Improvements in or relating to Means for Controlling and Indicating the Supply of Electrical Energy.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 20th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 17th Feb.,
1900
Improvements in or relating to Means for Controlling and Indicating
the Supply of Electrical Energy.
We, HENRY KUNKELMANN, CHARLES EMMANUEL FRANÇOIS and CÉSAR RENÉ
LOUBERY, all of 12 Rue Seguier, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In a previous patent means have been described permitting the application of
a changing or variable tariff or rate of charge to fixed or single tariff meters.
The present invention relates to improvements of the same kind which have
been devised with a view of the variable tariff being applied to apparatus which,
without being meters in the proper sense of the word, are, nevertheless employed
with a view to the sale of electric energy; such for instance, as regulators of
intensity, indicators of rebate or indicators of maximum charge.
1st. The application of the variable tariff to intensity regulators:-These
apparatus are employed in the sale of electricity by contract and are, to a certain
extent controllers of the contract. They oblige the customer to keep within the
limits of his contract and prevent him from using fraudulently or inadvertently
a larger quantity of electricity than what forms the basis of the contract.
The different types of all intensity regulators consist in principle of a balance
beam made to pivot on a point and actuated by two vertical forces, acting in the
same direction, the one, dynamic and constant, the other electric and variable.
The first vertical force is produced by a spring attached to one arm of the lever
the tension of which spring can be regulated by the screw. The spring may be
replaced by a weight. This weight can be adjusted longitudinally along the arm
of the balance lever, which may be provided for that purpose with a screw thread.
The second force is produced by the attraction of a solenoid (inserted in the
circuit of the customer): this solenoid attracts a rod or core fixed to the other
arm of the balance lever. It is evident that the same effect may be obtained by
replacing the solenoid by an electro-magnet inserted into the circuit and attract-
ing an armature connected to the said arm of the balance lever.
A metallic point or projection on the first mentioned arm of the balance lever is
adapted to enter a mercury cup when the arm is lowered by the spring or weight.
The parts are so connected up that the solenoid, the spring controlled arm of the
balance, the mercury contact and the mercury cup are inserted in series in the
Of course it should be
circuit passing through the lamps etc., of the customer.
understood that the balance is of conducting metal, and that all parts of the
apparatus through which the current is to pass, are electrically insulated.
The spring (or the counter-weight) is so adjusted that the point dips into the
mercury so long as the intensity of the current does not pass beyond a certain
number of ampères fixed in the contract, but that, as soon as this intensity limit
is passed, the solenoid attracts its end of the balance and thereby withdraws the
point out of contact with the mercury. The moment this action takes place the
current is interrupted, the solenoid is no longer energized and the spring or the

page_text: counter-weight re-introduces the point into the mercury, the current is re-
established only to be broken again by the solenoid and so on.
This produces a number of ignitions and extinctions of the lamps, the effect
of which is very painful to the eye, thus forcing the customer to put out one or
more lamps, in order to reduce the intensity to within the limits of the contract.
These devices, which allow the customer to--have as many lamps as he likes
without being able to light a number greater than corresponds to the intensity
stipulated for in the contract, without, being suddenly deprived of light, can
easily be arranged for the application of the variable tariff, by means of the
following arrangements which form the object of the present application.
In this case the contract with the customer consists in letting him have the
use of ampères at the time when the current is dearest on account of the greater
demand, and y ampères at a time when such demand is less, and consequently
the current is cheaper. Of course it is understood that y will be greater than a
To obtain this result different means may be. employed:-
1st. As has already been indicated in a previous patent, the system of measur-
ing the intensity, can be employed, by actuating, by means of currents sent from
a central station along a special secondary line, an electro-magnet so as to shunt
the solenoid in such a manner that the solenoid is then only traversed by a certain
part of the principal current. The shunting not being carried out, it will be
understood that the device should be so adjusted that the solenoid interrupts the
current at the lowest intensity, say for insance, intensity .
When the shunt is accomplished the solenoid will not be traversed by the total
intensity, but by a fraction only, determined by the shunt, it follows therefore,
that the intensity passing through the line may exceed the value without the
solenoid breaking the circuit, and the shunt should so be adjusted that the sole-
noid only interrupts the current when the intensity of the current passing through
the line reaches the value y.
