Improvements in and relating to the Production of Electric Currents.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Production of Electric Currents.
I, ROMULO ECHTERMEYER, of 30, Königsthor, Cassel, in the Empire of Germany,
Merchant, 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:-
The object of the present invention is certain improvements in electric current
production for staircase lighting or other places where only small currents are
required. It is evident, of course, that a small generating plant could be em-
ployed for many purposes where no great current is required.
The improvements consist generally in arranging a small spring actuated
dynamo in combination with an accumulator and certain mechanical controlling
devices so arranged that when, say, lamps are employed putting the lamps in the
circuit for lighting automatically starts the spring actuated dynamo while cutting
out the lamps stops the same so that a simple switch operated by the housekeeper
or attendant controls the whole mechanism.
The accompanying sheet of drawings illustrates diagrammatically the whole
apparatus.
A frame 1 of any suitable shape has arranged upon it a train of gearing 2, 3, and
4. The first wheel of the train 2 carries upon it the usual containing shell with a
clock spring and the cross section of this spring is of a suitable dimension to
meet the resistance of the whole mechanism while the length of the said spring is
proportioned to the maximum time which it is desired to operate the dynamo and
lamps.
The smallest wheel of the clockwork train 4 is suitably geared with a small
wheel on the spindle of the armature 5 of the dynamo. This dynamo may be
constructed in any known manner though it must be constructed so as to be em-
ployed with the accumulators and the shunt circuit.
A pin 4 is attached to the face of the tooth wheel 4 while a pin 7 is normally
pressed down by a spring 6 to lie in the path of the travel of the pin 41 so that
the rotation of the wheel when this pin 7 is in the position shown in the drawings
is prevented. The lifting up of the pin 7 releases the wheel 4 and consequently
the whole train of clockwork so that the dynamo armature 5 is operated and the
accumulators 8 acted upon. This lifting up is performed as hereinafter described.
Attached to the top end of the pin 7 is an armature 71 and this armature 71
comes underneath an electro magnet 9 whose coil is in the accumulator and lamp
circuit as shown. It is evident that if the switch 10 is operated to complete this
circuit the current would flow round the bobbin of the electro magnet 9 and by
attracting the armature 7¹ release the pin 41 and thus bring the spring operated
dynamo into action while at the same time the current would flow through the
lamps 11 and produce the required lighting. The armature now revolving
rapidly yields a current which unites at the junction points as shown diagram-
matically with the accumulator current. The current consequently passes through
the lamps and the accumulator according to the amount of resistance in the
circuit

page_text: When the circuit is broken by opening the switch 10 the current ceases to pass
round the electro magnet 9 and the spring 6 consequently pulls down the pin 7
into the rotational path of the pin 4¹ so that the train of clockwork is again
stopped.
The precise formation of the different controlling mechanism such as the switch
and the manner of mounting the mechanism shown in the drawings may be
altered in many ways without departing from the essential features of the inven-
tion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is:-
1
1. The improvements in and relating to the production of electric current con-
sisting in providing a spring actuated dynamo arranged in parallel circuit with
an accumulator which effects the working of lamps or other suitable current con-
sumers, the whole arranged in such a manner that the interruption of the circuit
to cut out the lamps or the like stops the action of the spring actuated dynamo.
2. In improvements in and relating to the production of electric current as
claimed in Claim 1 providing a stop pin on one wheel of the clockwork train which
lies in the path of a second pin having an armature arranged underneath an electro
magnet excited by the passage of the current to the lamps or the like so that the
second pin is pulled clear when a current is passing and allows the spring actuated
dynamo to come into operation while the shutting off of the current allows the
second pin to be forced into the path of the stop pin by a spring or the like and so
effect the stoppage of the spring actuated dynamo.
Dated this 20th day of November 1000
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.