The Anaconda standard., 1898-02-04
DEVICE TO HARNESS WAVES.
Proposition TO Develop Power From Sea
Vibrations Not New.


Thomas Edison, jr has announced
that he has perfected device by which
the wave force of the sea may be utI-
lied. About 40 or so other inventors
have made the same announcement pre-
vious to MIR. Edison. 1t seems that the
sea goes ahead, nevertheless, wasting its
power in the same reckless and pfodigal
way, just as 1t has done for many CEN
turies and few cons in the past. Many
patents on contrivances to harness the
waves have been issued, but all have
evidently found the same fruitless end.
The brief announcement of this most
recent invention states the machine is to
consist of a number of air pumps which
Will be operated by the waves. The air
compressed by the pumps viii be utll-
lied in operating dynamos. The inven-
tor says that for the sum Of $25, 600 900 a
plant of 100000 horse power can be
constructed. He says that a powerful
syndicate in New York city is consider
ing the immediate construction of a
plant 20 miles out at sea.
If the inventor fails 10 find enough
motion in the Atlantic ocean to make his
machine work well he might bring ii out
here and try ii on Lake Michigan. Ex-
perts assert that in nervousness the
ocean has no percentage over the lake.
If the invention could be put out in the
water about 10 miles beyond the four
mile crib some day old Michigan would
Nltilt1 iitht Tic tHil5 WI vi DICdh H.
On those days when the lake is giving
one of its most ultra-swell performances.
so to speak, If the arrangement would
hold together it would in short time
have enough power stored up to run the
town, either wide open or closed down.
as the case might be. If all the power
eXerted by the waves of the lake could
be collected and stored convenient for
use there would be undoubtedly more
than enough to furnish motive energy
for every mill and factory in the entire
city and perhaps enough be left to sup
ply several other cities beside. 1t is sup
posed that the lake would not be quite
50 good as the ocean for the creation of
such power for the reason there is not
such continued and regular motion on its
surface as there is on the surface of
the ocean.
Chicago experts on mechanical inven-
tons We're not startled by the announce
ment of Mr.. Edison's invention. and
they We're not inclined to think the day
was close at hand when the ocean would
furnish power for driving machinery.
They cited many difficulties in the way
of the successful operation of such a
contrivance, and apparently believed
that some time would elapse before any
one succeeded in solving the problem.
Howard f. McElroy, "a patent attor-
ney, who was for many years an official
in the patent office, said: Securing
ana transporting lflt power VI lAie
waves is an old, old proposition, which
many an inventor has worked upon.
Theoretically. number of them have
appeared to be all right, but they were
found to be impractical when put to
the test. I don't know how many Of
these devices have been invented, but
l know of about 40 or SO.
Most of them We're on one or the
other of two general plans, One com
prised the use of air and the other the
use of springs. If ! remember correctly
there was one general fault with all of
them. Each one was of such a nature
that it would easily be destroyed by
storm. OF course, many of them had
other great faults beside that The
spring contriyances were so arranged
that the motion of the waves wound up
series of springs, from which power
was to be transmitted in several ways
to- the shore. The pneumatic devices
were so constructed that the motion Of
the waves compressed air in suitable
receptacles and from these receptacles
the air was carried in pipes to the shore
and there it was to be converted TO use
in creating power. There are a large
number of difficulties standing in the
way of perfecting a successful machine
for converting wave motion into power.
and fear that we are not likely to see it
demonstrated for some time. There is no
| question that it would be great and
! wonderful thing IL an invention, Wn1ch
| would do the requisite work, could be
| made at a fair or reasonable cost. Such
| an invention could be used almost as
| well upon the lake as upon the ocean.
| "Of course, | know nothing of the de-
| tails of Edison's scheme" said William
! $. Monroe, a well-knoWn mechanical en-
| gineer but as an abstract proposition
| am we'll aware that the feat he has at
| tempted is a most difficult one. 1t APP
! pears to me that to secure enough force
! from the waves to make it worth while
would require a plant of such size thai
! to construct ii would be an almost her
! culean task. You see, such a vast sur
face would have to be covered in the
force collecting process that the machine
would have to be of great extent. l dc
not mean to say that the feat is inn
| possible, but such a device would GER
/ tainly be impractical if its operation in
volved a greater expenditure of capita
| than is at present required in securing
! the same amount of power. If giver
| amount of energy can be createG
! cheaper by using coal that 1t could bt
created by the use of force converted
| from wave motion then it would, oi
! course. be foolish to throw away the for
| mer in favor of the latter for obtaining
| power / am inclined TO think that il
| will be a long time before we abandon
| coal and secure force from the motion