IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC ARC LAMPS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, OTTO ROMANZE of 51 Tonsley Hill, Wandsworth in the County of Surrey,
Telegraph Instrument Maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC ARC LAMPS" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in electric arc lamps.
The upper part of the frame of this improved lamp is tubular, and at its upper
end it is provided with a ring or bow by which the lamp may be suspended. The
tubular portion of the frame has upon it two flanges, one at the lower end and the
other a few inches higher. Between these flanges insulated wire is wound to form
a solenoid or controlling coil. The lower flange is formed with two radial arms or
lugs projecting on opposite sides, they receive rods which carry the support for the
lower carbon. This upper frame is cast in one piece.
Within the controlling bobbin a hollow iron core is received, and upon this core
is mounted mechanism for holding the upper carbon. This mechanism is herein-
after described.
The lower carbon is carried simply by a cross bar connecting the ends of the
above mentioned rods. There is an elongated hole in the cross bar; the carbon is
inserted through it and clamped in its place by a pressure piece. The pressure
piece abuts against the carbon rod on one side pressing the other side of it up to
the end of the elongated hole.
The iron core is capable of moving up and down within the controlling coil for
a short distance equal to the length of the arc which it is desired to maintain.
The core is guided in this movement by three small wheels and mounted upon it
at its upper end. .
A pin projects from the underside of the lower flange of the bobbin and this pin
passes freely through a hole in a short arm projecting from the core.
There is an
adjustable nut upon the lower end of the pin and the arm on the core comes in
contact with this when the core has descended the full distance.
When the core rises its upward movement is limited by the same arm coming in
contact with the flange of the frame.
Adjustable springs are provided by which a portion of the weight of the core
and the mechanism mounted upon it is supported.
The upper carbon passes up centrally into the interior of the hollow coil, it
supports a small weight on its upper end, which gives a sufficient tendency to
descend when the governing mechanism permits.
The core carries on one side two small rollers against which the carbon rod lies.
These rollers are at a distance of about two inches apart, and between them, but
on the opposite side of the carbon there is a third roller. The axis of this roller is
carried by a frame which near its lower end is pivotted to the core. A spring
attached to the core and to the rocking frame tends to draw the latter upwards
гр
077

page_text: and so causes the roller which the frame carries to press against the carbon rod.
In connection with this roller I provide apparatus to prevent its rotating too
rapidly. A ratchet wheel on the axis of the roller engaging with an anchor
escapement on a spindle carrying a short pendulum serves the purpose well.-There
is a stop spring fixed to the upper frame, which, when the core is in its highest
position, locks this pendulum so that at this time the roller with which it is in
connection cannot revolve.
The lower roller on the other side of the carbon rod has teeth formed in its
periphery, and with these teeth a spring pawl fixed to the upper frame engages.
The head of the pawl is so inclined that when the wheel is moved past it, in con-
sequence of the descent of the core by which the wheel is carried, the pawl holds
a tooth of the wheel and causes the wheel to revolve-but when the core moves
upwards the the incline upon its head causes the pawl to yield back and the roller
does not then turn.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the circuit is first completed through the lamp the core is drawn up into
the bobbin and it carries with it the upper carbon held between the three rollers as
already explained. The upper carbon is thus separated from the lower carbon by
the proper distance for establishing the arc. The same upward movement of the
core brings the pendulum against the stop spring already referred to, and so the
roller carried by the rocking frame is retained and cannot turn. Further to ensure
that the carbon shall not descend when the parts are in this position another
spring is provided upon the lower flange and the rocking frame upon the core
when raised comes against this spring in such a manner that the spring aids in
pressing the roller on rocking frame against the carbon.
As the carbons burn away the resistance of the arc increases until the controlling
bobbin is no longer able to sustain the core in its highest position, it then falls
slightly and the spring pawl engaging with one of the carbon holding rollers, as
already described, causes this roller to turn. So a slight downward movement is
imparted to the upper carbon in excess of the downward movement of the core
which carries the carbon. The same movement of the core sets free the pendulum
and liberates the rocking frame from the pressure spring. The weight of the
carbon will then cause it slightly to descend at the same time turning the roller
upon the rocking frame and causing the pendulum to vibrate. This can only go
on until the arc is shortened to the requisite extent, immediately this is the case
the core is again drawn up by the controlling coil, the vibration of the pendulum is
stopped and the upper carbon is again firmly nipped and held in the manner
already described.
