IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Georges Antoine Tabourin, resident in Marseilles,
Department of Bouches du Rhône, in the Republic of France, Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Georges Antoine Tabourin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st March 1881.
GEORGES ANTOINE TABOURIN, resident in Marseilles, Department of Bouches
du Rhône, in the Republic of France, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING."
My Invention consists chiefly in a new mode of lighting a larger or smaller
number of lamps from a common source. Instead of transmitting and dividing
the energy required for lighting the lamps by means of cables and conductors of
electricity, I use compressed air or other suitable fluid in the following manner:-
An air compressor (if air is used) driven by water, steam, or other motive power,
and a receiver for compressed air are placed at the distributing centre, from which
air pipes lead to the various points where dynamo electric machines are situated,
driven by compressed air by means of a small Brotherhood engine or any other
suitable pneumatic motor. I use a dynamo electric machine driven by compressed
air for every lamp or for every small group of lamps, thereby avoiding the necessity
of dividing the electric current. The various dynamo machines and lamps supplied
from one centre may all have the same power or different sizes, suitable valves
being used to admit air from the receiver into the main pipe, and also from the
branch pipes to the secondary motors, which are preferably placed in proximity of
the respective lamps. The valves which lead to the small motor are made easily
accessible, so that each dynamo machine can be easily started or stopped indepen-
dently of the others. Each of the small or secondary motors is provided with a
valve actuated by an adjustable spring, which shuts off the escape of air into the
motor until the air in the supply pipe reaches the pressure required for driving the
motors at the required speed. As soon as this pressure is reached by turning on
the main tap all motors which have not previously been shut off by turning the
respective stop cock are simultaneously set in operation, and thereby also the
lamps.
In case of street lamps the secondary motor and dynamo machine are placed in
the hollow base of the lamp post upon a stone or other suitable foundation, and the
air escaping from the motor serves to cool the working parts of the dynamo machine,
thereby reducing its wear and tear.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Georges Antoine Tabourin in. the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th September 1881:
GEORGES ANTOINE TABOURIN, resident in Marseilles, Department of Bouches
du Rhône, in the Republic of France, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING."
!
The division of electric light not having been obtained economically by the
means generally applied for this purpose, I tried to realize, and I succeeded in
realizing, the advantages of a perfect electric lighting by using compressed air for
transmitting power and motion and for creating a number of electric arca.
I therefore aimed at simultaneously producing in several places (which may be
very distant and numerous) electric lights of equal (or different) intensity by
means of a force provided from one central point and indefinitely divided. These
results. I obtain by employing compressed air, which is conducted through a system
of pipes or channels close to or into each electric lighting apparatus or lamp, where
the air moves a little "Brotherhood" or other suitable motor, this latter working
any eléctro-magnetic machine, which lights and feeds an electric lamp. of. any
system. I.have therefore a very efficient mode of dividing electric light without
any of the inconveniences arising from the present mode of electric lighting. The
proportionate decrease of intensity of light indispensable with the present method
of lighting is completely avoided by my Invention, and if one of a series of electric
lamps worked by my system is extinguished owing to some derangement this does
not at all affect the burning. of the other lamps. Another advantage of my
Invention is economy of power, as I can entertain a great number of electric lamps
at distant points and of equal or different intensity without diminishing the total
sum of. light units, or in other terms, I obtain as many units of light as the
moving force can produce, be it used for one single lamp or an indefinite number.
of lamps.
The accompanying Drawing will serve to illustrate my Invention and make it
readily understood. Figure 1 shows an elevation of the moving apparatus,
consisting of two air-compressing pumps A. The number of pumps may be chosen
according to the force required, and they may be of any suitable system. By
means of a pulley B' and a belt C, or any other suitable gearing, these pumps may
be. worked from a hydraulic, or steam or other motor.. The pumps A aspirate air
through vertical pipes D, compress it, and send it through a discharge pipe E.with
a pressure of 1, 2, 3, 4 atmospheres, &c., to a large receptacle F-placed near the
central compressing apparatus. From this receptacle the compressed air or motive
fluid passes through a discharge pipe G into the underground pipes or channels
conducting it to the lamps. These underground pipes are represented in Fig..1.by.
the conduit pipe.H and branch-pipes I, conducting the air or other fluid to the
lampposts. Figure 2 is an elevation of several lamps or lighting apparati J.after
my system, which may be placed along some-street, &c., on any required. distance.
