IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL COMMUTATORS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL COMMUTATORS." A communication from
abroad by Francis Blake, of Weston, Massachusetts, United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd November 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL
COMMUTATORS." [A communication from abroad by Francis Blake, of Weston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.]
According to this Invention I combine with a pile of plates of metal and hard
india-rubber or other insulating material put together alternately a number of
smaller metallic plates, one for each of the electric circuits between which
connections are to be made, the smaller plates secured to one of the largo insulating
plutes, and a peg-hole in and through each smaller plate extending also through all
the large plates.
I also provide a peg adapted to make connections between two of several
insulated metallic plates placed in a pile, and two only, and I combine with the
commutator herein described several pairs of pegs, also herein described, each pair
of pegs adapted to be used with any and all the line plates of the commutator, but
with only one and the same connecting plate.
In carrying the said Invention into practice metallic plates are placed one above
another, alternating with insulating plates of the same dimensions; they are
fastened together by clamping screws at their corners, these screws passing
through insulating sleeves. These large metallic plates are used for and known
as connecting plates, since any one of them may be used to make electrical
connection between any two line plates, it being only necessary to connect both
line plates between which a connection is desired with the same connecting plate.
A hole bored through each line plate and extending through all the insulated
学生

page_text: connecting plates beneath allows a connection to bo made between any line plate
and any connecting plate by means of a wire or peg of suitable length and shape
inserted in the hole. I provide pegs adapted to connect any one of the line plates
with the connecting plate. These pegs have each a flange near the head, which
when the peg is fully inserted in a holo in the commutator is in contact with the
line plate; and they have also a dange at the entering end which comes in contact
with the connecting plate when the peg is fully inserted in a holo. Both the
holes and the pegs are tapered for the more easy insertion of the pegs in the holes.
The flanges of the pegs are of the thickness of the connecting plates.
insulating plates may be of any suitable thickness and of any suitable material,
and as is obvious air may be used in part as an insulator. The small line plates
are screwed to the outer insulating plate.
The
There are two other pegs which are adapted to be used for making connection
between two line plates by means of a connecting plate, and it is obvious that
Fuitable pegs may be used with any of the connecting plates for making connection
between any two line plates, and further that pegs adapted to be used with one
connecting plate can be used with no other connecting plate.
In practice accordingly the operator will have a single pair of pegs for each
connecting plate. Keeping each pair in a place by itself he can readily make a
connection between any two line plates by inserting any pair of pegs not in use
in the holes which pass through the said two line plates.
The contact portions of the pegs are at equal distances apart in pegs of the
same pair and at unequal distances apart in pegs of different pairs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd May 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL
COMMUTATORS." A communication from abroad by Francis Blake, of Weston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
According to this Invention I combine with a pile of plates of metal and hard
india-rubber or other insulating material put together alternately a number of
smaller metallic plates, one for each of the electric circuits between which
connections are to be made, the smaller plates secured to one of the large insulating
plates, and a peg-hole extending through each sinuller plate and also through all
the large plates.
I also provide a peg adapted to make connections between two of several
insulated metallic plates placed in a pile, and two only, and I combine with the
cominutator herein described several pairs of pegs, also herein described, each pair
of pegs adapted to be used with any and all the line plates of the commutator, but
with only one and the same connecting plate.
In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1 is a plan of a commutator constructed according to the said Invention,
shewing also several pegs inserted therein.
Figure 2 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 1, showing two pairs of pegs
adapted to be used in the commutator, each pair to make a connection between
any two line plates by means of a particular connecting plate, as hereinafter
described.
In the commutator shown the smaller metallic plates are numbered from 1 to 25,
the latter being the number of electric circuits for which the said commutator is
adapted, and in the practical operation of the commutator each of these smaller plates
thus numbered is connected in noy suitable manner with a line or circuit designated
by the same numbers; these smaller plates are known as line-plates.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, metallic plates marked A, B, C, D,
and E, in the Drawing are placed one above another, alternating with insulating
plates of the same dimensions; these plates are fastened together by clamping
screws at their corners, the said screws passing through insulating sleeves not
shown. The large metallic plates A, B, C, D, and E, are used for and known as
connecting plates, since any one of these may be used to mako electrical connection
between any two line plates, it being only necessary to connect both line-plates
between which a connection is desired with the same connecting plate.
A hole bored through each line plate and extending through all the insulated
connecting plates beneath allows a connection to be made between any line plate
and any connecting plate by means of a wire or peg of suitable length and shape
inserted in the hole.
Pegs adapted to connect any one of the line plates with the connecting plate B
are shewn in section and elevation in Figure 2. These pegs as well as the plate
are marked B to facilitate the practical operation, as will hereinafter appear. The
pegs B have each a flange near the head, which when the peg is fully inserted in
a hole in the commutator is in contact with the line plate; and they have also a
flange at the entering end which also comes in contact with the connecting plate B
inserted in a hole. Both the holes and the pegs are tapered for the more easy
insertion of the pegs in the holes; the flanges of the pegs are of the thickness of the
connecting plates. The insulating plates may be of any suitable thickness and of

page_text: any suitable material, and air may be used in part as an insulator. The small
line plates are screwed to the outer insulating plate, as shown.
Two other pegs, marked E, E, in Figure 2, are adapted to be used for making
connection between two line plates by means of the connecting plate E, and it is
obvious that suitable pegs may be used with any of the connecting plates for
making connection between any two line plates, and further that pegs adapted to
be used with one connecting plate can be used with no other connecting plate.
In practice accordingly the operator will have a single pair of pegs for each
connecting plate. Keeping each pair in a place by itself he can readily make a
connection between any two line plates by inserting any pair of pegs not in use in
the holes which pass through the said line-plates.
The contact-portions of the pegs are at equal distances apart in pegs of the same
pair, and at unequal distances apart in pegs of different pairs.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,-
First. A number of metallic plates and of insulating plates of substantially tho
same dimensions, alternating in a pilo in combination with a number of smaller
plates all provided with peg-holes, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Second. A metallic peg with two flanges, substantially as described, whereby it
is adapted to make connection between two of the said metallic plates, as and for
the purpose specified.
Third. The combination with the large insulating connecting plates and the
smaller line-plates, perforated as described, of several pairs of contact-pegs, each
pair being used with any of the line-plates, but with only one and the same
connecting plate, substantially as described for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.