The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-18
PUT A WINDMILL
ON YOUR HOUSETOP
James ]. Feely, a Well Known Bos-
ton Lawyer, Laughs in His
Sleeve at Electric Light Compan-
les and Asks "What's the Matter
With the WindP"-Recharges
Motor Wagons By the Same
Agency-A Clever Idea.

The first successful attempt to put
to practical use an electric plant, run
by a windmill, has just been accom-
plished by J. ]. Feely, a well known
lawyer of Walpole. Mass, with a pen
chant for mechanics.
With wind as the fundamental factor
this lawyer mocha nic-inventor operates
private light plant. forces water all
over his estate, operates farm machin-
cry, cuts wood, turns lathes and fills
storage batteries for use in horSeless
carriages.
It was no easy task which Mr..
Feely set himself out to accomplish
when he undertook to develop this
windmill electric plant" for his own
use on his ample private estate.
From an electricians point of view
the greatest obstacle, and one which
it was claimed could not be overcome.
was the variability of the wind and the
consequent erratic fluctuations Of the
electric pressures which rendered their
utilization impossible by subjecting the
ordinary mechanical connections to eX-
cessive and fatal strains.
Early in his experiments. Mr. Feely
found that one of the first problems to
be solved was to determine accurately
the wind Velocities and efficiencies dur
ing the various months of the year.
This was determined by the use of an
anemomter, made especially for that
particular purpose and very similar to
those in use by the United States
weather bureau, with the exception
that while the government instruments
record the mile rate of the wind, the
one made for Mr.. Feely recorded the
wind at each fiftieth of a mile.
After some months of hard thinking
and harder work, the machinery with
all it's improvements was finally set
in place. and when all connections were
made Mr.. Feely anxiously awaited the
first trial, which should demonstrate
the failure or success of his pains and
labor.
The windmill proper is the ordinary
kind, common in all out of town and
country places where there is no pub
lie water supply. The steel frame or
supports extend 80 feet above the sec
ond story of the stables, as shown in
the picture.
At the top of this frame are the
wheel and fan, which are operated by
the wind AS the wheel revolves IN
der the influence OF the slightest breeze
il operates a series of cog wheels which
work upon a long vertical shaft run
ming from the head of the machine TO
the basement or cellar of the stable,
where i communicates with a second
shaft leading directly to the dynamo of
the plant
From his DYNAMO lead two sets of
wires. One set carries the current to
the various parts OF the estate. where
il e utilized for power purposes and
for lighting, while the other set of
wires receive the surplus current and
store it in storage batteries for use
when the tickle wind is not sufficiently
strong TO give power enough to supply
the necessary voltage.
When there is high wind there is
naturally a much stronger current
than is necessary, and in order that il
may not be wasted. or play havoc with
the lights. the surplus energy is led
into these storage batteries and there
kept until needed
feature of this dynamo is that the
same one which generates the current