Improved System for Producing Luminous Effects, Roentgen Rays, or similar Electrical Effects, and Apparatus for Use therein.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1898-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1898
Improved System for Producing Luminous Effects, Roentgen Rays,
or similar Electrical Effects, and Apparatus for Use therein.
A communication from abroad by the MOORE ELECTRICAL COMPANY, of New York,
City of New York, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of London,
Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
My invention relates to a system for producing luminous effects, Roentgen rays
and similar effects by electric vibrations, waves or disturbances generated by repeat-
edly interrupting a circuit of self-induction, the electro-motive forces or disturbances
thereby generated being utilized directly or indirectly in another circuit or path
termed a working circuit, to produce the desired effect by means of a vacuum tube
or similar device.
The invention consists in the construction of circuits, apparatus and fixtures'
whereby such a system may be made available for commercial purposes, as herein-
after fully described and set forth in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Fig. 1.
is a diagrammatic representation of the system embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is
a side elevation of the rotary circuit interrupter. Fig. 3 is a section through the
interrupter taken in the horizontal plane indicated by line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a
vertical central section through the upper jewelled hearing of the rotator shaft.
Fig. 5 diagrammatically represents one mode of equipping an isolated plant. Fig. 6
represents one way of adapting the invention to an alternating current systein,
and Figs. 7-15 represent several varjations in the connections and arrangements of
the circuits of induction and of the circuits into which they discharge. Fig. 16
represents a pair of vacuum tubes as arranged to light a room with vaulted ceiling.
Fig. 17 is a sectional view through the central fixture. Fig. 18 is a section through.
Fig. 17, taken on line 20-20. Fig. 19 is a view of one of the lateral suporting
fixtures. Fig. 20 is a vertical section through Fig. 19, on the line 5-5. Fig. 21 is a
longitudinal vertical section through a fixture for supporting tubes against the
ceiling. Fig. 22 is a section of Fig. 21, taken on the line 22-22. Fig. 23 is a plan
of a portion of the fixture shown in Figs. 21 and 22. Figs. 24 and 25 are modifi-
cations in the manner of supporting lighting tubes horizontally. Fig. 26 represents
one mode of supporting vacuum tubes vertically, as when used in the shape of letters
or other characters for decoration or for advertising purposes. Fig. 27 is a vertical
section of one of the tubes constructed for vertical support in the manner shown in
Fig. 26. Fig. 28 indicates the preferred manner of attaching electrodes to vacuum
tubes. Figs. 29 and 30 represents a modification in apparatus embodying this system.
Fig. 31 is a detail of said apparatus. Figs. 32, 33 and 34 are modifications in parts.
of this apparatus. Figs. 35, 36 and 37 illustrate the preferred construction of circuit-
breaking bodies or surfaces. Figs. 38, 39 and 40 illustrate a further modification
in apparatus embodying this system. Figs. 41, 42 and 43 show modifications in.

page_text: details of this last form of apparatus. Figs. 44 and 45 show a modification in the
construction and in the manner of operating the rotary circuit interrupter.
Fig. 1 shows this system adapted to the ordinary three-wire circuit. Therein
10, 11, 12 indicated the line wires, and 13 and 14 the conductors leading to the
interrupter contained in an exhausted receptacle 15 and to the lights 16 and 16¹.
In the circuit of wires 10 and 11 is a rotary transformer 17, from which alternating
currents of displaced phase are fed to a field magnet 18, which, as indicated in Fig. 2,
encircles the rotator in the plane of the armature 19, which is mounted on the
shaft 20 of the rotator. The field magnet 18 produces a rotary magnetic field to
rotate the armature 19. In the circuit of wires 12 and 11 are the pairs of magnets 21,
which are located in the plane of the contact brushes.
