US284354A - Heney l - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

H. L. BAILEY. ELECTRIC SPARK ARRESTING 01mm AND DEVICE. N0. 284,354. Patented Sept. 4, 1883.

WITNESSES INVENTOR 13!] his .flfiorneZ/s Her? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HENRY L. BAILEY, or BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR To THE TIME TELEGRAPH COMPANY, or 'NEXV YORK, n. Y;

ELECTRIC-SPARK-ARRESTING CIRCUIT AND DVlCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,354, dated September 4, 1883.

Application filed April 1883.

To all whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY L. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric'SparlQArresting Circuits and Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for preventing the occurrence of the disruptive electric discharges whichtend to take place at each interruption of an electric current traversing a circuit in which is included a series of electro-magnets at the points where the conductor traversed by such a current is broken.

The invention consists in applying to a circuitclosing device a non-inductive shunt-circuit which is automatically brought into action when the electiomaguets are vitalized, and which serves as a path for the induced currents which are incident to the magnetic discharge of the electro-magnets around the con tact or circuit-closing points. The non-inductive shuntcircuit is completed after the completion of the battery-connections, and they remain so completed a sufficient time after the interruption of these connections to permit the required discharge.

The invention further consists in providing a supplemental shunt-circuit of a similar character for neutralizing the induced current or inductive discharge of an electro-magnet employed for controlling the connections of the first-named slmut-circuit. The connections of the su )plemental shunt-circuit are controlled in essentially the same manner as those of the principal shunt-circuit.

The accompanying drawing is a diagram illustrating the application of my invention to an electric circuit, including a series of electromagnets, which may be employed for any required. purpose. The dotted lines in the drawing illustrate a modification of the organization of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, L represents a main line, in which is included a series of electromagncts, m m m", &c. A battery, E, is included in the main line L, and the circuitconnections oithis battery are completed by (No model.)

means of a manual or automatic circuit-closer, K, of any suitable character, in a well-known manner.

The circuit-closer K which I have represented consists, merely, of alever, j, carrying a contact-point, k, which, when the lever is depressed, makes electrical connection with the corresponding contact-p oint, k. The point k is electrically connected with one terminal of the main line L, and thus through the electro-magnets m with one pole of the battery E, while the contaetpoint k is connected directly with the opposite pole of the battery E. IVhen the key K is depressed, the circuit of the bat tery E will be completed through all of the electro-magnets in the system, and the latter will be vitalized. Immediately upon the interruption of the circuit at the points k k", the magnetic discharge of the cores of the electromagnets will induce in the coils of each magnet a momentary electric impulse in a manner well understood.

In an extended system, as the impulses from the several electro-magnets are added to each other a current of considerable strength tends to traverse the main line L. If unprovided for, such a current will occasion a disruptive discharge at the circuit-closing points k and k and these points soon become corroded and unserviceable. For the purpose of neutralizing such currents, I provide a shunt-circuit, 7, including a non-inductive resistance, R, preferably approximately equal to the resistance of the main line. The connections of this circuit are completed around the contact-points k and it immediately after the main circuit is completed, and it remains closed a suflicient time after the interruption of the connection at the points k and k to permit the induced current to pass through the shunt-circuit Z, thereby avoiding the contactpoints.

The device which I employ for controlling the connections of the shunt-circuit Z consists of an electro-magnet, M, included in the circuit .of the main line L, and provided with an 5 armature, a, and armature-lever N. An adjustable retractile spring, 8, is provided, for normally maintaining the armature and its lever away from the poles of the electro-magnet. At the extremity of the armature-lever IOO - jecting into its path. The spring 1) yields to the pressure exerted by the lever N, and the extent of its fiexure may be adjusted by means of a suitable limiting-screw, t. The armature N is electrically connected by a conductor, 1, with the main-line conductor L at a point, 2. The circuit-closing spring p is electrically connected with one terminal of the shunt-circuit Z, the other terminal of which is connected with the contact-point 7c of the circuit-closerK. The parts are so adjusted that normally the contact-point 0 is out of contact with the spring 1), and the connections of the shunt-circuit Z are thus normally open. Immediately after closing the circuit-closer K, a circuit will be completed through the conductor Z at the point 0, and after the interruption of the con.- nections at k by the action of the circuitcloser K, this circuit will remain closed until the spring p has resumed its normal position. The time which elapses after the interruption of the circuit at k k before the interruption of the shunt-circuit connections is sufficient to permit the discharge of the induced current around the points 7c and 70?. It will be ob.- served, however, that the coils of the electromagnet M are included in the portion of the main line L between the point 2 and the circuit-closer K, and whatever current is induced in the coils of this magnet by the magnetic discharge of its cores would tend to produce a spark at the points k. To prevent such a discharge, I provide a supplemental non-inductive shuntcircuit, Z, the connections of which are completed around the coils of the -electro-1nagnet M in a manner precisely similar to that described in connection with the circuit Z. One terminal of the conductor Z is, electrically connected with the main line L at a point, 3, and the opposite terminal with an insulated flexible circuit-closing spring, 19.

