US542490A - Electric-arc lamp - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

S. E. NUTTING.

ELECTRIC ARG LAMP.

No. 542,490. Patented July 9, 1895.

parts.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

SAMUEL E. NUTTING,OE OAK PARK, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE W. FURBECK AND JOSEPH KETTLESTRINGS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,490, dated July 9, 1895.

Application tiled September S, 1894. Serial No. 522,413. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, SAMUEL E. NUTTING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a new Improvement in Arc Lamps; and I declare the following to be afull, clear, and concise description of the same.

My invention relates to arc lamps wherein the feed of the cai-bons is controlled by the action produced by the expansibleness of certain parts due to heat caused by the resistance to the current of electricity passing through that portion of the circuit. I dispense with the electromagnets and dash-pots ordinarily used, thereby greatly simplifying,7` the device, cheapening the construction, and greatly improving the efficiency of carb'onfeeding mechanism. y

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of the main portion of an arc lamp embodying my invention, the top plate being in section in order to disclose the operative Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the iop plate, taken on the line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view transverse to Fig. l and having the lower part of the lamp cut away.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

A is the top plate of an arc lamp Depending from A and secured in suitable lugs are the side rods B. Secured upon the side rods B at a little distance below the top plateA is a circular plate C. Depending from the circular plate C and between the side rods B are the insulated supplemental guide-rods D, having mounted thereon the carbon-carrying racks E E', said racks consisting of tubes telescoping the guide-rods D, and having secured thereon the cross-bars E, adapted to hold the carbons. The top plate A is provided with suitable binding-posts A A2. Passing downwardly from the binding-post A through the plate C to the carbon-carrying rack E is the flexible conductor F, secured at its lower end to the rack E by means of the screw E. Connecting the binding-post A2 to the insulated eross-head G is a connector G. Placed opposite the insulated cross-'head Gis asimilar cross-head H. The cross-heads G Il are secured to and insulated from the top plate A. Passing from the cross-head G to the crosshead H are a number of small wi res I, consisting ot one wire passed back and forth about the small screws l, secured in the cross-heads G H. In order to securea proper tension to the wires I, I have provided theinwardly-extending portions of the cross-heads G H with setscrews G2 H3, said screws being adapted to tilt the cross-heads G H, so as to increase the distance between the points of attachment ofthe wires I to the cross-heads G H, thus tightening the wires. Secured to the cross-head I-I by means of the screw H is another flexible conductor J, said conductor passing downwardly through the circular plate C to the upper-carbon rack E', to which it is attached.

Pivoted between the depending lugs K of the plate K', secured on the under side of the top plate A, is a lever L. Pivotally mounted upon and about midway of the lever L is an insulated bridge L', upon which the crosswires I rest. Inter-posed between the top plateA and the lever L, near its outer end, is a distended coil-spring L2, said spring tending at all times to raise the lever L, thus keeping the bridge L in close contact with the cross-wires I.

Mounted in suitable standards M upon the circular plate C is the shaft N, having secured thereon the brakewheel N', provided on either side with the drums N2 N5, upon which are oppositely Wound the depending cords or chains O O', said cords or chains being secured at their lower ends to the carbon-racks E E', respectively. Pivoted upon the shaft N is the stirrup P, said stirrup having the brake Q piyoted therein, said brake adapted to engage the periphery ofthe brake-wheel N.

Connecting the outwardly-extending arm Q of the brake Q to the lever L is a link R, said link being provided with aseries of holes whereby a proper adjustment is secured. Theouter end or loop portion of the stirrup P is provided with a weight P'. This weight is designed to insure the release of the brake from contact with the brake-wheel N. In

order to properly adjust the brake Q, I have provided the stop S, extending upwardly from the circular plate C and having the checknut S' thereon to secure the stop against movement when properly adjusted.

By reference to Figs. l to 3 it will be seen IOS that the stop S comes in contact with a forwardly-extending arm Q2 of the brake Q.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood.

