IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES" A
communication to him from abroad by Henry C. Sample and Franz Rabl
both of Camden, New Jersey United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd August 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN, AND RELATING TO, DYNAMO-
ELECTRIC MACHINES [A communication to him from abroad by Henry C. Sample
and Franz Rabl both of Camden, New Jersey United States of America.]
"
This Invention relates to dynamo-electric machines and more particularly to the
construction of the field-magnets; to adjustable arms carrying the brushes; and to
automatic electric current regulators or governors for regulating the flow of the
current from the dynamo-electric machine; the said regulator consisting essentially in
one or more helices or electro-magnets, operating armatures or cores to move part or
all of the commutator forward or backward with reference to the induction ring or
armature of the dynamo-machine, the said helices and mechanism related thereto
being secured to, and rotating with, the shaft and armature, part or all of the
current generated by the machine passing through the said helices which are in
the main circuit.
Heretofore, governors or regulators for dynamo-electric machines have been made
in the form of resistance coils, or means have been employed for causing the
brushes to move about the commutator which is fixed rigidly on the dynamic
shaft.
The object of this Invention is to provide a dynamo-electric machine with more
powerful field-magnets whereby the generation of electricity is greatly increased
and to control or govern to a nicety the current through the circuit which is

page_text: generated in the machine. For instance, when several lamps are in the circuit in
which the resistance is in the desired quantity for the machine, should one or more
lamps be extinguished either purposely or accidentally, the resistance of such lamp
or lamps would be cut out of the circuit, requiring a less generation of current, and
to this end the automatic current regulator controls the quantity of electricity
passed off by the brushes, or in other words does not allow the machine to generate
any more electric energy than is required to overcome the resistance in the
circuit.
According to the said Invention I support on the bed-plate of the machine
bearings for the shaft which is made hollow at the commutator end, and which has
holes close to the induction ring or armature which is secured upon the said shaft
between the bearings. I provide compound field-magnets which are secured to the
frame at the top, and to the bed-plate at the bottom. Two of the poles are of one
polarity and the other two poles are of the opposite polarity. The magnet cores
are rectangular, round, or elliptical tubes, the inner ones being of smaller diameter
that the outer ones and they may be made if desired of solid metal. The magnets
have pole-pieces which may be made to almost completely encircle and surround
the armature and the inner poles are slightly curved to conform to the curvo of the
armature. The armature may be made after any of the well known designs but
are preferably on the Siemens principle. The cores may be wound with any
desired number of coils of insulated wire which are connected up as hereinafter
specified.
Also
Secured to the shaft next to the commutator is a flanged disc which carries one
or more helices or electro magnets provided with moving or movable cores located
within the helices, and behind the cores are springs which are regulated by screws.
Secured to the back of the said disc, and insulated from it, is an annular plate and
secured to the shaft and disc, and insulated from them both, is a metallic wheel.
Secured to the frame of the machine, on one side, is an arm carrying a contact piece
which is pressed against the said annular plate by a spring and screw.
secured to the frame, and on the other side, is an arm which carries an adjustable
brush or equivalent device. The cores of the said electro-magnets are connected
with the moving part of the commutator by rods or bars which are secured or
pivotted to pins in a metallic piece which is connected to an insulating ring by
extensions. The insulating ring encircles the end of the shaft and is partly located
under the commutators and forms a part of same. About the said ring are secured
contact pieces which are provided with recesses or slots. In arranging them, small
spaces are left between. Secured to the end of the shaft is another insulating ring
to which are secured by screws contact pieces which are provided with lugs or
projections corresponding to the said recesses but not so wide. These pieces are
arranged about the extension of the first ring with the projections located in the
recesses and with the separations or spaces, set alternately, or nearly so, with the
separations or spaces on the other contact-pieces.
I do not limit myself to any particular construction of commutator, as, instead of
making only one balf of the commutator movable the whole of the commutator may
be made movable with the same result. The construction of commutator is varied
to suit the armature.
The brushes are adjustable in pins or studs secured to, and insulated from, the
adjustable arms which are provided with eye-rings through which a stud passes and
is secured to a standard. The said arms are also provided with small arms having
slots through which a clamping screw passes to secure them together in any desired
position or to the standard. These brushes may rest on part or all of the commu-
tator. I sometimes provide four screw cups, two arranged on one side of the
machine, and two on the other.
When the governor is on the machine the current passes as follows-By wires
from the armature through the hollow shaft and to the commutator contact pieces
by means of screws. One brush is connected with one screw cup by one wire, and
the other brush is connected with another, screw cup by another wire.
The

