US296125A - buckingham - Google Patents

Description

(No. Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0. L. BUGKINGI-IAM & H. C. TOWNSEND.

AUTOMATIC OUT-OUT FOR. ELEGTRIGLAMPS. Q No. 296,126. Patented Apr. 1, 1884.

"Wihwaagm an mxkovg;

aiamwe $3 any:

N. Pains Plmln-Lnho m hw. Wmh'mglan. D. c,

(No ModeL) Q 7 {Sheets-Sheet 2. 0. L BUOKI NG'HAM & H. O. TOWNSEND.

AUTOMATIU-CUT-OUT F03 ELBGTRIG LAMPS. No. 296,125.; Patented Apr. 1, 1884 A,

N. PETERS, .Pmmulho raphar. Washingtnll. D C.

, UNITED STATES PATENT Oriana,

. GHARLES L. BUCKINGHAM AND HENRY G. TOWNSEND, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC CUT-OUTFOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,125, datedApril 1, 1884.

Application filed November 19,1888. (No model.)

5 the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Automatic Out-Outs for Electric Lamps, of which the following is'a specification.

This application we desire to designate as OaseD. V In other applications for patent,

filed August 15, 1883, we have described and claimed means for enabling the carbons of any one of a series of lamps to be cut out of circuit without causingthe cutting out of the other lamps-i. e., meansin connection with a each lamp whereby a large increaseof resistance in the arc of one lamp should cause only that particular lamp and not others to be cut out of circuit. In ourapplication for a patent, designated as Case B, No.'103,810, filed August 15, 1883,we described a normally open branch or by-path around the arc of each lamp, which is periodically closed by a circuitcloser operated by clock-work, and an electro-magnet in the arc branch of thelamp,

adapted, in case of a high are resistance at the time of any periodic closing of thevby-path, to drop its armature to arrest the periodic cirnormally high arcresistance. Upon a material decrease of arc resistance enough current is reestablished throughthe coils of the electure and permit the periodic circuit-closer to continue its rotation and break the circuit of the by-path. In our application designated as Case 0, and also filed August 15, 1883,

we. have described an arrangement in which we dispense with a locking of the periodic circuit-closer and make the magnet in the arc- I branch control an independent cut-out or safe I ty branch, the arrangement being such that if 3 I the by-path is completed by the periodic c1rcuit-closer, the magnet in the arc branch will,

the arc resistance be. abnormally high when weaken, so that its armature will be drawn circuit-closer.

back and close a saftety branch which does not include the contact-points of the periodic cuit-closerand hold the by-path around the are closed during the continuance of the abtro-magnet in the arc branch to lift its armaw Our presentinvention relates to all apparatus of the class claimed in our'prior application, and consisting, generally speaking, of a magnet in the arc branch which controls a safety or branch circuit, and means for periodically closing a by-path or test-circuit of comparatively low resistance around saidlmagnet, and the are or other translating device.

each lamp, we now employ an electro-magnet whose coils are in a second and auxiliary line which extends from the central station, where the dynamo-machine for maintaining the lights is located, to each of the lamps. At thecentral station the auxiliary line is provided with a rotating or other suitable periodic circuitcloser, which derives its motion from therotating shaft of the dynamo-machine, or from the motor driving the dynamo-machine, or any other convenient source of power. At each periodic closure of the auxiliary line the electro-magnet in said line at each lamp at tracts an armature, to which is attached a relay-armature that serves to close the branch or by-path around the arc of the lamp; the arc resistance of the lamp be great'at the closing of the by-path, most of the main-line current will be diverted away from the arc and over the by-path, thus leaving too little current in the arc branch to cause the electromagnet, whose coils form a part thereof, to hold its armature attracted to its core, whereupon the bar attached to said armature is retracted, thereby locking the armature-lever of the auxiliary line magnet or relay closed upon 0 its front contact and permanently closing the by-path, or, as described in ourvGase O, closing an extra safety branch during the continuance of a high resistance in, the arc branch.

