IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
and Co. Patent Agents Southampton Buildings London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS."-A communication from
abroad by Edward Weston of Newark New Jersey United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th March 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the Firm of Haseltine Lake and Co. Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings London. " IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LIGHTING
APPARATUS" [A communication from abroad by Edward Weston of Newark
New Jersey United States of America.]
This Invention relates to electric arc lamps in which are employed, in conjunction
with a single set of feed regulating magnets, two sets or pairs of carbon pencils
and independent feeding devices connected therewith which devices, by the
consumption of the carbons, are brought successfully under the controlling
influence of the aforesaid magnets
In lamps constructed according to this invention the carbons or Electrodes are
fed and adjusted by means of clutch mechanism consisting essentially of a plate or
bar connected at one end to a movable armature or its equivalent and resting at
the other end upon a lamp-frame. The said plate or bar is perforated and
surrounds the carbon-carrier. When the armature is raised and the plate connected
therewith is tilted a short distance it gripes the carrier so that the position of the
latter depends upon the elevation of the armature.
In the construction of my lamp I have taken advantage of the fact that a
definite tilt or inclination must be imparted to the clamp before it gripes the
carbon-carrier, by allowing one of the clamps to remain in its normal position
while a block or plate is inserted between the free end of the other clamp and the
lamp frame, by which means the clamp is tilted in a reverse direction as far as
practicable without moving the carrier. Under these conditions the clamp could

page_text: only raise its carrier by being tilted to a position to which the armature could
bring it only by being raised beyond its normal range of motion. The armature
therefore will not be sensibly affected by this clamp, while the other clamp will be
caused to perform its normal functions.
Both carriers are in electrical contact with the frame of the lamp to which the
current is brought so that the circuit will be between the positive and negative
lamp-terminals through that pair of carbons in contact or between which the arc
is formed. For the purpose of regulation the carbons that are designed to be
consumed last are separated by a catch which holds the upper carbon a short
distance from the lower one.
To withdraw the plate from the clamp and to release the aforesaid catch and
allow the second set of carbons to ignite when the first pair has been consumed
I employ an electro-magnet in a circuit arranged to be closed by an adjustable
stop on the carbon-carrier of the first pair and a shifting lever of peculiar
construction.
According to the said invention I fix upon a plate the sets of mechanism
employed in the construction of the well known "Weston" electric lamps that is
to say a bi-polar magnet is supported by a standard and wound with two sets of
coils in opposite directions, one in the main or lamp circuit the other in a shunt
about the lamp; an armature in front of the said magnet is supported by flat
springs secured to a standard, and a tension device is provided for regulating
the armature and a dash-pot for preventing any sudden movement or vibration of
the moving parts.
To the said armature is clamped a light bar to the opposite ends of which
suitable links are hinged. These links connect the said bar with the ends of
clamping plates or bars of ordinary construction and serve to tilt the clamps when
the armature is raised. The ends of the clamps rest upon the first named plate
or are provided with adjustable stops or screws; these clamps control two parallel
carbon-carriers.
Another electro-magnet, the coils of which are in a normally open circuit, is
arranged with its poles downward and fixed between the free ends of the clamps.
An iron block serving as an armature to this magnet forms a part of, or is connected
to, a horizontal pivotted lever. This lever is formed with wedge-shaped enlarge-
ments on its ends, which are forced under one or other of the adjustable stops as
the lever is swung on its pivot, and by these means either clamp may be raised.
The said magnet is wound with an insulated wire which is connected at one end
to the negative clamp-terminal and at the other end to an insulated metal collar or
stop suitably secured to the top of a frame. On one of the carbon-carriers is a
fixed or adjustable stop or collar which is placed at such a point that it may come
in contact with the collar secured to the top of the frame and arrest the descent of
the carrier, when the carbon carried thereby bas been nearly consumed-On the
other carrier is an adjustable collar with the edge of which a weighted catch
pivotted to the lamp frame, is arranged to engage-The lever forming the said
catch extends up through the first named plate in the shape of an arm which lies
in the path of movement of a projection on the aforesaid horizontal pivotted
lever and a binding screw is employed to limit the movement of the said arm in
one direction.
Provision may be made for breaking the circuit through the last named magnet
after it has performed its allotted functions if so desired, the horizontal pivotted
lever forming a convenient means of effecting this.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th September 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LIGHTING
APPARATUS A communication from abroad by Edward Weston, of Newark,
New Jersey, United States of America.
"
This invention relates to electric arc-lamps in which are employed, in conjunction
with a single set of feed-regulating magnets, two sets or pairs of carbon or other
electrodes and independent feeding devices connected therewith, which devices, by
the consumption of the carbons or electrodes, are brought successively under the
controlling influence of the aforesaid magnets.
In lamps constructed according to the said invention the carbons or electrodes
are each fed and adjusted by means of clutch-mechanism, in which a plate or bar
is connected at one end to a movable armature or its equivalent, and rests at the
other end upon the lamp-frame. The said plate or bar is perforated and surrounds
the carbon-carrier. When the armature is raised and the plate connected therewith
is tilted a short distance, it gripes the carrier so that the position of the latter
depends upon the elevation of the armature.
In the construction of my improved lamp, advantage is taken of the fact that a
definite tilt or inclination must be imparted to the clamp before it gripes the
carbon-carrier, that is to say, I allow one of the clamps to remain in its normal
position and I insert a block or plate between the free end of the other clamp and
the lamp-frame, so that the latter clamp is tilted in a reverse direction as far as
practicable without moving the carrier, and, when acted upon by the magnet at the
same time as the other clamp, it will not gripe the carrier because, in order to do
so, it would require to be tilted to a position to which the armature could only
bring it by being raised beyond its normal range of motion. The armature
therefore will not be sensibly affected by this clamp, while the other clamp will be
caused to perform its normal functions by the movements of the said armature.
Both carriers are in electrical contact with the frame of the lamp, to which the
current is brought, so that the circuit will be between the positive and negative
lamp-terminals through that pair of carbons in contact, or between which the arc
is formed. For the purpose of regulation, the carbons that are designed to be
consumed last are separated by a catch which holds the upper carbon a short
distance from the lower one.
To withdraw the said plate or block from between the clamp and the frame, and
to release the aforesaid catch and allow the arc to be formed between the second
set of carbons when the first pair has been consumed, I employ an electro-magnet
in a circuit arranged to be normally open and to be closed by an adjustable stop
on the carbon-carrier of the first pair, and I also employ for the same purpose a
shifting lever of peculiar construction.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 represents a side elevation, partly in section, shewing the working.
parts of my improved lamp.
Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, at right angles to Figure 1, the
electro-magnets being shown by dotted lines.
Figure 3 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, of the same.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the clutch mechanism detached.
Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the circuits.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing.

page_text: Upon a base plate C are fixed the devices usually employed in the well known
"Weston " electric lamps, that is to say, a bi-polar magnet B, B, is supported by a
standard A and wound with two sets of coils in opposite directions, one in the
main or lamp circuit, and the other in a shunt about the lamp. An armature D
in front of the said magnet is supported by flat springs E* secured to a standard F*,
and a tension-device is provided for regulating the armature, and a dash-pot P
for preventing any sudden movement or vibration of the moving parts.
This form of regulator is described merely to illustrate the application of the
said invention, but the latter may be applied to lamps having different forms of
regulating mechanism.
To the armature D is clamped a light bar to the opposite ends of which the
links d are hinged. These links connect the said bar with the ends of clamping
plates or bars E, E', of ordinary construction, and serve to tilt the clamps when the
armature is raised. The ends of the clamps E, E¹, rest upon the plate C, or are
provided with adjustable stops or screws e, e'; these clamps control two parallel
carbon-carriers R, R¹.