The contact brushes are represented at 22, and preferably consists of several plates
.or tongues hinged upon or otherwise suitably connected to posts 23, which are
secured in suitable projections from the walls of the glass receptacle of the rotator as
indicator at 24. Upon the back of the brushes 22 are preferably mounted springs,
as 25, against which rest the ends of armature levers '26, the armatures 27 of which
are mounted upon the free ends of the levers near the walls of the rotator receptacle
or case. These armatures are in the fields of the, magnets, 21, and through the
instrumentality of said magnets and the armature levers 26 the brushes are held in
close engagement with the circuit interrupting wheel 28 in shaft 20.,
10:
'
It will be noticed that the projections 24, for supporting the brush-bearing posts 23,
have complementary parts exterior to the rotator receptacle for the purpose of making
a more thorough seal for said post and wires leading thereto.
The rotary interrupter may be constructed in various ways, as herein set forth,
but that shown in Figs. 1, 2 & 3 is preferred, wherein the amount of metal within
the vacuous chamber has been reduced to the minimum. Therein the lower bearing
for the shaft 20, which, by preference, is an ordinary jewelled step bearing, is
mounted at the centre of a spider or bridge 29, formed, preferably, from glans rods,
bowed or bent as indicated, to allow for expansion or contraction, and having the
ends of its legs secured in or to the walls of the receptacle.
The upper bearing for the shaft is formed upon a stem, as 30, which is secured
or anchored in the wall of the receptacle. To this stem is attached a tubular
socket 31, having within its lower end a hollow vitreous plug or bushing 32,
centrally located for the insertion of the upper end of the shaft 20. Above this plug
and resting upon it is the bearing jewel 33, and between this jewel and the stem 30
there is preferably placed a weight 34 for holding the jewel upon the shaft. A spring
may be substituted for the weight. By this means the shaft 20 is insulated from
the metal parts of the bearing, thereby preventing any sparking between it and said
parts. Current is conveyed to the shaft from, the metal parts of the bearing,
preferably by springs 35, which are mounted upon arms 36, secured substantially, as
indicated, to the socket 31.
The wheel 28 is the circuit breaking wheel for the circuits of self-induc-
tion 13, 14, 14. The armature 19 may be in any suitable form, but preferably
consists of the arc-shaped portions 37, represented in dotted lines within the field 18,
said portions being connected by the cross-piece 38, which is suitably secured to the
shaft. 20. Current is supplied to the rotator from wire 10 over conductor 13
connected to the stem 30, and is taken from the break wheel over brushes 22 and
the conductors 14 or 141, the latter uniting with the former as indicated, and to the
main 12.
The vacuum tubes or lamps or such other translating devices as may be seen
fit to use upon this system, are located beyond the rotator connections and in
multiple between the conductor 13 and the conductors 14 and 14.
At the opposite side of the rotator connections there are located in the con-
ductors 13, 14 and 14' self-induction coils 39, wherein the inductive resistance
upon opposite sides of the break in the interrupter is equalized, thereby obviating
to a great extent the discharge across the break in the interrupter, which, if per-
mitted, wears away the contacts, and allows dissipation of the current across them.

page_text: This arrangement of the self-induction coils also chokes back from the line the flow
of high-potential currents at the instant of the interruptions.
In the adaptation of the invention to an isolated plant a multiphase generator is
preferably employed, which may be located, for instance, in the basement of the
building, as at 40, Fig. 5, and a rotator placed upon each one of the floors of the
building, two such floors being represented in the drawing, and the rotators
designated diagrammatically simply by the rotary fields 181 and circuit-breaking
wheels 28. Said rotary fields are connected to the generator substantially as indi-
cated; that is, by running a series of conductors 42 up through the building and
tapping therefrom to the rotary fields. The lighting circuits in a system thus
installed may be taken from an independent source or from the direct-current side
of the generator as indicated by wires 41, or from alternate ones of the conductors
42, leading from the multiphase side of the generator as indicated by the dotted
lines 43.
In the first two instances the conductors as 41 would be led up through the
building and branches therefrom lead to the circuit-breaking wheel 28, as indicated,
while in the last instance the branches to the circuit-breaking wheel would be taken
directly from the motor conductors 42.
If it is desired to operate the system from alternating current mains, an arrange-
ment substantially as indicated in Fig. 6 may be adopted. Therein the alternating
mains are indicated at 44. A suitable static transformer is employed as indicated
at 45, from which the circuit is led to the rotary field 181 of the interrupter as
indicated. Any other form of transformer may be used at 45 that will give the
desired rotation of field currents in the ring field 18. The lighting circuit may be
supplied from the branches 46, which lead to said field, as in Fig. 5, or they may be
supplied from an independent source or from the alternating mains by means of a
transformer, as indicated at 47.
The operation of the system is as follows, reference being had to Fig. 1: The
currents from the rotary transformer 17 cause a magnetic rotary field in 18, thereby
rotating the armature 19 and the break wheel 28 at a very high speed, the contact
between the brushes and the break-wheel being constantly maintained by the
magnet 21. Horseshoe magnets are preferably employed for this purpose as indicated,
thereby preventing the passage of magnetic lines of force through the receptacle, as
would be the case were single pole magnets used.
Upon the interruptions in the circuit at the break-wheel, the kick of coils 39, or
the electric energy resulting from the self-induction of said coils, operates upon the
tubes 16, 161, thereby illuminating them.
The interruption of the circuit or circuits of induction may take place simulta-
neously or successively accordingly as the brushes are arranged to bear upon the
break-wheel. Figs. 3 and 7-15 show various arrangements of brushes. Said figures
show likewise various arrangements for the circuits of induction and lighting
circuits.
In Fig. 7 the contact brushes 22 are arranged to break circuit simultaneously,
thereby dividing up the tendency to spark by increasing the extent of conducting
surface between the brushes and the break-wheel, and providing for a division of the
current leading to the break-wheel.
In Fig. 8 the brushes are arranged to break circuit successively, thereby multi-
plying the number of discharges into the lamps 16, the arrangement shown in this
figure giving three times the number of discharges into the lamp circuit for one
revolution of the break-wheel to what is obtained in the arrangement shown in
Fig. 7.
In Fig. 9 the brushes are also arranged to break circuit successively. Here the
arrangement of circuits is such that a three-wire system, similar to that shown in
Fig. 1, shall discharge into a single lamp circuit or bank of lamps instead of into a
series of such circuits as in Fig. 1, thereby giving a high frequency.
In Fig. 10, substantially the same arrangement of circuits of induction and lamp
circuits are shown as in Fig. 1, save that condensers at 48 are shown bridging the

page_text: circuits of induction leading to the break-wheel for steadying the disruptive or self-
inductive discharges from the coils 39.
In Fig. 11, substantially the same arrangement of circuits of induction exist as
in Fig. 10. In the arrangement here shown, however, the lighting circuit is supplied
from the secondary winding 39b, of an induction coil whose primary is 39ª, and which
is located in the middle conductor of the three-wire system. A secondary, as 39",
may be placed upon the coils 39 instead of upon the coil 39º. In that case two light
circuits, or banks of lights, may be operated from this system. This arrangement is
illustrated in Fig. 12. These figures show the arrangement of circuits in which the
condenser is of the greatest utility.
By multiplying the number of brushes upon the break wheel in the three-wire
system of Figs. 1 and 10 the light circuits supplied from the same interrupter
may be increased, or this same object may be effected by adding more break-wheels
to shaft 20. The former arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 13, wherein it may be
seen that the brushes 22 break circuit successively and current is supplied to four
banks of lights.
To increase the frequency of interruptions in the circuits of induction two
rotators may be used as indicated by the break wheels 28 in Fig. 14. Therein the
interrupters are in parallel and are to be rotated in unison and the break wheels so
adjusted that they shall alternate in the interruption of the circuit. It will also be
noted that the light-circuits are so arranged that each interrupter controls both
banks of lights and may direct the self-inductive discharges through them
simultaneously, as in said figure, or successively depending upon whether or not
the brushes on each break-wheel break circuit simultaneously or successively.
Obviously these two break-wheels may be together in the same chamber and
operated by the same motor, or they may be in separate chambers and their motors
run in unison.
As the system of lighting herein disclosed is intended for general use and on
various circuits it is well to provide some automatic regulation for the current
supplied to the break-wheel, or, in other words, for the current supplying the circuit
of induction. Such regulation may be effected in various ways, one of which is
illustrated in Fig. 15, wherein one of the self-induction coils, as 3911, is in the form
of a solenoid and has a core, as 50, suspended in the axis thereof by a spring attached
to an adjusting screw 51, the end of the core slightly entering the coil. Should
an excess of current start over conductor 13 the core will be drawn down into
the coil and the flow of the current retarded by the increase of self-induction or
impedence.
In addition to the impedance to the current caused by the insertion of the core,
the movement of the core may be utilized to throw a resistance into the circuit 13,
as shown at 52, an arm on the core traversing a series of resistance coils as the core
moves up or down.
If desired, the descent or return of the core 50 may be retarded
by connecting a dash-pot thereto in any of the well-known ways.
Vacuum tube lights for this system may be variously mounted, and of various forms
and constructions and the fixtures for supporting these tubes will vary in accordance
with the location of the tubes and the space they are to light. Figs. 16 to 27 shows
some of the means adapted to this end.
55 indicates curved tubes as arranged in an arched ceiling. Fig. 17 shows the
central fixture for tubes thus arranged. The junction box 56 is there shown as applied
to a beam or other part of the ceiling, and from this box depends a pipe, on the lower
end of which is attached a ring 57, a side view of one substantially the same being
shown in Fig. 22, at 571. From the upper portion of this ring there extend laterally
the arms 58, and to the ends of these arms are attached slings of insulating material 59,
which receive the upper ends of the vacuum tubes. The ends of these tubes are
provided with metallic caps or terminals, preferably electro-plated thereon, to which
current is led over conductors 60, connected to said terminals by means of bands 61, 5
and to a contact plate or circuit terminal 62, mounted in a block of insulation secured

page_text: within the ring 57. To this plate 62 a conductor is led from the junction box 56, as
indicated at 63.
To protect the vacuum tubes from surrounding parts a shield of fiber or other
insulating inaterial 64 is placed about it and connected to the ring 57 in any suitable
way as by means of a screw 65, which may also serve to connect to the said ring a
metallic or other casing indicated at 66, which may also be lined with fiber or other
insulating material by which all of the supporting parts of the tubes 55 are hidden.
By thus insulating the lamp from all surrounding parts, the possibility of sparking
from its terminals to proximate metallic parts is prevented. The positive connection
of the lamp in the circuit is also insured by the use of the special conductor 60.
The lower ends of these arched tubes may be supported substantially as indicated
in Figs. 19 and 20. Therein are shown two blocks of wood or other suitable
material 67, 68, which are preferably faced with asbestos as indicated. Upon the face
of one of these blocks as 68 there is secured a block of porcelain or other insulating
material carrying a metal plate 69, to which is connected one of the circuit terminals 70,
and to which also the lower terminal of the tube is connected as by conductor 71.
This support or fixture is preferably surrounded by a box or enclosure of wood or
other insulating material as indicated at 72, one or more sides of which may be made
removable for the ready inserting and removal laterally of the vacuum tube. About
this box and its contents is by preference placed a shield as 73, which may be made
in any ornamental design.
When it is desired to arrange the vacuum tubes horizontally against a ceiling and
so close to parts above that they cannot readily be lifted out of their supports, the
construction of fixture illustrated in Fig. 21 may be adopted. Therein the slings or
supports 591, which carry the ends of the tubes, are shown as hinged to a block 74,
which is secured to the ring 571, and are maintained in their horizontal position by
means of pins 75, which pass through plates attached to said blocks 74, as indicated.
A metallic or other ornamental shield as 661 is likewise secured to said ring, as
indicated, by screw 65¹. Upon the removal of this screw the shield 66¹ may be
taken away, when, by the withdrawal of a pin 75, the yoke 59¹ sustained thereby
may be swung down laterally from said tube allowing the tube supported thereby to
be readily removed. Circuit is led to the tubes in this fixture substantially in the
manner shown in Fig. 17.
