US401580A

US401580A - James ward packard

Info

Publication number: US401580A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1889-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1906-04-16

Description

(No Model.)

J. W. PACKARD. METHOD OF EXHAUSTING ELECTRIC LAMP BULBS.

No 401.580. Patente d Apr. 16; 1889.

PETERS. Pholwlilhagrapher. Washinglfim n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WARD PACKARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD -OF EXHAUSTING ELECTRIC-LAMP BULBS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 401,580, dated. April 16, 1889.

Application filed April 6, 1888. gerial No. 269,810- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMEs WARD PACKARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Exhaust ing Electric-Lamp Bulbs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and. exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it Y appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists of an improved method for producing a vacuum in the bulb of an incandescent electric lamp Without injury to the mercury-pumps used in said process and resulting in a vacuum of a high degree of perfection.

The apparatus with which my method is preferably used is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 shows the lampbulb undergoing the first step of exhaustion and resting in a sand-bath. Fig. 2 shows the same lamp undergoing the second step of exhaustion through the agency of a mercury-pump.

In the use of mercury-pumps in exhausting the contents of the bulbs to be used. for incandescent electric lamps the main difficulty heretofore encountered. in obtaining the highest degree of efficiency of said pumps has been the injurious influence of the moisture and gases within the bulbs upon the mercury of the pump.

The object of my invention is to avoid this difficulty, and thus prolong the usefulness of the pump, While at the same time a more nearly perfect vacuum is obtained.

In Fig. 1, L" is a lampbulb immersed in the sand-bath S, which is heated by the flame from a Bunsen burner, H. A mechanical vacuum-pump of any construction may be attached by a hose to the fork 13, which is controlled by the stopcock D. In Fig. 2 the three lampbulbs L L L are shown, the fork F being connected by the ground-joint B to the mercury-pump A. Connection of the mercury-pump with the fork is controlled by the stop-cock C. The mercury-pump is of similar construction to that illustrated in patent to A. L. Reinmann and O. G. Ott, granted September 29, 1885, No. 327,313.

to a continuous and equable heat.

In operation my method consists of two steps, as follows: First, the lamp-bulbs L L L attached to tlle fork F, are immersed. in the sand-bath S, as shown in Fig. 1. The first or partial exhaustion of the contents of the bulbs is then produced by an air-pump of any suitable mechanical construction, While at the same time thebulbs are subjected The cf foot of this heat is to drive out all moisture from the bulbs and all clinging gases which might otherwise remain attached. to the inner surface of the bulb or to the carbon. The passage of these gases and vapors through the mechanical pump is, of course, not appreciably injurious to it; nor do they in any way decrease its efficiency. when the greatest vacuum possible to the mechanical pump has been obtained, the stop-cook D is turned, the lamp'bulbs are withdrawn from the sand-bath, and the end of the fork F inserted in the ground-joint B of the mercury-pump A. The stop-cocks B and C are then opened and the exhaustion of the contents of the lamp-bulbs completed by the mercury-pump in the usual way.

It is evident that other means of heating the bulb during the first step in my method of exhaustion may be used, and I do not desire to confine myself to the apparatus illustrated.

I am aware that Patent No. 251,749, granted to IV. L. Voelker January 3, 1882, illustrates and describes a method of and apparatus for subjecting lamp-bulbs to the action of heat before they are exhausted. I am also aware that Patent No.26 l,650, granted to T. A. Edison September 18, 1882, shows an apparatus for subjecting the lamp-bulb to the action of heat while its contents are being exhausted by a mercury-pump. Neither of these employ the method above described by me. The Edison patent shows the very thing I desire to avoid-namely, the passage of vapors and gases through the mercury-pump. In the Voelker process the bulbs are heated before exhaustion; but they may be exposed to the air for an indefinite period before attachment to the pump, and thus every opportunity is afforded for the admission of atmospheric air with its usual percentage of moisture.

Having therefore described my invention, the exhaustion of the contents of the bulb by 10 What I claim as new, and desire to protect by a mercury-pump, substantially as described. Letters Patent, is In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in A method of producing a vacuum in the presence of two Witnesses.

5 bulb of an incandescent light, Which consists,

first, in the partial exhaustion by a meehan- JAMES WARD PACKARD ical pump of the vapors and gases in the Witnesses: bulb, While at the same time the bulb is sub- A. P. SMITH,

jected to heat; second, in the completion of JOHN J. ENNIS.