US1091563A - Vapor electric apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. T. HLDEMPSTBR.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4, 1904.

1,091,563. Patented Mar. 31, 191i Witnesses: Inventor:

m Q/ ZZJ John T. H. Dempst er, W b W TINTTET STATES PATENT OFF-TCE.

JOHN T. H. DEMPSTER, 0F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914:.

Application filed April 4, 1904. Serial no. 201,486.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. H. DEM]?- srnu, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor Electric Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to vapor electric apparatus such for example as lamps or the like and comprises certain novel means whereby the are or current flow may be started. Heretofore a high resistance conductor extending between two electrodes has been used to start the arc. I have found that the starting may be accomplished by providing a series of contact points spaced apart at intervals between the electrodes and electrically connected to one of the electrodes.

' The novel features characteristic of the invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, itself, however, will be better understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 represents, by way of illustration, one embodiment of my invention, and Fig. 2 a modified detail.

In Fig. 1 the exhausted envelop of a mercury lamp is represented at 1 and consists as shown of a tube of indefinite length having at the top thereof a condensing chamher 2. In the mouth of this chamber is located the positive electrode or anode 3, while at the lower end of the tube a body of mercury 4 contained therein constitutes the cathode or negative electrode. At intervals in the length of the tube is located a series of conducting buttons 5, 6, 7 and 8 each provided with a suitable leading-in.

conductor as at 9, 10, 11 and 12 respectively. These buttons, like the anode 3, may be of carbon, graphite or the like though other materials may be used if desired. All of the buttons are connected electrically to the positive lead or conductor 13 by which current is supplied to the lamp, but are separated from each other by resistances 14, 15, 16 and 1'7, as shown.

A core 18 of magnetic material, cupped or hollowed out at the top so as to contain mercury, floats in the electrode 4 so that, when the lamp is unenergized, the mercury in the electrode 4. Owing to the presence of the resistance 14 this are, instead of continuing to exist between the button 5 and the mercury electrode or cathode 4, extends up to the button 6 and then, due to the resistances 15, 16 and 17, extends successively from but-.

ton to button up the tube until it reaches the anode 3. The lamp is thus started readily without the use of a continuous filament in the lamp as has heretofore been a common practice.

Instead of forming the initial starting are by submerging the plunger, such as shown in Fig. 1, I may instead use a construction as shown in Fig. 2 in which the lower but ton 20 is itself movable under the influence of a solenoid 21 surrounding the lower end of the lamp tube 22. The button in this case may consist either of a single piece of magnetic material of the form shown or it may consist of an internal core 23 of iron or steel surrounded by a coating of graphite or carbon. In any event the button may be loosely mounted in a support 24 projecting from theside of the tube 22 and arranged so that it will be drawn up out of contact with the mercury cathode 25 when the solenoid is energized. The initial are thus started extends upward to the main anode, in this case not shown, in the same manner as described in connection with Fig. 1.

It is evident that numerous modifications and adaptations of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof for which reason I do not wish to be limited to the exact details shown and described.

. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of cooperating main electrodes, and bodies of conducting material spaced apart at intervals between said electrodes.

2. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of cooperating electrodes, and a. series of conducting buttons or projections electrically connected to one of the electrodes and located at intervals between said electrodes.

3. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of cooperating electrodes, a plurality of conducting projections placed apart from each other and arranged between said electrodes, and resistances electrically connecting said projections to each other and to one of the main electrodes.

4:. The combination in an electric vapor apparatus, of main positive and negative electrodes, a supplemental or starting positive electrode, an intervening multi-point electrode, and connections whereby the current passes successively along the points of said electrode.

' 5. The combination in an electric vapor apparatus, of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a multi-point electrode located between the same and connected with the positive electrode.

6. The hereinbefore described method of operating electric vapor apparatus, which consists in establishing a flow of current across a short path within the device, and

automatically lengthening said path by defi-.

nite steps.

7. The hereinbefore described method of starting and operating an electric vapor apparatus, which consists in initially establishing a flow of current through a relatively short section of the device, thereupon substituting successively longer portions of the device, and automatically interrupting the initial connections.

8. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of electrodes, a plurality of elec trically connected conducting projections spaced apart from each other between said electrodes, and means for initiating an arc between one of said projections and one of said electrodes;

9. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of electrodes, a plurality of electrically connected conducting projections spaced apart from each other between said electrodes, and means for momentarily bringing one of said projections and one of said electrodes into electrical connection.

10. In a vapor electric apparatus, the combination of electrodes, a plurality of electrically connected conducting projections spaced apart from each other between said electrodes, and means for bringing one of said projections and one of said electrodes into electrical connection.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this first day of April, 1904.

JOHN T. H. DEMPSTER. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFoRo.

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