this Invention is to ensure the release of the clock work of a photo
electric regulator by means of a very small and constant differential action.
To this end there are provided, as shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying
Drawing, two bobbins a, b, two soft iron cores A, B, of the same size and weight, a
base C, and an armature d.
The armature is very short and light, and is formed of several elements placed
in juxta position in the most convenient form and soldered with tin solder. On
either side of its axis of oscillation it is provided with a small screw for the
purpose of limiting its movements. It is furnished with a spring & of brass wire,
or it may carry a little counterweight of about 1/2 gramme, or again its centre of
oscillation may be placed outside of its centre of gravity.
The bobbins inay he placed parallel or otherwise. The bobbin a is wound with
n fine wire of a certain determinal resistance comparatively great. The bobbin b
carries a thicker wire of small resistance.
I
100
If we make i and I the intensities of these bobbins, then i = and I = 100 i.
The resistances of these bobbins should be such that i² R =
12.
The bobbin a having great resistance R is placed in a circuit derived from the
main circuit.
The bobbin b with small resistance is placed in the main circuit (that of the
arc) having a variable resistance.
These conditions being fulfilled there will be equilibrium when s + I' r = ³ R
(8 representing the work of the spring).
The clock work will be locked by the action of the spring every time that
R1, and released when ¿? — 1 is greater than 8.
It will be readily seen that the strength of the spring s may be small, as it has
only to lift the armature a to lock the clock work.
The result of this is that a very slight variation in the intensity of the main
current, whether it proceeds from a variation at the source or from a variation in
the resistance of the are, will suffice to lock or unlock the clockwork of the lamp.
By giving to the springs a force equal to 'gramme a variation of less than
1/100 of a Weber in the intensity of the current will suffice to produce the move-
ment of the armature and the consequent locking or unlocking of the clockwork
according to the rise or fall of the intensity in the main circuit.
Suppose it to be a Serrin lamp to which the differential electrical locking
arrangement has been applied, and which requires a current of three Webers under
a tension of 100 volts, what should be the value of the resistance in the derived
circuit ?
It will be found from recorded calculations that the distributive resistance
R1666 ohms.
The intensity of the derived current should be 10 of the main current or 0.03
Webers; the derived resistance should therefore be 16-66 x 100 = 1666 ohms,
upon which should be taken the resistance of the bobbin a.
Let us maker of the bobbin b = 0.002 ohms as we should have IR or
3º × 0.002 = 0.032 x R, we shall have for R =
3 x 0.002
0-032
= 20 ohms.
In these conditions of resistance let us see how the differential electro-magnet
will operato when a variation of intensity occurs equal to 0-01 Weber.
Let the work of the bobbin a be in centimetre-grammes, then Ta = 10 x 0.03
x 20 ohms x 10-93 = 196-74, that of the bobbin T = 10 x 2.99 x 0.002 x
10.93 = 195-37. Active difference in c, g, 1-37 more than sufficient difference,
since the work of the spring corresponding to 10 movements per second equals
0g 5 x 0.05 x 10 = 0.25 centimetre grammes.
The distributing circuits of this lamp have been calculated to obtain a fixed
luminous intensity with a current of 3 Webers under a tension of 100 volts.

page_text: Under these conditions the intensity of the lamp in question can only vary if the
electro motive force varies, that is to say, if the speed of the electric generator
varies all the lamps fed by the same generator will vary alike.
It is necessary to take the case where it is required to vary the intensity of one
lamp without modifying the regulation of the others.
According to the inventor's principle of distribution described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to me, and dated June 22nd, 1881, No. 2739, it will suffice to
vary in an inverse sense the distributor circuit which includes the principal circuit
and the derived circuit.
We have in this case a lamp utilizing 3 Webers, and we wish it to give a light
equivalent to an expenditure of 3 x 3 Webers. It suffices to change the principal
resistance from 16.00 to
5-55 ohms, and the derived resistance from 16 66
1666
to
= 5 55 ohms.
3
10-66
=
This result can be readily obtained if the principal circuit which is 1041 ohms
and the derived circuit which is 10 66 are each furnished with resistance bobbins,
of which the number can be varied by the aid of a commutator.
At Fig. 2 another form of differential unlocking electro magnet is shewn.
It is composed of a bobbin mounted upon a soft iron core and wound with two
coils, one of thick wire and the other of thin, and under the conditions of
resistance. determinal above, these coils being arranged so as to be traversed by
currents in opposite directions.