I can use in this lamp carbons, of various diameters, and all will be suitably held
by the rollers with which the core is provided.'
The lower carbon whatever the size, will from the arrangement of its holder as
already described, be centrally held beneath the upper carbon. I employ long
upper carbons and when these have burnt so far as to be no longer available
I transfer them to the lower carbon holder.
.
In some cases I provide on the exterior of the controlling bobbin some coils of
insulated German silver wire, and I can at pleasure put into circuit a part or the
whole of these coils for the purpose of regulating the amount of current through
the lamp.
Dated this th JT10or

page_text: I, OTTO ROMANZE, of 51 Tonsley Hill, Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey,
Telegraph Instrument Maker 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 Electric Are Lamps, and particularly
to the mechanism whereby the upper carbon is automatically fed down as fast as
it is consumed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification; wherein Figure 1. is a front elevation, and Figure 2. a side elevation
(partly in section) of the entire Lamp. Figure 3. shows the automatic feed
mechanism, as seen from the opposite side to that shown in Figure 2 and in a
different position of the parts. Figure 4. shows a modified form of the lower
carbon holder.
The upper part of the lamp-frame consists of a metal tube A, having upon it
two flanges B. B¹ between which is wound a solenoid coil C, which is placed in the
Lamp circuit by being connected at one end to the terminal D, and at the other
with the tube A. The flange B, has two oppositely projecting arms B² to which
the rods carrying the support for the lower carbon are fixed, but from which they
are insulated. Within the tube A, and solenoid C, is a tubular soft iron core E.
which is capable of moving freely up and down therein, being guided in this move-
ment by three small friction rollers mounted on its upper end, and running against
the interior of the tube A. The extent of motion of the core is limited to about
the maximum length of the arc it is desired to maintain, by means of an arm e
projecting from the core, and having a hole embracing freely a screw stud e¹ fixed
to, and projecting from, the underside of flange B, and provided with a nut e
whereby the downward motion of the core is adjustably limited and the maximum
distance between the carbons determined. The core is also guided by another and
opposite arm es, sliding on a smooth pin e'. The upward motion of the core is
limited by the same arm coming in contact with the flange B. of the frame. A
portion of the weight of the core and attached parts is sustained by springs f
connected to the underside of flange B, and to screws f¹ passing through arms
projecting from opposite sides of the core near the lower end and provided with
nuts whereby the tension of the springs may be adjusted. The upper carbon
passes centrally through the tubular core E and is supported and fed by the
following mechanism carried by the core, glare two conical rollers placed in
line, one above the other, and mounted in a slot in one side of the core at about
two inches apart, and i is a similar roller placed at the opposite side of the carbon,
and opposite the middle of the space between 9 and h these three rollers presenting
their concave peripheries to the carbon and gripping it between them. The
core E is cut away at the lower end, at the side at which the roller i is situate,
and the axis of this roller is mounted in an oscillating bell crank frame k pivoted
at k¹ to the core E, so that the roller i can be moved towards and away from the
carbon by rocking frame k on its pivot. A spring 7 is attached to the core, and to

page_text: an adjusting screw in the outer end of the horizontal arm of the frame k whereby
the roller is caused to press against the carbon sufficiently to prevent its slipping
by its own weight, the tension of the spring being regulated by the screw.
