IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION AND REGULATION OF ELECTRICITY APPLIED FOR IlluminatiON
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Devonport Finney Andrews, of Mount Street,
Charlton, in the County of Kent, Telegraph Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION AND REGULATION OF
ELECTRICITY APPLIED FOR IlluminatiON."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Devonport Finney
Andrews at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th June
1879.
JOSEPH DEVONPORT FINNEY ANDREWS, of Mount Street, Charlton, in the County
of Kent, Telegraph Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUC-
"
TION AND REGULATION OF ELECTRICITY APPLIED FOR ILLUMINATION."
My Invention relates to the production of electricity and the regulation of its
quantity and intensity as applied for illumination. For producing electricity I
construct a dynamo-electric machine in the following manner-On the surface of
a long cylinder I fix a number of electro-magnets parallel to the axis, each magnet
consisting of a long iron core wound lengthwise with insulated wire. This cylinder
constituting a rotating armature is mounted in bearings and made to revolve
between the poles of two stationary electro-magnets which extend radially on each
side of the armature, the outer ends of those magnets being connected by iron with
cach other so that the two form a complete horse shoe. The wires of the armature
coils are connected to a suitable commutator which is in connection with the coils
of the stationary electro-magnets, so that the electrical currents generated in the
armature coils excite the stationary magnets, whereby more powerful currents are
generated in the known manner. The arrangement of the machine is such that the
parts are largely exposed to the air and are kept cool by the air currents caused by
the rotation of the armature. As machines such as I have described may be applied
to work a number of electrical lamps I adopt means for approximately proportioning
the quantity of electricity produced to the number of lamps which have to be
supplied from the machine. For this purpose I wind the coils of the machine with
several separate parallel wires, connecting each wire through its commutator to a
contact plate or spring. These plates or springs bear against the face of a sliding

page_text: bar or a revolving disc or cylinder, part of which is of conducting and part of non
conducting material, so that by sliding the bar or turning the disc or cylinder more
or less round a greater or less number of the contact plates or springs are brought
to bear on the conducting portion which is in connection with the lamp circuit,
and thus the quantity of electricity passing into the circuit can be increased or
diminished. The contact plates or springs may be arranged so that the movement
of the bar, disc, or cylinder causes a greater or less number of them to be connected
in series. According to another method, when the coils of the machine do not
consist of separate parallel wires I introduce into the external circuit a solenoid
having an iron core which is connected to a throttle or other regulating valve of the
engine that works the machine, in such a manner that according as the strength of
the electrical current passing through the solenoid is greater or less the core is
caused to move more or less by its attraction, and so by moving the valve to
regulate the speed of the engine and machine. Instead of applying this apparatus
directly to the regulating valve of the engine it may be applied to vary the outlet
of a fluid pumped by the engine to act on a piston connected to the regulating valve.
In applying electricity to illumination I employ various arrangements of apparatus
as I will describe. According to one arrangement I place two plates of carbon,
preferably in the form of discs, face to face at a little distance apart. These plates
being connected to the clectric circuit the luminous voltaic are presents itself at
some point of their peripheries, and as the carbons are gradually consumed, the arc
travels round the periphery and inwards towards the centre. In order to ensure
the travel of the are round the periphery of the disc I wind the conducting wire in
a number of convolutions near the disce, thus inducing rotation of the arc. These
convolutions may be round a core forming an electro-magnet or solenoid; or instead
of this arrangement a permanent magnet may be employed to induce rotation of
the arc.
For the purpose of kindling the lamp I make one of the carbons moveable
and connect it to the armature of an electro magnet or to the core of a solenoid
having its coil in the lamp circuit, and this may be the coil that causes rotation of
the voltaic are. When there is no electrical current passing the carbons are in
contact, but as soon as the electrical current passes through the coil the carbons are
separated by the attractive force of the electro-magnet or solenoid, and are main-
tained at a distance apart suited to the development of the voltaic arc. For one of
the carbon discs may be substituted a metal vessel kept cool by water as in the
water terminal of the Siemens lamp.
Instead of employing carbon discs as above described I employ for the negative
terminal a rectangular carbon placed between two other plates at a small distance
from them, these outer plates constituting the positive terminal. Each of the outer
plates being connected at one of its side edges to the circuit, the voltaic arc travels
along the upper edge between it and the negative carbon until it reaches the
further side, whereupon it travels back between the other outer plate and the
negative carbon, and so on continuously. The two outer carbons may be con-
nected at their side edges so as to form a flat tube containing the negative carbon,
in which case the travel of the arc to and fro along the upper edge of the tube is
induced by a few convolutions of the circuit wire in the neighbourhood of the carbous.
When alternating currents are employed the middle carbon plate is insulated, the
two outer plates in that case forming part of the lamp circuit. The voltaic arc plays
between the two outer plates, being always kept at their extreme edges by the
presence between them of the middle plate which becomes consumed along with
them. When I employ carbon plates producing the voltaic are between their edges
1 cause the travel of the arc along such edges by connecting the plates to the circuit
at points which may be made to vary in position by introducing into the circuit an
electro-magnet having an armature which by vibrations makes and breaks contact,
these vibrations being damped in any known manner. According to a modified
arrangement of lamp two plates or rods of carbon are kept pressed together end to
end, and to and near their point of junction is directed the point or end of another
carbon rod or plate. The two rods or plates first mentioned constitute at their

page_text: meeting point the positive terminal of the lamp, and the third rod or plate is the
negative terminal. As the former are consumed at their meeting point they aro
still pressed together, keeping that point stationary, and the third rod or plate has
its distanco from that point regulated by an electro-magnet or solenoid. According
to another arrangement of lamp I employ a single carbon rod for the positive
terminal and also a single carbon rod for the negative terminal, and I mount these
in slides so that the weight of one of them, or an additional weight if required,
shall cause them to approach point to point. In the lamp circuit I arrange a small
electro-dynamic machine of any known construction, the rotating axis of which is
connected by gearing to the carbon slides, so that when it revolves it moves the
slides in the direction opposite to that in which they are moved by the acting weight.
As this weight causes the carbons to approach each other whilst the electro-dynamic
machine causes them to recede from each other, the force of the latter depending on
the strength of the current, their distance becomes automatically adjusted so that
the force in the two directions are balanced or nearly so. As the carbons consume,
increasing their distance and so weakening the current, the force causing their
approach is in excess. If the carbons approach too near to each other the force
causing recession becomes the greater, and they are separated. Instead of employing
an electro-dynamic machine as above described for adjusting the distance of the
carbon rods, plates, or discs, I apply two electro-magnets or solenoids, the coil of
one of which is connected by a shunt with the lamp circuit. This coil acting in
opposition to the weight of the moveable carbon or to a weight tending to separato
the carbons causes the carbons to approach each other, but when they do approach
sufficiently to permit passage of electricity this electricity excites the other coil, and
the armature or core attracted by it shunts the former coil out of circuit, again
leaving the weight free to act so as to separate the carbons. Instead of the shunt
coil above mentioned I sometimes employ a bent U tube containing water and
closed at the top of one limb, the slide of one of the carbons being sustained by a
float on the water in the other limb. The electricity when not shunted passes
through the water and decomposes a portion of it, causing a pressure in the upper
part of the closed limb, which raising the level in the open limb proportionally
raises the carbon slide. When the carbons are thus made to approach so nearly to
one another that a current passes, this current excites an electro-magnet, and its
armature is moved so as to shunt the water out of circuit. The decomposition being
thus arrested the carbon is no farther raised until the water is again brought into
circuit by the back movement of the shunting armature caused by the decrease of
the clectric force.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Devonport Finney Andrews in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th December 1879.
"
JOSEPH DEVONPORT FINNEY ANDREWS, of Mount Street, Charlton, in the County
of Kent, Telegraph Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUC-
TION AND REGULATION OF ELECTRICITY APPLIED FOR ILLUMINATION."
