Improved Electric Aro Lamp Clutch and Feed Mechanism.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improved Electric Aro Lamp Clutch and Feed Mechanism.
HENRY VINCENT JAMES, Westhill, Higher Broughton, Salford, Lancashire,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
For the
This invention relates to a clutch and feed mechanism for an electric arc lamp
of either the enclosed or open types, where the carbons are placed in a vertical
line one above another. The object of the invention is to strike an arc between
the carbons and afterwards in working to keep the arc at a constant current, and
finally to bring the carbons together when no electricity is passing through the
lamp. This result is brought about by the clutch and feed mechanism hereafter
described and the usual controlling coils or coil. The clutch is fixed to the
lower end of a tube or other guide or guides, which act as the steadying agents
for the travel of the carbon fixed in a carbon holder and which are slightly
raised or lowered by the magnets of the controlling coils or coil.
purpose of this specification, the clutch is described as fixed to the lower end of
a vortical tube, up the centre of which passes the carbon and carbon holder.
The clutch is arranged as follows:-A circular plate having two side lugs at its
extreme sides and a hole in its centre is clamped to the tube which enters the
centre hole the side lugs thus being at right angles to the tube. A. slot is
cut in each of these lugs at right angles to a line through the two lugs. A
strip or side picce is passed through each slot, and the upper ends are pinned,
to give a limit of travel through the slots, and their lower ends are hinged to a
small lower plate having a centre hole, through which passes the carbon. This
lower plate rests on the lower plate of the frame of the lamp, and is preferably
square and on two of its extreme sides are hinged the side pieces. The centres
of the hinges are at slightly less distance apart from each other than the two
slots in the tube end piece. The side pieces being passed through the slots in
the tube end piece, an angle is pitched by each side piece.
A screw is screwed into each side piece directly opposite one another, on a line
parallel to a line through each lug on the tube end piece. The lower plate rests
upon a suitable part of the frame of the lamp when at rest. It will now be seen
that as the tube end piece is raised or lowered on its possible travel on the side
pieces, a closing and opening movement respectively is given to the side pieces
and screws and that as the screws are only sufficient distance apart to give
clearance to the carbon when the tube end piece is at its lowest point-the screws
will grip the carbon when or before it is at its highest point of vertical travel upon
the side pieces. If the tube is still further raised the whole clutch and carbon
will be raised vertically to a height controlled by the regulating coils. By the
same means, as the tube is lowered to a point below that where the lower plate
rests on the frame plate of the lamp-the side pieces open and release the carbon
and so feed the lamp. In lamps where the clutch is required to grip the carbon

page_text: against excessive vibration, the screws in the side pieces, carry levers at right
angles to their length and on the outer sides of the side pieces. The levers are
placed in a position-that by gravity they have a tendency to turn the screws in
a direction giving a tightening effect on the carbon when the lower plate is
lifted clear of the frame plate of the lamp. To this end-they are of a size and i
shape that their ends leave and touch the frame plate of the lamp simultaneously
with the lower plate of the clutch.
Improved Electric Arc Lamp Clutch and Feed Mechanism.
I, HENRY VINCENT JAMES, of Westhill, Higher Broughton, Salford, in the
County of Lancaster, Electrical Engineer, 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.:.-
This invention relates to an improved clutch and feed mechanism for electric
are lamps of both the open and enclosed types and wherein the carbons are placed
in a vertical line one above another, the object of the invention being to enable
an are to be struck between the carbons and to maintain such arc at a constant
current during working and to finally bring the carbons together when no
electricity is passing through the lamp.
My improved clutch consists essentially in a pair of levers hinged or pivoted
at their lower ends to a plate or ring through the centre of which the carbon
passes, whilst their upper ends pass through a second plate or ring, the levers
and plates being so arranged and operated that screws or projections on the
levers will at one time grip the carbon or the tube to which such is attached
and at another time allow the carbon to be fed forward.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved clutch mechanism as applied to an ;
electric arc lamp of the enclosed type,
Fig. 2a sectional elevation of same,
Fig. 3 a side elevation,
Fig. a plan and
Fig. 5a view showing a modification of clutch.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of clutch arranged for an electric arc lamp of the
open type,
Fig. 7 front view of same and
Fig. 8 a sectional elevation of same.
