New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-04


dynamo. The latter generates the electricity used
-. the street railway A similar thing is done IN
-,.r.roerto whittier several thousand horsepower
o. hsing transmitted from Folsom, twenty-four
miles away at a voltage OF 10000. Now instead OF
counting two separate machines together me iates
nlan employs "A single machine ro'ar! CON
rarter" which. after the voltage is reduced by
static Transformers chhhses t"e e'''''"o ~
rent irto direct one.
The pioneer venture with this system was maze
on q line between Lowell, Mass. and Nashua
y y fifteen miles away. The current IS generated
in the former city by three four-poe' 10 kilo"att
d,,roos and issues at a voltage OF $50. The three
80 ,,,na of alternating current is employed.
IT, is IA say instead Of only there are three
serarate currents having The same number OF
aiternatons second but one having It's wave
crests coming short distance behind those OF
neither This is not essential feature of the
nra.enf scheme but was doubtless adopted to per
-, ,ha psa Of three-phase motors Zone OF Teslas
,rea, inventicns) at some future time II desira-
ble The current developed at Lowell is car
,a 70 a bank of transformers and raised TO
( 100 volts. Insulated cab.es on po.es take the
current to the city limits. from which point IL
traverses the bare wires OF an ordinary thrte,
,base system. At Eayrs Mills, six miles out ana
Also al Nashua there are sub-statons, proNueu
with step-down transformers, that reduce tie Eo,t
age TO $50 again and rotary conyerers winch make
the further modification desired. THIS apparatus
designed and made by the General Electro com
nany is OF he most modern and improved sy.e'
nd many features OF great tecnIlCdi en-
cel,ence that need not be mentioned mere Inc 81,
rect current emanating IRON me cohVerters II Ieu
cut into the feeders OF railway over when there
nm cars much larger than those usually seen on
,Toilev roads and more closely resembling the open
sxc,rrsIon cars In service on many steam lines
These vehicles do not come into Lowell but stop
~ a point between that city and Eayrs NILS,
"a led Lake View. which is the terminus or the
Dreviously existing trolley line in Lowell The two
rroads are operated in connection and under one
In Portland ore, also the same system is being
tried the power for II coming from oregon Clty
Samrfaen miles up the willamette River. The plant
which is expected yield something like l3.~J
horse-p0wer when complete. ~ already doing "A
morse the current "a
raised $500 volts. but II Is re-
duced 20 SO for the Portland streetcars
The Drincip.e OF a rotary converter VIII be uhder
s,ood readily by any familiar with the dstinc-
ZION betw the collecting rings on the axle OF
an alternating current dynamo or motor and the
"commuta .oT" Of direci-current machine Inc
Natter device Is a split tube. the former con-
t1nuous band To both are led wires from the coils
Of the armature. or revolving portion ana on both
dvnsmo and into A motor. Now. "A converter looks
like either OF these machines. but II really a
combination OF the two. on one side there are col
ecting rings connecting with one SCI or arinature
coils and introducing the MOI or alternating cur
rent which produces the rotation. on the other
side is a commutatOr. which fuses into one direct
current the successive impulses induced In second
sci of coils the same armature. The rotary con
verter is net a invention. but ts nrst appHca-
ZION to traction work. In connection with ION s-dls
| lance transmission systems. was made ~ Lowe"
! Adt sunday artcle-"A Great problem Solved
II may be- asked Cannot the voltage or direct
currenf be raised and lowered? Yes; but IL ~ n
wasteful proceeding. The only machine whlcn couIu
do the work differs In form and principe rom tn
| so-ca.led TRANSFORMER when ~ snPoysu ~,
alternating currents. The one would use up apous
rs Der cent OF In the process whlie me o'"s
would not waste over or L. IL appears 20 70, oe
more economical therefore. to use Tor transmssoa