Improvements in and relating to Mechanism for Electrically Indicating the Extinction of Lamps, and for analogous Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by HORACE SEE, of 1 Broadway, New York, United
States of America, Naval Architect.]
Improvements in and relating to
Mechanism
for Electrically
Indicating the Extinction of Lamps, and for analogous Purposes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
The invention consists in an electrical indicating mechanism, whereby the pilot
of a vessel for example, may be informed at all times as to the condition of his
running lights, both by visible and by audible indications, produced in the pilot
house, or other convenient place, and whereby when a lamp happens to go out,
another lamp is immediately set in glow in place of it.
The invention further consists in the specific construction of the electric bell
herein employed.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, showing the arrangements of the
lights and the circuit in electrical diagram.
Fig. 2 is a view of the apparatus from above.
Similar numbers and letters of reference indicate like parts.
The two circles A and B designate any suitable support for the running side-
lights of a vessel; the starboard light being at the support A and the port light
at the support B. In each support A and B there are two electric lights;
C and C being the starboard lights and D and D' being the port lights. All four
of these lights, as will now be explained, are connected in circuit with a source
of electricity and with the alarm and indicating apparatus; the arrangement,
however, being such that the lights C and D only are normally in operation; and
these constitute, therefore, the regular running lights. Both lights C¹ and D¹
come into glow when one of the regular lights, C and D is extinguished. At the
same time a shutter bearing an appropriate inscription moves in front of an
opening which is visible to the pilot or other person controlling the ship, and a bell
likewise sounds, giving the alarm.
The controlling, indicating and alarm apparatus is enclosed in a box E on the
bridge, or at any other station at which it is desired that the conditions of the
lights shall be known. Mounted on brackets, 1 and 2, within the box E are
electro-magnets, 3 and 4. Pivoted on brackets, 5 and 6, are the armatures, 7 and 8,
of these magnets; each armature having a retracting spring, 9 and 10, connected
to a fixed abutment. The armatures 7 and 8 carry rods, 11 and 12, on which are
shutters, 30 and 31. Upon each shutter are inscribed the words "Burning" and
"Out."
These shutters are placed behind openings, as 32 in the cover or wall of
the case E. The size of the opening is such that only one of the inscriptions on
each shutter can be seen through it. Thus, at the opening 32 in the drawing, only
the inscription "Out"
can be seen; but when the rod 11 is moved to the left, then
only the inscription "Burning" can be seen. In the case E are gongs, 13 and 14
caused to sound by the mechanism now to be described. 15 and 16 are electro-
magnets supported on brackets, 17 and 18. The armature 19 which is pivoted

page_text: at 20 to a bracket, 22 carries the hammer 21 which acts on the gongs. The
bracket 22 has a horizontal arm, to which is pivoted a horizontal switch plate, 23,
having a circular opening, 24. A vertical rod, 25 attached to the armature 19,
enters this opening; but the diameter of said rod 25 is smaller than the diameter
of said opening, as shown in Fig. 2. Supported upon standards, 26 and 27, are
double leaf-springs, 28 and 29, the ends of which are flared. Between the parts
of these leaf-springs enters the plate 23. The springs 28 and 29 are slotted, as
shown at 33, and are connected to the standards 26 and 27 by screws; so that said
springs may thus be adjusted in a direction of their own length.
I will now describe the lead of the circuits in the apparatus when the regular
running lights C and D are in operation: From one pole of the source of
electricity by wire a to binding post 34 disposed in a wall of the case E, to wire b,
branch wire c, to and through the electro-magnet 3. by wire d, to binding post-35,
by wire e to lamp C, by wire to wire g, and so to the other pole of said source
of electricity. When the current passes over this starboard main-light circuit,
the light is rendered incandescent, the magnet 3 attracts its armature 7,
so bringing the inscription Burning" on the shutter 31 in front of the
opening 32.
The port main-light circuit proceeds as follows: From wire a as before, to
wire 6', to branch c', to electro-maguet 4, by wire d', to binding post 36, by wire el
to lamp D and by wire f¹ to wire 9,. and so to the other pole of the source of
electricity. When the current passes over this circuit, the electro-magnet 4 is
energized, attracting its armature 8 and moving the shutter 30 so as to bring the
inscription "Burning" thereon in front of the other opening corresponding to 32.
Thus the current passes over these two circuits when both running lights C and D
are in proper operation; and the fact of their being in such operation is
indicated to the pilot by the words "Burning" appearing before the openings in
the case E..
Now let it be supposed that the lamp C burns out, or becomes otherwise injured,
Fo that the starboard main lamp circuit is broken at the lamp. This throws into
operation what I will call the "starboard bell circuit," which proceeds from wire a
to wire b, and then to the branch h and so to armature 7. Of course, through the
breaking of the starboard main lamp circuit, the magnet 3 has become
de-energized; so that the spring 9 now retracts the armature. 7. When said
armature is retracted it is brought against a fixed stop or pin, 37 thus establishing
electrical connection from wire through. armature 7 to wire i. From wire i the
circuit proceeds to armature bracket 22, and, thence to plate 23, leaf-springs 28
and 29 and their standards 26 and 27 and thence by the two wires j through the
electro-magnets 15 and 16, thence by the wire k to the wire l, binding post 38,
wire m, wire, n to lamp C, and thence to the wire f, wire y and the other pole of
the source of electricity. The consequence is as follows: As soon as the electro-
magnet 3 releases its armature, the shutter 31 moves behind the opening. 32. so as
to expose the inscription "Out," as represented in the drawing. Both of the bell
magnets, 15 and: 16 are then energized.
g
When, there is no current in the apparatus, the armature by gravity, inclines to
one side or the; other. If the switch plate 23 is in its middle position, the
armature is permitted so to incline by reason of the rod 25 having play in the larger
aperture 24. in said, switch-plate. In that case the plate 23 will make contact
with both springs 28 and 29, and the current will energize both magnets 15 and 16.
But, the armature will be most strongly attracted. by that magnet toward which
it is inclined; and, in, this way, the operation. of the vibrator will begin.
In practice, however, I find that the armature does not come to rest when the
current is shut off with the plate 23 in such a middle position, but that, on the
contrary, the plate is always between the parts of one spring (28 or 29) or
the other.
Suppose, for illustration, that the armature at the outset inclines by gravity to
the right, and that then the switch-plate 23.is between the parts of the spring 28.