My Invention relates to the production of electricity and the regulation of its
quantity and intensity as applied for illumination. For producing electricity I
construct a dynamo electric machine in the following manner:-On the surface of
a long cylinder I fix a number of electro-magnets parallel to the axis, each magnet
consisting of a long iron core wound lengthwise with insulated wire. This cylinder
constituting a rotating armature is mounted in bearings, and made to revolve
between the poles of two stationary electro-magnets which extend radially on each
side of the arinature, the outer ends of those magnets being connected by iron with
each other, so that the two form a complete horse shoe. The wires of the armature
coils are connected to a suitable commutator which is in connection with the coils
of the stationary electro-magnets, so that the electrical currents generated in the
armature coils excite the stationary magnets whereby more powerful currents are
generated in the known manner. The arrangement of the machine is such that the
parts are largely exposed to the air, and are kept cool by the air currents caused by
the rotation of the armature.
As the machines, such as I have described, may be applied to work a number
of electrical lamps I adopt means for approximately proportioning the quantity
of electricity produced to the number of lamps which have to be supplied
from the machine. For this purpose I wind the coils of the machine with
several separate parallel wires, connecting each wire through its commutator
to a contact plate or spring. These plates or springs bear against the face of a
sliding bar or a revolving disc or cylinder, part of which is of conducting and part
of non-conducting material, so that by sliding the bar or turning the disc or
cylinder nore or less round, a greater or less number of the contact plates or
springs are brought to bear on the conducting portion which is in connection with
the lamp circuit, and thus the quantity of electricity passing into the circuit can be
increased or diminished. The contact plates or springs may be arranged so that
the movement of the bar, disc, or cylinder causes a greater or less number of them
to be connected in series. According to another method, when the coils of the
machine do not consist of separate parallel wires, I introduce into the external
circuit a solenoid having an iron core, which is connected to a throttle or other
regulating valve of the engine that works the machine in such a manner that
according as the strength of the electrical current passing through the solenoid is
greater or less the core is caused to move more or less by its attraction, and so by
moving the valve to regulate the speed of the engine and machine. Instead of
applying this apparatus directly to the regulating valve of the engine it may be
applied to vary the outlet of a fluid pumped by the engine to act on a piston con-
nected to the regulating valve. In applying electricity to illumination I employ
various arrangements of apparatus as 1 will describe. According to one arrange-
ment I place two plates of carbon, preferably in the form of discs, face to face,
at a little distance apart. These plates being connected to the electric circuit,
the luminous voltaic are presents itself at some point to their peripheries, and as
the carbons are gradually consumed the arc travels round the periphery and inwards
towards the centre. In order to ensure the travel of the arc round the periphery
of the discs I wind the conducting wire in a number of convolutions near the
discs, thus inducing rotation of the arc. These convolutions may be round a
core forming an electro magnet or solenoid. Or instead of this arrangement a
permanent magnet may be employed to induce rotation of the arc. For the

page_text: purpose of kindling the lamp I make one of the carbons moveable, and connect
it to the armature of an electro-magnet or to the core of a solenoid having its coil
in the lamp circuit, and this may be the coil that causes rotation of the voltaic arc.
When there is no electrical current passing the carbons are in contact, but as soon
as the electrical current passes through the coil, the carbons are separated by the
attractive force of the electro-magnet or solenoid, and are maintained at a distance
apart suited to the development of the voltaic arc. For one of the carbon discs
may be substituted a metal vessel kept cool by water, as in the water terminal of
the Siemens lamp.
Instead of employing carbon discs as above described I employ for the negative
terminal a rectangular carbon plate placed between two other plates at a small
distance froin them, these outer plates constituting the positive terminal. Each of
the outer plates being connected at one of its side edges to the circuit, the voltaic
arc travels along the upper edge between it and the negative carbon until it reaches
the farther side, whereupon it travels back between the other outer plate and the nega
tive carbon, and so on continuously. The two outer carbons may be connected at their
side edges so as to form a flat tube containing the negative carbon, in which case the
travel of the arc to and fro along the upper edge of the tube is induced by a few
convolutions of the circuit wire in the neighbourhood of the carbons. When
alternating currents are employed the middle carbon plate is insulated, the
two outer plates in that case forming part of the lamp circuit. The voltaic arc
plays between the two outer plates, being always kept at their extreme edges by the
presence between them of the middle plate which becomes consumed along with them.
