US243196A - Alex bernstein - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

A. BBRNSTEIN, Electric Lamp. No. 243,196. Patented June 21,1881.

WITNESSES INVENTOR z fiuvwim BY M r ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEX BERNSTEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,196, dated June 21, 1881 Application filed February 25, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEX BERNSTEIN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in regulators or electric lamps, based on the principle of the voltaic are, whereby each lamp may be made entirely independent of the other lamps in the same circuit, and also to some extent independent of the strength of the current and speed of the current-generating machine, while at the same time the length of the arc and power otthe lightcm be regulated at pleasure, so that one lamp may be worked with a small are, another with a large are, and both be in the same circuit.

The invention consists in connecting the main circuit, containing an electric lamp, and a branch circuit, within which are arranged separate sets of resistance-coils, by means of a metallic connection, usually called a bridge, said bridge being provided with electromagnets or other appliances by which the size of the arc is regulated. The bridge contains a lever or other device by which more or less resistance can be thrown into action at either side of the bridge. The electric lamp or regulator, beingintended to be used in series,is provided, besides the arc-regulating appliances, with means for cutting out or short-circuiting the lamp whenever the current is prevented from passing through the carbons ot' the lamp.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel represents a diagram illustrating the principle of my improved electric lamp. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partlyin section, of the lamp, showing the principle as applied to a regulator; and Fi 3 is a sectional side elevation of the box containing the resistance -coils and the regulating-lever.

In proceeding to describe my improved electric lamp, I will first set forth the principle upon which the action of the lamp is based, then describe the devices used for carrying the principle into practice.

The main circuit is divided at a point where a regulator has to be used into two branches, as in Fig. 1, of which the upper one, a c 1), contains the lamp L, between a c, and a small resistance, a, between 0 I), while the lower one (No model.)

contains two sets of resistance-coils, r r, one being smaller, the other larger. A lever, l, swings on a pivot, f, and carries two arms,f f which are so arranged relatively to there sistances r 0' that more or less resistance can be placed between a d and (Z I), and vice versa. The lever Z is made of conducting metal and its pivotfconnected electrically with the point 0 of the upper branch. Between f and c an electro-ma-gnet or other suitable apparatus, 0, is arranged, which regulates the length of the arc of the lamp L. Now, according to the laws of electricity there is no current passing over the bridge 0 (I when there is a certain ratio between the resistances in the parts a c, c b, a d, and (Z I). Supposing the arc to have a resistance of two ohms, including the lamp and the wire between a and c, the resistance between 0 b to be one-tenth ohm, the resistance ad to be two hundred ohms, and (I Z) to be ten ohms, then no current can flow between 0 and d, these two points being then of equal potential; but if the length of the are were to increase, thereby increasing its resistance, then a current would fiow through d c, which reverses its direction, when the resistance of the arc decreases on account of the carbons being too close together. The regulating apparatus 0 is arranged in such a way as to keep the carbons immovable when there is no current flowing through c d, while a current in the direc tion (Z 0 will cause the carbons to approach each other, and the reverse current will cause them to go apart. Itis now easily understood that accordingto the principles of the Wheatstone bridge the carbons will be kept immovable as soon as the resistance a c is equal to the resistance a d multiplied by c b and divided by d l), and the length of the are which is maintained in the lamp is only regulated by the proportion these resistances bear to each other. As the resistances a. (Z and d b can be varied by moving the lever l on its pivot f, so the length of the arc can be varied by the same means. This arrangement may be so modified that a current of a certain strength through c (I will keep the carbons in their places, and that the motion of the carbons is produced by the regulating apparatus 0 when this current is weaker or stronger than the normal current in c d; but this is a mere modification of my invention, and the main features of the construe tion will remain the same. The lamp may be made with both carbons movable at the same time to keep the same focusing-point, or only one carbon may be made to move.

In the regulating apparatus 0 one or more electro'maguets may be made use of, or coils with axially-movable cores or wires, which expand by heat. The artificial resistances between a d and d b may be of any known con struction, and instead of the leverl any other device for throwing in and out the resistances may be used, as all this is withoutinfiuence on the essential points of my invention.

I shall now proceed to describe the application of the principle set forth to the construction of an electric lamp, it being understood that the details may be varied in different ways.

In Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, L represents a lamp, and B a suitable box, which may be attached to the lamp itself or be arranged at any place most convenient for use, said box containing the resistance-coils and the regulating-lever l.

u G O are the carbons between which the voltaic arc is formed, the carbons being secured to carbon-holders at the ends of toothed rods, which gear respectively with a train of intermeshing gear-wheels, m m, each train operating a fly, F or F, by which the downward motion of the carbon is prevented from being too quick. I make both carbons movable, and provide, consequently, both with regulatingfiies, the length of the are being decreased when the upper and increased when the lower carbon moves downward.

In connection with the flies F F are arranged two armature-levers, G G, which are provided with insulating material at their outer ends, and which are thrown into the path of the flies when the armatures at their opposite ends are attracted to electro-magnets H H. The armature-levers are made of steel and permanently magnetized, one having its north pole and the other its south pole opposite to their respective magnets H H. These are provided with the usual soft'iron cores, in which, when there is no current passing through the coils, the armature-levers G G will induce magnetism in the cores, so as to be attracted and assume the positions shown in Fig. 2, in which the outer ends of the armature-lever stop the flies. Suitable spiral springs, It R, the tension of which can be regulated, oppose this force of attraction. If a current is passing through the electro-magnets H H, the iron cores of the same assume the same polarityforinstance, a north polarity. The consequence will be that at the upper magnet, H, repulsion takes place between the iron core and the armature-lever G, so that the latter is thrown out of the path of the flyand the same allowed to revolve, causing the upper carbon to be fed downward by its own weight. Simultaneously therewith the armature of the lower electromagnet will be attracted with increased force, and thereby the lower carbon retained in place.

