Improvements in or connected with the Distribution of Electricity.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application. 20th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in or connected with the Distribution of Electricity.
We THOMAS PARKER Managing Director of Thomas Parker Ltd. of
Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford and JOHN HAROLD WOODWARD and
EDMUND SCOTT GUSTAVE REES both of Thomas Parker Ltd. of Wolver-
hampton aforesaid Electrical Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
The object of the present invention is to improve the means of distributing
electric energy or power and relates particularly to improvement in the following
matters:
(1) Methods of decreasing the amount of current required for starting a motor-
generator or motor-generators when employed in a system of distributing electricity
such as that described in our former Specifications No. 16,110 of 1890 and
No. 18,348 of 1891 and at the same time increase the efficiency of working.
(2) In a method of connecting and disconnecting the secondary circuits of an
alternating current transformer or transformers from a distributing network when
employed in a system of distributing electricity as described in the Specifications
above referred to.
(3) In a method of distributing power by means of electro-motors worked from
a high tension dynamo or dynamos.
There are two means of accomplishing the first part of our invention which we
now proceed to describe.
Firstly to decrease the current required for starting motor-generators from a
distance, which have a single magnetic field wound with a shunt coil or shunt coils
connected across the secondary armature and a coil or coils, in series with the
primary armature, we employ a switch actuated by an electro-magnet which is
energised by means of a coil connected in series with the shunt winding of the
motor-generator the switch being arranged to short-circuit or cut-out the whole or
part of the magnet coils which are in series with the primary armature at starting,
when the current through the shunt coils of the motor generator exceeds a certain
amount sufficient to excite the field magnet from the secondary armature and to
connect the primary coils of the motor generator in series with the primary
armature again when the current through the shunt winding falls below a certain
amount.
Secondly we employ motor generators wound with magnet coils connected so as
to be energised only from the secondary armature and employ two magnetic
switches the actuating coils of which are connected preferably one in series with
each voltmeter or pilot wire with means for actuating each magnetic switch
independently from the switch station. The magnetic switches may be such as
described in our former Specification No. 18348 of 1891 and are arranged so that
on actuating the first maguetic switch the secondary armature of the motor-
generator is connected to the secondary network through a suitable resistance
which allows only a certain current to pass through the secondary armature from
the network and excites the magnetic field of the motor generator when the
primary current may be passed through the primary armature by closing the
switches for that purpose at the switch station, and when the motor generator is
running at the necessary speed to give a suitable electro motive force at the
secondary armature terminals the second magnetic switch may be actuated to

page_text: connect the secondary arinature directly across the distributing network as shewn
in our previous Specifications.
By these means the magnetic field of the motor generators may be made stronger
at starting, thus decreasing the current required to start without the loss of energy
in the magnet coils in series with the primary armature when the motor generator
is supplying current to the secondary network.
The second part of our invention relates to improvements in connecting &
disconnecting alternating current transformers to a secondary network when used
in a system of distributing electricity as described in our former Specifications
No. 16110 of 1890 and 18348 of 1891 and consists in sending through the volt-
meter or pilot wires, or other wires used for actuating, the distant magnetic
switches, a continuous current of an electro motive force approximately the same
as the electro motive force on the distributing network to which the transformers
are connected when supplying current, the continuous current being derived from
the exciters, or a battery, or any other suitable source, by this means we overcome
the necessity of using magnetic switches designed to be worked by alternating
currents which would require certain parts to be laminated.
In the third part of our invention we employ electro motors with armatures
wound with two independent sets of coils connected to, separate commutators, the
main set of armature coils being connected to a high tensión source of electric
energy in series with a coil or coils on the magnets to give the necessary excitation
to the field magnet at starting. The second set of armature coils being arranged
to give a lower electro-motive-force than the high tension source of supply when
the motor is running & being used to excite the main coils of the magnets as a
shunt, in which shunt circuit is arranged a magnetic switch to cut out or short,
circuit the high tension series coils when the low tension shunt coil has a certain
current passing through it. These means enable us to use motors which will run
at an approximately constant speed with varying loads, when supplied with high
tension current, without the use of a fine wire shunt magnet coil or coils across the
'high tension mains.
