US279472A - Electric lamp - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. J. WOOD.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

(No Model.)

Patented June 12,1883.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

(No Model.)

J. J. WOOD.

ELBGTRIG LAMP.

7,, Patented June 12,1883.

fizvenim (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. J. WOOD.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

No. 279,472. Patented June 12,1883.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. J. WOOD.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

Patented June 12, 1883.

W C% W6 W I N PETERS. PhD-Lithographer, WIDHGIDIL D, C.

151M271? or.

(No Model.) 7 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

' JHJ. WOOD.

, ELECTRIC LAMP, No. 279,472. Paten'ted'June 12,1883.

AW??? 5e": I 77271692757.

over a longer period.

UNITED STATE JAMES J. VOOD, OF

PATENT-f @Frrcre.

' ELECTRIC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,472, dated June 12, 1883,

Application lilell July 15, 11581.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES J. \VOOD, of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, assignor to the FULLER ELECTRICAL COMPANY, of New York city, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lamps,of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to that class of arc-lamps known as double or duplex, which are provided with two or more sets of carbons and corresponding holders, the second or succeeding sct of which becomes thrown in to luminous action as soon as the first set is exhausted, whereby the light of the lamp is continued without interruption or attendance The aim of my present improvement is to provide a simple and efficient lamp of this character, which will cmbody two or more sets of carbons in such a way that one set only will be in action at the same time and the strain of one only borne by the regulatin mechanism and its magnets or other -motor, so that such mechanism and motor shall have only the same work to perform as 'it has in an ordinary single lamp, and will. re-

quire no increase in dimensions, power, or consumption of current, as is the case with some duplex lamps heretofore produced, in which the strain of both carbons isv constantly borne .by the magnet and both are moved at the same time, but the one slightly in advance of the other. In my lamp both electrodes or carbon-holders are constantly connected with the regulating mechanism by distinct ratchet or equivalent clutches having the same directionof action and slip, so that, it one electrode be simply supported independently of the mechanism and the other borne by the mechanism, the mechanism will move or actuate only the borne one without ever becoming disconnected from either, and by causing the leading and borne electrode at its terminal motion to simply remove its pressure from mechanism and transfer the pressure of the succeeding electrode thereto, the mechanism immediately ceases to actuate the relieved and exhausted electrode and at once controls the second electrode; and my invention conas hereinafter fully set forth.

sists, mainly, in the organization here outlined, The mechanism of my invention which accomplishes this result, while being very simple and etficient, is

yet of that kind whose action is somewhat in-.

volved and is not immediately perceived, and does not admit of entire elucidation in a brief description; but in the full illustrations and description which follow the same will be fully elu ci dated.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 gives a front elevation of my improved duplex lamp, the view being a general. external. one, on a small scale, asthclamp appears ready for use, the head or frame containing the mechanism being coveredby its cylindrical case, which conceals and protects the mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the head or mechanism frame on a larger scale, with the case removed, clearly exposing the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of Fig. 2 on the line aa, look ing in the direction of the arrow and Fig. 4 is a sectional plan on lines 00 of Fig. 2. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show, on an enlarged scale, the duplex clutch mechanism in which my improvement chiefly lies.

I will new state at the outset that the lamp in which I have shown my present invention embodied is, as may be observed, of a wellknown type, in which the motive power con sists, on the one hand, in the attraction of the magnets in the circuit of the lamp, and on the other hand the weight of the carbon-holders. The lamp is also of that type in which the armature-lever of the magnets carries a train of which is again stopped by the swaying of the armature-lever and the detention of the train when the carbonhas ted snt'ticiently, as will be understood. It is therefore proper to state that while I prefer this type of mechanism, yet my improvement is not confined thereto, and may be used with any suitable form of motor or regulating mechanism.

Now, the lamp here shown is, with the exception ot' my improvement, substantially identical with that set forth in my pending application, filed February 4-, 1881, No. 25,403, and, as shown in the drawings, the mechanism is included between two fixed circular heads, a (1 joined rigidly by the staiulards 7) I) and rod 7), and the whole et't'ectuall y inclosed and protected when in use by a removable cylindrical case, c. On the upper head, a, are fixed the binding-posts, to which the circuit wires connect, as shown, and from the lower head, (1, arms 11 extend and connect with pendent rods (7 (7, which are fixed at their lower ends to the crossbar c, thus forming the harp ot' the lamp, in whichthe carbons appear and which supports the globe and shade which inclose. them. The globe and shade are not shown; but the former is supported on the circular depressed center of the cross-bar c, and the latter is suspended by the pendent loopsj'. From the center of the cross-bar c arises a double holder, 9, in which the two lower and negative carbons are clamped, as shown, while the upper and positive carbons hang :in line therewith from the upper regulated holders, 71 71/. These holders have the usual form of a long rod or tube, and pass through the meclutnism 't'rame, engaging with the mechanism therein, and are inclosed at their upper ends bylongtubes 71/ h", which are screwed into the upper head, (I, and capped by the tip 'i. This tip is formed with two sockets, which fit onto the top of the tubes and are fixed thereon by set-screws and it has a central loop or eye-,1 by which the whole lamp may be conveniently suspended, and which forms atthe same time a neat finial, rendering the Stl'llt tlllfl symmetrical.

The carbonholders 71 7: are placed at a coir venient distance apart, as shown, and, as will be observed from Figs. 2 and 3, are placed centrally in the lamp, or rather on its diametric line equidistant on either side of the center, and on one side of them are arranged the motor-magnets 7.? It ot' the lamp. These magnets are of the kind now generally e1nployed that is, consist of two pairs of solenoids or axial magnets, one pair, 7., being fixed to the lower head, a, and the other pair, 7.", being fixed to upper head, a, and the two facing each other, with a double armature or core, l, of an H form, such as claimed in my pending applicati on, arranged to play between them. This H core is connected by trunnions at its neutral center or cross-piece to the armature-lever in, which lever, as shown best in Fi 4, has the form of a light open frame of T shape placed in horizontal plane, with its stem passing between the standards 7) 7), and there pivoted uearthe end of the stem on the trunnionscrews in, which work through the standards and are held by jamai'nts, as illustrated. The open panel in the head of thisT-shaped lever-frame incloses the H armature or core, as seen inl i 4t and 2, in which it is trunnioned at a point above its center ot gravity, so that the core tends to hang vertical in the tubes of the so lenoids.

In the open panel on the stem of the T- shaped lever is arranged the frame )1, which carries the wheel-train, as shown; and this frame is pivoted to the lever on the. screws )1, near its outer end, at the lower and outer corner ot' the \VllOQl-tl'fllllG, as shown well in Figs. 2 and 4. The leading spindle o of this wheel train is provided with pinions 0 0, which mesh with the racleteeth on the respective carbon-lmlders 71 71, as seen best in Figs. 3 and 4, and on the middle of spindle is fixed the large. or leading gearwheelf, which meshes with the succeeding pinion ot' the train, while on the terminal spindle ot' the train is fixed the detentavheelp and the escapcmeint-wheel p, engaged by the vibrating tly-escapement p,

which acts the part of a pendulum to prevent the too rapid motion of the train when released.

Now, r is a spring, fixed at its inner end to a projection extending down from the upper head,u, and at its outer end is securely clamped to the upper and outer corner of the gearframe a, so that this spring thus acts as a parallelmotion link and causes the frame and its train of wheels to always move up or down in a straight line with the carlum holder when the armature-lever is swayed one way or the other. as will be understood, and as shown in my pending a )plicatiou.

Now, referring to Fig. 2, the lower magnets. 7., ot' the lamp, as will be uiulerstood, are of low resistance and situated in the direct. are circuit, while the upper magnets, Ir, are of high resistance and situated in a shunt, and these are so proportioned to each other that when the separation of the carbon points is normal the attraction of the upper magnet, 7.", togetherwiththe pull of the adjustable tensionspring a, which act together, but. antagonistic to the larger magnet 7r, just sut'ficient to keep the armattire-lever in its median position, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the geart'rame will be raised sufluziently to bring its detent-wheel 1) into contact with a stop-tooth, r. projecting from the spring 0, thus holding the train, and thereby keeping the carbon-holder in suspension.' \Vhen, however, the carbons burn oit' so as to ap ireciably increase. the length and resistance of the arc, the upper and shunt magnet, 7. prepoiulerates over the direct magnet It, and, raising the core 7 and swaying the lever m, causes the wheel frame a, and with it the carbon-holder, to be LlGpI'OSSOLl slightly, so as to decrease the separation of the points,

lOQ

and if this depressioiris sufficient the detentwheel'will'be withdrawirfrom the stop-tooth 7', thus allowing the train to escape and the ear bon-holder to descend to give the necessary feed at the arc. Then the carbon-holderhas thus descended sufficiently the magnet k at once preponderates over both the magnet k and the spring 8, and in pulling down the core I sways the armature-lever in the opposite direction, raises the gear-train, and brings the detent in contact with the stop-tooth 1-, thus stopping the train. WVhen the train is thus stopped the carbon-holder becomes positively engaged with the armature-lever,-and if the current strength in the circuit increases or decreases slightly, or if the resistance of the arc increases or decreases slightly, the core Z, armature-lever m, and with them' the wheel train, and carbon-holder, will bodily vibrate up or down slightly,'to correspondingly regulate the are without releasing the train, as will be readily understood.

It will now be seen that the general mechanism of the lamp, so far as described, is substantially of the ordinary type, and is similar to that set forth in my pending a )plicationbefore referred to.

Now, the location of my present improvement is mainly at and on the leading spindle 0 of the wheel-train, which forms in effect the driving device or connection between the-motor-magnets and the carbon-holders; and at tention may now be especially directed to this part, which is shown. clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, and in enlarged detail in Figs. 5, 6, and 7.

y This spindle, as will be observed, is about twice as long as that used in a single carbonlamp, and is journaled at each end in elbowed extensions on the wheel-frame n, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

On each end of the spindle are mounted the pinions 0 0, which mesh with the respective carbon-holders 71 71, the right holder, 71, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) being theleadingholder, which. is shown near the end of its stroke "with the carbons nearly exhausted, while thel'eftholder, h, is the succeeding one, controlling a fresh pair of carbons, and shown at the top of-its stroke and out of action. This holder h is not only raised to the top of its stroke, butis there supported by a latch-lever, t, on the under side of the upper head, a,as well shown in Fig. 3, its long arm being raised bya spring, I, to hold its short arm in engagement with a tooth, t, on the carbon-holder, which thus retains the carbon-holder in suspension. hence be understood that while the rack of each carbon-holder is always in engagement with its respective pinion 0 0, yet the leading carbon-holder is in active engagement with its pinion, and its weight is supported thereby, while the-weight of the succeeding holder, h, is relieved from'its pinion and its engagement therewith is idle, as will further appear. Now, the pinions are engaged with the spin dle by the ratchet device heretoforeemas will now appear.

It will ployedthat is, the pinion 0 is loose on the spindle, but has a ratcheted hub, a, which engages with pawls a on a disk, e, which is keyed with the spindle, so that the slip of the pawls and ratchets allows the carbon-holder to be raised to any point without turning the train of wheels, (see Figs. 2 and 6,) yet these ratchets and pawls engage in the opposite di reetion and keep theholder positively engaged with the gearing in its downward direction. In my lamp, therefore, the pinion of each carbon-holder is engaged'with the driving-spindle in this well-known manner, theratchets of both having the same direction, but a peculiar result follows from this duplex arrangement, Thus: We will. new con sider that the armature-leverhas been swayed so as to depress the gear-frame and release the train and allow the carbon-holder to-descend for feed. -The weight of theholderin. thus descending will turn the pinion 0 in a direction to engage its ratchet with itspawtdisk u, and thereby turn the spindle 0 and the entire wheel train, and through this spindle the opposite pawl-disk, e, which iskeyed thereto, will of course also turn therewith but, as will be readily observed, this p'awtdisk will turn around the ratchet of the opposite pinion, o, in its direction of slip, for of course the direction in which the driving-ratcheta engages I is the same direction in which the driven pawldisk 0 will slip, so that, hence, the second pinion, 0, remains stationary in the rack of the stationary -carbon-holder 71, while the spindle turns loosely in it. Hence, by this plan of engaging the two carbon-holderswith the'same driving device tl'n'ough the intervention of clutches which bite in one direction and slip in the other and have the same direction of engagement, it follows that, if the strain of one carbon-holder is borne by the mechanism at one clutch and the strain of the other relieved fronrit at the other clutch, the borne one will be acted upon by the mechanism and perfornrall the necessary regulating niovements in the ordinary way, yet these motions or actions will not react in the least on the other holder; hence by this very simple de vice I .form a greatly-improved duplex. lamp in which the magnets and mechanism act on one carbon-holder at a time, and perform no greaterwork and require no greater strength than is the case with the singlecarbon lamp;

