AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC LIGHTS, WHEREBY SUCH LIGHT CAN BE MORE CONVENIENTLY DISTRIBUTED AND ECONOMICALLY MAINTAINED IN PUBLIC PLACES PRIVATE HOUSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Arthur Dillon, of 55, Rutland Square, Dublin, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING
ELECTRIC LIGHTS, WHEREBY SUCH LIGHT CAN BE MORE CONVENIENTLY
DISTRIBUTED AND ECONOMICALLY MAINTAINED IN PUBLIC PLACES
PRIVATE HOUSES."
AND
Sealed the 23rd September 1879, and dated the 26th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by the said Thomas Arthur Dillon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th March 1879.
THOMAS ARTHUR DILLON, of 55, Rutland Square, Dublin. "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC LIGHTS, WHEREBY SUCH
LIGHT CAN BE MORE CONVENIENTLY DISTRIBUTED AND ECONOMICALLY MAINTAINED
IN PUBLIC PLACES AND PRIVATE HOUSES."
First. The means whereby the present expensive steam engine or gas motor engine
may be either wholly or in part done away with, and a flux motor, or tide, or river
flow, or wind, or animal power, waste heat of houses or factories substituted therefor
wholly or in part.
Secondly. A means whereby this power may be accumulated and stored up for
subsequent distribution.
Thirdly. A form of portable lamp, and which can be moved from table to table,
bracket to bracket, and which will light by turning a gas cock as though the lamp
were supplied by ordinary coal gas.
Fourthly. A means of lighting mines and magazines by electricity without risk
of explosion.
Fifthly. A form of lamp for photographic purposes, which will automatically act
in conjunction with a copying camera, and extinguish itself when the copying work
is finished, and
Sixthly. A means whereby such lamps will make their own carbon candles, and
self supply themselves with same for several consecutive nights.
It has been a serious drawback to the extension of the electric light principle
that as the dynamo electric light producers, such as Gramme's, Siemens', Werdeman's,
and such like, which are composed of either permanent or electro magnets rotating
Duine A

page_text: swiftly close to but not touching another series of magnets or armatures in the
manner well known to electricians and others, are powerless, comparatively speaking,
unless rotated at a high speed, and as such speed cannot be produced without the
expenditure of proportionate power, it is usual to derive the adequate power from
gas engines or steam engines by suitable belts or gearing.
It is self evident that such belting or gearing is of limited applicability, and
cannot be carried from the prime motor to other than one or two generators of
dynamo electricity; it becomes necessary that there must be a steam or gas engine
for each other dynamo electric machine, with a consequent expense of engineers
and plant. Further, such engines have not hitherto been provided with any
reservoirs wherein to accumulate and store up force which might give out sufficient
of the accumulated power as to keep the electric machines moving in case of
need.
I propose by the following method and apparatus to obviate the danger of having
the light extinguished if a steam or gas engine fails, and of reducing the number of
such motive engine power, and of utilising waste force to store up power.
To a central steam or gas or other motor I attach a strong air reservoir with air
compressing pumps, which latter are to be driven by the steam or gas engine or
other sufficient motor, and from the air reservoir mentioned I lead main pipes and
branch pipes into streets, factories, and houses, radiating and branching such pipes
after the fashion and manner in which the present gas pipes are radiated and
branched off. Instead of gas meters I affix a small air engine, with-dynamo-electric_
machine attached and combined, from which wires or tubes proceed to central lamps
or burners, or to separate lamps or burners in streets, houses, factories, &c. When
main lamps are preferred or required I use wires; when special lamps, such as
reading lamps, room, or side lights, or other sub-division of lighting is preferred, I
use tubes like gas tubes leading to the rooms or situations wherein the lights are
placed.
When this is the case I use the following form of lamp or of generator preferably,
although the ordinary combination of gas engine and electro dynamo machine might
also be used.
A flat cylindrical vessel of glass, iron, brass, tin, or wood, having a short upright
tube of narrow bore (say, 1½ inch wire) standing in it, I drop over, and on this
short tube a hollow wheel or flat hollow disk, or hollow central boss, with hollow
radial arms. Looking at the apparatus in plan, it would resemble a ship's compass
or horizontal galvanometer of large size, with floating card; on admitting com-
pressed air by turning a cock, such air would first try to lift the hollow wheel off
the short tube it was pivotted on, and if it (the air) found outlet through the arms
of the wheel and on one side of the extremity of such arm, then on the principle
of the well known "Barker's mill," an extraordinary rapid rotary motion of the
hollow wheel would necessarily occur.
But by reason of the tendency of the wheel to lift off the pivot the natural
consequence of air pressure entering from below friction is neutralised, the wheel
rotates, so to speak, in mid air. Thus, by prolonging the hollow radial arms as much
as possible, a sufficient leverage and consequent velocity can be obtained from the
compressed air and apparatus either to move an electric light machine or produce
same itself.
This simple apparatus can be let under the floor, or over the ceiling, or fixed in a
cellar, or changed in position and details ad libitum, without departing from prin-
ciple now illustrated.
'On the arms of the wheel, and round the circumference of the flat drum wherein
the wheel works, magnets, electro or permanent, with suitable mechanism apper-
taining thereto, are to be affixed so that the turning of a cock will allow air to flow
and light to be generated by an uuseen, perfectly safe, and economical agency;
wires can be taken from this electro dynamo machine to other lamps; obviously
any number of those machines can be concealed or ornamentally fixed up in a
Toom

page_text: If occasion needs a smaller form of such machine may be applied to a portable
reading or night lamp, with glasses interposing of different colours, so as to suit the
sight of the reader or invalid.
The overplus air may be utilised in causing better ventilation in rooms, purifying
same from noxious vapours; may be passed through deodorising liquids or gases to
purify hospitals or other apartments in which contagious diseases exist, or may be
passed through hydro-carbon liquids or vapours, thus giving electric light in one
part of a room, and gas light or a gas stove at the opposite side, in the manner well
known to scientific and other persons, all from the common source as it were,
atmospheric air.
In working this light in mines the lamps are to be enclosed in hermetically sealed
glass covers, so that no communication with the surrounding atmosphere or gasses
is possible. In magazines likewise the same course is to be followed; one incoming
and one outgoing air pipe will furnish power to the machines and free the lamps of
any accumulation of dust or vapour, if any, and the overplus air can be used for
ventilation purposes or coal cutting machines. The converse may obviously take
place; the compressed air used in mines for cutting coal may be utilised for working
the electric lamps after the air has done its work.
In all cases, although direct action of steam or other motor is feasible, I prefer to
use the reservoir with same, and for the extra reasons beyond what I have stated
above, that as light is only needed during hours of night and under exceptional
circumstances, steam power, gas engines, or other motor, which have waste or spare
power, may profitably utilise such in generating and storing up compressed air in
reservoirs during day or night.
For example, the waste heat and steam of a factory engine or chimney, the waste
heat, steam, or momentum of a steam ship or locomotive engine can thus be utilised
through air compressors and an air reservoir.
The rush of water through canal locks, through water supply pipes to cities,
river flow, tide flow, wind power can be caused to steadily day and night store up
compressed atmospheric air, and such motors can assist the steam or gas required
for distribution.
The action of compressed air, it is evident, will produce carbon pencils to any
extent by forcing kaolin, graphite, or other suitable composition in paste form through
suitable tubes. This composition will also be dried and hardened by the action of
the air, and automatically fed into the pencil holders by same air pressure as can be
well understood by mechanicians.
I do not claim any particular form of burner or lamp beyond that of the generator
lamp, since almost any form of burner or graphite pencil can be utilised.
In some cases I produce rotatory motion in the dynamo electric machine or lamp
by a vane actuated by up draught of chimneys, as in cases of high pressure engines,
chimnies where the exhaust steam rushes out.
It is obvious that exhaust steam can be in certain easily understood cases utilised
to create the needful rotation, as can be understood by mechanical and scientific
persons. And also that the heat of a gas lamp or ordinary domestic fire can be
availed of to generate such steam and create such rotatory movement, as above
described.

page_text: c
.SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Arthur Dillon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
September 1879.
"AN IMPROVED
THOMAS ARTHUR DILLON, of 55, Rutland Square, Dublin.
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC LIGHTS, WHEREBY SUCH
LIGHT CAN BE MORE CONVENIENTLY DISTRIBUTED AND ECONOMICALLY MAINTAINED
IN PUBLIC PLACES AND PRIVATE HOUSES."
First. The means whereby the present expensive steam engine or gas motor
engine may be either wholly or in part done away with, and flux motor, or tide, or
river flow, or wind, or animal power, waste heat of houses or factories substituted
therefor, wholly or in part.
Secondly. A means whereby this power may be accumulated and stored up for
subsequent distribution.
Thirdly. A form of portable lamp which can be moved from table to table, bracket
to bracket, and which will light by turning a gas cock as though the lamp were
'supplied by ordinary gas.
Fourthly. A means of lighting mines and magazines by electricity without risk
of explosion...
Fifthly. A form of lamp for photographic purposes, which will automatically act
in conjunction with a copying camera and extinguish itself when the copying work
is finished; and,
Sixthly. A means whereby such lamps will make their own carbon candles, and
self supply themselves with same for several consecutive nights.
It has been a serious drawback to the extension of the electric light principle
that as the dynamo electric light producers, such as Gramme's, Siemens', Werdeman's,
'and such like, which are composed of either permanent or electro magnets rotating
swiftly close to but not touching another series of magnets or armatures in the
manner well known to electricians and others, are powerless, comparitively speaking,
unless rotated at a high speed, and as such speed cannot be produced without the
expenditure of proportionate power, it is usual to derive the adequate power from
gas engines or steam engines by suitable belts or gearing.
It is self evident that such belting or gearing is of limited applicability, and
cannot be carried from the prime motor to other than one or two generators of
'dynamic electricity; it becomes necessary that there must be a steam or gas
engine for each other dynamo electro machine, with a consequent expense of
'engineers and plant.
Further, such engines have not hitherto been provided with any reservoirs
wherein to accumulate and store up force, which might give out sufficient of the
accumulated power as to keep the electric machines moving in case of need.
I propose by the following method and apparatus to obviate the danger of having
the light extinguished if a steam or gas engine fails, and of reducing the number of
such inotive engine power and of utilizing waste force to store up power.
To a central steam, or gas, or other motor I attach a strong air reservoir with air
compressing pumps, which latter are to be driven by the steam or gas engine or
other sufficient motor, and from the air reservoir mentioned I lead main pipes and
branch pipes into streets, factories, and houses, radiating and branching such pipes
after the fashion and manner in which the present gas pipes are radiated and
branched off. Instead of gas meters I affix a small air engine with dynamo electric
machine attached and cembined, from which wires or tubes proceed to central
lamps or burners, or to separate lamps or burners in streets, houses, factories, &c.
When main lamps are preferred or required, I use wires; when special lamps, such
as reading lamps, room or side lights, or other sub-division of lighting is preferred,
I use tubes like gas tubes leading to the rooms or situations wherein the lights are
placed.

page_text: When this is the case I use the following form of lamp or of generator preferably,
although the ordinary combination of gas engine and electric dynamo machine
might also be used.
A flat cylindrical vessel of glass, iron, brass, tin, or wood, having a short upright
tube of narrow bore (say inch bore) standing in it, I drop over, and on this
short tube a hollow wheel or flat hollow disc or hollow central boss with hollow
radial arms. Looking at the apparatus in plan it would resemble a ship's compass
or horizontal galvano meter of large size with floating card; on admitting com-
pressed air by turning a cock, such air would first try to lift the hollow wheel off
the short tube it was pivotted on, and if it (the air) found outlet through the arms
of the wheel and on one side of the extremity of such arms, then on the principle of
the well known "Barker's Mill" an extraordinary rapid rotatory motion of the
hollow wheel would necessarily occur.
But by reason of the tendency of the wheel to lift off the pivot, the natural
consequence of air pressure entering from below, friction is neutralised, the wheel
rotates so to speak in mid air; thus by prolonging the hollow radial arms as
much as possible a sufficient leverage and consequent velocity can be obtained from
the compressed air and apparatus either to move an electric light machine or
produce same itself.
This simple apparatus can be let under the floor, or over the ceiling, or fixed in a
cellar, or changed in position and details ad libitum without departing from the
principle now illustrated.
On the arms of the wheel and round the circumference of the flat drum wherein
the wheel works, magnets, electro or permanent, with suitable mechanism apper-
taining thereto, are to be affixed, so that the turning of a. cock will allow air to
flow and light to be generated by an unseen perfectly safe and economical agency;
wires can be taken from this electro dynamo machine to other lamps; obviously
any number of those machines can be concealed or ornamentally fixed up in a
room.
If occasion needs, a smaller form of such machine may be applied to a portable
reading or night lamp with glasses interposing of different colours, so as to suit the
sight of the reader or invalid.
The overplus air may be utilised in causing better ventilation in rooms, purifying
same from noxious vapours, may be passed through deodorising liquids or gases to
purify hospitals or other apartments in which contageous diseases exist, or may be
passed through hydro-carbon liquids or vapours, thus giving electric light in one
part of a room and gas light or a gas stove at the opposite side, in the manner well
known to scientific and other persons, all from the common source as it were, atino-
spheric air.
In working this light in mines the lamps are to be enclosed in hermetically
sealed glass covers, so that no communication with the surrounding atmosphere or
gases is possible.
In magazines likewise the same course is to be followed; one incoming and one
.outgoing air pipe will furnish power to the machines and free the lamps of any
accumulation of dust or vapour (if any, and the overplus air can be used for
ventilation purposes;
in coal cutting machines the converse may obviously take
place; the compressed air used in mines for cutting coal may be utilised for working
the electric lamps after the air has done its work.
In all cases although direct action of steam or other motor is feasible I prefer to
use the reservoir with same, and for the extra reasons beyond what I have stated
above, that as light is only needed during hours of night and under exceptional
circumstances, steam power, gas engines, or other motor which have waste or spare
power may preferably utilise such in generating and storing up compressed air in
reservoirs during day or night.
For example the waste heat and steam of a factory engine or chimney, the waste
heat, steam, or momentum of a steam ship or locomotive engine, can thus be
utilised through air compressors and an air reservoir.

page_text: The rush of water through canal locks, through water supply pipes to cities,
river flow, tide flow, wind power can be caused steadily day and night to store up
compressed atmospheric air, and such motors can assist the steam or gas required
for distribution.
The action of compressed air it is evident will produce carbon pencils to any
extent by forcing kaolin, graphite, or other suitable composition in paste form
through suitable tubes; this composition will also be dried and hardened by the
action of the air and automatically fed under the pencil holders by same air
pressure, as can be well understood by mechanicians.
I do not claim any particular form of burner or lamp beyond that of the
generator lamp, since almost any form of burner, or lamp, or pencil can be utilised,
In some cases I produce rotary motion in the dynamo electric machine or lamp
by a vane actuated by up draught of chimneys, as in cases of high pressure engines'
chimnies where the exhaust steam rushes out.
It is obvious that exhaust steam can be in certain easily understood cases utilized
to create the needful rotation, as can be understood by mechanical and scientific
persons. And also that the heat of a gas lamp or ordinary domestic fire can be
availed of to generate such steam and create such rotary movement as above
described.
I construct an electric light lamp and unite it with oxyhydrogen, pyro-oxygen,
magnesian dust, or such like actinic light producers in the following manner; I
intend it for the use of photographers, and I designate it the photo-electro
lamp:-
A portable stand, like that ordinarily used for table lamps, having a hollow base
in which is enclosed an electro magnetic machine, which is put in motion by air at
an extremely high pressure.
The said stand may be furnished with any description of electric lamp or regu-
lator now in use, whether the double carbon system or one of the incandescent
systems, which may comprise the use of carbons or metals.
The lamp is furnished with a flexible tube from the air supply, so that it can be
removed from one part of a room to another, as may be desired.
On either side, or over, or behind the lamp are placed suitable reflectors, so that
the light of the lamp can be reflected by their aid in any required direction.
The compressed air after having done duty in rotating the machine is utilised in
the following ways or way, viz., where coal gas is available the waste air will be
utilised as in the Fletcher blow pipe to act upon a piece of lime, but where, as in
some country districts, there is no supply of coal gas the waste air must be divided
into two currents, one current being converted into an illuminating gas by being
passed through a hydro-carbon liquid or semi liquid, and the other current being
used to feed a blow pipe, which, acting through the hydro-carbon gas flame, will
render incandescent a piece of lime. In this manner the electric light may be
compared to the sun and the reflectors to clouds ancilliary, which furnish & softened
light to the shadows.
The following is a practical method of converting an ordinary argand or other
gas lamp or jet into an electric light producer. A gas lamp of the argand burner
type will generate a sufficient amount of heat to produce steam of high tension, and
will keep up sufficient steam if placed beneath a copper or other convenient water
boiler suspended a supported, from which latter a pipe leading to the rotating or
other electric light generator will supply steam and produce motion as the stream
of compressed air produces it. And similarly the lamp will expend its waste heat
in making steam to compress air, and store it up when not directly rotating the
electric light machine.
Another outcome of this waste heat utilization is as follows:-In theatres and
other public places the waste heat of the numerous gas lights may be absorbed and
reproduced in form of electric light in the following manner. A copper or iron
pipe being laid round the building and in sufficient close proximity to the several
gas jets is to be filled with water so as to generate steam; this steam will operate

page_text: either on the air compressing apparatus or direct action on the electric light machine
or machines either at the moment or subsequently; or the steam itself may be used
directly in the manner described herein before.
A turn-stile at theatres and such like places if put in connection with a compressing
pump will enable one to store up compressed air; similarly the rush of crowds up
and down stairs may be thus simply utilized by aid of air compression and
reservoir.
So soon as the compressed air which produced rotary or other motion sufficient
to generate the electric light has passed through the hydro-carbon receptacle, as
described, it may be further utilised in connection with the pyro-gas light by
blowing the dust of magnesium or other similar light giving substances of an actinic
character into this gas or other flame, the object being, as already stated, to originate
a central electric light and to soften the hard shadows which that too concentrated
light unavoidably induces by the milder brilliancy of the adjuncts now mentioned.
By clock work the supply of air may be automatically shut off, so that in copying
work at night the lamp can be set to illuminate printed matter, manuscripts,
engraving, and such like subjects while being copied only, and not longer, so that
the accumulated supply of compressed air may not be wastefully dissipated.
In light houses I adopt this method for producing intermittent flash lights.
I sometimes adopt the following convenient method in signalling from "captive
balloons" used for military or other signalling purposes:A small machine is sent
up, and to the cable of the captive balloon an elastic air pipe is attached, so that on
turning the cock below the machine up above will produce the light in a sustained
or interrupted manner.
In ordinary free balloons air for producing electric light is previously compressed
in sufficiently strong receptacles, which air will produce dynamo electric light in the
manner hereinbefore described.
What I claim as novel and useful is the utilisation of waste forces and the storing
up and distribution of force by means of compressed air produced by waste and
other forces with a view of more economical production and subdivision of electric
lights separate lights, or in combination with lime, oxygen, magnesium, hydro-
carbon gas lights substantially, and the manner, and the utilization of the com-
pressed air subsequently, substantially and as herein before described. I claim the
substitution of steam produced from waste heat for same, and substantially as
hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Arthur Dillon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 23rd day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
THOMAS ARTHUR DILLON. (L.S.)