US303898A - thomson - Google Patents

Description

(ModeL) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

E. THOMSON.

ELECTRIC LAMP MECHANISM. No. 303,898 Patented Aug. 19, 1884.

(ModeL) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

E. THOMSON.

ELECTRIC LAMP MECHANISM.

' No 303,898. Patented Aug. 19, 1884.

may 6%%%- UNITED seam ATENT omen.

ELIHU THOMSON, OF N EWV BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMSONIIOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY.

ELECTRIC-LAMP MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,838, dated August 19, 1884.

' Application filed June 8, 12481. (Mmleln To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIHU THOMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New Britain, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain Improve ments in Electric-Lamp Mechanism; and I do hereby declare that the following is a description thereof.

My invention relates to an electric lamp in which carbon electrodes are used for producing an arc; and it consists of combinations of devices for securing certainty of operation, regularity of arc length, and the prevention of Opeucircuiting when several lamps are arranged in series. I make use of an electromagnet and armature imparting movement to a clamp for lifting the upper carbon and establishing the are. I also employ a shunt or derived circuit magnet to close a set of contacts forming a shunt of small resistance around the lifting-magnet coils, or a portion thereof, and arranged so as to cause a very delicate feeding of the electrodes as consumed. I also employ a very effective device for forcing the approach of the carbon electrodes in case of the failure of said carbon electrodes to feed.

Iv will proceed to describe my invention by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front view of the regulating mechanism of an electric lamp embodying the substantial features of my iiiventiolnFig. 2, a figure partly in section showing the devices for lifting the carbon-rod It in detail; Fig. 3, a top view or plan of the clamp D D, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows the relation between the liftingmagnet and its armature. Fig. 5 is a plan of said armature and magnet-pole. Fig. 6 isa peculiar arrangement of dash-pot for checking the movement of the lifting-armature. Figs. 7, 8, 9,10, and-11 are views of an improved safety device for forcing the approach of the electrodes when the arc resistance becomes abnormally great. I

In Fig. 1 the parts are shown supported in the interior of an iron frame or box, the carbon-rod R passing vertically through its center. An electro-magnet, M, t aversed by the circuit current or direct current is arranged so as to attract an armature, B, pivoted as .is lifted or lowered.

shown. The magnet and armature are shaped, as will be described in connection with Figs. 4t and 5, though this construction is not essential to the operation of the lamp, a plain flat armature and flat pole of the magnet M being also suitable. movements of the armature B a clamp, D D, This clamp serves to seize the carbon-rod R and establish an are when lifted, and to allow said rod to slip through it when lowered. Figs. 2 and 3 show the preferred construction of thelifting-clamp D D. An arm, C, Fig. 1, connects the armature B to adash-pot or other check-1notions, as may be preferred. The clectro-magnet K of high resistance is a shunt or derived circuit around the arc, and the variations of its power,.acting vin opposition to a spring, WV, upon its armature A, serve to close or open a set of contacts, 1) g, which constitute a shunt of small resistance around coils of M, so as by shunting current from such coils toweaken the magnets power.

The magnets 19 1 .may be simply a single pair of contacts, or may be constructed as de scribed in my Patent No. 261,790, and constitute a variable-resistance shunt. The construction of the contacts whereby this result may be effected is shown in Figs. 12 and 13, where the contact 1) is divided like a comb or brush, and has its teeth so arranged as to come successively into contact with a block, q, of carbon. indicated by the numeral 5,'Fig. 1, and the wire which includes magnet M and is shunted is indicated by the numeral 6. The action of thederived-circuit magnet K and contacts 1) q in shunting the feed-magnet M is substantially the same as in my patent before referred to. A small resistance-coil or resistance, 1', is provided partly as a preventive'o'f spark during the closing and opening of said contacts By the upward and downward The shunt-wire around magnet M is,

