and Control of Electricity for Lighting or other Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1887
Complete Left, 16th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 15th June, 1888
tion and Control of Electricity for Lighting or other Purposes.
I, HENRY EDMUNDS of 10 Hatton Garden in the City of London, Electrical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
W
My Invention has for its principal object to provide a system and means to be used
in the supply or distribution and control of electricity for lighting or other purposes
whereby a continuous service of electricity may be maintained over an extended area
to a number of distinct places with a minimum of producing or generating plant,
enabling a generating station to be utilized to its maximum capacity continuously
employing high pressure currents for the primary distributing circuit with secondary
local low pressure currents for domestic or interior work which secondary local
currents shall not at any time be in contact with the primary mains also effecting a
means of minimising the primary circuit pressure thereby reducing liability to
leakage, the secondary batteries or accumulators employed may be charged from the
main primary circuit independently of the local or discharging circuits and the
discharge of batteries be controlled at a fixed rate. This I effect by causing sets of
storage batteries situated at each house or place in the system to be one after the other
and at short intervals of time put into the charging circuit and removed from the
circuit of utilization and then again put into the circuit of utilization and removed from
the charging circuit so that the members of each set are stored at short intervals and are
never, whilst being stored in the same circuit as the circuits of utilization-By this
means I can employ a given pressure much more advantageously than is possible with
ordinary extensive systems whilst the pressure in the various circuits of utilization of
the system can be so low as to be free from danger to life. The storage according to
my system can be effected for a long period or continuously. For the sake of clearness
of explanation I refer to lighting but it will be evident that the currents supplied
can be utilized for any desired purpose to which they are applicable. In order to
regulate the current and prevent injurious. action whilst the changes of circuits are
being made I may arrange resistances to be put into the main supply circuit during
the changes of circuits I may effect the changes of circuits necessary to
fulfil the conditions of my system by means of a contact maker moved at short
intervals of time so as to change the contacts for say one battery at a

page_text: time and one battery after the other of each set of batteries so as to leave all but
this one battery in the circuit of utilization and this one battery in the charging
circuit. It is desirable in bouses or places where numbers of lights are used to provide
means which shall prevent the batteries from having an undue demand brought upon
them whilst it is undesirable that the rooms of a house shall be left in darkness when
such undue demand occurs. To overcome this 1 arrange a series of lights so that
there is say one in each room in a circuit separate from the circuit in which the other
lamps are situated so that these single lamps are left burning and the extinguishing of
lamps when undue demand is brought on the batteries is effected in the last named
circuit and one lamp at least is therefore always burning in each room whilst the
current is on- -When it is desired that a lamp shall be extinguished when another is
lighted and that this in turn shall be relighted when the second lamp is extinguished
I provide two branches of the circuit in which the second lamp cuts out the first lamp
so that the current being turned on to the second lamp does not pass through the first
lamp when however the second lamp is extinguished the current passes through the
first lamp again. When it is desired that lamps shall burn only for a given time and
then be automatically extinguished I provide a mercury contact or a contact operated
by a time keeper so that after the lapse of a predetermined time the mercury flows
down and breaks contact or the time keeper breaks the contact. To measure or
register the current I may use in connection with a time regulator such as that for
example which regulates the charging and discharging of the batteries as herein-
before described a solenoid in the line the core of which is connected to a cord passing
over a wheel and attached to a spring or weight and having a pointer moving over a
graduated scale-When the current passes the solenoid is pulled down into its coil
against the power of the spring or weight and operates the pointer. To register the
current the shaft of the aforesaid wheel may carry a ratchet wheel operated by a pawl
and acting on a counter-Each time the current through the circuit of utilization in
which the solenoid is included is interrupted the spring or weight pulls back the
solenoid core and the ratchet wheel will be moved round a distance equal to the
distance to which the core has been drawn by the current and the counter will be
operated in accordance with current used-The same shaft may carry a wheel which
is operated by the discharging and charging currents in one direction when the
current flows one way and in the other direction when the current flows the other
way. This wheel has a cord passing over it carrying two contact makers so that the
circuits for charging and discharging are completed or broken as required by reason
of the preponderance of movement of the wheel in one or other direction lowering
one or the other of the contact makers to make contact to put the battery in the
supply of current when required or to take it out when fully charged-It will be
evident that the foregoing devices can be modified without departing from the system
which is the main feature of my Invention. In order to divert the current from any
given portion of a circuit by operating at the place say where the current is generated
I arrange a commutator by which I can send the current in either one or the other
direction and I employ a polarized switch at the place where the change is to be made
the armature of which is moved one way or the other in accordance with the direction
of current through the polarized switch and this armature is utilized to make contacts
to change the circuits as required at any desired place.
