US1893703A - Therapeutic arc lamp - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 10, 1933. a. HEBNER THERAPEUTIC ARC-LAMP Filled Dec.

1 N V EN TOR.

A TTORN Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES OLE HIBNER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO THERAPEUTIC ARC LAMP Application filed December 26, 1929. Serial No. 416,425.

My invention relates to are lamps and relates more particularly to are lamps adapted to produce therapeutic effects, and which are commonly known as therapeutic lamps.

My present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon the apparatus disclosed in my prior copending application for Letters Patent, Serial Number 338,684, filed February 19, 1929.

In my said copending application I disclosed a pair of tubular holders for carbon electrodes of a therapeutic lamp, telescoped therein and convergingly projecting by end portions therefrom, these being supported intermediate their ends upon individual supports, and insulated therefrom by tubular sleeves placed over the electrode holders.

In the said copending application also I have disclosed means for resiliently retracting the supports toward normal operative angular position, relatively to each other, and to the supporting shelf on which they are pivoted.

An object of my present invention is to provide improved means for supporting the tubular electrode supports of a therapeutic lamp of the same general type as that disclosed in my said copending application.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved therapeutic lamp of the above said general type wherein the the elec' trodes are firmly supported and insulated from each other in an improved manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a very simple and inexpensive manner, for the relative insulation and individual support of a pair of cooperative electrodes of a therapeutic lamp.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved therapeutic lamp of the above character, wherein improved electrode supporting means are provided which are inherently resilient, to permit manually effected deflection of either or both of the electrode supports, for striking an are between the ends of the electrodes.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains, from the following description of an embodiment of my invention, wherein reference is had to the accompanying drawing illustrating the said embodiment.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a transverse section of principal fragments of a lamp embodying my invention, certain parts thereof being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal medial sectional view of a portion of one of the electrode hold ers and its suported electrode the latter being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing said holder parts and said electrode.

Referring now to the different figures of drawing in all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, at l I show a metal hood provided for the purpose vof enclosing an electric are adapted to be maintained between the ends of a pair of carbon electrodes 10, which are supported by tubular metal holders 20 in converging relation therein. 7

The form of the hood may be varied widely in accordance with the well known practice, but in the form shown, it is provided with tubular side walls 1 and an end wall 2, the opposite end of the hood, not shown, being left open whereby the light from the are be tween the ends of the carbon electrodes may be projected forwardly therethrough.

At 8 I provide a heavy block of refractory material which is also electrically insulating, the block being secured to the rear wall 2 of the hood by bolts 6, or in any other suitable manner. The hood is apertured at 3 on the two opposite sides thereof near its open end and its rear wall 2 is also apertured on either side ofthe block 8 at 11.

Projecting laterally from the forward face of the block 8 are provided a pair of inherently resilient sheet metal supports 7 which are bolted thereto by bolts 9, the bolts 9 and the supports 7 being, however, electri cally insulated by the material of the block 8 from the bolt (land the rear wall 2 of the hood.

Each oftheresilient supports? carry at their ends an apertured metal block 12 rigidly secured thereto as by rivets 13. Through the apertures of the blocks 12 and aligned apertures through the ends of the resilient support 7, the tubular metallic electrode supports 20 are projected, preferably fitting snugly therein, and means such as set screws 14 are provided to adjustably restrain longitudinal or rotary movement of the tubular supports 20 relative to the supporting blocks 12. The tubular supports 20 project both forwardly and rearwardly from the apertured blocks 12 and at their forward ends support an electrode adjusting mechanism and terminate at their rear ends rearwardly and exteriorly of the rear wall 2 of the hood.

