AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAPID COMBUSTION OR DESTRUCTION OF THE ELECTRODES USED IN ELECTRIC LIGHTING
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Remington at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th January 1879.
GEORGE REMINGTON, of Shepherd's Bush, in the County of Middlesex. "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAPID COMBUSTION OR
DESTRUCTION OF THE ELECTRODES USED IN ELECTRIC LIGHTING."
My Invention relates to an improved method of preventing the rapid combustion
or destruction of the carbons or electrodes used in electric lighting, and to apparatus
therefor.
One feature of the said Invention consists in causing the electric light to be
developed within an atmosphere in which there is no oxygen or only a very
minute proportion thereof; that is to say, I surround the electrodes with this
atmosphere in such a manner that no oxygen or only a very minute proportion
thereof can reach them, and consequently they are protected from its destructive
effects.
The said Invention also comprises the use of water or other liquid or steam as a
medium with which to surround the electrodes, this medium acting to maintain
the temperature of the said electrodes below the degree at which combustion would
take place, thus preserving the electrodes in this manner from rapid destruction.
My Invention is applicable to all kinds of electric lamps wherein electrodes are
employed which are exposed to the destructive effects of oxygen, whatever may be
the means used for arranging, adjusting, or regulating the said electrodes.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, I construct the globe or other object
within which the electric light is to be developed in such a manner that it will be
perfectly air-tight, and I provide it with apertures and connexions, as bereinafter
described. The said globe or other object may be placed in any convenient
position as desired; it may be suspended from above or from one side, or it may be
supported upon a stand or pedestal, and I make the said supports hollow in order
that they may convey gas or other fluid to the interior of the globe within which
the electrodes are placed, or the gas or other fluids employed may be conveyed
through independent pipes. Through the passages thus provided I introduce
within the said globe, hydrogen, carburetted hydrogen, or the mixture of gases
commonly known as coal-gas; or I may employ for this purpose the said coal-gas
after the same has been subjected to a red heat so as to remove a portion of its
combined carbon; or I may, use any or either of the following gases or vapours,
that is to say, the gas or mixture of gases made by passing steam over red hot

page_text: carbon (sometimes called water-gas), or light carburetted hydrogen (commonly
called marsh-gas), or carbonic oxide, or the gas or mixture of gases made by
passing atmospheric air over red hot carbon, or atmospheric air deprived of its
oxygen by burning therein phosphorus iron or any other combustible substance,
making a non-volatile compound with the oxygen of the said air, or by exposing said
air to the action of a liquid or solid which enters into combination with or absorbs
oxygen at ordinary temperatures, or carbonic acid (also called carbonic anhydride),
or cyanogen, or nitrogen (also called azote), or ammonia (also called volatile alkali),
or sulphurous acid (also called sulphurous anhydride), or hydrochloric acid, or the
gas or residual gases resulting from the burning of coal-gas or the hydrogen gas,
inarsh-gas, or any of the gases containing hydrogen or carbon, or both, in atmos-
pheric air or oxygen, or I may employ any suitable combination of the above.
When employing some of the gases above nained, I connect with the globe or
other object an elastic or expansible reservoir capable of accommodating itself to the
variations of pressure of the gas inside the lamp or globe, caused by the heating
and cooling of the said gas by the action of the light external temperature or
otherwise, or by its expansion by reason of the decomposing power of the electric
current.
When using coal-gas for the purpose of my said Invention, I prefer to provide an
ordinary "argand" burner immediately below the globe, the support or supports
of the latter being connected with the supply-pipo. I provide an outlet at the
upper part of the globe, which outlet is furnished with a gas burner. The jet of
gas issuing therefrom burns whilst the electric light is being developed, and causes
a current of gas to pass continually through the globe, thus excluding atmospheric
air from the latter, and consequently preserving an even regular atmosphere and
preventing any oxygen gas from coming in contact with the carbons or electrodes.
This arrangement also avoids risk of explosion. I provide the upper and lower
portions of the globe or other object within which the electric light is developed
with parts which are removable in order to facilitate the cleaning of the said globo
or other object. These parts may be furnished with screw-threads, so as to be
adjustable by screwing.
Both negative and positive wires and electrodes may enter at the bottom of the
globe or at the top or sides, and the inlet and the outlet for the gas may be arranged
in a similar manner and through one or more apertures.
All contact surfaces of glass and metal are made air and water tight with white
or red lead, or otherwise.
When making use of water or other liquid or steam instead of gas as the medium
to surround the electrodes, the means employed for the entry and oxit thereof to
and from the globe will be somewhat modified in a manner that will be readily
understood.
I provide in connection with the globe or lamp a generator for producing the gas
required, and which is constructed to provide a constant streain of the said gas.
I may dispense with this generator when employing coal gas, as the latter may be
supplied direct from the ordinary gas supply pipes.
My said Invention may be readily adapted to existing gas-fittings, whether in
buildings or otherwise.