proved Device for Automatically Throwing into Circuit Reserve Electric Lamps, Motors, or Resistances in case of Breakdown, and for Protective Purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug.. 1896
Complete Specification Lelt, 5th May, 1897-Accepted, 5th June. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improved Device for Automatically Throwing into Circuit Reserve
Electric Lamps, Motors, or Resistances in case of Breakdown, and
for Protective Purposes.
We, EDMUND JOкL, Electrician, and WILHELM MAXIMILIAN CHRISTIAN, Mechanist,
both of IX Seegasse 12, Vienna, Empire of Austria, and GEORGE KEMP of
68 William Street, in the City, County and State of New York, United States.
of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a device for automatically throwing into circuit reserve,
electric lamps motors or resistances in place of such apparatus which have been
destroyed or damaged so that the current cannot pass through them. The said device
may also be used to protect telephones and the like against damage by lightning or
unduly strong currents.
In the accompanying drawings
.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the improved device as constructed for one line
or apparatus to be protected or replaced by a reserve apparatus as the case
may be.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the improved device as constructed for two lines
or apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the improved device as constructed for protecting three
or more lines or for throwing into circuit three or more reserve apparatus in.
place of destroyed or damaged apparatus.
A is a pin or bolt preferably of iron or steel held in a plug or stopper B which
is preferably of insulating material and closes in an air tight manner a casing or
receptacle preferably made of iron or steel and charged with mercury C with
which the terminal A is in permanent contact. The inuer portion of the, plug or
stopper B is bored out to a diameter slightly larger than that of the inner end.
of the bolt or pin A. The inner end of the bore in the plug or stopper is tightly
closed by a piece B' of thin paper, celluloid, rubber or other suitable insulating,
material, tightly bound or otherwise secured to the said plug or stopper so as to
normally prevent the mercury C from entering the bore of the plug. The bolt or
pin A is so adjusted as to bring its inner end into contact with the film or
membrane B. The arrangement in circuit of the device depends on its purpose.
In Fig. 1 it is designed to throw into circuit a reserve apparatus L' when the normally
used apparatus L is destroyed or so damaged that the current of the main line I in
which it is included cannot pass through it.
In this case the pin or bolt A and the terminal A¹ are connected with the main
line I at opposite sides of the apparatus I, one of these connections including the
reserve apparatus L. Normally the current passes through the apparatus L because
it cannot pass through the insulating film or membrane B₁ between the pin A and the
mercury but if the apparatus, L is destroyed or damaged the sudden interruption of
the current produces an extra-current or shock which finds its way through the film or
membrane B and perforates it, the mercury then enters the bore in the plug or stopper-B.
and comes into contact with the pin or bolt A thereby establishing a shunt to the .
apparatus L in which the apparatus L' is included and thus throwing the latter
into circuit.

page_text: In Fig. 2 two stoppers or plugs B B are arranged the one opposite the other in one
casing or receptacle each being provided with a bolt or pin A A2 insulated from the
mercury C by a film or membrane B. The third terminal A is shown to be connected
to earth. This construction may serve to protect two lines, the one connected with the
pin or bolt A and the other with A².
In Fig. 2 the apparatus is shown as serving to protect the telephones or analogous
apparatus in a weak current line H against powerful currents (such as lighting currents
or lightning) the said line H being connected with one of the pins A or A and the
terminal A being connected to earth. When a powerful current suddenly enters
the line H the membrane or film B' will be perforated as herein before described and the
strong currents go to earth without causing any damage. Another line such as H may
be connected with the other pin A or A2 and this will remain serviceable even if the
line H is connected to earth as described.
In Fig. 3 three plugs B with pins A and films or membranes B' are arranged in a
common casing or receptacle charged with mercury C and connected to earth at A'.
In this construction the number of plugs may of course be varied at will. The operation
is the same as herein before set forth.
When the film or membrane is destroyed it is only necessary to take out the plug or
stopper and to provide it with a fresh membrane or film and to again insert it into the
casing or receptacle to make the device again fit for uso.
Improved Device for Automatically Throwing into Oircuit Reserve
Electric Lamps, Motors, or Resistances in case of Breakdown, and
for Protective Purposes.
We, EDMUND JOкL, Electrician, and WILHELM MAXIMILIAN CHRISTIAN,
Mechanist, both of 1X Seegasse 12, Vienna, Empire of Austria, and GEORGE KEMP, of
68 William Street, in the City, County and State of New York, United States of
America, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to a device for automatically throwing into circuit reserve
electric lamps, motors, or resistances in place of such apparatus which have been
destroyed or so damaged that the current cannot pass through them. The said device
may also be used to protect telephones and the like against damage by lightning or
unduly strong currents.
Fig. 1 of the drawings filed with our Provisional Specification is a sectional
view of the improved device as constructed for one line or apparatus to be
protected or replaced by a reserve apparatus as the case may be. Fig. 2 is a
sectional view of the improved device as constructed for protecting two lines or
apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the improved device as constructed for protecting
three or more lines, or for throwing into circuit three or more reserve apparatus
in place of destroyed or damaged apparatus.
A is a pin or bolt preferably of iron or steel held in a plug or stopper B which
is preferably of insulating material and closes in an air-tight manner a casing or