Now, in addition to this feature of the duplex clutches, the device contains another peculiarity different from the mechanism of the single lampthat is, the pawl-disks e e, in-

stead of being keyed immovably to the spindle 0, are keyed with a certain amount of play.

Thus in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 it will be seen that pins '10 10 are driven diametrically through the spindle and engage with short slots or notches on each side of the hubs of the pawl disks, thus allowing a certain play between the spindle and the disks.

Now, we have been before eonsideringthe down or feed motion of the active carbon-holder and the rotation of the wheel-train under its impulse, which motions, as we have seen, are not communicated to the idle carbon-holder; but, in addition to these motions, there are the bodily vibrations up or down of the entire wheeltrain, and with it the 'ai-bon-holder when the rotation of the train is stopped by the detentwheel, which motions for sepzitration and regulation mustnot, 01 course, be communicated to the idle holder any more than the rotary motion. In other words, it will be readily understood that when the wheel-frame is raised sufficiently high. to catch. the detentthe rotation ot'the trainis stopped, and as the pinion 0 can, hence, not turn on the rack ol" the holder 11, the result is that the carbon-ln lder becomes bodily raised by any further rise ot the train. Now, as the idle holder I! is sta tionary, it follows that when the wheel-train is thus raised the pinion 0 must be free to roll on it in this upward direction, which is the direction in which its ratchets engage, and this idle-roll allowed by the play just mentioned, as will be readily understood by again referring to Figs. 3 and 4. Thus it will be seen in these ligures that the two pins to w in the driving-spindle 0 will always be at rela tivel y opposite sides of their play in, the slotted hubs oi the pawl-disks v ii at the time when the rotation of the gear-train is stopped by the rise of the same against the stop-tooth, tor the direction ot'the rotating strain on the spindle is of course such that the pawl-disk e is the driver and the disk 1* the driven. Now, it the gear-train rises higher after its rotation thus stopped, it will ot' course littthe active carbon-holder I: bodily with it, for all the play of the leading pin in is ot' course taken up; but during this n nvard bodily mo tion the opposite pinion, 0, will roll idly in a backward direction on the rack. ot'the stationary holder h, as the play in the slot of its pawldisk v isjust in that direction which allows of this backward idle-roll, being the same direction. in which the 'ratehets engage, as will, be understood, thus preventing the bodily up or down motion of the train being connnunicated to the stationary holder. This play therefore is proportionately equal to the stroke of the armattire-lever, and while itis always taken up at the active clutch, it is always free at the idle clutch to allow the idle baeluvard roll of the pinion 0 on the stationary holder,

