Improvements in Generation of Electricity.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1887
Improvements in Generation of Electricity.
1, LEONIDAS GORBAN WOOLLEY, of the city of Grand Rapids, in the County of
Kent, and State of Michigan, one of the United States of America, Electrician, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN "GENERATION OF
ELECTRICITY" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings, in which :—
Figure 1 represents an apparatus to which my invention is applied.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken through the thermo-electric pile.
My invention relates to an improvement in the generation of electricity; and it
consists in the combination of a dynamo, a steam boiler, steam-pipe, or other such.
source of heat with a thermo-electric pile, which is applied to some portion of the
boiler, the smoke-stack, or the steam-pipes, as will be more fully described herein-
after.
The object of my invention is to utilize the heat generated in a steam-boiler, or
which is radiated from pipes through which the products of combustion or steam pass,
in connection with a thermo-electric pile, which is applied thereto in such a manner
as to generate an even steady current of electricity to charge the dynamo, and which
is suitable for arc or incandescent lighting, telegraphing, electro-plating, and other
such uses.
A represents an ordinary steam-boiler of any suitable construction; B, the stack;"
F, the pipe which conveys the steam from the boiler to the engine A', the shaft of the
engine being connected directly to the armature of the dynamo. Applied directly to
the smoke-stack B, the steam-pipe F, or to any portion of the boiler A itself is a
This
thermo-electric pile, CCC, which will be constructed in the usual manner.
pile may be of any desired size or length, and either only surrounds a portion of the
snioke-stack or the pipe F, as here shown, or may be made large enough to surround
the whole stack or the whole length of the steam-pipe, as may be preferred. These
piles may be inclosed within suitable jackets, if so preferred.
The heat which is generated from the stack B, from the waste products of combus-
tion, or from the steam-pipe F heats the inner junctures of the thermo elements,
while the outer junctions of the thermo-pile are kept moderately cool from being

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exposed to the ordinary temperature of the air, and hence a current is produced and
kept constant regardless of any mechanical or dynamic effect. This current thus
produced is preferably used to charge the field of force in a dynamo-electric machine, E,
but may be used to operate an independent circuit for incandescent lamps, as shown;
or the circuit may be divided and a portion of it used to supply the field-of-force
magnets in a dynamo. Those piles placed upon the steam-pipe F may either be used
for incandescent lighting, or positive and negative wires extending therefrom may be
connected to the wires D, which extend from the poles of the pile C, placed around
the stack, as may be preferred. Either one of the piles may be used separately, or
they may all be connected together, just as may be preferred. Should it be desired,
wires may be made to extend from the dynamo, and used for both arc and incandescent
lighting, as shown.
The constant supply of electricity such as is produced by thermo-piles will maintain
a very even and uniform field of force in a dynamo-electric machine, regardless of the
external circuit resistance which will be caused from a long or short are, or the
turning on or off of lamps. Where a dynamo has its field of force supplied direct
from its armature, any variation of the external circuit greatly affects the magnetic
intensity of the field, and hence produces an unsteady current. It is also a matter of
considerable economy where a field of force in a dynamo is supplied from other sources
than that of its own armature; and the armatures of the dynamo being revolved
under the influence of a powerful inagnet-field, by means of a steam-engine, produce
any desired current, according to the size of the conductors on the armature, up to
the full capacity of the steam-engine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is
The boiler in combination with a steam-pipe, smoke-stack or other conveyer of
heated material extending therefrom, a thermo-electric pile placed thereon, the steam-
engine, and the dynamo driven thereby, the wires extending from the thermo-electric
pile being connected to the dynamo for the purpose of charging it, substantially as
shown
Dated this 20th day of October 1887.
LEONIDAS GORHAM WOOLLEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.