It will be seen that the current of electricity entering the binding-post A will pass downwardly through the iiexible conductor F to the carbon-rack E, thence into the lower carbon, thence through the voltaic arc to the upper carbon and rack E', thence upwardly by means of the iiexible conductor .I to the cross-head l-l, thence through the wires I to the cross-head G, and finally to the binding-post A2 through the connector G. The current in passing through the wires I, meetingr more or less resistance, produces sucient heat to expand the wires, the amount of said expansion being due to the strength of the current passing through the circuit. By reference to Figs. l to 3 it will be seen that as the wires I expand the lever L will be raised by the contraction of the spring Linterposed between the lever L and top plate A. Interposed between the leverLand the wires I is a bridge L', pivotally mounted to the lever L, in order that it may be automatically adjustable to the difference in the expansiveness of the wires. A small gage of Wire is used because of its sensitiveness to variations of temperature, thus securingto the leverL and connected parts a delicate and quick action. v

My purpose in employing several parallel wires of small diameter and considerable length is to insure an almost instantaneous'action of the feed mechanism, for itwillbe seen that six small wires will expand approximately six times as rapidly as one wire equal in size to the six small ones.

I do not wish it to be understood that I confine myself to a number of wires, as shown, but might employ a metallic ribbon to connect the fixed cross-heads and carry the current of the circuit of the lamp.

By reference to Fig. l of the drawings it will be seen that the outer end of the lever L is connected to the rearwardly-extending arm Q of the brake Q by a link R, adapted to rock the brake Q on its bearings in the stirrup P until said brake contacts with the periphery of the brake-wheel, when further upward motion of the lever L and connecting parts will cause the brake-wheel N to rotate upon its axis and impart a corresponding motion to the drums N2 N3, which in turn will separate the carbons by actuating the carbonracks through the winding of the cords or chains O O upon the drums N2 N3.

When a perfect arc is secured, the wires I cease to expand, owing to a decrease in the heat due to a less current traversing the circuit.

In order to prevent overheating of the wires I, I have provided a short-circuiting device H', consisting of a suitable conductor secured at one end of the cross-head G and so adjusted that when the lever L has moved upwardly a certain distance it will cause the opposite end of the conductor H to contact with the crosshead H and thus shorten the circuit and thereby relieve the wires I of excessive current, yet in no wise interfering with or reducing the current supplied to the carbons.

External atmospheric temperatures willv havelittle effect upon the Wires I, owing to the fact that the cross-heads G H, to which the wires are secured, are attached to the metal top plate A, which would be affected by any variation or change that might atfect the wires. For example, if a lamp embodying the abovedescribed construction be carried from a warm room into a refrigerator the metal of the top plate A will contract nearly if not quite as much as the wires I, thus preserving nearly vthe same relation of parts under any or all conditions.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An arc lamp, having a carbon-controlling mechanism, consisting of an electrical conductor secured directly between fixed crossheads, said conductor and said cross-heads suitably placed in the circuit of said lamp, means for stretching or tightening said conductor, and a movable part adapted to bear directly against said conductor all substantially as set forth and sli'own.

2. An arc lamp having a carbon controlling mechanism consisting of a number of small parallel wires secured to fixed cross-heads and placed in the circuit of said lamp, said Wires adapted to expand and contract'by the action of the temperature resultant upon the resistance to the current in passing through said wires, a lever placed transversely to said wires, said lever adapted to bear against said wires midway between the points of attachment of the Wires to the fixed cross-heads, said lever also adapted to'respond to any action of the wires due to expansion or contraction, and a suitable carbon actuating mechanism, all substantially as set forth.

3. An arc lamp, having a carbon controlling mechanism consisting of a suitable conductor secured at either end to fixed cross-heads and placed in the circuit of said lamp, and a carbon actuating mechanism consisting of a spring actuated lever suitably connected to the brake and brake Wheel and relative parts, said lever adapted to bear centrally against said conductor and its part to be actuated thereby, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an arc lamp, a short circuiting device placed between xed cross heads connected by a thermo electric conductor, said short circuiting device adapted to automatically close and relieve said conductor of excessive current, all substantially as set forth.

SAMUEL E. NUTTING. Vtitnesses:

J o. KETTLESTRINGS, D. G. BUTTS.

IOO

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