IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING CONTINUOUS OR ALTERNATING CURRENTS OF ELECTRICITY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
60, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an
invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING CONTINUOUS OR
ALTERNATING CURRENTS OF ELECTRICITY."-A communication from abroad
D
D
113
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February 1882.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING
CONTINUOUS OR ALTERNATING CURRENTS OF ELECTRICITY [A communication
from abroad by Alphonse Isidore Gravier, of Paris, in the Republic of France.]
"
The object of this invention is the production of continuous, or of alternating
currents, from a dynamo-electric machine either in intensity, quantity or in series,
without the use of rubbers, collectors, brushes or commutators, the disadvantages
of which are well known to electricians.
In attaining this end, an annular field magnet is used, coiled in such a manner
as to produce consequent points of any desired number; and connected with the
terminals of the wires on this magnet are wires for conducting the electricity as
it is generated to the apparatus to which it is intended to be applied.
Within this annular field magnet is mounted a rotating armature, which is coiled
with wires in such manner as to have no external connection.
On starting the rotary armature it will be polarised by the residual magnetism
of the exterior magnet, and an electrical current will be induced in the coils of the
exterior magnet. This current will strengthen the fixed magnet which in its
turn will strengthen the rotating armature and induce a current in the coils
thereof.

page_text: A reciprocal action being thus set up, the currents of electricity will flow from
the terminals of the coils of the external magnet, which may be used as above
stated without employing a commutator and collectors.
As a modification of the above, two rotary armatures of different dimensions
may be mounted on the same axle, the larger one being coiled so as to produce two
consequent points and the coils connected by metal plates with the coils of
the adjacent smaller armature. Both armatures will be provided with field
magnets: the larger field magnet being coiled so as to produce two or more
currents, one or more of which should circulate in the coils of the smaller field
magnet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th August 1882.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING
CONTINUOUS OR ALTERNATING CURRENTS OF ELECTRICITY." A communication
from abroad by Alphonse Isidore Gravier of Paris in the Republic of France.
The object of this Invention is the production of continuous or of alternating
currents from a dynamo-electric machine, either in intensity, quantity or in series,
without the use of rubbers, collectors brushes or commutators, the disadvantages of
which are well known to electricians.
By studying the action of dynamo or magneto-electric machines, one general fact
which dominates them all is apparent, videlicet-the necessity for the commutation
of the current produced.
Thus if a permanent or electro magnet be caused to turn in front of a system of
bobbins however arranged, currents are induced in these bobbins which change in
direction at each half revolution of the inducing magnet.
This is all very well when such alternating currents can be utilized, but should
continuous currents be required, recourse must be had to various contrivances such
as commutators, rubbers, brushes, &c., the inconvenience of which as above
remarked is well known to all electricians.
Besides this the currents thus obtained and re-arranged are not continuous in
the strict interpretation of the word-They are in the same direction it is true
but they really consist of a series of short currents starting from zero rising to a
maximum of intensity and descending again to zero, these currents being adjusted
to each other by means of the commutators, rubbers or brushes.
In Sheet I of the accompanying drawings Fig: 1 shews a diagram which
illustrates the rise and fall of an ordinary alternating current, and Fig 2 a similar
diagram equally illustrating the rise and fall of a continuous current during one
entire revolution of the inducing magnet.