page_text: current through one wire passes from a screw cup to one of the electro-magnets of
the machine and then passes by another wire to another of the said electro-magnets
and by a third wire to another screw cup, from the latter screw cup to a contact
piece by a wire through the aforesaid annular plate through one helix, then by a
wire to the other helix, and then through a wheel, a brush, and a wire to the
remaining screw cup. When the current passes to the field magnets it first passes
through the wire about one core, then through the wire about the other core, the
main object being to get the insulated wire close to the metal core. If the
resistance in the circuit be increased or decreased the helices become magnetized
to a much greater or less extent thereby drawing in or releasing the cores, which
action oscillates the commutator contact pieces, moving them forward or backward'
with reference to the other pieces or moving the entire commutator thereby
allowing the brushes to take off more or less electricity as the case may be. The
movement is slight but the desired effect is obtained. The regulator is automatic
or self-acting, as the current passes through it, and any variation in the resistance
in the line circuit is at once felt in the regulator allowing it to act accordingly.

page_text: If desired the current or part of it may be arranged to first pass through the
helices I. If the resistance in the circuit be increased or decreased the helices I
would become magnetized to a greater or less extent thereby drawing in or
releasing the cores J which action oscillates the commutator contact pieces R
moving them forwards or backwards with reference to the pieces R' or moving the
entire commutator thereby allowing the brushes S S to take off more or less
electricity as the case may be. The movement is slight but the desired effect is
obtained. The regulator is automatic as the current passes through it and any
variation of the resistance in the line circuit is at once felt in the regulator
allowing it to act accordingly
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim :-
First In a dynamo-electric machine, the combination of an armature with two
field magnets, the said field magnets being composed of two or more hollow cores
wound with insulated wire and arranged one within the other.
Second-In a dynamo-electric machine, the armature in combination with two
compound field magnets.
Third In a dynamo-electric machine, a commutator in combination with the
brushes and their supports, the said supports being separately pivotted on a line
passing through the axis of the commutator and independently adjustable around
the said commutator, and means for securing the said adjustable supports.
independently in any desired position, rigidly to the base of the machine or
its frame.
Fourth In a dynamio electric machine, the combination of the commutator, the
brushes S, S', supported by the arms S³, SS provided with the rings & and the
arms a¹ having the slots 8, the arms S, SS being pivoted to the standard T by the
stud S and adapted to be adjusted vertically and secured in place by a bolt or its
equivalent.
Fifth-An automatic regulator or governor for a dynamo electric machine
secured to, and revolving with, the shaft of the said machine and connected with a
part, or the whole, of the movable commutator, and adapted to rotate the said
commutator upon its shaft.
Sixth-An automatic current-regulator for dynamo electric machines, consisting
of one or more helices and their cores, in combination with an adjustable commu-
tator and mechanism to impart motion to the said commutator upon any movement
of the said cores.
Seventh-In a dynamo electric machine, a current regulator consisting of ono
or more electrical helices and their cores in combination with a commutator, part,
or all, of which is movable upon the shaft of the machine, and mechanism by
which any movement in the cores is imparted to the commutator, the said helices
being in the main circuit.
Eighth-In an automatic current regulator, the combination of a commutator,
part, cr all, of which is movable upon its shaft, mechanisin governed by the
resistance in the circuit for rotating or moving the said commutator on its shaft,
and brushes held rigidly to conduct the current to and from the said commutator.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and sent this Second day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.