Improvements in or relating to Electric Arc Lamps.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Arc Lamps.
We, THOMAS SPENCER of 1229 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Electrical Engineer, and CHRISTIAN J. TOERRING Jr.,
of 1229 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manuer the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to feed regulating devices for electric arc lamps, the object
being to provide a sensitive organization of this kind which will maintain its
accuracy of operation for a long period of continuous service and in which the
working parts will not deteriorate by repeated action of the clutching devices. To
these ends the movable electrode is supported between guides or rails pivoted or
otherwise connected together so as to be capable of relative movement, electro-
magnetic means being provided for causing the rods to approach or recede from
one another, thereby increasing or decreasing the distance between them when the
current flowing through the lamp fluctuates in strength, and a movable cross-head
is permitted to be locked against or freed to the action of gravity. The rods are
preferably mounted parallel to one another and both are movable by the electro-
magnetic controlling devices, but in different degrees, thus serving to strike the
arc when both are raised and to permit feed by increasing or decreasing their
distance apart. The form of cross-lead employed is a grooved roller engaging the
rods, to which is pivoted the carbon rod or carrier, the movable carbon being
centred with relation to its companion electrode by means of a fixed guide near its
lower extremity.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention,
Figure 1 is a side elevation, part broken away, of an arc lamp embodying the
improvements;
Figure 2 is an elevation on a plane at right angles to that of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 is a detail view of the feed regulating devices, the parts and their
positions being exaggerated for purposes of clearer illustration; and
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the plane indicated at -y, Figure 3.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, represent the frame of an arc lamp, a negative carbon or electrode 6
being supported in a socket formed in a support secured to the lower part 4, 5 of
the frame. A shelf or plate 7 separates the feed regulating mechanism from the
arc and serves as or may be provided with a reflector on its under side. It is
provided centrally with a hole to permit transit of the positive carbon or its
carrier, and a guide 8 is fixed to the under side to center the movable carbon.
The movable carbon is secured in a clamp 9 above which are two posts 10, 10
which form bearings for a grooved roller 11. For the roller may in some cases
be substituted a sliding cross-head grooved at the sides so as to engage only one
face of the guide rods 12, 12, which may for the sake of lightness be made of
tubing. In the drawings two guide rods are shown, but more than two may be
employed, if desired. The guides are preferably pivoted together after the fashion
of a parallel ruler, by rigid links 13, 13, though they may be otherwise connected
to permit them to be drawn together or apart to permit feed of the positive
carbon; as shown, they are mounted to move in opposite directions; such a
movement, as is evident, will cause them to recede from each other when the links

page_text: approach a horizontal position, and to approach, when the obliquity of the links
is increased. The action is fully shown in the full line and dotted line positions
indicated in Figure 3; the range of movement indicated in said figure is grossly
exaggerated to render the action more apparent; in practice the play will be
enough only to loosen the grip of the guides on the roller or cross-head when
feed is required, and to lock the same when the arc is sprung or feed arrested.
The links 13 are provided with extensions 14, 14", the latter of which bears on
the plate 7, and the former is pivotally connected to a yoke 15 rigidly secured to
cores 16, 16ª of solenoids 17, 17"; the latter are supported on brackets projecting
from the side rods of the lamp frame. A pin 18 secured to the top of the frame
forms a guide for the movable rod 12ª. The solenoids may be placed in series with
the arc, or in shunt relation thereto. The organization is shown adapted for series
working; if the coils were put in shunt relation, the cores should be arranged to be
drawn downwardly against the action of a spring; or two sets of solenoids might
be arranged to act differentially, one set being in shunt relation to the arc and.
the other in series. The lower part of the frame 4, 5 which carries the negative
carbon may be insulated, or other insulating provisions be made to
current to traverse the arc and solenoids; as shown in the drawings current enters
at binding post and passes thence to the frame, guide rods 12, 12, positive carbon,
the arc, the negative carbon, the solenoids, and thence out by the binding post.
When the lamp is cut into circuit, the solenoids raise their cores thereby lifting
guide rod 12ª over a longer arc than the rod 12 and causing the two to approach,
thus gripping the wheel 11 and springing the arc; when the arc lengthens from
consumption of carbon, current strength decreases and the cores descend slightly,
thus spreading the rods and permitting the lamp to feed.
cause the
The lamp may be operated with direct or alternating current, the cores being
formed of soft iron or thin lamine when the lamp is to be used with an alternating
current.
Having thus 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. A feed regulator for an electric arc lamp in which a carbon carrier is
capable of moving between parallel guides pivotally connected and continuously
engaging the carrier on their facing edges only, and of being controlled by a
feed-controlling electromagnet adapted to cause the guides to approach or recede
from one another under fluctuations of current due to changes in the arc, and
in which the end of the movable carbon near the arc centred by a fixed guide.
2. A feed regulator for an electric arc lamp in which a carbon carrier is
supported by a roller movable between and guided by parallel, pivotally con-
nected rods, and an electromagnet in circuit with the lamp causes the rods to
approach or recede from one another under fluctuations of the current due to
changes of the arc.
3. A feed regulator for an electric are lamp comprising two parallel rods
pivotally connected by rigid links, arms 14, 14ª the latter bearing on a fixed part of
the lamp and the former being connected to an armature controlled by a regulating
magnet, roller 11, and carbon-carrier supported thereby.
Dated this 28th day of November A.D. 1896.
THOMAS SPENCER.
CHRISTIAN J. TOERRING, JR.