US389297A

US389297A - Electric-lighting system

Info

Publication number: US389297A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1905-09-11

Description

(No Model.)

W. W. GRIS'GOM.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM.

No. 389,297. Patented Sept. 11, 1888.

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Q 51; Ju /y @110 QQOWQ M5 n PETERS PhoQvLnhngrap UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM YV. GRISOOM, OF HAVERFORD COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA,

ELECTRlC-LlGHTlNG SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,297, dated September 11, 1888.

Serial No. 278,686.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. GRISCOM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Haverford College, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented eertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lighting, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in electric lighting; and it consists of an arrangement of apparatus whereby every light of a series may be simultaneously placed in circuit, at the same time obviating the possibility of breaking the circuit to any particular lamp at the individual switcl1- that is, the switch assigned to any given lamp.

The object of my invention is to provide for lighting every lamp in an isolated installation from a central point by the use of an apparatus which, when ope 'ated, takes the control of such lamps away from the series of individual switehcslocated at the lamps. Thus it is applicable to large auditoriums, as theaters and churches. It is also applicable as an alarm upon the entrance or threatened en trance of an intruder, as a burglar, and also to render it difficult or impossible for such intruder to extinguish the lights individually. The apparatus devised for this purpose consists of a multiple circuit-closer located at a central point, as in a slcepirig-apartment, so arranged that by one movement every lamp is out into circuit and every individual circuit closer is cut out. This multiple circuit-closer consists of a cylinder of insulating material, a part of its surface loci ng of conducti n g material. There are a series of spring-fingers insulated from each other bearing upon the surface of the cylinder. One of these lingers is con nected to a wire, forming a common connection with one side of the individual circuit-closers. The remainder of the series of fingers are respectively connected to the other side of said individual circuit-closers by a series of separate wires. YVhen the cylinder of the multiple circuit-closer is rotated to a point where the conducting portion of its surface is in contact with the series of fingers,all these fingers are electrically united, and it results that the lamps are cut into circuit,whilc each individ- Hal circuit-closer is cut out.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention.

D is a dynamo.

B is a storage-battery connected to the main leads I 2,and in parallel circuit with the lamps L. In each lamp-circuit,beside each lamp L, is an individual circuitbreaker, m.

S is a multiple circuit-changer. It consists of a cylinder of insulating material 0, having set into its surface asection of conducting material, Z1. There are a series of fingers, f, of conducting material, having one end fixed to astrip of insulating materiahi. Their free ends rest upon the surface of the cylinder 0. One of this series of fingers, f, is connected to one main lead, 2, common to one side of the series of individual circuit'closers m. A series of wires, row, are connected from the opposite sides of the circuit closers m, respectively, to the series of lingersf. Normally, the wires 2 and 20 20 are all insulated from each other at the circuit-closer S, and the circuit of each lamp is controlled by its individual circuitcloser m. It generally happens that all circuitelosers m are open when the circuitchanger S is operated; but,however this may hashould the occupant of the sleepirig-apartment desire to light every lamp L, he rotates the said cylinder until strip 1 comes into contact with the fingers ff. This closes circuit round the cireuit-closers m m, and completes the circuit of lamps L 'v/Ia main lead 2, iingcrf, strip Z), and wires w 10. It will thus be seen that every lamp is lighted sinmltanoously, and that all the circuitcloscrs m are cutout. This renders it diflicult or impossible to extinguish the lamps at or near the points where they are lo cated, and creates some surprise or alarm in the mind of the intruder. If it he applied as a bnrglaralarm, or if used in a large auditorium, as a theater, it would render it extremely diiiicult for misehievously-disposed parties to createpanic, confusion, or alarm by extinguishing the lights.

lVhatI elaim,and desire to secure byLcttei's Patent, is-

1. The combination of a source of electrical supply, a series of electric lamps electrically connected thereto, a eircuitcloser for each lamp,audamultiple circuit-closer having a se ries of contacts connected to each lamp-circuit on opposite sides of said circuit-closers operated by a single continuous movement, whereby thelamps may beinclnded and the individual circuit-closers be excluded with respect to the main circuit, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a source of electrical supply, a series of translating devices electrically connected thereto, a circuit-closer for each translating device,and a multiple circuitcloser having a series of contacts'connected to the said circuit upon opposite sides of the circuit closer assigned to each translating device,

respectively,said circuitcloser being operated by asingle continuous movement,whereby the 15 translating devices may be included and the circuit-closer excluded with respect to the main circuit, substantially as described.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 28th 20 day of June, A. D. 1888.

\V. W. GRISOOM.

Witnesses:

DANIEL E. DELAVAN, W M. B. VANSIZE.