Improvements in Systems of Electrical Distribution.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Systems of Electrical Distribution.
I, WILLIAM LORD BLISS, of No. 505, Throop Avenue, in the Borough of Brooklyn,
in the City of New York and State of New York, United States of America, Electrical
Engineer, 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 object of my invention is to provide a method of automatic regulation in a
system of electrical distribution, wherein a dynamo-electric machine or generator
driven at varying speeds from an intermittent source of power, furnishes the electrical
energy for operating translating devices in a service circuit, or which, by storing in
addition electrical energy by charging a suitable storage battery or electric accumu-
lator, enables said translating devices to be operated continuously or at will.
If, in a system of electrical distribution as described, the variation in the speed of
the dynamo be considerable, it is, in general, advisable to adopt some method of
regulation which, while permitting the dynamo to operate at a low speed, will also so
control the output of the same at a high speed, that no injury to the machine, or to
apparatus in circuit with it, will result. If, also, the translating devices, operated by
the dynamo or by the electrical energy stored by the dynamo in accumulators for that
purpose, be of such a nature that a constant electro-motive force should be maintained
at their terminals, then further means must be supplied to secure such a result.
Systems of the nature described are met with in the electric lighting of railway
trains, where a dynamo deriving its motion from the car on which it is located, or
some part thereof, is employed for charging storage batteries which are carried on said
car for the purpose of illuminating the same, and also in electric lighting plants
operated by windmills, or by any source of varying intermittent power.
I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
such manner that those skilled in the art may readily make and use the same, and
afterwards point out its novelty in the claims. Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, show the main
dynamo used for charging a storage battery, which in turn supplies current to trans-
lating devices, and an auxiliary dynamo used simply to control the output of the
main dynamo. Figs. 1 and 3 show the field of the auxiliary dynamo excited by the
total current from the main dynamo, and Figs. 2 and 4 show said field excited by
the charging or battery current. Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate mechanical methods of
driving the auxiliary dynamo, either in conjunction with, or independently of, the
main dynamo. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate the application of an electric motor for
driving the auxiliary dynamo. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, show a main dynamo used for charging
a storage battery, which, in turn, supplies current to translating devices, and an
auxiliary dynamo whose function is to maintain the e.m.f. impressed upon the trans-
lating devices constant. The same remarks apply to Figs. 5 and 7, and 6 and 8, with
regard to the field connections of the auxiliary dynamo, as were made in the case of
Figs. 1 and 3, and 2 and 4. Figs. 5 and 6 show the same method of driving as Fig. 1,
while Figs. 7 and 8 are identical with Figs. 3 and 4 in this respect. Figs. 9, 10, 11,
and 12, are respectively combinations of Figs. 1 and 5, 2 and 6,3 and 7, and 4 and 8.
These figures are intended to be diagrammatic and conventional, rather than exact

page_text: representations of actual apparatus. Similar parts in all the drawings are represented
by the same letters or signs.
m
A is the armature of a direct current dynamo, designated hereinafter as the main
dynamo; B1 and B2 are the brushes of said dynamo, which bear upon the com-
mutator C. D is the field magnet coil of said dynamo, wound preferably with com-
paratively fine wire, and connected in a shunt or derived circuit with respect to the
brushes B1 and B2. The armature A is driven in any suitable manner, at varying
speeds, from any intermittent source of power. E is the arinature of a direct current
dynamo, hereinafter designated as an auxiliary dynamo; F1 and F2 are its brushes
bearing on the commutator G. H is the field magnet coil of said auxiliary dynamo,
and is preferably wound with a heavy wire of low resistance, and is connected directly
in series with the brushes B1 and B2 of armature A. I is a storage battery or electric
accumulator, and is connected directly in series with the brushes B1 and B2 of
armature A and coil H. A switch for opening and closing the circuit through the
armature A, coil H and storage battery I, is represented by J. This switch may be
operated by hand, or in any well-known manner. The circuit, comprising brush B';
wire 1, switch J, wire 2, coil H, wire 3, storage battery I, wire 4 and brush B2, I have
designated the working circuit. K represents translating devices which consist
generally of incandescent lamps, and hence require that the e..f. impressed upon
them be maintained as nearly constant as possible. The wires 5 and 6 are designated
the service circuit. The armature E of the auxiliary dynamo may be driven inde-
pendently of the armature A of the main dynamo, as shown in Fig. 1; or it may be
mechanically connected to armature A and driven from the same source of power
as illustrated in Fig. 2; or it may be driven by means of an electric motor
deriving its power from any suitable source, but preferably from the main dynamo,
as indicated in Fig. 3, and hereafter to be described. Said motor might also be
driven by said storage battery I.
