Lewis Howard Latimer

“ In addition to the large number of advantages possessed by the electric light over all other forms of artificial illumination, it may be said to be far in advance of all others in the readiness with which it may be adapted to all forms of decoration. ”

“ The end of the brass-steel strip, opposite the screw on the lamp socket, is provided with a contact-point which will rest against the end of the screw under proper conditions; that is, when the temperature in the meter falls below a certain point, the brass on the brass-steel strip, contracting more than the steel, will cause the strip to curve, thus bringing the contact piece on its end against the lamp base screw, and, completing the circuit through the lamp, cause it to glow and disseminate the necessary heat. ”

“ The various devices once placed are likely to last under ordinary usage as long as the householder will probably live to enjoy them; the only exception to this general statement being the lamp itself which, with the proper current for which it is constructed, is guaranteed to last one thousand hours. ”

“ To crown all, these luxurious conveniences are furnished at a price to place them within the reach of persons of but ordinary means. After the plant is once installed there is only the cost of the light actually used. ”

“ This cut-out is to provide against a larger amount of current than is necessary for the number of lamps to be used entering the house. The meter is also proportioned in size to the number of lamps employed. After passing through the meter, the wires are led to an elevator shaft, hallway, or suitable space provided in the walls for this purpose, as nearly central as may be, and are carried up to the topmost floor to be lighted. On each floor the wires pass through what is known as a pocket, which is generally a boxed-up space provided with a door for easy access to the enclosure. ”

“ We have endeavored in the preceding pages to state the fact clearly that in the Edison three-wire system of incandescent electric lighting the pressure upon the wires is kept constant. A constant pressure implies a constant current, to measure which the Edison meter has been invented. ”

“ Lights outside as well as in are equally under control, and the coming or retiring guest may be lighted to the farthest point of the most extensive grounds without the necessity of the host being in any way exposed to the weather. ”

“ The small wires before mentioned as passing from the clips above the bottles to the lower space of the meter box lead the current to the zinc plates in such a manner that it must pass from one plate to the other through the zinc solution. In doing this the current detaches particles of zinc from one of the plates and transfers them to the other, thus decreasing the weight of the first plate. One ampere, acting for one hour, will deposit a known amount of zinc upon the negative plate in the bottle ”