Wichita eagle., 1890-02-22
ISOLATED MACHINES.
PROVIDING INDEPENDENT POWER
FOR DRIVING THEM.

| steam, air and electricity. The advantages
| to be derived from such subdivision of power
| are apparent. When a powe- is used solely
| for the propulsion of one machine it is under
| the sole control of the operator using that
| machine. No matter what system is used
| this method does away entirely with all ex-
| pense, both constructive and operative, con-
nected with the use of shafting and reduces
most materially the expense of wear oud
| tear. As an additional advantage, when tie
| machine is used only when needed, all ex-
! pense ceases when the operator has no further
use for that particular machine. The disad-
vantages are the first cost, wear and tear and
the expense of maintenance. In this, of
course, it is apparent that whether a steam
engine, air motor or an electric motor be
used the first cost is greater Is compared with
| the cost of extending shafting and driving
the machine through the usual belts and pull
leys. This, rs is evident, initiates against
the use of an individual driving power for
each machine
Considering the three motors which are
possible as Individual powers for the driving
or isolated machines, steam is out of the
question for several evident reasons. Com
pressed air has been used with more or less
success in Paris, as was recently noted IN The
Iron Age, and yet the advantages to be de-
rived from its use are not equal to the ex-
treme disadvantages arising from the neces-
sary piping peculiar to the machine itself
and the deficiency in the power obtained.
Doing away, therefore, with the two medi-
urns which are very similar IN their operation
steam and compressed airzwe find ourselves
confined to the electrical motor. As self
regulating machine this is beyond all doubt
the superior of any machine now in the mar
ket for the generation of power, for the sim
pie reason that of the power brought to it
it will transmit, in the best forms, 92 or 90
per cent. as effective work. Again, it re-
Quires no attendance whatever, except occa-
sonal oiling In wear and tear it is reduced
to mere journal wearing, which may be over
come by proper fabrication and construction
of parts, and in attention it requires practi-
cally nothing Further than this, it requires
no piping whatever to carry away hateful
gases, for the simple reason that it generates
nothing.
In point of regulation it is as effective as
the best steam engine governor, because the
motor as now built is guaranteed to run with
in per cent. of the speed regulation provided
by the contract. This regulation is independ
ent of any outside influence, as the motor is
so constructed that an excess Of current will
act to decrease the speed, while at the same
time an excess of load will act to increase the
current, SO that the two are counterbalanced
within the per cent. mentioned.
Another decided advantage in the use of
the electric motor is that it is essentially a
rotary engine. The power is applied to the
development of a rotary motion in contradic-
fn haf ioH in
engine as a reciprocating motion, and in
consequence there is no lost motion in the
engine The power being applied continually
and at all times to the periphery Of the wheel
obviates those difficulties which have origi-
mated in the ordinary steam engine in chang
ing the reciprocating to the rotating motion.
Concerning the efficiency of the electric
motor as now constructed, we find that three
essential questions affect the result: First, it
is necessary to change the power as mani
Tested in steam under pressure to electricity.
Then this electricity must be conveyed along
a suitable conductor to the motor. Finally,
the power so conducted must be reconyerted
into power to be expended on the shaft
Taking the power of the steam engine as 10,
wscan convert 80 per cent. into the dynamo
as electricity. The latter we can convey for
short or long distances, as may be necessary,
and will lose according to tine resistance of
the wire a smaller or greater percentage of
the initial current generated by the dynamo
Assuming this average loss due to resistance
of the conducting wire as 10 per cent, we
have delivered to the electric motor some 81
per cent. of the effective power of the engine.
The best electric motors as now constructed
will deliver in effective work from 90 to SO
per cent. Of the electrical power supplied to
them through the conductors. We therefore
have in work actually performed by the cleo
trio motor from 20 to IS per cent. of the
actual work performed by the steam engine,
which may be near or far away, and the dis
tance of which governs as will be understood
from the above, the effective work performed
by the motor.
1t is very evident from this, which is every
day practice, that the electric motor pos
seSses in certain sense, decided advantages,
when considered in connection with dyna-
NO and transmitting wire, over any other
method of transmitting power from known
source to the point of destination; but 1t Is TO
be remembered that while the electric motor
possesses these advantages IL regard TO econ
omy, self regulation and economy of main
tenauce it is also evident that 1t labors under
most decided disadvantages. Considered from
this aspect the first and most evident feature
is the high speed An electric motor of three
or five horse power, placed in an isolated po-
sition to run a large lathe or pianer requir-
ing this amount of power, must have It's in
itial speed OF 800 or 2 eco revolutions of its
arnlature Der minute reduced down TO the 100
or I25 required BY the driving shaft operat-
ing the machine by the introduction of a re-
ducing mechanism. The latter uslst nece5-
sarily be either of the worm or gear pattern
This introduction of quick revolving parts
and of the several parts needed TO reduce the
motion from the high speed TO that OF the
low speed needed to drive the machine, leads
to wear Of the parts not only IN the motor
itself, but in theintermediufa through which
its power is transmitted
The good points of the electric motor are
not appreciated as they should oe. The cleo
trio motor would be more extensively used II
its driving shaft. or, iii other words, its arTna-
ture shaft. were reduced in speed. the orii-
nary mechanic. knowing that he wants only
a speed OF fifty revolutions minute to drive
his MACHINE. will look with suspicion upon
any power wnica travels az a speed Of ], go
revolutions minute
Another feature which acts against tie
introduction OF the electric motor In cases
where it should apparently De used IS the
firsS cost Considering the horse power de-
rived from j. and the cost Of construction,
this is unnecessarily high Toe influence sAas
exerted against the adoption oi tie motor BY
the manufacturers has done nucn 20 retard
its introduction We see no reeson 70 prevent
the construction OF low speed, noderass
cost, electric 1sotor.-iTon age.
The Iooihpick NUISANCE.