Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Completing and Interrupting Electric Circuits.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 31st Dec., 1891-Accepted, 6th Feb.,
1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Completing and
Interrupting Electric Circuits.
We THOMAS PARKER, Works Director of The Electric Construction
Corporation Limited of Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford and JOHN
HAROLD WOODWARD and EDMUND SCOTT GUSTAVE REES both of Com-
mercial Road Wolverhampton aforesaid Electrical Engineers do hereby declare
as follows:
This invention has reference more especially to apparatus for completing and
interrupting electric circuits controlled from a distant point for instance arrange-
ments such as are described in the Specification of our application for Letters
Patent No. 16110 of 1890.
According to this invention we provide an electro-magnet which can be energised
from any desired distance by completing the circuit in which the coils of the
electro-magnet are situated the said magnet when so energised operating a device
by which a switch is moved so as to complete the supply circuit main. In proximity
to the said device is another electro-magnet with its coils in the supply circuit
main and with an armature so adjusted that when the current in the said main is
not above normal the said armature remains stationary but should. the current in
the said main become excessive the armature is attracted and in its movement acts
upon the aforesaid device so as to break the supply circuit main.
Whilst we do not limit ourselves to precise details which we shall describe we
explain the preferred construction or arrangement more fully in order that the
nature of our invention may be well understood.
The circuit by which the switch for the supply circuit main is controlled from
the desired point is led round an electro-magnet which is provided with an armature
(these we will call the switch magnet and armature) which tends to move away
from the magnet under the action of a weight or spring. This armature is
connected by double arms or links with the axis of a ratchet wheel the said links
carrying pawls engaging with the ratchet wheel. Upon the same axis as that on
which the ratchet wheel moves and preferably secured to the ratchet wheel is a
wheel with projections or cams upon it which act upon the moveable part of a
switch so as to force it into or upon suitable contacts to complete the supply circuit
main.
Weights or springs move this switch to the position in which the circuit is
broken except when the said projections apply the switch as aforesaid. In proximity
to the ratchet wheel and the wheel carrying the said projections we place an
electro-magnet with its coils in the supply circuit main the armature of this magnet
(we will call these the safety magnet and armature) being normally by weight or
spring kept away from the magnet when the current in the supply circuit main is
normal. When the current in the said main becomes excessive the safety magnet
attracts the safety armature which then acts upon the ratchet wheel or the wheel
with the projections on it and moves it into a position in which the switch is
no longer retained in its closed position and the supply circuit main is thereby
broken.
To complete the supply circuit main from the point desired a switch is operated
at that point so as to complete the circuit round the switch magnet so that the
switch armature is attracted and one of the pawls then partly turns the ratchet
wheel aforesaid and when the armature after the circuit is again broken returns
the other pawl further turns the ratchet wheel and this brings one of the projections
or cams on the wheel attached thereto into such a position that it applies the switch
to complete the supply circuit main.

page_text: To break the supply circuit main from the distant point the switch at that point
is again operated to complete the circuit round the switch magnet attracting its
armature and by means of one of the pawls. attached thereto partly turning the
ratchet wheel and the cam wheel so as to allow the weight or springs on the switch
to move the switch to the position in which the supply circuit is broken.
The circuit round the switch magnet is then again broken allowing the armature
to be forced from the magnet and by means of the other pawl still further rotating
the ratchet wheel and cam wheel and leaving the switch magnet and switch in a
position to complete the supply circuit at any time as previously described.
Dated this 18th day of August 1891.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Completing and
Interrupting Electric Circuits.
We THOMAS PARKER Works Director of The Electric Construction
Corporation Limited of Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford and JOHN
HAROLD WOODWARD and EDMUND SCOTT GUSTAVE REES both of Wolver-
hampton aforesaid Electrical Engineers 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 has reference more especially to apparatus for completing and
interrupting electric circuits controlled from a distant point for instance arrange-
ments such as are described in the Specification of our application for Letters
Patent No. 16110 of 1890.