When I employ carbon plates producing the voltaic are between their edges I cause the
travel of the arc along such edges by connecting the plates to the circuit at points
which may be made to vary in position by introducing into the circuit an electro-
magnet, having an armature which, by vibrations, makes and breaks contact,
these vibrations being damped in any known manner. According to a modified
arrangement of lamp, two plates or rods of carbon are kept pressed together end
to end, and to and near their point of junction is directed the point or end of
another carbon rod or plate. The two rods or plates first mentioned constitute
at their meeting point the positive terminal of the lamp, and the third rod or plate
is the negative terminal. As the former are consumed at their meeting point, they
are still pressed together, keeping that point stationary, and the third rod or plato
has its distance from that point regulated by an electro-magnet or solenoid.
According to another arrangement of lamp, I employ a single carbon rod for the
positive terminal, and also a single carbon rod for the negative terminal; and I
imount these in slides so that the weight of one of them, or an additional weight if
required, shall cause them to approach point to point. In the lamp circuit I arrange
a small electro dynamic machine of any known construction, the rotating axis of
which is connected by gearing to the carbon slides, so that when it revolves, it
moves these slides in the direction opposite to that in which they are moved by the
acting weight. As this weight causes the carbons to approach each other whilst
the electro-dynamic machine causes them to recede from each other, the force of the
latter depending on the strength of the current, their distance becomes automatically
adjusted, so that the forces in the two directions are balanced or nearly so. As the
carbons consume, increasing their distance, and so weakening the current, the force
causing their approach is in excess. If the carbons approach too near to each other,
the force causing recession becomes the greater, and they are separated. Instead of
employing an electro-dynamic machine as above described for adjusting the distance
of the carbon rods, plates, or discs, I apply two electro-magnets or solenoids, the
coil of one of which is connected by a shunt with the lamp circuit. This coil
acting in opposition to the weight of the moveable carbon, or to a weight tending
to separate the carbons, causes the carbons to approach each other; but when they
do approach sufficiently to permit passage of electricity, this electricity excites the
other coil, and the armature or core attracted by it shuts the former coil out of
circuit, again leaving the weight free to act, so as to separate the carbons. Instead

page_text: of the shunt coil above mentioned, I sometimes employ a bent U tube containing
water, and closed at the top of one limb, the slide of one of the carbons being
sustained by a float on the water in the other limb. The electricity when not
shunted passes through the water and decomposes a portion of it, causing a pressure
in the upper part of the closed limb, which raising the level in the open limb pro-
portionally, raises the carbon slide. When the carbons are thus made to approach
so nearly to one another that a current passes, this current excites an electro-
magnet, and its armature is moved so as to shunt the water out of circuit. The
decomposition being thus arrested, the carbon is no farther raised until the water is
again brought into circuit by the back movement of the shunting armature caused
by the decrease of the electric force.