Fig. 2 differs from Fig. 1 in that the wire 5 is connected to wire 2, and hence when
switch J is closed, wire 5 is connected directly to brush B¹. In Fig. 1, the service
circuit, consisting of wires 5 and 6 and translating devices K constitutes a shunt
simply to the storage battery I, whereas, in Fig. 2, said service circuit constitutes a
shunt to the storage battery I and coil H. In Fig. 1, the total current supplied by
the armature A of the main dynamo magnetizes coil H, while in Fig. 2 only that
part of the total current which charges the storage battery I, magnetizes coil H.
Figs. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, are similar with respect to the manner in which coil H is
connected, while the same holds true of Figs. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. The electric
motor referred to in Fig. 3, consists of an armature L, brushes M¹ and M², com-
mutator N, and field magnet coil O, which is here represented as wound with fine
wire, and connected as a shunt to the brushes M¹ and M². This electric motor may
be made to drive the auxiliary dynamo by means of any suitable mechanical con-
nection therewith. I do not confine myself to this type of motor, since a series
motor with coarse wire field coil might be similarly employed. I prefer, however,
the shunt-wound motor. As the electric motor just described is employed simply to
furnish the power necessary to drive the auxiliary dynamo, no special description of
its action will be given. There are a variety of ways in which said motor could be
wound and connected, and I do not confine myself to any one of them.
:-
The electrical action of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, is as follows:-
As soon as the armature A of the main dynamo attains sufficient speed to render its
e.m.f. equal to, or slightly greater than, that of the storage battery I, the switch J
closes. At this juncture, no current, or only a slight current, flows from the dynamo
whose armature is A, to the storage battery I. If the service circuit is complete, the
translating devices K will receive current principally from the storage battery I, and
partly from the armature A. Current will flow, however, from brush B¹, through
coil D, wire 8, brush F1, armature E, brush F2, wire 9, wire 4, and brush B2, thus
magnetizing the coil D. As long as no current passes from armature A to storage
battery I through coil H, the armature E will not produce an e.m.f., although it is
supposed to be running.

page_text: When the armature A runs at a high speed, its e.m.f. is thereby raised,
and a greater current flows through the working circuit and coil H. Armature E
now generates an e.m.f., which (the connections being properly made) opposes the
flow of current through coil D and armature E. By suitably proportioning the
various parts of this apparatus, it is apparent, that the current flowing through coil H
can be limited to any value desired, to correspond with a predetermined limit of
speed in the armature A. In Figs. 1 and 3, the total current of armature A is thus
regulated, while in Figs. 2 and 4 that portion of the total current of armature A
which I shall call the charging current, is thus confined within limits. Thus, it is
further apparent, that the arrangement of apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4,
will completely regulate within comparatively narrow limits the output of a dynamo
whose speed fluctuates through a wide range.