In cases where variation of current locally is desired I may insert in the supply
main an electric motor operated thereby and generating a current for use locally these
machines I term motor-generators.
A
T
1005

page_text: tion and Control of Electricity for Lighting or other Purposes.
I HENRY EDMUNDS of 10 Hatton Garden in the City of London Electrical
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 :-
My invention has for its principal object to provide a system and means to be
used in the supply or distribution and control of electricity for lighting or other
purposes whereby a continuous source of electricity may be maintained over an
extended area to a number of distinct places with a minimum of producing or
generating plant enabling a generating station to be utilized to its maximum capacity
continuously employing high pressure currents for the primary distributing circuit
with secondary local low pressure circuits for domestic or interior work which
secondary local circuits shall not at any time be in contact with the primary mains ;
also effecting a means of minimizing the primary circuit pressure thereby reducing
liability to leakage. The secondary batteries or accumulators employed may by this
means be charged from the main primary circuit independently of the local or
discharging circuits and the discharge of batteries be controlled at a fixed rate.
I effect my purpose by causing storage batteries or cells or sets of storage batteries
or cells situated at each house or place in the system to be one after the other and at
short intervals of time put into the charging circuit and removed from the circuit of
utilization and then again put into the circuit of utilization and removed from the
charging circuit so that the members of each set are stored at short intervals and are
whilst being stored never in the circuit of utilization. By this means I can employ a
given pressure much more advantageously than is possible with ordinary extensive
systems whilst the pressure in the various circuits of utilization of the system can be
so low as to be free from danger to life. The storage according to my system can be
effected for a long period or continuously. For the sake of clearness of explanation
I refer to lighting but it will be evident that the currents supplied can be utilized for
any desired purpose to which they are applicable. That such a system may practi-
cally succeed and attain its object without inconvenience or danger the changes
should be effected without interrupting or short circuiting either the charging or
utilization current and without causing sudden variations of the pressure in the
utilization circuit and this can be secured by my invention. And in connection
with the attainment of this object in order to regulate the current and prevent
injurious action whilst the changes of circuits are being made I may arrange
resistances (such as wire electrolytic cells or motors or reverse flow of current) to be
put into the charging or main supply circuit during the changes of circuits. I may
effect the changes of circuits necessary to fulfil the conditions of my system by means
of a contact maker moved at short intervals of time so as to change the contacts for

page_text: say one section of a battery or one cell at a time and one battery or cell after the
other of each set of batteries or cells so as to leave all but this one battery or cell
in the circuit of utilization, and this one battery or cell in the charging circuit.
I will describe more particularly with reference to the accompanying diagrams a
manner in which my invention may be carried into effect.
I provide at any suitable station a dynamo or dynamos which I utilize for
generating current continuously or for definite periods of time sufficient for the
purposes required. This generating plant supplies the charging current (usually a
high pressure current) which traverses a main circuit which feeds or charges
storage batteries for furnishing local (usually low pressure) currents for domestic or
interior work. The batteries at each house or place are subdivided into sections
any one or more of these sections being capable of being independently charged
from the main circuit while the others or some of them are being discharged
locally. The batteries are however so arranged that any section while being
charged is at no time in electrical contact with those in the discharging cirenit.
For simplicity's sake I will describe the invention as applied to a battery of four
sections of which three are required to supply the utilization current while the other
is receiving energy from the charging main.
When such a battery requires charging a section of it is automatically included
in the main circuit and remains there for a predetermined time after which this
section is automatically removed from the charging main and included in the local
or discharging circuit.
In its turn each of the other sections is removed from the local circuit and included
in the charging main and so on continuously until all the sections of the battery
have received a full or predetermined charge when such battery is or may be discon-
nected from the charging main and if disconnected will remain so until it is desired
to further charge it.