as just described, and well shown in Fig. 5

Hence by the constructions described m'aither is the rotary motion of the train when impelled by the descent of theactive holder, nor is the bodily up-and-down motion ot'v the train and the active holder transmitted at all to the idle holder, which remains entirely stationary, unaffected and nnborne by the mechanism, thus presenting a striking and valubl e t'cature ot'my lamp, and accomplished by very simple mechanism. Now, as soon as the carbons ot' the active and leading holder become nearly exhausted a projecting pin, 41', on the upper end of the active carbon-hotder approaches the end of the latch-lever t, and. finally dcseending against the same, trips the latch and allows the weight of the succeeding holder 1: to fall into active engagement with its pinion 0, while at the same instant a shoulder on the tip 01' the leading holder It becomes seated on the lamp-head (1, thus relieving the weight of the exhausted carbon-holder from the mechanism, aml simultaneously transferring the weight of the fresh. succeedingholder 11 there to. At the same instant the are is formed be tween the fresh carbons, and the light is continued thereby without any perceptible break. for the transfer occurs, of course, with electri' cal quickness, and almost before the arc ceases at the exhausted carbons-it is established at the fresh ones. Now, when this change occurs thesecoml holder,h",bccomes, otcourse, the active one and the first holder, 11, is idle; but the action is precisely the saute as alrcadv described, only reversed as concerns the two holders, for the holder 11 will now go through all the usual regulating movements without at all. attctcting the now idle holder 11, as will be readily umlerstood. lt will hence be seen that any successive number of holders mightbe arranged in. the same manner in one lamp or apparatus, and each would come into action successively as the preceding one became exhausted. All those whose weight was re] icvcd from the mechanism, as described, whether exhausted or fresh ones, would neither he acted upon by the mechanism nor react thereon.

I do not of courselimit myself to the special mechaniml. parts illustrated, as already in timated, for of course any suitable species of clutch besides the ratchet and pawl, whether 'l'rictional or positive, may be used, and any suitable means for connecting the duplex clutches with the driving mechanism of the lamp and with the carbons or carbon-holdcrs may be employed in lieu of the rotary wheel train and the rack and pinions shown.

Another and mi nor novel feature of my lamp consists in. the secondary spring, 1 additional to and in combination with the adjustabletcnsion-spring a. course, to pull. down the carbon-holder in opposition to the main separating-magnet and in conjunction, with the feedanagnet 7.", and thus always serve to bring the carbons together, so as toinsure thetormati on of the arc, the parts being tnoporti oned as follows: hen the lamp is quieseent,with no current flowing, the parts tend to assume the median position shown in Fig. 2,th.e armature-lever being hort zontal, in which position the weight of the core and ot' the long arm of the armature-lever is just balanced by the weight of the short arm and the weight of the carbon-holder and that of the wheel-train, together with the tension of the secondary spiral, springy, so that the gear-train is thereby raised toward the stoptooth 9', but with hardly any pressure, so that Both of these springs tend, ol'

TIO

if the carbons happen to be separated the slightest additional. strain will cause the gearframe to be depressed and released, allowing the carbons to feed. This additional strain will be provided as soon as the lamp is put in circuit by the current, however weak, which will at once circulate in the sliuntmagnet it, and whose attraction will at once pull down the gear-frame, so as torelease the same and allow the carbons to come together toform the are, after which the main magnet It becomes energetic and moves the parts in the opposite direction, separating the carbons to form the arc, and lifting and stopping the wheeltrain; hence,with the assistance of the spring y,without the spring 3, the lamp is always fit for action, and this spring y is designed to be permanent and nondetachable, while the adj ustable spring 8 is designed to be detachable for the purpose of adjustment, so that in case this adjustable spring should be left inadvertently detached when the lamp is put in circuit the lamp will yet be fully operative.

The spring 8 is adjusted as claimed in my application before referred to-tlnt is, it is connected to its non-rotating adjustingscrcw s by means of an inclined pin, s,which meshes with its spirals, so that by detaching the hooked end of the spring from its armature-lever and turning the spring one way or the other it will be screwed in or out, and its active length thus increased or decreased, so as to correspondingly alter its elasticity, which adjustment, together with the adjustment of its screw, will enable any desired tension to be put upon the spring. Now, this tension is mainly to offset the excessive strength of the magnet k and to adjust the action of the lamp to the strength of current operating it, and to also enable the length of arc to be regulated as required, and made uniform when a number of lamps are placed in the same circuit, its function being thus distinct from that of the permanent spring 3 which lterm the safety or balancing spring.