"
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 a transverse section of a dynamo-electric
machine arranged according to my Invention. The revolving armature A carries
a number of elongated electro-magnets parallel to the axis, having their coils
connected to an ordinary commutator C, whence the currents are taken off by
metallic brushes in the usual way. The body of the armature being hollow,
there is free circulation of air through its interior, which may be increased by
fixing fan blades at one end of it. Two electro-magnets B, B, are placed above
and below the armature, and have their coils excited by the currents induced
in the armature coils, or when alternating currents are required from the latter, the
electro-magnets B, B, may be excited from another source of electricity. Fig. 3 is
a side view of a commutator for varying the power of electric lights. It consists
of a cylinder D, part of which is made of conducting material, and part of
non-conducting material. Against this cylinder press a number of springs E, E,
each connected by a wire to a separate battery or battery cell, or to a separate
electric machine, or to a separate set of the coils on one machine. By turning
the cylinder D more or less round, a greater or less number of the springs E
will be brought in contact with its conducting part which is in connection with
the line wire, and thus a greater or less number of the sources of electricity
will be introduced into the circuit of a lamp or lamps, so as to increase or
diminish their illuminating power. Another form or commutator for varying
the power of several electric lights is shown diagrammatically at Fig. 4, as
applied to two electric lamps. F, F, are slides consisting each of two metallic
plates with insulating material between them. These slides can be pushed more
or less downwards between springs G, G, which are connected to separate sources
of electricity, and to each other as shewn. L, L, are the wires leading to and from
the lamps, and it will be seen that according to the number of springs G in
contact with tho slides F, so will be the power applied to the lamps. Fig. 5
represents diagrammatically a commutator, whereby the connections of a
number of wires may be altered into wholly or partly parallel circuits or series.
His a non-conducting plate, on which are fixed a number of metal strips I, I';
and K are a number of contact springs connected respectively to separate sources
of electricity, which may be separate coils of one machine; L, L, are wires con-
necting a lamp to plates M, M, fixed on the plate A. By sliding the plate A
upwards or downwards, so as to bring different combinations of the springs K in
contact with the plates I, I, the current in the line wires L may be varied as desired;
Fig. 6 represents a lamp having carbons A and B arranged point to point. The
upper carbon A is held by friction between rollers a, one of which is on the axis
of the armature of an electro-magnetic machine C, the coil of which is in the lamp
circuit. When the carbons approach too near the electro magnetic machine O
becomes sufficiently excited to raise the carbon A; and when on the other hand the
carbons are too far apart the machine C has not sufficient power to resist the weight
of the carbon A, causing it to descend. The descending force of the carbon may be
increased by loading it with a weight or applying a weight or spring to the axis of

page_text: the machine; Fig. 7 is a side view of an electric lamp in which two carbon plates
or bars A, A1, meet at a, forming the + terminal, and another carbon plate or bar B
forming the terminal presents its end or edge to their junction where the arc is
formed. The carbon A' is fed forward as the consumption proceeds by a weight or
spring. The carbon B has its distance from a automatically adjusted by means of
an electro-magnet C whose coil is in the lamp circuit; Fig. 8 shews an arrange-
ment of lamp in which the two + carbons A, A', meet at a, to which is presented
the point or end of the carbon B, automatically adjusted by an electro magnet C.
The carbons A, A', are attached to sockets D, D', which can slide down inclined
guides E, E, as the carbons are consumed. In the electric lamp, shewn diagrain-
matically at Fig. 9 A and B are the two carbons, the lower one B being mounted
on a lever which has on each side of its fulcrum an armature presented respectively
towards two electro-magnets C and D, of which D has at its lower end an armature
that when not attracted makes contact with E. In this condition when an
electrical current traverses the line wires L, L¹, it passes through the coil of C, and
its armature being attracted the lower carbon B is raised, kindling the lamp. The
current now passing through the carbons passes also through the coil of D, raising
its arinature from contact with E, and so shunting C out of circuit; and there-
upon D attracting the lever of B in opposition to a spring, more or less, according
to the strength of current, effects the automatic adjustment of the distance between
the carbons, and by means of a spring pawl b acting on rack teeth provides for the
feeder. Fig. 10 is a front view, and Fig. 11 a side view of an electric lamp in
which two plates or slabs of carbon A and B, and a third plate or slab C between
them, are fixed parallel to one another on a stand D of wood or other non-
conducting material, the three plates being thus insulated from each other. The
two outer plates A and B being connected to conductors supplying alternating
currents of electricity or continuous currents occasionally alternated, the voltaic
arc is presented at their upper edges, the central insulated plate C (which, as well
as the others, is gradually consumed) having the effect of preventing the arc from
moving down between the plates. For the purpose of kindling the lamp by
starting the arc in the first instance I provide as a separate part of the plate Ba
carbon rod B¹ pressed by a spring E against the other plate A, making the central
plate C somewhat narrower than A to allow for the movement of the rod B¹. The
socket holding this rod has an arm connected by a rod F to the armature of an
electro-magnet G, the coil of which is in the circuit of the lamp. When there is no
current the rod B' is pressed by the spring E against the top of the plate A. When
a current is transmitted the arc is started at the point where B¹ meets A, and at
the same time the electro-magnet G being excited attracts its armature, drawing B¹
away from A and starting the arc between A and B. A lamp of similar arrange-
ment may be worked with continuous currents by making the outer plates A
and B both terminals and the central plate C the terminal, as shown diagram-
matically at Fig. 12. The arc may be duplicated, as shewn diagrammatically
at Fig. 13, where there are two outer plates A, A, both forming + terminals;
a central plate B forming the terminal, and two intermediate insulated plates
C, C, to prevent the displacement of the arc from the upper edges of the plates.
