Improvements in or applicable to Electric Arc Lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Electric Arc Lamps.
I, ROBERT JAMES RAE, of Leadenhall Buildings, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to obtain a better diffusion and utilization than
hitherto of the intense light produced in electric are lamps.
In carrying out my invention I advantageously employ carbons of a circular or
curved shape and the carbon holder is adapted to be revolved or rotated upon its
axis in such a manner that rapid movement of the arc or light causes the latter to
assume or produce in effect a luminous ring or body of light.
For example the carbons may be made in the form of discs, rings or cylinders
or other convenient shape and be caused to rotate or revolve in relation to each
other, or one or more of the parts may be stationary while the other part or parts
may rotate or revolve.
In some cases segmental carbons may be placed about a revolving or rotating
dise, ring or cylindrical shaped carbon, suitable means being provided for effecting
the requisite adjustment, or the said discs, rings or cylinders may be constructed in
sections or segments and be made adjustable.
Instead of employing circular or curved shaped carbons, I sometimes employ the
ordinary form of carbons or candles.
Compound motions may be imparted to the carbons, such for example as by
causing the carbon holder to revolve upon a rotating arm or wheel having its
plane at right angles to that of the carbon holder or in any other convenient
position in order that when the several parts are in operation a luminous ring or
body will be produced of a loop like or other shape, the carbons being made of
a suitable form for this purpose.
The mechanism employed in carrying out the invention may be actuated by
electric or other motive power, suitable means being provided for maintaining the
needful electrical contact between the respective parts as well as for controlling
the position and movements of the carbons.
In order that the consumption of the carbons may not be unduly accelerated or
retarded by the rush of air, or by any vacuum created when the lamp is in action,
shields, cases or conduits of suitable shape may be employed to divert or conduct
the air in the manner or direction desired.
Dated this oth Mauch 100%
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or applicable to Electric Arc Lamps.
I, ROBERT JAMES RAE, of Leadenhall Buildings, in the City of London,
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 obtain a better diffusion and utilization than
bitherto of the intense light produced in electric arc lamps.

page_text: To carrying out my invention 1 advantageously employ carbons of a circular or
curved shape and the carbon holders are adapted to be revolved or rotated upon
their axes in such a manner that rapid movement of the arc or light causes the
latter to assume, or produce in effect a luminous ring or body of light.
In the accompanying drawings,—
Figure 1 is an elevation of an electric are lamp constructed according to my
invention, the carbons being in the form of cylinders:
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same:
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the lamp in which the carbons are in the form
of rings:
Figure 4 is a horizontal section of the lamp in which the carbons are in the
ordinary or stick form but curved :
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively sections on the lives 5-5 and 6-6, Figure 4:
Figure 7 is an elevation of a lamp in which ordinary straight carbons or candles
are employed.
Similar reference letters indicate similar or corresponding parts throughout the
drawings.
a, a are the two carbons, and b, b the carbon holders which are mounted on a shaft c
carried in one or more bearings d so that it may be rotated. The shaft c is
advantageously made hollow as shewn to receive the conductors carrying the
current to the carbons a, a, the conductors being in connection with a suitable
commutator (not shewn) to maintain the electrical connection with the main
leads when the lamp is revolving. e (Figures 1 to 4) is a globe surrounding the
lamp.
By rotating the shaft c at a high speed by any suitable means, the arc formed
between the carbons will travel in a circular path so that it will appear as a
luminous ring or body of light, whereby better diffusion of the light will be
obtained than with arc lights as at present.
In Figures 1 and 2 the carbons a, a are in the form of cylinders, the holders b, b
being advantageously in the form of discs to which the carbons are clamped by
clamps ff. The lower carbon is fixed by means of its holder to the shaft c
while the upper carbon can be moved or fed towards the lower carbon as they
are consumed, its holder being loose upon the said shaft c for this purpose. Any
suitable well known mechanism may be employed for moving or feeding the said
carbon.
с
1n Figure 3, the lower carbon is in the form of a ring cut from a disc, while the
upper carbon is in the form of a conical ring. In other respects the lamp is
similar to that shewn in Figures 1.and.2.
In practice I find that in the arrangements shewn in Figures 1 to 3 the electric
arc travels round the edges of the carbons in a direction contrary to that in which
the latter are revolved, whereby the carbons are evenly consumed this travel being
caused, I believe, by the resistance of the air.
In Figures 1, 2 and 3 the lower carbon holder can be arranged loose on the
shaft c so as to allow it to be fed as well as the upper one.
In Figures 4 to 6, the carbons a, a are in the ordinary or stick form, but curved,
and are arranged in their holders in a plane at right angles to the axis of the
shaft c.
The holders are advantageously made in two parts g and h. The
parts g, g form guides or supports for the carbons.and are attached to the shaft c,
the said guides consisting of two discs in each of which curved recesses are
formed, so that, when the discs are placed and connected together, guide fioles are
thereby formed for the carbons. The parts h, h are arms loose upon the shaft c to
each of which one end of one of the carbons is connected by a più as shewn, both
of the said arms thus serving to feed the carbons. Instead of both carbons 'being
moved for the feed, one only may be noved, in wwhich case one of the armish
can be dispensed with, the corresponding carbon being clamped within the receB
in the part g
i.
In order that the consumption of the carbons in this form of, my lamp may not

page_text: be unduly accelerated or retarded by the rush of air or by any vacuum created
when the lamp is rotating, I sometimes advantageously employ a shield ; connected
to one of the parts g and provided, if necessary, with one or more holes k, k.
Instead of employing circular or curved shaped carbons, I sometimes employ
the ordinary straight form of carbons (or Jablochkoff candles) as illustrated in
Figure 7 in which is an arc lamp fixed to the shaft c by brackets m, m so that it
will rotate therewith, the upper carbon being fed by suitable mechanism within the
casing of the lamp.
Although I have described and illustrated the carbons as revolving together, it
will be obvious that one or more of the parts may be stationary while the other
part or parts may rotate or revolve.
In some cases segmental carbons may be placed about a revolving or rotating
disc, ring or cylindrical shaped carbon, suitable means being provided for effecting
the requisite adjustment, or the said discs, rings or cylinders may be constructed in
sections or segments and be made adjustable.
Compound motions may be imparted to the carbons, such for example, as by
causing the carbon holder to revolve upon a rotating arm or wheel having its
plane at right angles to that of the carbon holder or in any other convenient
position in order that when the several parts are in operation a luminous ring or
body will be produced of a loop-like or other shape, the carbons being made of a
suitable forin for this purpose.
The mechanism employed in carrying out the invention may be actuated by
electric or other motive power, suitable means being provided for maintaining the
needful electrical contact between the respective parts as well as for controlling
the position and movements of the carbons."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An electric arc lamp the carbons of which are adapted to be revolved so that
the arc or light is caused to assume or produce a luminous ring or body of light,
substantially as described.
2. An electric arc lamp the carbons of which are mounted upon a rotatable
shaft and capable of relative movement or feed substantially as described.
3. The improvements in electric arc lamps herein before described and illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2, Figure 3, Figures 4 and 5, and Figure 7 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 9th day of January 1896
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.