US843533A - Induction vapor or gas electric lamp. - Google Patents

Description

P. G. HEWITT. INDUCTION VAPOR 0R GAS ELECTRIC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED APE.18.1900.

Fig.1

PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 843,533. PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

P. o. HEWITT. INDUCTION VAPOR 0R GAS ELECTRIC LAMP APPLIOATIOH FILED APB.18.1900.

, 2 SHEETSSHEET 2. F298 3 1 WW r termed an If there be substituted for the 1 U r: i is srars;

. its enrich PETER COOPER HEWITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY-MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK;

mono-HON VAPOR os'eas ELECTRIC LAMP.

; Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Feb. 5, 1907..

.lpplication filed apriua'ieoo. seen Ho. 13.291.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, PETER COOPER HEW- ITT, acitizen of the United States, and a re'si dent of New'York, in the county of New 5 York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inthe medium where the light is generated, the,

current beingwhat is known as a second ary current. v

The object'of my invention is to provide a lamp and-method of lighting which shall -y1eld a practical light without any conductor eading into thelamp, thus making it possible todispense with any break or joint in the electric circuit. This accomplish by using .l a 5 vapor or gases of proper character and under proper conditions as the medium for transforming the electric energy into light, the energy being caused to be present in the vapor or gases which serve as a conductor by I inductiom- In this vway I dispense with conductorsleading into the contained vapor or a gas through the walls'of the container.

1" It may be generally stated that a coil of traversed by a varying current of elec- 5 tricity is surrounded b a varying magnetic field consisting ofso-ca ed magnetic lines I of force. -The field of force thus established, however, varies in proportion with the variationsof the current, and if a'closed 4o circuit-such, for instance, as a coil ofwire '.be properly placed within this varying field ,of force there will be induced in it a current; corresponding to the variations in the field A device of this character is usually induction-coil 3 or transof force.

former. secondary coil of the transformer a closed circuit of some vapor or gas of the roper character and under the proper conditions, it will act as a conductor,-and the energy of such current will be induced in it if therate of Change is suitable.

rentj will manifest'itself the form of light The energy of such cur-' and heat if sufiicient lines of force are cut by the vapor to overcome its reluctance to become a conductor. 7

The induced current in the lamp and its ductionnamely, the relation of the turns in the primary to those in the secondary and the rate of change of the pulsations or variations in the actuating or primary current, or, in other words, the rate at which the magnetic lines due to the primary current are cut by the secondary circuit. This rate is the the secondary circuit. In the form of lamp which I have devised it is practicable to emin connection with a multiple-turn primary,

ormation. V

For the purpose of developing an electromotive force in the secondary sufficient to place it in a state where it will become conductor of low resistance-Imake use of a current of such antity and rate of variation in a primary oi-such multiplicity of turns and such interlinkage as will induce in one turn of a secondary an electromotive force which shall be suflicient to break down the tendency of the vapor to resist becoming a conductor notwithstanding the decrease of electromotive force which must result from the use of such multiple-turn primary as will give the required interlinkage with the said vapor secondary.

use is that obtained frommercury, because of its low resistance;vbut other materials may be used, the use of any vapor bein .dependent only upon the requirement t at there shall be induced in it a voltage sufficient to overcome its resistance.,. Certain impurities or va ors added to the vapors hich are selected for forming the secondary or lightemitting circuit exercise such a re the passage of the electric current that it is .almostimpossible with the most rapid variation' of current to induce a secondary current in the lamp when they are present. Such vapors as will be obtained from water and some oxygen compounds seem to have this lstate of non-conductivity in a marked deploy for the secondary circuit a simple closed circuit of vapor having effectively one turn,

. iving a suitable ratio of step-dow n trans- The vapor which I find most convenient in J voltage depend upon the general laws of inmeasure of the ele'ctromotive force given to readily conductive'that is, a true vapor uctance to will induce in a secondary of one turn an electromotive force of, say, from three to fifty volts per inch in case the secondary is, say, three inches in diameter, the inducingcurrent need not be over a few hundred volts when the current is passing in the vapor, the voltage depending upon the material of the vapor, its density, and other conditions. The amount of light emitted by the gas read ily shows at what time during the process of manufacture the lamp is completed.

I am aware that others have proposed certain lamps claimed to be induction-lamps having a luminous band induced therein; but in none has any considerable amount of light been produced. -My lamp yields a large quantity of light and possesses other characteristics which clearly distinguish it fromthe faint luminosity of the electrostatic effect produced in the lamps above alluded to.

' The difference is also at once apparent in the source of current;

The invention will be described more in de- I cuit therewith.

3 is connected with the energizing-coil 1.