2. The current passing through the solenoid may also be varied by placing a
rheostat in derivation on the principal current, which rheostat will be actuated
"by the currents sent from the central station, an arrangement which will allow
the adoption of more than two tariffs, and the convenience for the customer to
use varying ampères r, y, z, according to the hours of the day.
3. The following arrangement may also be adopted. One arm of the balance
lever is attracted by two solenoids which attract cores or bars connected to said
arm. These two solenoids are independent of each other and according as the
current of the customer passes through one or through the other, a limitation of
the intensity to r or y ampères is obtained. An electric receiver mounted on the
line of the central station actuates a commutator or pivoted lever for supplying
the current to either one or the other of the solenoids, provided for example with
two mercury cups and two contact arms on either side of the pivot of the lever
which arms according to the position of the lever will be inserted in the corres-
ponding mercury cups.
The principal line being connected with the balance lever the current can thus
pass through either contact arm and so through either solenoid.
From the above description it will be seen that the current passing through
the line of the central station will modify the position of the pivotted lever and
consequently, will modify the maximum intensity, beyond which the customer
cannot pass.
Rebate indicator or maximum charge indicator. These devices are used in
what is called the rational method of charging, applied for the first time at
Brighton; which can be described as follows:-
Let T represent the number of shillings to be paid per hecto-Watt-hour, accord-
ing to the higher tariff. Let be the number of shillings to be paid per hecto-
Watt-hour according to the lower tariff. Let W be the maximum number of
hecto-Watts consumed at a given moment by the customer during the year, which
constitutes. the consumption co-efficient of the customer, n being a number of

page_text: hours fixed by the central station and forming one of the bases of the tariff. If
the annual consumption of the customer is lower or only equal to P = 365
xnx W the customer will have to pay for the current used during the year
according to the higher tariff, or a sum:
365 × W × T
if the annual consumption exceeds the product of
365 x n x. W
-
3
J.
so that it is equal to P + Q, the customer pays the first P. hecto-Watt-hour
according to the higher tariff and the excess Q, according to the lower
tariff, he therefore pays an amount equal to PT+Qt. Of course it
should be understood that as the co-efficient W can only be determined after the
completed consumption the above calculation cannot be made until the expiration
of a fixed time period (year, 6 months etc.) during which the consumption took
place. The consumption co-efficient W is calculated by means of a maximum
ampèremeter, which is the rebate indicator, placed by the side of the electricity
meter (which may be any meter for fixed tariff). As it is understood that it is a
question of distribution at a constant voltage V, let A be the number of ampères
indicated at the end of the year by the rebate indicator, so that:-
:
The rebate indicator consists in principle of a glass tube bent in the shape
of a U and terminating at both upper ends in closed bulbs. One of these bulbs
has a coil wound around it consisting of a fine metallic wire of very high and
constant electric resistance (platinoid etc.). The apparatus being connected in
series with the lamps and the ordinary electricity meter, this coil is traversed
by the current which feeds the lamps. The other branch of the U tube opposite
that which is provided with the buib around which the wire is coiled is in com-
munication with a glass tube closed at its lower end which tube descends verti-
cally in front of the apparatus and of a graduated scale, and forms the indicator
tube. The U tube is partly filled with a coloured liquid and the apparatus
stands vertically.
At the beginning of the year or of the time fixed, when as yet no current has
expanded the air contained in the bulb the liquid in the opposite branch will
extend up to the level of the junction of the U tube with the depending tube.
When the current passes around the bulb the heating which results produces an
expansion of the air contained in the bulb; the liquid in the other branch is
raised and falls into the indicator tube; the change of level produced is an indi-
cation of temperature obtained, and consequently of the intensity of the current.
At the end of the year or of the predetermined period of time, the height of the
liquid that was discharged into the indicator tube therefore gives a measure of
the greatest intensity which the current attained at any moment during the year

page_text: or during the fixed period of time. This method of tarification causes the custo-
mer to evenly divide his consumption over the greatest possible number of hours
during the day, but it does not distinguish the hours when the current is less
in demand and therefore cheaper from the hours when the current is more in
demand and therefore dearer.
