IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, LOUIS CLERO of 186 Avenue des Ternes, in the City of Paris and Republic of
France, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN AUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL SWITCHES, to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to, automatically place one
or more electric
incandescent lamps in circuit for lighting, when another, or others, previously.
lighted, have been broken.
The apparatus is usually made to carry two lamps, one of them being on the
same circuit as a small coil or solenoid. On the circuit of the other is a cut-out of
any convenient form but worked by the coil. When the current first flows in the
circuit it passes for an instant through both lamps, when the coil, being acted upon,
works the cut out, and one of the lamps is switched out of the circuit., Should the
filament of the first lamp break, the current is automatically switched into the
other, and lights the same; thus avoiding darkness and accidents. The apparatus
may be applied to groups of incandescent lamps, or to two arc lamps.
For incandescent lamps the apparatus is usually constructed with a small sole-
noid or coil, enclosing a very light iron core having two points; which points are
capable of dipping into two cups containing mercury and thus closing a circuit
to which a lamp is connected by one of its poles. The other lamp is in like
manner connected by one of its poles to the coil or solenoid circuit, and by the
other poles the lamps are connected to each other.
The two small cups containing the mercury are closed by two cones of wood, or
any suitable material, so formed that when moved or inverted, the mercury is not
liable to fall out; and two very fine holes are bored in the, conical caps to allow
of the points of the iron core to pass through without friction, and thus to close
the circuit. A connection is made to one of the mercury cups, one of the lamps
being connected to the other, (as previously stated), the action being to auto-
matically switch the current from the first lamp, when the filament breaks, to
the other; as described already.
It will be seen that the switch may be applied to lamps having two filaments,
and used for railway or ship lighting, public or private installations; and of any
suitable design; as required.

page_text: I, LOUIS CLERC of 86 Avenue des Ternes, in the City of Paris and Republic of
France, Electrician, 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 my invention is to automatically place one or more electric
incandescent lamps in circuit for lighting, when another, or others,―previously
lighted, have been broken.
The apparatus is usually made to convey or carry current to two lamps, one of
them being on the same circuit as a small coil or solenoid. On the circuit of the
other is a cut-out of any convenient form but worked by the coil. When the current
first flows in the circuit it passes for an instant through both lamps, when the coil
being acted upon, works the cut out, and one of the lamps is switched out of the
circuit. Should the filament of the first lamp break, the current is automatically
'switched into the other, lighting the same; thus avoiding darkness and accidents.
The apparatus may be applied to groups of incandescent lamps, or to two arc
lamps.
For incandescent lamps the apparatus is usually constructed with a small
solenoid or coil A, enclosing a very light iron core B having two points at the
lower extremity capable of dipping into two cups C, C, containing mercury and
thus closing a circuit to which a lamp is connected by one of its poles. The other
lamp is in like manner connected by one of its poles to the coil or solenoid
circuit, and by the other poles the lamps are connected to each other.
The two small cups containing the mercury are closed by two cones of wood or
any suitable material, so formed that when moved or inverted, the mercury is not
liable to fall out, and two very fine holes are bored in the conical caps to allow of
the points of the iron core to pass through without friction, and thus to close the
circuit. A connection is made to one of the mercury cups, one of the lamps being
connected to the other, (as previously stated). When the current passes through
the coil, the magnetic effect is to suck in the iron core and break the circuit of the
lamp connected to the mercury cup, the other one being made incandescent, but
should the filament break the current is caused to pass through the other circuit,
the iron core drops into the mercury cups thus automatically lighting the other
lamp.
The two mercury cups are formed in a turned block or base D of wood, or any
other suitable material, to which standards, forming terminals, are attached,
which carry the coil A. Fig. 1 is an elevation of the switch with a cover or
guard, E, in section. Fig. 2 is a diagramatic section of the switch, showing the
connections.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. An automatic electric switch, operating substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. The combination of two mercury cups, a magnetic core and solenoid,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. A base of non-conducting material, arranged to carry two or more lamps
or groups of lamps, or to supply current thereto arranged on circuits automa-
tically operating through the intervention of a solenoid and two mercury cups,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
J. S. FAIRFAX,
Agent for the Applicant.