IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTION BY ELECTRICITY, SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO REGU- LATING THE ELECTRO MOTIVE FORCE IN SYSTEMS OF APPLYING OR DIS- TRIBUTING ENERGY BY ELECTRICITY FOR LIGHTING OR OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to St. George Lane Fox, of 4, Grosvenor Gardens, in the
"
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR PRODUCING MOTION BY ELECTRICITY, SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO REGU-
LATING THE ELECTRO MOTIVE FORCE IN SYSTEMS OF APPLYING OR DIS-
TRIBUTING ENERGY BY ELECTRICITY FOR LIGHTING OR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said St. George Lane Fox at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th April 1881.
ST. GEORGE LANE Fox, of 4, Grosvenor Gardens, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTION BY ELECTRICITY,
SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO REGULATING THE ELECTRO MOTIVE FORCE IN SYSTEMS
OF APPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ENERGY BY ELECTRICITY FOR LIGHTING OR OTHER
PURPOSES."
My Invention has special reference to apparatus in which an electrometer or
electro-dynamometer connected between the electric mains and the earth, such for
example as those described respectively in the Specifications of former Letters
Patent granted to me, and dated respectively 9th October, 1878, No. 3988, and
14th November, 1878, No. 4626, is employed to actuate a motor which is caused
to control the action of the electric generator or generators, or to control the
commutators of secondary batteries, or to control the action of rheostats or
resistances, or for other purposes in systems of applying or distributing energy by
electricity through mains, submains, and branches for lighting or other purposes.
As the electro-motive force in the mains rises above or falls below a given limit,
the electrometer or electro-dynamometer completes a circuit, and sets up a current
through one or other of two contact pegs which are respectively connected with
two electro-magnets of the motor.
The present Invention particularly relates to the motor. I construct it as
follows:-I connect the two electro-magnets in joint circuit with the armature of a
third electro-magnet; this armature has a spring attached to it, and is fitted in a
similar manner to the ordinary vibrating hammer of an induction coil, and it

page_text: vibrates whenever the circuit through either of the contact pegs of the electrometer
is completed. This armature carries a paul or click which acts upon a ratchet
wheel, so that the vibrations of the armature cause the wheel to rotate. The
rotation thus imparted to the wheel is transmitted by means of any suitable devices
which are thrown into and out of gear by the electro magnets to the part or device
to be controlled or regulated, for example, the throttle valve of the engine which
works the electric generator or generators, or the commutators of secondary
batteries used as reservoirs of electricity, or rheostats, or resistances inserted at
the points of junction between the electric branches and mains.
Sometimes, instead of the third electro magnet above described, I employ two
electro magnets connected respectively with the two magnets berein first mentioned.
There will in this case be a separate vibrating armature to each of the two magnets
to act respectively upon two sets of teeth arranged in reverse ways on the ratchet
wheel. The reversing gear will in this case be dispensed with, the rotation of the
ratchet wheel in the one or the other direction being transmitted in any suitable
way to the engine throttle valve or other device to be acted upon.
Although my Invention is specially intended for regulating the electro motive
force in systems of applying and distributing energy by electricity, it can be
employed as motor for other purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said St. George Lane Fox in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th October 1881.
ST. GEORGE LANE Fox, of 4, Grosvenor Gardens, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTION BY ELECTRICITY,
SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO REGULATING THE ELECTRO MOTIVE FORCE IN SYSTEMS
OF APPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ENERGY BY ELECTRICITY FOR LIGHTING OR OTHER
PURPOSES."
My Invention has special reference to apparatus in which an electrometer or
electro-dynamometer connected between the electric mains and the earth, such for
example as those described respectively in the Specifications of former Letters
Patent granted to me and dated respectively 9th October 1878, No. 3988, and
14th November 1878, No. 4626, is employed to actuate a motor which is caused to
control the action of the electric generator or generators, or to control the com-
mutators of secondary batteries, or to control the action of rheostats or resistances,
or for other purposes in systems of applying or distributing energy by electricity
through mains, submains, and branches for lighting or other purposes. As the
electro motive force in the mains rises above or falls below a given limit, the
electrometer or electro-dynamometer completes a circuit, and sets up a current
through one or other of two contact pegs which are respectively connected with
two electró magnets of the motor.
:-
The present Invention particularly relates to the motor. I construct it as
follows I connect the two electro magnets in joint circuit with a third electro
magnet; the armature of this electro magnet has a spring attached to it, and is
fitted in a similar manner to the ordinary vibrating hammer of an induction coil,
and it vibrates whenever the circuit through either of the contact pegs of the
electrometer is completed. This armature carries a paul or click which acts upon
a ratchet wheel, so that the vibrations of the armature cause the wheel to rotate.
The rotation thus imparted to the wheel is transmitted by means of any suitable
devices which are thrown into and out of gear by the electro magnets to the part
or device to be controlled or regulated, for example, the throttle valve of the
engine which works the electric generator or generators, or the commutators of
secondary batteries used as reservoirs of electricity, or rheostats or resistances
inserted at the points of junction between the electric branches and mains.
The manner in which my Invention may be carried into effect is represented in
the annexed Drawings. Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of the
apparatus. m, m, are the two electro magnets, the circuits of which are respectively
completed by an electrometer or electro-dynamometer when the electro motive force
in the mains rises above or falls below a given limit as already explained. I
connect these two electro magnets in joint circuit, as seen in Figure 2 with a third
electro magnet m². The armature m² of this magnet has a spring m³ attached to it,
and is fitted similarly to the ordinary vibrating hammer of an induction coil, and it
vibrates whenever the circuit through either of the contact pegs of the electrometer
is completed. The armature m² carries a paul or click m which acts upon a
ratchet wheel m³, so that the vibrations of the armature cause the wheel to rotate.
The rotation thus imparted to the wheel m³ may be transmitted by means of any
suitable devices which are thrown into and out of gear by the electro magnets m, m,
to the part or device to be controlled or regulated. The transmitting devices shewn
in the Figures consist of a bevel pinion me carried on the same shaft as the
wheel ms, and of two bevel wheels m7, m³, on a shaft m³ which is connected with
the part to be controlled or moved. The armature n³ which is common to the two

page_text: electro magnets m, m, is carried on the end of a lever m10 centred at m¹¹, and
connected at its upper end to the shaft m³. Thus as the one or the other of the
magnets m, m, attracts the armature n, so does the lever m¹0 move in the one
direction or the other, and so is the shaft m³ made to slide in a corresponding
direction in its bearings, so as to bring the one or the other of the wheels m7, m³,
into gear with the pinion mo.
Sometimes instead of the single electro magnet m¹ with which the two electro
magnets m, m, are connected in joint circuit, I employ two electro magnets con-
nected respectively with the two magnets m, m. There will in this case be a
separate vibrating armature to each of the two magnets to act respectively
upon two sets of teeth arranged in reverse ways on the ratchet wheel m³. The
reversing gear will in this case be dispensed with, the rotation of the ratchet
wheel m in the one or the other direction being transmitted in any suitable way
to the engine, throttle valve, or other device to be acted upon.
Although my Invention is specially intended for regulating the electro motive
force in systems of applying and distributing energy by electricity, the apparatus
can be employed as a motor for other purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said St. George Lane Fox, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Sixth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty one.