page_text: The width of said switch-plate is such that when it is fully inserted between the
parts of spring 28 it is withdrawn from between the parts of spring 29. The
current, therefore, under the supposed conditions, will on establishment, pass only
through the magnet 15, which will at once draw the armature 19 to the left. But
as the armature moves to the left, the rod 25 will move the switch-plate 23
gradually out from between the parts of spring 28 and simultaneously insert
said plate between the parts of spring 29. So that, by the time the armature
has been drawn by magnet 15 a sufficient distance to the left (say to cause
the hammer 21 to strike the gong 13), the current has been diverted by the
plate 23 into the magnet 16, which now pulls the armature in the opposite direction
(say until the bell-hammer strikes the gong 14); and thus the armature is-set in
rapid vibration.
It will be observed that the arrangement of the rod 25 in the large opening 24
serves a double purpose; the first being that the armature, as already stated, is
permitted to incline a certain distance by gravity, thus insuring the beginning of
its vibration by the difference between the pull of the magnets upon it, even when
the plate 23 is in its middle position and grasped by both springs 28, 29; and the
second being that, after the armature has completed its stroke with the rod 25
bearing against one edge of the opening 24 in plate 23, on its return movement the
rod plays across the said opening freely before it again starts said switch plate in
motion, and thus the armature has a certain acquired momentum before it begins
to move the said switch plate from between the parts of the spring in which it has
been inserted; this momentum acting to overcome both the inertia of the plate
and the frictional resistance of the parts of the spring bearing upon its faces. The
net result is a vibration of the bell-hammer, causing it to strike alternately the
gongs 13 and 14, and the accomplishment of this without ever breaking the circuit
in which the bell mechanism is located.
Not only are the gongs 13 and 14 sounded by the mechanism so far described,
but the lamp C' by reason of such current through it is at once set into glow.
Thus the pilot is shown visually, at the opening 32, the inscription "Out." He
receives warning also by the ringing of the gongs, and instantly also the lamp C¹
is rendered incandescent and so remains until the regular lamp C is put back in
proper condition for operation. So that any danger due to the extinguishment of
the lamp C is thus prevented.
The circuits in connection with the lamps D and D', are from wire a to wire b',
to branch, armature, stop 39 wire i, armature 19, bracket 22, springs 28 and 29,
wires, magnets 15 and 16, wire k, wire l, binding post 38, wire m, wire m', lamp D',
wire and wire g.
The invention is applicable to a variety of different purposes. It may be
employed to ensure the operation of any electrical apparatus wherein a rupture of
the circuit is likely to be attended with injurious results. Thus it may be used to
give warning of the failure of railroad signal mechanism to act, and to replace at
once the inoperative contrivance by an operative one. It will also indicate, at a
distant station, that the lamps in a subway or tunnel are not working, and substitute
others for them; or, in theatre illumination, it may be employed in event of sudden
rupture of a main feeding circuit and extinction of the lamp therein, which might
leave the house or stage suddenly in darkness, to substitute instantly the lamps of
a second circuit.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. The electric signalling and indicating mechanism and the electric lamps in
circuit therewith, constructed and operated as hereinbefore set forth.
2. The electric signalling and indicating and illuminating apparatus berein set
forth, comprising an electric circuit having two branches and in one branch an
electro magnet and an electric lamp, and in another brauch a circuit closer,

page_text: controlled by said magnet, an indicating device mechanically actuated by said
circuit closer, a second electric lamp, and an electric audible alarm; the said
lamps being disposed in proximity and the said indicating device circuit closer and
alarm being located at a station distant from said lamps.
3. An electric bell mechanism, specifically constructed as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 24th day of September 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.