US887642A - Vapor electric apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

PATEN'IED MAY 12, 1908.-

A. MoL. JACKSON- VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED M10. 9. 190a. RENEWED JULY 20. 1907.

acksofw :Hexanol Witnesses 5 LAW UNI ED STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

, ALEXANDER MCLEOD JACKSON, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK..

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed December 9, 1903, Serial No. 184,402. Renewed July 20, 1907. Serial No. 384,761.

the flow of current takes lace between electrodes contained in ane austed receptacle. Those features of construction with which my invention is particularly concerned areuseful in connection with vapor electric lamps but it is to be understood that their utility is by no means limited to this one ap lication.

y invention comprises more especlally certam lmprovements 1n the constructlon of the envelop and the arrangement of the elec,

trodes therein and comprises also a novel means for starting the are between the electrodes.

s The features of novelty characteristic of my invention I have pointed out with particularity in the appended claims.

The invention itself however both as to its details of construction and mode of operation will be better understood by reference to the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a lamp organized 1n accordance with my invention and Fig. 2 a

simplified diagram of circuits of the lamg,

In the drawings the envelop of the amp consists of a tube 1 ofany desired length provided at the top with a bulb 2 constituting a condensing chamber and at the bottom wlth two compartments containing respectively bodies ofmercury 3 and 4 constituting electrodes. The body of mercury 3'is annular in form and is contained between the rounded outer portion 5 of the lower end of the tube 1 and a sort of conical diaphragm 6 integral around its lower edge with the bottom of the portion'5' and at its top or apex provided i with a small tubular bore or o ening 7 about on a level with the top of t e mercury 3. The lower portion of the inclosing chamber for the v.mercury 4 consists of a tubular extension 8 having re-entrant walls 9 so arranged-that the space occupied by the mercury is something of the sha e of an inverted i cup. Of these two bodies o mercury 3 and 4 the body 3 constitutes the lower main electrode or cathode of the lamp and the body 4 a starting electrode or auxiliary anode: Leading-in conductors at 10 and 11 respectively furnish means for the flow of current between the electrodes and the external circuits of the lamp.

The upper electrode 12 of the lamp is of artificial graphite or othersuitable material and is supported from the top of the bulb 2 by means of a conductor 13 loosely sur rounded by a glass tube 14 extendin down to and flaring over the upper end of t eelectrode. The electrode is so positioned that it does not lie within the condensing chamber 2 but is held within the mouth of the tube 1 Where the tube 0 ens into the condensing chamber. I The tu e at'this oint may be enlarged a trifle as at 15 so t at the area-between the electrode and the wall of the tube will not be too much reduced by the presence of the electrode. The enlar ement 15 however is not suflicient to ena Ie the walls "of the enlargement to serve as condensing walls for the mercury vapor.

The location of the electrode 12 attire mouth of the tube 1 rather than in the condensing chamber 2 possesses numerous advantages over the location of the electrode in the condensing .chamber itself. Thus because of the blast or flow of vaporous pa'r- -ticles past the anode, there is ractically no blackening of the adjacent wal s of the tube. Then again the are, not being permitted to expand into the large volume of the condensing chamber, is much more stable. This ermits the tube, if desired, to berun at "a ower current density without instability.

A filament 16 of carbon or other suitable material extends down through carbonbushed guides 17 and 18 into proximity to the lower electrodes and assists the lamp to start.

The 'carbon-bushed guides are not of my invention .but are the invention and are claimed in an application of John T. H. Dempster, Serial No. 185,771, filed December'19, 1903.

For the purpose of starting I cause an auxiliary starting arc to take place between the two mercury electrodes 3 and 4 at the- 'so is assisted by the conductivity afforded by the filament 16. started.

The heating means whereby the lamp is started may, of course, assume a variety of forms. One form however which I find convenient consists of two coils 19 and 20; one surrounding the outside of the tubular extension 8 and one located inside of the extension. These coils are held by a base or stand 21 and form a socket constituting a convenient support for the lamp.

