Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
1. WILLIAM GEORGE HEYS, of 70 Market Street, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 electric arc lamps, the main feature of which has
special reference to alternating current lamps. The primary object is to furnish a
lamp which will establish the arc when the current is turned on without the
preliminary chattering of the carbons which usually takes place in this type of
lamp. The cause of this chattering is the mere fact that the current passing
through the lamp is alternating in character. An alternating current rises and
falls between zero and maximum potential with great frequency so that a single
impulse does not last long enough to heat up the abutting ends of the carbons and
the intervening atmosphere sufficiently to produce a stable arc. The passage of a
number of impulses, however, finally heats the carbons and the atmosphere between
them so that the current will bridge the are gap and flow with regularity. In the
meantime the carbons hammer together and cause the chattering. If, when the
current is first turned on, it is permitted to flow through the carbons for a short
space of time before they are separated and then they are separated slowly, the
arc will be formed at once and maintained constant without any chattering or
hammering of the carbons, because, in the interval of time referred to, the carbons
become heated and an atmosphere adapted to carry an arc has been formed. The
principal feature of my invention herein described, is the meaus whereby the
carbons are held in contact for a short period of time immediately after the current
is turned on for the purpose referred to.
This invention also embodies other features of minor importance individually,
but which, taken together, result in a very practical and successful arc lamp.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a view of the lamp mechanism somewhat conventionally
illustrated;
Figure 2 is a view of the complete lamp on a small scale and partially in
section;
Figure 3 represents a section of the lamp magnet; and
Figure 4 illustrates a detail of the globe sustaining device.
Referring to Figure 1 a is a frame supporting the bottom of the lamp case, but
insulated therefrom in the usual manner. b is a second frame consisting of two
side pieces connected by cross rods of the same general construction as is commonly
used in lamps of this character. This frame is pivotted to the main frame at the
point. In it is mounted a train of gearing having at one end the pinion ² which
engages with a rack on the carbon rod, and at the other end an escapement wheel 63
which is controlled by a verge b 4 and an oscillating weight 65. This weight is of
the general shape of the figure "8" and may be stamped out of sheet metal. The
periphery of the ring at one end bears against a delicate spring c fixed at c¹ and

page_text: having a curved end c² which impinges against the edge of the ring. This spring
acts as a brake or detent to prevent the oscillation of the weight and retard the
gearing. By making this detent yielding the train is not stopped too suddenly,
and its action improves the operation of the lamp. The downward movement of
the frame is limited by the pin 66. The upper carbon rod is represented at d
and is provided with a rack d¹ herein before referred to. A single magnet E is
used to strike the arc and to maintain it. This magnet is of the solenoid type and
is provided with a dash pot e attached centrally below it and forming an extension
of the passage through the coil. e¹ is the core, which, in this instance, is hollow
and pivotally suspended at its upper end upon a rod e 2 which passes entirely
through it and into the dash pot where it carries a piston e 3. The opening in the
core is larger than the red and permits of slight lateral movement of the core, to
prevent binding as it moves in and out of the magnet. The upper end of the
rod e 2 is hung at one extremity of a lever pivotted near its middle point to a
bracket g. The opposite end of the lever fis provided with a weight or an
equivalent spring. The lever is connected to the swinging frame b by a chain,
cord, or the like h; this may be adjustable in length in any preferred way, the
means shown being a notched arm 2 secured to the lever f, which, by shifting the
end of the chain into one or the other notches changes its position relatively to
the pivot of the lever f, and consequently the effective length of the connector h.
One side of the main circuit is connected with the brush i which bears constantly
against the upper carbon rod; the main circuit then leads through this rod, the
upper carbon, and the lower carbon and thence to the other side of the main
circuit j. The magnet E is in a shunt to the arc, being connected in a circuit k
leading from the point to a cut-out spring o. This spring is mounted upon a
block of insulating material and bears at its free end normally against the side of
the carbon rod. The carbon rod terminates at the top in a cone p of insulating
material. At the base of the cone there is formed a small notch which stands in
the path of the end of the spring. When the rod is fed downward to nearly the
full limit, the spring enters the notch, and the final movement of the rod puts the
spring under slight tension which eventually causes it to leave the notch and
spring against the cone of insulating material and thus open the shunt circuit.
Nothing is regarded as new in this cut-out except the conical point on the rod,
which, whether it be of insulating material or not, permits the rod to pass freely
upwards through the lamp and past the cut-out spring, whenever it has been
removed for cleaning or repairs.
The operation of the lamp is as follows:-The carbons are nornally separated
in which position they are held by the weight f¹ the core of the magnet being
elevated, and the flexible connector being straight or under tension. When the
current is first passed through the lamp the magnet gets all of it and pulls the
core e¹ down, the movement being comparatively slow owing to the action of
the dash-pot. The parts continue to lower until the frame b strikes the pin 66, at
which moment the oseillating weight 65 is released from the detent c and the
gearing thus being free commences to rotate under the weight of the carbon rod.
The core el meanwhile continues to lower until the carbons come together, at which
time a considerable slack has been made in the flexible connector h. The moinent
the carbons touch, the full current flows through them and heats up the abutting
surfaces. The magnet being de-energised the moment the carbons touch, releases
its core and permits the weight to again withdraw it and straighten out the
slackened connector h. This latter requires an appreciable amount of time during
which the carbous become heated. This upward movement of the core and the
straightening of the connector is gradual on account of the action of the
dash-pot, and when finally the frame commences to rise it will do so at a
deliberate speed. The moment the frame b moves, the gearing becomes locked by
contact between the weight 5 and the detent c, and the further movement of the
frame determines the length of the arc. The increase of resistance of the arc
causes more current to flow through the shunt which again lowers the frame b