The direction of the current through the lamp is as follows: Entering at the positive post on the head of the lamp, the currentdescends through the metal frame and through the upper-carbon holder and carbon to the lower carbon, and thence flows upward through the rod (1, which is insulated from the upper frame, but connects with the positive end of the coils of main magnet k, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) so that the current thence conti nnes through the magnet 75, and flows off by the negative insulated post on the head a, with which the negative end of the coils connect, as seen in Fig. 3. The opposite ends of the coils of the magnet 7c connect directly to the respective binding-posts, as shown in Fig. 3, being thus in a shunt, as before stated.

I am aware that a duplex electric lamp has been heretofore proposed in which one carbonholder was held off the motor mechanism by a catch while the leading one was in action,

and the leading one .at its terminal movement released the second and; allowed it to fall upon the motor mechanism, such as shown in Patent No. 233,399. In this case, however, the

construction is quite distinct from mine, for

the carbon-holders are engaged by intermittent ratchet-clutches which are sustained from or on the fixed frame of the lamp, whereas in my case the ratchet-clutches are sustained constantly on the motor mechanism; and in my case the ratchet-clutches are constantly connected with the carbon-holders, and with the motor mechanism, whereas in the other case the ratchet-clntches are disconnected from the motor mechanism; and, furthermore,in my case one carbon is actuated by the mechanism simply by being borne thereby, and the other is unaffected simply by being supported inde pendently of its clutch without ever becoming disconnected from its clutch or the clutch from the mechanism, whereas in the other case one carbon is held out of action by holding its clutch entirely off the .motor mechanism and the other is put in action by dropping its clutch. onto the motor mechanism.

I do not broadly claim an electric lamp with two sets of electrodes, each connected with. a single motor mechanism and gear-train. by ratchetclutches sustained on said mechan isms, with a catch to hold the succeeding electrode from advancing while the leading electrode is in action; but I wish to here remark that my lamp is the only one of this class of which I am aware in which the succeeding electrode is supported entirely independent of its clutch or motor mechanism while the lead ing electrode endures, so that the mechanism lifts and supports only the electrode which is in action, and does not move or support the idle electrode, whereas the active electrode on its terminal motion removes its own pressure from the mechanism and transfers the pressure of the succeeding electrode thereto.

Vhat 1 claim, therefore, as my invention is as follows:

1. A duplex electric lamp constructed with two or more sets of illuminating-electrodes and a common motor orregulating mechanism connected constantly with each of said elec trodes by ratchet or equivalent clutches having the same direction of action and slip sustained on said mechanism, and having an idle play in their connection with the mechanism equal to the maximum stroke of the mechanism, or nearly so, one of said electrodes being temporarily unborne and unaffected by the mechanism, and the other borne and actuated thereby and adapted on its terminal motion to remove its own pressure from the mechanism and transfer the pressure of the other electrode thereto, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

2'. In a duplex electric lamp, the combination, with two or more successively acting electrodes constantly engaged with a common motor mechanism by ratchet clutches sustained on said mechanism, of a fixed supporting catch or latch adapted to directly engage and support the succeeding one of said electrodes independently of its clutch, and a device connected with the leading electrode which trips said catch at the terminal motion of the leading electrode and allows the pressure of the succeeding electrode to fall upon its clutch, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

3. In a duplex electric lamp, the combination, with two or more successivelyacting electrodes constantly connected with a common motor mechanism by ratchet-clutches sustained on said mechanism, of a projection, 16, on the succeeding one of said electrodes, and a fixed catch, t, to engage therewith, together with a projection, 03, on the leading electrode,

adapted to trip said catch and release the succeeding electrode therefrom at the terminal motion of said leading electrode, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, in an electriclamp,with a magnet in circuit with the source supplying the lamp and arranged to regulate the position of the carbons, and with an adjustable and de tachable retracting-spring to antagonize the action of the magnet, of the additional safety or balancing spring 7, designed to be constant or non-detachable, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES J. WOOD. \Vitnesses:

Tues. H. H oR'ro'N, CHAS. M. HIGGINS.

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