No attempt so far has been made to maintain constant the e.m.f. impressed upon
the translating devices. In fact, the e.m.f. impressed upon the translating devices,
when the latter are connected directly to the terminals of the storage battery, must
rise when the e.m.f. at said storage battery terminals is raised, in order that a
charging current may be forced through it.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, show variations of a method by which the impressed e.m.f.
on the translating devices in the service circuit is maintained practically constant. It
will be noted in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, that the shunt field coil D of the main dynamo
is connected directly across the brushes B1 and B2, nothing else being included in the
circuit. For the sake of adjustment, a variable resistance, or rheostat, might be
included in the circuit of the coil D in all the figures. In Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, is
shown an auxiliary dynamo whose armature is represented by E, brushes by P1
and P2, commutator by Q, and field magnet coil wound with coarse wire by H. This
It will be noted that the wire 6
auxiliary dynamo may be driven as described above.
of the service circuit is connected to the brush P¹; hence the current supplied to the
translating devices K must pass through armature E. The action of the apparatus
in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, is as follows:-No attempt is made to control the output of
the armature A of the main dynamo, but otherwise the action of said main dynamo
is exactly similar to that previously described in connection with Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The current flowing from the armature A, through coil H and storage battery I,
magnetizes said coil H, and charges said storage battery I. This charging process
At the same time, however,
raises the e.m.f. impressed upon the storage battery I.
the armature E, under the influence of coil H, generates an e.m.f., which (the
connections being properly made) opposes the flow of current through the translating
devices, provided, of course, the service circuit complete. By properly proportioning
the parts of this apparatus, a practically constant e.m.f. can be maintained on the
translating devices. In Figs. 5 and 7, the total current of armature A magnetizes
coil H, while in Figs. 6 and 8, only the charging current affects said coil. Whenever
the demand for current by the translating devices is greater than the main dynamo
is capable of supplying, by reason of a reduction of its speed, the deficiency would
be made up by the storage battery; and when the main dynaino was entirely
disconnected from the system, the whole current for the translating devices would
5 be supplied by the storage battery. In such cases, when coil H is connected as shown
in Figs. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12, the current would be reversed in coil H, and
consequently the e.mn.f., at brushes P¹ and P, in Figs. 6, 8, 10 and 12, would be
added to that of the storage battery I, which is not desirable. The switch J could
therefore be so adjusted that it should never be closed when conditions existed that
O would cause a reversal of current through coil H, and, when open, said switch
should short-circuit coil H. Any other means of stopping the auxiliary dynamo in
the service circuit might be employed. The short-circuiting of the coil H by the
opening of the switch J is however a positive advantage, since it removes whatever
resistance said coil H possesses from the service circuit.
$5
Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12, are respectively combinations of Figs. 1 and 5, 2 and 6
3 and 7, 4 and 8. The armature E of the auxiliary dynamo is shown in Figs. 9, 10, 11,
and 12, as having two windings connected respectively to the commutators & and Q.

page_text: The action of the apparatus in these last mentioned figures is in no way different from
that in the previous figures already described. It is evident that, by thus combining
the two methods, I produce a complete system in which the output of the main dynamo
is regulated or confined within pre-determined limits, and the e.m.f. impressed upon
the translating devices is maintained constant.
I wish it understood that in combining the two methods, the first of which is
shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, and the second in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, to form the
complete arrangement shown in Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12, I do not limit myself to a
common field coil H and an armature E having two windings. Two separate dynamos
suitably driven might be used, the armature of one being in the field circuit of the
main dynamo, and that of the other in the service circuit. Their field magnets might
be excited in a variety of ways. What I consider novel is the introduction directly
into the field circuit of the main dynamo, of a counter e.m.f., and also the placing, in
series with the translating devices, the service circuit of another counter e.m.f., and
further the methods of winding, connecting, and controlling the fields under whose
influence said e.m.f.'s are generated, whereby said e.m.f.'s are correctly proportioned
to control respectively the output of the main dynamo, and preserve constant the
e.m.f. impressed upon the translating devices. It will be apparent to all electricians
that in this system no waste of energy takes place, except that due to unavoidable
internal losses, the auxiliary dynamo and motor combination acting simply as a
transformer or inverted "booster."
My chief reason for combining the two auxiliary dynamo's in a machine having a
common field armature with two windings and two commutators, is that I consider
such a machine quite as effective, and, for economic considerations, far preferable to
the separate arrangement. Of course it is possible to vary my design by placing the
motor winding on the same armature with one or both of the windings of the
armatures of the auxiliary dynamo's, as in the ordinary motor generator, but I do not
consider such an arrangement advisable. In general, the motor should be a separate
machine with independent armature and field. The motor and auxiliary dynamo may
be combined in one structure, which is most desirable.
