Improvements in or relating to the Method and Means employed for Commuting Alternating Currents of Electricity, and Distributing or Storing the Electrical Energy so Obtained.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug.,
1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Method and Means employed for
Commuting Alternating Currents of Electricity, and Distributing
or Storing the Electrical Energy so Obtained.
I, CHARLES JAMES HALL, Electrician, of 117 Bishopsgate Street Within, in
the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to commute alternating currents of electricity into
direct or continuous currents at a point or points apart or remote from that at
which the said alternating currents are generated. After the said commutation,
the direct currents are at once available for distribution in any known manner for
lighting or power purposes, or the current energy may be stored by means of
secondary batteries for subsequent use. The invention is especially applicable to
railways, tramways, and telepherage lines upon which the tractive power is derived
from electric energy, as by its use power is obtainable from one or more distant
alternating current generating stations, commuted at convenient points, and applied
for tractive purposes in any known manner.
We carry our invention into effect as follows. At one or more points, upon an
alternating current supply circuit or circuits, at or remote from the generating
station, we arrange a suitable commutator, capable of rotation upon its axis, and
rotate the same by a small alternating current motor-working at the same speed
as, and acting synchronously with, the main generating alternating current dynamo
or dynamos supplying the circuit. The commutator is conveniently mounted upon the
armature spindle of the above named motor or it may be driven directly therefrom,
in any suitable manner. A small alternating current motor only, is required, as the
work of commuting light. Consequently the commutation may be done at a
number of points upon the alternating current circuit at a small expense, and these
commuting points may form starting points for other circuits or lengths of
system-upon which direct currents are used for traction, lighting, or other
purposes.
Furthermore, at any of the said commuting points, the current energy may be
stored in secondary batteries adapted for supplying light or power at that point, or
intended for portable use as upon certain kinds of electric tram cars.
Dated this 1st day of October 1890.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.¨
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Method and Means employed for
Commuting Alternating Currents of Electricity, and Distributing
or Storing the Electrical Energy so Obtained.
I, CHARLES JAMES HALL, Electrician, of 117 Bishopsgate Street Within, in
the City of London, 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 commute alternating currents of electricity into
direct or continuous currents at a point or points apart or remote from that at
which the said alternating currents are generated. After the said commutation,
known manner for
the direct currents are at once available for distribution in any

page_text: lighting or power purposes, or the current energy may be stored by means of
secondary batteries for subsequent use. The invention is especially applicable to
railways, tramways, and telepherage lines upon which the tractive power s derived
from electric energy, as by its use power is obtainable from one or more distant
alternating current generating stations, commuted at convenient points, and applied
for tractive purposes in any known manner.
I carry my invention into effect as follows: At one or more points, upon an
alternating current supply circuit or circuits, at or remote from the generating
station, I arrange a suitable commutator capable of rotation upon its axis, and
rotate the same by a small alternating current motor-working at the same speed
as and acting synchronously with, the main generating alternating current dynamo
or dynamos supplying the circuit. The commutator is conveniently mounted upon
the armature spindle of the above named motor or it may be driven directly
therefrom, in any suitable manner. A small alternating current motor only, is
required, as the work of commuting is light. Consequently the commutation may
be done at a number of points upon the alternating current circuit at a small
expense, and these commuting points may form starting points for other circuits-
or lengths of system-upon which direct currents are used for traction, lighting or
other purposes.
Furthermore, at any of the said commuting points, the current energy may be
stored in secondary batteries adapted for supplying light or power at that point, or
intended for portable use as upon certain kinds of electric tram cars.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation and Fig. 2 an end elevation of a suitable commutator
for the object in view.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of an alternating current motor carrying the aforesaid
commutator upon its spindle. It also shows an actuating electro motor adapted to
work the alternating motor, up to the speed at which it synchronizes with the
current generating dynamo, at the central or generating station, when the actuating
motor is mechanically disconnected from the other.
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation with circuits to three remote commuting
points.
In Fig. 1, a is a commutator mounted on the shaft 6 of an alternating current
moter c, (shown in Fig. 3), the shaft working in bearings d, d. A brush holder
collar or plate e is secured to a bearing d and carries brushes f, f¹ to transmit
alternating currents through the commutator to the armature of the motor. The
brushes g, h, respectively transmit positive and negative currents from the com-
mutator a. It will be noticed that the commutator is made up of two wide rings
with teeth fitting into each other and properly insulated in the known manner, but
wide enough at the continuous part to receive brushes. Consequently, the
alternating brushes f, f, bear on the toothed portion of the commutator, while the
positive and negative brushes g and bear on the continuous portion of the two
rings to collect direct currents.
In Fig. 2, the segments of the commutator a are shown by dotted lines, and the
relative positions of the alternating brushes f, f', (placed at the top), and the direct
current brushes g and h (placed at the bottom), with their holders upon the plate e,
are clearly indicated.
Fig. 3 represents a continuous current motor i, having a clutch j, thrown in and
out of gear by a handle k, mounted upon a bed plate 1. The commutator a, on the
shaft b, of the alternating current motor c, are together also mounted in the
bearings d, d, on the same bed plate 1. The clutch j mechanically connects
the shaft b of the alternating current motor with the shaft of the continuous
current motor i, when thrown into gear; and the motor i is started by currents
derived from any convenient source of supply. When the motor i and the con-
nected shaft bare run at the required speed to synchronize with the current phases
of the main alternating circuit, the alternating motor c is switched into the circuit
and the clutch j is mechanically disconnected by throwing the handle k into the

page_text: position shown in the figure; and the motor i is no longer required. A shunt
circuit extends from the main alternating current circuit through the armature of
the alternating current motor c; while another shunt circuit extends from the
commutator a through the brushes g and h to convey commuted or direct currents
to the field magnet coils of the said motor. In the event of a self starting
alternating current motor being used instead of the two motors-c and i-shown,
the former would require to be regulated so as to work in synchronous relation with
the main alternating current generator.
C
Fig. 4 represents a central alternating current generating station m with three
main distributing circuits n, o, and p. The circuit n supplies a lighting circuit g
through a transformer n', motor c and commutator a. The circuit o supplies a
traction circuit r, through a transformer o¹, motor c and commutator a; and like-
wise the circuit p supplies a storage circuits through the alternating current
motor c and commutator a, as previously described. A shunt is shown at each of
the three distributing stations-q, r and s-from the alternating circuit t to the
armature of the motor c, and at u, from the commuted currents to the field magnet
coils of the said motor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is;
1. The herein described method and means for commuting alternating currents of
electricity, and distributing or storing the electrical energy so obtained, substantially
as set forth.
2. The combination of a commutator with current collectors, and an alternating
current motor, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The combination of a commutator with current collectors, alternating current
motor, an actuating direct current motor, and means for mechanically connecting
and disconnecting the said motors, substantially as described.
4. In combination, a main alternating current circuit, a transformer, a direct
current circuit supplied from the said alternating current circuit through the
intervention of an alternating current motor and commutator, substantially as and
for the purpose herein described.
5. The combination of an alternating current circuit with a direct current circuit
supplied therefrom, an alternating current motor having a commutator, a shunt
circuit from the said alternating current circuit through the armature of the motor,
and a shunt circuit from the direct current circuit through the field magnet system
of the said motor, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
6. A commutator combined with a motor and having brushes or collectors for
alternating currents; and brushes or collectors for direct currents mounted on the
said commutator, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Dated this and T11001
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.