The outer plates A and the intermediate plates C may be made in the form of flat
tubes, enclosing the middle of plate B, as shewn in the plan at Fig. 14. By winding a
few convolutions of the + wire around the tube A the arc will by induction be caused
to travel round its upper edge. In the cases above described where carbon plates
or slabs are employed they may be stiffened by ribs or corrugations, or made up of
rods fixed side by side, and the spaces between them may be filled with insulating
material that will be consumed with the carbons. In the lamp shewn at Fig. 15
the carbons are in the form of discs A and B fixed at a little distance from each
other, the interval being either empty or filled with non-conducting consumeable
material, such as plaster of Paris. The upper or + carbon A is fixed to a tube
carbon B. By
through passes, insulated from it, a stem carrying the lower or
winding a few convolutions of wire round the tube the arc is caused to rotate
-

page_text: around the edges of the discs A and B, gradually consuming them; Fig. 16 repre-
sents a lamp of similar kind provided with means of kindling. The stem which
carries the carbon disc B is free to move a little up or down. When no current
is passing it occupies its lowest position, the carbons being apart as shewn, and by
means of a contact at C an electro-magnet coil D is in the circuit. When an
electrical current arrives it excites the magnet D, so that it attracts upwards a
collar on the carbon stem, and the carbon B is thus raised to meet A, the voltaic
are being thereby started. The current will now pass from the discs A and B
through the coil of an electro-magnet E, and it will attract the ring F, thus breaking
contact with C and shunting the coil D out of the circuit. The coil of E forms a
spring connection to the stem of the disc B.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim,―
First. The construction of dynamo-electric machine, herein described with
reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The construction of commutator for varying electric power, herein
described with reference to Fig. 3.
Third. The construction of commutator for varying and distributing electric
power, herein described with reference to Fig. 4.
Fourth. The construction of commutator for varying combinations of conductors
for parallel or serial circuits, as herein described with reference to Fig. 5.
Fifth. In an electric lamp effecting the regulation of distance between the carbons
by giving movement to one of them in opposition to a weight or spring by means
of an electro-magnetic machine worked by the lamp current, as herein described
with reference to Fig. 6.
Sixth. The arrangement in an electric lamp of two + carbons meeting end to
end, and of the - carbon presented at their meeting, as herein described with
reference to Figs. 7 and 8.
Seventh. The arrangement for kindling and regulating an electric lamp, herein
described with reference to Fig. 9.
Eighth. The construction of an electric lamp in which parallel plates, or slabs, or
flattened concentric tubes of carbon are arranged so as to present the voltaic arc at
their upper edges, as herein described. with reference to Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13,
and 14.
Niuth. The construction of an electric lamp in which the carbons are parallel
discs arranged to present the voltaic arc at their circular edges, as herein described
with reference to Figs. 15 and 16.
Tenth. In an electric lamp in which the voltaic arc is presented at the edges of
parallel discs or concentric tubes, causing the arc to move round these edges by
induction from several adjacent convolutions of the conducting wire of the lamp, as
herein described with reference to Figs. 14, 15, and 16.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Devonport Finney Andrews, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy ninc.