:The carbon or other electrodes are fed into the tubes 20 preferably from the rear, and rest loosely therein with their tips projected from the forward ends thereof in relative converging relation. The tubes 20 have their rear ends longitudinally slotted at 42 to provide a pair of inwardly compressible contact tongues 43. l

. Over the rear end of each of the tubes 20, a refractory heat and electrical insulating tube '15 is telescoped to abut against the securing rivets 13 of the tube carrying'blocks 12, and extends rearwardly through one of the apertures 11 of the hood rear wall nearly to the rear end of the metal tube 20 and a metal collar 16 is press-fitted onto the non-slotted portion of each tube to abut against the rear end of the refractory insulating tube 15, whereby said refractory tube is held securely between said collar and the rivets 13 for the lock 12.

The forward ends of the tubes 20 have their upper sides cut away to form elon 'ated openings 17 therethrough, the cut providing said openings preferably extending substantially below thelongitudinal middle of the tubes. An electrode adjusting mechanism is supported on the forward end of each of the tubes 20, by a heavy bored metal block18 fitted snugly onto the tube just rearwa'rdly of the elongated aperture 17 thereof.

The block 18 supports a pair of side plates 19 projected forwardly therefrom, these being notched from their upper edges at 21 to receive a rotatable electrode adjusting rod 22 projected through the aligned notches 21 of the two plates over the longitudinal middle of the aperture 17 of the supporting metal tube 20, the inner end of which terminates just outside of the plate 19, but whose other end is projected laterally at right angles to the tube 20 through the adjacent aperture 3 of the hood, and supports a turning handle of refractory electrical insulating ,material formed with a turning knob 24 at its end, said handle projecting by its stem 23 over said rod 22 through said aperture 3'to insulate the rod from the hood 1 and from the hands of the operator, when manipulating said knob.

Rigidly carried on each rod 22 near its end and intermediate the side plates 19, but spaced therefrom, 1 provide a spool-shaped roller 25 to turn with the rod 22 and by a frictional engagement with its associated carbon electrode .10, which is accomplished by virtue of portions of the spool engaging the electrode through the aperture 17 as is best shown in Fig. 3.

The frictional engagement between each roller 25 and its associated electrode 10 is resiliently maintained by a wire spring having an intermediate coil 27, a supporting arm 28 extending tangentially therefrom, having its end secured to the block 18 by a set screw 29, and its other tangential extending arm 26 communicating'spring pressure to the roller through its terminal hook 30 and the wire stirrup 31 whose intermediate portion is engaged by said hook. The stirrup is provided with a pair of arms each terminating in a hook 32 which pass upwardly between the plates 19 and the adjacent ends of the roller 25 and are hooked over the turning rod 22 to draw the roller 25 by said rod into resiliently maintained frictional engagement with the electrode 10 which is thereby closely pressed against the lower inner wall of the tube 20 to increase the. effectiveness of the electrical contact had therewith, said tube. wall forming a slideway for the electrode when longitudinal movement of the electrode is effected by turning of the roller.

It will be understood that the adjusting function of the mechanism just described is. to effect adjustablylongitudinal movement of either or both of the electrodes 10 which are disposed in converging relation to bring their forwardly disposed points as closely together as is required to effect an eilicient. electric are between them, upon the passage of an electrical current through said electrodes and the arc. At therear ends of each of the tubes 20 an electrical connector mechanism is provided including a cap 33 of refractory electrical insulating material, a metallic contact cup 34 telescoped into the interior recess of said cap and snugly held therein, in combination with the spring tongues 35 provided by the slotting as at of the rear ends of each of the tubes 20 which project rearwa-rdly beyond the rigidly affixed collar 16.

The insulating caps 33 are provided with an interior recess comprising successively reduced portions 37 and 38, the first loosely fitting over the rear end of the refractory insulating tube 15 and the second more reduced portion tightly holding the contact cup 34, and also adapted to receive the collar. 16 in' longitudinal spaced relation to the forward edge of said contact cap. As shown, the contact cap is adapted to be telescoped over the spring tongues 35 forming therear terminal of each of the metal tubes 20, and a good electrical contact is had between the outer surfaces of said tongues and the inner walls of said contact cap. An electrical circuit conductor 39 is projected through an axially disposed opening at the rear of the cap 33 and by a non-insulated portion 40 proj ects through an aperture of the rear wallof the contact cap to which it is rigidly secured by a connector screw 41.