It is necessary that the periodic circuitclosing be effected quickly and at considerable intervals apart. As the resistance of the by-path around the are of the lamps is not greatcompared with that of the arc branches, it is obvious that if the periodic circuit-closing were much prolonged the lamps would wink, owing to the diversion of current from the arcs; but

. two minutes, for no considerable change in arc resistance could occur during so short an interval. To provide a periodic circuit-closer complying with all of these requirements, we have devised an apparatus for converting a rapid continuous rotation derived from the shaft of the dynamo-machine or other rapidlyrotating body into an infrequent and rather quick movement. To accomplish this result the speed of the prime motor may be reduced toone-fourth bya belt-gear, then to one-fiftieth of the latter bya worm-gear, then to one-tenth of the latter by spur-gearing. The wheel to which such a slow rate of rotation is imparted is large, and has a' second segmental set of teeth equal to the number of teeth upon a pinion fixed to the rotating circuit-closer. Thus the circuit-closing wheel will be given an entire rotation, during the rotation of the segment-wheel, through an angle equal to the seg ment thereof, and the periodic circuit-closing will be effected while the circuit-closing wheel is making a small fraction of a rotation. The

circuit-closing wheel preferably is about four inches in diameter, and the contact portion is circumferentially about one-eighth of one inch in length. If the circuit-closing wheel is caused to make a rotation in ten seconds, electrical contact will not be continued longer than about one-eighth of a second. To indicate that the auxiliary line is in working condition, we place a tap-bell magnet in said line at the central station, and upon each periodic closing of the line the bell will be sounded if it be in proper condition. To enable the short-circuiting of the arc branch at any time between the periodic circuit-closing, as in case of the falling out of a carbon, the electromagnet of the arc branch may have a second armature adapted to close a second by-path around the are; but this means we do not wish to rely upon in the ordinary operation of the lamp, as those smaller increases of arc resistance which should cause Line L extends from a dynamo-machine or other generator, and, as shown in Fig. 1, has two lamps, respectively situated at A and B. At point Z, line 1 is divided into two branches, one embracing the carbons c c of the lamp and coils of electro-magnet F, and the other branch forms a normally open shunt or by path around the arc. The by-path has its circuit through wire I), stop 0, spring O, relay-armature bar H, and resistance R. At points b b an auxiliary wire, L, much finer than L, is connected to L. and at a point near the dynamo a periodic circuit-closer rotates intermittently, and at each rotation brings metallic portion J in contact with contact-brushT. Line L is provided with an artificial resistance, R and at each lamp of the system includes the coils of an electro-magnet, E. Upon each rotation of O B, line L is closed and a short electrical impulse passes over said line. Each impulse upon line L causes at each lamp armature-bar H to be attracted, thus bringing spring 0 into contact with anvil 0. During the instant of closing the by-path, whose resistance is considerably greater than that of an arc of normal resistance, some current will be diverted from the arc branch, providing the arc resistance be low; but if the carbons have burned away, so as to interpose a large resist ance, a much greater part of current will be diverted from the arc branch through the bypath, thus leaving the current too weak to longer hold armature-bar N against the force of its retracting-spring p, and lever N will be retracted against stop it. 7 Armature-bar H must make its movement as a condition precedent to the backward movement of N; but if N be released at all its end will drop behind 11 and lock H at or near its front position.

By using spring 0, which is in metallic con nection with H. said lever H may have a slight backward movement toward 0', under the influence of spring q, without breaking contact between 0 and 0. After lever N has locked H to form a contact in the by-path, saidbypath will'remain closed until the arc resistance shall have been removed, notwithstanding that the line L may almost instantly be broken by the periodic circuit-closer O B. At the removal of the resistance from the arc branch, however, armature-lever N will be raised and the by-path broken, and again the entire current will flow through the'arc branch.

Circuit-closer O B is geared to a constantlyrotating motor from a pulley, P, by a belt, P, wheel Q, wormW, worm-gear wheel X, pinion Y, wheel Z, and sector of gear-teeth U. Wheel Q is four times the diameter of P, and for each rotation of Q wheel X will begiven one-fiftieth of a rotation, and ten rotations of Y will effect one rotation of Z. Therefore, if 1? 1o time a thousand times a minute, wheel Z will rotate only oncein two minutes. Upon wheel Z, though not in the same plane as the teeth, which gear with pinion Y, is a sector of teeth, U, which gear with the teeth of pinion V, and the teeth of U and V are equal in number.

