Improvements in Electric Arc Lamps.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 30th Sept.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Arc Lamps.
I, KARL SCHLEyder of Königliche, Weinberge near Prague (Bohemia) in the
Empire of Austro-Hungary, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a self-regulating electric lamp so
constructed as to simplify the adjustment of the luminous are, which hitherto has
been an exceedingly complicated operation.
The lamp consists of
(1) Two cylindrical bobbins each closed at one and open at the other end, and
adapted to receive also the wire coils. These bobbins are rigidly connected with
each other by screw threaded or other rods.
(2) An iron core the ends of which are each preferably formed conical and
provided with discs or pistons tightly fitted in the cylinder.
(3) A series of arms or levers movably connected some with the cone and others
with a spindle on which they are adapted to oscillate. To the ends of two of these
arms or levers are secured insulated cheeks for the reception of the carbons and
connection of the conductors.
(4) A hook, eye or equivalent by which the lamp may be suspended.
The lamp may be employed either simply as a regulating lamp with one bobbin
or coil of small resistance only, as for single lamps or for parallel connection; or as
a differential lamp, in which case an additional large coil of great resistance is used.
In the former case the length of the arc is regulated only by the electro-motive
power or the spool of small resistance, and on the other hand by the weight of the
iron core and the resistance of the air. In the case of a differential lamp, a further
regulator for the voltaic arc is employed in the shape of a coil of great resistance,
wound on the lower cylinder or bobbin which coil forms a solenoid. When the
lamp is switched out of circuit the two carbons meet in consequence of the weight
of the iron-core and of the peculiar arrangement of the levers. When the lamp is
switched into circuit the current enters at one binding post and passes through one
of the before mentioned cheeks into one of the carbons and, as the carbon points at
that moment touch each other, passes on into the second carbon, whence through
the second binding-post it enters the upper coil or solenoid upon leaving which it
proceeds further along the conductors. When the lamp is employed as a
differential lamp, the lower coil or solenoid is constructed of considerable resistance.
As soon as the lamp is switched into the circuit and thereby the current allowed to
flow through the upper coil, the iron core of the latter is raised with the result that
the carbons are removed from each other, and in thus moving apart form a
voltaic arc.
As the carbons gradually burn away, the arc extends, but at the same time the
resistance increases, so that the current has no longer the strength necessary to
retain the core in the original raised position. The core therefore descends by its
own weight and in descending draws the carbon-points closer together.
If the apparatus at the station is properly attended to and controlled, the
intensity of current will be uniform; and as such intensity of current is opposed by
a weight which is also uniform the resultant of these forces produces a uniform
steady light, the core being at the same time so checked in its upward or downward
movements as to ensure this result. This checking action is obtained in the
cylindrical bobbins by the displacement of the discs or pistons which, fitting tightly
the walls of the cylinders, compress the air as they move. When the lamp is to be
employed as a differential one, a wire of great resistance is wound around the lower

page_text: bobbin or coil which wire is also comprised in the circuit, the consequence being
that owing to the difference of strength of current thereby caused the iron core is
drawn into the lower coil as the carbons are consumed, whereby the points of these
are brought closer together. :
Dated this 21st day of January 1893
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
f.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Arc Lamps.
I, KARL SCHLEYDER of Königliche, Weinberge near Prague (Bohemia) in the
Empire of Austro-Hungary, 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 :-
The invention forming the subject of the present application will be best
understood by reference to the accompanying drawing and relates to an arc-lamp
consisting of two cylinders Z Z placed opposite one another and connected
together by means of distance screws 8's'. The said cylinders are open at their
inner ends so as to give passage to a soft iron core E provided at each extremity.
with a suitable disc or piston tightly fitted in the cylinders and surrounded by
a solenoid S of slight resistance.
