Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-17
The Electric Fan.

s VI all the not weather COIIlIOTtS tHe
electric fan is easily the first. A bit
# shade brings relief from the heat
Of the July sun, bit of cracked ice
properly applied to certain hot weather
beverages helps to keep the sufferer
few degrees below a dangerous tenn
perature; but it is the little electric
fan which brings the cool breezes of
the hills into the hottest apartment,
into the swetering city fiat of the hot
iffice. No matter how hot the sun
shines, no matter how much humidity
n the air, no matter how sitting and
stagnant the atmosphere-the touch of
button and the cooling breezes are
it the command of anyone in any
quantity or velocity desired.
Electricity is the magician which
FOLDS captive the rays of the sun and
cts them out after nightfall to drive
WAY the somber shades of night; who
axes the heat of the coal and brings
into the house to cook the :M'ds
md heat the rooms, who takes the
power from the falling water and car
les it miles and miles to turn the
wheels of industry and transportation.
And, not content with all these Won
lers, electricity has stuffed into its
Wonder bag the Four Winds and re-
eases them at your command.
; The electric fan was an American in
ention which has been developed with
the last few years until millions of
he fans are in use throughout the
world. Back in the early eighties DR..
). S. Wheeler, an electrical engineer
f New York, was experimenting with
l small electric motor In the course
# his experiments the Doctor con-
'eived the idea that steamboats, might
>e run with electricity if the propellors
ould be direct connected to high-speed
lectric motors, doing away with all
he gears then in use in steam pro-
,ulsion. With this idea in mind he
lad small screw propeller construct
ed and fastened it to the armature
shaft of his small motor. To his sur
prise the experiment resulted in fine
breeze of cooling air which more than
delighted the experimental, for the day
was decidedly hot. 1t is needless to
add that the experiments with screw
propellors ended right there and the
engineer took up the study of the cleo
IIiC ldu Will Tic TcSult tIldt llC oooii
perfected the device until it was q
commercial success.
At that time all the fans were run
by batteries. Later they were con-
nected with the series arc lighting cir
cults, but this was found to be as dan
serous as it was unsatisfactory. Little
advance was made, until 1883 when q
successful attempt was made to con-
lect them with the new incandescent
lighting circuits, each fan to take tho
place of lamp. Battery current was
too expensive for this ventilating de-
vice but as soon as central station cur
rent was available the fan became pop
ular at once, and about 1890 the man.
nufacture of electric fans began ir
earnest. A couple of years later the
ceiling fan was introduced and since
that time the production of desk
bracket ceiling, and oscillating fans
has grown by leaps and bounds anC
American fans are now supplied tC
every civilized country on the map.
Today there are all kinds of electric
fans made to supply the cool mountain
breezes direct in the sweltering city
ranging all the way from the tiny desk
fan to the giant ceiling fans and in
Guiding the new oscillating fans which
send the current of air into all corners
of the room.-Electric News.