IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUTATORS FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti and Vincent Stephen
Szezepanowski both of Richmond Gardens Shepherds Bush in the County of
Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUTATORS FOR
DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti
and Vincent Stephen Szezepanowski at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 14th March 1883.
SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTI and VINCENT STEPHEN SZEZEPANOWSKI both of
Richmond Gardens Shepherds Bush in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS
IN COMMUTATORS FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in commutators for dynamo
electric machines and relates mainly to dynamo machines in which the armature is
composed of a zig-zag conducting coil the radial portions of which are carried past
the poles of fixed stationary magnets placed on either side of the coil.
We make one end of the armature axis hollow and we place in it two copper
rods insulated from one another and from the axis. One rod we couple to one
terminal end of the zig-zag coil and the other rod to the other terminal end. At
the extremity of the axis we couple one rod to a segment of a copper disc concentric
with it and the other rod to a similar segment in the same plane. If during the
rotation of the armature the current is reversed in it say 16 times at each revolution
then we make each segment with three equidistant projections standing out from
it and the central radial lines of these projections are 1/8th of a circle apart. The
two segments are carried round with the armature axis as it revolves. Against the
faces of the projections on the two segments is held a disc upon the face of which
are 16 radial metal strips equidistant from one another and separated by strips of
radial insulating material all of equal width. Every alternate radial metallic strip
is in one piece with an outer metallic ring and the other alternate radial strips are
in one piece with an inner metallic ring or disc. Or the alternate metallic strips
are in other ways coupled one to another.-One of the sets of 8 radial metallic

page_text: strips so coupled together is by a metallic conducting rod connected with an
insulated terminal to which one of the line wires is coupled. The other set of
8 metallic strips is connected to another insulated terminal to which the other line.
wire is coupled. The two segments herein before mentioned which are carried at
the end of armature axis of the machine are so set that when the three projections
of one of them are over three of the radial metallic strips which are coupled to one
of the insulated terminals the three projections of the other are over three radial
metallic strips which are coupled to the other terminal and when the armature axis
has made one sixteenth of a revolution the three projections which were previously
over radial strips coupled to one terminal say the positive one will be over
radial strips coupled to the negative terminal and similarly the other three pro-
jections will have been moved from negative to positive. Just at the moment
when a reversal of current takes place in the armature coil all the projections are
over the radial non-conducting strips which are interspaced with the radial
metallic strips. In this way a continuous current in one direction is given from
the machine.
In a similar way to that above described commutators might be arranged for
other number of reversals of current at each revolution of the armature axis of the
machine.
The arrangement of commutator above described is applicable to all dynamo
machines in which an alternating current is set up in the armature coils and where
the coil is continuous and the current led off from its two ends.
I

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti and Vincent Stephen Szezepanowski
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th September 1883.
SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTI and VINCENT STEPHEN SZEZEPANOWSKI both of
Richmond Gardens Shepherds Bush in the County of Middlesox. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN COMMUTATORS FOR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES"
This invention has for its object improvements in commutators for dynamo
electric machines and relates mainly to commutators for dynamo machines in which
the armature is composed of a zig-zag conducting coil the radial portions of
which are carried past the poles of fixed stationary magnets placed on either side of
the coil.
At
We make one end of the armature axis hollow and we place in it two copper
rods insulated from one another and from the axis. One rod we couple to one
terminal end of the zig-zag coil and the other rod to the other terminal end.
the extremity of the axis we couple one rod to a segment of a copper disc concentric
with it and the other rod to a similar segment in the same plane. If during the
rotation of the armature the current is reversed in it say 16 times at each revolution
then we make each segment with three equidistant projections standing out from
it and the central radial lines of these projections are 1/8th of a circle apart. The
two segments are carried round with the armature axis as it. revolves. Against the
faces of the projections on the two segments is held a disc upon the face of which
are 16 radial metal strips equidistant from one another and separated by strips of
radial insulating material all of equal width. Every alternate radial metallic strip
is in one piece with an outer metallic ring and the other alternate radial strips aro
in one piece with an inner metallic. ring or disc. Or the alternate metallic strips
are in other ways coupled one to another. One of the sets of 8 radial metallic
strips so coupled together is by a metallic conducting rod connected with an
insulated terminal to which one of. the line wires is coupled. The other set of
8 metallic strips is connected to another insulated terminal to which the other line
wire is coupled. The two segments herein before mentioned which are carried at
the end of armature axis of the machine are so set that when the three projections
of one of them are over three of the radial metallic strips which are coupled to one
of the insulated terminals the three projections of the other are over three radial
metallic strips which are coupled to the other terminal--and when the armature axis
has made one sixteenth of a revolution the three projections which were previously
over radial strips coupled to one terminal say the positive one will be over radial
strips coupled to the negative terminal and similarly the other three projections
will have been moved from negative to positive. Just at the moment when
a reversal of current takes place in the armature coil all the projections are
over the radial non conducting strips which are interspaced with the radial
metallic strips. In this way a continuous current in one direction is given from
the machine.
In a similar way to that above described commutators might be arranged for
other number of reversals of current at each revolution of the armature axis of the
machine.
The arrangement of commutator above described is applicable to all dynamo
machines in which an alternating current is set up in the armature coils and where
the coil.is continuous and the current led off from its two.ends.
.
Having thus described the nature of our invention we will proceed to describe
more fully the manner of performing the same.

page_text: The Drawings show an arrangement of commutator suitable for a dynamo
machine in which the reversals of current take place ten times at each revolution
of the armature in place of sixteen times as above described.
Figure 1 Sheet 1 is an elevation of the apparatus in which part of the front of
the bracket H supporting the fixed disc is removed-Figure 2 Sheet 2 is a plan of
the apparatus. On Sheets 3 and 4 are shown detail views of the several parts.
In all the figures the insulating material is shown alike and sectioned black
whether in section or in elevation. Similar letters in all the figures indicate like
parts.
A is one end of the axis of the dynamo. This end is made hollow and extends
beyond the end frame of the machine-through it are led two copper rods of
D section B, B¹, insulated from one another and from the axis A as shewn at
Figure 3 Sheet 3 which is a longitudinal section taken through the end of the axis
and the parts carried by it-The inner end of one of these rods is as above stated
coupled to one terminal end of the zig zag coil of the armature and the other rod
to the other terminal end of the coil. At their outer ends one of these rods is
coupled to a segment of a disc of copper C and the other to a similar segment C¹
which is in the same plane. A face view of these discs is shown at Figure 4
Sheet 3.
On the face of each of these segment discs are three projections as is clearly
shown in this figure-these projections are 18th of a circle apart.
Connection between the copper rods B, B¹, and the segments C, C', is made in
the following manner. A collar D seen in Figures 1 and 3 and also in back view
at Figure 5 and in longitudinal section at Figure 6 is slipped on to the end of the
hollow axis A and is secured thereto by screws d¹ passing through horns on the
collar. Behind this collar are two pieces E, E, Sheet 3 Figures 3 and 5 and
separately at Figure 7, these are secured to, and brought into metallic connection
with the copper rods B, B', by the studs b 61. The studs and the pieces E are
insulated from the disc D and axis A as is clearly shown. Bolts & are passed
through the pieces E, E, and through the segments C and C¹ which are further
secured to the copper rods by the screws d' d*.
The bolts e are insulated from the disc D by being passed through an insulating
tube as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3 Sheet 3.
Against the projections on the two segments C and C¹ is held a compound
disc F having on its face ten radial contact pieces ƒ and g at equal distances apart
from one another (see sheet 4)--Five of these f project out from a disc F which is
carried by a stem F'-this stem is supported by a bracket H secured to the main
frame of the dynamo machine.
The other five g project inwards from a ring G. The several contact pieces f
and g are insulated from one another and the ring G is insulated from the disc F
as shown. Figure 10 is a face view of this disc and the parts in connection with
it Figure 11 is a longitudinal section. Figure 12 a back view of the same.
On the outside of the metal ring G are four lugs through which are passed
bolts to secure it to a metal disc й which has corresponding lugs on its outer
circumference-The bolts are insulated from the disc K as is shown at Figure 1 and
separately in the section Figure 13. The disc K is fixed to the stem of the disc F
by the nut An oil way is drilled through the stem of the disc Fand onto its
outer end is screwed an oil cup as shown in Figure 1 Sheet 1 to lubricate the faces
of the discs C and the compound disc.
o o are metal blocks interposed between the 10 radial contact pieces ƒ and g
they are imbedded in the insulating material by which the contact pieces are
insulated from one another and by which the ring G is insulated from the
ז ...

page_text: A face view of all these metal blocks is shown separately at Figure 14 and
elevations of one of them at Figures 15 and 16.
They serve only to prevent the projections on the discs C C₁ from bearing upon
the insulating material by which the contact pieces ƒ and g are insulated from one
another.
In order that the position of the disc carrying the fixed radial contact pieces f
and g may be adjusted to bring these contact pieces into proper position relatively
to the magnets of the dynamo a slight rotary adjustment can be given to the
stem F by the worm L and worm sector M-This sector can be securely clamped
by the stud and nut m to the bracket H.
The ring G is coupled by copper strip conductors N to a bolt O, which is
insulated from the bracket H as shown in Figure 17 and which forms one terminal
of the commutator. The disc F is connected through its stein F" and also through
a metallic strip P and studs p¹ p² to the bracket H which carries an uninsulated
bolt Q which forms the other terminal of the commutator.
It will be seen that as the three projections on each of the segments C C¹ are
1/6th of a circle apart and the distance between the projections on the segment C
and the projections on the segment C¹ which are adjacent to one another are only
one tenth of a circle apart that when the three projections say on segment C are
in front of three of the contact pieces f which stand out from the disc F the three
projections on the segment C¹ will be in front of three of the radial contact pieces g
which project inwards from the ring G and also that when the armature axis has
made of a revolution this will be reversed so that in this way a continuous
current will be given from the machine.
10
th
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner of performing
the same we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the
exact details shown in the drawings hereunto annexed as these may be varied but
that we claim the construction of commutators for dynamo electric machines
substantially in the manner herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti have hereunto set my
hand and seal this thirteenth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
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