Improvements in Regulating Apparatus for Electric Arc Lamps.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Regulating Apparatus for Electric Arc Lamps.
I, GEORGE EDWARD VAUGHAN, of 57, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, being
a communication to me from abroad by The Austrian Small Arms Manufacturing
Company, of Steyr, in the Empire of Austria, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention consists of improvements in electric arc lamps constructed as
described in the complete specification of an application for Letters Patent made
by me on the 26th day of November 1884, No 15566, and the said improvements
are as follows :-
The accompanying drawing is an elevation of the mechanism of an electric arc
lamp constructed in accordance with this invention.
The upper carbon holder is arranged so as to be free to slide up and down when
no current is passing through the lamp, and the said carbon holder is counterpoised
by a weight D. attached to it by a' cord passing over the roller R. The said carbon
holder, and the carbon arranged therein, are, however, always of such a weight that
the carbon rods will constantly be in contact, the end of the upper carbon rod resting
on the lower carbon rod.
As soon as the electric current enters the lamp the lever M. is attracted by the
magnet B. and a brake is put on the upper carbon holder by means of the roller 7.11,
thus firmly holding the upper carbon holder and preventing it from sliding down
on to the lower carbon, after the latter has been drawn downwards by the attraction
of the armature N. of the double magnet A., as described in the specification of the
application herein before referred to.
The advantages to be obtained by arranging the carbon holder as herein before
described are as follows:-
The necessity of opening the case above the mechanism of the lamp in order to
case the friction so as to replace the upper carbon is obviated as the carbon rod cau
easily be pushed upwarda,

page_text: When no current is passing through the lamp the carbon rods are in contact so
that in lighting the lamp it is not necessary to loosen the upper carbon rod by
easing the brake roller. By these means the lighting of the lamp is quickened and
rendered more reliable inasmuch as the circuit is always closed first over the carbon
points themselves.
The magnet B. is inserted into the main circuit and attracts the armature of the
lever M, as soon as the current enters the lamp and presses the brake roller 11
against the upper carbon holder, thus firmly holding the latter as soon as the lamp
is lit.
The counterpoising weight D. is of great advantage as by it the slightest brake
on the carbon holder suffices to hold it firmly, the sliding of the same through
vibration or other causes is thereby rendered much less likely than is the case
when the carbon holder is arranged as described in the specification hereinbefore
referred to.
When the current is shut off from the lamp the upper carbon rod is released and
falls on to the end of the lower carbon, but the spring U. draws up the lower carbon
bolder and its carbon and thereby raises the upper carbon rod into the position it is
required to occupy when the current is again turned on.
The following modification is made in the shunt mechanisin described in the
specification hereinbefore referred to. The forked shunt lever E. above the lighting
magnet M (which is, in the accompanying drawing, replaced by the magnet A)
is dispensed with, and a more simple and reliable arrangement is substituted
therefor.
The lever forming the armature of the brake magnet B. is not only arranged to
actuate the brake roller 11 but it, at the same time, acts as the shunt lever in the
following manner. The said lever has an upper contact piece o, which, when the
lever is not attracted by the magnet B., is drawn up into contact by the action of
the spring b' with a platinum contact piece at the end of a pin o¹ which is arranged
on an insulated crosspiece above the said lever. The opposite end p. of the said pin
is connected at 8. with a resistance spiral W., whereby a shunt circuit to the negative
pole is completed so long as the contact piece o. is kept against the end of the pin o'
as hereinbefore described. However, as the resistance offered to the current by the
carbons, in contact, is not so great as that offered by the resistance spiral W, the current
will, when the lamp is arranged for lighting, on entering the lamp, flow freely through
the carbon rods, the electro-magnet B. and lighting magnet A., the armature M. is
attracted, thereby breaking the circuit over the resistance spiral and placing the
brako roller 71 on to the upper carbon holder, and the arc is formed by the
attraction of the armature N. by the magnet A.
As soon as the carbon rods are consumed, to an extent previously regulated, the
lamp is automatically shunted out of circuit, with the advantage that the flickering
of the light, caused by vibrations in the lamp constructed in accordance with the
description contained in the specification bereinbefore referred to, is avoided. The
heating of the resistance spiral is also prevented, and the lamp simply remains in
the circuit unlit.
The above description I have confined to the modifications or improvements which
constitute this invention, the remaining parts of the lamp such as the means for
regulating the are, and for feeding the lamp being constructed and arranged and
acting substantially as described in the specification hereinbefore referred to.
In the lamp forming the subject of this invention the current takes its course in
the following manner.
1st When the lamp is shunted out of the circuit :-The positive pole P+ and the
negative pole P- are electrically joined.
2ndly In the lighting of the lamp. The carbon rods are in constant contact,
then the current enters at P+ traverses the contact roller r. down the carbon
holder K., across the carbons 1.-2. along by lower carbon holder 3.-4. across
by 5. 6. through brake magnet B., by 1. 2. 3. into arc magnet by 1, 2, 3, 4. out,
and up to g. and thence to P-. The armature M. being attracted holds carbon

page_text: holder K. by moving the brake roller 1, and armature N being attracted by
magnet A. the light arc is created.
3rdly The regulation of the lamp. Current enters at P+ over contact roller r.
through carbon holder K. into wheel V. then through lever H. up b. to contact
lever C. thence to c. c. f. g. and out at P-.
If, according to the burning of the carbons, the current increases enough,
armature O. is attracted and contact at b. is broken, then the current traverses
by Pr. into German silver wire coil by h., out at i. into copper coil at e., out
at f. and off to P. In this disposition the German silver wire coil is connected in
series with the copper wire on the same magnet and interposes a high resistance,
and the lever H. is taken off the magnet by a spring. By attracting the armature O.
the ratchet wheel Z. is revolved through a small angle by the pawl S. and by the
revolution of the roller pressing against the carbon holder K. it is pushed downwards
through a small distance.
4thly If the carbon rods do not touch each other, which condition is not possible
in this improved form of lamp. Current enters by P+ through contact roller r.
down the carbon holder K. to roller through lever M. through the contact at o.
up the pin to p. along to screw a. through German silver resistance cut out W. and
off at P-.
5thly In the event of the carbons being quite consumed a contact takes place
through the stud m. on upper carbon holder K, coming into contact, by gravity,
with the stud n.
The current now enters by P+ to carbon holder K, to stud n, through m, down
wire to 3. thence to are magnet A. through the wire 1. 2. 3. 4. up to g. and to P-.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In electric lamps of the nature herein before referred to, the arrangement,
in connection with the counterpoised upper carbon holder, of the roiler on the
lever M. which is so arranged as to be acted upon by the magnet B., substantially
as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying
drawing.
And Secondly. In electric arc-lamps the arrangement and combination of the
regulating mechanism whereby the prompt and safe working of the lamp is effected
by the automatic action of interposing with the copper wire coil a German silver
wire on the same magnet, substantially as, and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and set forth.