page_text: In Fig: 3 of the same sheet ab represents a permanent or an electro-magnet
mounted upon an axis o and capable of being turned on this axis.
A B¹ is a semi-annular bobbin formed of a core of soft iron surrounded with a
coil of insulated copper wire, and the magnet ab is in the position where the
induced currents would pass at zero-On turning the magnet ab on its axis
unequal currents are induced in the bobbins A¹ B¹ in opposite directions, their
difference constituting the useful current ci which by the movement of a from
→>>>
B¹ to o rises from zero, and then by the movement of a from o to A¹ falls again to
zero.
At this moment the end 6 of the magnet, which is of opposite polarity comes
before B'-A new current in the opposite direction ci is thereby induced, which
rises and falls as before.-The result therefore of one complete revolution may be
represented by the diagram Fig: 4 Sheet I.
By this analysis it will be seen that the successive inversions of the induced
currents are due to the successive passages of inductors of opposite polarities.
Now, as the successive passages of opposite inductive polarities furnish induced
alternating currents, it is only logical to suppose that successive passages of
inductive polarities of the same sign, would furnish induced currents in the same
direction and the rearrangement or commutation of the induced current would
thereby be avoided it would however be necessary to effect the commutation of
the magnetic poles of the inducing magnets
The chief object of this Invention is then to substitute for the commutation of the
induced currents the preliminary commutation of the magnetic poles of the inducing
magnets.
The importance of this fact will be seen further on.
Let us now take for example the induction armature of M. Lontin as shewn at
Fig 5 Sheet I, with its collectors and rubbers f. f' and let us connect these rubbers
with the poles of a galvanic battery or other source of electricity The current
from this battery will traverse the whole system and will polarize the bobbins a a a
positively, and the bobbins bbb negatively.
Now on causing the armature to turn on its axis each bobbin will as it crosses
the line A B have its polarity reversed.
This may be termed the electro magnetic commutation of the system.
It is obvious that (the direction of the current being unchanged) we shall
always have on the left hand side, polarities which are affected by the positive
current and on the right hand side polarities which are affected by the negative
current.
By placing this arrangement of armature between the two poles A B of a
permanent or of an electro magnet it will be caused to rotate continuously by the
action of the battery in the direction of the arrow, and will be capable of producing
mechanical work equivalent to the current employed.
It will now be understood from this experiment that with continuous currents,
and the electro-magnetic commutation of the currents from the armature, useful
work will be produced.
By rotating the armature by mechanical means in the opposite direction between
two bobbins, such as those shown at A' B', A" B" in Fig: 3 Sheet I, the electro-
magnetic arinature will induce in those bobbins two currents in opposite directions ci
and c which currents will tend to reconstitute between them the positive and
negative poles A B under the influence of which in the previous experiment they
turned as a motor according to Lenz's law.
This experiment therefore demonstrates that with continuous work, and the
electro magnetic commutation of the armature, continuous electrical currents may
be produced.
Supposing now the current of the battery be taken away from the armature a b
(see Fig 7 Sheet I) and the armature caused to turn in the direction of the arrow

page_text: between the two poles A B of a permanent or electro-magnet, a galvonometer G
will show that the poles A and B will cause currents to be induced in the circuit
of the armature in the same direction as those of the battery that has just been
taken away, and which previously caused the armature to revolve in the other
direction These currents are continuous and last as long as the movement which
produces them according to the law of Lenz.
It is obvious therefore that in this experiment the armature is magnetized by the
poles A, B, as it was by the current of the battery, and that each of its elements
has its polarity reversed on crossing the line A B exactly as was the case in the first
experiment.
This is what may be called the magnetic commutation of the system.
Thus the magnetized armature takes the place of the electro-magnetic armature.
Supposing now this magnetized armature be placed between two poles A and B of
a magnet, or an electro magnet, as at Fig: 8 Sheet I, from which polos it will receive
the magnetic influence, and let it be surrounded by two semi-annular bobbins A' B',
A" B", as in the previous experiments, and let it be caused to turn in the direction
of the arrows, the magnetized armature will now act upon the bobbins A¹ A", B¹ B",
precisely as the electro-magnetic armature of experiment 3, to which it corresponds.-
Two continuous electrical currents ci and c¹i, in opposite directions, will be
produced as in experiment 3, which will tend to constitute in the semi-annular
bobbins A' A", B' B", poles of the same sign as those of the magnets A. B.
This fact is of primary importance, and may be thus shortly stated-The inductor
or field magnet, and the armature tend to reinforce each other.
This experiment, as experiment 3, shews that with continuous work and the
magnetic commutation of the armature, useful continuous currents of electricity may
be produced.
In the above experiment it will be seen that the poles A¹A" B' B" produced by
induction are of the same sign as the poles of the inducing magnet A B
That being so these poles may be removed, and those which are produced and
developed by induction in the semi-annular magnets A' A", B' B", may be used
instead.
In order to commence the action it will be quite sufficient that there should be
a small amount of residual magnetism in these magnets as in machines of the usual
construction.
To sum up these experiments it is clear that with continuous currents and the
electro-magnetic commutation of the currents from the armature, continuous
movement i.e. a motor is obtained, and correspondingly with continuous work and
the magnetic or the electro-magnetic commutation of the currents from the
armature, continuous useful currents will be obtained.
In the first case expenditure of current and production of work-In the second
case expenditure of work and production of current; and both without the use of
rubbers or commutators.
It now remains to describe the Invention proper which is the inductor with a
magnetic commutation.
This magnetic commutation inductor will be composed of soft iron, copper or
soft iron combined with copper, or any other metal which may offer advantages in
respect to price or inductive capabilities.
As to its form it may take all those furnished by the solids of revolution or any
other figure that can be inscribed in a solid of revolution: in a word it may take
any of the forms that an electro magnet simple or compound is capable of taking,
and it may be in a single piece or in a number of pieces.
It is to be placed in a magnetic field of one or of several permanent, or electro-
magnets of which it sustains the magnetic influence.-It is to be surrounded
concentrically with circuits upon which it should exercise its inductive influence.
In certain cases it may be placed in the circuit of an exterior source.
Its movement determines the magnetic or electro-magnetic commutation of its
elements.

page_text: Fig: 6 is an end elevation of the same.
The induction cylinder or revolving armature is shewn as composed of sixteen
bars of soft iron a a a, b b b, separated slightly from one another by pieces of paper,
or other suitable material.-These bars are mounted upon and secured at their
extremities to two discs of soft iron D D, by means of screws, and the whole is
mounted upon an axle o turning in suitable bearings.
The stationary field magnet A A' A", B B¹ B", is composed of eight cast iron
rings one of these rings being hardened so as to retain a certain amount of residual
magnetism for the initial effect.
Fig: 1 shews the configuration and the mode of coiling of the field magnets :
The eight rings are separated by insulating material and are clamped together
by means of bolts, two exterior frames of cast iron provided with plummer blocks
completing the iron part of the fixed field-magnet, and being solidly clamped to the
eight rings by the saine bolts.
The winding of the wire is in actual practice divided in such a manner as to
form forty separate circuits, the extremities of each of which terminate in a
grouping table to allow of the circuits being grouped together in any way that
may be found desirable either in quantity, tension, or in series.
On starting the rotary armature it will be polarized by the residual magnetism
of the exterior magnet and an electrical current will be induced in the coils of the
exterior magnet. This current will strengthen the fixed magnet which in its
turn will strengthen the rotating armature and induce a current in the coils
thereof.
A reciprocal action being thus set up the currents of electricity will flow from
the terminals of the coils of the external magnet which may be used as above
stated without employing a commutator and collectors.
As a modification of the above two rotary armatures of different dimensions
may be mounted on the same axle, the larger one being coiled so as to produce
two consequent poles, and the coils connected by metal plates with the coils of the
adjacent smaller armature. Both armatures will be provided with field magnets,
the larger field magnet being coiled so as to produce two or more currents, one or
more of which should circulate in the coils of the smaller field magnet.
This arrangement is illustrated at Figures 7. 8. 9 and 10, Sheet II of the
drawings Fig: 7 being a vertical section through the axis of the machine, in which
a b is an annular electro-magnet with two consequent poles within which is

page_text: mounted upon an axle o the inducing ring i. A B is another annular electro
magnet also with two consequent poles and mounted upon a wooden filling piece
keyed fast to the axle o- -The core of this electro magnet like all the others consists
either of cast iron or of thin plates of sheet iron placed together and formed with
notches as seen in Fig: 8.-It is of sufficient size to admit of there being placed
upon it about thirty kilogrammes of wire having a resistance equal to ten ohms,
and is five times larger than the core of the ring i.
c is a radial conductor which may be cylindrical or conical-To each of the
plates of the conductor are connected on one side the entering and exit ends of two
consecutive helices of the inducing ring i, and at the opposite side the entering and
exit ends of two consecutive helices of the inductor ring A B, as indicated in the
diagram Fig 9 which also shews the course of the currents from the primary or
induced to the secondary or inductor magnets
Fig: 10 is a diagram shewing another arrangement in which each helix of the
ring i is connected to the corresponding helix of the ring A. B, in such a way that
each pair of helices of the ring i forms with the corresponding pair of helices
on the ring A B a closed circuit.-The helices are in this case "in quantity."
Under these conditions in either of the two systems the induced currents of the
ring i pass to the inductor ring A B, just at the points where in the ordinary way
the brushes or rubbers would be placed.
In Figure 7 I I is a fixed exterior ring covered with say 7500 Kilogrammes of
wire having a resistance of 0-35 ohms.
On rotating the axes o carrying the two armatures, a continuous current will be
induced in the wire of the ring I, I, which current may be utilized in any desired
manner, a portion however being furnished to the primary inductor a b
"
Having now described this Invention of Improved machinery for obtaining
continuous or alternating currents of electricity' as communicated to me from
Abroad and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to
be understood that I claim,
The machinery for producing continuous or alternating currents of electricity
without the use of rubbers, collectors, brushes or commutators, in which an
inductor either with magnetic or electro magnetic commutation, or combined
magnetic and electro magnetic commutation, is arranged in the magnetic field of a
permanent or an electro magnet substantially as and for the purpose herein shown
and described.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Edward Newton have hereunto set my
hand and seal the twenty fifth day of August in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.