US1110780A - Electric vapor apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

P. G. HEWITT.

ELECTRIC VAPOR APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1905.

1,110,780. Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

difference of potential ELECTRIC VAPOR APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Application filed April 17, 1905. Serial No. 255,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I PETER COOPER Hnwrrr, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Vapor Apparatus, of which the following is a speclfication.

My invention relates to the construction and operation of electric apparatus of the now commonly termed vapor electric devices.

The object of the present invention is particularly to provide means for the ready starting of the flow of current through the device. When the so-called negative electrode reluctance to starting has been broken down and a current commences to flowbetween a given positive conductor and the negative, a second positive conductor may be readily substituted for the first, the current either shifting entirely to the second positive or'dividing between the two according to circumstances. Generally speaking, the substitution of one positive for another is more readily accomplished and at a less if the second is not very remote from the first. Nevertheless the place where another a considerable dissubstitution can take positive is located at tance from the starting position or from a second positive already substituted.

y present invention relates more particularly to the substitution from a neighboring positive to amore remote positlve by means of an intervening positive or series of positive electrodes, the current shifting first from the first positive to a neighboring and successively to a more distant posltive until it has reachedthe final working positive; the object being that by increasing the number of positives to reduce the difference of pressure or voltage requiredfor substitution.

he accompanying draWlIlg is an eleva tion and diagram illustrating one application of the invention.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of my device and Fig. 2 shows one of the details on a somewhat larger scale.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents an inclosing chamber of suitable character containing a negative electrode 2, and a mam working positive electrode 3. These are shown as located at or near opposite ends of the chamber 1. The former may consist of a small quantity of mercury, and the latter of soft iron, carbon or other suitable material or, in some cases, it may be found advantageous to have it consist of a small quantity of mercury. A temporary or starting positive electrode, 4, is shown as being located in a branch or connection 5, of the inclosing chamber. The main line conductor, 6, leads to the negative electrode, and the positive main line conductor, 7, leads to the working positive electrode 3. A branch circuit 8 leads" from the line 7 to the starting positive 5, and resistance, 10, may be included in this branch circuit when necessary.

reactive coil or resistance 10 may be included in the circuit as in negative line 6. When the current is turned on, a flow of current is started between the starting positive 4, and the negative 2, by any well known suitable means, for instance, by a slight movement of the container 1. The two bodies of mercury constituting these electrodes may be brought into momentary contact thereby and separated, or current may be started here by any other convenient means as for instance by means for bringing them into electrical connection and rupturing the same and also, for instance, as indicated in my patents of September 17th, 1901.

have shown 1n the drawing a wire or conductor, 11, extending through a considerable portion of the chamber 1. This may be insulated to a greater or less extent by sleeves or beads, 13, of porcelain or other suitable non-conducting material leaving, however, slight gaps or imperfectly insulated points at the adjacent ends of the sleeves, answering somewhat the same purpose as a high resistance material due to the resistance of the gases. The conductor, 11, may be supported at intervals by means of insulating supports such as are illustrated at 20, 20. his conductor is shown as leading to a point near the positive 3 and connected by a conductor 7? with the conductor 8 between the resistances 10 and 10". The connections of the conductor 8 with the conductor 7, is shown as being through a switch device 14 operated th? conductor leading to the positive termina 3.

In practice when current flow is started between the electrodes 4 and 2, it will inlongitudinally by a coil 15 connected in stantly pass to the lower terminal of the conductor 11, the resistance 10 being of the proper amount, and gradually pass up to successive points along the conductor 11, but when near the upper terminal of the .conductor 11, it will pass from there to the terminal 3, whereupon the cut-out device will operate opening the connections to the conductor 8. The resistances 10 and 10", are such as to cause the current to shift'first from the electrode 4 to the conductor 11 and then from that conductor to the electrode-3. The current may be started between the electrodes 2 and 4, by shaking the device or in any other convenient manner.

Instead of the conductor 11 being surrounded by porcelain sleeves so as to give the result of a high resistance conductor, it may be found more convenient in certain cases to make it itself a high resistance conductor which is contemplated as part of this invention.

I clam as my invention:

1. The combination of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a temporary or starting positive electrode and a container including the parts thus named, with a solid conductor extending through a portion of the container into proximity with the negative electrode at one end and the main positive electrode at the opposite end, and sleeves strung upon the said solid conductor, leaving contacts between the sleeves, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination in a vapor electric apparatus of a main positive electrode, a main negative electrode, a supplemental positive electrode located in proximity to the negative electrode, a main supply circuit connected to the main positive and the main negative electrodes, a conducting connection from said supplemental positive electrode to the main supply circuit, resistances in said connection and a second supplemental positive electrode also connected with the main supply circuit through a portion of said resistance.

3. The combination in a vapor electric apparatus of a main positive electrode, a main negative electrode, a supplemental positive electrode located in proximity to the'negative electrode, a main supply circuit connected to the main positive and the main negative electrodes, a conductive connection from said supplemental positive electrode to the main supply circuit, a resistance in said connection, a second supplemental positive electrode also connected with the main supply circuit through a portion of said resistance, and means for automatically opening the connections With the supplemental positive electrode.

4-. The combination in a vapor electric apparatus of a main positive electrode, a main negative electrode, a supplemental positive electrode located in proximity to the negative electrode, a main supply circuit connected to the main positive and the main negative electrodes, a conductive connection from said supplemental positive electrode to the main supply circuit, a resistance in said connection, a second supplemental positive electrode also connected with the main supply circuit through a portion of said resistance, and means for automatically opening the connections with the supplemental positive electrode by reason of the current flowing to the main positive electrodes.

5. The combination in a vapor electric device, of a container, a working positive electrode and a working negative electrode therein an interposed internally located solid conductor, a connection therefrom with the main positive electrode and a resistance interposed in said connection and means for interrupting the said connection by the passage of current between the working electrodes. 1

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 12th day of April, A. D. 1905.

PETER COOPER HEWITT.

Witnesses:

WM. H. OAPEL, GEORGE H. STooKBRInGE.

Images