This arrangement permits of the completion of this method and of fixing the
price of the hecto-Watt at a time when it is cheaper, for instance from mid-
day until 7 o'clock in the evening, which is the principle of the varying tariff.
One could at once modify the meter by one of the devices already described,
but the total annual consumption is not the principal basis in the tarification.
This basis, for the customer, is the number W given by the customer's indicator,
and it is on this number that action should be taken.
The current sent by the central station arrives at an electromagnet which is
joined to the rebate indicator, and which, in consequence of the current sent from
the central station will shunt the metallic coil formed round the bulb in such a
manner that the said coil will not be traversed by the whole current but only by
a certain fraction K of the current.
At the hours when the demand for current is small, the central station will
send to the electromagnet receiver a current which will actuate the shunt. The
customer therefore will be in a position to consume during the said hours a
maximum K W without the indicator showing a higher consumption co-efficient
of W than the last co-efficient W obtained before the shunt was actuated.
Several periods of the day may also be distinguished by introducing in deriva-
tion, on the circuit of the metal coil a rheostat of variable resistance so that only
fractions KKK of the principal current pass through the coil, thus allowing
a maximum consumption of KW, K' W, or K2 W without altering the numbers
indicated by the rebate indicator.
Finally, as was mentioned above, as regards the regulators of intensity, two
metallic coils may be employed one or other of which will be switched into cir-
cuit from the central station by means of the receiving electromagnet.
In this case one side of the U tube will be provided with two bulbs.
The two coils will be of course, of different resistances, so that the same current
will generate different quantities of heat in one and the other.
Dated this 7th day of April 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or relating to Means for Controlling and Indicating
the Supply of Electrical Energy.
We, HENRY KUNKELMANN, CHARLES EMMANUEL FRANÇOIS, and CÉSAR RENÉ
LOUBERY, all of 12 Rue Seguier, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers, 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:
In a previous Patent Specification No. 6032 of 1899 means have been described
permitting the application of a changing or variable tariff or rate of charge to
fixed or single tariff meters.
The present invention relates to improvements of the same kind which have
been devised with a view of the variable tariff being applied to apparatus which,
without being meters in the proper sense of the word, are, nevertheless employed

page_text: with a view to the sale of electric energy; such for instance as regulators of
intensity, indicators of rebate or indicators of maximum charge.
To render as clear as possible the following explanation the invention is illus-
trated by way of example, in the accompanying drawings showing an arrangement
adopted for the application of the variable tariff to the above-mentioned apparatus.
Figure 1 is a view shewing the general arrangements of a regulator of intensity.
Figure 2 illustrates the application of the variable tariff to the regulator of
intensity shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows schematically the general arrangement of a maximum charge
indicator..
Figure 4 shows one application of a variable tariff to the maximum charge
indicator represented in Figure 3.
1st. The application of the variable tariff to intensity regulators. These
apparatus are employed in the sale of electricity by contract and are, to a certain
extent controllers of the contract. They oblige the customer to keep within the
limits of his contract and prevent him from using fraudulently or inadvertently
a larger quantity of electricity than what forms the basis of the contract
The different types of all intensity regulators consist in principle of a balance
beam (Figure 1) (ao b) made to pivot on a point o and actuated by two vertical
forces, acting in the same direction, the one dynamic and constant, the other
electric and variable.
The first vertical force is produced by a spring r attached to one arm of the
lever the tension of which spring can be regulated by the screw . The spring
may be replaced by a weight 2 which is also represented in the accompanying
drawings. This weight can be adjusted longitudinally along the arm ob of the
balance lever which may be provided for that purpose with a screw thread.
The second force is produced by the attraction of a solenoids (inserted in the
circuit of the customer); this solenoid attracts a rod or core t fixed to the other
arm ao of the balance lever. It is evident that the same effect may be obtained
by replacing the solenoid by an electro magnet inserted into the circuit and
attracting an armature connected to the said arm ao of the balance lever.
A metallic point or projection c on the first mentioned arm ob of the balance
lever is adapted to enter a mercury cup 9 when the arm is lowered by the spring
or weight. If we now suppose the principle line to be represented by and the
line of the customer by mm, it is easy to see that the solenoid, the spring con-
trolled arm ob of the balance, the mercury contact c and the mercury cup g are
inserted in series in the circuit passing through the lamps nn of the customer.
