IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LIGHT APPARATUS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Mac Kenzie, of the Firm of Strode and Company,
Engineers and Gas Fitters, of 48, Osnaburgh Street, Regent's Park, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LIGHT
APPARATUS."
Sealed the 26th September 1879, and dated the 25th April 1879.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Mac Kenzie at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th April 1879.
JAMES MAC KENZIE, of the Firm of Strode and Company, Engineers and Clas
Fitters, of 48, Osnaburgh Street, Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC LIGHT APPARATUS."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for governing the distance
between the points of the electrodes or carbons of electric lamps where they are
arranged vertically or opposite to each other.
For this purpose the upper electrode is supported in a tubular holder pivotted to
the end of a horizontal lever moving on a central axis. The other end of the lever
carries a keeper in connection with an electro magnet.
On the opposite side of the upper electrode holder a weighted lever is mounted,
the short arm of which presses against the carbon and securely holds it within the
tube or holder. So long as the electric current is maintained, the weighted lever
acts to hold the carbon in position within the tubular holder, but when the carbon
points are consumed away to such an extent as to cause the current to be broken by
releasing the keeper, and with it the end of the lever which holds the electrode, the
latter is allowed to fall until it comes in contact with the lower electrode, thereby
making contact and restoring the current, thus causing the lever holder to come into
action, and again to take hold of the upper carbon. Adjustable stops support the
levers when released.
By the arrangement and action of the apparatus previously described the upper
carbon is constantly fed downwards as it is consumed, but in order that the central
position of the electric are may be maintained within the lamp, the lower carbon or
electrode is fed upwards in the following manner :—
For this purpose the lower carbon is supported in a tubular holder, which is
arranged to revolve in another tube by means of a ratchet and lever, which is
actuated by another electro magnet when the electric current is broken. In the
Price B21

page_text: bottom of the tubular holder there is a screw rod slotted from end to end, into
which slot a pin or key enters to prevent it from rotating, so that when the electrode
holder is rotated, the screw rod rises in its tube and acts to raise the lower electrode,
thus compensating for the wasting away of the point of the electrode.
By means of the above described arrangement of apparatus electrodes of con-
siderable length may be employed.
The apparatus for feeding the electrodes simultaneously may be varied without
departing from the nature of my improvements, which depend upon the electro
magnets acting to set the feeding apparatus in action. For example, the lower
electrode may be formed with ratchet teeth or notches, and be moved upwards by a
driver actuated by an electro magnet.

page_text: Figuro 1 shows an elevation of electric light apparatus arranged in accordance
with my Invention; Figure 2 is a separate view of the upper electrode holder; and
Figures 3 and 4, separate views of the lower electrode holder.
A is the upper electrode, supported in a tubular holder a, pivotted to the end of
a lever b, moving on a central axis 6'. The other end of the lever b carries a keeper
c in connection with the electro magnet d.
On the opposite side of the upper electrode holder a a lover e is mounted, the
outer end e¹ being depressed by a spring e² or weight (as in Figure 5); the short
arm of the lever e presses against the carbon A, and securely holds it within the
tube or holder a. So long as the electric current is maintained, the lever b acts to
hold the carbon A in position within the tubular holder a, but when the carbon
points are consumed away to such an extent as to cause the current to be broken by
releasing the keeper c of the electro magnet d, and with it the end of the lever e
which holds the clectrode, the latter is allowed to fall until it comes in contact with
the lower electrode B, thereby making contact and restoring the current, thus causing
the lever holder e to come into action, and again to take hold of the upper carbon.
Adjustable stops b³ support the levers when released.
By the arrangement and action of the apparatus previously described, the upper
carbon A is constantly fed downwards as it is consumed, but in order that the
central position of the electric arc may be maintained within the lamp, the lower
carbon or electrode B is fed upwards in the following manner :-
For this purpose the lower carbon B is supported in a tubular holder f, which is
arranged to revolve in another tube by means of a ratchet and lever 1, which is
actuated by another electro magnet g, when the electric current is broken. In the
bottom of the tubular holder f there is a screw rod g¹ slotted from end to end, into
which alot a pin or key enters to prevent it from rotating, so that when the electrode
holder fis rotated, the screw rod g' is caused to rise in its tube and acts to raise
the lower electrode, thus compensating for the wasting away of the point of the
lower electrode.
By means of the above described arrangement of apparatus, electrodes of con-
siderable length may be employed.
The apparatus for feeding the electrodes simultaneously may be varied without
departing from the nature of my improvements, which depend upon the electro
magnets acting to set the feeding apparatus in action. For example, the lower
electrode may be formed with ratchet teeth or notches, and be moved upwards by a
driver actuated by an electro magnet. Or the lower electrode B may be elevated,
as shown at Figure 5, by a spiral spring h, held down by a cord h', wound around a
roller i, and released by a ratchet working in the teeth of an escape wheel i acting
on the axis of the roller i. This Figure shows another arrangement of electric light

page_text: apparatus acting in like manner to that previously described, corresponding parts in
the two arrangements being marked with corresponding letters of reference.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 5 only one electro magnet is employed g to
hold and release the two electrodes A and B. When the keeper o is released from
the electro magnet g, it acts by a connecting rod g' on the lever c* to actuate the
escape wheel, which allows the cord to unwind from the roller i, and the expanding
of the spring h raises the lower electrode, the upper electrode being allowed to fall
at the same time, thereby establishing the current again. The rod g' also acts on
the lever b to release the upper electrode.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
or carrying the same into practice, I would remark that I do not claim any of the
parts separately which are well known, nor do I limit myself to the exact details
herein before described, but what I claim is,
The improved arrangement of electric light apparatus, in which electro magnets
are employed to hold and release the upper and lower electrodes, so as to adjust and
govern their position as they are consumed, substantially in the manner herein before
described and represented in the Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Mac Kenzie, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JAMES MAC KENZIE. (L.S.)