IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC-LAMPS OR LIGHTING APPARATUS AND IN CARBON CONDUCTORS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
and C Patent Agents Southampton Buildings. London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRIC-LAMPS OR LIGHTING APPARATUS AND IN
CARBON CONDUCTORS FOR THE SAME
Charles Dion of Paris. France.
"
communicated to him from abroad by
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co., Patent Agents.
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC-LAMPS OR LIGHTING
APPARATUS AND IN CARBON CONDUCTORS FOR THE SAME [a communication to
him from abroad by Charles Dion of Paris, France.]
"
This invention relates to electric are lamps and to carbon conductors for the
same and is designed to provide greater simplicity of parts and cheapness of manu-
facture than are to be found in the lamps heretofore in use, and also a perfectly
automatic action together with a perfect steadiness of the light. The general
arrangement of this lamp is novel and some of its details are entirely novel in their
application.
For the better understanding of the following description I refer to the drawings
accompanying the same." Figure 1 shews a front view of a lamp constructed
according to this invention; Figure 2 à plan; and Figure 3 an end view of the
same.
Figures 4. 5. and 6 are similar views illustrating important modifications in the
apparatus,
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a new form of carbon conductor.
The same letters refer to corresponding parts in all the figures.
For greater clearness of description I make a distinction between the right and
left hand parts of the apparatus for the reason that neither the details of action
nor the actual operation are the same on both sides.
In Figure 1. A A A A shew the frame of the lamp and A2 the hooks provided
Pi Q71

page_text: for suspending the same; B B B B are two metallic tubes in which I place the
carbons CC which are pushed toward the centre of the frame by spiral springs E E.
They are inserted at one end in the small travelling tubes on the ends of which
the action of the springs E is exerted. The latter springs are pushed down upon
themselves by placing the carbons in their proper position. Over the tube B, on
the right hand side, I place an iron tube 1 which surrounds, but must be isolated
from, it.
Hand H are two supports which are fixed; the former upon the tube B and
the latter upon the tube 7' each support being isolated from its own tube. By
means of the regulating screws I can place the support H2 nearer to, or farther
from, the support H and in that manner accurately control the position of the
tube p within the solenoid G, so as to obtain from the latter its greatest magnetic
effect. By causing the tube p' to slide upon the tube B, I can regulate the whole
apparatus.
G is a magnetic bobbin or solenoid which is fixed by one end upon the descending
branch of the frame A, and by the other end upon the rod N. The solenoid
surrounds both tubes 21 and B, and its magnetic action draws the tube pl towards,
or drives it back from, its centre; likewise all the parts which are put in motion
through it. The solenoid G must be isolated from it in every direction and also
from the tubes 7' and B. Tube 7 must be small enough to slide easily within it.
F is a lever bent at right angles which supports a weight F on its horizontal
branch. The lever moves upon an axis in its elbow and its vertical branch extends
downward and rests upon a pivot which is fixed upon the tube B. The weight F
can then press the tube B towards the centre of the frame, and acts as a counter-
poise to the action of the solenoid G, which, by the attraction it exerts on the
tube draws tube B backwards. I can substitute for this lever and its weight a
return spring of the kind shewn at L in Figure 4 but it ought to be placed at the
other end of the solenoid and in an inverted position so as to draw tube p¹ towards
the centre.
The screw S2 which passes through the lower portion of support H2 is used to
stop at the precise point where it is wanted, the backward motion of tubes B and pl
and prevents the carbons from getting too far apart.
Cshews a metal ring fixed upon tube B from which it must be isolated, and
supporting underneath, stop lever P and all the parts connected with it. Stop
levers P P are used as stops to carbons C. C. The latter being pushed out by
springs E are stopped by levers P P and only advance as they are burned behind
their point, which may be shaped into a fork or a section of a circle.
is a section of a tube cut longitudinally (a whole tube may also be used) which
presses downwards upon carbon C in order to keep it always in a perfectly
horizontal position from which the lifting action of the point of lever P might
cause it to deviate which would at once interfere with the luminous are whose
perfection depends upon the centres of both carbons being kept upon precisely the
same line. It is through this section of tube that the electrical current is
discharged upon the carbon to produce the luminous are at its point.