"
The soft iron core is provided with two small rollers to turning loose on the pins o
and moving in the slotted links for the purpose of transferring the movement
from the core to the said links which latter are pivoted at a' and a² respectively
and are each provided with the screw-threaded portions e and e. The part el is.
intended to carry the adjustable carbon holder H while the other part e' is provided
with a counter weight q. The carbon holder comprises two main parts,. viz. the
screw threaded part A into which is screwed the second part B adapted, to be
shortened or lengthened. The nuts m serve for locking the carbon holder.
The lamp operates in, the following manner. When the lamp is switched out of
circuit the soft iron core gravitates by its own weight towards its lowest position
and causes, the carbons to meet. When the lamp is switched into circuit the
current enters at passes through the carbon K' thence into the carbon K¹ leaving.
at the holder b¹ and passing through the conductor into the solenoid S and finally.
into the main line. As soon as the lamp has been switched into circuit the, iron
core E is raised and drawn into the solenoid with the result that the slotted links C
are lifted up thereby causing the carbon sticks K' K' to move apart from each
other and produce.the voltaic arc.
There are several forces active in the lamp viz.: the electromotive force against
the gravity of the iron core including the regulating mechanism and the losses
through friction and finally the variation in the resistance, caused by the
voltaic arc.
By contemplating the relative effects from these forces we find that they will at a
certain moment be in equilibrium but only a moment afterwards the equilibrium
will have been lost on account of the gradual burning away of the carbon which
causes the resistance of the arc to increase. In order therefore to renew the
equilibrium or in other words to keep it constant it will be necessary to drop the
iron core so as to bring the carbon sticks always close together. This is what
actually takes place in the improved lamp as the current which is always constant
is opposed by the constant forces of gravity and the friction combined with the
variable force of the resistance from the arc, which resistance increases with the.
length of the arc and causes the iron core to descend and to draw the carbon points
closer together.
It is therefore obvious that the improved lamp is completely self-regulating and
produces a constant regular light notwithstanding the fact of having only or
one

page_text: solenoid of slight resistance. This construction does not require a second solenoid
which is undoubtedly a great advantage as the current required for the above lamp
is less both in quantity and intensity owing to the elimination of the great
resistance due to a second solenoid.
Moreover the particular construction of the said lamp enables it to be used in
connection with any current and of any tension which is not the case with a
lamp for alternating currents.
For this purpose it is preferable to make the carbon holders H H at the ends e¹
and the counterweights 9 at the ends e³ of the slotted links C adjustable so that
according to the position of the carbon holders and the counterweights on their
respective ends the weight of the iron core and that of the regulating mechanism
will be more or less balanced. This produces the effect that the lamp requires more
or less magnetic force for drawing the iron core into the coil according to the
degree of balancing and thereby enables it to be used in connection with and
adapted to the most different tension and currents obtainable.
The adjustable holder which besides can be lengthened or shortened according to
requirement has the advantage of enabling various sizes of carbons to be used in the
lamp so that it is easy to cut the said carbons to sizes most suitable for giving the
best results without any waste.
In order to prevent the extinquishing of other lamps in the same series through
one of the carbons burning away it is proposed to adopt the ordinary device of
introducing a resistance in the form of a graphite stick so as to prevent the
interruption of the current through the carbons being burned away too short.
It may be pointed out that the special construction of the slotted link mechanism
enables the iron core to move only very little during the whole time the lamp is
lighted whereby the steadiness of the light is greatly enhanced.
Should it be desired to use the lamps as a lamp for alternating currents it would
only be necessary to connect a second solenoid of the required resistance to the
cylinder Z³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A self-regulating electric lamp for either constant or alternating currents
having an iron core such as E provided at each end with a disc or piston fitting
closely and travelling in the cylinders Z' 72 the movement of the core being
communicated directly to slotted links such as C moving towards or from each other
in such a manner as to move the carbon sticks connected to them closer together or
further apart substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a lamp such as described the adjustable and movable carbon holders H H¹
allowing the use of various lengths of carbon sticks substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a lamp such as described the combination of the adjustable counterweights q
with the slotted links C for balancing the whole mechanism of the lamp so as to
adapt it for various tensions and currents substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete electric
arc lamps substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Taal this 11th do of Anost 1802
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.