Year: 1886

page_text: I; HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 relates to electric lamps of that class in which the arc is
maintained between the peripheries of two discs composed of carbon or other
suitable material.
The invention consists essentially in the means employed for separating the
discs in order to establish the arc, and for subsequently rotating the discs in
proportion as they turn away at their edges..
The discs are supported on shafts having bearings in frames having a move-
ment by which the said discs are caused to approach or to recede from one another,
their bearing. frames being connected by a suitable connection so that both move
together.
The carbon carrying shafts are provided with gear wheels meshing together, SO
that the rotary movement of one causes a rotary movement of the other, the gear
wheel being preferably so proportioned that one disc turns about twice as fast as
the other, or in proportion as its combustion is more rapid.
t
One or both of the carbon supporting frames is or are connected with the
armature or core of an electric magnet or solenoid in the main circuit; which,
when energized, operates upon the frame to separate the carbon discs and thus
establish the are botween them, the said discs being normally kept in contact with
one another, while no current is flowing, by the retractor of the said armature
or core.
The carbons are rotated by an electro-motor which is supported on and movable
with one of the bearing frames, and may be constructed in various ways, several
of which are illustrated, it being actuated wholly or in part by a portion of the
current flowing through a shunt or derived circuit around the arc.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of an electric lamp embodying this invention, one.
of the carbon discs and its supporting shaft and the mechanism controlling the
movement of the discs being shown in elevation.
t

page_text: Figure 2 is a plan view of a lamp with the top of the case removed, showing the
mechanism controlling the movements of the carbon discs.
Figure 3 is a diagram representing a modification to be described.
Figure 4 is a detail showing in side elevation the electro magnet and a portion
of the mechanism for producing the rotary movement of the carbon discs.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of a lamp showing a modification of the devices
controlling the movement and position of the carbon discs.
Figure 6 is a plan view of a portion of the devices shown in Figure 5.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are details showing modifications to be referred to.
The mechanism controlling the movements of the carbon is enclosed in the
case A, A¹, composed of upper and lower plates connected by suitable posts A³, and
the carbon discs or electrodes a, a¹, are supported upon shafts b, b', extending
through the plate A, substantially at right angles thereto, so that the discs are in a
plane parallel with the said plate A, and the arc is formed at a point wholly below
the lamp mechanism and its enclosing case.
The said shafts b, b', have their bearings in frames c, c, shown in figures 1, 2,
and 3 as pivotted at c³ on an axis parallel with the shafts b, b¹ so that the said
frames turn in a plane parallel with the carbon discs to cause the latter to approach
or withdraw from one another by a movement of the shafts b, b¹, which are at all
times retained parallel with one another, or at a substantially constant angle if
it is preferred to mount them in a slightly inclined position in the frames c, c¹.
The shafts b, b¹ pass through slots or openings A³ in the plate A to accommodate
their bodily movement with relation to one another and to the said plate or frame
work of the lamp.
The shafts b, b¹ are provided with gears e, e¹ connected by intermediates e³, e³ et
with a gear f concentric with the axis c³ on which the frames c, c¹ are pivotted, so
that by rotating any one of the gears a corresponding rotary movement will be
imparted to both of the shafts b, 61, and the carbon discs supported thereon. The
train of gearing between the gears e e¹ connected with the respective carbon shafts
is shown as so proportioned that one turns with double the speed of the other
which is about the proportion of the consumption of the said discs when the
current traverses the arc continuously in the same direction.
The bodily movement of the discs with relation to one another is produced as
shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 by a toggle lever g, g¹ having its ends connected with
the said frames and its joint connected by a link g with the movable core or
armature g³ of the magnet g which. is included in the main circuit with the arc
and provided with a retractor, shown as a spring 9' acting on the toggle lever with
a tendency to draw the frames and carbons together, so that the said carbons will
be normally in contact when no current is flowing, as is required for the establish-
ment of the arc. When the current begins to flow the magnet (g' will be
energized, causing it to attract its armature g³ and through the toggle lever to
separate the carbons until the attractive force of the magnet is brought by the
increased resistance of the arc into equilibrium with its retractor, which takes
place, when the arc is of normal length, in the usual manner.
If there is to be but a single lamp in the circuit the magnet 9* in the main
circuit will be sufficient to control the length of the arc, but if the lamp is to be
one of a series the magnet g may be differential, having a coil in a shunt circuit
around the arc, or may be used in conjunction with a separate shunt magnet acting
in the opposite direction on the toggle lever, or may be wholly in the shunt, in
which case it will be arranged to draw the frames together by its attractive force
instead of drawing them apart as herein shown.
All these different devices are well known and require no special illustration.
In other words the movement of the joint of the toggle lever for controlling the
length of the arc is analogous to that of the clutch in lamps in which the arc is
maintained between pencils placed end to end, and any of the devices for con-
trolling the movement of a clutch might be used for controlling the movement of
the toggle joint and of the carbon discs a, a¹, with relation to one another.
:

page_text: Figure 3 represents an arrangement which may be used when the lamps are to
burn in series. As shown in this figure the magnet g' that operates to separate
the carbons and establish the arc is differential having a coil of coarse wire in the
main circuit with carbons, and a coil g¹s of fine wire in a shunt around the carbons,
and said magnet is placed above the frames c, c¹ of the carbon carrying shafts. The
devices for rotating the carbons are omitted in this Figure as they may be exactly
the same as shown in the other Figures.
The rotary movement of the carbon discs to present new portions of their
peripheries at the arc as they burn away is produced by an electro motor shown
in Figures 1, 2 and 4 as consisting of a magnet h supported on one of the
frames c, c' and having its armature h' connected with a pawl carrying arm h³ see
Figure 4 which turns loosely on a shaft provided with a ratchet h³ engaged by
the pawl ho of the pawl carrier h, so that it is rotated by the movement of the
armature or core ¹ towards the magnet. The shaft h is provided with a worm h
meshing with a worm gear wheel h³ connected to rotate with the gear f and thus
causing the latter through the intermediate gearing to turn the shafts b; b¹ and
carbon discs thereon.
The magnet h is placed in a shunt around the arc and is consequently more
strongly magnetized as the arc lengthens by the burning away of the edges of the
discs and thus turns the discs to present a new part at the are, which turning will
tend to shorten the are and weaken the magnet h so that its armature will be
retracted ready for the next turning or rotary feeding movement.
The lamp is provided with a reflector i which is substantially conical in shape,
although its sides may be slightly concave if desired, the base of the reflector
coinciding with the lower plate A of the lamp frame, and its apex being just over
the arc so that the light which passes upward towards the lamp case and would
naturally be absorbed thereby is reflected laterally and downward, increasing the
useful illuminating power of the lamp.
A magnet pole m is placed just over the are in such position as to deflect and
lengthen the same and increase its illuminating power. This magnet is shown in
Figure 1 as a stationary core of the magnet g which controls the bodily movement
of the carbons towards and from one another but it is obvious that an independent
magnet might be used for this purpose in which case a switch might be used to cut
it out of circuit if desired as shown at S Figure 3.
The circuit of the lamp is as follows:-the main line L is connected by binding
post n with the frame-work of the lamp which is connected with one terminal of
the magnet 9, the other terminal of which is connected by wire 3 with a binding
post n having springs n which bear on the lower part of the carbon shaft b which
is insulated from the frame-work of the lamp as will be described. From the
brush or contact spring n the circuit is continued through the shaft b and the
carbons a, a¹, and the arc to the shaft b¹ which is connected with a similar brush n³
and binding-post n insulated from the frame-work of the lamp from which the
main circuit is continued, as indicated at L¹.
The portion of the carbon carrying shafts that are connected with the gears e, e¹
are provided with a shoulder as shown at 62 which engages a sleeve b³ of
insulating material having an external shoulder to receive one end of a tube 6* of
metal the other end of which is engaged by a nut 65 of insulating material screwed
upon the end of the main part of the shaft that is connected with the gear e thus
insulating the said tube b from the said shaft. A head b is screwed upon the
nut 6 in electrical connection with the tube b' and to this head the carbon disc is
secured by a suitable nut 67 thus placing said carbon disc in electrical connection
with the tube b' and springs n², n³ bearing thereon but insulating it from the
frame-work of the lamp.
The magnet h is in circuit, 5, 6 between the binding-posts n³, nt, and thus forms
à shunt around the arc.
The carbons may be enclosed in a class globe oF COVAL having its mouth or

page_text: will be seen that there is nothing below the arc to impede the passage of light
downward or to cast a shadow below the lamp.
As shown in Figures 5 to 9 the bearing-frames c, c, for the carbon shafts are
pivotted in brackets A5 on the frame-plate A, so that they turn on an axis at right
angles to that of the carbon shafts and the carbons move towards and from one
another with a swinging or pendulum-like movement.
The frames c, c¹, as shown in Figure 5 are connected by a link attached to
said frames at opposite sides of their pivotal points respectively so that the pivotal
movement of one of said frames as c¹ in one direction causes a corresponding
pivotal movement of the other frame in the opposite direction, by which the
carbons g, gl, are caused to approach or recede from one another simultaneously.
Instead of the links c, gears c20, such as shown in Figure 9 might be used to
transmit the rocking movement from one to the other of the frames c, c¹.
The frame c¹ has rigidly attached to it an arm c³ connected with the armature
or core g³ of an electric magnet or solenoid g included in the main circuit, the
said armature or core being acted upon by a spring 90 tending to move the core
away from the magnet and to thus move the connected frames c, c² in the direction
to bring the discs a, a¹, together, the said discs normally being in contact with one
another, as shown in Figure 5 when no current is flowing..
The electro-motor for turning the discs, as shown in Figure 5, consists of two
magnets or solenoid 10, 12, the former in the main circuit with the carbons, and
the latter in a shunt around the carbons, and arc. The said magnets or solenoids
act respectively on armatures or cores h¹³, h, mechanically connected together by
a rod of non-magnetic material, the attraction of the magnets h¹º, h¹³, tending
to move the said armatures h¹³, 14, in opposite directions and producing such
movement from time to time according as the relative strength of said magnets varies.
The armatures h¹³, h¹, are connected by a link or connecting-piece 16, with a
yoke 20, see Figure 6 mounted to turn freely upon the carbon-carrying shaft b
above the gear wheel e which is fixed on said shaft. The said gear wheel has a
flange e between which and the central or hub portion of the yoke r is placed
a dog ho, see Figure 6 bearing at one end in a notch " in the yoke ho, at a point
slightly one side of a radial line from the axis of the shaft to the point of contact
with the flange e20, so that as the yoke h20 turns in the direction of the arrow h"
when the armatures h¹³, 14, are moved by the magnet ¹³ prevailing over the
magnet 10, the dog ho will first be pressed into contact with the flange e taking
hold thereof frictionally so that in the further movement of the said yoke the
wheel e and shaft b will also be turned.
A retaining dog u placed in an inclined position between a stationary projection u¹
on the frame c and the flange eo and acted upon by a spring u³ will engage the
flange and prevent rotation thereof in the opposite direction to that in which it
is moved by the yoke h and dog 160.
A spring 70 connected with the yoke h" tends to keep the dog 100 in contact
with the flange e20 and causes the said dog to accompany the yoke h⁰ in its
return movement, in the direction opposite to the arrow h².
A stop h¹ connected with dog h60 limits, by its engagement with the frame c,
the backward movement of said dog, and a stop limits the backward movement
of the yoke h.
.
The gear e meshes directly with the gear e¹ connected with the shaft b¹ carrying
the other carbon. The solenoids 910, and h¹0 are in the main circuit with the arc;
and the solenoid ¹ is of fine wire and high resistance, and it is in the shunt
around the arc. In operation when the current begins to flow, the magneta g¹º,
and 10 will be strongly energized and the former will attract its armature gs⁰ and
through the arm c³ and connections between the frames c, c¹, will turn the latter
on their pivots in the direction to separate the discs a, a¹, and establish the arc.
The magnet 10 being at this time relatively stronger than the magnet h¹ will
move the connected armatúres h¹³, h, in the direction to turn the yoke ho, in the
direction opposite to arrow " until arrested by the stop h. Then as the light

page_text: continues to burn and consumes a portion of the periphery of the disc a, a², the arc
is lengthened and a larger amount of current caused to traverse the magnet h¹
which will become strong enough to overcome the magnet 10 and move the
yoke in the direction of arrow h" and thus cause the gears e, e¹, and the carbon
discs a, a to rotate. .
1
As shewn in Figures 7 and 8 the carbon-shafts are actuated in their rotary move-
ment by a continuously moving electro motor consisting of electro-magnets ho, hal,
fastened upon a shaft hand surrounded by a ring has of iron or magnetic material
having spiral or eccentric projections 8 which operate as armatures for the
magnets ho, h81 when energized and produce a rotary movement of the said
magnets owing to the greater mass of the armatures at one side than at the
other side thereof in the usual manner. The said magnets are alternately placed
in circuit when the pole of each comes opposite the more remote or thinner portion
of the armature by a commutator consisting of springs k, k¹, each connected with
one terminal of one of the said magnets and bearing on a ring having alternate
spaces of conducting and insulating material, the conducting spaces being all
connected with a source of electricity, and the other terminal of the magnets h³0, 81,
being connected with a collar on the shaft h and insulated therefrom, from
which the circuit is continued by a spring ko. The shaft he acts upon the gear e
on the carbon shaft b, through an intermediate train of speed reducing gearing 90.
h,, so that the said gear e and the discs a, a, (the shaft b of one only of which
is shown) are kept rotating with a slow uniform movement as long as the com-
mutator ring f and spring of are connected in a circuit through which a current of
sufficient strength is flowing, being preferably a shunt around the arc.