In all these drawings like parts are represented by the same reference letters.
Referring principally to Figs. 1 to 4, a is the upper carbon of the lamp and b
is a tubular guide up which the carbon passes and which acts as a steadying
agent for the travel of the latter, the carbon being electrically connected with
the tube at its upper end by any usual form of thimble , as indicated in
Figs. 1 to 3. This tube is raised or lowered by the magnets of the controlling 4
coil or coils of the lamp. The clutch proper consists of a plate or ring & coupled
to the lower end of the tube b, the attachment being accomplished by slitting
the plate and forming on it two lugs & which can be nipped together by the
cerew e so as to securely fix the tube and plate together. On two sides the plate

page_text: is provided with slots f through which are passed the upper ends of two similarly
constructed levers y, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected by pins /
to a second plate or ring i through the centre of which the carbon a passes. The
pins are arranged nearer the centre of the carbon than the slots f, so that
the levers g are at an acute angle to each other. At a suitable point between the
two plates c and the levers g have each passed through them a screw ; arranged
to engage with the carbon a to hold it in position and at the upper ends the levers
have also passed through them screws or pins k to limit the travel and prevent
the levers becoming disengaged from the plate c, though after removing the
carbon the levers can be readily disengaged by withdrawing the screws, when
required.
The clutch as described operates as follows:-The raising and lowering of
the tube is effected by the usual controlling coil or coils of the lamp and this
being so it will be seen that if the bottom plate i rested upon the rigid frame of
the lamp, which is represented by the dotted line 7, any downward movement
of the tube would cause the slots f. in the plate to push the upper ends of
the levers goutwards, thus disengaging the screws from the carbon and allow-
ing the latter to fall by gravity so as to feed the lamp. On the other hand an
upward movement of the tube 6 and ring & would pull the levers 7 together and
the screws would move inward to grip the carbon. Any further upward motion
of the tube & other than that necessary to grip the carbon causes the whole clutch
and carbon to be raised simultaneously to a height controlled by the regulating
coils. It will thus be seen that the clutch is not only very simple in construction
but that it is very powerful and so arranged that no vibration of the lamp when
working will cause it to slacken its grip of the carbon.
In Fig. 5 the screws j are dispensed with and the levers y have formed integral
with them or affixed thereon lugs or projections m which bear against the carbon
in the same manner as the screws, though unlike the latter they are not adjust-
able. For the open type of lamp the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 to 8 is
adopted. In this case the upper end of the carbon a is fixed to a holder consist-
ing of a circular disc provided with a central hollow boss o to the lower end
of which the carbon is attached whilst to the upper end is screwed or otherwise
suitably attached a tube p. The levers 9 grip this tube instead of the carbon
and as the tube is smoother than the latter modified means are adopted to
effect a tight grip. To this end the levers are provided with bosses, pre-
ferably on their inner sides, which are drilled with holes for the reception of
india-rubber or like pads, the inner ends of which abut against and hold the
tube . As the rubber pade wear they are fed forward by screws in the
opposite ends of the holes. In other respects the clutch in Figs. 6 to 8 is similar
to that first described and its action is exactly the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. A clutch and feed mechanism for electric are lamps of both fhe open and
enclosed types consisting in a pair of levers pivoted to a plate or ring, a plate
or ring to which said levers are pivoted, and through the centre of which the
carbon or carbon holder passes, a second plate or ring located above the ring
to which the levers are pivoted provided with slots through which said levers
are passed, means for coupling the second plate or ring to the tubular guide by
which it is raised and lowered, a tubular guide carrying the second plate or
ring and screws, projections or bosses with indiarubber pads passed through,
formed on or carried by said bosses and arranged to grip the carbon or carbon
holder, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. A clutch and feed mechanism for an electric arc lamp of the enclosed type
constructed arranged and operated substantially as shown and described either
with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 or to Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3. A clutch and feed mechanism for an electric arc lamp of the open type
constructed arranged and operated substantially as shown and described with
reference to Figs. to 8, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of October 1899.
WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,
Stephen's Buildings, 62, Market Street, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.