p g. This resistanceis connectedto thebranch 5 at the points indicated, so as to form a circuit for the current in 5 around said contacts. \Vhen the contacts are open, the branch 5 is a'shunt of high resistance around 6 and the magnet M; but when the contacts are closed the resistance is cut out. I also make use of this resistance r for a novel purpose. changing its amount, as by changing itslength or size of wire composing the coil, or the material of the coil, or by otherwise changing the resistance of r in any manner, I am enabled to adapt the power of the lifting-magnet to varying strengths of current used to operate the lamp without changing the winding of the magnet M as to size of wire, convolutions, &e. The device for adjusting the resistance, as here shown, consists ofthe well-known arrangement of a switch moving over a series of contacts connected to the resistances at various points, whereby a greater or less length of the resistance may be included in the circuit 5 around the magnet M. NVhere a current of large volume or strength is used the resistance r is made less, so as to permanently divert more current from the magnet, and thus adjust its lifting-power to the proper amount, and where acurrent of small volume or strength is employed, the resistance r is made great, so as to force the current through the magnet and thus give it the proper power. It is thus, without otherwise changing the construction of the lamp, I adapt it to run upon greater orless current strength bymcrely changing the amount of the resistance r.

I do not limit myself as to the manner or means of varying the resistance 2'. It may be applied to any kind of lifting or regulating magnet in an electriclamp, no matter whether the variations of power in said magnet for producing a feed are brought about by the automatic shunt herein described, or by other and well-known arrangements of said magnet itselt'in the circuit. The resistance r constitutes in any case a permanent derivation around the coils of the regulating magnet through which the direct current passes, and acts to divert current from said magnet and to modify its power, so as to adapt it for use in any circuit.

The poles of the magnet K are shaped with respect to the armature A, moving near thereto, so as to give a nearly uniform attractive force in various positions when a constant current is circulating through the coils of the magnet K. This result is accomplished by the tapering of the poles, as shown in Fig. 1. A second set ofcontaets, t a, which remain closed during normal. operation of the lamp, constitute a shunt or short circuit around an electro-magnct, S, which latter acts to bring into o )eration a safety device, :fully described in connection with Figs. 7, S, 9, l0, 1].. The contacts in are opened when the armature B fully retires from its limits of position during normal feeding of the carbon electrodes. A stop or projection, V, is provided for opening the contacts 1. a.

The general circuits are as follows: Entering at X, the circuit is to and through eon tacts ta when armature B is raised or when said contacts are broken through the magnet S. After passing through contacts I a or magnet S the circuit divides, as shown, one path being through the main-circuit magnet M to the carbon-rod, the are, and out at Y, the other being to one side of the set of contactsp and q, and, when the latter are closed, through the same to the upper carbon, or through the magnet K to the point Y, magnet K being, as indicated and as usual, in a derived circuit around the carbons. The resistance r is in a branch around the contacts 1) q, and forms the whole or a portion of the path. for the current in the branch from 1 at around magnet M, according as the contacts 1) q are open or closed. On establishing a current the armature B is lifted and the contacts melosed. The clamp D I) lifts the rod B. and establishes the are at *When the arc has elongated slightly, the contacts 1) q are closed by the increased at traction of the shunt magnet or coil K upon its armature A, thus diverting sufficient current from the magnet M, releasing the arma ture B, which descending opens the clamp II) D and allows the carbon-rod to feed down ward. The contacts 1) q and L a may be both operated directly by the armature A of the shunt-magnet K, as indicated in Fig. Lt. In this latter case the contacts 2 (I are first closed, after which closure the contacts Mare opened by a further movement of the shuntarmature A, so that the first action of the shunt is to feed the electrodes, the second actionbeing to bring into operation the magnet S to insure their approach if the feeding otherwise fails.

In Fig. 2,1; is the lilting-armature, to or by which the clamp-body I) is pivoted or sup ported. The movable toe or clamp ll), pivoted as shown, rests against the rod R, and

has an elongated portion, to which one end of a spring, S, is attached, while the other end of the spring is attached to a fixed support. G is a fixed bushing through which the rod 11. is guided. Bushing G is supportedby an arm, F", secured to the lamp frame or casing. Bushing G also bears a stop, F, secured to a curved arm, F", projecting from F", arranged to open the elampjaw 1), when the armature B and part I) are lowered to the position as in the figure. The rod R then slides gradually through the clamp I).

It will be seen that the view of the parts I) G B, Fig. 2, is at right angles to thatin Fig. 1. The spring S is seen in front of llig. 1. The stop F is merely a projection from the bushing G, secured to the lamp box: and frame. The clamp-body l), as shown, is pivoted to the armature B, which is perforated for the free admission of the carbon-holding red It. The clamp I) therefore moves with the armature B up and down, while the spring S holds the toe D against the red It, when said too is not in contact with the stop F, as when the clamp l.) is lifted by the armature B.

