Improvements in Arc Electric Lamps
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Dec., 1888
I CHARLES RICHARDSON, Electrician, of 46 Leopold Street, Weaste, in the County
of Lancashire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to Improvements in Arc Electric Lamps and has for its
object the feeding together of the carbons gradually and in due proportion to their
consumption. The way I accomplish this is as follows:-
Ι
A light frame consisting of two sides joined at the top and bottom by short flat
rings or bosses preferably all in one casting, forms the bearings for an escape-wheel
some two inches in diameter of the ordinary clock escapement type, and its arbor,
the said escape-wheel being outside but close to the said light frame through the two
sides of which its arbor passes. Mounted on the arbor of the said escape-wheel, and
between the sides of the frame is a pinion whose teeth gear with those of a rack,
the said rack having its bearings in the rings of the frame, or if a pulley and cord
be preferred the pulley would take the place of the pinion, and a plain rod that of the
rack. Gearing with the escape-wheel preferably at the top, is a palate fast to an
arbor which also passes through the two sides of the frame. Fast to this arbor is a
balance wheel, balance, or pendulum.
This peculiar combination of specially shaped frame, escape-wheel with arbor and
pinion or pulley, gearing with a palate on whose arbor is a balance forms the chief
feature of my invention.
There are several ways in which my invention can be applied to form an Electric
Lamp or Regulator, they are chiefly as follows:-
When a differential magnet is used, a tube is screwed into the bottom ring or
boss of the aforesaid frame, and passes through the yoke of the magnet which is
fixed poles downwards to the base plate of the lamp, also through the base plate and
then fastened to the armature which placed immediately beneath the poles of the
said magnet, the rack or rod in this case passes through the tube which when lifted
by the said armature raises the frame and escapement, and rack or rod untill the
balance wheel touches the top of the lamp or some convenient stop, when the

page_text: escapement is prevented from working untill the electrical action of the coils allows
the armature to descend, thereby releasing the clockwork and allowing the rack or
rod to descend.
When a differential solenoid is used, the said solenoid can have its core hollow
allowing the rack or rod to pass through it, in this case the said hollow core would
screw into the bottom ring or boss of the frame, the action being the same as in the
first named application, the core performing the lifting in this case-or the said
solenoid could be placed at one side of the escapement combination and lift it by
means of a lever pivoted on some convenient part of the lamp, and its end fast to the
end of the solenoid core, which in this case would be solid.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not claim either of the aforesaid
arrangements of magnets or solenoids nor any form of escape-wheel, balance or
frame, by themselves, but what I do claim is "The combination of an ordinary
escape-wheel some two inches in diameter, with pinion or pulley on its arbor,
mounted as described in the specially shaped frame or casting together and gearing
with a palate with a balance wheel or pendulum fast on its arbor, also mounted in
the said specially shaped frame, the rings or bosses of which form the bearings for a
rack or rod, the whole substantially as set forth.'

page_text: Improvements in Arc Electric Lamps.
I, CHARLES RICHARDSON of 74 Barrett Street Brooks' Bar, in the County of
Lancaster. Electrical Engineer, 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 :-
This Invention relates to Electric-Arc Lamps, and it has for its object to effect
the feeding of the carbon gradually and in proportion to the consumption, by
simple means.
I will describe my Improvements with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, and Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view. In
each of the Figures similar parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
The regulating and feeding mechanism consists of a light framing A which has at
its upper and lower_ends respectively, the bosses or bearings B C, through which
passes the rod D. Upon the framing A there is mounted in suitable bearings, the
escape wheel E, which is similar to the escape wheel of a clock, and may be about
two inches in diameter. The arbor of the escape wheel has a toothed pinion or a cord
pulley F mounted thereon. If F is a cord pulley, a cord is attached to the top of
the rod D and is passed around the pulley and thence to the lower part of the rod
where it is secured. If then, the rod D is raised or lowered, the cord moving with
the rod will cause the cord pulley and consequently the escape wheel also to rotate.
If F is a toothed pinion, its teeth are caused to engage with the teeth of a rack which
in this case is formed upon or secured to the rod D. The vertical motion of the rod D
provided with a rack gearing with the pinion F, will produce a rotary motion of the
escape wheel as described with reference to the cord and pulley. When the cord is
used it is advisable to attach it to the pulley so as to prevent its slipping over the
circumference without rotating it.
Above the 'scape wheel E or in any other suitable and convenient position in
relation thereto, there is mounted an escapement G having its pallets engaging with
the teeth of the 'scape wheel. Upon the arbor of the escapement there is fixed the
balance wheel H, or in substitution for the balance wheel, a pendulum may be con-
nected with the escapement arbor as in a clock.
The weight of the rod will tend to cause it to descend and its descent will be
governed by the escape movement and will in the absence of a preventing cause, be
regular and slow. The carbon being attached to the lower end of the rod D, the
carbon will be fed with the motion of the rod.
The regulation of the feed is effected by electro-magnetic devices which operate by
arresting the motion of the feeding mechanism at intervals as may be required. The
devices which may be employed for this purpose may vary very considerably in their
character and in their application. I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings
a means of temporarily arresting the motion of the feed mechanism by the aid of a
differential solenoid I, which is fixed at one side of the feed movement. The core of
the solenoid is connected to the arm J which passes below and is pivotted at K

page_text: beyond the lower part of the framing A. When owing to the shortening of the arc,
the core of the solenoid is drawn upwards into the solenoid, the arm J is pulled
upwards thereby and lifts the framing together with the escape motion and the rod
until the balance wheel comes into contact with the top of the lamp or with a fixed
stop which arrests the motion of the escapement until the reduction of the current
permits the core of the solenoid to re-descend thus releasing the escapement and
allowing the rod to descend. The apparatus represented in the drawings which I
prefer to use for arresting the motion of the escapement, consists of the spring K
pinned to the lower part of the framing, and curved at the top so as to extend over
and in proximity with the balance wheel, in combination with the fixed stud or pin L.
When the framing is in its lower position, the curved extremity of the spring rests
upon the top of the stud L and is thus kept out of contact with the balance wheel.
When however the framing is lifted, the spring gradually ceases to be supported by
the stud and finally comes into contact with the circumference of the balance wheel
acting as a brake and thus arresting its motion.
The differential solenoid may be arranged concentrically with the rod D, in
which case the core of the solenoid is tubular and surrounds the rod D. The core
of the solenoid is secured to the boss or bearing B of the framing A and thus acts
directly.
Instead of a solenoid, a differential electro-magnet may be used in which case a
tube may be attached to the lower boss B of the framing A. The electro-magnet is
secured poles downwards below the lamp base plate, and the tube which is attached to
the lower boss of the framing passes through the yoke of the magnet and is attached
to the armature. The rod D is capable of passing freely within the tube connected
to the boss of the framing and to the armature respectively. The operation of the
concentric solenoid and of the electro-magnet is in each case the same as hereinbefore
described with reference to the arrangement illustrated by the drawing.
1 am aware that an escape motion has already for some time past been used in
electric-arc lamps, and that solenoids and electro-magnets have also been similarly
used, but so far as have been able to ascertain, no arrangement of these devices
bitherto in use possesses the simplicity of the arrangement hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
In an electric-arc lamp, feeding and regulating apparatus and devices consisting of
a pulley or pinion F geared with the rod D, the escape wheel E, the escapement G,
and a balance wheel or pendulum, all mcunted upon and carried by the framing A
and constructed arranged and operated substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of November A.D. 1888.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.