In order to regulate accurately the position of the points of the stop levers P.
I use screws Q Q, which, acting inversely upon piece R which carries a circular
or conical swelling or enlargement at its centre will raise or lower them at will.
The stop levers P are made in two parts which are united together at . I divide
them in two parts in order to be able to change the points with little loss of metal
when they are used up.
An important feature of this invention is the complete isolation of the levers P
from all parts of the lamp. Without such complete isolation the electric current
would pass through the levers and soon melt their point owing to the great heat
they are subjected to, in the situation they occupy. By having them completely
isolated I prevent their being melted, and I prevent, at the same time, the levers
and screws QQ from getting too hot.
Tube B rests on the right hand side upon pulleys D D which, through their

page_text: rotation on their axis, allow said tube to receive from solenoid G and weight
that alternate motion which is unavoidably brought on by constant variations in
the intensity of the current. The distance kept between both carbons is then in
direct ratio to the intensity of the current and never exceeds proper limits, the
action being effected in a perfectly automatic manner. Weight (or the return
spring if one is used) has no other effect but to bring the two carbons together, and
solenoid G no other object but to keep them apart in order to have the luminous
are passing from one to the other when the current is sent through. The weight
or spring must then be made an exact counterpoise to the action of the solenoid.
This invention principally rests upon the free alternate motion upon pulleys D D
of tube B and all the pieces or parts connected with it, principally spring E and
carbon C. Without this free motion of tube B over the pulleys there could be no
automatic action of the lamp. My combination of tubes, pulleys, springs, carbons,
solenoid, and weight or spring for the purposes set forth is a novel feature of this
invention.
When the lamp is not in actual use, that is, before the electric current is sent
through it, the two carbons must be in actual contact through the action of
weight F2 (or of a spring). As soon as the current passes from one carbon to the
other solenoid G draws tube backwards and tube p¹, through screw S, draws
tube B, and at the same time with it carbon C, and the luminous arc is at once
formed.
For the left side of the apparatus where there is no solenoid the carbon C
secured in travelling tube O is pushed with the latter by spring E but stopped by
the point of lever 1; the point of said lever being raised or lowered on this side
in the same way as on the other. T T are two pivots secured on frame A from
which they are isolated. They receive the conducting wires in holes made for that
purpose. ZZ are two covers which are secured upon the ends of tubes B through
à screw thread or otherwise, in order to keep the springs E within said tubes;
shew every where the isolation points.
shews a reflector with a hole in its centre and may or may not be surmounted
with a tube Y for the escape of the smoke. But in order that the surface of the
reflector shall not be tarnished by smoke, I place underneath, and at a suitable
distance from it, a circular plate of glass or mica (indicated by dotted lines a¹) of
the same curve and diameter as the reflector and which can easily be cleaned when
tarnished by smoke. In this way the surface of the reflector must always be clean
and shining. And the air being allowed through this arrangement to circulate
freely between the reflector and protecting plate, both of them are prevented from
getting red hot. The glass plate is supported by means of small clutches,
which, starting from supports V V come under the plate. The reflector is secured
upon supports V V and is raised or lowered by means of screws aa.
I can modify my lamp and obtain about the same effects from it by substituting
for the carbon C on the left side a block of suitable metal with which the right
hand carbon would come in contact when the lamp is not in use. The moment
the current would be sent through the solenoid G it would draw the right hand
carbon backwards and the are would at once be developed between it and the block
of metal.
I can apply to various lamps now in use as well as to all lamps where a spring
or weight is used to move the carbons the system illustrated in Figure 1 for
causing the development of the arc. It can also be applied to any system of
lamps where a solenoid and weight or spring will impart an alternate motion to
any mechanism supported upon wheels or pivots movable upon an axis.