In Fig. 3 the relations ot'the parts I) and l) of the clamp are more fully shown, the too or jaw D occupying a portion of the opening in the clampbody D, through which the rod It passes.

In order to equalize the magnetic effect of IIO IIS

the magnet M upon its armature B in different positions, its pole N is preferably allowed to project through the armature B, and it has a cur-ved'face made upon it, as shown. The

'pole is shown as square in horizontal crosssection, and as corresponding with a similar square opening in the armature B in Fig. 5, and in Fig. 4 as tapered or chamfered to a curved form. The circular outline of the core from which it projects is indicated in Fig. 5 by the circular dotted line.

Fig. 6 is a dash-pot, which I prefer to em ploy to check the movements of the armature B and render them more gradual. The rod G, Figs. 1 and 6, is provided with a piston, P, fitting more or less loosely in the tube P. The base H of the lamp-box has projections I 1,

allowing a slight play of the dash-pot body in a vertical direction, and a spring, S may be provided to assist in holding the dash-pot in contact with the base H during normal operation. I find the slight play afforded to the dash-pot useful in assisting the quick closing of the clamp D immediately after the rod It has slid through it, or a feeding act-ion has been exerted. An inverted tubular neck, 0, is provided for preventing escape offluid from the dash-pot when the lamp is inverted or laid upon its side, sufficient space being provided around the neck 0 to contain all the fluid when the lamp is in an inverted position.

Fig. 7 is a full-sized view of the safety-magnet, called into action to violently force the carboirrod R downwardly when the contacts t a are opened by a failure to feed normally.

The device by which this is accomplished is a spring, or any suitable actuating device, normally held out of action, but released when the carbon fails to feed and the are abnormally lengthens. lVhen the spring or other power acts on the upper-carbon carrier, a clampclutch, or any device that may grasp the upper-carbon carrier and pull it down forcibly, is arranged to be actuated by said spring at the proper time. Said clamp or clutch is also, by preference, provided with a suitable device for normally holding its jaw or other engaging surface away from the surface of the carrier, so that the latter may move freely upward as well as downward. The construction of these parts may be infinitel y varied without departing from the invention, the gist of which consists in combining with a carboncarrier a spring or other actuating power normally held out of action upon said carrier while the lamp is working properly, but automatically released and allowed to actuate the carrier by any suitable means when the arc becomes abnormally long or the carbon fails to feed for an extended period. Vhen the spring acts upon the carrier through a clamp or clutch, as is usually the case when it is arranged to force the carbon that feeds toward the are, said clamp or clutch may be constructed and arranged as follows: Surrounding the carbonrod R is a collar, T, or sliding tube, provided piece, f, borne by the tube T. Projections K,

one or more, are placed upon the tube T, by which it may be upheld against the action of a spring, Q, tending to draw the tubeT for cibly down. *Engaging upon the projection K is a catch, 1), supported or actuated by, or I otherwise arranged so as to be under the control of the magnet S, and the catch 1) upholds the projection K and the tube T, in virtue of its position under the projection K. A small projection, 70, also holds the jaw J open, so as to leave the rod It free in the position of the parts, as shown in the figure. The magnet S is hung upon a lever, L, pivoted vertically under-the piece K to the frame H. A spring, Z, supports the magnet S in position, leaving a small interval between its polar extremity and the iron case H, as shown. 7 The position of the parts as here shown in Fig. 7 is given at the starting of the lamp, and is always maintained during normal operation, and it will be seen that the carbon-rod is free to descend, the jaw J being prevented from locking upon the rod R by-the projection 7c.

Fig. 8 is a plan of the parts in the same position as in Fig. 7. R is a carbon-rod5 J, the jaw; 7.", its stop or projection; S, the magnetcorc; b, projection or catch borne by the magnet and engaging under the catches K of the tube T. The parts K and b may be duplicated on the other side of the rod R, as shown in dot ted lines.

Fig. 9 is another view of the parts shown in Fig. 7 or end elevation, the tube T inclosing the rod R, and spring Q attached to the projection K, the catch b under the part K, the lever L upon which the magnet S is swung, as shown.

lVhen the contacts t a, Fig. 1, are opened by the retirement of the armature B beyond its limits, during normal operation due to a failure of the clamp D to feed the carbon-rod, the magnet S is rendered active by the passage of the current and attracts itself to the sides of the frame H of iron. The position it then occupies is seen in Fig. 10. The spring Z is extended and the magnet S tipped over, so as to withdraw first the stop in, leaving the jaw J free to engage upon the rod R, and second, the projection 11 is withdrawn from the under side of the catch K. In this position the tube T is left without any upholding-support, and is borne downward with considerable force by the spring Q or its own weight, if sufficient. However, the jaw J having looked upon the rod It by the aid of the spring Z, the tube T cannot descend without bringing the rod R down with it, and as the spring Q ma be of an i desired stren th an a )roaeh' of the carbon is thus secured and the circuit is kept from being broken by a failure of the lamp to feed. Moreover, the action of the spring Q is continued through a considerable space, and thereby the carbons are held together until the defect in the feeding action is properly remedied. Should the tube T descend, as in Fig. 11, and bring the jaw J into contact with the step c, thej aw is again opened and the red It is again free to descend through the piece T. After the tube T has been re leased, the attendant, finding that it has been so released and has brought the carbons to gether, can restore it to its original position Fig. 7, by simply raising it from below the frame H, attend to the lamp, examine into the causes of the safety-magnet having been called into action, and restore the lamp to its normal working condition. "When the lamp is reearboned the magnet S is set, and is in the main circuit, owing to the fact that the contacts t a are opened by the armature. \Vhcn the current begins to flow, however, the magnet M acts and closes the contacts t a before magnet S has time to act, the more prompt action of magnet M and armature 13 taking place because at this time the carbonrod is not supported by the armature, and the retracting-force acting on magnet S is much stronger than that acting on armature l3. Magnet S might be made more sluggish in action than M by means well known in the art as, for instance, by making its core long or by making-its wire of higher resistance than that of M. Vheu the cont-acts t a are closed the current is diverted from S, which cannot then act until the armature falls back, so as to open the contacts for a eom 'iarativcly prolonged interval.

Various changes in the relations of the parts of the safety device may be used to effect the same resultviz., to bring a stored force, as a stretched spring, into action consequent on an increased power of the shunt clectro-magnot, when the are otthe lamp has attained an abnormal length.

I do not limit myself to any particular form or construction of device for imparting a post tive movement to the carrier when it fails to feed properly, since the gist of my invention consists in employing a supplemental actuator that may, when called into action, give a positive thrust to the carbon or carrier, said actuator being normally prevented from op erating during the usual feed movements of the carbon, and in automatically bringing the same into operation to force the carbons together, it from any cause the feed fail to take place and the are become abnormally long.

I claim 1. The combination, in an electric lamp, ofa clamp or clutch applied so as to grasp the carbon carrier and impel it toward the opposite carbon,a spring or equivalent actuating device connected to the clamp, and a catch or detent for normally holding said clamp or clutch out of engagement with the carrier, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with a spring-actuated impelling clutch or clamp for the carbon-carrier, of a catch or detent normally preventing the same from engaging with the carrier, and an electro magnet that controls the catch.

3. The combination, with the carbon-can rier in an electric lamp, of an impellingcluteh or clamp for forcing the carrier toward the opposite carbon, a suitable catch or detent for holding said clutch or clamp out of action, an eleetro-magnet controlling the detent, and a suitable cireuit-controller, whereby the llow of an electric current through said magnet is controlled so as to cause a release of the detent by the electro-ma-gnet whenever the are be comes abnormally long.

1. The combination, with the carbon-carrier in an electric lamp, of a clamp or clutch applied in the manner described, so as to force the carrier toward the opposite carbon. at detent or catch for normally holding said clamp or clutch out of action during feed of the carbon, and releasing devices for releasing said clamp or clutch, controlled by an eleetro-magnot connected to the lamp-circuit in the manner described, so as to be ai't'ectcd by an abnormal increase in the length of are.

5. The combination, in an electric lamp, of

a (an-boirearrier, a sleeve or guide for the carrier, a clamping toe or jaw mounted on the sleeve, and arranged to lock the carrier so as to impel the same toward the opposite carbon, an aetuatingspring connected to the sleeve, and suitable catches or steps for holding the clamping-toe and the acti'iating spring for the sleeve out of action.

