US1110553A - Starting device for mercury-vapor electric apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

P. G. HEWITT.

STARTING DEVICE FOR MERCURY VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1905.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rarer. coornn HEWITT, or NEW YORK, NL Y., assmuon, BY MESNE assrcnmnu'rs,

TO coornn nnwrr'r ELECTRIC COMPANY, or HOZBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A conrona- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

STARTING DEVICE FOR MERCURY-VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Original application filed November 24, 1903, Serial No. 182,443. Divided and this application filed July- 1,

- i 1905. Serial No. 267,988.

general character, the same being designed for use in some instances for electric lightv ing purposes and in other instances for obtaining uni-directional currents from alternating currents. In some forms of this apparatus, one or more of theelectrodes consists ofa small quantity-of mercury, and the inclosed gas or vapor consists of vaporized or volatilized mercury. Generally speaking, a convenient way for'causing an initial flow of current through the apparatus has been to impress a higher electrical potential than is required to maintain the devices in a conductive condition when once started.

I have devised various means for conveniently securing the initial current flow, and my present invention aims to provide a new solution of the same problem. In this instance, I provide'simple and effective means for forming an initial closed circuit between two electrodes of different potential in the apparatus, whereby a flow of current having the normal operating potential is readily established through the closed circuit, and upon the interruption of this circuit the current flows through the gas or vapor. In one form of starting device made in, accordance with the present invention, I cause a thin stream of mercury to be ejected from one electrode into contact with the other, and then permit the stream to-be disintegrated by gravity, whereby the conducting stream through which the initial current has been caused to flow is interrupted and the current then traverses the current path between the electrodes.

In another embodiment of my invention, the mercury is initially restrained from falling in a stream to the lower electrode,

and the act of startingconsists in automatically. releasing the restrained mercury to allow a flow from the upper to the lower electrode for starting purposes. The electromagnetic means for causing the squirtmgof a portion of the lower mercury electrode upward into contact with the other electrode are disclosed in the parent application.

Similar means may be employed for releasing the mercury in-the second: form of apparatus described above. But these means may be varied and itis also true that various other means-may be provided for causing a closed circuit to be formed be-- tween the electrodes; one of which is illustrated and described in the present application. After the electro-magnetic devices have done their work, they may be automatically cut out of the circuit or may be left in the circuit, if desired;

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying'drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus embodying my invention and Fig. 2 is a modification thereof.

Referring to the first figure of the drawing, 1 represents the inclosing chamber of the device, which is here represented as an electric lamp, although it will be understood that the invention is applicable to electric converters or current rectifiers. The general method of exhausting the lamp and other characteristics to be observed in the manufacture are described in certain patents issued to me September 17th, 1901.

In the apparatus, the mercury electrode is located in a compartment 25 near the top of the lamp and the iron electrode at the bottom. The armature 20 of the coil 10 is here connected with a valve stem joined to a to fall and that by virtue of the strip 23 of conducting material, there 'will be a continuous conducting path from one electrodeto the other, formed in part by the stream of mercur and in part by the conducting strip. Th1S provides for continuity between the mercury electrode 4 and the iron electrode 2 during the starting operatlon, even though, for any reason, a separation should take place between different parts of the mercury in the-compartment 25.

Fig. 2 illustrates an organization in which the positive electrode 2, at the top of the apparatus is connected by a good conductor 24 with a body "of mercury 1n the chamber 25. From this chamber leads a channel 22, as before, into the main container. When the mercury is spilt over from the chamber 25 down to the lower electrode 4, acomplete path between the two electrodes is formed partly by the stream of mercury and partly by the conductor 24.

In both organizations illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2, current will pass through the vapor between the two electrodes, as soon as the stream of mercury falls apart by gravity. The organization shown in these figures may be provided with devices for cutting 'out the coil 10. As soon as the stream of mercury ceases to flow or breaks apart, a current will be established between the negative electrode-4 and the main positive electrode 2.

In my application Serial Number 182,443, filed November-24. 1903, of which this application is a division, claims are made upon certain methods of operatlon disclosed herein; and in another division of the same original application, filed October 19, 1904, Serial Number 229,055, claims are made upon the construction shown in said original application, reference being had in some of the claims more particularly'to a species not shown herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gas or vapor electric apparatus, a suitable container, electrodes therein one of which is a conducting fluid, leading-in wires electrically connected with said electrodes, a valve controlling the flow of the said fluid,

and means whereby the valve can be op-- erated for causing a stream of the fluid to pass between the electrodes.

2. In a gas or vapor electric apparatus, a suitable container, electrodes therein one of which is a conducting fluid, leading-in wires connected with'the said electrodes, a valve controlling the flow of the said fluid, and automatic means whereby the valve can be operated for causing a stream of the fluid to pass between the'electrodes.

' 3. In a gas or 'vapor electric apparatus, a suitable container, "electrodes therein one of which is a conducting fluid, leading-in wires electrically connected to the said electrodes,

a valve controlling the flow of the said fluid, and electro-umgnctic means whereby the valve can be operated for causing a stream of mercury to pass between the electrodes.

4. In a. gas or vapor electric apparatus, a suitable container, electrodes therein one of which is of mercury, leadin -in wires electrically connected with said electrodes, a valve controlling the flow of said mercury, and means whereby the valve can be operated for causing a stream of mercury to pass between the electrodes.

5. In a gas or vapor electric apparatus, a container having two electrodes one being of conducting liquid located above the other in a suitable pocket or receptacle, the said pocket or receptacle being provided with an opening for ermitting an outflow of conducting liquid therefrom to the lower electrode, a piston adapted to approximately close the said opening, and means for operating the piston.

6. In a gas or-vapor electric apparatus, a container, two electrodes one being a conduncting liquid located above the other in a suitable pocket or receptacle, the said pocket or receptacle being provided with an opening permitting an outflow of liquid therefrom, a piston adapted to approximately close the said opening, and electro-magnetic means for operating the system.

7. In a gas or vapor electric apparatus, a suitable container, electrodes therein, one of which is a conducting liquid movable relatively to the container for preventing contact between the electrodes in the non-open ating conditionof the apparatus, and means for removing the obstructing or preventing means and-causing contact between the electrodes.

8. In a gas or vapor electric apparatus, a suitable container fixed in position, electrodes therein one of which is a conducting fluid contained in a suitable pocket or receptacle, and means for releasing a ortion of the liquid for making contact with the other electrode and thereby starting the ap paratus.

9. In combination with a gas or vapor electric apparatus comprising a container, normally seperated electrodes therein, suitable circuits connected with the apparatus, of restraining devices controlling the passage from one electrode to the other, and means whereby on the closure of the main circuit said restraining devices are withdrawn from operation, whereby the appas last named electrode, and means whereby on the closure of the main circuits to the apparatus contact is made between the electrodes, such means consisting of an electro-magnet adapted to act upon the aforesaid restraining devices.

11. In a vapor electric apparatus, a suitable container, main electrodes therein normally disconnected within the container, and electro-magnetic means controlling a fall of conducting material from one electrode to the other through a path too extended to permit of such connection being permanent when the apparatus is at rest.

12. In a gas or vapor electric apparatus a suitable container fixed in position, electrodes therein normally disconnected within the container, and electro-ma etic means controlling a fall of conductmg material from such electrode to another through a path too extended to permit of such connection being permanent when the apparatus is at rest.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 25 29th day of June A. D. 1905.

PETER COOPER HEWITT. Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, Gnonon H. STOCKBRIDGE.

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