Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Switching On and Off Electric Currents for Electric Lighting and other suitable purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Switching On and
Off Electric Currents for Electric Lighting and other suitable
purposes.
We, ARTHUR BALLANCE of 14 Ferries Street, Hedon Road, Electrical Engineer,
and CECIL EDWARD ARTHUR FITZ MAURICE of 1 Cavendish Square, Margaret
Street, Electrical Engineer, both in Hull in the County of York, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to construct a simple contrivance for the purpose
of switching off and on electric currents automatically, so that householders, trades-
people and the like, where using the electric light, can by the employment of our
invention, have the current switched on or off at any predetermined time, it can also
be employed for shunting currents from circuit to circuit in connection with the
measuring instruments, so that when fixed in houses or the like, the users of the
light can have connection made and broken at any desired time for the purpose
of shunting the current from the higher priced to the lower priced meter, where
two different priced meters are employed.
For the purpose of our invention we employ any ordinary construction of clock
to the face of which we fit contact pins. We connect an electro magnet to the
elock by means of two circuit wires, the current for energizing the electro magnet
being conveyed through such wires. The armature acting in conjunction with the
electro magnet is attached to a suitable spring fixed preferably above the said
electro magnet, such armature has a lip upon it. A switch lever movable either
up or down in guides, and having a projection or arm upon it, is employed, such
arm rests upon the lip of the aforesaid armature, the said switch lever has a spiral
spring connected to it for the purpose of drawing it down when released by the
armature, or a weight may be employed for the same purpose, the top of the lever is.
preferably Tshaped, when the arm rests upon the lip of the armature, the T top is
in contact with the circuit connections.
When the electro magnet is energized by a platinum or suitable pin on the hour
hand of the clock coming in contact with a suitable contact pin on the clock face,
which closes circuit from either battery or street mains, the armature is attracted
to the electro magnet, the arm of the switch lever is released by the lip of the
armature and the switch lever drops, breaking contact, opening one circuit and
closing another, for the purpose of switching off the arc light and switching on the
incandescent.
For the purpose of bringing the switch lever back into its original position we
atach to the switch lever a second arm, this arm works in a bearing and is connected
at its opposite end to the core of a solenoid which in turn is connected to the clock
and also to a plug connecting board, when the switch lever is required to be
brought back to its place, a plug is inserted in the plug board, when the hand of
the clock comes round to the time set for the clock to operate, the solenoid is
energized and lifts the lever back into its original position.
In place of studs passing through the clock face for making contact, we may
employ a cam or eccentric attached to the hands and turning with them, a lever
having a bent end rests on the cam or the like, which has a sudden break made by
cutting into it at its widest part, as the cam works around with the hands, the
lever rests on it, the bent end downwards, at the desired time the point of the

page_text: lever drops into the break in the cam and contact is made, the armature is attracted
towards the magnet, and the switch lever drops as before described.
In place of employing one electric magnet and one solenoid, we may employ
preferably two ironclad solenoids between which we place a pivotted switch bar which
is connected to the cores of the solenoids by chains, wires or the like, contact
points are fixed at suitable distances on each side of the switchbar which has a
block at its top end, as either of the solenoids are energized the switchbar is drawn
one way or the other, the blocks on the switch bar come in contact with the contact
points, and the circuits are opened and closed as required.
The switch-bar can be held in an intermediate position by simple mechanical
means.
This principle can be applied to many mechanical uses such as feeding horses,
opening doors and many other purposes at predetermined times.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of March 1895.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.
COMT DIE DIMOITIATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Switching On and
Off Electric Currents for Electric Lighting and other suitable
purposes. ⚫
We ARTHUR BALLANCE of 14 Ferries Street, Hedon Road, Electrical Engineer,
and CECIL EDWARD ARTHUR FITZ MAURICE of 1 Cavendish Square, Margaret
Street Electrical Engineer, both in Hull, in the County of York, 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 object of our invention is to construct a simple contrivance for the purpose
of switching on and off electric currents automatically by means of a clock, or by an
electric push button, so that householders, tradespeople and the like where using the
electric light can by the employment of our invention, have current switched on or
off at any predetermined time, or by pressing an electric button; it can also be
employed for shunting currents from circuit to circuit in connection with measuring
instruments or the like, so that when fixed in houses or the like, the users of the
light can have connection made and broken at any desired time for the purpose
of shunting the current from the higher priced, to the lower priced meter, where two
different priced meters are employed.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of our improved electric switch for automatically
switching on and off electric currents, being actuated by a clock.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a modification of our electric switch, actuated by
means of an ordinary alarm clock, the switchbar being replaced by hand.
