Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating Electric Arc Lamps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1898-Accepted, 16th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating Electric Arc Lamps.
I, IGNACE HIPPOLYTE HEGNER, of Villa de Bellevue, Bois de Colombes, Seine,
France, Electrical 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:-
This invention relates to the regulation of arc electric lamps working in series,
"balance
and it consists in dividing the regulating rheostat, which serves as
the lamps, into two or more than two parts, which may, according as the intensity
of the current increases or diminishes, be automatically and successively included
in or cut out of the circuit.
With the aid of these auxiliary resistances, the oscillations or fluctuations of
the current due to an increase in the electric motive force in the main lead, or in
the actual regulation of the lamps, are obviated on the one hand; whilst, on the
other hand, it is possible to considerably reduce the amount of the resistances
ordinarily employed, with the result that, with an equal electro-motive force, the
output of the lamps is increased. An arrangement according to my invention is
shown diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing. This arrangement com-
prises a bobbin A, mounted in series with the lamps, and the armature B of which
is jointed at C to a fixed point. In its normal position, the armature B, being
pulled by the coiled spring D, is kept away from the bobbin A. This armature B
carries two or more contacts E and F, arranged in such à manner that, at the
moment when the armature is attracted by the bobbin A, the contact E first
breaks with the contact G, then, the intensity of the current continuing to remain
above the predetermined maximum, the contact F breaks with the.contact H.
These two contacts, G and H, are connected, on the one hand with the fixed
resistance W and on the other hand with the resistance W1 and W which can be
included in the circuit when desired.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows:-
-
Then the
In normal working, the current entering at the terminal P* passes into the
bobbin A, which is formed of a limited number of coils of copper wire that are
of large diameter and whose resistance can therefore be neglected.
current passes through the wire K, the contact G, and the wires R and M, to the
resistance W, traverses the lamps O' and 02 (of which there may be two or more)
and returns through the terminal P to the lead without having passed through
the resistances W₁ and W which are placed out of circuit by the wire K, the
contact G and the wires R and M.
If the intensity of the current passing through the lamps should increase to such
a degree as to reach a certain maximum, which the current ought not to exceed,
without inconvenience, and for which the action of the bobbin A is adjusted, the
armature B will be attracted and the contact G will be broken by the contact E.
The current coming from the terminal P* can then no longer pass along
the wire K, and it is forced to pass through the resistance W1, then through the
wire L, the contact H and the wire M, in order to reach the resistance W. The
resistance W₁ is thereby consequently included in the circuit and the intensity

page_text: of the current is consequently weakened. But if notwithstanding this weakening
the intensity of the current should still be too great, the bobbin A will continue
to attract the armature B until the contact F breaks with the contact H, whilst
leaving open the contact G which was previously broken by the contact E.
The current can then no longer pass through the wires L and M, and it is forced
to pass, not only through the resistance W₁, but also through the resistance W2.
There is thus obtained a reduction in the intensity of the current, such that its
fluctuations cannot have any unfavourable influence on the proper operation of the
lamps. As soon as the intensity of the current diminishes, the armature B moves
away from the bobbin A under the action of the spring D, and closes, successively,
the contacts H and G, by first placing the resistance W2, and then the resistance Wi
out of circuit.
In this manner, the lamps are brought back to their normal state of working.
It is obvious that other supplementary resistances may be added to the resist-
ances W and W2; and similarly, in certain cases, if the "balance" (shown in the
drawings in the form of the fixed resistance W) is not necessary, it may be placed
out of circuit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. The combination with arc lamps mounted in series, of a regulating rheostat
that is divided into any desired number of fractions which are capable of being
automatically and successively placed into circuit, for the purpose of diminishing
the amount of or dispensing with the rheostats generally employed, whilst retain-
ing a compensating action which can be applied at the moment of the fluctuations
of the current, and thereby increasing the output of the lamps.
2. A form of construction of the apparatus specified in Claim 1, consisting of
the contacts G, H in a shunt to the resistances W¹ and W2, and which are capable
of being broken or closed respectively by the movement of a lever B which is
subjected to the action of a bobbin A, mounted in series with the lamps.
Dated this 7th day of May 1898.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.