If it is desired to compound the motor for constant speed the magnetic switch
may be arranged to reverse the direction of the current in the whole or part of the
series coils on the magnets, instead of short circuiting the same.
Dated this 19th day of February 1895
Improvements in or connected with the Distribution of Electricity.
We, THOMAS PARKER, Managing Director of Thomas Parker, Limited, of
Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, and JOHN HAROLD WOODWARD
and EDMUND SCOTT GUSTAVE REES, both of Thomas Parker Limited, of
Wolverhampton, aforesaid, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
}'
The present invention has for its object to improve the means of distributing
electric energy or power (1) by methods of decreasing the amount of current
required for starting a motor-generator or motor generators when employed in a
system or systems of distributing electricity such as described in our former
Patent Specifications No. 16110 of 1890 and No. 18348 of 1891, and at the same,
time increasing the efficiency of working; (2), by an improved method of con-
necting and disconnecting the secondary circuits of an alternating current

page_text: transformer or transformers to and from a distributing network when employed in
a system or systems of distributing electricity such as described in the said
Specifications; and (3), by an improved method of distributing power by means of
electro-motors worked from a high tension dynamo or dynamos.
One.
The first part of the invention may be accomplished in two different ways.
of these applies, more especially, to motor generators which require to be started
from a distance and which have a magnetic field (or fields) wound with a shunt coil.
or shunt coils connected across the secondary armature, and a coil or coils in series
with the primary armature; and, in such case, we employ a switch actuated by an
electro-magnet which is energised by means of a coil connected in series with the
shunt winding of the motor-generator, or as a shunt directly across the low tension
armature, the switch being arranged to short-circuit or cut-out the whole or part of
the magnet coil or coils which are in series with the primary armature at starting,
when the current through the shunt coil or coils of the motor-generator exceeds a
certain predetermined amount, and to connect the primary coil or coils of the
motor generator in series with the primary armature again when the current
through the shunt winding falls below a certain amount.
This part of the invention is illustrated by Figure 1 of the drawings herewith..
a is the shunt coil or shunt coils connected across the secondary armature B, and
ca coil or coils in series with the primary armature A. e is an electro-magnet
which is energised by means of a coil connected in series with the shunt coil.or.
coils a to actuate a switch 9. The other parts illustrated correspond with those
illustrated by Figure 2 of our said Specification No. 18,348 of 1891, and are
similarly lettered. The field magnets of the motor-generator A B are excited at.
starting by the high tension current through the coil or coils c, which are in series,
with the high tension leads E, but when the current through the shunt coil or
coils a exceeds a certain predetermined amount the switch 9 is moved by the:
electro-magnet e to short-circuit or cut-out the whole or part of the coil or coils c,
and when the current through the shunt.coil or coils a falls below a certain amount
the switch g opens again and puts the whole or part of the coils c in series again.
with the primary armature.A. The coilf may be connected as a shunt directly.
across the secondary armature B, if preferred.
In the alternative method, according to the first part of this invention, we
employ motor generators wound with magnet coils connected so as to be energised
only from the secondary armature, and employ two magnetic switches the actuating
coils of which are connected, preferably, in series with each voltmeter or pilot wire,.
respectively, or other wires used for actuating such switches from a distant station,
with means for actuating each magnetic switch independently from the switch
station. These switches may be conveniently such as the switch lettered t in the
drawings accompanying our said Patent Specification No. 18.348 of 1891 and
more fully described in our former Patent Specification No. 13,942 of 1891, and
are arranged so that on actuating one of them the armature of the motor-generator;
is connected to the secondary network through a suitable resistance which allows
only a certain current to pass through the secondary armature from the network.
aud excite the magnetic field of the motor-generator, when the primary current
may be passed through the primary armature by closing the switches for that
purpose at the switch station; and when the motor-generator is running at the
necessary speed to give a suitable electro-motive force at the secondary armature
terminals, the other magnetic switch may be actuated to connect the secondary.
armature directly across the distributing network as shewn in our said former
Specifications No. 16,110 of 1890 and No. 18,348 of 1891.