page_text: sufficiently to allow the gearing to rotate and feed the upper carbon downward.
In this operation the connector is not materially slackened because the moment
the frame strikes the pin 66 the gearing is released and the resistance is altered.
While burning, the frame b will practically be floating immediately above' the
pin 6 6.
Another feature of the lamp is the means for supporting the lamp globe. The
wire nettings is hooked over the upper edges of the globe as shown in Figure 2
and is secured to the rim of the metal cup t at the lower end of which the lower
end of the globe rests. The weight of the globe is supported by two springs u
attached to the upper edge of the netting, and carrying rings u¹ which embrace
the side rods u² of the lamp. The rings are adapted to pass over hooks u³ fixed to
the underside of the lamp casing and thus the globe is flexibly supported and is
not liable to be broken by sudden jars or thrusts upon the lamp. In trimming the
lamp the globe is lowered by removing the rings from the hooks and allowing them
to slide downward upon the rods until they are caught by the cross piece carrying
the carbon holder. By hooking the upper edge of the net over the edge of the
globe and then drawing down and securing the lower edge to the cup, I provide a
simple means for applying the net. The cup t at the lower end of the globe is
conical in shape and is provided with an opening at the apex into which a plug t¹
on the end of a stem t2 projects. The plug normally closes the hole and prevents
particles of carbon from falling while at the same time it furnishes a passage for
removing the carbon particles when the globe is lowered for trimming and cleaning
the lamp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The herein before described method of starting an alternating current arc
lamp in operation, which consists in holding the carbons in contact after the current
is turned on, long enough to allow the carbons to become heated sufficiently to
maintain the normal arc and then slowly separating the carbons to establish the
arc, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In are starting mechanism for alternating current arc lamps, the combination
of means or devices for holding the carbons in contact for a sufficient time to heat
them and then slowly separating them to establish the arc, all constructed and
arranged substantially as herein before described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
3. Are starting mechanism for alternating current arc lamps, consisting of
means for bringing the carbons into contact, means for thereafter holding the
carbons in contact for a sufficient time to heat them, and means for thereafter
slowly separating the carbons to establish the arc, all constructed arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
4. In an arc lamp, the combination of an arc striking magnet, a carbon rod, a
swinging frame carrying a train of gearing in engagement with the carbou rod,
a stop limiting the movement of the frame, a pivotted lever to which the armature
of the magnet is attached, and a flexible connection between the lever and the
swinging frame whereby the former may move after the latter is held by its
stop, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In an arc lamp, a train of gearing controlled by an escapement, the latter
having an oscillating weight provided with a rounded surface and the gearing being
mounted in a swinging frame, in combination with a yielding detent for the said
weight, the detent having a corresponding rounded surface substantially as herein-
before described.
6. In an arc lamp, the combination with the frame of a globe holder consisting
of a wire netting embracing the globe and springs connecting the netting with the
lamp frame, substantially as herein before described.

page_text: 7. In an arc lamp, the combination with the frame of a globe holder consisting
of a wire netting embracing the globe and springs connecting the netting with the
lamp frame, these springs being attached to the rings which embrace the side rods
of the lamp and which normally engage with hooks on the lamp frame, substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
8. In an arc lamp, the combination of the globe and a net embracing the same,
this net being secured at its upper edge by hooks passing over the upper edge of
the globe, substantially as herein before described and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
1
1005
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.