An adjustable contact-point, o, is carried upon the extremity of the lever N, which contactpoint is brought by the movements of th lever into connection with the, corresponding contact-spring, p, as described with reference to the point 0. and spring 19.

It will be seen thus that when the armaturelever is depressed the respective terminals of the coils of the electro-magnet M will be connected with each other through the conductor Z, spring 1), contact-point 0,, armaturerlever N, a11d conductor 1, and that these connections will be completed and interrupted simultaneously with those of the-conductor Z. An adjustable non-inductive artificial resistance, r, isincluded in the conductor Z, preferably approximately equal to the resistance of the electro-magnet' M. The time during which this circuit shall remain closed relative to the completion of the circuit through the conductor Z, may be controlled by adjusting the point 0 and the limiting-stop t. v

In some instances it may be advisable to apply apermanent shunt-circuit to the electro-magnet M, such as is indicated in the drawings in dotted lines at Z This modification consists merely in replacing the conductor Z and resistance r, together with the contact-springatp and point 0, by a conductor, Z the opposite terminals of which are con nected directly with the coils of the magnet M through a resistance, 1- similar to the resistance 1". r

In some instances it may be found desirable to apply a circuit-controlling device similar to that described with reference to the electro-magnet M to any of the electromagnets m.

This may be done by employing the movements of the armature of such magnet in a manner precisely similar to that already de scribed with reference to the armature n and lever N. Y Y

I claimas my invention- 1. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, of a battery, a main line, a series of electro-magnets included therein, a circuit-closer adapted to transmit electric impulses from said battery upon said main line, an armature and armature-lever applied to one of said electro-magnts, two contact-points carried upon said armature-lever, two flexible springs, respectivelyextending into the path of said'contact-points, and two nondnductive shunt-circuits, one of said shunt-circuits being completed around said circuit-closing device and the other around the coils of said electro-magnet by the movement of said armature and armature-lever toward the poles of said electro-maguet.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a battery, a main line, a series of electro-magnets included therein, a circuit-closing device for completing the cir; cuit of said battery through the coils of said electro-magnets, an armature applied to: one of said electrO-magnets and actuated in response to electric currents traversing itscoils,

a shunt-circuit the connections of which are completed around said electro-magnet and said circuit-closing device by the movements I of said armature toward the poles of said electro-magnet, and a non-inductive resistance included in said shunt-circuit, which resistance is approximately equal tothe resistance of the I main-line circuit.

3. The combination,substantially as hereinbefore'set forth, of a battery, a'mainline, a series of electro-magnets included therein, a circuit-closing device for completing the circuit of said battery through the coils of said electro-magnets, a normally-open shunt-circuit around the contact-points of said circuitclosing device, an armature acting in response to electric-currents traversing the coils of said electro magnets to automatically complete ,the connections of said shunt-circuit.

IIO

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a battery, a main line, a series of electro-magnets respectively included therein, a cireuit-closer for completing the 5 connections of said main line through said electromagnets, an armature and armature-lever applied to one of said electro-magnets, a shuntcircuit the connections of which are completed by the movements of said armature-lever ill 10 response to a current traversing the coils of said elcctrounagnet, means for continuing the connections of said shunt-circuit momentarily after the interruption of the first-named circuit-connection, and a non-inductive shunt I 5 circuit around the coils of said electromagnet.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of an electro-magnet, M, its armature m, the contact-points 0 and 0, the contact-springs p and p, and the non-inductive shunt-circuitsl and Z, the connections of 20 which are respectively completed through the' action of saidarmature.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of April, A. D. 1883. HENRY L. BAILEY.

WVitnesses:

DANIEL W. EDGECOMB, CHARLES A. TERRY.

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