Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-02-27
ARC AND INCANDEsCENT
tracing the Bcautifui Eicc.i'
Light from IT'S Primitive oo"
ton 10 ITS Present Perfectio"'


In nv opening letter l spoke OF the
incandescent light as perfect for the pur-
nose of interior illumination. \ simple
filament OF light glowing in vacuo, II Is
the realization OF many students dream,
and n fitting guerdon for the brave con-
testants who, undismayed by failure, per-
sistently denied the insurmountablllty oil
Observation-Disclosures also, in the grand
old doctrine that those who work must
win.
Watching in my minds eye the pro-
rress of the electric light the ever
recurring contretemps 10 which investl-
gators were subjected as viewed in the
| light OF the present day are simply anus
ing. Breaks i'm wire insulation, difficulty
in adjusting the battery power to the
needed force, inability TO preserve the
correct adjustment OF carbon points, pro-
yoking intervals OF total darkness alter
mating with short periods oil brilliant
light, difficulty ever recurring, all-per-
yading, seemed to be the heritage oil the
seeker after light.
Now. the induction OF electric currents
and the collection and storage OF the
force are matters of ease and certainty.
Its value rs an illuminant in relation to
other standard lights is ascertained, its
volume can be measured, and the force
itself can be accumulated in portable
storage batteries, and transported from
place TO place with very small percent,
age of loss dwellings may be lighted
from basement to attic by simply con-
Meeting the wires with u portable, ac-
cumulator, turning switch, or pushing
a button, and the operation is complete.
Every light may be under separate con-
troll, and the volume OF III ht in any lamp
may be increased or diminished with as
much facility as il gas were the illumina-
ting agent. The device which renders all
this possible is the dynamo machine.
| The foundation principle of the dynamo
was discovered by Farady as early as the
wear 1881, and forty-six years later is the
date of Brush's first patent for the most
popular dynamo at present known to us.
In the early days OF electrical expert
mental research, the electric fluid or
force was generated by the ordinary Vol.
taic battery, consisting of two plates OF
zinc and copper partially plunged in Il
bath of calculated water, u wire being
connected with each plate, and the union
of the two wires forming n circuit. But it
was evident from the beginning that in
order to obtain sufficient volume Of
electric energy or force for the purpose OF
| illumination some other means must be
devised for its production, more constant
in result than ordinary chemical action,
and at greatly lessened cost in order to
make it commercially available. / have
/ stated that Prof. Farady laid the founda-
ton on which all dynamos are con-
structed, and his dicovery simply was,
that when permanent magnet is placed
in close proximity to coil OF copper
wire, and either the magnet or the coil is
made to revolye at q high velocity cur
rent of electricity is induced and follow
ing up this important result machines
were constructed called dynamos, for the
purpose OF generating the electric energy.
The electric energy so induced is collected
by various devices, and is either con-
Quoted into immediate service, or is
turned into the storage battery and laid
up for future use. The Brush dynamo
when in operation is sight well worth
seeing by any person interested in me-
chanical or scientific matters. The heavy
castings and bright metal work, the light
jumping, flashing, dancing-the steady
humming cadence of the machine, pro-
claiming to the educated ear the perfec-
leave a mental impression OF enhancing
uncanniness. Such is the dynamo OF
generator. / have said that the electric
fluid may either be conducted to the
lamps direct or be carried to u storage
battery, and there kept for future use. A
very cursory examination of the subject
is sufficient TO show that incandescent
lighting direct from the dynamo has SER
ious disadvantages, such as irregularity
OF pressure or Il total cessation OF light,
whenever either from accident or neces-
sity the dynamo was at rest, and rs in
candescencc is the light OF our homes and
places OF business and assembly, the
chance OF being left in darkness without
possibility Of avoidance would be fatal to
its claims rs practical illuminator
In this dilemma the accumulation OF
storage battery comes into playa box
OF convenient size for handling, divided
into cells, each cell containing plates Of
lead in an calculated bath. When the
cells in the accumulators are charged
with electricity from the dynamo, chemi
cal action is set up, and certain radca
changes in the constituents OF the bat
terry are affected, leaving the contents ap
parently dormant, but whenever an elec
| trio circuit is established reaction take,
place which reverscs the primary process
set up when the battery was being prim
arily charged, and in the course OF re
Versni volume OF electricity IL gradual,
gwen out, equal to about ninety per cent
OF the electricity with which the accumu
lator had been charged by the dynam,
or storage battery. By its use a stead,
supply OF electricity may be secured by
given number Of lights, burning Il state,
number OF hours, under perfect control
regular measurement of electric fore
consumed, cut off, and regulation Of ind
vidual lights, and with practical freedom
from wastagc during periods OF non-com
bustion; so that while the dynamo is Al
all-suiiicient producer, the storage bat
terry is an equally all-suilcient retaine
and dispenser OF the force or fluid 5
produced.
The incandescent light is the antithesi
OF the arc IN some OF its primary and es
sential conditions, The carhons in tn
arc lights burn in atmospheric air, arc IN
tensely heated, conducting and complel
ing the electric circuit between the cal
bons, which latter are rapidly disint,
grated. The incandescent light burns il
vacuo, anything but the merest trace q
oxygen being fatal to its continuity, Ac
cording to Wilde, the electric resistanc
TO carbon is about two hundred and fit
times greater than that OF platinum, an
ITS temperature may be raised witho,
any danger Of fusion; moreover, carlo
has ut an equal temperature u greater ra
dating heat than platinum, 10 that tn