According to this invention we provide an electro magnet which can be energised
from any desired distance by completing the circuit in which the coils of the
electro-magnet are situated the said magnet when so energised and then
demagnetized, operating a device by which a switch is moved so as to complete or
break any required electric circuit. In proximity to the said device another
electro magnet may be arranged with its coils in series with or as a shunt across
the said circuit and with an armature so adjusted that when the current or potential
in the said circuit is not above normal the said armature remains stationary but
should the current or potential in the said circuit become excessive the armature is
attracted and in its movement acts upon the aforesaid device so as to break the
said circuit.
In order that our invention may be well understood we will describe with
reference to the accompanying drawings the best arrangements with which we are
acquainted for carrying our invention into effect as applied to a system of distribu-
tion such as is described and illustrated in the Specification of Letters Patent
No. 16110 of 1890 but we do not limit ourselves to the application of the devices
to this purpose nor to the precise details shown in the drawings.
Figure 1 is a front elevation (partly in section) of one arrangement of apparatus
according to our invention and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views shewing a slight modification in the arrange-
ment for actuating the switch.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 A is a solenoid or electro magnet the terminals T
of which are in circuit with a dynamo or other source of electricity, which may be
situated at any desired distance from the magnet, a suitable switch being provided
at the distant station by means of which the circuit through the magnet A may be
completed and broken as required.
The current passing through this electro-magnet A controls the switch for
connecting or disconnecting the supply to the distributing main. The electro-

page_text: nagnet A which is fixed by screws a or otherwise to a board B or other suitable
upport is provided with an armature D which is normally kept away from the
magnet under the action of a spring d or its equivalent. This armature is connected
by double arms or links E E2 with the axis f of a ratchet wheel F the said
links carrying pawls e e² engaging with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. Upon the
axis f and preferably secured to the ratchet wheel F is a wheel G with projections
or cams g which act upon a pulley carried on the moveable part H of a switch so
as to force contact pieces thereon into or onto the contacts ³ on the fixed part H2
of the switch to complete the circuit through C. When the moveable part H of
the switch is not depressed by the cams g the contacts h² h³ are kept apart or
separated by weights or springs i, the circuit through C being then broken.
In the circuit C and in proximity to the ratchet wheel F and the cam wheel G
may be an electro magnet C2 the armature c of which is suitably weighted (or acted
on by a spring or springs) so as to normally keep it away from, or out of contact
with, the magnet when the current through C is normal. When the current
through C becomes excessive the magnet C² becomes sufficiently energised to over-
come by its attraction the resisting weight of the armature thereby causing it to
engage with one of the projections or cams g on the wheel G (or with the teeth of
the ratchet wheel F) so as to move out of engagement with the moveable part of the
switch, the cam or projection which at the time is acting thereon, and allow
the contacts ³ ³ to separate under the action of the springs and thus break the
circuit through C. To complete the circuit through C from the distant station
the switch at the said distant station is operated so as to complete the circuit
through the magnet A so that the armature D is attracted and the pawl e caused
to partly turn the ratchet wheel F and also the cam wheel G to the extent of one
half of a tooth of the wheel F. The switch at the distant station is then moved
so as to break the circuit through the magnet A whereupon the armature D under
the action of the spring d is forced from the magnet, causing the other pawl e² to
further turn the ratchet wheel F to the extent of one half of a tooth so as to bring
one of the projections or cams y on the wheel G into position to force the contact
pieces 2 into contact with the contacts ³ and thus complete the circuit
through C.
The circuit C may be broken from the distant station by means of the switch
at that point, by again operating so as to complete the circuit through the
magnet A thereby attracting its armature and by means of the pawl e, as herein-
before described, partly turning the ratchet wheel F and the cam wheel G so as to
remove the cam g from the moveable part H of the switch and allow the springs i
to move the part H so as to separate the contacts h² h³ thereby breaking the
circuit through C. The circuit through the magnet A is then again broken
thereby allowing the armature D under the action of the spring d to be again
forced from the magnet and by means of the other pawl e² still further rotate the
ratchet wheel F and cam wheel G the parts being then in a position to readily
complete the circuit through C at any time desired as previously described.
According to the arrangement shewn in the drawing in order to break and remake
the contact at h² 3 the ratchet wheel F requires to be rotated to the extent of two
of its teeth and to effect this the magnet A requires to be twice energised and
broken.
