Improvements in Electrically Illuminated Signs.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrically Illuminated Signs.
I, GUY CAREY FRICKER of 15 Spencer Road, Putney in the County of
Surrey, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to Improvements in Electrically Illuminated Signs in which
the colour of the light is automatically changed at short intervals of time.
The usual method of effecting this object to employ some commutating device
whereby different electric circuits are established in rotation, each circuit controlling
lamps emitting light of certain definite colours. Such methods involve mechanism
more or less costly and complicated in respect of the commutating device and more-
over generally necessitate the fitting up of a much larger number of lamps than that
which is actually in operation at one time.
In this invention I employ one or more arc lamps of any suitable make, but
instead of using a single pair of carbon rods as is usually done, I employ two or
more pairs of carbon rods, the upper ones being all connected rigidly together by a
metallic bar attached to the lamp rod which is controlled by the feed mechanism,
and all the lower carbons I connect together by a similar rigid bar in electrical
contact with the other terminal or pole of the lamp.
Each pair of carbon rods is separately encased or screened by a transparent
medium which emits light of the desired colour when an arc is maintained between
the carbon points contained within it. Since in such an arrangement the arc can
only cccur between one of the pairs of points at one time, a light of a certain colour
and effect is produced within one screen or globe until by the feeding mechanism of
the lamp the second pair of carbon points come into contact, when the arc is trans-
ferred to that pair of points and thus a light of different colour and effect is
produced. This, in turn gives place to the next pair until the cycle is completed
and the arc returns to the first pair of points. This cycle of transference repeats
itself indefinitely until the carbons are all consumed.
The applications of such automatically changing coloured lights to the illumina-
tion of signs are numerous but the arrangement I prefer is to place the lamp in or
near the focus of a reflecting screen or box whereby the coloured rays are nearly all
directed on to the face of such screen or box, and in which the letters or design is
perforated or let in as a transparent medium in an opaque ground.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1893.
G. C. FRICKER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrically Illuminated Signs.
I, GUY CAREY FRICKER, of 15 Spencer Road, Putney, in the County of
Surrey, Electrical 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 :-
This invention relates to Improvements in Electrically Illuminated Signs in which
the colour of the light is automatically changed at short intervals of time.
The usual method of effecting this is to employ a commutating device whereby
different electric circuits are completed, each circuit controlling lamps emitting
D

page_text: light of certain definite colours. This method however involves the use of
mechanism more or less costly and complicated in respect of the commutating device,
and moreover generally necessitates the fitting up of a much larger number of lamps
than that which is actually in operation at one time.
Now this invention has for object to obviate the disadvantages above referred to
for which purpose I employ one or more arc lamps of any suitable make, but
instead of using a single pair of carbon rods in each lamp as is usually employed, I
use two or more pairs of rods, the upper ones being all connected together by a
metallic bar or holder attached to the rod of the lamp controlled by the feed
mechanism, and all the lower carbons being connected by a metallic bar forming the
other terminal or pole of the lamp, each pair of carbon rods being separately encased
or screened by a transparent medium emitting light of the desired colour and the
arrangement being such that the arc, which occurs between only one pair of carbon
points at one time, is automatically transferred from one pair of carbons to another
in rotation, by the operation of the ordinary feeding mechanism of the lamp as I
will now proceed to more fully explain by aid of the accompanying drawings in
which,
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a front view, a plan with the cover removed,
and a cross section, showing an electrically illuminated sign according to this
invention.
Figs. 4 and 5 are elevations at right angles to each other, showing to a larger
scale, the electric arc lamp employed for illuminating the sign.
The electrically illuminated sign in the example shown comprises a closed box
the front A of which is suitably formed to serve as a sign which is illuminated by
an electric arc lamp B suspended through the roof C of the box behind the sign A
and the construction and operation of which is hereinafter more fully explained, the
light of the lamp being thrown on or through the sign, according to its particular
construction, by a curved reflector D constituting the back of the said box. D₁ is
a door. The sign proper A may be formed in any known or suitable way as well
understood.
The electric arc lamp shown is constructed with three pairs of carbons a b, a¹ b¹
and ab, the three carbons a, a', a² being secured in metal sockets c fixed to a
metal bar c¹ common to them, and the carbons b, b¹, 6ª being also secured in metal
sockets & fixed to another metal bar or holder d¹ common to these sockets so that
the three pairs of carbons are in parallel with each other. The bar c¹ is guided
vertically by fixed rods e and is connected to a vertical rack rod f which is operated
and controlled by the feeding mechanism g of the lamp. The bar d¹ is guided
vertically by the insulated side rods h of the lamp and to it is connected the lower
end of a rod i the upper end of which is connected by a cord j passing over a
pulley k with the upper end of the said rack rod f. The feeding mechanism shown
is of known construction, but may be of any other ordinary known or suitable
kind adapted to adjust the position of the carbons in the well known manner
to maintain the lamp in action with the focus of the arc between each pair of
carbons approximately constant and therefore such mechanism need not be herein
further described.
mm² m² are differently coloured transparent glass cylinders arranged preferably
in pairs as shown so as to form double walled coloured screens surrounding the
adjacent ends of the carbons, the double walls ensuring a more intense colour
than with a single wall. They are each carried by a plate n secured to a bar o
fixed to the side rods h.
The pairs of carbons are fixed in their holders in such a way that when those of
one pair say a b are in contact, those of the other pairs are not in contact with each
other and the two pairs are not at the same distance apart, the carbons a¹ b¹
for example being nearer together than the carbons aª bª.
The transference of the arc from one pair of carbons to another, with consequent
change in the colour of the light by which the sign A used in conjunction with the
said lamp is illumined, is as follows:-When a current is switched on to the lamp,

page_text: an are will be formed between that pair of carbon points which first come in contact
with each other, namely between a b in the case assumed, whereby a light
corresponding to the colour of the cylinders m will be thrown on or through the
sign A. After burning for a short time, and until, by the feeding mechanism of
the lamp, one of the other pairs of carbon points say a' 6' come into contact with
each other, the current will be short circuited through the second pair of carbons
and upon the separation of these carbons the arc will be formed between them, the
are being thus virtually transferred to the new pair of carbons with the result that
a different coloured light, corresponding to that of the cylinders m', will be thrown
on or through the sign, and when by the continued feeding action of the feeding
mechanism the third pair of carbons are brought into contact, the current will be
again short circuited and the arc transferred to the third pair of carbons with a
further change in the colour of the light thrown on or through the sign.
This completes the cycle which will be repeated again and again at short
intervals, whilst the current is maintained, until the carbons are consumed. Such
an arrangement is simple to erect, requires only two wires to the lamp, and involves
no special mechanism for effecting the changes of colour.
As will be obvious lamps constructed according to my invention can be variously
modified. Thus the number of pairs of carbons can be varied to suit the number
of different changes of colour required; also the form and arrangement of the
coloured screens or mediums can be varied provided they be arranged between the
foci of the lamp and the sign to be illuminated. For example suitably supported
flat plates or lenses may be used instead of globes and cylinders.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An electrically illuminated sign comprising a sign proper and two or more
pairs of arc lamp carbons in parallel and two or more globes screens or mediums
arranged opposite the respective foci of the pairs of carbons and each capable of
transmitting light of a different colour to the other or others, one of the carbons
of each pair being connected to a common bar or holder and the other carbon of
each pair being connected to another common bar or holder, and the arrangement
being such that when the apparatus is in use the arc will be automatically
transferred from one pair of carbons to another substantially as herein described.
2. My above described improved construction of electrically illuminated signs
as explained with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 21st day of March 1894.