The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-29
THE SMALL ELECTRIC MOTOR.


The Boston Transcript, calls atten-
ton to the singular fact that with all
our splendid advance in electrical
science and the adaptation of electric
ity to many uses, we are outclassed by
Europe in the use of the electric motor
in the home. Practically, except for the
operation of fans the electric motor is
very little known in the American
households and electric power is but
known as cottage industries" But in
Europe in that line electric power is
rapidly driving out animal and hand
power, thus lessening the burden Of
labor, increasing it's output and enlarg-
ing it's rewards
In Germany they have a type Of cleo
trio motor that is exceedingly small,
and yet very powerful and easy of ap-
plication, and consuming all but sig
nificant amount of the power transmit
ted. Thus meat choppers, vegetable
miners, polishing machines for knives,
forks, silverware, ETC., coffee and spice
mills, fruit presses and the like are
now quite commonly operated in the
home by electricity, especially near
large towns and the cities.
The European motors are light, easily
portable and thus are transferred from
r1a ,-f Of fIo 70,
casion requires, the connection being
made by inserting plug in a lamp
socket. These motors are provided with
a worm gear, whose shaft makes from
forty to fifty revolutions a minute. A
cone pulley at the end of the shaft en-
ables the motor to be attached to va
rious appliances.
The power of consumption of these
little machines, We are told, is very
small, ranging from one-sixteenth to
one-quarter horse power, which is
about equal to the energy required to
maintain from one to four good mean
descent lamps
The Observation-Disclosures Anzeiger" is
quoted by the Boston Transcript" on
this subject as saying that in Europe
the Introduction of these labor savers
and labor promoters is very rapid in
all parts. The Transcript adds:
In home and commercial life there
appear to be hundreds of purposes to
which small electric motors can be APP
piled, such as the kneading of bread in
bakeries, bottle and dish washing ma
chimes in hotels and restaurants and
the driving of sewing machines.
In some of the latter outfits
several speeds are obtainable,
and by means of a suitable
brake mechanism on the motor the ma
chine can be brought to an instant
lstandstill Another machine of this
same class that would be a boon to
many large households is an electrically
driven mangle or laundry ironing ma
chine. AS furnished, these mangles
may be operated forward or backward
as desired. ~ As most of the above ma
chimes are only required a compare
lively short period each day, and their
consumption of current being very
small, the actual cost of maintaining
them in operation is surprisingly small.
For instance it is stated that with cur
rent at 10 cents per kilowatt hour, a
rather high price, the cost of operat-
ing a sewing machine with 1-16 horse
power motor would be about 10 cents
for a ten-hour day of continuous run
ming These motors and appliances are
SO convenient, and have SO many adj
yantages to recommend them, that it
seems quite probable that they will be-
| fore long thoroughly establish their
practicability.