Year: 1886

page_text: We, CLARENCE BINGHAM NOBLE, Chemist, and ROLAND DARIUS NOBLE,
Attorney-at-Law, both of 12 Cheshire Street, Cleveland, Ohio, in the United
States of America, 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 :-
•
Our invention relates to an improved clutch for electric-arc lamps, and it
consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts hereinafter
described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings fig. 1. is an electric lamp, partly in section,
embodying our invention.
Fig. 2. is an enlarged detail view of the clutch and connections shown in fig. 1.
Figs. 3. and 4. are enlarged modifications of the clutch and connections herein-
after described.
P. and N. are the carbons of an electric lamp, and are connected in an electric
circuit in the usual manner, as is also the helix C. .
.D. is the upper carbon-holder, the same consisting of a hollow cylinder or tube,
to the lower end of which is attached the carbon P, any suitable means for such
attachment being employed.
The holder passes through a suitable guide, as for instance the hard rubber
insulator F. and is arranged to move easily in a vertical direction.
G. is the clutch-disk, that when laying in a position at right angles to the
interior of the holder, moves easily therein, but, owing to the thickness of the disk,
when the latter is tilted it clutches or binds on the interior walls of the holder.
One side of the disk is suspended by a tripping wire g, the latter being attached
above to some stationary support, as for instance the lamp frame, as shown at B.
in fig. 1, by means of which this side of the disk is tripped up when it descends
with the carbon-bolder on the increase of resistance of the circuit, to make the disk
assume a position at right angles to the interior of the carbon-holder and allow the
holder to slide by gravity over it and the carbons to approach..
The opposite side of the disk is supported by a wire I. that is attached above to
the core or armature c. of the helix C.

page_text: It follows then, that with the carbons in contact or in close proximity, there
will be little resistance in circuit, and, consequently considerable magnetic force in
the helix C, by reason of which the core c will be elevated.
By reason of the wire connection I. the disk G. will be tilted, causing it to
assume the angular position shown in fig. 1, and make it clutch the holder and lift
it with the holder and upper carbon, a trifle, more or less, according to the
adjustment of the stop c' that limits the vertical movement of the core. By the
preceding arrangement the carbons will be separated a suitable working distance
and so held for the time being.
As the carbons waste away, and the resistance in the circuit consequently
becomes greater, and the magnetic force in the helix becomes less, the core c.
descends, as do also the holder and disk, until the disk reaches the tripping wire
from which it started, when it is tripped and made to assume a position at right
angles to the interior of the carbon-holder, thereby releasing its impingement
against the interior of the holder, and allowing the holder to slide by gravity over
the disk and the carbons to feed.
A convenient means of attaching the wires g. and I. to the disk G. is shown in
fig. 3, where notches a. and a. are made in the edges of the disk for the passage of
the respective wires, and a lateral hole is cut in one side of the disk to receive the
bent end of the wire I, while the wire g. is shown hooked under the disk. In
fig. 4. both wires are hooked into the sides of the disk.
These and various modifications may be had without departing from the spirit
and design of our invention.
It will be seen that the clutch is extremely simple and can be made at a small
initial cost, and in practice is found efficient and in every way desirable.
'
A tight joint may be placed on the lower end of the carbon-holder, so that any
suitable lubricant may be kept therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1: In a clutch for electric-arc lamps, the combination with a vertically moving
hollow carbon-holder, containing within itself a loosely fitting tilting friction disk
held stationary on one side by a wire or rod also contained within the holder and
attached above to the lamp frame, with the opposite side of the disk supported
by a wire or rod contained within the holder, and connected above to the core or
armature of a helix, said helix being connected in circuit with the lamp carbons, for
tilting the disk and causing it to impinge against the inside of holder, to grip and
elevate it, the parts being arranged substantially as shown.
2. A clutch for electric lamps, arranged within a hollow carbon-holder in com-
bination with tilting and tripping wires for respectively elevating and lowering the
upper carbon, the parts being arranged substantially as described.
3. In clutches for electric-aro lamps, the hollow carbon-holder consisting of &
tube or cylinder and containing within itself a loosely fitting tilting friction disk
and wires for tilting and tripping the disk, to respectively tighten and loosen the
grip of the disk against the interior of carbon-holder, the said wires passing up
through the holder, and, being connected one with the lamp frame, the other with
the armature core of the helix, said helix being in electric circuit with the lamp
carbons, the parts being arranged substantially as described.
4. The combination in a clutch for electric-arc lamps, of a hollow carbon-holder,
a loosely fitting clutch disk operating therein and supported on opposite sides by
wires passing up through said holder, one wire or rod supporting one side of the
disk and attached above to lamp frame,-with the other wire or rod supporting
the opposite side of the disk and attached above to the armature or core of the
helix, said helix being electrically connected in circuit with the lamp carbons, for
tilting the disk and causing it to impinge against the inside of carbon-holder, to

page_text: grip and elevate it, and adjustable stops to limit the upward movement of the
helix core, for regulating the length of the arc, all the parts being arranged as and
for the purposes shown.
5. In clutches for electric lamps, a loosely fitting disk contained within a hollow
carbon-holder and supports or equivalent wires for respectively tilting and tripping
the disk, the parts being arranged for the purposes shown.
6. The combination in clutches for electric arc-lamps, of a hollow carbon-holder D.
and wires I. and g. for respectively tilting and tripping the disk G, to tighten and
loosen its grip on the inside of the carbon-holder, for separating and feeding the
carbons, the said wires being connected above, g, with the lamp frame, and L. with
the helix or armature core c. of the helix C, and the adjusting screw c' or its
equivalent located over the helix core to limit the upward movement of the core
and regulate the length of the arc, the parts being arranged substantially as
specified.