If desired the spring d may be dispensed with the armature D being made
sufficiently heavy to impart rotation to the ratchet wheel F and cam wheel G, when
it is released from the magnet A, and the circuit through the magnet being
alternately completed and broken by means of the switch at the distant station so
as to impart to the wheels F and G the necessary extent of rotation to make and
break the contacts at h² h³ as required. In the arrangement illustrated by Figures 3
and 4 the wheel G is dispensed with and in place thereof there is mounted on the
5 axis of the ratchet wheel F arms G G2 carrying at their outer ends friction
pulleys 9 which when the ratchet wheel F is rotated by alternately completing
and breaking the circuit through the magnet A. as hereinbefore described, act unon

page_text: a lever H³ and an arm H' hinged thereto so as to make and break the contacts
at h² h³ as required to complete and break the circuit through C. In the drawing
the parts are shewn in the position they occupy when the circuits through C and
through the magnet A are broken the contacts h³ ³ being separated and the
armature D away from the magnet A.
To complete the circuit through C the magnet A is first energised by closing
the circuit therethrough by means of the switch at the distant station as herein-
before described whereupon the armature D is attracted and imparts through the
pawl e a partial rotation to the ratchet wheel F and the arms G G², causing
the arm G to come into contact with a projection on the lever H³ so as to force
the said lever outward against the power of a spring I.
To the lever H³ hinged an arin H' having thereon a projection which when
the lever H³ is forced outwards as described, engages with a projection 2 on a
lever H carrying the contact pieces h². The circuit through the magnet A. is then
broken by means of the switch at the distant station whereupon the armature D
moves out of contact with the said magnet and imparts through the pawl e² a further
partial rotation to the ratchet wheel F and the arms G G2, the arm G moving over
and out of engagement with the projection on the lever H³ which lever being
released is pulled by the spring I against a stop I carrying with it the arm H
which by its engagement with the projection 2 on the lever H moves the said
lever forward causing the contact pieces h² thereon to engage with the brushes h³
thereby completing the circuit through C. The lever H³ may be released at the
end of the upward movement of the armature D the return movement of D putting G
ready for breaking the circuit at 2 h² on the next upward movement.
We have also shewn with this switch a safety device in which should the current
in the circuit C rise above the normal the magnet C2 will be sufficiently energised to
attract the armature c thereof and cause it to raise the arm H out of engagement
with the lever H whereupon the said lever under the action of a spring m is
drawn backward against a stop n thereby breaking the contact between the
pieces and the brushes 3 and consequently breaking the circuit through C. If
it be desired at the distant station to break the circuit through C this may be done
by completing and again breaking, the circuit through the magnet A so as to
further partially rotate the ratchet wheel F and the arms G G2 as before described
as to cause the arm G by coming into contact with a projection ³ on the hinged
arm H to raise the projection out of engagement with the lever H which will
then be drawn back by the spring m as hereinbefore described and so break the
circuit through C by separating the contact 2 from the brushes h³. The arm G³
is then in the position to operate by the rotation of the ratchet wheel in the same
manner as described with reference to the arm G.
It will be understood from the foregoing description and drawings that any
required circuit may be completed and broken in one place or more places than one
as desired from a distant point, whilst when the safety device is used, should the
current or potential in the said circuit exceed the normal the circuit will be
automatically broken.
We have described the arrangements as applied to safe guarding against
excessive current but should it be necessary to safeguard against excessive potential
the magnet in C would be wound with a shunt coil instead of being inserted in the
main circuit.
The said switch may be arranged it will be evident as either a single or
double pole switch or as a throw over switch to make one circuit when it breaks
another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for completing or breaking from a distant station an electric

page_text: to either make or break the circuit by first magnetising and then demagnetising
the electro-magnet or solenoid in the manner substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In combination with the subject matter of the preceding claiming clause
means for causing the said switch to be operated to break the circuit when the
current or the potential therein rises above the normal substantially as herein-
before described.
3. The combinations and arrangements of electric circuits and switches and their
adjuncts substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2
and also in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.