To further insure the insulation of the tubes 55, in the fixture just described, a
pillow of asbestos or fibre may be located in the slings 591, as indicated at 76, Fig. 22.
The rings 57 and 57¹ are also preferably lined with insulation to avoid any possibility
of the tube terminals engaging the rings.
Where the horizontal tubes can be supported at some distance from the ceiling as
indicated in Fig. 24, they may be singly dropped into the fixture from above and as
readily removed therefrom, and the fixtures in this instance may consist simply of
metallic troughs 77, suitably insulated from the supporting rods 78, said rods being
tubular and serving as conduits for conductors leading to the said troughs, such
conductors being indicated by the dotted lines 79. These troughs may, if desired,
be protected by fibre shields, substantially as in the fixtures above described.
To remove one of the curved tubes 55 from its fixtures, it is simply necessary to
detach its terminal conductors 60 and 71 from the plates 62 and 69, remove the shield
73, open the side of the box 72, when the tube may be moved laterally along its
seat on blocks 67 and 68, until free therefroin, at which time it may be readily drawn
from the saddle 59. This may be facilitated in some instances by the removal of the
shields 64 and 66.
Other changes in, and nodifications of, the fixtures, aside from those above
described may be made without departing from this invention. For instance, as
indicated in Fig. 25, supporting rings 5711, may be attached to a curved plate or
reflector 80, as by tubes 81, which may connect on the rear side of the reflectors with
a conduit as 82. Through the conduit the conductor may he led to the vacuum
tubes supported in the rings 57". The reflector or curved plate may be placed in
any of the angles of a room whence light is desired.

page_text: If it is desired to support a series of vacuum tube lamps side by side when
they are in the form of sign characters, the construction illustrated in Figs. 26 and
27 may be adopted. Therein circuit terminals as 83 and 84, consisting of pairs of
parallel wires or bars are supported on a suitable board or frame and the letters or
characters 85, provided with metal-capped rearwardly-projecting teats, are sup-
ported on said circuit terminals by inserting said teats between the said wires or
bars. The teats are preferably hollow and an uninterrupted passage is provided from
one to the other through the letter or other character.
The metal caps or terminals 87 for the vacuum tube lamps are preferably attached by
first roughening the tubes at the points of attachment (86, Fig. 28) as by the use of
hydro-fluoric acid, the sand blast or emery wheel, then either applying metallic
paint to the roughened surface or electro plating said surfaces. To the caps thus
formed circuit wires may be soldered directly or attached to a band as 88, Fig. 28,
which is firmly fixed about said cap. By using plated terminals crackling or
splitting noises are avoided.
In Fig. 29 is shown one of the many modifications that may be made in rotary
circuit interrupters for use in this system. Therein the vacuous chamber 15¹ is
mounted in a base plate 89 and clamped by screws 90. The frame supporting the
interior mechanism of the interrupter is illustrated in detail in Figs. 38 and 39.
It consists of aluminum heads 91, 92 and side pieces 93, made up of aluminum
and iron strips riveted together whereby buckling is prevented when the receptacle
is heated while in process of exhausting the chamber. In this frame is journaled
the rotary shaft 20, carrying the brake wheel 28¹ and armature 371, and to the
head 91 are secured the brushes 22 as by means of posts suspended from porcelain
blocks 94. The frame and its appurtenances are assembled and inserted in the
chamber 15, and there fixed in place by forcing inward at the sides of the heads
suitable projections from the walls of the chamber as indicated. The brushes 22
are constructed and operated as described in connection with Fig. 3, but the
magnets 211 for holding the brushes to their wheels are of the single-pole type, and
have said poles adjustable in addition to the magnets themselves being mounted
adjustably upon the plate 95. In this way the pull upon the brushes may be
varied. This adjustmeut may be affected by locating a resistance box in the circuit
of the magnets 211, shown at 111, Fig. 40.