Of course it should be understood that the balance ob is of conducting metal,
and that all parts of the apparatus through which the current is to pass, are
electrically insulated.
The spring (or the counterweight 2) is so adjusted that the point c dips into
the mercury so long as the intensity of the current does not pass beyond a cer-
tain number of amperes fixed in the contract, but that, as soon as this intensity
limit is passed, the solenoids attracts its end ao of the balance and thereby
withdraws the point c out of contact with the mercury. The moment this action
takes place the current is interrupted, the solenoid s is no longer energised and
the spring r or the counter-weight reintroduces the point c into the mercury,
the current is re-established only to be broken again by the solenoids and so on.
This produces a number of ignitions and extinctions of the lamps, the effect
of which is very painful to the eye, thus forcing the customer to put out one or
more lamps, in order to reduce the intensity to within the limits of the contract.
These devices, which allow the customer to have as many lamps as he likes
without being able to light a number greater than corresponds to the intensity
stipulated for in the contract, without being suddenly deprived of light, can
easily be arranged for the application of the variable tariff, by means of the
following arrangements which form the object of the present application.

page_text: .:
In this case the contract with the customer consists in letting him have the
use of amperes at the time when the current is dearest on account of the greater
demand, and y amperes at a time when such demand is less, and consequently
the current is cheaper. Of course it is understood that y will be greater than ..
To'
o obtain this result different means may be employed:-
1st. As has already been indicated in the specification referred to, the system
of measuring the intensity can be employed, by actuating, by means of currents
sent from a central station along a special secondary line, an electro-magnet so
as to shunt the solenoid in such a manner that the solenoid is then only traversed
by a certain part of the principal current. The shunting not being carried out,
it will be understood that the device should be so adjusted that the solenoid.
interrupts the current at the lowest intensity, say for instance, intensity.
When the shunt is accomplished the solenoid will not be traversed by the total
intensity, but by a fraction only determined by the shunt, it follows therefore,
that the intensity passing through the line may exceed the value a without the
solenoid breaking the circuit, and the shunt should so be adjusted that the sole-
noid only interrupts the current when the intensity of the current passing through
the line reaches the 'value y.
2. The current passing through the solenoids may also be varied by placing
a rheostat in derivation on the principal current, which rheostat will be actuated
by the currents sent from the central station, an arrangement which will allow
the adoption of more than two tariffs, and the convenience for the customer to use
varying amperes x, y, z, according to the hours of the day..
a
3. The following arrangement may also be adopted, Figure 2. One arm of the
balance lever ao is attracted by two solenoids ss which attract; cores or bars tt
connected to said arm. These two solenoids are independent of each other and
according as the current of the customer passes through one or through the other,
a limitation of the intensity to , or y amperes is obtained. An electric, receiver e
mounted on the line f of the central station actuates a commutator or pivotted
lever 1 for supplying the current to either one or the other of the solenoids, pro-
vided for example with two mercury cups 2 and 3 and two contact armis 4 and 5
on either side of the pivot of the lever which arms according to the position of
the lever I will be inserted in the corresponding mercury cups.
The principal line 7 being connected with the balance lever I the current can
thus pass either through the arm 4 or through the arm 5. If, for example, it
passes through the arm 4, as represented in Figure 2 which is immersed in the
mercury cup, the current passes through this vessel into the solenoid s and thence
through the apparatus to the lamps of the customer. If, on the contrary, the
lever is so arrangeu that the other arm 5 dips into its mercury cup 3, then the
current no longer passes through the first solenoids but through the second sole-
noid s¹.
From the above description it will be seen that the current passing through
the line ff of the central station will modify the position of the pivotted lever.1
and consequently, will modify the maximum intensity, beyond which the customer
cannot pass.
REBATE INDICATOR OR MAXIMUM CHARGE INDICATOR."
These devices are used in what is called the rational method of charging,
applied for the first time at Brighton; which can be described as follows:--
Let T represent the number of shillings to be paid per hecto-Watt hour, accord-
ing to the higher tariff. Let t be the number of shillings to be paid per hecto-
Watt-hour according to the lower tariff. Let W be the maximum number of
hecto-Watts consumed at a given moment by the customer during the year, which
constitutes the consumption co-efficient of the customer, n being a number of
hours fixed by the central station and forming one of the bases of the tariff. If
the annual consumption of the customer is lower or only equal to P
= 365

page_text: xnxW the customer will have to pay for the current used during the year
according to the higher tariff, or a sum:
i.
