IMPROVEMENTS IN SYSTEMS ELECTRIC LIGHTING
Year: 1882

page_text: OF
LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown Patent Agent of 38 Southampton
Buildings London for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SYSTEMS
ELECTRIC LIGHTING A communication to him from abroad by Franz Schmidt
of Prague Bohemia Electrician.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th September 1882.
WILLIAM MORGAN BROWN Patent Agent of 38 Southampton Buildings London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SYSTEMS OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING." [A communication to him
from abroad by Franz Schmidt of Prague Bohemia Electrician]
This Invention relates to improvements in electric lighting, in which the lighting
effect of the lamps is attained by means of the voltaic are; and the object of these
improvements consists therein, that different combinations of magnets or solenoids,
which are agitated by the same source of electric current, get in motion, thereby
produce the voltaic arc, keep it invariably independent from the source of the
current and constant at a certain resistance and so form an automatic electro
dynamic arc-light-regulator for one or more lamps.
Four magnets are radially fixed to two double levers, which are connected by
hinges but insulated from one another.
Through the uninterrupted windings or coils with which the four magnets are
provided, flow two different currents forming branches of the same source of
currents.
The two currents are to generate around the poles of the magnets magnetic
fields, the effect of which produces a notion of the magnets.
The direction of the branch currents in the magnets should effect that each
current produces, around the axis, between the magnets alternatively magnetic
fields of the same name and of different names in such a manner that the fields of
the same name belonging to one branch of current are placed together with the
fields of different names of the other branch and vice versa.

page_text: This arrangement causes the magnets to produce unequal effects, in consequence
thereof the magnets around the axis show alternatively integral and differential
influence the ones having a current of the same direction and the others of the
opposite one.
The one branch of the current contains a limited number of thick windings or
coils of small resistance, while the other branch is composed of a large number of
thin windings or coils with great resistance.
Two carbons are inserted into the conducting wire of the thick current branch,
which always will approach each other when the current passes only through the
thin windings. Because the current, circulating within the thin windings, has the
tendency to join the two carbons, the effect of the thick current branch is to
separate them.
Thereby an automatic regulation of the distance between the two carbons is
obtained.
The combination and number of such magnets may vary in any manner con-
venient to the special purpose, or several sets of magnets may be joined, or the
magnets may be replaced by solenoids.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th March 1883.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN Patent Agent of 38 Southampton Buildings London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SYSTEMS OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING
A Communication to me
"
from abroad by Franz Schmidt of Prague Bohemia Electrician
This Invention relates to improvements in electric lighting, in which the lighting
effect of the lamps is attained by means of the voltaic arc; and the object of these
improvements consists therein that different combinations of magnets or solenoids
which are agitated by the same source of electric current get in motion, thereby
produce the voltaic arc, keep it invariably independent from the source of the
current and constant at a certain resistance and so form an automatic electro-
dynamic arc-light-regulator for one or more lamps.
Four magnets are radially fixed to two double levers which are connected by
hinges but insulated from one another.
Through the uninterrupted windings with which the four magnets are provided,
flow two different currents forming branches of the same source of current. The
two currents are to generate around the poles of the magnets magnetic fields, the
effect of which produces a motion of the magnets.
The direction of the branch currents in the magnets should effect, that each
current produces around the axis between the magnets alternately magnetic fields
of the same name and of different names in such a manner that the fields of the
same name belonging to one branch of current are placed together with the fields
of different names of the other branch and vice versa.
This arrangement causes the magnets to produce unequal effects, in consequence
thereof the magnets around the axis show alternately integral and differentia!
influence, the ones having a current of the same direction and the others of the
opposite one.
The one branch of the current contains a limited number of thick windings of
small resistance while the other branch is composed of a large number of thin
windings with great resistance.
Two carbons are inserted into the conducting wire of the thick current branch,
which always will approach each other when the current passes only through the
thin windings. On account of the current, circulating within the thin windings,
having the tendency to approach the two carbons, the effect of the thick current
branch is to separate them.
Thereby an automatic regulation of the distance between the two carbons is
obtained.
The combination and number of such magnets may vary in any manner con-
venient to the special purpose or several sets of magnets may be joined or the
magnets may be replaced by solenoids.
In order to make my invention more clearly understood I will describe it with
reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a number of combinations.
all based on the same principle.
Figure 1 and 1 show the combination of the four conical magnets A. B. C. and D
which are fastened radially at the ends of the two levers or bars a. b. and c. d.; the.
latter swing easily round their fulcrum o but in such a manner as to keep them
insulated from each other.
Every one of the magnets is provided with a double layer of wire an inside one
being composed of a small number of convolutions of large wire w and an outside

page_text: one consisting of a large number of convolutions of fine wire
both kinds of wire
are covered with an insulating material. The wires of the same size of the four
magnets belong to the same branch of the electric current, viz, the fine wires to one
branch and the large wires to the other one.
One end of the large wire as well as of the fine one of each magnet is connected
with the respective lever whereto the magnet is attached, the other four ends of
the fine wire are joined together, thus creating a conducting connection. The two
ends of the thick wire wound around the magnets A and B are connected with the
carbon K and those of the magnets C and D with the carbon K¹.
When the two poles of an electric current are connected with the conductors of
the lamp, the current passes through the lever a b to which, as above mentioned,
the two ends of the thick and of the thin coils of the magnets A and B are attached.
As long as the carbons are not in contact, the current goes through the fine wire of
the magnets A and B and from there through their joint ends to the fine coils of
the magnets C and D and the rail c d and then returns to the other pole. The
direction of the current generates in the magnets A and B a negative and in the
magnets C and D a positive pole, thus causing the mutual attraction of the
magnets A and C and of D and B, whereby the carbons come into contact.
By this contact a dividing of the current takes place, the larger part of the
current goes (in consequence of the little resistance of the thick coils of A and B,
of the carbons and of the thick coils of C and D) through the large wire, thus
causing the fine wire, on account of its high resistance, to become nearly
currentless.
The change of the thick current's direction in the magnets A and B causes also
the change of the former polarity, a north-pole is produced in the magnets A
and C and a south-pole in D and B. The former attraction caused by the fine
branch of current is changed into repulsion and the repulsion into attraction.
magnets A and C, and D and B repulse each other, the carbons come out of contact
and the voltaic arc is generated.
The
With the increase of the length of the arc its resistance also increases; the
power, which the large branch of current loses is gained by the fine branch;
consequently at a certain length of the arc a certain resistance is inserted into the
large branch, which balances the two powers influencing each other. In this
moment the resultant of attraction and repulsion is like zero, and the magnets do
not move.
But by the gradual combustion of the carbons not only the voltaic are becomes
longer, but also its resistance increases in the same proportion and thereby the
equilibrium of the powers is disturbed. The attractive component, as the more
powerful one, causes the carbons to approach each other and so always reproduces
the equilibrium. This regulating takes place uninterruptedly and automatically
during the whole lighting period of the lamp.
Figure 2 and 3 show also combinations of four magnets of two different forms
in figure 2 the carbon-holders are connected by a fulcrum or hinge o¹.
In Figure 4 each magnet is provided with a carbon thus forming two lights at
opposite sides of the lamp. Two magnets only are used in the constructions
illustrated by figures 13, 14 and 15, and in figure 5, 6, 7 and 8 the magnets are
replaced by solenoids.
Figures 9, 10 and 16 show the suspension of the solenoids above each other by
means of pulleys r, in figure 16 the carbon-holders are fixed to the rollers 1.
Figure 17 illustrates a lamp, the two magnets H and I of which are mounted on
wheels running on the rail ; according to the produced repulsion or attraction
the magnets approach each other.
Figure 18 shows a lamp with three magnets E F G the upper and lower
ones E and G being fixed, while F, which is suspended between them by the
pulleys raises or goes down according to the effect of the magnets.
Figure 19 illustrates a lamp with four magnets, of which D and B bearing the
;

page_text: carbon-holders are suspended at a string going over the pulley r; the two other
C and A are fixed.
Figure 12 is a combination of lamps as shown in figure 11, which form an
electric lustre.
Having thus fully described the invention and the best means I know to set it
in practice, I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent.
1st. In electric lamps the coiling of the magnets or solenoids with fine and large
wire, thus producing simultaneously in the one part currents of the same direction
integral currents and in the other part differential currents, the directions of which
are opposite to each other, substantially as described.
2nd In electric lamps the described application of the mutual effect between
attraction and repulsion when produced in consequence of a changing of the poles
between the magnets or solenoids in such a manner as to change the attraction
before the contact of the carbons into repulsion after the contact and vice versa.
3rd. In electric lamps the described method of regulation by the motion of
magnets or solenoids coiled with fine and large wire, which is produced in such a
manner, that an electric current appears simultaneously in two circuits of each
magnet or solenoid, thus causing the changing of polarity in the opposite currents,
whereby the magnets or solenoids are caused to change or reverse their motion.
In witness whereof I the said William Morgan Brown have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fourteenth day of March in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.