US267859A - Regulator for dynamo-electric machines - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. R. PINNEY.

REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES. No. 267,859. Patented Nov; 21, 1882.

w messes lAzen m' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. R. PINNEY.

REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES.

Ratented Nov. 21

N, PETERS, Phnlo-Lnmgmpivnn Washmglon. 0. c.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH R. FINNEY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,859, dated November 21, 1882,

Application filed July 18, 1852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH It. FINNEY, of Pittsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Regulators for Dynamo- Electric Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My improvement is designed to automatically regulate the amount of electric current supplied by a machine or other producer of electricity, so as to render it exactly proportional to the demands on the circuit. I will now describe it as applied to a magneto-electric or dynamo-electric machine by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the commutator of a Well-known form of machine with my improved attachments. Fig. 2 is an end view, partly in section, showing also an end elevation of my improved regulator. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my improved regulator. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the regulator, partly in section. Fig. 5 is a side view of the contactsegments of the commutator-brush lever.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

The end of the armature of the machine is shown at a, and 1) indicates the commutator. The commutator-brushes c are secured in arms (1, which project from the lever (I, and at their rear ends are sustained by a segmental support, 01 The lever (Z is mounted on the armature-shaft a and turns freely thereon, in order to change the position of the brushes 0 on the commutator. The support (1 rests and moves upon friction-rollers e, secured to the bed of the machine, and its purpose is to keep the arms d in a true horizontal position, while that of the rollers e is to reduce the friction so as to have the brushes move with ease. The support d is made of an insulating material, or an insulator is so placed as to prevent the shortcircuiting of the machine at that point. 011

the arms (1 are segments f, bearing against which are conductors g, which lead to the poles h of the machine. The ends 9 of the conductors g are pivoted or hinged to the latter, and are held against the convex faces of the segments f by springs 9 The contact devices just described form the (No model.)

subject-matter of a separate application for a patent.

Projecting vertically from the top of the commutator-lever d is an arm, 2', having a grooved segment, i, on its upper end, and fastened to one end of the lever d is a cordor wire, 7a, which passes over a sleeve or pulley, attached to the bed of the machine, and extends thence at right angles to the shaft to to a spring, k to which it is fastened.

At the side of the machine opposite to the commutator is the regulator, which consists of an axle or shaft capable of being turned by a magnetic needle or bar mounted thereon, energized by an electro-magnet formed by a coil of the circuit-wire or a secondary circuit therefrom, and having a suitable core.

Upon asuitableframe or stand, l,is a flanged bobbin or spool, m, of oval or flattened form, and preferably made of brass or copper. In the central opening of this spool is an iron core, 0. Extending vertically through the spool and journaled in its sides is a shaft or axle, q, on the end of which is a wheel or pulley, q.

Mounted rigidly on the shaft, near to the spool, is an iron bar or needle, r.

011 the upper edges of the flanges m of the spool m is a disk or plate, m designed to be provided with a scale to indicate the degree of deflection of the needle. One of its circuitwires 1) is led from the machine and wrapped on the spool the desired number of times, and then runs out to form the circuit. The effect of the passage of the current through the coils is to energize the needle and cause it to turn from a posit-ion parallel with the coils to one at an angle thereto. This turns the pulley q, and the latter being connected to the arm z'by a cord, 7, the lever (I will be drawn around by it, and the brushes 0 be moved around on the commutator into position to takeoff a greater amount of the current generated in the machine. The grooved segment t" causes the cord 1'' to be held in a horizontal position as the arm turns on the shaft a. As, however, in the ordinary galvanometer the motive power of the needle decreases with its deflection, I have placed the core 0 inside of the coil, and thereby reverse the ordinary operation an d obtain greatly-increased power at the point of greatestdeflection, and produce a constant and regular tension of the pulley t" on the commutator-lever. The power is further increased by the use of polar extensions 0, placed or formed on the ends of the core 0, on the side next to the needle, which extensions tend greatly to increase the force of the magnetic field at those points, with corresponding influence 0n the needle.

The dial-plate m is provided with an adj ustable stop, 3, which is designed to indicate the point of greatest) deflection capable of being produced by the current supplied to the circuit, and to act as a stop to prevent the needle from passing that point. The utility of this construction consists in the fact that the stop limits the movement of the brushes on the commutator, and therefore prevents their mov ing to points on the commutator which would supply more current than is needed for the circuit, and obviates all danger of burning up the lamps. Thus it acts as a safety device. The spring 1s fastened to a tension-screw, t, which passes through the frame l, and is provided with a nut, t, for the purpose of regulating the tension of the spring to correspond with the power of the needle, so that it may be capable of restoring the brushes to posi-' tion upon the return or partial return of the needle to its normal position.

