Improved Means and Appliances for Feeding the Carbons of Arc Lamps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug.. 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
PROVISIONAL. SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Appliances for Feeding the Carbons of
Arc Lamps.
I, JOHN KENT of The London College of Electrical Engineering, 9 and 10 Railway
Approach, London Bridge, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows
The object of this invention is to fit appliances to the frames of arc lamps for
feeding the carbons in positively regular order, to produce uniformity and steadiness
of light, also to reduce the costs of such lamps and simplify the mechanisin as well as
to effect a reduction in the weight and the consequent bulk of such lamp.
For the purpose of my invention, 1 employ one or more rollers on the axle, or on an
additional axle to that which the movable carbon cords are arranged, a half band
pusher plate, one end of which is free but can be pressed or forced down by a rod
depending from a beam or rocker carried above the top plate.
The opposite end of the half band is attached to a spring and in its normal position
it sits on a pedestal but from which it can rise when the other end is depressed
under the action of the rod before referred to, to put a bite upon the roller for
feeding the carbon. The beam or rocker is operated electrically.
11
101
1000
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said John Kent.
f
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Appliances for Feeding the Carbons of
Arc Lamps.
I, JOHN KENT, of "The London College of Electrical Engineering" 9 and 10
Railway Approach, London Bridge, Electrical 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 fit appliances to the frames of arc lamps for
feeding the carbons in positively regular order to produce uniformity and steadiness
of light also to reduce the cost of such lamps and simplify the mechanism as
well as to effect a reduction in the_weight and consequent bulk of such lamp.
For the purpose of my invention, I employ one or more rollers on the axle, or on
an additional axle to that on which the movable carbon cords are arranged, a half or
segmental band pusher, one end of which is free but can be pressed or forced down
by a rod depending from a beam or rocker. The opposite end of the half or
segmental band in its normal position sits on a spring pedestal or pin, which also
becomes compressed when the other end is depressed under the action of the rod
before referred to, to put a bite upon the roller for feeding the carbon; slip of the
roller is prevented when the pressure is removed by the spring pin end of the band
being kept in contact with the roller.
The beam or rocker is operated electrically.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings is an elevation of the appliances for operating the
carbons of an electric arc lamp.
Figure 2 is a similar view at right angles to Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan of the appliances.
aizanit coils are abamn

page_text: B, B, are the movable cores attached to the yokes C, C.
D is a bridge piece or beam to which the yokes C, C, are loosely jointed.
E the pivot on which the beam rocks on the upright F.
Ga depending leg of the beam D.
H segmental feeding band.
I hollow pedestal...
J pin in pedestal.
K spring. supporting the pin..
L band wheel.
M, N, cord wheels or rollers of different diameters on saine axle as L.
P guide wheel for cord of lower carbon.
Qcord of same.
R cord of upper carbon.
S, S, guide plates.
T, T, upright bars.
U, U, upper and lower carbons.
A, A, shunt coils.
'B', B, core of shunt coils.
W, W, box containing mechanism.
✗, suspension link.
Y, Z, terminal posts.
The operation is as follows:
The current in passing round the main circuit coils A, A, draws down the cores B, B,
and with them the beam D and depending leg G which presses on one free end of the
band H causes it to bite the wheel L and draw it round and give off the cord from
the wheel N whereby the lower carbon pencil U' is lowered. The other wheel M is
simultaneously rotated to wrap the cord on wheel I and lift the upper carbon
pencil U the required distance to strike the arc. Should the arc resistance become
too great owing to the wearing away of the carbons more current passes round-
the shunt circuit coils A', A', draws down the core B₁, B', of said shunt coils
releasing the grip of the band H on the wheel L allowing the carbon pencils U, U¹,
to approach each other and adjust themselves to the necessary distance to suit the
current.
When the dépending leg G puts pressure on the free end of the band H the other
end is forced to put a pressure on the spring pin J to ensure the full grip of the
band H on the wheel L which spring K retains a certain amount of pressure on the
return motion of the band H to prevent the cord wheels M, N, rotating and the carbon
pencils coming unnecessarily close together as to destroy the arc. Thus the arc is kept
uniform and the light steady.
Instead of arranging the main and shunt circuit coils as solenoids exerting a
differential pull upon one beam or rocker according to the current fluctuations, I
arrange them as electro-magnets operating two rockers or beams, each rocker or beam
operating a separate brake band arranged on wheels fixed to a common spindle, the
whole apparatus operating as follows, and as will be understood by referring to
Figures 5 and 6. Upon the current flowing around the coils A, A, the armature C
and rocker or beam D is drawn down and the depending leg G closes the brake
band upon the wheel L causing same to move round the necessary distance for
striking the arc in the manner before described.
When the electro-magnet rises owing to the lengthening of the arc through the
wearing away of the carbons, a portion of the current passes around the shunt
coils A, A, and attracts the armature C¹and the pin G closes the brake band H¹
upon the wheel L', this acts against the tension of the spring rod J₁, and by over-
coming the grip of the brake H, turns the wheel L and also the wheels M and N,
these being in one casting with the wheel L' in the direction required for closing the
carbons and shortening the arc until the normal resistance is attained. Then ther
depending leg G closes the band H upon the wheel L and holds same securely in this
position until the current becomes again weak owing to increased resistance, the

page_text: armature then rises slightly and allows the shunt coil armature to overcome the
slackened grip of the band H.
Upon the back of the armature C₁ is arranged a spring contact a, so that as the
armature is drawn forward, circuit is broken around the sbunt coils A', A', and the
armature returns, allows the brake H' to take a fresh grip upon the wheel to turn
same in its next movement. From this it will be understood that the operations of
striking the arc, and feeding the carbons are distinct.
By this means I overcome the distinctive peculiarities incident to the series or
parallel method of connecting arc lamps, and am enabled moreover to produce a
compact unifocal positive feed arc lamp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The employment of a band or bands engaging with the feed wheel or wheels
through the contact of the other end of the band with a spring rod or rods which
cause the band or bands to form one with, or part of, the feed wheel or wheels and
compels it or them to turn and release the cord of one carbon carrier and draw upon
the cord of the other carbon carrier by the means and for the purpose or purposes
hereinbefore set forth.
2. In an electrically controlled arc lamp, the differently diameter wheels M, N,
band wheel L, segmental band H, depending leg G, and beam D, as described and
shown at Figures 1, 2, 3 in the drawings for the purposes set forth.
3. In an electrically controlled arc lamp, the segmental band H, leg G, pin J,
spring K, wheel L, with cord rollers M, N, on same axle, as described and substantially
as shown on the annexed drawings for the purposes set forth.
4. The particular arrangement of vertical and horizontal main and shunt circuit
coils acting in unison as described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the
annexed drawings, for striking the arc and feeding the carbons automatically as
set forth.
The 25th day of A...il 1900
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said John Kent.