In order to preserve the continuity of the charging circuit during the period which
elapses between the disconnection of any one section and before the next section is
included the main is closed through a resistance or bye path which has been
previously connected in multiple are with the section about to be removed but which
resistance is in turn removed after the next section of battery has been put in
multiple with it in the said main or charging circuit. Similarly in the battery itself
the section just charged is put in multiple with the section next about to be charged
prior to the latter being removed from the battery and being placed in the charging
main uniformity of pressure in the local battery being thus maintained and sudden
fluctuation of its electro motive force being prevented.
As the four sections of any group are each included in the charging main for equal
periods (but only one of the sections at any time being in the main the other three
being included in the local circuit) it may be assumed that in a period of say 24 hours
each section or fourth part receives the equivalent of 6 hours charge that is to say
that the four sections of any group receive a charge which enables a full dischargo
in the local circuit to be maintained for 8 hours of that time by the three sections
(three fourths of a group) which are at any instant in the local. In the same way in
the local circuit for any period of discharge say eight hours any one section is
discharging for only 4 of the hours (6 hours) since it is periodically removed from
the local circuit and put into the charging circuit for of the 8 hours (2 hours).
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating the nature and order of the
operations performed in transferring the sections of such a battery from the local to
the main and vice versa in the manner above described.
A B C and D represent sections of a battery each section consisting of any
convenient number of cells.
In Figure 1 Section A is shewn included in the charging circuit HH and
sections B and D included in the local or discharge circuit H.
Before disconnecting the Section A from the charging circuit a resistance Y is put
in parallel with it, as indicated in Figure 2, the Sections B C and D remaining in the
local circuit as before.

page_text: The Section A is now cut out of the charging main as indicated in Figure 3 all
the other conditions remaining as before.
Section A is then inserted in the battery in parallel with Section B (which is next
in turn for charging) as indicated in Figure 4, the other condition remaining as
before.
Section B is then taken out of the battery and left isolated as indicated in Figure 5,
the other conditions remaining as before.
Section B is then put in parallel with the resistance Y in the charging main as
indicated in Figure 6 the other condition remains as before.
The said resistance is then removed and the section B receives its charge and a
similar cycle to that already described with regard to Section A is thus commenced.
The process goes on and each of the sections continues to receive in turn its increment
of charge.
These changes are effected by any suitable mechanism for changing the circuits as
described (applied to each group of storage batteries). For example such mechanism
may consist of a rotating cylinder or drum on the periphery of which are contact makers
arranged to make connection between the charging main and the sections of the group
of secondary batteries and the resistance in the order described or I may use an
arrangement of commutator such as is illustrated in Figures 7 to 15 wherein cams
driven by a suitable timed motor and mechanism operate rocking levers to insert
contact makers between contact terminals belonging to each section of battery and to
the main and local circuits in the order necessary for effecting the connection and
disconnection of batteries as described with reference to Figures 1 to 6.
I will now
proceed to describe the arrangement with the aid of Figures 7 to 15.
Figure 7 is a front view of this apparatus. Figure 8 is one side view and Figure 9
is the other side view. Figures 10 to 15 shew diagrammatically various positions of
the moving parts during their cycle of operations.
As shown in the said Figures the positive and negative terminals of each battery
are cach connected to a separate contact strip-which is fixed to the base plate of the
machine. On each copper strip are four spring contacts, each arranged to make
contact with contact pieces on four vibrating levers A' B₁ CD. The four vibrating
levers each carry branches from both the positive and the negative of the main and
of the local conductors and are operated by cams rotated by the shaft 17 the order of
vibration of levers to give the changes illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 is
illustrated by the companion figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 wherein the positive
and negative strip terminals of the batteries A, B, C and D are indicated by the
letters a+b+c+d+ and a- bc respectively. The charging circuits
positive and negative are indicated by M+ and M- and the local positive and
negative connections by L+ and L-.