Both the knobs 24 on the electrode adjusting rods 22 and the cover caps 33 for the rear ends of the electrode containing tubes 20, are adapted to serve as handles to momentarily displace the tubes 20 to more converging relative positions, in order to bring the forwardly projecting points of the electrodes momentarily together in order to strike the arc between said points.

The resilient metal strips 7, while sutlicient- 1y strong to hold the electrode supports in a given normal position during use are sulficiently resilient and yielding to manual pressure efiected upon said knobs 24 or said caps 33 to permit the inward deflection of the ends of the tubes 20 for striking of the are as described, and immediately when the deflecting manually applied pressure is relieved will re store the parts to their normal operative position, wherein the points will be spaced perhaps three-eighths of an inch apart, with the electrodes in a more forward position adjustment than convenient to be illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Having thus described my invention in a given embodiment, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment of my invention herein illustrated and described, but without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. In a therapeutic are lamp, a pair of elongated metallic tubes forming holders, each for an elongated electrode telescoped therein and projected by their ends converging-ly therefrom, an insulating plate disposed intermediate said tubes, and a pair of inherently resilient sheet metal strips each rigidly secured by an end to and extending from said plate, means for fixedly mounting each of said tubes in relative converging relation on a free end of each of said strips, the strips being adapted to bend generally in the direction of the axis of the tubes respectively, a hood having an open end enclosing said plate, said strips and the converging ends of said electrodes supported by said plate, said hood apertured to permit rearward projection of diverging ends of said tubes, insulating means surrounding the outwardly projected ends of said tubes exteriorly of the hood, said outwardly projected ends adapted for manual engagement for effecting momentary deflection of at least one of said tubes whereby an arc may be struck between the converging ends of said electrodes from without the hood.

2. In a therapeutic arc lamp, a pair of elongated metalic tubes forming holders, each for an elongated electrode telescoped therein and projected by their ends convergingly therefrom, an insulating plate disposed intermediate said tubes, and a pair of inherently resilient sheet metal strips each rigidly secured by an end to and extending laterally in opposite directions from said plate, means for fixedly mounting each of said tubes in relative converging relation on a free end of each of said strips, the strips being adapted to bend generally in the direction of the axis of the tubes respectively, a hood having an open end enclosing said plate, said strips and the converging ends of said electrodes supported by said plate, said hood apertured to permit rearward projection of diverging ends of said tubes, insulating means surrounding the outwardly projected ends of said tubes exteriorly of the hood, said outwardly projected ends adapted for manual engagement for effecting momentary deflection of at least one of said tubes whereby an arc may be struck between the converging ends of said electrodes from without the hood, and separable electrical connecting means for effecting an electrical connection to the free ends of said tubes, and insulating means surrounding said electrical Connecting means.

3. In a therapeutic arc lamp, a pair of elongated metal tubes forming electrical conducing holders each for an elongated arc electrode telescoped therein and projected by their ends convergingly therefrom, insulating plate means, a pair of inherently resilient strips each secured by an end to said plate means, and means securing each of said tubes in relative converging relation on the free end of each of said strips, the strips being adapted to bend generally in the direction of the axis of the tubes respectively, a hood supporting said plate means interiorly thereof enclosing the free ends of said tubes and electrodes, and means secured to said tubes projecting exteriorly of said hood and adapted for manual displacement to strike an are between the converging ends of said electrodes by resilient yielding of said strips, said exteriorly extending means comprising for each of the tubes a rotatable rod, an insulating handle for the rod at its exteriorly disposed end, and a friction clutch roller secured to the inner end of the rod in frictional engagement with the electrode within the associated tube.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 19th day of December, 1929.

OLE HIBNER.

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