The connections of the coils and of the lamp are indicated perhaps more clearly in Fig. 2. In this figure the supply mains for the lamp are shown at 22 and 23. The main 22 extends to the anode 12 of the lamp and the main 23 to the cathode 3. The heating coils 19 and 20, re resented diagrammatically, are connecte in shunt with the mains 22 and 23. The auxiliary or starting anode 4 is connected to the junction between these heating coils, though if desired it may be connected to the main 22 through a separate circuit. The present arrange ment however is advantageous in that the resistance 19 performs the double function of a heating resistance and of a currentlimiting resistance for the circuit of the auxiliary anode.

When current is applied to the lamp it passes at first through the heating resistances. When through the thermal action of these resistances the arc is started as above described, current flows from the main 22 through the resistance 19 to the auxiliary anode 4, thence through the auxiliary starting arc in the envelop, and to the The lamp is thus main 23. As soon as this starting arc is formed the main arc in the tube follows and thereby causes current to flow from the main 22 through the envelop 1 to the main 23. This current energizes the magnetizing winding 24 of a cut-out and causes the circuit, both of the heating resistances 19 and 20 and the auxiliary anode, to be interrupted at' the contacts 25. The lamp is then; in normal operation. As the heating resistances cool and the mercury of the auxiliary anode 4 contracts, the. growing depression in the tube 7 which would otherwise exist is filled with mercury vaporized.

This are, im

and condensed in the tube during operation. The lamp is then ready to start again when it becomes necessary.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. The combination of an exhausted envelop, main electrodes therefor, a fluid auxiliary electrode, and means for initially heating said electrodes.

2'. As a'starting means for vapor electric apparatus, electrodes in proximlty to each other, and thermal means for bringing said electrodes into contact.

3. In a vapor electric apparatus, main electrodes, an auxiliary electrode, and a current-limiting-resistance in circuit with the.

auxiliary electrode and located in heattransferring relation to said auxiliary electrode. L

4. The combination of an exhausted envelop or tube provided with a bulb at one end, and an electrode mounted in the mouth of the tube where it opens into the bulb.

5. The combination of fluid electrodes, one surrounding the other, insulating means separating said electrodes, and automatic means for bringing the electrodes into contact.

6. The combination of insulated electrodes, one surroundin the other, and one at least of which is -Enid, and automatic means for bringing the electrodes into contact.

7. The combination of main electrodes, an additional electrode, and thermally-operating means for causing an arc to start between sa1d additional electrode and one of the main electrodes.

,8. ,The combination of a sealed envelop consisting of a tube surmounted at one end by a bulb, a vaporizable electrode at the opposite end of the tube, and a non-vaporizable electrode located'in the mouth of the tube where it opens into the bulb.

9. In an electric lamp, mercury vapor, employed as a conductor for electric currents, an electrode at the up er end of said lamp, mercury electrode at t e lower end of said lamp, and an intermediate arcing electrode, an electric heater adapted to cause a contact between said mercury and intermediate arcing electrode. 4

10. An electric lamp consisting of a tube, mercury contained in said tube, an electrode situated above said mercury, an electric make contact with said electrode and form an arc. I

11. A lamp for producing light by means of electric energy, consisting of an inclosing chamber, mercury vapor contained therein capable of conducting currents of considerab e' quantity and moderate electro-motive force, a starting device consisting of mercury, an arcing electrode above said mercury, and

heater adapted to cause the mercury to g an electric heater, adapted to cause an arc to be formed between said mercury and arcing electrodes.

12. In an electric lamp, an arcing electrode, mercury electrode adjacent to said electrode, an electric heater adapted to cause arcs to form between said arcing electrode and mercury electrode, and a cut-out magnet in circuit with the main tube and ada ted to cut out the heater and arcing circuit a ter the arc has been established in the main tube.

13. An electric lamp consisting of an inclosing chamber, mercury vapor contained therein ca able of conducting currents of considerab e quantity and moderate electromotive force, starting device consisting of mercury, an arcing electrode above said mercury, and an electric heater adapted to cause an arc to be formed between said mercury and arcing electrode, a cut-out magnet in circuit with the main tube and adapted to cutout the heater and arcing circuit after the arc has been established in the main tube.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of December, 1903.

ALEXANDER MCLEOD JACKSON.

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