Improvements in Holophotes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan., 1887.
Complete Left, 14th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 30th Dec., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Holophotes.
I, ALEXANDER SIEMENS, of No. 12 Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
:-
In employing holophotes for detecting objects at night by the aid of a beam of
light, the operator, who is close to the source of light, cannot distinctly see the
illuminated object, and, being in a dangorously exposed position, he is liable to be
incapacitated at a critical moment. My invention relates to means of controlling
the holophote from a distance, so that the operator may occupy a position favourable
for observing the effect of the light, and be sheltered from danger.
For this purpose, instead of the electric lamp regulated by hand which is usually
employed, I provide any known electric lamp which has automatic regulation,
requiring no attention while the carbons last, and I mount this lamp and its mirror
in a frame that can be moved in a horizontal and a vertical plane so as to direct the
beam of light as desired, with a shutter for flashing signals when necessary.
The required independent movements are communicated from a distance to the frame
and shutter, in some cases by mechanical connections, but generally by electrical con-
nections, whereby electro-magnets or solenoids at the holophote are excited and
rendered inert, or electro-motors are caused to move in either direction and stopped.
Thus an operator, occupying a sheltered position at a distance from the source of
light, can manipulate the holophote, directing its beam or flashing signals.
Dated this 15th day of January 1887.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Holophotes.
I, ALEXANDER SIEMENS of No. 12 Queen Annes Gate, Westminster in the County
of Middlesex, Civil 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:—
In employing holophotes for detecting objects at night by aid of a beam of light,
the operator who is close to the source of light cannot distinctly see the illuminated
object, and in time of war being in a dangerously exposed position, he is liable to be
incapacitated at a critical moment. My invention relates to means of controlling the
holophote from a distance, so that the operator may occupy a position favourable for
observing the effect of the light and be sheltered from danger.
For this purpose instead of the electric lamp regulated by hand which is usually
employed I provide any known electric lamp which has automatic regulation requiring
no attention while the carbons last and I mount this lamp and its mirror or other
optical apparatus for concentrating the beam of light in a frame that can be moved in
a horizontal and a vertical plane so as to direct the beam of light as desired, with a
shutter for flashing signals when necessary.
The required independent movements are communicated from a distance to the
frame and shutter, in come cases by mechanical connections, but generally by
electrical connections, whereby electro-magnets or solenoids at the holophote are
excited and rendered inert, or electro-motors are caused to move or stop. Thus
an operator occupying a sheltered position at a distance from the source of light
can manipulate the holophoto directing its beam or flashing signals.
I will proceed to describe the arrangement for working holophotes electrically from
a distance which I prefer to employ, for which purpose I will refer to the accom-
panying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a diagram of the electrical connections
between the operators station and several parts of the apparatus.
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 detail views of the holophoto and signalling apparatus.
The apparatus consists firstly of a switch board A Fig. 1 placed at the locality
where the operator is situated, and secondly of the holophote situated at any distance
from such locality. The holophote consists of three apparatus, namely first the
projector or casing with reflector, or lens containing the source of light, and which
requires to be capable of movement both in a horizontal and a vertical plane in order
to throw the light in any desired direction, secondly of an electric arc lamp and
thirdly of an apparatus for producing flashing signals.
The construction of the "projector" and mechanism for moving it on horizontal
and vertical planes is shewn at Fig. 2 in sectional elevation, at Fig. 3 in section on

page_text: line X X Fig. 2, and at Fig. 4 in sectional plan. B is the "projector" or casing.
with reflector or lens containing the lamp, and mounted with trunnions
in bearings on armis D D that are fixed on a base 33. This base rests on
rollers 34 carried on the top of the casing E, and it can either be rotated auto-
matically so as to turn the projector B on a horizontal plane by means of the tubular,
spindle 32 actuated by mechanism to be presently described, or it can be rotated by
hand by means of a pinion 37 on a spindle 36 with hand wheel 35, carried by the
base 33, and gearing with a circular rack 38 fixed on the top of the casing E, tho
spindle 36 with pinion 37 being drawn, back out of gear with the rack, when
the projector is being actuated automatically, in which position these parts may be
held by a pin inserted through an opening 40 in 33 into a groove 39 in the spindle.
For moving the projector in a vertical plane it is provided with a curved rack 27"
with which gears a pinion 26 fixed on a spindle 25 that passes through the tubular
spindle 32, and is automatically actuated as follows: Within the casing E the
spindle 25 carries a bevil wheel 21 and the spindle 32 a bevil wheel 22, with the
former are geared two opposite bevil wheels 18, 18, and with the latter two other
opposite wheels 15, 15. These wheels are loose on a spindle 12, but can be made to'
revolve therewith by means of clutches, that is to say either the wheel 15 or the wheel 15¹
is geared therewith by means of the sliding clutches 14 or 14' and one or other of the'
wheels 18 and 18' are geared thereto by clutches 17 and 171. These clutches are
actuated respectively by levers 13, 13¹ and 16, 16¹ of which 13, 13¹, carry the
armatures 23, 23 of electro-magnets E M 4, E M 4' while 16 and 161 carry the:
armatures 24, 24, of electro magnets E M 5, E M 5', continuous rotary motion being
imparted to the shaft 12 either by an electro dynamic motor 11 and suitable gearing
as indicated or by any other suitable means, it will be seen that by passing a current
through one or other of the electro magnets M 4, E M 4 one or other of the
wheels 15 or 15 will be made to impart rotation in one direction or the other to the
wheel 22 thus causing the bed 33 together with the projector to turn in one direction
or the other in a horizontal plane, on the other hand, if a current be passed through
either of the electro magnets E M 5, E M 5' one or other of the wheels 18, 18' will
be made to impart rotation in one direction or the other to the wheel 21, thus turning
the projector in a vertical plane on its trunnions C by means of the pinion.26 and
rack 27. The projector may also be moved in the vertical plane by band by means
of a pinion 30 on a spindle 29 with hand wheel 28 and gearing with a curved rack 31
on the casing B.
•
Referring to the diagram Fig. 1, it will be seen that a branch circuit from the
main circuit of the dynamo electric machine or other source of electricity at X, is
led to two keys on the switch board A whence it divides into two circuits which go
respectively to one pole of each of the electro magnets E M 4 and EM 4' so that the
operator by closing the circuit by means of one or other of these keys excites the
one or other electro magnet whereby the projector is turned in the one or other
direction in the horizontal plane as before described.
A second branch circuit from
the dynamo machine leads to another pair of contact keys 5 on the switch board,
from which two circuits pass to the coils of the electro magnets E M 5, E M 5' so
that by closing the one or the other circuit by the one or other key, and thereby exciting
the one or other magnet, the operator can cause the projector to be moved in one
direction or the other in the vertical plane, and thus by the combined action of the
two sets of keys 4 and 5 he can direct the light of the holophoto to any desired
locality. The contact keys are so arranged by any suitable means that the simul-
taneous closing of both keys of a pair is prevented, but one key of each pair may be
made to act simultaneously. These pairs of keys may be replaced by equivalent,
electrical devices such as two way switches.
'
A third branch circuit is led from the generator ✗ to a multiple contact switch 3
having any desired number of resistances interposed between the several contacts
and from which the circuit passes to the motor 11 of the apparatus so that the
operator by adjusting the switch 3 so as to introduce more or less of the resistances
into the circuit can cause the motor to work tho holophote at any desired speed.