In the case when -R=1r the magnetization is nil, and the armature will
be quite free to answer to the pressure of the spring 8 which will cause it to lock
the clockwork.
When
R-1
is greater than 8, the clockwork will obviously be unlocked
under this differential action.
The system would be in equilibrium when R = I² 3ª + 8.
Fig. 3 represents another arrangement of electro magnet.
Let us suppose a Deprez galvanometer with fine wire placed in derivation on
the lamp circuit at the two terminals of the lamp, and that t, t' has to be made
constant, say at 00 volts. Let us mark on the galvanometer the spot corre-
sponding to 60 volts, and at this point let us make or break a second derived
circuit, in which is included an electro magnet A, B, having a large resistance, and
upon which the movement of the clockwork depends.
So long as the needle of the galvanometer is not exactly on the spot corre-
sponding with 60 volts, so long will the second derived circuit remain open, the
electro magnet A, B, will be inoperative, and the clockwork will bo locked; but on
this spot being reached the needle of the galvanometer will close the second derived
circuit of the electro magnet A, B, which will become excited, will attract the
armature a, b, (which is quite free to move), and thereby unlock the clock work.
The carbons will now approach each other until t, t', (60 volts) is reestablished;
at this moment the galvanometer needle will again break the circuit of the electro
magnet A, B, which becoming inert will allow of the clockwork being locked, and
of so remaining until the equilibrium is once more disturbed.
The movement of the galvanometer needle which determines the opening or
closing of the circuit, and consequently the movement or the stoppage of the
clock work takes place under a variation of little more than 1/10 of a millimetre;
it will therefore be readily understood that the resistance of the arc and the
intensity of the current can be regulated with the greatest nicety.
Figures and 5 of the Drawing shew a clockwork lamp similar to a Serrin
regulator, to which is applied the differential electro-magnetic releasing apparatus
shewn in Fig. 1, but as an example only, as it will be readily understood that
either of the plans above described or any others based on the same principle may
be applied in the same way.
The motive power is the stem of the upper carbon holder. The lower carbon
does not travel towards the other, but is fixed to a magnetic core governed by a

page_text: solenoid, the only object of which is to cause the separation of the carbons to
-establish the arc
•
The clockwork when at rest is locked by the action of the spring a
Supposing the circuit to be closed, the carbons not being in contact, the whole
current now traverses the derived circuit, excites the magnet a, and thereby
releases the clockwork; the two carbons now come into contact, and the main
circuit being thus closed the light is produced by the separation of the carbons
under the influence of the solenoid.
At this moment i R = Ir and the clock work is locked.
But the carbons consume at the rate of 0.2 millimetres per second, and the
separation of the carbons tends to increase by reason of this consumption, the
resistance of the arc augments, and consequently diminishes the intensity of the
principal current. There comes a moment when R-Ir is greater than 8, a
release of the clock work then takes place and re-establishes equilibrium, that is, the
electro magnetic equality R: 12, which allows the spring s again to lock the
clock work.
=
These lockings and unlockings of the clock work are so frequent that the carbons
may be said to travel towards each other continuously.
In order to shew clearly the manner of applying my Invention, I have shewn in
Fig. 6a diagram indicating the arrangement adopted for establishing a variable
intensity lamp at a distance. This arrangement is shewn as an example only in
practice, it will be susceptable of modifications.
By the adoption of this Invention the following advantages are secured, viz.:-
1. Extreme sensitiveness, the arc adjusting itself under a variation of less
than 100 of a Weber of intensity.
2. An unvarying brilliant light, the are being maintained at its maximum
brilliancy.
3. The simplification of the general construction of the lamp, admitting of its
taking forms best suited to its destination.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of improved mechanism for
regulating the feed of electrodes in electric lamps, as communicated to me from
abroad, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I
claim,―
First. The means above described whereby a current of electricity is caused to
neutralize the action of an electro magnet, or to balance the action of a pair of
electro magnets in connection with a photo electric regulator until a readjustment
of the carbons is required, and then to excite the electro magnet or disturb the
balance of the electro magnets, as and for the purpose above set forth.
Second. The arrangements of mechanism above described whereby an electro
.magnet excited by a current in derivation from the main circuit is caused to
unlock the clockwork of a photo electric regulator and adjust the carbons.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.