Improvements in Electric Controlling and Regulating Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 26th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Controlling and Regulating Apparatus.
I, WALTER EMMOTT, of No. 1, South Parade, Halifax, in the County of York,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
.
In many instances, notably in theatre work it is necessary to regulate one group
of electric lights, or a number of groups at one and the same time. My improve-
ment consists in a switch consisting of a series of contacts arranged that the contact
maker when moved will be in contact with the succeeding contact before leaving
the preceeding one and such switching arrangement combined with impedence coils
so arranged that any required number of coils may be joined up in multiple or
series, or indeed any required number of combinations may be made. For instance
say it is desired in a theatre to regulate the three colours of electric lights worked
by alternating current all together or each colour seperately. I employ three
coils connected up in multiple for the whole number of lights; if only two colours
are required I utilize two of the coils; and one colour one coil. By this arrange-
ment the whole of the lights in a theatre may be regulated simultaneously, or any
desired number.
To ensure the varying degrees of light required I divide the impedence coil or
coils into sections. Or if desired I use a moveable core and coil and connect the
coils as before named.
The invention is equably applicable to the control of alternating current electro
Improvements in Electric Controlling and Regulating Apparatus.
I, WALTER EMMOTT, of 1, South Parade, Halifax, in the County of York,
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: -
In many instances, notably in theatre work it is necessary to regulate one group
of electric lights, or a number of groups at one and the same time. My improve-
ment consists in a combination switching arrangement with impedence coils so
arranged that any required number of coils may be joined up in multiple or series,
or indeed any required number of combinations may be made. For instance, say
it is desired in a theatre to regulate the three colours of electric lights worked by
alternating current, all together, or each colour seperately, I employ three coils
connected up in multiple for the whole number of lights; if only two colours are
required I utilize two of the coils; and one colour one coil. By this arrangement
the whole of the lights in a theatre may be regulated simultaneously, or any
desired number. To ensure the varying degrees of light required I divide the

page_text: impedence coil or coils into sections. The invention is equally applicale to the
control of alternating current electro motors.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention, the following is a
complete description of same, reference being had to the accompanying divings,
in which:
Fig. 1 is a front elevation shewing the application of the invention to one series
or group of lights.
Fig. shews the same automatically controlled by clock work and spe. lly
applicable for advertising purposes.
According to this invention and referring to Fig. 1 I employ in connection wh
each group or series of lights an impedence coil 1 divided into sections in the
manner described in Specification of Letters Patent, No. 21236 of the year 1896,
granted to the present applicant, and each section of each impedence coil 1 is by
wires 2-3-4-5 and 6 connected with the contacts 6"-6" of the switch board?
The say main 8 is connected with the contact 9 and the main with one of
the contacts 6" as shewn, and an ordinary switch or contact maker 10 is employed
for making and breaking contact with the contact 9 and the others 6".
In order to obviate the objectionable jump or jerk of the lights which would
occur if the current were switched direct from one contact to another with a break
between each contact as ordinarily constructed, I place the several contacts 6" so
near together, or make the contact maker 10 of such width that when being turned
or moved, the contact maker or switch is in contact with the succeeding contact
before it has broken contact with the preceeding one, consequently in turning up
the lights when the contact maker is brought into contact with the succeeding
contact, the light is by the increased induction slightly raised or "turned up,"
and when the contact maker leaves or breaks with the preceeding contact, the
light is still further increased by the reduced inductance. The same action,
reversed, takes place when lowering the lights. When the contact maker 10 is
across two contacts 6" any "humming" which might otherwise take place is avoided.
I have now described how one group or series of lights are controlled by hand,
but when it is desired to control a group or series automatically (see Fig. 2) I
connect the coil 1 by wires 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 with a combination switching arrange-
ment consisting of a series of contacts, say 6"-6" preferably arranged in a circle
in the centre of which is a switch or contact maker 19 mounted on an axis 20
driven by a train of clockwork or other means. When driven automatically the
invention is specially applicable for advertising purposes, as for instance where it
is desired that lights should be alternately raised or lowered, or gradually and
slowly turned "up" or down."
6.
In order to regulate one group or a series of groups of lamps at one and the same
time I join the respective number of coils in multiple when more than one group
has to be regulated thus increasing the sectional area of the wire to carry the
increased current, reducing the resistance, and at the same time increasing the
impedence.
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: :―
A coil 1 divided into sections combined with a combination switching arrange-
ment controlled either automatically or by hand, as and for the purpose herein
described.
WALTER EMMOTT.
By his Agents,
Brierley & Howard,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax,