Improvements relating to Electric Arc Lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application,
401L
BOL
Apr., 1905
Complete Specification Left, 18th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Electric Arc Lamps.
We, WILLIAM REGINALD RIDINGS, of Fairview, Bristol Road, GEORGE
FREDERICK BULL, of Rednall Villa, Bristol Road, and LLEWELLYN BURBANK
CODD, of Fairview, Bristol Road aforesaid, each in Bournbrook, in the County of
Worcester, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
Our invention, which relates to the "brake mechanism of electric arc lamps,
consists essentially of a suitably mounted pad or roller brought to bear upon a
drum or friction wheel, or upon the rods or chains carrying the carbons, by a series
of suitably fulcrumed levers actuated by one or more cores or plungers that are
excited by suitably wound coils or solenoids.
Our invention may be applied to, or combined with, any known or convenient
device for carrying the carbons, such for instance as a flexible cord, chain and
toothed wheel or wheels, or a rack and pinion.
According to our invention the pad or roller is mounted on a pin carried by, and
which may conveniently form the fulcrum of, a pair of short levers. These levers
are jointed between two longer levers that are fulcrumed either at a point common
to both of them or at separate points. One of these longer levers is controlled by
a weight or spring, while to a suitable point or points of the other longer lever the
cores or plungers of the solenoids are jointed.
Upon a current flowing through the series coil or solenoid its plunger is attracted,
carrying with it the one longer lever that is jointed to it. Thereupon the angle of
the shorter pair of levers is varied under the influence of the other longer lever
with the result that the herein before mentioned pad or roller is brought to bear
upon the drum, rod or chain aforesaid clutching and carrying it till the arc is
struck. As soon as the resistance of the arc becomes too great, more current flows
through the shunt coil or solenoid attracting its plunger with the result that the
levers return until a certain point is reached whereupon the pad or roller is caused
by an adjustable stop on either of the levers or by an adjustable lever fulcrumed
in any suitable position to leave the drum, rod or chain thus allowing the carbons
In this way
to feed or approach each other and so lessen the resistance of the arc.
the regulation of the carbons is maintained.
Dated this 18th day of April 1895.
A. F. SPOONER,
124, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements relating to Electric Aro Lamps.
We, WILLIAM REGINALD RIDINGS, of Fairview, Bristol Road, GEORGE
FREDERICK BULL, of Rednall Villa; Bristol Road, and LLEWELLYN BURBANK
CODD, of Fairview, Bristol Road, aforesaid, each in Bournbrook, in the County
of Worcester, 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 :-
Our invention relates to the brake mechanism of electric arc lamps, and comprises
the improvements hereinafter set forth.

page_text: Our improved brake consists, essentially of a suitably mounted pad or roller or
equivalent device which is brought to bear upon a drum or friction wheel, or upon
the rods or chains carrying the carbon holders, by a set or series of toggle levers,
that is a series of levers so fulcrumed that they can be made to operate the
engagement or disengagement of the above mentioned pad or roller, under the
action of one or more cores or plungers that are excited by one or more suitably
wound coils or solenoids.
Our invention may be applied to, or combined with, any known or convenient
device for carrying the carbons, such for instance as a flexible cord, chain, and
toothed wheel or wheels, or a rack and pinion.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation showing our improved brake mechanism.
A is the bed-plate of an electric arc lamp, B is the upper carbon holder and C is a
portion of the upper carbou. D is the rod or connection to the said upper carbon
holder, and D! the rod or connection to the lower carbon holder which latter is
removed in the drawing. E is a suitable friction wheel or drum, upon a reduced
or other portion of which are wound the cords or wires F supporting the rods or
connections D, D'. E', E' are grooved rollers over which the said cords or wires F
pass so as to allow more play to the rods or connections D, D'.
