IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Scholey Young, of Blackwall, in the County of
Middlesex and Robert James Hatton, of Stratford, in the County of Essex,
for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LAMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Scholey Young and
Robert James Hatton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
6th April 1882.
GEORGE SHOLEY YOUNG of Blackwall in the County of Middlesex and ROBERT
JAMES HATTON of Stratford in the County of Essex "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
LAMPS."
The main object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient means for
automatically regulating the arc or distance between the electrodes in an arc lamp
or semi-incandescent lamp.
For this purpose we provide the carbon or other electrode or electrodes requiring
to be fed with a kind of brake or feed appliance which is acted on by an electro-
magnet or solenoid or equivalent means.
This brake consists of one or more
chambers or parts containing each, one or more balls or rollers (or it may be a ring
in parts or a flexible ring) all so arranged that the balls are made to jamb the
electrode (or it may be its holder or part connected therewith) and to move it
into the proper position for forming the are when the said chamber or part is acted
on by the electro-magnet or its armature and to retain it in that position until the
arc requires adjustment where upon the chamber is released by the electro-magnet
the balls being released from the electrode coming against a stop appliance on
or connected to the lamp framing. The electrode being thus allowed to be fed
the arc is readjusted, the electro-magnet again repeating the action before
described.
A convenient mode of constructing this feed appliance and as applied to an
ordinary are lamp as follows. We provide in the upper part of the lamp an electro-
magnet or solenoid the carbon passing through or between same and attach to the
621

page_text: armature a sleeve around the carbon and formed with a chamber containing balls:
below the chamber and fixed to the lamp frame we provide a tube serving as a
guide and also as a stop for the balls; when the armature is attracted the balls
aro jambed between the carbon and inner side of the chamber, but when the
armature is released and descends (which also may be assisted by springs) the balls
como against the stop tube and the carbon is released and allowed to drop the
required distance which latter may be regulated by making the tube or the
chamber adjustablo.
This mode of adjustment is applicable to lamps having the electrodo or electrodes
moving in any direction either by gravity or any motive power.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Scholey Young and Robert James Hatton in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 6th October 1882.
GEORGE SCHOLEY YOUNG of Black wall in the County of Middlesex and ROBERT
JAMES HATTON of Stratford in the County of Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
LAMPS."
The main object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient means for
automatically regulating the arc or distance between the electrodes in an arc lamp
or semi-incandescent lainp..
For this purpose we provide the carbon or other electrode or electrodes requiring
to be fed, with a kind of brake or feed appliance which is acted on by an electro
magnet or solenoid or equivalent means. This brake consists of a chamber or part
such as a cage or basket containing balls surrounding the said electrode all so
arranged that the balls are made to jamb equally all round between the inner
circumference or surface of the chamber and the electrode (or it may be its holder
or part connected therewith) and to move it (the electrode) into the proper position
for forming the arc when the said chamber or part is acted on by the solenoid
electro-magnet or its armature and to rotain it in that position until the arc
requires adjustment whereupon the chamber is released by the solenoid or electro-
magnet the balls being released from the electrode by coming against a stop
appliance such as a tube or ring on or connected to the lamp framing. The
clectrode being thus allowed to be fed the arc is re-adjusted, the electro-inagnet
or solenoid again repeating the action before described.
Convenient modes of carrying this invention into affect are illustrated by tho
accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a section shewing its application when the electrode is fed downwards
in a vertical or slanting direction. Figure 2 is a section shewing application
when the electrode is fed upwards in a vertical or slanting direction, or in a
horizontal direction: Figuro 3 is a cross section through a round chamber B
containing balls: Figure 4 is an elevation partly in section of a lamp fitted with
our invention,
A Figure 1 is a tube or rod to which the upper electrode of an electric lamp is
attached or it may be considered to represent such electrode itself B is the chamber
containing a sufficient number of balls C C to jamb the tube or rod A in all
directions as shewn at Figure D is an adjustable stop in the form of a guide
tube E. E are nuts for adjusting the stop D on the frame F of the lamp.
The chamber B is by its upper screwed end attached to the armature of an
electric magnet or soft iron core of a solenoid or equivalent appliance. When the
current is applied the chamber B is made to move in the direction_required to
separate the electrodes, that is as regards the arrangements shewn in Figure 1 the
chamber B is raised this motion jambs the balls C between the inner side of the
chamber B and the rod or electrode A thereby raising the latter with a perfectly
central grip avoiding lateral motion and forming the are the length of which may
be regulated by the adjustable tube or stop D. While the balls C are not in
contact with the tube or stop D the motion of the electrode coincides with that of
the chamber B and is governed by the magnet solenoid or equivalent appliance
but when the arc requires further adjustment the electrode with the chamber B
and balls C will move down so far that the balls come into contact with the stop
tube or ring D the rod A is thereby relieved from the jamb of the balls and allowed
to feed or drop the required distance. The descent of the armature may be assisted

page_text: by a spring when required especially where the electrode is arranged in a slanting
direction and is fed downwards.
As regards the arrangement shewn in Figure 2 where the electrode is to be fed
in an upward vertical or slanting direction or it may be, a horizontal direction; the
arinature of the electro-magnet (or soft iron core of a solenoid) is connected to the
lower screwed part 13, of the chamber B.
To keep the balls in proper position we employ one or more springs or an
equivalent part or parts mado of an elastic material. G shows a helical spring
acting upon a sleeve or washer G. for the balls C to rest on, D is the stop tube.
When the chamber B is attracted downwards by the arinature or soft iron coro the
balls C will be jambed between the rod A and the inside of the chamber B and
carry the rod A and electrode down with it but when the are thus established and
adjusted requires further adjustment the armature will be released the rod A with
chamber B will be raised by a spring or equivalent means until the balls C come
in contact with the bottom of tho adjustable stop tube D whereby the balls will
release their grip on the rod A and allow it to feed the required distance.
This mode of adjustment is applicable to lamps having the electrode or electrodes
moving in every direction either by gravity or by any motive power.
In Figure 4 we have as an example shewn our invention applied to a vertical
are lamp in which the positivo electrode or its holder A is fed downwards. II. is a
solenoid and I its soft iron core which is screwed onto the chamber B that contains
a number of balls C which surround the holder A and grip it when the core I raises
the chamber B, and with it the holder A thus formning or regulating the arc. D is
the stop tube which is also a guide tube for the holder A or electrode.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of this invention and the
manner of carrying the same into effect we declare that our invention is not by
any means in its application to electric lamps limited to the simple constructiou
here shewn at Figure 4 as an example as it may obviously be also applied to laips
having special dash pot or other appliances for modifying the motion of the
electrode when feeding, but we claim, as applied to the electrode or electrode
holder of an electric arc or semi-incandescent lamp a sleeve or chamber which can
slide on the electrode or holder and which has inclined interior and contains balls
surrounding the electrode or holder and serving to grip the same and acting by
gravity or by a spring or both, the said chamber forming or being connected to
the core of a solenoid or the armature of an electro magnet in a circuit of a lamp,
a stop appliance being provided for relieving the grip of the balls on the holder
when the latter requires adjustinent, substantially as described and shewn.
In witness whereof we the said George Scholey Young and Robert James
Hatton havo hereunto set our hands and seals this Sixth day of
September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
nicthy two