IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC ARC LAMPS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Leopold Willard of 85 Hoxton Street Hoxton
in the County of Middlesex for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
MECHANISM FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC ARC LAMPS,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Leopold Willard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd June 1883.
FREDERICK LEOPOLD WILLARD of 85 Hoxton Street Hoxton In the County of
Middlesex IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC ARC
LAMPS,
Or that class of lamp in which the light is emited by seperation betwen two
carbon electrodes which as they are consumed are required to be fed by some
mechanism, to keep the length of Arc constant which I accomplish in the following
manner the top or positive carbon is fixed to a rack which passos through the top
platform of the lamp into which is geared in any suitable manner a small pinion
on the end of which is fixed a small clack wheel or wheels the clack is fixed to the
escapement wheel or wheels which are fixed on to the clack wheel before
mentioned, into the escapment wheel works a pallate or pallates on to the arm
of which is fixed a small iron weight or armature, now if the rack before mentioned
were pushed up the pinion..alone would turn upon releasing the rack the clack
before mentioned would prevent the rack from descending without revolving the
escapement wheel before mentioned which would cause the pallate to vibrate
which would continue till the carbons toutched now to prevent this I fix a coil or
electro magnate in such a manner that the weight or armature before mentioned
is attracted so preventing any vibration when a currant is passing through the
coile one end of the wire of the coile is connected to the possitive terminale the
other to a contact screw of a small relay which is wound as a shunt coile of high
resistance the armature of which makes contact with the screw before mentioned
to the base of the lamp from the possitive terminal a wire offering a ressistance is
led direct to possitive carbon to relight the arc should it be broken I fix a small
sollinoid or electro magnate which upon a currant passing through draws down the
negative carbon thereby forming the Arc haveing now discribed my invention I
would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details as
they can be varied in many ways without departing from the peculiar features of
my Invention

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Leopold Willard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st December 1883.
FREDERICK LEOPOLD WILLARD of 85 Hoxton Street Hoxton in the County of
Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC ARC
LAMPS
My Invention relates to Improvements in
Arc Lamps
Mechanism for Regulating Electric
A prominent defect in lamps of this type is that owing to defective mechanismı
the carbons do not approach each other with regularity, and hence an unsteady
light is given by the lamp. I cause the carbons to feed with regularity, and obtain
a steady light as follows. Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig 2 in the accompanying
drawing The upper or positive carbon is fixed into the end of a rack A, which
Into this rack a
passes through the top and bottom platforms of the lamp B. B¹
small pinion C is geared this pinion being mounted upon the spindle D, which
also carries a ratchet wheel with pawl and catch E, and also an escapement wheel F.
Into the escapement wheel works a pallate or detent G and to steady its action a
pendulum H is attached to it and vibrates with it. To one arm of the pallate, or
detent, is fixed a small strip of iron I, which acts as an armature to the electro
magnet J placed immediately under it, this electro magnet except when the lamp
is in the act of feeding, is in the main circuit and divides it with an iron wire
resistance K which as will be seen terminates in the bottom plate at L. One end
of the wire surrounding this main electro magnet is fixed to the terminal M;
together with the iron wire resistance, and the other end is fastened to the set
screw at N. This setscrew terminates as will be seen in two small setscrews 0, 0,
which press against the two tongues P, P, these tongues are fixed to a bar Q, the
other end of which carries a small armature R, which is in close proximity to the
shunt or high resistance solenoid or electro magnet S. This magnet being bridged,
or forming a shunt between the P, and N terminals of the lamp. The bar with
the two tongues P, P, is held against the setscrews 0, 0, by a small spring T.
To obviate any overheating, and balance any increase of resistance caused thereby
in the high resistance solenoid S, I place a small nut upon the spindle D of tho
escapement wheel; pivotted to this nut is a lever Y the top of which engages
with the spring T, As the carbon is consumed the nut travels along the spindle,
and forces out the lever Y, thus reducing the tension of the spring T, and enabling
the solenoid notwithstanding its increased resistance to control the lamp. The
base of the lamp, see Fig 3 and Fig 4, contains a small solenoid or electro
magnet U, which is furnished with an armature, or keeper V, into this keeper or
armature is screwed a pin, and this pin carries the negative carbon holder W, A
small spring X keeps the keeper, or armature away from the magnet, when no
current is passing, and so enables the two carbons to meet, and form the circuit.
The Electric Current on entering the lamp flows from terminal + M, through
iron wire resistance K and thick wire electro magnet J to set screw N, thence
through the two tongues P, P, to body of lamp which is connected by means of the
rack to the upper carbon, A wire is also led from terminal M to the high resistance
coil S the other end of this wire after passing round the coil, being led to the
negative terminal which connects the bottom carbon, The solenoid U when a
current passes round it, pulls down armature V and the bottom carbon, so forming
the arc; and at the same moment the electro magnet J becoming excited by the
current attracts the armature I attached to the detent G, and pulling it down
prevents the descent of the rack carrying the upper carbon. As the carbons are

page_text: sumed and the resistance of the arc increases more current passes through the
nt coil S, until it is able to overcome the resistance of the spring at T, the
ature R and bar Q are then drawn down, and the circuit through the electro
gnet J being broken, the detent G is released and the weight of the rack and
er carbon causes it to descend. until the arc is of the proper length. The thick
e resistance absorbing nearly all the current, no sparking takes place when
circuit with the electro magnet is broken, In Fig 1, the tongues P. P. are
wn in contact with setscrews O, O the electro magnet J being thereby put in
uit. In Fig 2 the tongues P. P are out of contact with the setscrews Ŏ. O but
contact with the top setscrews 0¹. O' which are connected to the positive
minal M; the electro magnet J is now out of circuit, Setscrews 0¹. 0¹ are
ulated from Setscrews O, O Fig 3. Shews a general view of the lamp
Having now described my invention, and the manner in which the same may be
ried into effect, I would have it understood, that I do not limit myself to the
ails of construction, and exact arrangement of mechanism shewn and described
these may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. What
aim is
In an Electric Arc lamp the combination of a thick wire electro magnet or
Solenoid with an iron, or other suitable resistance in the main circuit; together
with the rack, scape wheel, and detent. A high resistance electro magnet, or
solenoid operating the contact tongues P, P, whereby the main electro magnet,
or solenoid is cut out of circuit, and the upper carbon thereby allowed to
descend substantially as shewn and described
1. The combination in an Electric Arc lamp, of the compensating method
whereby the increase of resistance, arising from the heating of the high
resistance coil is effected by the nut, and screw, thread on spindle D; operating
to reduce the tension of spring T; Substantially as shewn and described.
The combination in an Electric Arc lamp of solenoid, or electro magnet, U
Fig 4, whereby the lower carbon is separated from the upper, and the arc
established, substantially as set forth and described herein.
The combination in an arc Electric lamp of a high resistance coil, with thick
wire coil, existing as solenoid, or electro magnet, in the main circuit such
circuit being divided by an iron resistance coil, which I use for the purpose
of absorbing the spark, caused by making and breaking the circuit when the
thick wire coil is cut out, or put in circuit; substantially as described
n Witness whereof I the said Frederick Leopold Willard have hereunto set
band and seal this Twenty first day of November in the year of Our Lord
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