An Improved Automatic Electric Cut-in and Cut-out.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVIDIONAL
An Improved Automatic Electric Cut-in and Cut-out.
ARTHUR EMILIO ROLES BOTTONE, Electrical Engineer, No. 3, Melbourne Villas,
Manor Road, Wallington, Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
A pivoted lever supported on suitable standards is fitted with a soft
iron armature and a wedge or chopper switch or fork capable of playing in
mercury cups or any other of the well known devices for completing an electric-
circuit also with a counter spring regulated by a screw the whole mounted on
suitable base to be fixed to the pole piece of a dynamo by screws or suction pad.
In use this instrument is fixed as above stated, on the dynamo & the lever adjusted
by means of the screw & counter spring until the dynamo can just pull down the
armature & lever when it reaches the desired voltage & release it when the voltage
falls below the requisite point. The armature & lever thus being pulled down,
the electrical circuit is completed through the springs or chopper switch etc.
which are in series circuit with the dynamo & accumulators (or other parts of the
circuit) in which a given voltage or current is required. As this device works
entirely by virtue of the dynamo's magnetism which depends upon the voltage
set up, it does not waste any of the dynamo's current, & is absolutely certain in
its action, & can be regulated to any desired voltage by loosening or tightening.
the screw controlling counter spring
An Improved Automatic Electric Cut-in and Cut-out.
I, ARTHUR EMILIO ROLES BOTTONE, Electrical Engineer, No. 3, Melbourne Villas,
Manor Road, Wallington, Surrey, 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:-
My invention relates to the utilization of the varying force of magnetism set
up in the pole pieces of dynamos when in action (which magnetism is proportional
to the E. M. F. set up by the dynamo itself) as a means of actuating appliances
known as
electric cut ins and cut outs," whereby their action is rendered per-
fectly automatic, not needing when once adjusted, any further attention, and not
taking any current from the dynamo, in effecting this purpose.
"
According to my invention, a suitable piece of soft iron, or armature (herein-

page_text: after called " the plunger") of any form dictated by circumstances, is supported
by a pivotted lever, or other similar device, between two standards erected on
a base. This lever is actuated by a counter spring and controlling screw to
counter balance the plunger. An extension of the arm of the lever, or other
similar supporter of the plunger, carries at its extremity, either a copper wedge
playing between contact springs, or forks dipping into mercury cups, or platinum
studs making dotting or rubbing. contacts, or in fact, any other of the usual
means for completing an electric circuit. Whatever be the form given to the
device, when in use, it is to be placed in contact with one of the pole pieces of the
dynamo, and attached thereto, either by means of screws or pneumatic suction-
pads. By means of the controlling screw, the tension of the counter spring is so
regulated, that not until the voltage of the dynamo has attained the desired point
(and consequently the field magnets are magnetised up to a corresponding degree)
is the armature attracted with sufficient force, to overcome the tension of the
spring. When however, this point has been reached, the armature is attracted
by the pole piece, and in travelling towards it, pulls with it the lever, along with
the copper wedge, the two forks, or whatever other means have been adopted,
to make contact, and causes them to engage in the springs, the mercury cups,
or other broken portions of the circuit, and thus complete the connection between
the dynamo terminals, & the accumulators, or other portions of the circuit, at
which a current of given voltage is required, "and as certainly to break contact
again, when from any cause, such as slowing down or stoppage of engine, failure
in the dynamo itself, the voltage falls below the stipulated point. In carrying
out my invention, it is sometimes convenient, when currents of very large ampèrage,
or very high voltage have to be dealt with, to have the actual "switch," or contact
break and make, separate from the plunger and its spring controlled lever, and
simply to allow this device to break or make the contact between a suitable battery
(preferably Leclanchès or dry cells,) and an electro-magnet controlling a falling
chopper switch, of the weighted lever type. By this means, any tendency to
arcing with such heavy currents, is entirely overcome, by the suddenness of the
make and break.
In the practical application of my invention, I employ the hereinafter figured
and described pieces of apparatus, adapted to varying circumstances, in the
manner detailed as follows:-Fig. 1 A, is a side elevation of one of my automatic
cut in and cut outs, adapted to currents varying from 10 to 50 ampères, at 65
to 130 volts pressure. B is the front, & C the back elevation of the same instru-
ment. S, S, S, are the standards, L L the pivoted lever, K, K, the counter
spring D, D, D, the controlling screw, I the iron plunger F a small piece of iron
let into the base H H H, which serves as a prolongation of the pole piece of the
dynamo. (This piece F, is by no means essential but simply convenient, and is
dispensed with in Fig. 4). Q, Q, Q, is the copper wedge, which, when driven
down between the springs J, J, completes the circuit through the terminals T, T.
In use, this appliance is attached as previously described, to any bare iron
portion of one of the pole pieces of the dynamo. The dynamo is then run up
to the desired voltage, when the tension of the spring K, adjusted, by means
of the controlling screw D, so that that armature is pulled down just when that
voltage is reached. At this instant the copper wedge Q, engages in the jaws
of the contact springs J, J, and thus complete the circuit...The, apparatus is now
in readiness for action, and need only have the terminals T, T, connected to the
separated ends of the cable or wire leading from dynamo to accumulators, or
other point where the regulated current is to be utilized. Fig. 2 shows a lighter
form of my appliance, in which the lever is dispensed with, and the spring K
carries the iron plunger I, directly on its extremity. As this small form is not
intended to carry currents heavier than from 8 to 10, ampères at 50 volts pressure,
the contacts may be conveniently made by two heavy platinum studs inserted in
the opposing faces I and F respectively. Fig. 3 shows another modification,
in which the lever supporting the iron plunger I, takes the form of a hollow
·

page_text: ebonite tube E, of square section outside, but of larger bore near the trunnions,
internally. In this tube is placed a little mercury, at M, which when the lever
is pulled over by the magnetism of the dynamo, runs to the opposite extremity
of the tube, and completes the circuit between two copper studs protruding into
the tube, which studs are themselves metallically connected externally, with the
terminals T. The plug P serves simply to allow the renewal or removal of
the mercury.
Another application of the same principle is shown at Fig. 4, wherein the
lever takes the form of an upright rod, controlled by spring and screw, the iron.
plunger being, as in the heretofore described cases, at its free extremity. Here
the contact is made by a stout copper disc Q engaging in a number of contact
springs standing up around it, like the petals of a lily. A portion of the pole
piece of a dynamo is shown in connection with this "cut in and cut out" at V,
in order to exemplify the mode of connecting up between the instrument and the
wires leading from the dynamo to the accumulators, or other work to be done.
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. The method of utilizing the varying magnetism of the pole pieces of a
dynamo, in the working of apparati known as electrical cut ins and cut outs"
whereby their action is rendered perfectly automatic and dependent solely and
entirely on the voltage of the dynamo at the time being, substantially as herein
described.
2. The method of constructing cut ins and cut outs" capable of working
automatically without drawing any current from the dynamo, substantially as
herein described.
3. The method of controlling the voltage, and consequently the ampèrage of
the current allowed to flow through the cut in and cut out, by means of a plunger
attracted by the dynamo, acting in opposition to a counter spring and controlling
screw, substantially as described herein, and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
this 4th day of February 1899.
ARTHUR E. R. BOTTONE,
3, Melbourne Villas, Manor Road, Wallington, Applicant.