US310663A - System of electric lighting - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR GASSETT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,663, dated January 13, 1885.

Application filed October 9, 1883.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OSCAR GASSETT, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Systems of Electric Lighting, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

Myinvention relates to a system of lighting by electricity,and is embodied in an apparatus in which each house or building to be lighted contains its own electric circuit and generator for electricity and a motor to operate the generator, while the power for actuating the motors of a large number of buildings or stations is distributed from a common or central station. The power is distributed by means of compressed air, there being at the main or central station a compressing-engine and reservoir to retain a considerable quantity of compressed air, and the system also comprises small reservoirs at the different sub-stations or buildings,containing a sufficient amount of compressed air to actuate the motor for a considerable length of time without further supply from the main station.

The invention consists in the general arrangement and combination of the different parts of the apparatus, and also in various details hereinafter specified.

The drawing shows in a diagram a portion of a system of electric lighting embodying this invention.

At the main or central station a motor of any suitable or usual construction is employed to operate an air-compressing apparatus, A, by which air is compressed into a suitable reservoir, B, of considerable size, so that the aircompressor A may remain continually in op eration, although the air is drawn from the reservoir B onlyduring a portion of the time. From the said reservoir B the compressed air is conveyed by suitable ducts or pipes, a, having branches leading to all the points that are to be supplied with power from the main or central motor.

Each building or sub-station to be lighted is preferably provided with a reservoir, 2), into which air is received from the pipe (1, which (No model.)

is provided with a check-valve, c, to prevent the returnof air from the reservoir b in case the pressure in the pipe should be reduced. From the reservoir 1) the air is conveyed by a pipe, C, to a pressure-regulating device, d, of any suitable or usual construction, from which it issues with a uniform pressure into a pipe, 6, which supplies the motorf, and actuates the generator 9, that is to produce the current employed for lighting. The motorfis preferably one of the rotary order, having the armature of the generator 9 connected directly with its shaft.

The passage of air from the reservoir 1) to the pressure-regulator d and motor f is controlled by a valve, h, the stem of which is provided with a bell-crank lever, h, one arm of which is acted upon by a weight, If, tending to move it in the direction to close the valve, and the other arm of which is connected with a piston, 75, operating in a cylinder, 7;, supplied with air from a chest, 76*, connected with the pipe 0 and reservoir 1), the pressure of the air when admitted to the cylinder 70 moving the piston 70 and connected lever h in the direction to open the valve 72. The admission of air into the cylinder 70 from the chest 70 to operate the valve 72, as thus described, is controlled by a small tapering valve, m, connected with the armature of an electro-magnet, m. The piston 70 has a loose fit in the cylinder 7.1, but when forced forward by the air when the valve m is opened comes to a seat upon the head k of the cylinder, preventing the escape of airbetween the piston and cylinder. Vhen, however, the valve m is closed, the air no longer being supplied to the cylinder is, the weight k forces the piston back with a cushioned movement, the air escaping around the piston.

The circuit of the generator g consists of wires 2 3 from either terminal thereof, having branches 4 connecting them, and including the lamps n, of any suitable or usual construction, placed in the different apartments, as may be desired. The branchest also include switches 0, by which they may be opened or closed to put the lights in operation or to extinguish them.

In order to keep the resistance uniform in the lights that are in operation when one or more of the lights a are extinguished, branches 5 are employed, containing resistances equal to that of the lamps a, the resistance preterably being that of similar lamps, n, which may be placed in any apartment where it is desired to always have more or less light, so that as the lights a are extinguished the substitute lamps a will be set in operation, the switches 0 being arranged to close the branch 5 in the movement by which they open the branches 4t.

In order that the generator may be set in operation whenever one or more of the lights at are to be used, the circuit 6 ot' the battery B and magnet m, controlling the val vc m, and through it the valve 71, is provided with closing branches 7, including switches 0,1nechanically connected with the switches 0, so that when the latter are moved to open or close the branches 4, containing the lights a, the branches 7 will also be opened and closed; and it is only when all the said branches are opened, or all the lights a thrown out of operation, that the said circuit 5 will be opened, causing the valves in and h to close, and thus stopping the motor.

If desired, the switches o 0 may be operated automatically, as by an electro-magnet, p, included in that portion of the branch a which is left open when the branch 5, containing the substitute lamp it, is closed.

The switch will be provided with an arina ture for the said magnet 12, which, so long as the branch t remains closed, will retain the switch 0p in position to close the branches 4: and 7, but in case of the breaking of the branch 4, as by the destruction of the lamp a therein, the switch, being nolonger held by its magnet, will be moved by its retractingspring 2) to close the branch 5.

The reservoirs b are provided with pressure-gagesr, the pointer of which forms a portion of a local circuit, 8, containing a signal, if, the said pointer of the gage being arranged to close the said circuit when the pressure in the reservoirs rises above or is reduced below a certain amount, it thus indicating in the latter case that the supply of power is becoming exhausted.

In other applications, Ito. 121, 710, filed February 23, 1884:, and No. 133,547, tiled June 2, 1884, I have shown similar apparatus for generating and distributing power and converting the same into electricity, and the claim in the present application is solely for combinations of appliances not claimed in the said applications.

1. In an apparatus for electric lighting, a substation containing a mechanical motor and electric generator actuated thereby, combined withan elcctro-magnet controlling the application of power to the motor, and circuit therefor having closing branches, a circuit for the generator having branches containing lamps, and switches controlling the lamp-circuit and circuit of the controlling magnet, substantially as described.

2. In a system of electric lighting, the following clements in combination, namely: a main station containing a fluid compressor and reservoir, sub-stations, each containing a reservoir connected by pipes with the main reservoir, a motor and electric generator actuated thereby, an electric circuit from the said generator, having branches containing the lamps to be used, and independent branches containing substitute lamps, and switches whereby one of the said branches is closed when the other is opened, substantially as described.

3. In an electric-lighting apparatus, a motor and electric generator actuated thereby and connected in circuit with the lamps, combined with a valve controlling the application of power to the motor, and an actuating cylinder and piston for the said valve, and a valve and actuating electro-magnet controlling the admission of tluid to the said cylinder, and a circuit for the said magnet, having control-ling-switches, substantially as described.

' l. An electric circuit having branches containing electric lamps and other corresponding branches containing substitute lamps, combincd with a switch or circuit-changing device controlling both branches, as set forth, whereby the branch containing the substitute lamp is closed when the corresponding branch is opened, and the reverse, substantially as described.

5. An electric circuit having a branch con taining a lamp, and a switch-controlling magnetin the said branch, combined with a corresponding branch containing a substitute lamp, and a switch controlled by the said magnet, and itself governing the condition of both branches, whereby the second branch is automatically closed when the first-mentioned branch is broken, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub scribing witnesses.

\Vitnesses: OSCAR GASSETT.

Jos. l. Livnmronn, "W. H. Srcsron.

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