page_text: receptacle which is preferably made of iron or steel and is suitably charged with
mercury C and with which the terminal A' is in permanent contact. The inner
portion of the plug or stopper B is bored out to a diameter slightly larger than
that of the inner end of the bolt or pin A. The inner end of the bore in the
plug or stopper is tightly closed by piece B of thin paper, celluloid, rubber, or
ther suitable insulating material, tightly bound or otherwise secured to the said
plug or stopper so as to normally prevent the mercury from entering the bore
of the plug. The bolt or pin A is so adjusted as to bring its inner end into
contact with the film or membrane B¹. The way in which the device is arranged
in circuit depends on its purpose. In Fig. 1 it is shown as designed to throw into
circuit a reserve apparatus L when the normally used apparatus L is destroyed or so
damaged that the current of the main line I in which it is included cannot pass through
it. In this case the pin or bolt A and the terminal A' are connected with the main
line I at opposite sides of the apparatus L, one of those connections including the reserve
apparatus L. Normally the current passes through the apparatus L because it cannot
pass through the insulating film or membrane B' between the pin A and the mercury C;
but if the apparatus L is destroyed or damaged the sudden interruption of the current
produces an extra-current or shock which finds its way through the film or membrane B
and perforates it: the mercury then enters the bore in the plug or stopper B and.
comes into contact with the pin or bolt A thereby establishing a shunt to the apparatus L
in which the apparatus L' is included and thus throwing the latter into circuit.
In Fig. 2 two stoppers or plugs B B are shown as arranged the one opposite the other
in one casing or receptacle, each being provided with a bolt or pin A or A² insulated
from the mercury C by a film or membrane B¹. The third terminal A' is shown to be
connected to earth. This construction may serve to protect two lines, the one
connected with the pin or bolt A and the other with A2. In Fig. 2 the apparatus is
shown as serving to protect the telephones or analogous apparatus in a weak-current
line H, against powerful currents (such as lighting currents or lightning), the said
line H being connected with one of the pins A or A2 and the terminal A' being
connected to earth. When a powerful current suddenly enters the line H the
corresponding membrane or film B will be perforated as herein before described and
the strong current will pass to earth without causing any damage. Another line such
as H may be connected with the other pin A2 or A and this will remain serviceable
even if the line H is connected to earth as described. Fig. 3 shows three plugs B
with pins A and films or membranes B' arranged in a common casing or receptacle
charged with mercury C and connected to earth at A'. In this construction the
number of plugs may, of course, be varied at will. The operation is the same as
hereinbefore set forth.
When the film or membrane is destroyed, all that is necessary is to take out the plug
or stopper and to provide it with a fresh membrane or film and to again insert it into
the casing or receptacle to make the device again fit for use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination of a casing or receptacle filled with mercury, one or more
plugs secured to such casing and dipping into the mercury therein, a conducting pin
or bolt or conducting pins or bolts, insulated from the mercury and, entering into such
plug or plugs, and having an inner end or inner ends smaller in diameter than the
bore of the plug or plugs designed to receive such end or ends, one or more insulating
films or membranes tightly closing the end or ends of the bore or bores of the plug or
plugs and in contact with the inner end or ends of the pin or bolt or pins or bolts and
insulating it or them from the mercury in the casing or receptacle, and a terminal
permanently connected with the mercury, substantially as described for the purpose
set forth.
2. Devices constructed, arranged, and operating as hereinbefore described with

page_text: reference respectively to and shown in Fig. 1, in Fig. 2; and in Fig. 3 of the drawings
.referred to.
Dated this 5th day of May 1897.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.