Figure 4 illustrates the lamp much modified and simplified. In this case the
solenoid G acts inversely as compared with its action in the former arrangement
illustrated in Figure 1 and the iron tube ³ comes into the solenoid through its
external end and is drawn towards the centre in order to bring the carbons into
contact. In this latter arrangement of parts, instead of being in actual contact
when the lamp is not under current, the carbons are separated through the action

page_text: of the return spring and it is the electric current which, when passing through
the solenoid G, and drawing tube towards the centre brings the carbons together
and causes the arc. to be developed, while in the former arrangement it is the weight
which causes the contact to take place and the solenoid which breaks it.
In the arrangement shewn in Figures 4 and 5 the tube is drawn by the
solenoid merely in order to bring on the short contact required for developing the
arc and as soon as the current has passed from one carbon to the other it almost
completely ceases to pass through the solenoid, the circuit through the carbons
being much shorter. The action of the solenoid having so almost completely been
aunulled, spring I can then draw backwards the right carbon and keep it at a
certain distance from the other. And in order that the distance between the
carbons may never become too great I use stop screw S which serve as an extreme
limit to the motion of the right hand carbon. The wire indicated by the dotted
lines going around the central part of the frame A is the prolongation of the wire of
the solenoid and is used to unite together both conducting wires G2 and so make
the circuit complete; but this is not a part of my invention as it has already been
used in some cases.
The action of the mechanism is in this case completely reversed, the carbons
being separated from each other before the passing of the current are brought into
contact for a short time for the are to be developed through the action of the
solenoid, that action being done away with as soon as the current follows a shorter
circuit through the points separated again through the action of spring L which
the solenoid can no longer prevent,
If the distance between the carbons becomes too great on account of variations
in the intensity of the current the resistance produced by the excess in their
distance from each other may become greater than that offered by the solenoid and
then the current resumes its course through the latter, in whole or in part, and
brings the carbons nearer by drawing to its proplace the tube . It is then
the current alone, which controls itself with an absolute precision, and goes straight
to the carbons when the distance between them is what it should be, passing
through the solenoid in order to make it less when too great, and so making the
action of the mechanism perfectly automatic.
This arrangement offers this great advantage that I can, through it, place
several lamps on the same conducting wire while with the other arrangement each
lamp must have its own wire.
I can, with this lamp, use the cylindrical smooth carbons now manufactured but
1 find much greater advantages in using grooved or fluted carbons as shown in
Figures 7 and 8. I place these carbons in the tube B so as to have the points of
my stop levers P coming in contact with the swellings or enlargements between
the grooves, or with one of them. When I use smooth carbons the point of stop
lever P abuts against a certain portion of the circumference of the carbon and
stops its course, but I find that that portion of the carbon does not burn with
perfect regularity while the enlargements between the grooves of my carbons
being made of the precise dimensions required I can cause them to burn with
perfect regularity behind the points of the levers. I also get this great advantage
that a certain quantity of air passes into the grooves which contributes to keep the
points of my levers at a less heat, and even contributes to slightly increase the
brilliancy of the luminous arc.
I do not confine myself strictly to the details of execution described in the present
specification and shewn in the drawings, having sometimes to modify them to a
certain extent according to circumstances and to the necessities of practical
application,

page_text: Figure 3 is an end view of a lamp constructed according to this invention.
Figures 4to 10 are views illustrating modifications of the said invention and
hereinafter described.
Figures and 12 are an elevation and end view respectively of the carbons
employed with this lamp.
For greater clearness of description I make a distinction between the right and
left hand parts of the apparatus for the reason that neither their details of
construction nor their operation are the same on both sides.
In Figure 1A A A A indicate the frame of the lamp and A2 A2 the hooks
provided for suspending the same. B B. B B indicate two metallic tubes in which
are placed the carbons CC which are pushed towards the centre of the frame by
spiral springs E E which are compressed when the carbons are placed in position.
Over the tube B on the right hand side I place an iron tube which surrounds
the same and which is insulated therefrom.
Hand He indicate two supports which are fixed; the former upon the tube B
and the latter upon the tube peach support being insulated from its own tube.
