Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-09-10
THE SUBTLE CURRENT,
And the Important Work it is Des-
tin0d to Do.
A Pittsburgh Invention Which Bids Fair
to Work Reyolution-A New
Method of Generating
Electricity.
WHAT 1T MAY DO FOR THE FUTURE.

IlIIsbUh0H, DepteuUeE o--luo IcIliaIh'
able strides that have been taken by in
yestigators in the domain of electricity
within the past decade have called the at
tention of the civilized world to what is
transporting there. The telephone, the
the electric light, improvements in tele'
grapby in turn startled wondering public.
The application of electricity as a motive
lower TO machinery is the problem that
now largely engages the attention of cleo
tricians. Many inventions have been made
which have demonstrated that this is en-
tirely practical. The great obstacle that
stands in the way Of the successful accom-
plishmsnt is the great cost of electric force.
Until cheap method of generating cleo
tricity is discovered it can never compete
with steam as a motive power. A gentle
man of this city, Mr.. Andrew Patterson,
thinks he has
Solved the Problem.
Mr.. Patterson has obtained four patents
on his inventions in this direction. His
method is entirely new, and seemed so
strange to the Chief Examiner in the
Patent Office at Washington, that the in
ventor was informed patent could not be
issued unless q complete working model
was exhibited. This was done, when Mr.
Patterson was complimented by being told
he should "call this discovery and not an
invention" Your correspondent called
upon the inventor last evening, was shown
through his laboratory, and obtained from
Mr.. Patterson very interesting interview,
as follows:
az understand, Mr.. Patterson, that you
hold certain patents which you believe will
work revolution in the electrical world"
"Yes, sir, / have obtained. four patents
covering my ideas of
A Method OF Generating Electricity
which believe will greatly cheaper the
cost of that force and make it a formidable
rival of steam"
will you please explain your inyen-
tons for the benefit of the readers of the
WHEELING REGIsTER"
Certainly, as there is now no object in
my keeping the matter secret. AS the
average newspaper reader is not presumed
TO be posted on electricity may be par
done1 for stating few facts known to all
students of the science of physics. The
doctrine of the conservation OF force teaches
that force is indestructible, that the abso-
lutte quantity can not be increased or di.
ministed any more than the absolute guam
tity of matter. Heat is simply one mode
of the manifestation of this eternal indie.
structible force. When heat has disappeared
il is either simply ditfused so as not to be
preceptible to our senses or it is changed
into another form of force or mode of mo-
ton. Gravity, mechanical power, the
physca, power of men and animals, chem
ical action, sound, light and electricity are
other modes of the manifestation OF force,
and precisely the same merits of force are
changeable from one to the other OF these
forms OF modes Of motion. The atoms of
matter which constitute q pound OF coal
are held in close association by a form OF
force which we call chemical. The actual
quantity of force employed continuously
in holding the atoms of the coal in their
proper relation is exactly the equivalent OF
a certain quantity of mechanical force, a
certain quantity of heat, a certain quanti-
ty Of electricity, and it lis is only; only
nuity as to how this identical
force licked up in any given pound of
coal may be made to manifest itself in lift
ing given weight or in heating a given
weight If water a certain number OF degrees,
or in sending given electrical force over a
given length and size of wire forla given
time.
Electricity generated in the ordinary
cell or battery by the action OF an acid on
metal is an example of the conversion OF
chemical force into electrical force, that
produced by the dynamo (electric) machine
is an example OF the direct conversion OF
mechanical into electrical force.
Electricians Have Long Known
that if certain dissimilar metals, suita-
bly, arranged in contact, be heated at
HE junction part of the heat force would
DC converted into electricity. The process
made by which the heat action is trans
formed into electrical action has never yet
been fully explained, and from the fact
that heretofore the amount of force de-
vcoped by the batteries has been the equiv
alent OF but mere fraction OF the heat en-
pIoyed, practical electricians, seeking a
more energetic power have practically ig-
nUed this method OF generating it. Elec-
tricity has long been practically applicable
to many purposes of utility, but has not
been applied, simply for the reason that as
heretofore generated, it has been too ex-
pensive power for economic use.
To the present time the dynamo
machine is the cheapest source of
power, and will of course be used where
the force is to do its work as electricity
electo-plating, etc. 1t can never be COM
petit0r with steam as motive power be-
cause the steam engine must first be used
to generate the electric force and by no
practicable device can the whole equivalent
OF the steam power be converted into cleo.
trio power. The electric force thus pro.
duCed cannot be converted into more than
fifty or sixty per cent. of the mechanical
force originally employed. In this view l
have not applied myself to any device for
application of electricity, but to study
OF the subject with view to a cheaper pro-
ductioD of the force to be utilized by the
hundreds of contrivances already invented,
many Of which have long been public pro-
perty and which have not been used, be-
cause, Is ] have said, it costs too much TO
furnish the power. | long have thought
the tliermo battery was the key note TO the
cheapest method of generating electricity.
| have sketch of ThermO.electriC.b bat
terry have made as early as 1868. Since
then had studied the subject rs my bust.
ness would permit the time. have made
many experiments myself and have care
fully watched those of other investigators.
The result of my investigations have taken
the form of four comprehensive inven-
tons These cover, without limitation
as to form or materials, certain prin-
ciples without which | am certain
No Thermo- Electro Battery will Eyer
be so economically practicable. In order
to obyiate the difficulty OF metals melting
under certain heat, have invented a GOV.
ering watch answers the purpose desired.
One of ny patents covers q mode OF utiliZ
ing the waste heat of any furnace or fur
mace stack, by converting it into electric
force Another covers a mode of construc-
ting tbermo battery which is essential to
their practical working at wide ranges Of
Temperature. Another patent covers o
method Of construction that will convert
from five to ten times as large proportion
of the total heat force into electric force as
any battery now invented. Another, and
my most important patent, covers an en-
tirely new principle in the construction OF
chemical and thermo batteries, by which l
can generate o current without any de-
structioA of material. This is done by hav-
ing a cer.ain combination of metals say q
sulphlte Of copper, While the current is
passing certain way the copper is driven
TO one end; reverse the machine and IL is
driven back, reverse it again, and you use
the same material. etc"
What economic value have your pat
entsT
II have made no exact tests yet, and am
not prepared TO say what metals will give
the best results, and exactly what proper.
ton of heat can convert into electricity.
Nine-tenhs Of the heat produced in our
furnaces goes to waste. One OF my strong
points is that shall be able to use this: