US223646A - houston - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheen l.

E. J. HOUSTON 8v E. THOMSON.

Regulator for Electric-Lamps. l `No. 223,646. v Patented Jan. 20, 1880.

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' ZSheets-SheetJ 2. E. J. HOUSTON 8u E. THMSON. Regulator for Electric-Lamps. No. 223,646. Patented Jan. 20, 1880.

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EDWIN J. HOUSTON AND ELIHU THOMSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.

REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,646, dated January 20, 1880.

Application filed November 24, 1879.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that we, EDWIN J. HOUSTON and ELIHU THOMSON, both of the city and county of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Regulators for Electric Lamps, of which the following is adescription, that will enable one skilled in the art to make and use the same.

Our present invention diii'ers from that of Patent No. 220,508, dated October 14, 1879, in the employment of a shunt or derived circuit for regulating the times or intervals of passage ofthe direct current or are current thro ugh an electric motor or engine, which alone directly controls the position of the electrodes, said electric motor being traversed solely by the direct or arc current.

The shunt or derived circuit is used solely to operate a contact-lever, and not to act magnetically upon the controlling clutch or escapement, as hitherto commonly used.

The contact-lever operated by the shunt is employed to make and break the circuit of a shunt of practically no resistance around the electric motor or device controlling the position of the electrodes, so as to divert, in whole or in part, the direct current from said motor device.

The advantages claimed for this arrangement over any previous device are: First, the shunt or derived circuit does not act magnetically to adjust the position of the electrodes, but merely to close a contact, thus giving greater certainty and constancy of action in the movement of the electrodes; second, the movements of the electric motor device and electrode are positive and almost instantaneous-this resulting from the shunt simply opening and closing a contact; third, greater facility of adjustment of length of arc is obtained; fourth, great simplicity of construction, and no need of adjustment for varying current strengths; fth, the waste of current in the shunt or derived circuit may be greatly decreased, only sutiicient power being needed in it to magnetically close a contact.

In practice we prefer to regulate the position of the positive electrode only, though in special cases both may be connected and proper relative movements given in the well-known manner.

The figures shown in the drawings represent an electric lamp embodying' the principles of our present invention.

Figure l is an elevation of the lamp. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 shows a simplified construction serving the same end. Fig. 4 shows a top view of the same. Fig. 5 is a device for preventing the continuance of too long arcs in case of failure of operation.

In Fig. l, E E are the electrodes, the lower one, E', being fixed. The rod R of the upper electrode, E, is held laterally between two grooved rollers, P P', one of which ,is adjust able toward said rod, as shown in Letters Patent No. 520,208, dated October 14, 1879, above referred to.

The shaft of the roller P has fixed upon it a toothed wheel, XV, adapted to be moved by a pinion, W, placed upon the shaft of a small electric motor of any suitable pattern. This we have shown as consisting of an electromagnet, M M, and an armature, N, mounted on an axis, O. The armature N is of any suitable form adapted to move in both directions in a magnetic iield. It is shown as consisting of three cores of iron surrounded by coils, three in number, said coils being connected and provided with a suitable commutator.

It is to be understood that any electric motor may be employed which, during the passage through it of an electric current, will impart rotary motion to the roller P so as to lift the rod R and electrode E, and when said current ceases will leave said roller comparatively free to move in the opposite direction.

A shunt or derived circuit around the arc between the electrodes E E is caused to pass through an electro-magnet, K, whose armature A moves a lever, L, provided with a contact-spring, p, which is placed opposite a stationary contact-surface, g. The contacts p q are connected to the two extremities of the wire upon the electric motor M M N.

An adjustable spring, S, holds the armature A away from theshunt-magnet K, and its force is varied to suit the length ot' are desired to be maintained. The spring S is weakened when the are is to be shortened, and its force increased when the are is to be lengthencd.

The circuit-connections of Fig. l are as follows: The current enters the post X, branching at or near X, one branch including the two coils ofthe motor-magnet M M, and the other branch passing to the commutator of the motor, and thence through its armature-coils N N back to the commutator. It then joins the other branch and is carried directly to the standard supporting the roller P' and wheel W, which are in metallic contact with the rod R. Passing down the rod It it crosses the are at E E', following the arrows up one of the side rods of the lamp to the post Y and out. Between the posts X and Y is inserted the shunt-magnet K, as shown.. A connection also leads from X to the lever L and contactpoint p. The other contact-point, q, is insulated from the magnet K, but connected to the support of the roller P'.

It will thus be seen that when the contacts p q are closed the current from the postX can pass freely through them to the roller P' witlr out passing through the motor device M M N ,l

being prevented by the proportionally greater resistance of the latter.

rIhe operation of the lamp is substantially described thus: On the first passa-ge of the current, the cai-bons being in contact, thc contacts p q are apart, and the current then circulates in full force through the motor M M N. Its consequent movement is arranged to bein the proper direction to rotate the roller P', so as to separate the electrodes E E', thus establishing the are between them. The motor M M N sustains the separation until the current through the shunt-magnet K is sufficient to cause the contacts p and q to meet. The current being shunted from the electric motor by the contacts p q, a slight return of the electrode takes place, at which instant the motor again acts to prevent contact of the electrodes. rIhus a position of the electrode E is maintained independent of the strength ofthe motor current, and solely dependent on the strength of' the shnnted or derived current, which is practically the same for the same arclength within the limits of operation.

In Fig. 2 similar parts are marked or referred to by similar letters.