page_text: Instead of arranging the dynamo electric motor or other suitable motor within the
holophote casing as described, it might be situated at a distance therefrom, and its
motion be imparted to the shaft 12 by cords, belting or other suitablo gear or
the spindles 25 and 32 might be extended downwards some distance, so that the
gearing and motor for actuating them would be situated at a corresponding distance
from the holophote in a place affording greater protection.
It will be evident that the wheels 21 and 22 of the holophoto might be actuated
mechanically from a distance. by any suitable known arrangement of mechanical
transmission in place of apparatus actuated by electric currents as described.
•
The construction of lamp employed in connection with this apparatus is by
preference that described in the Specification to my application for a Patent No. 6987
of 1887 but any other construction of lamp having automatic regulation may be
used.
The branch circuit for working the lamp passes from the generator X, Fig. 1,
first through the ampère meter 2 on the switch board A and thence to the insulated
contact ring 7 on the underside of the projector as shown at Fig. 3, to which the
current is conveyed by a sliding spring contact 7' and from which it is led to the
upper carbon of the lamp. From the lower carbon the current passes to the ring 9
on the projector which is connected to the return wiro at 10 by means of the
spring contact 9¹.
Fig. 5 shows a vertical section and Fig. 6 a sectional plan of the mechanism for
automatically flashing or signalling by means of the above described holophote. A
box H fixed on the side of the projector casing carries a curved solenoid 75 having a
curved armature core 76, held by the lover 77 which turns about the pin 78. Attachod
to the boss of this lever is a segmental rack 79, engaging a pinion 80, secured to the
spindle 81, which carries the signal, a flashing disc 82, a spring 83 holds the armature
core 76 withdrawn when no signal current is passing through the solenoid 75, and in
this position of the core, the signal dise is held as shown in the dotted lines, so that
the light from the lamp is not obscured by it. When it is desired to send a signal
a current is sent through the solenoid 75 and the solenoid which attracts the core 76,
and brings the signal disc 82 to the position shewn in full lines where it obscures the
arc. By breaking the circuit again the spring 83 draws back the disc to its initial
position, thus completing one element of the signal.
By means of the handle 84 the signalling mechanism may be worked by hand.
The branch circuit from the generator X Fig. 1, for working the signalling
apparatus passes through the signalling key 6 on the switch board to the contact
ring 19 on the projector through a spring contact 191 and from thence to the
solenoid 75 from which it passes back to the lamp conductor leading to ring 9.
Thus the signal is actuated each time the circuit is closed by means of tho koy.
The main circuit of the generator is opened and closed by means of a carbon contact
switch 1 on the switch board.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In holophoto apparatus, the combination of a projector or optical apparatus
containing a lamp and mounted so as to turn both in a horizontal and vertical plane,
with electrical or mechanical appliances so arranged that by means thereof an
operator situated at a distance from the holophote can effect the movement of the
latter so as to direct the beam of light in any required direction, substantially as
herein described.
2. In holoplote apparatus the combination of a projector or optical apparatus
containing a lamp and mounted so as to turn both in a horizontal and a vertical plane.
an electrical motor, electro magnet or solenoid for actuating the projector, and an
electrical generator at a distant station connected with the motor engine and lamp
circuit of the holophote by means of circuits in which are included contact bars or
switches at the distant station by means of which an operator at such station can
actuate the projector and lamp, substantially as described.

page_text: 3. Connecting the projector of a holophote with a continuously revolving shaft by
means of gearing in such manner that by means of electro magnets controlled
by currents sont from a distant station the gearing may be made to move the
holophote in either direction both in a horizontal and a vertical plane substantially as
herein described.
4. The use in combination with a holophote of flashing or signalling apparatus
consisting of a shutter actuated by an electro magnet or solenoid excited by an
electric current controlled at a distance from the holophote, substantially as herein
described.