Suppose the section A be in the charging main, as in Figure 1, then the lever A' will
be in the position shewn in Figure 10 so as to complete the circuit through the
section A by means of the branches M+ and M - from the main which branches are
carried on the backs of that lever; (and similarly with the other levers). The
remaining sections are in communication with the local circuit through branches
of L+ and L- which also are carried on the back of this lever (and similarly with
the other levers). It is now desired to put a resistance in parallel in the main with
the section A as in Figure 2. To effect this, I employ a rocking lever and mercury
cups as shown at S (the mechanism by which the said rocking lever is operated is
hereinafter described).
This rocking lever is caused to assume a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 11
thus closing the circuit through the mercury cups y in which the resistance is included
which resistance is thus placed in parallel with the section A. (The resistance may
be a solenoid or coil of a magnet energized when the current is diverted from the
battery and caused to operate a device which may directly drive the contact making
mechanism or may coil a spring lift up a weight or otherwise store energy which
may afterwards be usefully employed in driving the contact making mechanism and
time keeper.) Now it is desired to cut the section A out of the main the resistance.

page_text: alone remaining therein as in Figure 3. This is effected by causing the dipping lever S
to assume the position shown in Figure 12 so that the circuit through y in which
the resistance is included remains closed, whilst the circuit from the main through
the section A is broken at z z.
The section B is next in turn for charging, and the lever B' will next be operated
to put the section A in parallel with B in the local circuit as in Figure 4 and in
Figure 13 it will be seen that the lever B¹ has been caused to make contact with its
spring contacts and the lever A¹ also maintains its position with the effect as illus-
trated, so that the terminals a+ and 6+ are in connection with the local circuit
through the branches thereof on the backs of levers A' and B' whilst the negative
terminals a and bare in connection with c+ the former (a) by means of a short
bridge wire, carried on the back of the lever B' and the latter (6-) by means of a
long connecting contact piece carried on the lever A³, thus the sections A and B are
in parallel in the local circuit as in Figure 4. The dipping lever S remains as in
Figure 12 so that only the resistance Y is in the main circuit.
In Figure 5 the section B is isolated. This is effected as in Figure 14 by withdrawing
the lever A¹ which leaves the section A in the local circuit. The connection beween
the sections A and C is made by the bridge wire on B¹ which has before been alluded
to. The dipping lever S remains as in Figure 12.
Figure 6 shews the section B put in parallel with the resistance in the charging
main and this result is arrived at by the dipping lever S assuming a horizontal position
(see Figure 15) when the main current flows to the batteries by way of z z and also
through the resistance Y by way of the mercury cupsy. The next operation consists
in withdrawing the resistance from the main. This is effected by causing the dipping
lever to assume the position shown in Figure 10. The section B will then receive its
charge and commence a similar cycle to that undergone by the section A being also
operated by the dipping lever S and by the levers B and C in a similar manner to
that in which the levers A and B¹ operated with regard to section A and from the
preceding description the similar operations of charging the sections C and D will be
readily understood.
With this particular disposition of regulator contacts in order to ensure that each
section of the groups of batteries shall receive equal charges it is evidently necessary
that after having charged sections A B C and D for equal periods of time instead of
going back immediately to C from D and charging it and A in the order named, and
so on whereby the groups D and A would only receive half the charge of their fellows I
cause D (or A) to remain for another period in connection with the charging circuit,
and thereby receive an equal charge. Thus it will be seen that the sections are
connected with the charging circuit in consecutive equal periods of time in the order
indicated by the arrangement of letters hereunder.
A, B, C, D, D, C, B, A, A, B, C, D, D, C, B, A,
and the battery which receives the last charge of one series of charges receives also the
first charge of the following series and therefore receives a charge during a period of
double the ordinary duration. Hence in a period of 24 hours each battery receives

page_text: the contacts the cam causing disconnection by forcing the said lever out from the con-
tacts against the pull of the spring 23. To ensure that the cams shall not make more
than an eighth of a revolution owing to the inertia of parts I provide a stop wheel 24
provided with a banking piece 25 which is held up by the rod 26 attached to the
armature 27 of the electro magnet 21. Immediately after the armature has in
descending commenced to rotate the shaft 17 the banking piece 25 is lowered on to
the periphery of the stop wheel 24 and so soon as the eighth of a revolution is completed
the banking piece 25 drops into a recess in the said stop wheel and prevents further
rotation. The armature 27 of the electro magnet is returned to its former position as
soon as the current therein ceases by the spring 28 I provide a piston attached to the
armature 27 by the rod 29 and working in a dashpot 30 to prevent too rapid a
stroke of the armature. The timing apparatus which at regular intervals operates
mechanism to send a current from the local circuit through the electro magnet 21 to
give a portion of a revolution to the shaft 17 consists of a closed drum 33 divided
radially into say six chambers by partitions 34.