A series wound main dynamo might also be employed, in this case making the
armature of the auxiliary dynamo with brushes F1 and F2 a shunt to the series coil
of said main dynamo. The e.m.f. of the auxiliary dynamo would be made to oppose
the main e.m.f., and generally decrease as the speed and output of the main dynamo
increased, and thus shunt current from the main series coil, thus weakening the field
of the main dynamo. A differential fine winding on the coil H, in addition to its
coarse wire, and connected to a source of approximately constant e.m.f., would produce
the result required. A separately excited main dynamo might also be employed.
The storage battery does not constitute an indispensable element in the application
of my invention. The main dynamo may operate translating devices without a
storage battery, or may charge a storage battery alone. The complete combination
furnishes a reliable system of electric car lighting by means of incandescent lamps, a
storage battery, and an axle-driven dynamo.
If the main dynamo has any difficulty in exciting itself as a shunt-wound machine,
the terminals of coil D can be connected to the terminals of the storage battery I, or
by simply disconnecting wire 7 from wire 1, and connecting it to wire 2, an
approximately constant and separate excitation can be secured at all times. A switch
to be operated by hand or automatically could be used to break the circuit through
the coil D, when the dynamo was at rest.
In this specification, the armature of the main dynamo, and also that of the
auxiliary dynamo, are supposed to run in one direction only. If the direction of
rotation suffer reversal, some suitable means must be provided to maintain constant
the polarity of the brushes B1 and B2, and also of F1 and F2, and further, of P¹ and P².
In general, brushes B1 and B2 would be the only ones requiring such attention. If the
auxiliary dynamo be driven by an electric motor, as I have elsewhere indicated, no
reversal of direction of rotation would take place in the armature of said auxiliary
dynamo.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
ion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described method of controlling the current and e.m.f. of a dynamo,
consisting in demagnetizing the field of said dynamo, as the speed and e.m.f. of said
dynamo increase, by means of an auxiliary counter e.m.f., which increases as the
speed and e.m.f. of said dynamo increase, and which is connected in series with the
primary exciting field coil of said dynamo.
2. The herein described method of maintaining constant the e.m.f. impressed upon
translating devices which derive their energy from a storage battery, said storage
battery being arranged so as to be charged, simultaneously with the operation of said
translating devices, by a dynamo whose speed and e.m.f. vary, consisting in
generating in the circuit of said translating devices a counter e.m.f., which shall
vary from zero to a maximum coincidently with the variation of the e.m.f.
impressed upon the terminals of said storage battery by said dynamo, from a value
equal to that of the e.m.f. of said storage battery, when the charging current is zero,
to such a value as will enable the maximum charging current to be forced through
said storage battery by said dynamo.
3. The herein described method of maintaining constant the e.m.f. impressed upon
translating devices which derive their energy from a storage battery, said storage
battery being arranged so as to be charged, simultaneously with the operation of said
translating devices, by a dynamo, consisting in generating in the circuit of said
translating devices a counter e.m.f. of such value, that when said counter e.m.f. is
deducted from the e.m.f. impressed upon said storage battery by said dynamo
during said charging process, the remaining e.m.f. shall be constant and equal to
the e.m.f. impressed upon said translating devices by said storage battery, when said
charging process shall have been discontinued.
4. The herein described method of maintaining constant the e.m.f. impressed
upon translating devices which derive their energy from a storage battery, said storage
battery being arranged so as to be charged simultaneously with the operation of said
translating devices by a dynamo, consisting in generating in the circuit of said
translating devices a counter e.m.f. which is approximately proportional to the charging
current flowing through said storage battery.
5. The herein described method of maintaining constant the e.m.f. impressed
upon translating devices which derive the energy from a storage battery, said storage
battery being arranged so as to be charged simultaneously with the operation of said
translating devices by a dynamo, consisting in generating in the circuit of said
translating devices a counter e.m.f. which is approximately proportional to the sum
of the charging current flowing through said storage battery and the current flowing
through said translating devices.
