Improvements in Electric Arc Lamps.
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Arc Lamps.
We, WALTER CLAUDE JOHNSON, of The Dignaries, Westcombe Park, Blackheath, in
the County of Kent, Electrical Engineer, and ADOLPH Wunderlich, of No. 11, Osborne.
Terrace, Westcombe Park, Blackheath, in the County of Kent, Electrician, 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 :-
Our invention relates to a simple and effective arrangement of the regulating
mechanism of an electric are lamp as we shall describe referring to the accompany-
ing drawing which is a vertical section of the upper part of the lamp frame containing
the regulating mechanism.
A the upper carbon, is held in a split tube B which is free to move within an
enclosing tube C. This enclosing tube is, at its lower end somewhat loosely attached
to a piston D in which is formed a conical seating for several rings E arranged in
slots in the boss of the piston D. The upper end of the tube C is attached to a pair
of chains or wire cords F which pass over pulleys G, and are attached to the
cores H H of two solenoids I, these cores being connected together by a crosshead or
yoke K through the middle of which the tube C passes. In attaching the chains or
cords F to the cores H, we prefer to interpose springs so as to avoid vibration of the
feeding mechanism. From the base L of the lamp frame a tube M projects upwards
to form a stop for the rings E.
The coils of the solenoids I are both in the lamp circuit. The lamp operates as
follows:-
On putting the lamp in circuit, the solenoids I attract down their cores H and
thus the tube C and piston D are raised, and the rings E being by the conical
seating on which they rest caused to clamp the carbon A, the carbon is also raised
striking the arc. As the carbons are consumed the increased resistance of the arc
lessens the attraction of the solenoids I which allow their cores to rise while the
tube C and piston D also the carbon A descend until the rings E meet the tube M.
and are raised somewhat out of their conical seating so that they release the carbon
and allow it to descend towards the lower carbon. Instead of the clutch consisting
of the conical seating and rings E, to which clutch by itself we make no claim,
other suitable known clutches may be employed to operate in conjunction with the
two solenoid cores as above described.
The weight of the cores H H and their crosshead or yoke K are so suited to that
of the tube C and the piston D with the mean length of carbon A that there is
nearly a balance and consequently very little force is required to effect the striking
and regulation of the arc. The piston D also works in a cylindrical casing N
surrounding it so as to operate as a dash pot preventing sudden movements.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
Regulating mechanism for an electric are lamp constructed and operating sub-
stantially as described with reference to the drawing.
D
ST... 1000