In each partition are two openings each communicating with the adjacent chamber
one (35) near the inner circumference of the drum and the other (36) at about the
centre of the drum the function of these holes permits of a free circulation of the
contents of the drum.
Liquid is placed in the lower portion of the drum and a small sprocket wheel 37
is attached to the drum in which wheel lies an endless chain 38.
From this wheel the chain descends forming a sling in which lies a weighted
pulley 40 thence it is carried round another and larger sprocket wheel 39 on the
shaft 17 and the slack is carried down to such a level that it may have to ascend to
the small sprocket wheel 37 and thus have sufficient circumferential contact upon it.
The weighted pulley 40 rotates the drum 33 with the liquid within it until the
moment of the liquid about the centre on which the drum rotates is sufficient to
balance the turning moment induced by the weight then the liquid gradually trickles
through the holes 35 and by this redistribution of weight permits the weighted
pulley 40 to fall slowly and the drum to rotate slowly until the roller 41 on the end
of rod 42 falls into a recess 43 cut in a disc 44 attached firmly to the said drum.
The dipping lever S oscillates on a centre s and is weighted at 45. The rod 42 is
attached to this lever and as soon as the roller 41 enters the recess 43 the weight 45
causes the lever S to assume a position opposite to that which is shewn in Figure 9.
Thereby breaking the circuit of the charging main at z (see description of Figures 10
to 15) introduces (by the mercury cup y) a resistance as an alternative path for the
main and by the cups 46 closes a shunt from the local or charging circuit through
the electro magnet 21 operating the cam shaft 17 as hereinbefore described.
On the descent of this armature 27 the rod 31 comes into contact with the spring 32
and compresses it without operating the lever S which is upheld by a spring detent 48
and by the time that the rod 31 reaches a certain point the collar 47 by coming
into contact with the curved surface 49 forces out the detent 48 and permits the
oscillating lever S to return to the position indicated in Figure 9. cutting at 46 the
shunt from the local circuit through the electro magnet 21 (and permitting the
spring 28 to return the armiture 27 as hereinbefore described) and also cutting out
the resistance by breaking the circuit at y and remaking the main circuit through z.
Figures 16 and 17 are diagrams illustrating general arrangements according to
this invention F being the generating station G the dynamo and a b c d being local
instalations each having one of its sections a¹ b c d¹ included in the main circuit H.
In figure 16 c represents diagrammatically a station where the electric relation of the
cells forming a section is different during the period of charging and that of discharging
as hereinafter referred to.
The changes effected as hereinbefore described are very gradual and there is no
sudden fluctuation in the pressure when the changes in the discharge circuit take
place.
I have described my said Invention in the form in which a resistance is inserted as

page_text: bye-path during the period during which the process of changing the connections of
the sections of the battery is going on. This will generally be found to be the cheapest
arrangement and one that for practical purposes is sufficient. But it is evident that
instead of this resistance one might use an extra section of the battery which would
then have to be made with two sections more than were necessary to furnish the
pressure required in the utilization circuit. There would then at all times (except
during the moments when the changes of completion were taking place) be a section
which was connected neither with the charging nor discharging circuit and the cycle
would naturally be varied to suit this state of things, the simplest mode being, first, to
place this extra section in parallel with the section about to be charged then to
isolate the latter, then to place it in parallel with the section which has just been
charged, and then to isolate the latter so that it will be ready to be connected with the
battery at the next change.
I have also described the actuating mechanism of the periodic change of connections
as being driven by the charging circuit or the local battery. I consider that the
latter is decided by the most advantageous mode of actuation. But it is evident
that it is not essential that it should be electrically driven. If the circumstances are
such that there is no objection to the use of clockwork, the changes of connection
may be made at stated intervals by ordinary mechanism of that kind.