IIO

w a shunt or by path around the are, and an elec- If the sector U be onetwelfth of a circle, the

circuit-closing wheel 0 B will rotate in ten of the periphery of O B, J will not remain in lo I the agency of a continuous rotary motion. It

contact with T for longer than an eighth or a tenth of a second. By this means a very short and an infrequent contact is effected through is necessary that circuit-closing wheel 0 B be held in a fixedposition when not geared with U, and to that end it is so loaded with a weight, K, that contact J will be held removed from I T. M is an electro-magnet in the main line, and M an electro-magnet in a branch around the arc, and both are for the purpose of feeding the carbons. They, however, have no specific T relation to our invention herein claimed.

Fig. 3 illustrates means for effecting a shortcircuit or closing of the by-path instantly, and

before the periodic circuit-closer can act, in

I the by-path closed, has another armature-lever, N, which, with branch I) and stop it, will form a by-path upon a marked weakening of magnetism in F. Until II has first been drawn toa front contact, armN cannot drop to lock it, as the end of N will rest iipon the end of H. Thus the backward movement of N alone is incapable of closing theby-patha N should be so adjusted as not to operate upon a decrease of magnetism in F, which would drop N.

The tap-bell is operated by an electro-magnet placed in line L, which is magnetized to cause a stroke upon the bell at each closing of said line. I

It is obvious that by meansof our invention we are enabled to wholly dispense with the fine wire coils now used by many to close a by-pathcircuit, thus avoiding the danger of their being burned out.

Whatwe claim as our inventionis- V 1. In an electric lightingsystem, the combination of aseries of electric lamps, each having tro-magnet for closing the same, and a second line-circuit, which embraces the coils of the electro-magnets, for closing said shunts or bypaths.

2. The combination of a main line including the carbons of electric lamps and a normallyopen shunt or by-path, an electro-magnet in the arc branch of the ,lamp, a secondary circuit including an electro-magnet, an armaturelever controlled by the electro'magnet in the secondary circuit, for closing the shunt or by- I path, and an armature-lever which is'controllecl 1 I by the electro-magnet in the arc branch,t01

3. The combination of a main line including the carbons of a series of electric lamps, and a by-path at each lamp, a secondary or main-line circuit which includes the coils of an electromagnct at each lamp for closing said bypath, and a circuit-closer for said secondary circuit.

4. The combination of main line L, having an arc branch and a by-path at a lamp, electro-magnet F, armature-lever N, secondary circuit L, electric-magnet E, armature-lever H, forming a part of the by-path, and circuitcloser O B.

5. The combination of an arc branch for an electric lamp, a by-path, armature-lever H,

forming a part of the by-path, spring 0 and contact 0, and means for locking armaturelever H at or near front contact.

6. The combination of an arc branch and a by-path for an electriclamp, an arm ature-lever, H, and spring 0, forming a part of the bypath, locking armature-lever N, and electro-. magnet F in the are branch.

7. The combination of an arc branch and a by-path for an electric lamp, alcver forming a part of the by-path, and a locking-lever controlled by an electro-magnet in the arc bran ch, for locking the by-path lever to permanently close the by-path.

8. The combination of an arc branch and a by-path for an electric lamp, an armature-lever forming a part of the by-path, and a locking-lever controlled by an electro-magnet in the arc branch for holding the lever forming a part of the by-path in a position to close said by-path. v

9'. The combination of a normally-open and intermittently-closed main line, L, including an electro-magnet, E, at each lamp, a circuit closer at the central station, and a main line, L, including an arc branch and a by-path at each electric lamp, controlled by said electromagnet.

10. A circuit-closing wheel and an electrical circuit to be closed and broken by said wheel, in combination with means for operating the same, as described, consisting of a continuouslyrotating shaft or wheel, and means whereby said wheel only intermittently or periodically gears with the circuit-closing wheel, substantially as described.

11. The combination of a. motor-pulley, P, a gear-train, a sector gear-wheel, U, circuitclosing wheel 0 B, pinion V, and an electric circuit which is closed and opened by said circuit-closing wheel.

12. The combination of a periodically rotating circuit-closing wheel, 0 B, pinion V, gearsector U, attached to a constantly-rotating train or notor, and an electric circuit which .is-opened and closed by said circuit-closing wheel.

13. Thecombination of a circuit-closing 7 an arc branch, a by-path, means for closing Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 17th day of November, A. D. 1883.

CHARLES L. BUGKINGHAM. HENRY G. TOWNSEND.

Witnesses:

THos. TOOMEY, GEO. G. OOFFIN.

Images