Closing of Electric Circuits.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 5th Feb., 1889
and Closing of Electric Circuits.
We, LAZARUS SIMON MAGNUS PYKE, Mechanical Engineer, and HARRY THEODORE
BARNETT, Electrician, both of Devonshire Place House, Regent's Park, in the
county of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as
follows:-
Our improved apparatus is more particularly applicable to induction coils, and has
for its objects to avoid the necessity of frequent adjustment, to ensure a constant
relative position of the two contact surfaces where the break occurs, and to render
the interruption of the circuit more instantaneous and violent than in the appliances
hitherto known.
It has been usual to interrupt the circuit of induction coils by means of
magnetism produced by the main current, frequently the magnetism of the coil
itself.
The principal feature of the present invention, however, consists in producing the
interruptions by means of a separate apparatus, the magnet, armature spring, and
contact points being all included in a shunt circuit, and the interruption of the main
circuit being effected mechanically by the movements of the armature of the electro
magnet which is included in the shunt circuit.
The details of construction may be as follows: The main circuit contains a fixed
and a movable contact surface arranged in such a manner that the attractions of the
armature mentioned above will actuate the movable contact surface so as to interrupt
the circuit by the attraction of the armature, the spring carrying the movable contact
surface coming in contact with the armature when the latter has its maximum speed.
The spring carrying the movable contact surface is preferably so arranged as to place
the contact points central of the armature, thereby rendering the blow as direct and
sharp as possible.
The movable contact point of the auxiliary break (that which is included in the
shunt circuit) may be formed on an extension of the armature spring (as usual
with electric bells), while the fixed contact point is formed on a separate pillar.
Dated this 26th day of March 1888.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: and Closing of Electric Circuits.
We, LAZARUS SIMON MAGNUS PYKE, Mechanical Engineer, and HARRY THEODORE
BARNETT, Electrician, both of Devonshire Place House, Regents Park, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
:-
Our improved apparatus is more particularly applicable to induction coils, and has
for its object, to avoid the necessity of frequent adjustment, to ensure a constant
relative position of the two contact surfaces where the break occurs, and to render the
interruption of the circuit more instantaneous and violent than in the appliance hitherto
known.
It has been usual to interrupt the circuit of induction coils by means of magnetism
produced by the main current, frequently the magnetism of the coil itself.
The principal feature of the present invention, however, consists in producing the
interruptions by means of a separate apparatus, the magnet, armature spring, and con-
tact points being all included in a shunt circuit, and the interruption of the main
circuit being effected mechanically by the movements of the armature of the electro
magnet which is included in the shunt circuit.
The details of construction may be as follows:
The main circuit contains a fixed and a movable contact surface arranged in such a
manner that the attractions of the armature mentioned above will actuate the movable.
contact surface so as to interrupt the circuit by the attraction of the armature, the
spring carrying the movable contact surface coming in contact with the armature
when the latter has its maximum speed. The spring carrying the movable contact
surface is preferably so arranged as to place the contact points central of the armature,
thereby rendering the blow as direct and sharp as possible.
Instead of using the attraction of the armature directly, wo may employ the recoil
of the spring and armature for interrupting the circuit, and instead of a single pair
of contacts two may be operated by the same armature.
The movable contact point of the auxiliary break (that which is included in the
shunt circuit) may be formed on an extension of the armature spring (as usual with
electric bells), while the fixed contact point is formed on a separate pillar.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a plan illustrating an apparatus in which
the main current is interrupted by the attraction of the armature inserted in the shunt
circuit, while Fig. 2 illustrates in the same manner an apparatus in which this effect
is produced by the recoil of the armature spring.
1 and 1 represent the terminals connected with the battery which supplies the
apparatus with current; 2 and 2' are the terminals from which the current is led to
the inductional or other apparatus. The shunt circuit is completed from the terminal 1
through the windings of the electro magnet A, the armature spring B' armature B,
movable contact C and the fixed contact piece C to the terminal 1.

page_text: The main current passes from 1 to 2 thence through the induction coil to 2', sub-
sequently to the fixed contact F and through the movable contact D (which in this
case is carriod by a spring D¹) to the terminal 11.
E is an insulated pin attached to the armature near the middle of the same and
bent round at the end, so that the attraction of the armature will cause the pin E to
draw the spring D¹ away from the fixed contact F.
If the apparatus is properly connected and adjusted, the armature B will vibrato
similar to that of an electric bell and break the main circuit at F by means of the
pin E.
The apparatus represented by Fig. 2 resembles that shown in Fig. 1, but as
the former is intended to utilise the recoil of the armature, the fixed contact F is
placed between the armature B and the spring D¹ and the pin E is straight.
The various contacts are preferably made adjustable.
Our improved apparatus offers the advantage that the main contacts require much
less adjustment, and that they do not stick except under great excess of current,
but if this should occur, the vibrating action which still continues soon shakes them
free.
Having now particularly described and, ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what wo
claim is:
1. Apparatus for the continuous opening and closing of an electric circuit, com-
prising in its construction a pair of contacts included in the main circuit, and an
electro magnet together with armature, contact spring and fixed contact connected in
derivation or shunt from the main circuit, the said armature being adapted to impart
to the movable contact or contacts in the main circuit a series of blows so as to
separate the contacts and to intorrupt the main circuit.
2. In apparatus for the continuous opening and closing of an electric circuit, the
combination of a main circuit including movable spring contact D and fixed
contact F, with a shunt circuit including electro-magnet A, armature spring B',
armature B carrying a pin E, contact spring C secured to the armature, and fixed
contact C, the whole being arranged and adapted to operate substantially as described
and illustrated.
Dated this 24th day of December 1888.