Year: 1878

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT FOR GENERAL USE.
| IMPROVEMENTS BY WHICH 1T CAN DE USED IN
STREETS AND HoUsEs-How FORMER DIFFICULT
TIES HAVE BEEN OVERCOME.


The use of the electric light for Illuminating
streets large buildings has been made practicable
IL is claimed through recent inventions OF the
electrician, j. B. Fuller, OF Brooklyn Heretofore the
use Of electric light for ordinary Illuminating pur-
poses has been attended with seemingly unsurmounta-
bic difficulties The cost of electricity supplied by bat.
ters was too great allow the light 10 be used In COM
petition with gas the batteries found TO be un-
Trustworthy Of their inconstaucy and ten
dency TO become weak. Much additional expense was
made necessary in the construction OF the electric
lamp Intricate mechanism, moved by clock-work,
kept the carbon points in position as they we're being
consumed by the electric current This mechanism was


liable TO get out order and required the attention OF
persons we'll acquainted with its construction Another
difficulty was encountered in the attempt to divide the
electric current that number OF lights could be sup
piled by one wire. Where several lights were placed in


SERIES failure of any OF them broke the current
and put the others The use of the electric light
WAS limited therefore, lighthouses and places where
one large light OF unusual brilliancy was desired.


Mr. Fuller oyercame one difficulty in the use OF the
electric light several years by inventng magnetic
electric machine, which produced constant currents OF
electricity at trifling cost The machine mas oeen
much improved since that it produce currents OF
any desired power and also produce several dis
tinct currents at time 1t generates electricity
by induction, by means Of armatures surrounded with
coils of WIRE which made to move rapidly past pow
erul magnets The currents produced are steady ana
constant and the machine has been used successfully
with the telegraph. It's employment by the large tele
graph companies has been prevented by dhculty In
the purchase the patent which is now owned by Mr.
Fuller.


An electric lamp of very simple construction, has also
been patented by Mr. Fuller which costs less than s
when completed No clockwOrk machinery is employed
to keep the carbon points in position and the lamp Will
burn for hours without being touched Two strips OK
carbon of unequal size, are placed parallel With each
other at such distance apart that the current Of eec-
rcty will pass between their points and give the best


light They also placed at an angle with the perpen-
dcuar Against their upper sides rests strip OF glass;
which prevents The electricity from flowing between tho
carbons, except at their points AS the car
hons are consumed by the electric current,
the glass near the points becomes heated
and gradually mets away. While melting, the glass al
lows the passage through OF some part ot me eectro
current and the radiating surface OF the light
The effect this is To lessen some what the intensity OK
the light and to increase its volume The ordinary
electric light is dazzling that II pains The eye Iho


light produced by of Mr. Fuers lamps Is softer buS
not less brilliant and powerful


Mr. Fuller has ready to be patented an invention by
which the electric carried over single wire can
be divided into large number of independent branches
each capable supplying lamps of different power The
invention exceedingly simple but description OF 10
is withheld the present by the inventor ABOUT inc
middle OF December last Mr.. Fuller set up one OF MS
electric machines at the machine works Of the Brady
Manufacturing Company, in Brooklyn, and lighted tho
building with his lamps for several months Sew
eral lights were used all supplied by current passing
through a gle wire The same machine and electric
lamps in recently at the branch store OF MatDy
a Co at No. IL Green wichave and attracted much at
tenton Mr. Fuller estimates that one OF his machines,
capable OF producing 100 lights of 100 candle power
each which may be placed IN q circle OF mile from
the machine, be operated at an expense OF thirty
Mounds of coal an hour TO maintain steam power