By means of the regulating screw SI can place the support HP nearer to, or farther
from, the support H and in that manner accurately control the position of the
tube within the solenoid G so as to obtain the greatest magnetic effect from the
latter. By causing the tube p₁ to slide upon the tube B by means of the
screw S, I am enabled to regulate the whole mechanism.
G G indicate a magnetic coil or solenoid which is fixed by one end upon the
descending branch of the frame A and by the other end upon the supporting
rod N. The solenoid surrounds both tubes and B and its magnetic action
attracts or repels the tube p' fowards, or away from, its centre, likewise all the
parts which are put in motion through it. The solenoid G must be insulated in
every direction and also from the tubes and B. The tube must be small
enough to slide freely within the said solenoid.
This
Findicates a bent lever supporting a weight F upon its horizontal arm.
lever oscillates upon its axis and its vertical arm rests upon a pivot which is
fixed upon the tube B. The weight F2 can thus press the tube B towards the
centre of the lamp and acts as a counterbalance to the action of the solenoid G
which, by the attraction it exerts on the tube p draws the tube B backwards.
I can substitute for this lever and weight springs of the kind shewn in
Figure 4 but they ought to be placed at each end of the solenoids and in an inverted
position so as to draw the tube p¹ towards the centre.
iudicate a metal ring fixed upon the tube B, from which it must be insulated
aud supporting underneath the stop levers P P and all the parts connected there.

page_text: with. Stop levers P P are used to stop the carbons C C (their ends being either
pointed, circular or provided with a fork) and to counterbalance the expauding
action of the springs E E.
indicate tubes cut longitudinally (whole tubes may also be used) which press
downwards upon the carbons C in order to keep them always in a perfectly
horizontal position from which the lifting action of the points of the levers P' might
cause them to deviate thereby interfering with the luminous are the perfection of
which depends upon the centres of both carbons being kept upon the same line.
It is through this tube that the electrical current passes to the carbons in order
to develop the luminous arc.
In order to regulate accurately the height of the points of the stop levers P I use
the screws Q Q which act upon the piece R2 carrying an enlargement R which may
be circular or of any other suitable shape. By adjusting the screws QQ it will be
seen that the piece R can be inclined in either direction as desired.
Stop levers P are made in two parts which are united together at this
arrangement having for its object to change the points with little loss of metal
when the said points are burnt out.
An important feature of this invention is the complete insulation of the levers P
from all parts of the lamp. Without such insulation the electric current would
pass through the levers and soon melt their points owing to the great heat
produced in the situation they occupy. By completely insulating the same I
prevent them from being melted and I also prevent the levers and screws QQ
from becoming too hot.
The tube B rests on the right hand side upon the pulleys D D which, through
their rotation on their axes allow the said tube to receive from the solenoid G and
weight F the to and fro movement which is unavoidably produced by constant
variations in the intensity of the current. The distance between the carbons is
thus maintained in a direct ratio to the intensity of the current in a perfectly
automatic manner.
The weight F2 (or the tension spring when used) has no other effect than to
bring the two carbons together and the solenoid G2 has no other object than to
keep them apart in order to develop the luminous are when the current is passing.
The weight or spring must exactly counterbalance, the action of the solenoid.
The proper action of this lamp depends upon the free motion of the tube B upon
the pulleys D D and the parts connected with it, that is to say the spring E
and the carbon C. Without this free motion of the tube B over the pulleys there
could be no thorough automatic action of the lamp and this combination of tubes,
pulleys, springs, carbons, solenoid, and weight or spring is a novel feature of this
invention.
When the lamp is not in use, that is before the electric current passes through
the same the two carbons will be in contact owing to the action of the weight F
or spring. As soon as the current passes from one carbon to the other the solenoid
draws the tube p backwards and at the same time the tube pl, by means of the
screw S, draws backwards the tube B and with it the carbon C whereby the
luminous arc is formed.
With reference to the left hand side of the apparatus where there is no solenoid
the carbon C secured in the movable tube O is pushed with the latter by the
spring E but stopped by the point of the lever P; the point of the said lever
being raised or lowered on this side in the same manner as on the other.
