The Dickinson press., 1893-04-15
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
INTERESTING SUBJECTS FOR
CURIOUS READERS.

CURIOUS READERS.
A Process for Obtaining Electricity
Directfrom Heat--Thc Electric
Currents of the Skln--High
Speed Railroad Re-
cords Broken.
A Process for Obtaining Electricity
Direct From Heat.
Berliner has cOntlived a process for
obtaining electricity directly from heat,
based on the theory that the inductive
capacity of magnetic metals is reduced
by heat and becomes zero ut Il certain
high temperature. If, then. the metal
is cooled below this high temperature.
It's inductive capacity increases slowly
until it reaches its maximum. Mr.. Ber-
liner utiliZes this principle by alternate
~ heating and cooling Il mass of metal
within Il magnetic field. and he makes
Use of the vibrations of the inductive
capacity of the magnet thus produced
for the generation of the electrical i'm
pulses. h apparatus by which the
tically OF Il big telephone with its
v a. III NV. ~ AASS
net. is, however. IL hollow cylinder.
while the part that corresponds with
the m%Outhpicce is an armlture of iron
mounted in Il ring of brass. and this
is supported in the brick walls of the
furnace. AS in the telephone. a coil of
wire surrounds the end of the magnet,
just above the armature previously al
ludcd to. AS soon as the fire is started
In the furnace. the armature will he
heated to u bright red. In this condi-
lion 1t loses the greater part of it's i'll
ductive capacity. and. according to Il
well known law of magneto-electric i'll
duction. a current Of electricity is thus
generated in the coil. Practically the
effect of slowly heating the armature
is the same as if it were slowly re-
moved from the magnet. Now. il
through the cylindrical magnet Il cur
rent of cold air or a few drops Of cold
water are thrown upon the hot arma-
ture. it will be cooled instantly. This
will have the same effect upon the coil
Of wire as if the armature had been
suddenly brought near the pole of the
magnet. and Il strong current of cleo
tricity will thus be generated. AS soon.
however. as the armature becomes
heated again. another electrical impulse
is sent through the coil. and still an
other when the armature il then cooled.
1t will thus be perceived that by al
ternately heating and cooling the ar
mature, Il series of alternating mag
neto-elcctric impulses is generated,
which can be made to succeed each
other with considerable rapidity. This
is. Of course, an experiment which at
present is. of scientific value only.
Electric Motors for Farmers Use.
Can this be made an actual and prac-
teal fact? 1t is true that for some
years electrical engineers have been
at work to devise a feasible plan for
using this power on farms and OH coun
try roads, but the limitations have been
SO many, and the old prejudice against
any new invention so great. that thus
far the hope has not really ripened
into a practical fact.
Essential to the success of this plan
in any neighborhood is the condition
that there should be an abundance
of coal or of water head, and resi-
dents enough to make the cost of The
plant per capita not o large. In any
suburban neighborhood o in localities
where garden truck and small crops
are produced. the electrical experts are
convinced that their plan, which is
the use of electricity as a power to
supplant horses, could be economically
put into practice.
The electricians figure out that there
is Il waste every year through he time
lost in transportation over country
roads, with delays and breakage Of
gear, and the cost of the millions Of
horses and wagons required. Il a like
waste of power in other work about the
farm, which. if saved, would be more
than enough to pay the mount Of
taxes of whatsoever nature borne by
the farmers. On every farm enough
horses have to be kept the year round
to do the work ut the busiest seasons.
This means that for a few weeks of
activity animals must be fed and cared
for the entire year. The corn, oats and
, hay which IL horse eats in II month
would buy enough coal in most parts
j of the country to furnish more power
, than the work of the animal in a year.
How all this may smack somewhat
of the impossible, but when we real
ize how frequently invention has &C.
: complished the impossibility, it would
seem that the utilization Of electricity,
I as IL motive power in all the detail OF
!, farm work, would ere long be as an
assured fact as the use of electricity
to move railway cars, sewing machines
Q or in any of the many other of its ap'
plications to practical uses.