The
rotation of the roller i is controlled by an escapement consisting of a scape wheel m
fast on the axis of roller i, an anchor n engaging with wheel m, and a pendulum o
fixed at the opposite end of the anchor arbor whereby the roller i is prevented
from rotating too rapidly and thereby allowing the carbon to descend too fast. The
rotation of the roller i, and the feed of the carbon is wholly arrested when the
core E is in its highest position, by a detent spring p fixed to flange B, engaging
with a fine toothed, or milled, edge of the quadrant-shaped upper end o¹ of the
pendulum o. A spring q is fixed to the underside of the flange B in such position
that the upper end of the frame k will come in contact with it when the core is
raised to its highest position in such manner as to increase the pressure of the
roller i against the carbon, and more securely guard against the slipping down of
the carbon when no further feed is required. The roller his ratchet-toothed, and
a spring-pawl h¹ fixed to frame B engages with it, the inclination of the teeth and
pawl being such, that when by the descent of the core the wheel moves past the
pawl the latter holds a tooth of the wheel which is thereby caused to revolve for
the purpose of giving a positive motion to the carbon, and so ensuring the
immediate commencement of its feed movement, in case its own weight should be
insufficient to overcome the inertia and friction of the mechanism. When the core
moves upwards the inclined nib of the pawl yields, and slips on the teeth of the
roller without turning it. The upper carbon has a metal cap-piece r fixed on its
upper end, which serves both to weight it, and to carry a metal roller s about
which is wound a wire cord t attached by its other end to the tube A, and which
unwinds as the carbon descends for the purpose of maintaining electrical connection
between the tube A and the carbon, in case the contact of the guide rollers g hi
should become inefficient.
The action of the lamp is as follows;-The carbon being in contact or sufficiently
near for striking the arc on closing the circuit, the attraction of the solenoid for
the core raises the latter until arm e abuts against plate B. The core carries up
with it the upper carbon (held between the three rollers as above described) which
is thus separated from the lower carbon the proper distance for establishing the
arc. By the same upward movement, the part of of the pendulum, is brought against
the detent p whereby the roller i is prevented from turning, the spring / being
now re-inforced by spring q to prevent the carbon slipping. As the carbons burn
away the resistance of the arc increases and the strength of the current diminishes
until the solenoid can no longer sustain the core in its highest position, whereupon
it falls slightly and by this motion the roller h is caused by pawl h¹ to rotate as
above described and impart to the upper carbon a downward movement in excess
of the descent of the core which carries it. The same movement of the core
liberates the pendulum from the detent p whereupon the carbon will continue to
descend by its own weight under the control of the escapement and pendulum
which is caused to vibrate by the rotation of the roller i. This only continues
until by the shortening of the arc, the strength of the current is increased sufficiently
to enable the solenoid to raise the core again, whereupon the vibration of the
pendulum is stopped, and the upper carbon held as before.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. In an electric arc lamp, the combination with a single solenoid in the lamp
circuit; of a magnetic core for carrying and guiding the upper carbon, and automatic
feed mechanism controlled by said core, substantially as described.
2. In an electric arc lamp, the combination with a single solenoid in the lamp
circuit, of a tubular soft iron core carrying and guiding the upper carbon and
automatic feed mechanism controlled by said core, substantially as described.

page_text: 3. In an electric arc lamp the combination of the upper carbon feeding by
gravity, with pendulum and detent mechanism for rendering such feed gradual and
intermittent, and a single solenoid in the lamp circuit, said solenoid having a core
which operates to lock and to release the pendulum, substantially as described.
4. In an electric arc lamp having a single solenoid in the lamp circuit the
combination with positive feed mechanisin actuated by the weight of the core of
the solenoid, of intermittent gravity feed regulating mechanism actuated by the
weight of the upper carbon substantially as described.
5. In an electric arc lamp, the combination with a solenoid in the lamp circuit,
of a tubular soft iron core through which the upper carbon passes provided with
guide rollers to hold the carbon, and of automatic feed regulating mechanism
consisting of a pressing roller mounted in a frame pivoted to the core and pressed
against the carbon by springs and of an escapement and pendulum controlling
the revolution of the said roller, and a spring detent for arresting its motion
whereby the feeding of the upper carbon is effected and governed, substantially as
described.
6. In an electric arc lamp the combination with the solenoid, tubular core,
guide rollers, rocking frame, escapeinent mechanism, pendulumn and detent com-
bined for operation as described of a pawl engaging with ratchet teeth, on one of
the guide rollers not controlled by the escapement mechanism for the purpose of
causing an initial motion to be imparted to the carbon independently of the core
and by the descent of the latter substantially as described.