On the passage of a current of the proper character through the coil 3 a current is induced in the vapor. Immediately the vessel becomes brightly luminous. position of the primary coil causes acorresponding change in the position of the luminosity. By increasing the amount of en' A change in ergy imparted from the primary source practically all of the. vapor in the lamp may be made to act as a secondary andto give the lampa very intense brightness. The addition of a second coil 4 on the globe of the vesthe coil 3 between them, and currents through this coil act upon the contents of c both bulbs.

In Fig. 5 a modification is shown in which three bulbs 2 2 2- are shown arranged in close proximity to each other with coils 3 3 3 placed between them. These three coils may be connected in series or in parallel, as.

desired.

As already stated, the vapor which I find very convenient for use is that of mercury. This vapor offers a low resistance and produces a very intense white light. Other gases or vapors may, however, be used, care being taken toselect such as will receive current under the influence of such .a voltage as may be induced'therein', and the light emitted.

thereby will-correspond to' the spectrum of that gas or vapor.

The 0 eration ofthe lamp depends upon the possibility of obtaining a current of suitable rate of variation. 1 have obtained excellent results by theuse of the dischargecurrents obtained from condensers; but a properly-constructed Y mechanical generator would roduee the necessary current. In F1gs8 Ihave represented diagrammatically one form of apparatus giving a rapidlyvarying current suitable for use to o erate my lamp. This generator is indicate at 11 and reduces an alternating current of, say;

one undred and twenty-five to three hundred periods and of a voltage of, say, from fifty to one hundred -volts. he generator supplies the primary coil 12 of a transformer, the secondary coil 14 delivering an' induced current .of, say,six thousand volt s. This induced current is delivered to condensers 15 of suitable capaeity,'which maybe arranged to be discharged through the line 16. I usu- IIO ally prefer, however, to use two condensers 1.5 15, as shown, using the current induced between them through the line 16; The 'discharge-gaps 17 limit the charge of the condensers and serve to discharge them. d Other forms of discharge devices may be employed-as, for instance, the well-knownvapor-discharge devices disclosed in many of my early patents and applications. Eachl3 Q current and" becomes brilliant, sealed off from the um time the condensers are charged and discharged the current induced between them will flow back and forth through the line 16. The current flowing through this line. is a rapidly-alternating current of considerable quantit' One of the glass vessels 2 being placed in the fieldof the coil 3 will act as a secondary, tapping off the amount of current that the lamp is constructed to take.- The coil 3 thus becomes the'primary and the vapor in the vessel the secondary, of my vapor transformer or lamp. .With a pressure of six thounate the bulb. With'bulbs having other char-' acteristics the best number of termined by trial.

In manufacturing my lamp 1 usually proceed as follows: The lamp is connected with an exhaust-pumpto remove the water and any vapors that maybe contained in the glass of the bulbfthe bulb being heated during the process of exhaustion. Lthen introduce or generate in the lamp the vapor upon which I desire to operate and which-is to act as the secondary, still ret aining the connection with the exhaust-.pump,-usually introducing more of the vapor than it is intended shall remain in the lamp when com leted.-. While still connected with. the e aust un'ip, I place a coil, such as the rimary'3, ig. 2,"ih such position that-its fie d may include the bulb and its inclosedvapor. There is then passed through this primary coil a rapidl varying current, and the effect upon t e vapor in the bulb is carefully noted. After the foreign and objectionable gases have been pumped out and the gas orzva' or which is to. be illuminated has reached t e- 'roperidensity the bulbreceives'the desire amount of- It isifthen and is finished. The light. produced y t lamp is'efn in-, tensely-luminouslight distinction from the' foggy or hazy condition which may :be"pro-. duced by means of electrostatic-effect;'In the production of my lamps this foggy or hazy efiect is roduced during their reparation, usually uring the period of e" austion before the density of the ultimate conducting-vapor has been regulated and always in highly-rarefied gases with exceedingly rapid.

rate of variation'of the current obtained from the use -of small condensers and ye high voltage. This electrostatic effect usua ly ap- 1.

pears striated radially in aband in the tube, the striations appearing like the open spaces in an ordinary carriage-wheel.

' In the production of the accompanied by a material change in the operation of the system from that which '00- curs so long as' the foggy or hazy condition turns may be delamp herein 1 claimed the intensely-luminous condition-is system, the discharges of the spark-gap being accompanied by an'oscillatory action of the condenser-circuit but when the true conductive condition of the lamp as a secondary is reacheclthe oscillatory action of the-circuit practically ceases, owing to the fact that the secondary practically absorbs all the energy a in fihe' action between the results obtained This true conl C i n may be further demon- 'ofthe system at the first alternation of the .dise'harge. This emphasizes the difference ingthe methods heretofore employed in the ant and that obtained by me. sand volts and a bulb six inches-in diameter a coil 3 of fifteen turnswill serve to illumistrated by bringing'the primary coil gradually into. closer relationship to the secondary for lamp circuit and then gradually moving. it away. It =willbe found that the maximum luminosity of this conductive condition of' 4 the secondarywill not a pear until the pri- -mary is brought into 0 ose relationto the. lamp.