The above is a description of the general system, and the arrangement as described
is in itself sufficient to work efficiently, under favourable circumstances of regularity
of demand, but in order to render the system more capable of general use and guard
against contingencies, there are certain additional safe-guards which may advisedly
be introduced as follows:
First. An arrangement whereby during discharge the battery has each section
successively removed in the same manner as during charging. This is exceedingly
important in practice in order to keep the different sections of the battery in the
same electrical condition.
Secondly. An arrangement whereby charging ceases when the battery is sufficiently
charged.
Third. An arrangement whereby any section of the battery, when sufficiently
charged is cut off from further charge. This will seldom be requisite in practice
as provisions 1 and 2 will substantially prevent the need for it arising.
Fourth. An arrangement by which the batteries if disconnected from the charging
main should be reconnected so soon as the discharge from them becomes sufficiently
great to render further charging desirable.
Fifth. An arrangement by which when the batteries are separated from the charging
circuit they should be reconnected whenever from any cause their clectro-motive force
falls below a certain definite limit.
Sixth. An arrangement by which the discharge from the battery at any time should
not be permitted to exceed a certain definite limit.
Seventh. An arrangement by which when the electro motive force in the batteries
fall below a certain definite limit the discharge therefrom should be stopped or
restricted.
Eighth. An arrangement whereby the electrical connection inter se of the numbers
of a section may be changed so as to be different during the periods of charging and
discharging.
The above provision 1 is already provided for in the arrangement, just described if
the magnet 21 is placed in the local circuit and not in the charging circuit. It is
obvious that the magnet 21 might be replaced by any motor, the action of which was
controlled by a detent or equivalent mechanism since its operation is only to produce
a certain definite motion intermittently at fixed intervals.
The apparatus by which 1 accomplish the aforesaid provisions Nos. 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7
(for which I make no claim under this present patent, as it forms the subject matter
of an application for another patent) is as follows:
Referring now to Figure 18 in-the event of the breakage of the main circuit within]

page_text: the house (in H¹) or stoppage of or insufficient charging current at the Generating
Station the electro magnet Q will cease to be energized by reason of the stoppage of
the current and its armature Q will at once fall when a path for the charging current
external to the local installation will be provided (by H, Q3 H) thus guarding against
interruption of other work on the line and back discharge or short circuiting
of the section in the charging circuit will be prevented by the breaking of circuit
to Hat P which will be effected by the core 0³ being raised solely by the current
in 02.
Whenever the voltage of the local circuit of secondary batteries falls too low or if
too much current has been discharged from the batterics it is desirable that the local
circuit be interrupted and that such batteries be automatically placed in the charging
circuit and that as soon as such abnormal conditions cease to exist the discharging
circuit be resumed by the batteries. Further whenever a predetermined quantity of
current (say over 20 Amperes for example) is being discharged at any instant it is
desirable that the charging current be immediately put on to the batteries so that they
are at once replenished without waiting for a fall of voltage to take place as under the
ordinary conditions of discharge and in the event of a still greater current say over
80 Amperes being used at any moment I cause either intermittent fluctuation in the
lights or a reduction of the light by the insertion of a suitable resistance to induce
the user to cease the excessive demand. These operations I effect by means of a voltage
regulator and a local control magnet working in conjunction with one another in a
manner which I will now describe with reference to the said Figure 18.
1 is the voltage regulator consisting of an electro magnet 2 energised by a shunt 3
from the local circuit H2. This electro magnet operates 2 contact bridges 4 and 5
which make or break circuit through mercury cups as shewn. The circuit governed
by the bridge 4 is a circuit 6 from the battery through the fine wire solenoid O² of the
polarized switch and back to the battery and the circuit 7 governed by the bridge 5
passes from the battery as a fine wire coil round the upper core 8 of the local control
magnet 9 and thence to the battery. The local control magnet has another core 10
which forms a plunger in the mercury cup 11. The return wire of the local circuit H2
from the lamps to the battery is in connection with the mercury in cup 11 and when
the level of the mercury is lowered because of the raising of the plunger 10 either
by current in the solenoid in the circuit 7 or by excess of current in the solenoid 12
the local circuit is broken at 11 or it may be diverted through a controlling
resistance R.