Each of them contains in its base or socle a little magneto-electric machine of any.
suitable system, and a "Brotherhood" or other motor for working same.. The base
or socle of the lighting apparatus No. 1 is represented in section, and shows in its
interior, first; a little lighting machine (system, Gramme) L,-and, secondly, a little
"Brotherhood "-motor M. for working same. The lighting. machine communicates
with the carbons of the lamp (which may be of any suitable construction) contained
in the globe N by some meters of wire only for conducting the currents. Having

page_text: thus explained the construction of my apparatus, I will now proceed to explain:its
operation. The air.after having been compressed by the pumps A passes through
the reservoir. F and discharge-pipe G into the main pipe H, and arrives at the
openings of the branch pipes I. In the desired moment the taps O at the branch-
pipes I, near. the- lamp-posts, are opened more or less, and the compressed air
entering the pipes begins to move the "Brotherhood "-motors in the socle of the
lampposts. The motors M then move the electric machines L with a speed regulated
by the taps O, and the machines produce the electric currents necessary for lighting
the carbons in the globes N.. The Drawing shows in dotted lines a lamp of the
"Serin"-system. If my pneumo-electric system is adopted a great number of lamps
can be lit simultaneously and instantaneously. For this latter purpose the cocks O
are previously opened, and the compressed air is admitted at the required time into
the conduit pipes by means of the principal cock P on the outlet pipe G. A spring
or weight valve at the end of the branch-pipes I (where they enter the "Brother-
hood"-motors) prevents the air from entering the motors until it attains a certain
pressure capable of moving the motors with a determined speed only. The above
mentioned valve is not shown on the Drawing, and may be of any suitable shape
or construction. The air used in the motors escapes through an outlet-pipe g into
the basis of the lamppost, and serves to cool the apparatus placed there.
1. The separate and direct production of electric light on different and distant
points by means of compressed air or other compressed fluids, which are prepared
or produced at a central station, and conducted through underground or open-air
conduits with determined pressure close to the lighting apparatus or lamp-posts, or
into their interior, where these compressed fluids work little motors of any suitable
construction, which move little electric lighting machines, also of any suitable
construction, substantially as described.
2. I claim all kinds of apparatus producing electricity and consuming it directly
in the form of electric light, when a number of these apparati, more or less like
mine, are arranged on and connected with a conduit of pipes or channels, trans-
mitting pressure by means of compressed air, water, or other liquid or gaseous
fluids, substantially as described.
3. The application of a selfacting valve of any suitable construction at the
orifices of the branch-pipes where they enter the little motora, or at any other
point of the branch pipes or conduit pipes, in order to obtain a simultaneous and
instantaneous lighting of the lamps, substantially as set forth.
4. I claim not only the arrangement of the motive and generating devices of
the electric light in the socle or base of the lampposts or lighting apparati, but
also the arrangement of these devices at the base or in the neighbourhood of the
electric arcs to be created, when the motive and generating devices as above are
worked by means of a liquid or gaseous fluid of high pressure conducted thither
by canalisation or conduit-pipes; the lamp-post J with the motive and generating
devices it encloses, forming a complete electric lighting apparatus for itself in
connection with the conduit or canalisation. I give to the lamp-post, and the
moving and generating devices it contains, the name of "electric standard lamp" of
my pneumo-electric system.
5. I also claim in consequence every electric lighting apparatus constructed after
the principle of my "electric standard lamp" J, even in the case of such apparatus
not being worked by the pressure of air or other fluid, but by any other motive
power or mechanism, substantially as described.
6. The utilization of the waste fluid by discharging the air or other fluid into
the socle of the lamp, after being used for driving the motor, in order to cool the
mechanism placed in the socle or base, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 7. The arrangement of enclosing the electric lighting machine and its working
engine in the socle or base of the lamp itself, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Georges A. Tabourin, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, A.D. 1881.
GEORGES A. TABOURIN. (LS)