TT indicate two pivots placed upon the frame A from which they are insulated.
The said pivots receive the conducting wires in holes made for that purpose.
Z Z indicate two covers which are fixed upon the end of the tubes B by means
of screw threads or otherwise, in order to keep the springs E within the said
tubes.
21 21
indicate the points of insulation.
u indicates a reflector having an opening in its centre and which may or may
not be surmounted by a tube Y for the escape of smoke. But in order that the

page_text: surface of the reflector shall not be tarnished by smoke I place underneath and at
a suitable distance from the same a circular plate of glass or mica (indicated by
dotted lines) of the same curve and diameter as the reflector and which can be
easily cleaned when tarnished by smoke. The surface of the reflector is thus
always kept bright and the air being allowed in consequence of this arrangement
to circulate freely between the reflector and the protecting plate both of them are
prevented from getting too hot. The glass plate is supported by means of small
claws which, starting from the supports V, are bent under the outer edge of
the lamp. The reflector is fixed upon the said supports V V and is raised or
lowered by means of the screws ..
I can modify this lamp and obtain similar results by substituting for the
carbon C on the left hand side, a block of suitable metal with which the right
hand carbon would come in contact when the lamp is not in use. The moment
the current passes, the solenoid G draws the right hand carbon backwards whereby
the arc is developed between it and the block of metal.
I can apply to various lamps now in use, as well as to all lamps where a spring
or weight is employed to move the carbons, the system above described for
developing the luminous are.
In
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate this lamp considerably modified and simplified.
these Figures G G indicate magnetic coils or solenoids fixed at their ends to
brackets N N screwed upon the branches of the frame A. The solenoid G is
wound with fine wire and the solenoid G¹ with coarse wire.
In this case the solenoids G and G¹act inversely as compared with the action of
the solenoid in the former arrangement illustrated in Figure 1 and the iron tubes p¹
enter the solenoids through their outer ends and are drawn towards the centre of
the lamp in order to bring the carbons into contact. In this latter arrangement
instead of being in contact when the lamp is not in use the carbons are separated
through the action of the springs L, and it is the electric current, which, when
passing through the solenoid G and attracting the tube 7 towards the centre of
the lamp, brings the carbons together and causes the arc to be developed, while in
the former arrangement it is the weight which causes the contact to take place
and the solenoid which breaks it.
In the present arrangement shown in Figures 4 and 5 the tubes are attracted
by the solenoid merely for the purpose of establishing the momentary contact
required for developing the are and as soon as the current has passed from one
carbon to the other it almost completely ceases to pass through the solenoids, the
circuit through the carbons being much shorter. The action of the solenoids
having thus been almost completely annulled the springs L can draw the carbons
backwards and keep them at a certain distance from one another.
The wire indicated by the dotted lines passing around the central part of the
frame A is the prolongation of the wire of the solenoids G and G and is used to
connect the conducting wires G2 and complete the circuit, but this forms no part
of this invention.
The action of the mechanism in this case is completely reversed, the carbons being
separated from each other before the passing of the current, and brought into
contact for an instant, for the arc to be developed, through the action of the
solenoids, the said action ceasing as soon as the current follows a shorter circuit
through the points separated again owing to the action of the springs L.
If the distance between the carbons becomes too great on account of variations
in the intensity of the current the resistance to the passage of the current caused
by the distance between the carbons may become greater than that offered by the
solenoids, in which case the current resumes its course through the latter, in whole
or in part, and brings the carbons nearer by attracting the tube p₁ to its proper
place. The current thus controls itself with absolute precision and goes straight
to the carbons when the distance between them is as required passing through the
solenoid in order to decrease it when too great, and thus rendering the action of
the mechanism perfectly automatic.

page_text: This arrangement offers this great advantage that I can through it place several
lamps in the same circuit, while with the other arrangement each lamp must have
its own circuit.
The carbon-holders may be guided by means of the devices described with
reference to Figures 6, 7 and S.
In the device shown in Figure 6 the tube B passes through a ring a fitted upon
a plate through which a pine is introduced and serves as an axis of oscillation.
To the extremity of this plate is fixed a rodd provided with a screw thread and
a counterweight e which can be raised or lowered upon the said rod for the purpose
or regulating the oscillations of the said plate b. This mechanism is arranged in a
frame f fixed to the support of the lamp.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure the support of the tube B is provided
with lugs to which are jointed at one end the extremities of the arms or rods g
which at the other end are held by bolts passing through oblong apertures. The
bolts rest upon the extremities of the piece fixed to the frame A. The rods g
may be inclined on account of the bolts 7 and the oblong apertures so as to allow
the collar or support to move forward or backward.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 8 the carbon holder or tube B moves in a
collar the suspension plate of which is fitted upon the frame A.. A spring . the
tension of which is regulated by means of a screw is used to draw the tube a
backward.
In order that the axes of the carbons. C, C should be situated upon the same
straight line, I regulate the position of the points P of the levers by means of an
arrangement shown in Figure 9 which consists of a socket provided at one of its
extremities with a regulating screw B. I fix the socket upon either the right or
left hand tube B, in such a manner that the extremity of the screw V is facing the
point of one of the levers P', and by means of the screws Q I make the point of the
said lever P coincide with that of the screw V. I then take the said socket and
place it upon the end of the opposite tube B and adjust the lever P thereof in the
manner herein before described so that the levers P should be at the same distance
from the axial line of the carbons.
When the carbons are entirely consumed the current is interrupted. In order to
prevent this inconvenience from occurring I arrange at the extremity of the carbon
holders which travel in the tubes B under the action of the springs E. a notch a
and a groove which permit the carbon-holders o to pass over the levers P and
come in contact as shown in Figure 10.
I can use with this lamp the cylindrical smooth carbons now manufactured, but
I find much greater advantage in using grooved carbons as shown in Figures 11.
and 12. I place these carbons in such a manner that the points of the stop levers P
should come in contact with one or two of the edges of the said grooves; wlien
I use smooth carbons the point of the stop lever Pabuts against a portion of the
periphery of the carbon and stops it, but I find that the said portion of the carbon
does not burn with the same regularity as the edges which separate the grooves in
the above mentioned grooved carbons as I make the said edges thick enough to
ensure their burning with perfect regularity behind the point of the levers and also
ensure the better propulsion of the said carbons. I also derive this advantage, that
a certain quantity of air passes into the grooves which contributes to keep the
points of the stop levers cool and to slightly increase the lighting power of the arc.
I do not confine myself strictly to the details of construction herein before described
and shown in the accompanying drawings as I may modify the same according to
circumstances and to the necessities of practical application without departing
from the nature of the said Invention.
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 understood
that I claim
First. In an electric arc lamp, the employment of spiral springs E arranged
inside the movable carbon holders or tubes, in combination with one or two coils

page_text: or solenoids for effecting and regulating the movement of the carbons, substantially
as described.
Second. The arrangement of the stop-levers P and their complete insulation
from the conducting parts of the lamp substantially as,
and for the purposes,
specified.
Third The devices described with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the
drawings for the purposes specified.
Fourth The means hereinbefore described for effecting the separation of the
carbons when the lamp is not in operation; for causing their momentary contact
when the current passes; and for causing the said current to pass either directly
through the carbons or through the solenoid or solenoids, according to the resistance
produced by the distance between the carbons, all substantially as, and for the
purposes, set forth.
Fifth-The device for regulating the position of the levers
in order to main-
tain the axes of the carbons in the same line, substantially as described.
Sixth-The carbon holders provided with notches, for the purposes of causing
the current to pass continuously through the lamp when the carbons are consumed,
substan-
and with grooves for enabling the said holders to pass over the levers, P,
tially as described.
Seventh-The employment in an electric arc lamp of grooved carbons constructed
substantially as described with reference to figures 11 and 12 of the drawings, for
the purpose specified.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
band and seal this twenty fifth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
WM. ROBT. LAKE (t..s.)