Fig. 3 shows a modification in elevation of our improved switch, having two
solenoids end to end operated by means of a clock.
Fig. 3 shows view of switch operated by a push button, and showing connections.
Fig. 4 is a view of Fig. 3 looking at bottom end.
For the purpose of our invention (see Fig. 1) we employ any ordinary construction
of clock A to the face of which we fit contact pins B. We connect an electro
magnet C to the clock A by means of circuit wires D. D. the current for energizing
the electro magnet C. being conveyed through such wires. The armature E acting
in conjunction with the electro magnet C, is attached to a suitable spring F, fixed
.

page_text: preferably above the said electro magnet C, such armature has a lip upon it.
A switch lever G. movable either up or down in guides G₁ and G2, and having a
projection or arm H. upon it is employed, such arm rests upon the lip of the aforesaid
armature; the said switch lever G. has a spiral spring J, connected to it for the
purpose of drawing it down when released by the armature E, or a weight may
be employed for effecting the same purpose.
The top of the lever G is preferably T shaped, when the arm H rests upon the lip
of the armature E the T top in contact with the circuit connections or switch
contacts K. K.
A platinum or suitable pin is fitted preferably to the underside of the hour hand
of the clock; when this pin comes in contact with a suitable contact pin B, on the
clock face, it closes the circuit from the battery or street mains L, whichever is used.
the armature E, is attracted to the electro magnet C, the arm H, of the switch lever G
is released by the lip of the armature and the switch lever G drops, breaking contact
and opening the circuit. For the purpose of bringing the switch lever G back into
its original position we attach to the said switch lever a second arm M this
arm works in a bearing or on a pivot and is connected at its opposite end to the
core N of a solenoid O which in turn is connected to the clock A and also to a
plug connecting board P shown at the side, the electro magnet ( is also connected
to a plug connecting board P¹ also at the side, when the switch lever is require to
be brought back to its place, a plug Q, having been inserted in the plug board in
the hole representing the required time, when the hour hand of the clock conies
round to the time set for the clock to operate, the solenoid 0 is energized and lift
the lever G back into its original position, contact being broken immediately the
lever leaves the contact points R. R' after momentary energization.
The armature E is steadied by means of a spring S which keeps it from excessive
vibration, so as to ensure the lip ou the armature engaging with the arm H, on
the switch lever.
The modification shown at Fig. 2 is similar in construction, but instead of using
contact pins on the clock face, an ordinary alarm clock A is employed an insulated
pin B being fitted in the alarm or bell, as the alarm goes off at the time for which
it is set the hammer hits the insulated pin which makes contact. Instead of the
switch lever G, being brought back automatically it is replaced by hand by means of
the knob or handle T at the bottom.
In place of employing one electro magnet and one solenoid we may employ
preferably two solenoids 0.0¹ (see Figs. 3 and 4) between which we place a pivotted
switch bar G which is connected by a pivot or the like M to the core N of the
solenoids O. O¹, such core being preferably common to both solenoids, switch
contacts K K are fixed at suitable distances on each side of the switchbar G, as each
of the solenoids O. O are energized the switch bar G is drawn one way or the
other and comes in contact with the contact points K. K. and the circuits are opened
or closed as required.
The plug boards P and P₁ are suitably divided into the desired number of
blocks P2 P3, equal to the number of contact points B on the clock face, the bottom
parts P. P are common to the whole row of blocks above each of them.
By means of the plug Q being inserted in any plug hole representing a certain
time there is a closed path of current when the clock comes to that time.