Another electro-magnet F, the coils of which are in a normally open circuit, is
arranged with its poles downward and fixed between the free ends of the clamps;
H is an iron block, serving as an armature to the magnet F and forming part of or
connected to a pivoted lever L. This lever is formed with wedge-shaped enlarge-
ments h, h¹, on its ends, which are forced under one or the other of the adjustable
stops E, E, as the lever is swung on its pivot, and by these means either of the
clamps may be raised. The magnet F is wound with an insulated wire which is
connected at one end to the negative clamp terminal, and at the other end to an
insulated metal collar or stop V suitably secured to the top of a frame V₁. On the
carbon-carrier R is a fixed or adjustable stop or collar W which is placed at such a
point that it may come in contact with the collar V and arrest the descent of the
carrier, when the carbon carried thereby has been nearly consumed. On the
carrier R is an adjustable collar G" with the edge of which a weighted catch G,
pivoted to the lamp-frame, is arranged to engage. The lever forming the said
catch G has an arm g which extends up through the plate C and lies in the path of
a projection K on the lever L. A binding screw G¹, properly fitted in an arm
clamped to the plate C, is employed to limit the movement of the said arm g in
one direction.
The lamp being provided with carbons, the carrier R¹ is raised and sustained by
the catch G, and the lever L is shifted to bring the enlarged end h¹ under the
screw e¹ on the clamp E. Under these conditions, the current will pass through
the set of carbons of which the upper one is connected to the carrier R and these
carbons will be consumed, the armature D having only to sustain the weight of the
carrier R. When the latter has descended sufficiently to bring the stop W into
contact with the collar V, a portion of the current is directed through the coils of
the magnet F, the effect of which is to shift the lever L, thus permitting the
clamp E¹ to descend into such a position as to be affected by the movement of the
armature D and releasing the carrier R¹ from the catch G. At the same time the
clamp E is raised by the enlargement h so that the armature D has now the weight
of the carrier R¹ only to sustain.
The coils of the magnet F, or the circuit in which the same are included, should
be of very high resistance so that, when the second set of carbons is brought into
circuit, only a very small portion of the current will flow through the said coils.
Provision may, if desired, be made for breaking the circuit through the magnet F
after it has performed its functions, the lever L forming a convenient means for
effecting this object in various well known manners.
The principles of construction and operation above described are applicable to
various electric lamps or lighting apparatus other than that illustrated in the
drawing.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood

page_text: that I claim, in an electric lamp containing two sets of carbon or other
electrodes
First The combination, with the electro magnet, of independent feed
mechanism for each set of carbons or electrodes, a pivoted armature-lever adapted
to be shifted to maintain the feed-mechanism of either of the said sets of carbons
out of operation, and an electro-magnet, independent of the feed-magnets, arranged
to shift the said lever for the purpose of bringing into operation the second set of
carbons or electrodes when the first set has been consumed, all substantially as
set forth.
Second: The combination, with the movable armature, of two independently
connected clamps or clutch-devices (one for each set of carbons or electrodes); a
pivoted armature-lever adapted to be shifted to raise the free end of either of the
said clamps or clutch devices; and an independent electro-magnet for shifting the
said lever, all substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third: The combination, with one set of carbons or electrodes, of mechanism
for keeping the same inactive and out of circuit, an electro-magnet in a normally
open branch circuit for bringing the same into action, and a stop or equivalent
device on the carrier of the other set of carbons or electrodes arranged to close the
branch circuit through the magnet when the said carrier has descended a
predetermined distance, all substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fourth-The combination, with the clamps or clutch devices, of means for
maintaining the free ends thereof in a slightly elevated position, for the purpose
of keeping them out of engagement with the carbon-carriers, substantially as
set forth.
Fifth The combination, with the armature D, the clamps E, E¹, and the
carbon carriers controlled thereby, of the armature lever L having the bevelled or
wedge-shaped enlargements h, h¹, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Sixth-The combination, with a carbon-carrier, of a pivoted hook or catch G
having an arm g extending into the path of the shifting mechanism, substantially
as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Seventh-The combination, with the armature D, the clamps E, E¹, and the
carbon-carriers R, R¹, of the lever L having the bevelled or wedge-shaped
enlargements h, h, and the arm K, an electro-magnet F for changing the position
of the said lever, and a weighted catch G arranged to be disengaged by the said
arm K, all substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this ninth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.