This alternative method is illustrated by Figure 2 of the drawings herewith, in
which A is the primary armature of the motor-generator, B the secondary
armature, E the leads for the high tension current from the generating station to
the primary armature, D the distributing mains for the low tension current from:
the distant station and with which the secondary armature may be connected and
from which it may be disconnected, and the voltmeter or pilot wires connected.
=

page_text: across the low tension distributing mains. The motor-generator is shunt wound
with magnet coils a connected only across the secondary armature B. tt are two
magnetic switches, which may conveniently be of the same kind as the magnetic
switch t above described, the actuating coils I of which are connected, one with
the voltmeter or pilot wire z and the other with the other voltmeter or pilot
wire ¹, and in each of such wires is a switch w for actuating the corresponding
magnetic switch tor t¹ independently from the switch station. The magnetic
switch t may thus be actuated to connect the secondary armature B of the motor-
generator to the secondary network D through a suitable resistance and wires i,
When
when the primary current may be passed through the primary armature A.
a suitable electro-motive force has thus been reached at the secondary armature
terminals, the magnetic switch t' may be actuated to connect the secondary
armature B directly across the distributing network D, as shewn in our aforesaid
previous Specifications, and as clearly shewn by Figure 2 of the drawings
herewith.
By the means above described, the magnetic field of the motor-generator may be
made stronger at starting, thus enabling a decreased current to be used and the loss
of energy avoided which is experienced in the methods of working in our said
former Specifications No. 16,110 of 1890 and 18,348 of 1891, in the series coil or
coils of the primary armature when the motor-generator is supplying current to
the secondary network.
The second part of the invention relates to improvements in connecting and
disconnecting alternating current transformers to and from a secondary network
when used in a system or systems of distributing electricity such as described in
our said former Specifications No. 16,110 of 1890 and No. 18,348 of 1891.; and
consists in sending through the voltmeter or pilot wires, or other wires used for
actuating electrically the distant magnetic switches, a continuous current of an
electro-motive force the same, or approximately the same, as the electro-motive
force in the distributing network to which the transformers are connected when
supplying current, the continuous current being derived from the exciters or a
battery, or any other suitable source. By this means, we overcome the necessity.
of using magnetic switches designed to be worked by alternating currents which
would require certain parts to be laminated.
་
This part of the invention is illustrated by Figure 3 of the drawings herewith, in
which the parts which are lettered the same as parts shewn by Figure 2 of the
drawings accompanying our said Specification No. 18,348, correspond thereto.
A is the alternating current transformer, and t the magnetic switch which makes
and breaks the connection between the transformer and the secondary network D D.
22 are the voltmeter or pilot wires, y' a battery or other source of electrical supply
from which a continuous current of, or approximately of, the electromotive force of
the current in the secondary network may be sent through the wires 22; and
ww are switches at the controlling station from which the starting of the trans-
former is to be effected. When the switches w w are closed, the continuous current
sent from the battery y¹, or other source of electricity, passes through the magnet
coil I 'and actuates the magnetic switch t.
According to the third part of our invention, we employ electro-motors with
armatures wound with two independent sets of coils connected to separate com-
munators, the main set of such coils being for connection to a high tension source
of electric energy through a coil or coils on the field magnets whereby the necessary
excitation is given to such magnets at starting, and the second set of armature
coils being arranged to give a lower electro-motive force than the high tension
source of supply when the motor is running, and being used to excite the main coil
or coils of the field magnets as a shunt. In the shunt circuit is arranged a magnetic
switch to cut-out or short-circuit the high tension series coil or coils of the magnets
when the low tension shunt coil or coils has or have a certain current passing
through it or them; or such switch may be connected as a shunt directly across
the low tension armature coils. By these means we are able to use motors which

page_text: will run at an approximately constant speed with varying loads when supplied with.
high tension current, without the use of a fine wire shunt magnet coil or coils
connected across the high tension mains.
This part of the invention is illustrated by Figure 4 of the drawings herewith, in
which A indicates the set of armature coils connected to the leads E E from a high
tension source of electric energy and which, at the time of starting the motor, are
in series with a coil or coils on the field magnets to give the necessary
excitation to such magnets. B indicates the set of armature coils connected with
the main shunt coil or coils c of the field magnets so as to give a lower electro-
motive force, than the high tension source of supply, through such main coil or
coils. A magnetic switch f¹ is arranged in the shunt to short-circuit or cut out the
high tension series coil or coils c when the shunt coil or coils c. has or have a
certain current passing through it or them. C¹ indicates a pulley on the armature
spindle through which the power of the motor may be given off.
If it is desired to compound the motor for constant speed, the magnetic switch f1
may be arranged to reverse the direction of the current in the whole or part of the
series coil or coils c¹ on the magnets, instead of short-circuiting or cutting out
the same.
The switch may be connected as a shunt directly across the low tension
armature coils B, instead of in series with the magnet coil or coils c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an improved system or systems of distributing electricity such as described
in Patent Specifications No. 16,110 of 1890 and No. 18,348 of 1891, the combination,
with a motor-generator having a magnetic field (or fields) wound with a shunt coil
or shunt coils connected across the secondary armature and a coil or coils in series.
with the primary armature, of a switch actuated by an electro-magnet which is.
energised by means of a coil connected in series with the shunt winding of the
motor-generator, or connected as a shunt directly across the secondary armature,
the said switch operating to short-circuit or cut-out the whole or part of the magnet
coil or coils which are in series with the primary armature at starting, when the
current through the shunt coil or coils of the motor-generator exceeds a certain
amount, and operating to connect the primary coils of the motor generator in.
series with the primary armature again when the current through the shunt
winding falls below a certain amount, substantially as described, for the purpose
set forth.
2. In an improved system or systems of distributing electricity such as described
in Patent Specifications No. 16,110 of 1890 and No. 18,348 of 1891, the combination
with a motor-generator wound with magnet coils connected so as to be energised
only from the secondary armature, of two magnetic switches the actuating coils of
which are connected, preferably in series with each of a pair of voltmeter or pilot
wires, respectively, or with other wires used for actuating such switches, with
means for actuating each magnetic switch independently from the switch station,
and with means by which on actuating one of such magnetic switches the armature
of the motor-generator is connected to the secondary network through a suitable
resistance and on actuating the other of such magnetic switches the secondary
armature is connected directly across the distributing network, substantially as
described, for the purpose set forth.
3. The improved means of connecting and disconnecting an alternate-current
transformer to and from a secondary network when used in a system or systems
of distributing electricity such as described in our aforesaid Specifications
No. 16,110 of 1890 and No. 18,348 of 1891, which consist in sending a continuous
current of an electro-motive force the same, or approximately the same, as the
electro-motive force in the distributing network to which the transformer is connected
when supplying current, and which is derived from the exciters, or a battery, or

page_text: other suitable source, through the voltmeter or pilot wires, or other wires used for
actuating the distant magnetic switch, substantially as described.
4. An electro-motor having an armature wound with two independent sets of
coils connected to separate commutators, the main set of armature coils being for
connection with a high tension source of electric energy through a coil or coils on
the magnets whereby the necessary excitation is given to the field magnets at
starting, and the second set of armature coils. being arranged to give a lower
electro-motive force; than the high tension source of supply, when the motor is
running, and being used to excite the main coil or coils of the magnets as a shunt,
and a magnetic switch being arranged in the shunt circuit, or as an independent
shunt across the low tension armature coils, to cut-out or short-circuit the high
tension series coil or coils when the low tension shunt coil or coils of the magnets
has a certain current passing through it or them, or if the motor is compounded for
constant speed, such magnetic switch being arranged to reverse the direction of the
current in the whole or part of the series coil or coils on the magnets instead of
cutting out or short-circuiting the same, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of November 1895.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.