Improved Apparatus for Periodically Passing Ourrents of Electricity through a Conductor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 11th July, 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Periodically Passing Ourrents of Electricity
through a Conductor.
I ROBERT HARKNESS TWIGG of 14 Victoria Street in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple apparatus to be adapted to a
clock or other mechanism, for the purpose of periodically making and breaking
contact between two parts of a conductor, in order that a current of electricity may
be passed through, for the purpose of actuating other mechanisms.
The apparatus consists of a cylinder or other suitable receptacle of glass, or other
insulating material, having ends of a similar material, and provided with a suitable
axle or pivot pins.
The ends are provided with pins or pivots which project on the inside, and on
the outside are connected with the ends of the conductor.
A quantity of mercury or other suitable material is enclosed in the cylinder,
which is caused to revolve by means of the clock or other mechanism, and as the
cylinder rolls round, the mercury makes and breaks contact between the pins at
the opposite ends of the cylinder.
In some cases I may have a series of pins at either end, so that one or other
may be coupled to the conductor by means of a switch, according to requirements.
The axle or pivot pins will work on insulated supports, and the contact pins may
be connected to the axle or pivots, with which the conductors are also directly
connected, or the conductors may be connected with mercury cups, in which turn
metal disos mounted on the axle or pivots.
The size of the cylinder will, to some extent, depend upon the nature of the
mechanism to which it is to be applied, and means may be provided whereby the
cylinder may be turned independently of the mechanism, whatever it may be, in
case of need.
In adapting this apparatus to a clock, it may be so mounted as to rotate once in
every minute, so that the contact will be made once in every minute, and the
current will be sent through the conductor at that interval to any number of time
dials in the circuit, to operate the hands.
Dated this 11th day of September 1891.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Periodically Passing Currents of Electricity
through a Conductor.
I ROBERT HARKNESS TWIGG of 14 Victoria Street in the City of Westminster,
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 :—
The object of this invention is to provide a simple apparatus to be adapted to a
clock, for the purpose of periodically making and breaking contact between two
parts of a conductor, in order that a current of electricity may be passed through,
for the purpose of actuating the mechanisms.
The apparatus consists of a closed cylinder or other suitable receptacle, of glass
or other insulating material, and provided with suitable pivots.

page_text: outside are connected with the ends of the electrical conductor.
A quantity of mercury is enclosed in the receptacle, which is caused to revolve
by means of the clock mechanism, and as the receptacle rolls round, the mercury
makes and breaks contact between the contact pins.
In some cases I may have a series of contact pins, so that one or other may be
coupled to the conductor by means of a switch according to requirements.
The pivots will work in insulated supports, and the contact pins may be con-
nected to the pivots with which the conductors may be also directly connected; or
the conductors may be connected with mercury cups in which turn metal discs
mounted on the pivots.
The pivots will be provided with means whereby the mercury receptacle may be
turned independently of the mechanism, in case of need.
The receptacle may be mounted to rotate once in every minute, so that the
contact will be made once in every minute, and the current will be sent through
the conductor at that interval, to any number of time dials in the circuit to operate
the hands.
In the accompanying drawing, I have shown two arrangements for carrying out
my invention.
Fig. 1 shows a cylinder arrangement suitable for ordinary use, and
Figs. 2 and 3 show a tubular arrangement more particularly suitable for use on
board ship.
Referring now to Fig. 1, A represents a frame in which the cylinder is mounted,
and B is the insulated cylinder provided with metal pivots C, which turn in
insulated bearings attached to the frame A.
In this figure, the ends of the cylinder are shown as inserted in metal caps, and
the pivots may be formed in one piece therewith.
Dis a wheel, which may be the escape wheel, or any other convenient wheel of
the clock mechanism, mounted loosely on one pivot, and by which the cylinder is
rotated, the connection between the cylinder and the wheel being preferably
frictional.
E are discs mounted on the pivots, and turning in mercury cups, forming part of
the circuit, or any other convenient means may be employed to connect the pivots
with the conductors.
FF are contact pins inserted through the cylinder, and in permanent connection
with the metal caps.
G is the mercury, which, as the cylinder rotates, comes at the right moment in
contact with the contact pins F, and completes the circuit. H is the battery,
and J J J Jrepresent clock dials arranged in the circuit.
The mechanism of the dials may be of any convenient arrangement, and forms
no part of the present invention.
Krepresents a milled head by which the cylinder may be rotated irrespective of
the clock mechanism, in order to regulate the dial movements.
Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the receptacle A consists of an annular tube,
which is supported on both sides by radial arms or spokes A', extending from
central discs A², which are each formed in one with a pivot C, and are secured by
screws or otherwise to a hub C¹ of insulated material.
Projecting through the tube on both sides, opposite alternate spokes, are contact
pins I, as before explained.
G represents the mercury in this case also.
The wheel thus formed is connected with a wheel of the clock mechanism, and
as it rotates therewith; the mercury rolls round inside, and on coming into contact
with the contact pins F, completes the circuit.
The number of contact points, as well as the spokes to the wheel, will be
regulated according to the periods at which it is desired to make the contacts, and
according to the speed at which the wheel is caused to rotate.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The apparatus for periodically passing currents of electricity through a
conductor, consisting of an insulated sealed receptacle to contain mercury, mounted
on metal pivots in connection with the electrical conductor, and provided with
contact pins suitably connected with the pivots, the receptacle being rotated by the
mechanism of a clock, in such a manner, that the mercury in the receptacle shall
be caused periodically to make contact with the contact pins, as and for the purpose
set forth.
2. In apparatus for periodically passing currents of electricity through a
conductor, placing in the electric circuit an insulated receptacle to contain mercury,
by the rotation of which the mercury is caused periodically to complete the circuit,
as and for the purposes set forth.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.