If the current through both electro-magnets is of opposite direction to the former, then repulsion takes place at the lower magnet, thereby causing the lower carbon to move downward, while the upper one is firmly held in position. The current which is passing through these electro magnets is the current of the bridge (1 0, Figs. 1 and 3.

I prefer to make the soft-iron core of the upper electro-magnet, H, movable, suspending it from a permanent steel magnet, S, which, in its turn, is suspended from a spring or a weighted lever, and is movable inside of a coil, U. The coil U is connected with the carbons so as to be in circuit with the same, theaction of the current drawing the steel core S downward, so as to bring the iron core of the electro-magnet H within the influence of the steel armature-lever G. In case there is no current passing through the carbonsand the coil U, then the soft-iron core will be raised by the spring V. As the armature-lever G then finds no core in which to induce magnetism, it will be raised by its spring R, .and consequently the upper carbon will. be allowed to move down.

The device for regulating the size of the are is shown in Fi 3, and consists of a lever, 1, having are shaped coils 1 r and a small resistance, T2. By moving the lever to one side or the other, more or less of the resistances 4' 2" are brought into action, thereby regulating the distance of the are formed between the carbons. The connections of the wires are made in such a way that the carbons and the coil U are in the branch a c, the small resistance 'r in the branch 0 b, the larger resistances r a" respectively in the branches a d and I) d, and the electro-magnets H H are placed in the diagonal connection or bridge (I c. The points a and b of the main circuit are, furthermore, connected by a third branch circuit, through which the current is thrown when the distance between the carbons is too great, in which case no current will pass through the lamp and the coil U, so that the spring W will lift a lever, Z, against a contact, X, establishing a direct connection between a and b and cutting out the lamp. At the moment when the carbons touch each other a part of the current will be thrown through the lamp and the coil U, whereby the core of the coil U is drawn downward and the contact between X and the lever Z interrupted, so that the whole current will then be thrown through the lamp. The direct connection between a and b by means of the contact-lever Z is not a shunt, such as has before been used for similar purposes,but it is a short circuit for cutting out the lamp, which is established the moment when the main current is prevented from going through the lamp, for some reason or other.

The lamp functions are as follows: If the resistance of the arc is a normal one-that is to say, one which corresponds to the ratio of the four resistances described, to wit, a 0, c I), a (Z, d b then no current can flow from c to d, on the well-known principle of the Wheatstone bridge, and both carbons will be consequently held in proper place and maintain the proper size of the arc. As soon as the size of the arc increases the resistance of the same increases at the same time, and the current is now compelled to flow from d to 0 over the bridge, thereby causing the armature-leverGto be repelled, while the lower arm attire-lever, G,is attracted and held in place. The upper carbon is thereby allowed to slide down slowly until the proper size of the arc is reestablished, in which case no flow of current takes place over the bridge and the carbons are again held in their places. If for any reason the size of the arc should decrease, the current will flow in the direction 0 d over the bridge, thereby causing the lower armature-lever, G, to be repelled and the upper attracted, so as to allow the lower carbon to slide down slowly until again the normal size of the are is reestablished.

It is obvious that the normal size of the arc will merely depend onthe position ot'the lever Z, by which the ratio between the four resistances in the bridge can be altered at will. If the position of the lever lis changed by throwingin more or less resistance between a d and d I), the normal size of the arc will be larger or smaller, according to the ratio of the resistances, while the functioning of the carbonregulating electro-magnet is exactly the same as before described. The lever l and the resistances r r are'arranged either in direct connection with the lamp or preferably in a box or case at a convenient point where the lever can be readily reached, so that any person without knowledge of the apparatus can turn on any desired size of light. If thelight should go out entirely for want of carbon or any other cause, then the lamp is cut out of circuitby the action of the lifting-spring W, lever l, and contact X, and the current short-circuitcd over the branch wire from a to Z). -Oonsequently there will be no interruption in the supply of current to the remaining lamps in the same circuit, and thus theindependence of each lamp in the same series fully established.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of an electric lamp placed in the main circuit with sets of resistance-coils placed in a branch circuit, and with electroregulating appliances placed in a metallic connection or bridge between the main and branch circuits, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of an electric lamp placed in the main circuit, of sets of resistance-coils placed in the branch circuit, of a metallic connection or bridge between the main and branch circuits, and of electro-magnets and mechanism attached thereto to regulate the distance between the carbons, the electro-magnets and regulating mechanisms being arranged within the bridge, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of an electric lamp and of an elertro-magnet, both placed in the main circuit, and sets of resistance-coils placed in a branch circuit, with electro-regulating appliances placed in a metallic connection or bridge of the main and branch circuits, and of a third branch circuit and contact devices, whereby the lamp and electro-magnet are cut out and the current short circuitcd over the contact devices, substantially as described.

I. In an electric lamp, the combination, with a lamp placed in the main circuit and with electroregulating appliances placed in a metallic connection or bridge between the main and branch circuits, of a shunt-circuit having a spring-acted contact-lever and insulated stop, and of axial electro-magnets, the vertically-suspended cores of which actuate the shunting-le- \cr, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I lltlNG signed my name, in presence ottwo witnesses, this 22d day ofFebruary, 1881.

ALEX BEBNSTEIN.

Witnesses PAUL GoErEL, CARL KARI.

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