In figure 18 the parts are shown in the position which they occupy when the
voltage of the batteries is at a maximum and the local circuit is in normal condition
the circuits 6 and 7 being broken.
If now it be assumed that as in the ordinary course of working a voltage of the
batteries has fallen the armature carrying bridges 4 and 5 will be lowered until the
bridge 4 completes the circuit through 6 the diminished current in the electro magnet
not being abnormally small and therefore preventing the bridge 5 falling further to
make the circuit through 7.
The current now passing through 6 traverses the fine wire coil O2 of the polarized
switch neutralizing the current in O and causing the armature 0 to fall thus causing
the charging current to enter the batteries and raise their voltage. Upon the voltage
reaching the higher limit the current in 2 is correspondingly raised and the bridge 4
is returned to its raised position and the current through the coil O2 is broken and the
armature 03 is raised by the coil O and the charging current no longer goes to the
batteries.
It is possible that the batteries may be drawn upon for an excessive period and at
such a rate that the charging current it not able to charge at a sufficient rate to check
the fall of voltage which would thus reach a much lower degree than that which has
just been considered whereupon in addition to the fall of the bridge 4 completing
circuit through 6 as before and putting batteries into charge the bridge 5 will fall to
make the circuit in 7 the effect being that the upper armature 8 of the local control
B

page_text: magnet is raised coming against the collar 13 raises also the lower armature 12 and
breaks the local circuit through the mercury cup 11 (or in place of breaking the
circuit the resistance R may be introduced if desired). As the voltage rises the
bridge 5 is first raised but the armature O2 of the polarized switch remains unaffected
and the charging current continues to flow into the batteries until a further rise of
voltage increases the current sufficiently to raise the bridge 4 so that circuit through 6
is broken and the polarized switch operated to cut off the charge.
Now to consider the operations in the case of a current of 20 amperes or more being
used at any instant in that case it is desired at once to commence to replenish the
batteries without interrupting the local circuit.
Such a current passing in the local circuit H2 through the coil 12 will raise the
armature 10, but not to a sufficient height to cause the mercury in cup 11 to break
the local circuit making circuit through the coil O2 of the polarized switch by means
of the mercury cup 14 and circuit 15 thereby turning the charging current into the
batteries until such time as a sufficiently high voltage is arrived at when the charge
will be shut off.
But if a still greater current be discharged (say 80 amperes) at any instant it
becomes necessary not only to put the charge on to batteries immediately as in the
previous case but also either to interrupt the local circuit or to insert a resistance
therein thus causing fluctuations in the lights with the object of inducing the user to
cease the excessive demand.
As in the previous case the current passing in the local circuit and through the
coil 12 will raise the armature 10 but to a higher position so that the local circuit
through 11 is broken and as before the charge is thrown in by the action of the
mercury cup 14 and circuit 15 as just described with reference to the use of a 20
ampere current.
If it be thought desirable to provide for the hereinbefore described provision No. 3
it can be done in a manner analogously to that in which No. 2 has been provided for
as just described but as it will render the arrangement more complicated and will
seldom in my opinion be required I do not think it necessary to describe it.
To measure or register the current I may cause a time regulator such for example
as that which regulates the rotation of the drum to include at given periods or intervals
in the circuit through which the current is passing a solenoid or electro magnet M
(Figure 19) causing the movement of an armature m over a distance proportionate to
the current at that time passing which armature may be connected by any convenient
means with a pawl and ratchet n or rack and pinion which is opposed to the movement
of the armature by a spring or weight o, n¹ being a milled ring, and n² a spring pawl
to prevent backlash-the movement being proportionate to the volume or strength of
the current passing at the time when the solenoid or magnet is included in the circuit.
Thus by means of gearing a shaft n may receive rotation proportionate to such
movement which shaft or wheel may be connected with a counter indicating on a dial
or dials as at N thereby registering the sum of such movements between any periods
of observation.