In Figs. l and 2 the motor device shown is rotary in character. As we have already stated, any motor serving to impart rotary motion in the proper direction to the roller P' may be employed.

In Fig. 3, the armature N, attracted by the electro-magnet M, through which the direct current passes, is attached to one end of a cord, D, passing over a grooved pulley placed upon the same axis as the roller P', and substituted for the wheel W, Fig. 1. The other end of the cord D is attached to an adjustable spring, F, as shown.

The shunt electro-magnet K, arlnature A, lever L, contacts Vp q, and spring S serve, as in Fig. l, to divert the current from the electro-magnet M when the arc between the clectrodes has attained such a length that feeding is desirable.

Fig. 4 is a top view of similar parts to Fig. 3.

The operation of' this modified motor device does not differ substantially from that of the rotarymotor device shown in Figs. land 9 that is, on the establishment of the current through the lamp, the contacts p qbcing open, said current, passing' through the magnet M, causes the armature N to be attracted, the cord I) to be drawn around the grooved pulley attached to the roller P', thus lifting the rod It and separating the electrodes. rlhc shunt electro-magnet l( makes contact at p q when the arc-length has increased, thus diverting the current from the magnetM, and the armature N'beiug,in consequence, released, the cord D slackcned, and comparatively f'ree rotation ofthe roller P' and the descent of' the rod R permitted, such movement being immediately arrested on the re-establishinent of the normal distance between the electrodes. The current enters at thc binding-post X, Fig. 3, and thence passes through the electro-magnet coils M M, but a branch is carried to the lever L and contact p, attached thereto. The current, after passing the magnet M M, passes at once to the supports of the rod It, thence through the electrodes, as in Fig. l, andreturns to the post Y, Fig. 2.

A connection from the rod Pt passes to the contact q, as before, and the shunt-magnet K is inserted between the post Y and magnet M M. Then the contacts p q are closed the current that would otherwise pass from X through M M to the rod It is diverted through p q to said rod, as shown.

The extreme upper portion of the rod It is preferably narrowed, as at Z, so that when the carbon electrodes are consumed, and the rod It therefore in its lowest position, the narrow portion Z will be between the rollers P P', and, failing to be held by said rollers, the rod It will immediately drop, extinguishing the light, and thereby giving notice that renewal of carbons is needed. p

The automatic f'all of' the rod R and electrode E is effected at any time during the operation of the lamp by the modification shown in Fig. 5. rlhe shunt-magnet armature-leverL is connected at a point near its fnlcrum to the bent lever L', which allows the roller P to be adjusted in position, as before referred to. The arrangement is such that after the closing of the contacts p q, should the dependentf'eeding or downward motion of the rod It fail to occur, as before described, the arc continuing to lengthen, the magnetism of the shunt-magnet K increases until the force upon its armature A, communicated to the lever L', relieves the pressure of the roller P against the rod Rt, whose frietional support thereby being removed, said rod falls freely, extinguishing the light, thus calling attention to the said failure of the lamp to properly feed. rlhis failure to feed may be due to the corrosion of the contact-points p q, or to an excess of friction in IOO IIO

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the moving parts caused by the fouling of the rollers P P and rod R.

To avoid too great and sudden separation of the electrodes on .starting the lamp, a small platform, T, Fig. l, furnished with a catch, O, allowing motion of the rod R in a downward direction only through said platform, is provided. The platform T has a limited range of motion between suitable stops.

We claim as our inventionl. In an electric lamp, a shunt electro-magnet Whose current is derived from that traversing the arc, provided with an armature adjustable with respect Ito said magnet, and the motion of which armature is employed solely to open and close an electric contact, which contact, when made or broken, serves, in connection with suitable mechanism provided therefor, to adjust the position of the carbon electrodes, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric lamp, the combination of an electric motor acting to separate the electrodes with a shunt-magnet separately acting to open and close an electric contact, the separation ofthe electrodes by said motor being sustained until, by an increase in the arcresistance, the power of the shunt-magnet is suticiently increased to close the aforesaid electric contact, and thereby divert the electric current from the motor, which, ceasing to act, permits the approach of the carbon electrodes, substantially as described.

3. In an electric lamp, an electro-magnetic device traversed by a current derived or shunted from that of the carbon electrodes, the increase or decrease in the strength of which makes or breaks an electric contact,

said contact completing a branch or shunt around an electro-magnetic device traversed by the direct current or a portion thereof, which latter electro-magnetic device alone adjusts the position of the carbon electrodes during normal operation.

4. In an electriclamp, an adjustable spring, S, the degree of elastic force ot' which, acting in opposition to the magnetic power of a shuntmagnet, K, determines the moment of closing the contacts p q, in virtue of an increased power ofthe shunt-magnet, due to an increased arc -resistance consequent on an increased length of arc.

5. In an electric lamp, the separating device M N, the intervals of action of which are controlled by an electric contact, the closing and opening of said contact being dependent directly upon variations in thc power of a shunt electro-magnet, K, whose variations are themselves dependent upon variations in the arcresistance, substantially as described.

6. In an electric lamp, the rod It, supporting an electrode, narrowed at Z, for the purpose specified.

7. In an electric lamp, the combination of the shunt-magnet lever L and roller-lever L so as to relieve the rod R of its support on an abnormal increase in the strength of the shunt-magnet, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

EDWIN J. HOUSTON. ELIHU THOMSON.

Witnesses J. R. MAssEY, FRANK H. MAssnY.

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