The action is as follows:-The plug Q having been inserted in a hole in the plu
board thus connects the top block P2 with the bottom block P, or P³ with Pi
whichever side it is inserted on the plug in this case is inserted in the plug hole on th
left touching the top block representing 9 o'clock, the plug Q being inserted the
switch lever G is in contact with the contact points K K on the right, the path
of the current is from a point D' on a wire running from the main circuit through
to the body of the clock, thence to the platinum pin on the underside of the
hour hand to insulated pin B on clock face, through wire D2 across plug and
metal bar P through wire D round solenoid O through wire Do completing the
circuit at top contact K on the right. Thus energizing the solenoid on th

page_text: left which draws the bar over, breaking circuit on the right and closing it on the
left; if a plug is inserted in a division in the plug board on the right for any
desired time the switch lever would be drawn over to the right at that time when
the hour hand came in contact with the contact pin on the clock face representing
that time as shown at 5 o'clock on the right hand side.
The wires D³ are the corresponding wires to D2, and are connected to the plug
board on the right hand side. The wires D4 and D³ are circuit wires from the
main feeding the lamps D and D and D" connecting wire from solenoid O¹ to
top switch contact K on left, correspond to wire D¹º.
In place of employing the clock and plug bord we may employ a push button or
the like, in this case the various wires running from the clock face would be dispensed
with, the push being connected to the wire D at point D' and to the wire D³ on the
left, and D and D on the right, or for the operation of a push button see Fig. 3
contacts 0 and 03 may be fitted at the outer end of each solenoid so that the ends
of the core would come in contact with them as they reciprocate within the solenoids,
for the purpose of cutting out solenoid after momentary energization.
The cores N N of the solenoids O and O are made longer in this case so that
they engage the projections 02 and 03 as the bar is hauled over, leaving one an
engaging the other.
The path of the current is as follows:-With the switch lever G on left
contacts KK, on the push L' being pressed it would be from the point D¹ over L'
to contacts 02 through wire D³, solenoid O₁,,through wire D5 back to the point
marked minus. The action is as follows:-On push L¹ being pressed the core being
in contact with the contact points 02, the circuit is closed through the above paths,
energizing the solenoid O₁ on the right, sucking in the core N, hauling over the
switch lever G to contacts K K on right, opening circuit lamp D and closing circuit
lamp D', the instant the core N leaves the contacts 02 the circuit is at once opened
the reverse action takes place on L2 being pressed with the switch bar G in contact
with K K on the right. On push L² being pressed the core being in contact with
the contact points O³, the circuit is closed in O sucking in the core N, hauling
over the switch lever G to contacts K K on left, opening circuit lamp D' and
closing De, the instant the core N leaves the contacts 03 the circuit is at once
opened hence the solenoids are only energized momentarily.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In combination with the main circuit the employment of a pair of solenoids 0.0',
having reciprocating core N, contact points K. K. K. K. pivotted switch bar G, plug
boards P. P1, P2, P³, plug Q, clock A with contact points B on its face, and pin on
underside of hour hand, the whole operated by circuit wires, in the manner and for
the purposes substantially as shown and described. See Fig. 3.
2. In combination with the main circuit the employment of a pair of solenoids 0 0,
having reciprocating core N, contact points K. K. K. K. pivotted switch bar G,
projections 02 and 03 at the extremities of each solenoid, operate. by means of
circuit wires connected to the main circuit and push button or the like in the
manner and for the purposes substantially as shown and described. See Fig. 34.
3. In combination with main circuit the employment of a clock A fitted with
insulated contact points B. platinum point on underside of hour hand, electro
magnet C, armature E, with lip E' upon it, switch lever G. working in guides G¹
and G2, and having projection H, spiral spring J, spring S, contact points K. K.
lever arm M connected to core N of solenoid 0, contacts R. R₁ for receiving
bottom end of switch lever G, circuit wires D, plug boards P. P and plugs Q. Q
in the manner and for the purposes substantially as shown and described.
4. In combination with the main circuit the employment of an alarm clock A
having insulated pin B fitted to alarm, electro magnet C, armature E with lips
upon it, switch lever G, with projection H upon it, working in guides. G¹, G²,

page_text: spring S, contacts K, spiral spring J and knob or handle T in the manner and for the
purposes substantially as shown and described
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of December 1895
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.