:' .The source 11 and the-secon'ary source device and not a mereexperimental laboratory apparatus.- TheftermfVd'ynamic elec-w tricity and similar expressions as employed .j12 and 14, constituting the transformer, are Y of a character which adapts them to generate currents; of any desired quantity or electro- -motiveaforce, wherein they differ: from the 1 proposedin conneb- 1 effects of induction on-inclosed-gases-or vapor tricity, and this difference, among other, things,makes my lamp a practical operative ice here and'inthe claims denotes electricity in" 'current-form representing a flow rather than 5 a static discharge whether the currentiis de- 10 5 rived from' a dynamo-electric generator orf some other suitable source.

.- The invention claimed 19+;-

' -1. Agasor vapor'devicefconsisting ofan' Q inclosing chamber, a gasoryapor containedtherein of such density and electrical resist- I rapidly-varyingelectric currents thr'oughthe primary, the'nuifiber. of turnsof said coil and .the quantityand rate. of variation of said.

currents, being predetermined with respect tothe characteristics of said gas or'yapor so I20 as to induce}.therein' currents 'of sufficient quantityto cause "said vapor to conduct'current inthe low-resistance condition.

ing chain er, a primary ;exciting-coil, 'the rvapor or gas constituting asecondary circuit for said rimary, theyapor or gas having such qua ity as to be tr'aversedby induced electric currents and absorb practically all the energy from an'oscillatorycircuit in the 2. ;A va or' or gas device having an inclosfiuence of said currents, means for transmitfirst oscillation, and means for transmitting raPidly-varyipg electric currents through the primary, thereby rendering the secondary luminous.

3, The combination of a gas or vapor havting rapidly-varying electric currents through said-primary coil, and thereby inducing currents in the secondary, the length of the primary coil being so proportioned to the electrical conditions of the circuit that variations in the current flowing in the primary will be in direct proportion to the current absorbed by the secondary.

4. In a system of electric lighting, two or more primary coils connected in parallel,gas

'- or vapor inclosing chambers in inductiveproximity to the respective primary coils,

secondary circuits in the respective inclosing chambers consisting of conducting vapor or gas of such density and resistanceas to co duct induced currents under the influence o rapidly-varying currents su plying the 'respective primary coils, and t ereby inducing a flow of currents in said secondaries, the priabsorbed in the secondaries.

mary coils and the source being so proportioned with reference to each other and to the frespective secondaries that the currents flowing through the primaries shall vary in approximately direct proportion to the currents 5. A source of rapidly-varying" electric currents of approximately definite quantity, and

a localized field actuated by said currents, in combination with an inclosed gas or vapor in inductive-relation to the field, the said gas or vapor having such a density and conductivity that it is adapted to absorb practically all thee'nergy of said primary currents at each I alternation;

' March, A. D. 1900.

6. A source of rapidly-varying electric currents of approximately definite quantity, and a localized field to which said currents are applied, in combination with an inclosed gas or vapor in inductive relation to the field, the density and conductivity of the gas or vapor being specifically adapted to the applied currents so that the gas or vapor will become a low-resistance conductor andlight-radiant'by the electromagnetic inductive eflect of said currents on said field.

7, The combination with a source of dynamic electricity, and means for transforming the current into rapidly-varying current, a localized field to which said ra idly-varying currents are applied, a body 0 gas or vapor in said field of such volume, density, and conductivity, as to absorb by electromagnetic induction, and to transform into heat, light, &c., all the energy of saidfieldate'achvariation of said currents.

8. The combination with an electric circuit carrying dynamic currents of quantity, of means'for transformin the same into rapidly-varying currents,'in ependent localized fields created by said rapidly-varying currents, and an inclosed gasor vapor in each fieldof such volume, density, and conduc- .tivity as to be capable of absorbing the energy present at each variation of the field.

9; The combination with an electric circuit'carrying dynamic currents of quantity, of means for transformin the-same into rapidly varying currents, in ependent localized fields created by said rapidly-varying currents, an inclosed gas or vapor in each field of such density as to be capable of absorbing and transforming into light the energy presout at each variation of the field.

Signed at New York, in the-county of New York and State of New York, this 23d day of PETER COOPER HEWITT. Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, OHARLESQB. HILL.

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