IMPROVE- MENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC LIGHT
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joshua Stansfield Wilson, of 13, Esplanade West, Sunder-
land, in the County of Durham, Electrician, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC
LIGHT."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joshua Stansfield Wilson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th October 1878.
JOSHUA STANSFIELD WILSON, of 13, Esplanade West, Sunderland, in the County
of Durham, Electrician. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS
FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC LIGHT."
This Invention is designed to produce a constant electric light by a comparatively
weak current.
It consists in placing the pencils or points, composed of a mixture of carbon or
cinders, alkaline earth, such as lime or carbonate, or oxalate thereof, & sugar or
similar carbonaceous matter, or the ordinary material, supported on levers or their
equivalent, and approaching each other so as to maintain the necessary conjunction
or close proximity for obtaining electric light. These levers are supported preferably
on the same axis, and are actuated by a spring weight or equivalent mechanism, so
as to have the tendency to approach each other and bring the points in contact.
On or connected with these levers are a pair or pairs of electro-magnets, actuated
by the same circuit that produces the light. These magnets, by their mutual
repulsion or attraction, cunteract the effect of the spring so as to bring the points
into conjunction or close proximity with each other. Of course, if the magnets
are so placed in relation to the fulcrum or axis that their mutual attraction or
repulsion causes the points to converge, the spring must be arranged to cause them
to diverge.

page_text: -the-said Joshua Stansfield Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
-April-1879.
JOSHUA STANSFIELD WILSON, of 13, Esplanade West, Sunderland, in the County
of Durham, Electrician. IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS
FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC LIGHT."
This Invention is designed to produce a constant electric light by a comparatively
weak current. It consists in placing the pencils-or-points, whether-of-carbon or
other suitable material, supported on levers or their equivalent, and approaching
each other at an angle or slope, so as to maintain the necessary conjunction or close
proximity for obtaining electric light. These levers can both be movable; and arc
supported on the same axis, but so long as they be made to approach and recede
from each other with every corresponding point in the pencils they carry, moving
relatively to each other in the same circular or other path, it is immaterial whether
one or both actually move relatively to the stand upon which they are situated.
In the lamp shown in the Drawings, and generally in practice, only one lever
actually moves relatively to the stand, the other lever and its electro-magnets being
fixed.
The levers are constantly pressed together by a spring or its equivalent, tending
to bring the carbon points in contact, and they are separated and kept at the proper
regulated distance to produce the electric are by the mutual repulsion of electro-
magnets attached to or rigidly connected with said levers, so as to move as they
move relatively to each other in parallel planes.
Referring to the Drawings, which show a portable lamp designed for carrying
about, Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Figure 2, a plan. A is a suitable basc or
standard, supported on feet B; C, C1, are two standards, which carry the mechanism
of the lamp in part; D, one of the levers attached firmly to the standard C. It is
preferably formed of a brass rod, carrying at its end the tube or socket D', holding
the carbon pencil at any required height by means of screw N. This lever can be
however of any convenient shape; in fact, the whole frame of the machine can
become the lever, and the pencil can be inserted into a hole or socket therein, or in
a pedestal thereon.
The other lever E moves as heretofore described. F, F, are the lower electro-
magnets, fixed to the base A as shown, one of the coil ends being connected to
terminal K, the other to lever or arm D). Lever E carries the upper electro-magnets
G, G, fixed to it in such manner that when the lamp is started with new carbons,
the cores of the pairs of upper and lower magnets are parallel to their axes, but are
-at-a-considerable distance from each other, measured in a direction at right angles
to their axes, approaching nearer gradually as the carbons burn shorter and the
lever E advances.
The lever E and magnets G are supported on and attached to a shaft or axis L,
the lower end of which has a spring H bearing against it (a coiled watch spring is
shown), and tending to rotate the shaft, and bring the lever E and its carbon against
the carbon of the fixed lever. The pressure of this spring can be regulated by
J is a
screw M. A bearing or plate I supports the upper end of the shaft L.
heavy ball or weight fixed to the end of lever E, and used to counterbalance the
weight of the sockets and pencil, and give the lever a steady motion in noving.
Another socket E' and holding screw O for the pencil or carbon are attached to
lever E. The coil ends of the magnets F and G are connected respectively to termi-
nals P and K and levers or arms D and E. In using the lamp the carbons are first
placed in the sockets, and fixed by screws N, O; the pressure of the spring H is
adjusted, so that the points of the carbons are pressed against each other. The
terminals are then coupled up to the poles of an electric circuit from a dynamo-electric
machine or other source of electricity suitable, and the spring H, further adjusted

page_text: the arc.
till the current acting on the magnet coils through which it passes, causes the
repulsion of magnets G to force them away from magnets F, thereby separating the
carbons the greatest distance at which it is possible for the said current to produce
If the current increases in intensity the magnets G are further repelled,
thereby further separating the carbons and increasing the length of the arc.
If however the intensity of the current falls or becomes more than normally
(though still imperceptibly) intermittent, the magnets decrease in power propor-
tionately, and the spring H, overcoming the resistance of the magnets, brings the
carbons closer together, and so on indefinitely, the current regulating in the most
perfect manner the distance between the electrodes. If any perceptible interruption
occur in the circuit and the lamp go out, the spring H at once brings the electrodes
into contact, thereby starting the current again, and the magnets coming again into
action, separate the carbons the required distance. When both levers and sets of
maguets move the action is similar.
Having now described my Invention and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I believe to be new and desire to
claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The mode of and apparatus described for regulating electric lamps, in which
the electrodes or points" approach each other from, and are fixed to, the free ends
of levers or their mechanical equivalent pivotted together, said points or electrodes
being kept at their respective distances apart by means of the repulsion of electro-
magnets in the circuit that produces the light, working in opposition to a spring
weight or mechanical equivalent thereof, and moving relatively to each other in
paths approximately at right angles to their axes, and in parallel planes.
II. The apparatus for producing electric light, as described, consisting of two
carbon pencils or other electrodes approaching each other at an angle, their supports
being pivotted together at a considerable distance from the electrodes, and their
angular distance apart being regulated by electro-magnets in the same circuit, fixed
to said supports and re-acting on each other, in opposition to a spring or its
mechanical equivalent for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joshua Stansfield Wilson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord 1879.
JOSHUA STANSFIELD WILSON. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALFRED J. BOULT,
of the Firm of
W. P. Thompson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
323, High Holborn, W.C.,
London,
and 6, Lord St.,
Liverpool.