The circuit of induction may be supplied from any suitable source, as indicated
at 96, and lead to the interrupter and to the lamps 16, as shown.
Rotation of the brake wheel is effected in the construction just described by
means of the Gramme ring 97, located on the base 89 in the plane of the interior
armature 37. Current is supplied to the coils of said ring successively (Fig. 30)
from any suitable source of supply, it being led to the commutator 98, from the
leads 99, over brushes 100, which are revolved about the armature by a motor
as 101.
A brass plate 102 is placed on top of the Gramme ring to prevent any detrimental
effect of the latter upon magnets 211, and a disc of iron indicated in dotted lines at
103 is placed in the chambers 151 to carry across any stray lines of force that might
otherwise affect the iron parts of the break wheel and brushes.
Fig. 32 shows a substitute for the Gramme ring. Fig. 33 a hollow commutator
with the brushes rotating within it. This is the form best adapted for high
speeds. Fig. 34 shows how the commutator 98¹ might be rotated and the brushes
made stationary.
Figs. 35 and 36 show the preferred construction of break wheel.. It consists of a
metal cylinder bored longitudinally about its periphery and said bores filled with
porcelain. This may be done by driving ground plugs of porcelain 104 (or other
vitreous materials) into said holes and retaining them in place, as by discs 105
screwed to the ends of the cylinders. The plugged cylinder is then ground down
to make a smooth surface. Or the porcelain may be inserted in plastic state and
fused to the metal. Fig. 37 shows a plane metallic surface interrupted in a similar
manner.

page_text: Figs. 38 and 40 show a construction of interrupter wherein the magnets, as 106, for
producing rotation of the armature 37 are made to rotate. To this end they are
mounted on a rotary stand 107, on whose pedestal are rings 108 for receiving the
current for the magnets. The stand may be rotated by any suitable means, as by a
belt around the pulley 109. The chamber 15¹ may be supported in fixed position,
as by a clamp indicated in section at 110.
In this view, as in the following three views, the break-wheel 28¹ is shown as a
notched wheel. This has been used, but the one with the porcelain-filled notches
is preferred, as it produces better results in every way.
Another means for rotating the break-wheel may consist of a constantly energized
magnet 112 (Fig. 41), and a variable or intermittently energized magnet 113, said
magnets being angularly removed from one another to such an extent as to rotate
the armature mounted on the shaft with the break-wheel 28¹.
The magnet 113 may, as shown in Fig. 41, be in the circuit of induction, in which
case it also acts with coil 39 to equalize the self-induction on opposite sides, the
interrupter. Magnet 113 may, however, be independent of the circuit of induction
(Fig. 43,) in which instance a separate break-wheel would be provided therefor as
seen at 114. The brushes 221 are here arranged to break the circuit of induction
in series.
Instead of interrupting the circuit as above described it may be done as shown in
Fig. 42, where the brush 22¹¹ is lifted off a fixed contact by a wheel 2811.
The actuating motor may be placed in the vacuous chamber with the break-wheel,
as shown in Figures 44 and 45. The coils and frame of the motor are then encased
in some material which shall prevent gases from envolving therefrom and
destroying the vacuum. Porcelain is preferred because it is comparatively free
from occluded gases and impervious to those inclosed thereby. The field coils 115.
and the armature coils 116, are covered with porcelain, and the whole motor with
its commutator 117 is mounted in a frame as 118, and encased in the vacuous
receptacle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances suit-
able for producing light, by rapid interruptions of a circuit having self-induction, a
rotary circuit interrupting device, having its contacts in a vacuum and caused to
rotate at a high speed by means of a rotary magnetic field or its equivalent, as
described.
2. In an apparatus for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances, a
rotary circuit interrupter within a vacuum operated by a circular electro-magnet,
exterior to the vacuum and energized by an alternating current of displaced phase,
supplied from a transformer or other generator.
3. In a lighting system such as described, a rotary interrupter operated by a
rotating magnetic field, supplied with alternating currents from a multiphase gen-
erator, the continuous-current end of which connects through circuits of self-induction
with the circuit-interrupter contacts.
