US260864A - Circuit-closing key for electric lamps - Google Patents

Description

(Model.)

y f J. H. GUEST.-

, CIRCUIT GLosING KEY E011 E LBGTRIG LAMPS. v 10-260,864. l .Patented July 11, 1882.

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l UNITED STATES y PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GUEST, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CIRCUIT-CLOSING KEY FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iietters Patent No. 260,864, dated July 11, 1882.

Application led April 24, 1882.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. GUEST, of Brooklyn,inthe county of Kings and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Circuit-Closing Keys for' Electric Lamps and other Electric Devices, of which the following is a specification. Y

In electric lamps it is usual to employa key or circuit-closing switch for turning on and oli the current. With these switches the metallic surfaces are liable to become burned or. oxi- V dized and not to operate satisfactorily.

My present invention is intended forrpreventing or lessening the aforesaid-difficulty; and it consists in combining with the metallic conductors an oscillating or partially rotary mercury-holder, which when turned in one direction causes the mercury to flow and close the circuit and when turned inthe otherdirection to flow and break the circuit'.

The mercury-vessel has two cells, in which a globule of mercury always remains in contact with each conductor, and these mercury globules .are united by the body of the mercury when it iiows into contact with them, and they are separated from each other when the mercury iiows away from the conductors and globules of mercury.

The mercury, being in a' closed insulatingvessel-such as glass-is excluded from theatmosphere, and will become oxidized but little by the electric spark, and such oxide will not come into contact with the conductors, because the same oats upon the surface of the mercury. p In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section ot' the apparatus complete. Fig. 2 is a section of the mercury-holder and the disk to which itis attached, the parts being in the position theyassume when the circuit is closed. Fig. 3 is a similar view,with the parts in the position they assume when the circuit is open. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the opposite side of the disk to which the mercury-holder is secured. Fig. 5is an elevation of the plates and disk to which the circuit-wires are attached. Fig. 6 is a plan of the parts without theinclosing case; and Fig. 7 represents a chandelier, and shows the position of the circuit-closing keys.

The bulb or glass vessel c is adapted to conto be insulated from each other.

(Model tain mercury, and the two conductors b and c pass through the material of' the vessel into the same, and they are hermetically sealed into the same. They are at such distance apart as When the vessel is turned in one direction the mercury forms part of the circuit and closes the circuit between the conductors, and when turned the other way the mercury liows away from the conductors and breaks the circuit. vIn order to Amove this mercury-vessel, I employ any suitable device. The mercury-vessel may be simply tipped first one way to close the circuit or the other way to cause the mercury to tlow away from the said conductors and break the circuit. Usually I prefer to cement this small glass vessel upon or into a holder ot' wood or other suitable material in the form of a turnbutton, d, upon a pivot or stem, c, the conductors b and c terminating in contact-blocks i o ou the turn-button that remain in contact .with the plates or springs r s, that are part of the electric circuit, and are stationary, one leading to the light or other working device, the other to the dynamo or generator; or the switch and lamp may be in the multiple-arc circuit between the two main conductors. The form of this turn-button may be varied to suit the place in which' it is to be used. I prefer that it be cylindrical, and that it be placed. on a horizontal stem, c, and applied upon the lixture or other support o t' the electric light iu a manner similar to the cock of a gas-xture.

. There is a mercury-Gelbe', at the endof each conductor, so that. a globule of mercury remains constantly in each of such cells, as seen in Fig. 3. This prevents .the metallic wires being burned, because if there is a spark when the circuit is broken it will be between the particles of mercury,and if any oXide-isformed it will rise from time to time upon the surface of the mercury and not interfere with the passage of the current.

I claim as my inventionv 1. The combination, with a glass vessel containing mercury, of two electric conductors, b c, passing into such vessel, a turn-button supporting such vessel and conductors, stationary contact-surfaces, and contact-surfaces upon the turn-button, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a circuit-closing key,

IOO

Signed by me this 22.1 day of April, A. D. 1882.

J. H. GUEST.

Vi messes:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, CnAs. H. SMITH.

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