The movement of an armature placed as m will evidently vary with the work it is
indicating so that by means of two solenoids M¹ M² (see figure 20) the former on the
charging and the latter on the discharging circuit I may cause the rotation of
two shafts in the same direction but each acted on independently by means of its own
armature passing over pulleys mounted on these shafts may be an endless chain or
cord p supporting between them a weighted pulley p₁ which weighted pulley will
remain in the same position should the rotation of both shafts be equal as may be
made to be the case when the charging and discharging currents are such as to
balance one another in respect of the energy communicated and drawn from the
battery. With such an arrangement the weight would either descend or ascend, (as
might be arranged) when the charging current predominated.
Contacts arranged so that when the predominance of the charging current over the
discharging current has been of so long continuance as to take the weighted pulley

page_text: up (or down as may be arranged) to a certain level the charging is cut off and on the
other hand if the discharging current has so preponderated as to take the weighted
pulley to the opposite extremity of its path, the local circuit is opened or resistance
thrown therein to stop or check the discharge from the batteries. This is one method
of securing the regulation hereinbefore referred to in No. 2.
It may be desirable to provide means by which the generating plant may work the
installations situated along the charging main in two sections instead of all at one time.
This may be done by means of a reversal of the current in the charging main but in
that case it is necessary to protect each installation by a polarized switch which will
cut off the installation when a current is passing through the charging main in a
contrary direction to that which is suited to its battery.
The construction and operation of the polarized switch is illustrated in figure 18.
The said polarized switch consists of two solenoids one marked O being
a wire in
sufficient turns and of sufficient area to carry easily the current of the charging
main H H and the other marked 02 being a fine wire shunt of high resistance to take
a small portion of the current from the sections of a battery in the local circuit H2.
This latter high resistance coil surrounds an armature 03 capable of being magnetised
and whose polarity is determined by the direction of flow of current from the local
battery through this fine wire coil, and the armature alters by displacement the height
at which the mercury in a vessel P is situated so that it may make or break circuit
through the section of the battery in the charging main. When such circuit is broken
owing to the rise of the core 0³ an alternative path for the main current is provided
through the core 0³ and the mercury contact cup 04 and wire H³ to the main.
This polarized switch also has the effect of preventing back discharge from the
batteries in the event of stoppage of the dynamos at the generating station.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I make
no claim to any arrangement wherein duplicato sets of batteries are used which are
alternately put into and removed from the charging and discharging circuits according
to the state of charge of the same but what I do claim is.
First. In a system for charging and discharging Secondary batteries or Electrical
accumulators the use of means whereby (without the employment of duplicate sets of
batteries) the batteries which supply Electricity to the discharge mains are
automatically put into connection with the charging and discharging mains in sections
at stated intervals of time in such a manner that (1) no portion of the battery is in
connection with both the charging and discharging circuits, at one time (2) the
charging circuit is never broken (3) the discharging circuit is never interrupted nor
the pressure therein made to fluctuate nor any portion of the batteries short circuited
even momentarily during the process.
Secondly. I claim in an Electricity distributor working under the conditions
mentioned in claim I. the combinations of a contact maker or commutator with time
keeper for periodically effecting changes in the circuit of a battery of Secondary cells
or accumulators divided into sections or groups enabling them in turn to receive or
discharge current in connection with an automatic device for controlling the amount
of current, the battery may so receive a discharge combined with a connecting
mechanism which registers the number of such changes as may be required for
metering purposes.
Third. In a System for charging and discharging Secondary Batteries, the
employment of means substantially as herein described and illustrated in figures 7, 8, 9,
for regulating the charging and discharging of the batteries so as to maintain uniform
pressure in the discharging circuit.
Fourth. The mode of effecting the transference of batteries to and from the charging
and discharging circuits represented by the cycle of operations delineated in
Figures 1 to 6.
Fifth. The mode of effecting the transference of batteries to and from the charging

page_text: and discharging circuits by the use of resistance or extra batteries which are introduced
during the process of changing substantially as herein described.
Sixth. A meter for measuring electrical supply or discharge constructed substantially
as herein described and illustrated with reference to figure 19.
Seventh. An apparatus for preventing over-charge or over-discharge of Secondary
Batteries and generally for indicating and controlling differentially the action of two
electrical currents substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to
figure 20.
Eighth. The general arrangement and combination of Electric circuits and devices
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings
and diagrams, constituting a System of Electrical distribution, or part of such a
System substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.