The shaft his preferably provided with a regulating device consisting of wings
turning in a vessel or cylinder h5 provided with corresponding wings and
containing a liquid which thus resists the rotation of the wings and shaft h³ and
prevents sudden changes in the velocity of the rotary movement.
81
By having the actuating mechanism supported on a frame-work or enclosed in
a case, and the carbons at the ends of long shafts at right angles to the planes of
the said discs extending out from said case, the arc is maintained at a point where
its light will pass downward, wholly unobstructed by the mechanism of the lamp
and furthermore a lamp of this kind may be used in any position although it will
generally be used in a vertical position as shewn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim ia:-
First. The carbon discs and shafts supporting them, having a rotary movement,
and a bodily lateral movement; combined with connecting mechanism, by which
lateral movement of one imparts a corresponding lateral movement to the other,
and an electro magnet and connecting mechanism for producing lateral movement
of the said shafts and an independent electro magnetic device and connecting
mechanism which produces a rotary movement of the said shafts, substantially as
described.
Second. An electric lamp in which the arc is maintained between the edges of
disce, the said lamp comprising a case or framework and carbon carrying shafts
extending out from the said framework and provided at their extremities with
carbon discs or plates, the planes of which are at right angles to the corresponding
shafts, and actuating mechanism within the said case or framework for producing
an angular and rotary movement of the said shafts, substantially as described.
Third. The carbon shafts having a rotary and lateral movement, and carbon
discs supported thereon at right angles to the said shafts, combined with the
sleeves surrounding the said shafts and insulated therefrom, and the contact
springs bearing against the said sleeves, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of the case or frame-work with the pivotted frames
therein turning on an axis in a plane substantially parallel with the main plate or

page_text: base of the frame-work, the carbon carrying shafts provided with carbon discs and
having bearings in the said pivotted frames, and extending through openings to
the outside of the case or frame-work enclosing the said frames, and actuating
mechanism within the case for. moving the said frames on their pivot and for
rotating the carbon carrying shafts, substantially as described.
Fifth. In an electric arc lamp, the combination with the case or frame-work and
movable frames thereon with carbon discs and supporting shafts therefor having
their bearings in said frames, actuating mechanism to move said frames, and to
rotate the carbon carrying shafts and a magnet supported on the main frame with
its pole over the point at which the arc is maintained between the rotating discs
for the purpose of increasing the extent of the arc, substantially as described.
Sixth. The combination of the main case or frame-work and movable frames
supported thereon, and disc carbons and carbon carrying shafts having bearings in
said movable frames and actuating mechanism for moving the said frames and
rotating the carbon carrying shafts, and a reflector substantially conical in shape
with its apex, over the arc, the said reflector being interposed between the carbon
discs and their actuating mechanism and provided with openings through which
the carbon carrying shafts extend, substantially as described..
Seventh. The combination of the carbon shafts and movable bearing frames
therefor, with a toggle lever connected with said frames and an electro magnet and
its armature and retractor connected with the said toggle lever for the purpose of
actuating the same and controlling the position of the frames, substantially as
described.
Eighth. The combination of the rotating shafts and carbon discs supported
thereon with the worm gear wheel and connecting mechanism between it and the
said shafts, a worm meshing with the said gear wheel and a ratchet and pawl and
actuating electro-magnet for said pawl substantially as described.
Ninth. In an electric lamp, a carbon disc, combined with a continuously
operating electro-motor, and connecting mechanism between said motor and disc,
and a governing device for regulating the movement of the said motor, substantially
as described.
Teuth. In an electric lamp, a carbon disc, and a continuously operating electro-
motor for actuating the same connected in a shunt or branch circuit around the
arc, substantially as described.
Eleventh. The rotary shafts and carbon discs supported thereon, combined with
frames having bearings for said shafts, pivotted to rock on an axis at right angles
to that of said shafts; connecting mechanism between the said frames by which
both are rocked together, and an actuating electro magnet and armature therefor
for rocking the said frames substantially as described.
Twelfth. The carbon carrying shafts provided with gear-wheels meshing together
and connected pivotted frames having bearings for the said shafts; combined with
a stationary magnet and armature therefor connected with the said frames for
producing a pivotal movement thereof; and an electro-magnetic device supported
on one of the said frames and movable therewith and connecting mechanism
whereby it produces a rotary movement of the said shafts, substantially as
described.
.