The operation of my improvement is as follows: The power of the deflection of the needle being proportioned to the resistance of the circuit in which the regulator is placed, supposing such to be a light-circuit, with one or any given number of lights arranged in a multiple arc, the throwing in of additional lights into the circuit will reduce the resistance and cause the more rapid movement of the current through the magnet-coils, and a consequent increase of magnetism in the core and a greater deflection of the needle. This turns the pulley g, which, by means of the cord 2' and arm 1', draws around the lever d and changes the position of the brushes 0 on the commutator, so as to take off more of the current. This operation is lepeated whenever an additional light or lights are thrown in until the point of greatest deflection is attained. Whenever a light or lights are out out of the circuit the resistance is increased and the magnetism of the electro-magnet correspondingly diminished. This reduces the degree of deflection of-the needle more or less, in accordance with the number of lights out out, and causes the pulley q to turn backward a corresponding distance, permitting the spring k to retract the lever d and move the commutator-brushes into a position to reduce the amount of current taken from the machine.

It is apparent that my invention is applicable not only to light-circuits, but also to electric circuits for power and other purposes. It is also apparent that by merely changing the mechanical devices for applying the power of the deflected needle or bar it may be adapted to the automatic regulation of the current from other forms of machines in which the brushes are differently mounted from the one herein illustrated, and also from storage or other batteries.

As illustrated herein the contact-brushes of the machine are moved in one direction by the needle and in the opposite direction byasprin". I can, however, operate them entirely by the needle by continuing the shaft q downward and placing a pulley on its lower end and connecting the cord kreversely to a pulley placed thereon, so that the reverse rotation of the shaft caused by the return of the needle toward its normal position will act through the lower pulley and the cord 79 on the lever. This construction is equally applicable to moving the contact devices of other machines and of batteries, always bearing in mind that the mechanical construction must be adapted to the particular form and structure to which it is applied. If desired, a weight may be used instead of the spring 70 As described the machine is applicable to lights arranged in multiple arcs but for use with lights arranged in series the position of the cord 4? and spring k should be reversed, so that upon the turningin ot'additionallights, wherebythe resistance of the eircuitisincreased and the power of the electro-magnet over the needle is decreased, the spring 70 shall draw the brush-lever 01 around and move the brushes upon the commutator in the direction to increase the flow of the current from the machine. When, on the other hand, the number of lights in circuit is decreased, the power of the electromagnet increases accordingly and produces a proportional deflection of the needle, which, acting through the cord 6 will overcome the spring 70 and move the commutator-brushes, so as to reduce the flow of the current.

By the term in the circuit, as heretofore used in this specification when referring to the electro-magnet, I have intended to and hereby do include leaks and shunts, as well as the main circuit, as it will be evident to those skilled in the art that there is no new principle involved in such changes of position.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of an electro-magnet arranged in the circuit, a helix, and adeflecting bar or needle mounted rigidly on a shaft and actuated by the electro-magnet and helix, with the movable collecting devices of a machine or other generator of electricity, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of an electro-magnet arranged in the circuit, a helix, and a deflectingbar or needle mounted rigidlyon ashaft and actuated by the electro-magnet and helix, with the movable collecting devices of a machine or other generator of electricity for moving the same in one direction, andaspring or weight for moving them in the opposite direction, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of an electro-magnet placed in the circuit, a helix, a deflecting bar or needle, a shaft capable of being turned by the needle when deflected by the power of the I deflecting needle arranged to vibratein aplane electro-magnet, a pulley on said shaft, a cord connecting said pulley with an arm on the commutator -brush lever, the commutatorbrush lever, and a spring connected to the lever and having a tension in the reverse direction of that of the said pulley, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination of the commutator-brush lever, arm 2, grooved segment 11, and cord i substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination of an electro-magnet arranged in the circuit, a helix, a bar or needle capable of being turned or deflected by the power oftheelectro-magnet and helix,and a stop to limit the movement of the needle, with the commutator-brush lever and devices c0nnecting said lever with the needle, substantially as and for the purposes described.

parallel to the core of the magnet, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a regulator for dynamo-electric machines, the combination, with a deflecting needle and its helix, of a spring arranged to resist the deflection of the needle and an electro-magnet arranged to attract the needle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

S. The combination of a helix provided with a core and a deflecting needle, whereby the needle is deflected by the current of electricity passing through the helix and attracted by the magnetism of the core, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of July, A. D. 1882.

JOSEPH R. FINNEY.

Vitnesses:

T. B. KERR, JOHN S. KENNEDY.

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