Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-09-06
Tesla's Magic Motor.
The wonderful Invention which Is EH-
pected to RevolWtiOnize RaiIroad Lo-
cOmOtiOn.

Inc hOnueriul invention w men Is Ike
pected to RevoIutionize Railroad Lo-
comOtiOn.
While the Westinghouse Electric COM
pany and the Baldwin locomotive works
are combining the resources of their ire
mendous plants and are exerting all the
energy that lies in millions upon millions
of dollars to develop the possibilities of the
Tesla motor, which some day will draw
cars at a speed of $50 miles an hour, the
inventor, Nicola Tesla, plods along in his
workshop, planning and scheming and eX-
perimenting, and maintaining a profound
silence.
If you take an ordinary magnet or
piece of iron, through which a magnetic
current is passing, and hold it close to lit
tie pieces of iron or steel, it will attract
them and hold them motionless. This is
practically all that the world has ever
known of magnetic force. Now ii seemed
to Nicola Tesla-this was years ago, when
he was student in the Polytechnique-
that this invisible force, pent up within
the confines of the magnet, might, perhaps,
be developed, or transmitted or changed or
utilized in such a manner that it would be-
come active and quick where it had always
lain passive. Upon this theory he worked
lbl years. anu It's iulllpldlll utNtlOplntlll
led to the Tesla motor. The principle of
the Tesla motor is this
An electric current is passed through a
circular magnet, in appearance resembling
a lite-preserver. 1t consists simply of a
ring of iron with copper wire bound around
it. The electric current generates a strong
magnetic current, which flashes around
and around the circular magnet at terrific
cnaal Nnu- ( hn1Jc al clDsa to
ordinary electric magnet it will be passive
in the hand until it is brought close enough
for the magnetic force to seize it, when ii
will fly ont of the hand straight to the mag
net. But-and here lies the wonder of it
all-if one holds nail close TO this circular
magnet of Tesla's, it will begin to revolve
in the hand. That is, if the nail is held
by the head and the point allowed to hang
over the hollow centre of the magnet, the
point will move round in a circle, slowly at
first, then faster and faster, until, if it is
dropped upon the table in the centre of
the hollow, it will spin around so rapidly
that the eye cannot follow its motions.
One hears the explanation of the phe-
nOmenon-there are several magnetic cur
rents in the iron ring and they are chasing
one another around in furious race-and
is as much mystifed as ever. If one bal
ances an iron wheel upon the nail or lets
the wheel revolve upon finger, using the
finger as the axle, and holds it close TO the
magnet, it will fly around at a speed that
will take ones breath away. 1t is not nee
essary to touch the Magnet at all. All one
needs do is to hold a piece of iron or steel
in his hand and bring it within a foot of
the magnet, and then he will feel queer
sensation as of some invisible force trying
to draw the metal ouf of his hand, and,
failing in this, striving to twist it around
in a circle.
If one places wide board over the whole
magnet, the force will make itself felt
through the wood, for if piece of iron
shaped like an egg is dropped upon the
board it will wobble around for a moment
and then, as soon as it gains little mo-
mentum, it will spin around on its smaller
end like a top.
Such is the principle of the Tesla motor
In its application as a motive power on a
railroad, the construction, of course, diff
fers from that of the experimental magnet,
but the idea is the same. Here the circu-
| lar magnet is attached to the bottom of the
engine and the axle upon which the wheels
revolve passes through the centre of the
magnet without touching it. When the
current is turned on, the magnetic force
whirling around in the hollow of the mag
net catches the axle and turns it. The
power for generating this magnetic current
can be Il transmitted by underground wires
for almost any distance, and there is prac'
tically no waste of power or energy
The Westinghouse company controls the
American patents of this motor. Its ap-
plication to railroads is merely one of it:
uses. Dozens of skilled mechanics are al
work constructing machines which embo6y
Mr.. Tesla's idea in various forms and fol
various purposes, and electricians believe
that before long it will have revolutionizeC
electrical science.