6. The combination of the earbolrcarrier, a spring-actuated sleeve or guide carrying a clamping toe or jaw, a stop for holding the clamping toe or jaw out of engagement'with the carrier, a catch or stop engaging with the sleeve, and means for automatically and simultaneous] y withdrawing said stops, as and for the purpose described.

7. In a safety device for an electric lamp, an-electro-magnet, S, shunting contacts'l'or the same closed during normal feed of the carbons, and a clutch or clamp and actuating spring therefor, normally detained by said magnet during feed of the carbon, and arranged in the manner described to grip the earbon rod and force the carbons together when the carbons fail to feed properly.

8. A safety device in an electric lamp, eonsistiug ot' a clamp or clutch arranged to act upon the carbon-holder, a powerful spring upon said clamp or clutch, a catch or stop adapted to be removed from said clutch device by an electro-magnet, and a set of contacts forming a shunt around said magnet, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the carboncarrier, of an actuating clamp or clutch applied so as to force the carrier toward the opposite carbon, a disengaging-stop normally holding the same out of engagement, means for withdrawing the same when the arc becomes ab- IIO normally long, and a supplemental disengaging-stop for disengaging the clamp when it has completed its throw.

10. The combination of the electro-magnet S, arranged as described, catches b is, clampsleeve T, springs q, for the purpose of effecting an approach of the carbon electrodes when said magnet is energized by suitable devices brought into action by the formation of an arc of abnormal length.

11. The combinatiomwith the feed-controlling devices in an electric lamp, of a dash-pot both members of which are movable for a slight distance in the same direction with the part of the feed-controlling devices from which they are actuated.

12. The combination, with a feed clamp or clutch for an electric lamp, of an actuating lever or support, and a dash-pot one member of which is connected tosaid lever, while the other member is movable longitudinally for a slight distance with the first when the lever or support moves in a direction to cause the clamp to close and engage with the carboncarrier.

13. The combination, with the feed-controllingclamp or clutch in an electric lamp, of a dash-pot one member of which is connected with the feed-clamp, so as to retard its movement, while the other member is free, so as to be capable of following the retarding: movement of the first, so as not to oppose its movement, and suitable stops for limiting the movement of the free member.

14. The combination, with a feed controlling clamp or clutch in an electric lamp, of a dash-pot whose piston is connected with said clamp, and a dash-pot cylinder resting loosely on the floor of the lamp or other support, and provided with stops set to allow a slight movement of said cylinder with the piston.

15. The combination, with the regulating magnet or armature, of a daslrpot movable longitudinally with its piston, as and for the purpose described.

16. In an electric lamp, the combination of a regulatingmagnet helix, and adouble shunt consisting of a permanentlyclosed circuit around said helix, containing an adjustable resistance, and an automatically-variable resistance acting in accordance with variations in the arc length.

17. The combination with a carbon-carrier in an electric lamp, of a supplemental actuating device for forcing an approach of the carbons normally out of engagement with the carrier while the feed of the carbons is taking place in the proper manner, and means for bringing said actuating device into operation whenever from any cause the carbon-carrier sticks and produces an arc of abnormal length, so as to force the carbons together and preserve the circuit.

18. The combination, substantially as described, with a carbon-carrier for an electric lamp, of carbon separating and feeding mechanism, a supplemental actuating'spring for forcing the carbons together through any suitable supplemental device, means for holding said spring-out of act-ion during normal feed of the carbons, and a releasing device for automatically releasing the spring, so that it may force the carbons together if from any cause the car bon or carbon-carrier fail to feed properly.

19. The combination, with the carbon-carrier for an electric lamp, of carbon separating and feeding mechanism, and a supplemental actuating device for grasping the carbon or carrier and forcing the carbons positively together whenever the feed fails to take place in the normal way.

20. The combination, with a carbon or car bou-carrier, of a supplemental actuating device, a catch or detent normally engaged there with, to hold said actuating device out of action, and means for disengaging said catch or detent upon an abnormal increase in the length of are, so as to permit said actuating device to force the carbon into contact with the opposite carbon.

21. The combination, with the carbon separating and feeding mechanism in an electric lamp, of a supplemental device for grasping the carbon or carbon-carrier and carrying it toward the opposite carbon and held out of

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