According to our said invention we provide a pad, or roller a or equivalent device
mounted upon a pin a¹ carried by, and forming the fulcrum of, a pair of short or
toggle levers b, b. The lever b is fulcrumed to a forked or double lever c, and the
lever is fulcrumed to a lever c', which latter levers are fulcrumed either at a
point common to both of them or at separate points c³, c as shown. The lever c
is provided with a counter-weight or counterpoise c', or it may be controlled by a
spring or the like. d, d' are the cores or plungers of two coils or solenoids e, e¹,
the plunger d being jointed or pivoted to one extremity of the forked or double
lever c, and the plunger d being similarly connected to the other extremity thereof.
The core or plunger d is passed through, or into, the coil or solenoid e, which is
wound in series; and the core or plunger d' is passed through or into the coil or
solenoid which is wound in shunt. f is a small dash-pot for cushioning or
controlling the movements of the forked or double levers c, and 9 is an adjustable
stop for limiting the movements of the arms or levers b, b' and regulating the point
at which the pad or roller or its equivalent shall leave or come in contact with the
friction wheel or drum E, as hereinafter described.
In operation, upon a current flowing through the series or main coil or solenoid e
the plunger d is attracted thereto, thus depressing the end of the forked or double
lever c to which it is connected, and through the other end of the said lever varying
the angle of the short or toggle levers b, b1 so as to bring the pad or roller a or its
equivalent against the drum E clutching and carrying it till the arc is struck. As
soon however as the resistance of the arc becomes too great, more current will
flow through the shunt coil or solenoid e' attracting its core or plunger d' with the
result that the forked or double lever c will be so moved as to return, through a
certain angle in the obverse direction when the said short or toggle levers b, b¹ are
moved by reason of the levers c, c¹ being fulcrumed at different points as shown, or
by an adjustable stop, or by an adjustable lever fulcrumed in any suitable position,
or otherwise, to their normal positions, and consequently the pad or roller a or its
equivalent leaves the friction wheel or drum E.which is then released. The carbons
are then permitted to feed or approach each other by gravity and so lessen or
diminish the resistance of the arc. In this manner these actions take place
alternately so long as the lamp is in operation and the feed of the carbons is main-
tained. By setting the adjustable stop 9 to engage to a greater or less extent
with the extension or prolongation shown on the short or toggle lever 6' the pad
or roller a can be caused to come in contact with or clutch and leave the friction
wheel or drum E after the levers have been moved through a greater or less angle
in either direction as the case may be.

page_text: In some instances we provide suitable circumferential or other grooves in the
surface of the drum against which the pad or roller a or its equivalent presses or
with which it engages, and we thus ensure a more certain clutching action taking
place, and obviate slip. It is obvious that the said pad or roller or its equivalent
could if desired be so arranged as to press against, or engage with, the outer
surface of the friction wheel or drum E instead of the interior surface thereof as
shown, or with a rod, cord, or chain, or other device connected with the aforesaid
coils or solenoids and carbon holders. In the latter case a right angled extension
or projection is either formed on or secured at or near the end of the lever c,
between which extension and the pad or roller a the said rod or chain is nipped or
gripped when the toggle levers are operated as hereinbefore described.
It will be obvious that the toggle lever b may be fulcrumed to a separate lever,
the connection with the lever or levers carrying the coils or solenoids being made
in any convenient manner.
We may moreover use any other suitable number of toggle levers arranged in a
somewhat different manner, and one coil or solenoid wound in series and shunt, or
nuy convenient number of coils or solenoids may be provided. The dash-pot ƒ may
in some instances be conveniently located on the bed-plate of the lamp and coupled
or connected to the extension shown on the right hand side of the forked or double
lever c in Figure 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. An improved brake mechanism for an electric arc lamp comprising a pad
or roller, or equivalent device so mounted in connection with suitable toggle levers,
that upon the said levers being operated or moved in one or the other direction
under the action of one or more suitable coils or solenoids, the said pad or roller,
or equivalent device will be either caused to clutch or engage with and leave a
suitable friction wheel or drum, or cords, chains, or rods connected with, or
carrying, the carbon holders, substantially as and for the purposes herein before
specified.
Second. The improved brake mechanism for an electric arc lamp substantially
as described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and operating as and
for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 18th day of February 1896.
A. F. SPOONER,
124 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.