4. In an apparatus for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances, the
combination of a number of circuits or branches of circuit having self-induction, a
rotary circuit-interrupting device, included in a vacuum and having contacts arranged
to break the circuit, in succession in the vacuum, said contacts being connected in
the circuits or branches of circuit having self-induction.
5. In apparatus for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances, an
interrupter having a series of contacts enclosed in a vacuum, and operating to
break a number of circuits or branches of circuit having self-induction simultaneously,
or in succession, and a discharge circuit, into which said circuits discharge. in
common. ..

page_text: 6. In a lighting system as described, a series of circuits or branches of circuits,
each having a self-induction coil, combined with a common return also having a
self-induction coil, and a circuit interrupter having contacts arranged to simultane-
ously or successively break said branches.
7. In the system described, the arrangement of circuits of shown in Figs. 1, 13
and 14, wherein a number of branches of circuits of self-induction are connected
through circuit-interrupting devices to a common return, and are joined to a corre-
sponding number of discharge circuits also connected to the cominon return.
8. In an apparatus for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances suit-
able for producing light, Roentgen rays or similar effects, the combination of a
circuit-interrupting wheel having two or more contacts combined, as described, to
successively break circuit, and a discharge circuit connected to each contact.
9. The arrangement of circuit-breaking contacts and the connections therewith,
of circuits of induction and discharge circuits as described and shown in Figs.
11 & 12.
10. In a lighting system, as described, a circuit-breaking or interrupting wheel
having two or more contacts arranged to successively break circuit to increase the
frequency of the discharges or to break circuit together for the purpose of dividing
up the current and so preserve the vacuum.
11. In a lighting system, as described, two or more points of interruption for
circuits of self-induction each shunted by a condenser connected between circuits or
branches of self-induction and a common return as shown.
12. In a lighting system, as described, two breaks for a circuit of self-induction
arranged in series, combined with a discharge circuit, as shown in Fig. 43.
13. In the apparatus for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances, the
arrangement of condensers between branches of a circuit of self-induction and the
common return to the same.
14. In apparatus for producing electric waves, vibrations or disturbances, as
described, by discharges from a circuit of induction, the combination with said
circuit, of means for automatically adding to the self-induction or impedence
thereof.
15. In an apparatus, for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances, a
rotary interrupter having its shaft provided at its lower end with an arched or bent-
glass support.
16. In an apparatus, for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances, a
rotary interrupter having its shaft supported and insulated in a jeweled bearing at
its upper end, as and for the purpose described.
17. The means herein described for supporting vacuum-tube lights to permit
them to be readily removed and applied.
18. Supports for the ends of vacuum-tube lights constructed and insulated as
described to prevent damage from sparking.
19. Vacuum-tube lamps suitable for use as sign characters and provided with
metal-capped rearwardly-projecting teats for the purpose described.
20. A vacuum tube or other device operated by electric energy of the character
described and having metallic terminals applied by electro-plating, or otherwise,
upon roughened surfaces.
21. A vacuum-lighting tube having electro-plated terminals.
22. A rotating-circuit interrupter as shown in Fig. 3, having its contact pressed
upon the wheel by means of a magnet operating through any desired device, but
preferably through the intervention of a spring and a lever acting on the spring.
23. In an apparatus for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances,
a rotary interrupter having its contacts within a vacuum and held against a
break wheel by external horseshoe or other magnets, as and for the purpose
described.
24. The improvement in circuit-interrupting devices comprising the metallic
foundation or wheel and the insulating sections of porcelain inserted in the manner
described, and the whole ground down to make a smooth surface.

page_text: 25. The aluminum frame, as shown in Fig. 29, supporting the circuit inter-
rupter and constructed and mounted in a vacuous receptacle, substantially as shown
and described.
26. In an apparatus for generating electric waves, vibrations or disturbances, an
interrupter enclosed in a vacuum with its actuating motor, the parts of said motor
being encased in material such as described.
Dated this 10th day of May 1808
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.