Improvements in Electric Arc Lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1835
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept, 1896
Improvements in Electric Arc Lamps.
I, PERCY COLLINSON. of 37, Aldermanbury, Bradford, in the County of
York, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-:
This invention relates to certain improvements in arc lamps and has for its
object the construction of the operating portion of the lamp in such a manner
that upon the current passing through the lamp, the carbons are operated in
order to strike the arc and are automatically adjustel according to the con-
sumption of the said carbons the whole time the lamp is burning.
1 accomplish my object in the following mauner. The two carbons are supported
by a cord or the like passing round a pulley on the shaft of which is secured a spur
wheel engaging with a pinion on a shaft supporting an escape wheel engaging
with ordinary pallets.
Engaging with the before mentioned escape wheel is a lever mounted on a stud
as fulcrum and connected by a link or the like to another lever also mounted on a
fulcrum pin and connected to the cores of the shunt and main solenoid.
Upon the full current being passed through the lamp, should the carbons be
apart, and consequently no current passing round the main solenoid, the core of
the shunt solenoid will fall, operating the before mentioned lever in connection with
the escape wheel, in such a manner that the latter is liberated and allows the
carbons to automatically come in contact, whereby the current passes to the
main solenoid and weakens the shunt solenoid to such an extent that the main
solenoid operates the before mentioned lever connected with the core, and operates,
through an intermediary rod, a rocking lever in connection with the cord supporting
the carbon holders in such a manner that the carbons are drawn apart and the arc
struck.
As the distance of the are increases in consequence of the carbons burning
away, the action of the solenoid is reversed and the rocking arm operated in
the opposite direction, when the carbons are brought closer together.
Dated this 28th day of October 1895
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.
Improvements in Electric Arc Lamps.
1, PERCY COLLINSON, of 37, Aldermanbury, Bradford, 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 ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in are lamps and has for its object
the construction of the operating portion of the lamp in such a manner that, upon the
current passing through the lamp, the carbons are operated in order to strike the
arc and are automatically adjusted according to the consumption of the carbons
the whole time the lamp is burning.

page_text: wangerence to the accompanying sheets or drawings, in which
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of an arc lamp frame fitted with my
improvements.
Fig. 2 is a side view of same.
Fig. 3 a plan, and
Fig. 4 an enlarged detail of the escapement.
Upon a suitable table A. above the carbons B. and C. is a solenoid D. in the main
circuit of the lamp, and a solenoid D₁ acting as a shunt between the terminals T.
and T the respective solenoid cores E. F. being connected to a lever G. mounted
on fulcrum pin H.
The carbon holders B and C are connected together by a cord J. passing over
a pulley K. secured on a shaft L. upon which is also secured a spur wheel M.
engaging with a pinion M' secured on shaft N. to which is also secured an escape
wheel O. secured on said shaft and engaging with pallets or double pawl P. supported
in a convenient manner.
Connected to the before mentioned lever G. by means of a rod Q. is a lever R.
mounted on fulcrum pin R', the said lever engaging with the before mentioned
escape wheel O. A second rod S. is also attached to the lever G. but on the opposite
side of the fulcrum pin H, the upper end of the rod S. being connected to a rocking
lever U. supporting a grooved runner V. at each end, the respective runners
engaging with the cord J.
The positive and negative wires are attached to the lamp terminals in the usual
manner, and upon the current being switched through the lamp, should .the
carbons B. and C. be apart, and consequently no current passing through the main
solenoid D. the core F. of the shunt "solenoid D' will be attracted towards the
table A, thus operating the lever G. in the direction of the curved arrow, whereby
the lever R. disengages with the escape wheel O, thus liberating the latter which
is operated by reason of the carbon holder B' being heavier than the holder C
consequently the carbon B. and C. are automatically brought in contact, allowing
the current to pass to the main solenoid D. and thereby reducing the current in the
shunt solenoid D' to such an extent that, the lever G. is operated in the opposite
direction to that of the arrow, whereby the rocking lever U. connected therewith
by rod S. is operated in the direction of arrow 2, the action which raises the carbon
holder B and lowers the carbon holder C₁ thus moving the carbons apart and
thereby striking the arc.
As the carbons burn away, the length of the arc consequently increases, and
the electro magnetic influence in the shunt solenoid D¹ becomes stronger than that
of the main solenoid D, the lever G. is again operated in the direction of the
curved arrow and the motion of the rocking lever U. reversed, thus allowing the
carbons to approach each other.
The action of the current in the solenoid coils is so quick that the escape wheel O.
is released and locked again before the carbons come in contact, but should the
carbons by any cause come too close together, the action allows more current to
pass through the main solenoid D. and thus readjust the arc to its proper length.
The operation or adjustment of the carbons B. and C. herein before described
may be accomplished by a modified arrangement by which I dispense with the
pallets or double pawl, and substitute therefor a single pawl arranged in the
following manner, and as shewn by Fig. 5 representing a side elevation and Fig. 6 a
plan as arranged with a double lamp.
One of the carbon holders C' is stationary, the other carbon holder B¹ ig
movable and suspended by a metallic cord J. which passes over a pulley K. secured
on shaft L. to which is also secured spur wheel M. engaging with pinion M¹
as before described, the before mentioned metallic cord is connected with one of
the lamp terminals of the ordinary construction.
The lever G. is suspended on fulcrum pin H. and is coupled to the solenoid

page_text: cores E. and F. and to the said lever is jointed a pawl P¹ engaging with the
escape wheel O. secured on shaft N.
On the before mentioned shaft L. is secured a grooved pulley Y. around
which is a cord Y¹ attached to a spring barrel ✗. of similar construction to
that of a watch.
Upon the current being switched through the lamp, should the carbons B. and C.
be apart, and consequently no current passing through the main solenoid D. the
core F. of the shunt solenoid D¹ will be attracted towards the table A, thus
operating the lever G. in the direction of the curved arrow, whereby the pawl P¹
is disengaged with the escape wheel O, thus allowing the carbon holder B' to lower
automatically bringing the carbons B. and C. in contact, and the current to
pass to the main solenoid D, thereby reducing the current in the shunt solenoid D'
to such an extent that the lever G. is operated in the opposite direction to that
of the arrow, thus causing the pawl P₁ attached thereto to engage with the
escape wheel O. and operate the same, pinion M¹, spur wheel M. and pulley K.
in the direction that, the carbon holder B is raised, thus separating the carbons
to such an extent that the arc is struck.
By the introduction of the spring barrel X. the carbon holder is prevented
descending too quickly, answering the same purpose as the pallets P.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The general arrangement and combination of the parts comprising the
operating mechanism of the carbon holders for the purpose of electrically
striking the arc substantially in the manner as shown and described.
2. The combination of the lever G. with the rocking lever U. and carbon
holders arranged substantially as shown and described.
3. In an arc lamp the combination of the escape wheel O. and pallets P.
with the pulley K. and carbon holders substantially as shown and described.
4. In an arc lamp the combination of the solenoids D. and D¹, cores and
lever G. with pawl P pallet wheel O. and connections to the carbon holder C¹
arranged substantially in the manner and for the purpose as hereinbefore
set forth.
Dated this 28th day of July 1896.
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.