365 x n x W × T
if the annual consumption exceeds the product of
365 xnx W = P
so that it is equal to P + Q, the customer pays the first P hecto-Watt hours
according to the higher tariff and the excess, Q. according to the lower
tariff, he therefore pays an amount equal to PT + Qt. Of course it
should be understood that as the co-efficient W can only be determined after the
completed consumption the above calculation cannot be made until the expiration
of a fixed time period (year, 6 months etc.) during which the consumption took
place. The consumption co-efficient W is calculated by means of a maximum
amperemeter, which is the rebate indicator, placed by the side of the electricity
meter (which may be any meter for fixed tariff). As it is understood that it is a
question of distribution at a constant voltage V, let A be the number of amperes
indicated at the end of the year, by the rebatement indicator, so that :-
!

page_text: at any moment during the year or during the fixed period of time. This method
of tarification causes the customer to evenly divide his consumption over the
greatest possible number of hours during the day, but it does not distinguish the
hours when the current is less in demand and therefore cheaper, from the hours
when the current is more in demand and therefore dearer.
This arrangement permits of the completion of this method and of fixing the
price of the hecto-Watt at a time when it is cheaper, for instance from mid-
day until 7 o'clock in the evening, which is the principle of the varying tariff.
One could at once modify the meter by one of the devices already described,
but the total annual consumption is not the principal basis in the tarification.
This basis, for the customer, is the number W given by the customer's indicator,
and it is on this number that action should be taken.
The current sent by the central station arrives at an electromagnet which is
joined to the rebate indicator, and which, in consequence of the current, sent from
the central station, will shunt the metallic coil formed round the bulb 6, in such
a manner that the said coil will not be traversed by the whole current but only
by a certain fraction K of the current.
At the hours when the demand for current is small, the central station will
send to the electromagnet receiver a current which will actuate the shunt. The
customer therefore will be in a position to consume during the said hours a
maximum K W without the indicator showing a higher consumption co-efficient
of W than the last co-efficient of W obtained before the shunt was actuated.
Several periods of the day may also be distinguished by introducing in deriva-
tion, on the circuit of the metal coil s a rheostat of variable resistance so that
only fractions K, K', K2, of the principal current pass through the coil, thus
allowing a maximum consumption of KW, KW, or K2 W respectively, without
altering the numbers indicated by the rebate indicator.
Finally, as was mentioned above, as regards the regulators of intensity, two
metallic coils ss (Figure 4) may be employed one or other of which will be
switched into circuit from the central station by means of the receiving electro-
magnet.
In this case the left hand side of the U tube will be provided with two bulbs 6
and 6¹.
The two coils will be of course, of different resistances, so that the same current
will generate different quantities of heat in one and the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In electricity intensity and rebate indicators where two tariffs are sufficient,
the combination with a solenoid producing a break of current in the intensity
regulator, and with a metallic coil for generating heat in a closed bulbous U tube
of the maximum change indicator, of a shunt, which, when actuated, diminishes
the intensity of the current passing through the solenoid or coil, the operation
of the shunt being effected by an electro-magnet mounted on a line traversed
by the current sent from a central station, substantially as described..
2. In apparatus of the kind described where more that 2 tariffs are employed
the arrangement of a rheostat in derivation on the principal current_passing
through the solenoid or through the coil, said rheostat being actuated by an
electro-magnet connected with a line traversed by the current from the central
station, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus of the kind described where two tariffs are sufficient, the use
of two sets of devices (solenoid, or coils) actuating the intensity regulators or the
maximum change indicators, in combination with a commutator adapted to bring
into circuit one or the other of the 2 devices for the purpose of modifying the
action of the current on the intensity regulators or the maximum change indi-
cators; the commutator being actuated by an electro-magnet mounted on a line

page_text: through which pass the currents from the central station, substantially as
described.
4. The arrangement of parts for use in indicating and controlling the supply of
electric current substantially as described or illustrated in Figure 2 or in Figure 4
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of Decemben 1900.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicants.