The New York herald., 1869-05-03
All ELECTRIC MOTIVE POWER.


Mr.. Greil, French military officer. has recently
made some interesting experiments with new
system Of his own invention which is totally DIFF
ferent from all other applications of electricity as
motive power. This new system is based upon
law Of physics which governs the action Of currents
on currents Up to the present time all inventors
applied the use OF the electro-magnet to the con-
structiOn Of their machines but here one of the
fundamental laws Of dynamic electricity is put into
practice -. +.S:as.,,.Sf~ 80
II two currents are passed along two parallel con-
ductors one of which is axed in the same direction,
an attraction viii occur ana Il the currents s..s
sent in opposite directions then repulsio.l takes
place. Take voltaic battery A, the dyed conductor
s and the movable Gae a. the result will be that
attraction takes PLACE between and a. with power
that depends pon the force of the battery A. Take
two othey batteries and c, Of equal force to A,
with their conductors b, b. C, c.; the same pheno.
mena Of attraction will be observed, equal to force
Jfor each battery. Unite at one end the movable
conductors a. b. and c. and at the other end the
fixed conductors a, and C, and let the distance be-
tween the two ends be the same as that between
and a.. The movable conductor a. will be attracted
not only by the fixed a. but also by the other two
fixed conductors and c. That is it will be attract
ed by force equal to treble that Of the primary
force or r. D. and G. will undergo the same change.
The movable end OF the united conductors viii thus
be attracted by force equal to 81 The force
thus produced Will be equal TO against constant
expenditure OF 9 O. being the expense in silver for
power alluded TO is based on this principle In the
lrst place the small voltaic batteries are replaced
by Two large batteries called generators, and the
bundles OF conducting wires by thick bars.
The generator Ia composed of large basin Of
ceramic sandstone Of rectangular shape, contain.
| ing porous vase OF complicated shape in order
| to expose as much surface as possible. hoop Of
amaigamized zinc is placed between the porous vase
water The porous vase contains q piece OF coke,
OF the same shape, In bath OF nitric acid The
voirs placed at each end. In fact, Mr. Greils appa-
ratus is but Bunsen pile Of huge dimensions
The motion is derived from the electric source
Two conductors, one OF which is placed On the posi-
tive pole and the other on the negative end, in
crank by which means the electricity is easily dis
triDuted to all parts of the machine and even the
motion can be reversed by changing the current.
From thence the electric fluid passes into a nova
BILE distributor, by which the current is divided and
automatically reversed. The current ends in two
conducting bars that take the place Of the conduct
ors and a, previously mentioned These fixed con-
Quoting bars, to the number OF eighteen, are ar.
ranged so as to form the generators OF large fixed
from which they isolated. The electricity passes
through them all In the same sense and at the same
time. On the inside OF this fixed cylinder is a nova
BILE one, the generators or which are formed by
ors "a, D. and O..
opposite SIX bars OF the fixed cylinder. the two IN
termediae bars OF the fixed cylinder opposed TO
lUIee OF Cyllnuer AT distance OF
five, ten and fifteen degrees OF circumference and
therefore, six series are formed around the clrcum
ference of the cylinders,
II the current crculates in the same sense and sim
utaneousy IN the bars OF the fixed cylinder by caus
ing IL to enter by one OF the bars of the movable cyln
DER which Will call No. l. and letting escape By
No. 3, two effects Will be produced Of attraction
and one Of repusion, which will cause the movable
cylinder TO revove oneffth and place the bar No.
OF the interior cylinder opposite the nearest bar Of
the exterior cylinder. The current is then put into
No. and let out OF No. a. giving further motion of
one-fuh, and SO Every series will have the same
effect, and being simultaneous the force Will be in
creased.
The functions OF the distributor consist in letting
the current first into bar and then into another.
All the bars OF the same number IN the SIX series
united to metallic conductor that ends In a movable
distributor, giving therefore four different metallic
conductors.
The distributor is a drum of wood revolving on an
axle, working In prepared bearings; metal hoops
are placed the outside, of which are entire
around the circumference and Others interrupted by
hoops receive the negative and positive conductors
from the generator, and on the other the four
ductors communicating with the bars OF the nova
be cylinder. The motion is given to the drum 10y
means Of cog-wheels that correspond with the
movable cylinder, giving II two complete turns TO
one OF the cylinder. .t--.4
Taxing into consideration the question of economy
by the use OF such motive power calculations proSa
that the expense decreases IN proportion TO the
OF the work produced 50 that presuming the unit to
cost twenty-five times more 10 produce electricity
than by steam, the following table Is obtained:-
POWER OBTAINED. -ExPESpITURR-
Horse poIcef. BD steam. Bv eiectrtoitv.
2.''....'..'.'''''.'..... p ID
6......................... SD 2 x
o.. 4......................... 10 ID *
2JO....... l25 ID =,
2OJO..... .................'.l,OO IN =,
Mr.. Greil feels confident that his methc :, ~, -,
piled very adyanageousy to railroads. Is a.. ue ap
OF an electro magnet OF his nvsn' n ~ neaa ah
electricity to work from the VIE 90 n vau.ug .ne
on 70 the rails ne proposes ascend any grade