Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-06
EDISON'S LATEST INVENTION.
Internal Resistance Reduced to n
Mtnimum.

Internal Resistance Reduced to n
Mtnimu m.
Thomas A. Edison has just perfected
and patented new cell for the use OF
telegraph companies, which he is about
to place On the market, and which bids
fair to revolutionizs this branch of teleg-
raphy. Mr.. Edison has been at work
on the idea for over two years, and has
made thousands OF experiments with al
most every known substance to discover
a combination that would result in less
internal resistance. The result is so
simple and yet so effective that the won
der is it has never before been discov-
cred. The new cell is simple cylinder
of zinc, within which is placed thick
stick of caustic soap, and the cell is then
filed with water. The most sweeping
and wonderful claims are made for this
new cell. The cell will deliver fifteen
amperes of current with an internal
resistance of only .25 of an ohm. The
local action is less than one-half of per
cent, SO that the potential energy OBJ
tanned from the cell is more than SO per
cent. Of the theoretical amount of power
contained in the zinc. There is abso-
lutely no polarization and the zines never
require cleaning. OF the great superb
oriry of the new cell over the ordinary
gravity cell there is no question.
One hundred gravity cells in series
have q combined internal resistance of
over 200 ohms; and therefore an ap-
preciable quantity of current is always
lost in the battery where these cells are
employed. One hundred of the new
cells in series have combined internal
resistance of only two and one-half
ohms, which means practically that none
OF the current is lost in the battery, but
the whole is delivered on the line. For
this same reason, low, internal resist.
ance, these cells are just as effective in
wet weather as in dry, 80 far as the prac.
tical operation of telegraph wires is con-
cerned, for an inappreciable quantity of
current is consumed in the battery under
the worst conditions of moisture ever en-
countered.
Another great advantage in the use of
these cells is that it is practicable to
operate ten, twenty, or thirty or more
wires from single battery. Assuming
that it is desired to run thirty lines from
one battery OF $50 cells, the total resist
t,L
ohms, when all are equalized, tbs resist
ance of the outer circuit would be 14O
ohms. It would be impractieable to
gravity cells, as their combined internal
rssistauca would be 800 ohms, and un.
der most favorable conditions of weather
only one-third of the whole current
would be delivered on the outside
lines; but with the new cells
the combined internal resistance
being only three and three.quarter ohms.
practically all the current is delivered on
the lines and under all conditions of
weather. Thus facility is afforded to
concentrate main line batteries and to
secure the more economical and efficient
operation of telegraph wires. At present
not more than four or five lines can be
worked successfully out of one battery
On such work as that mentioned, which
is exceptionally heavy in the field of
telegraphy, $50 cells operating thirty
wires, these cells would have life Of
one month. For more ordinary work
they would last from three months TO a
year.-[New York Tribune.