6. The combination in a system of electrical distribution, of a main dynamo, a
shunt field-coil on said main dynamo, a storage battery connected so as to be charged
by said main dynamo, translating devices operated by said storage battery, and an
auxiliary dynamo connected in series with the shunt field coil of said main dynamo,
and so arranged that the e.m.f. of said auxiliary dynamo opposes the flow of current
through the shunt field coil of said main dynamo, for the purpose as herein set
forth.
7. The combination in a system of electrical distribution, of a main dynamo, a
storage battery connected so as to be charged by said main dynamo, translating
devices operated by said storage battery, and an auxiliary dynamo connected in series
with said translating devices, and so arranged that the e.m.f. of said auxiliary dynamo
opposes the flow of current through said translating devices, for the purpose as
herein set forth.
8. The combination in a system of electrical distribution, of a main dynamo
5 having a shunt field coil, an auxiliary dynamo having a coarse wire field coil, a
storage battery, a working circuit containing, connected in series, the armature of

page_text: :
said main dynamo, the coarse wire field. coil of said auxiliary dynamo, and said
storage battery, a service circuit containing translating devices connected in series
with the armature of said auxiliary dynamo, as a shunt to said storage battery and
the coarse wire field coil of said auxiliary dynamo, and a motor connected across the
terminals of said main dynamo, and fitted for driving said auxiliary dynamo, and so
arranged that the e.m.f. of the armature of said auxiliary dynamo, opposes the flow of
current through said translating devices, substantially as herein described.
9. The combination in a system of electrical distribution, of a main dynamo
having a shunt field coil, an auxiliary dynamo having a coarse wire field coil, and an
armature provided with two windings, a storage battery, a working circuit, including,
connected in series, the armature of said main dynamo, the coarse wire field coil of
said auxiliary dynamo and said storage battery, and a service circuit containing
translating devices connected in series with one winding of the armature of said
auxiliary dynamo, as a shunt to said storage battery, the other winding of the
armature of said auxiliary dynamo being connected in series with the shunt field coil
of said main dynamo, and so arranged that the e.m.f.'s of the two windings of the
armature of said auxiliary dynamo respectively oppose the flow of current through
said translating devices and the shunt field coil of said main dynamo, substantially
as herein described.
10. The combination, in a system of electrical distribution, of a main dynamo having
a shunt field coil, an auxiliary dynamo having a coarse wire field coil, and an armature
provided with two windings, a storage battery, a working circuit, including, connected
in series, the armature of said main dynamo, the coarse wire field coil of said auxiliary
dynamo, and said storage battery, a service circuit containing translating devices
connected in series with one winding of the armature of said auxiliary dynamo, as a
shunt to said storage battery, and a motor connected across the terininals of said main
dynamo, and fitted for driving said auxiliary dynamo, the other winding of the
armature of said auxiliary dynamo being connected in series with the shunt field coil
of said main dynamo, and so arranged that the e.m.f.'s of the two windings of the
armature of said auxiliary dynamo respectively oppose the flow of current through
said translating devices, and the shunt field coil of said main dynamo, substantially
as herein described.
11. The combination, in a system of electrical distribution of a main dynamo having
a shunt field coil, an auxiliary dynamo having a coarse wire field coil, and an armature
provided with two windings, a storage battery, a working circuit, including, connected
in series, the armature of said main dynamo, the coarse wire field coil of said auxiliary
dynamo and said storage battery, a service circuit containing translating devices
connected in series with one winding of the armature of said auxiliary dynamo as a
shunt to said storage battery, and the coarse wire field coil of said auxiliary dynamo,
and a motor connected across the terminals of said main dynamo, and fitted for
driving said auxiliary dynamo, the other winding of the armature of said auxiliary
dynamo being connected in series with the shunt field coil of said main dynamo, and
so arranged that the e.m.f.'s of the two windings of the armature of said auxiliary
dynamo respectively oppose the flow of current through said translating devices and
the shunt field coil of said main dynamo, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 21st day of March 1898