Improvements relating to Apparatus for the Distribution and Conversion of Electric Currents.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1889
Specification Accepted, 18th May, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Apparatus for the Distribution and
Conversion of Electric Currents.
I, THOMAS HAMMILL HICKS, of Detroit, Michigan, United States of America,
Physician, 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 :-
This invention relates to a system of electrical distribution and conversion, whereby
alternating pulsating or intermittent currents of electricity of high tension are
converted into low tension currents, suitable for electric lights, or electric motors, and
the invention consists in the peculiar arrangement of an inductorium, and its com-
bination with a main or translating circuit, all as hereinafter described, and shown in
the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the inductorium with the main and translating
circuit.
Figure 2 is a vertical, central longitudinal section thereof.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are diagram sections showing various modifications in the
disposition of the expanding portion of the coil and its translating circuit.
A is a coil consisting of an iron core B, and a single conductor wound thereon in
the ordinary manner but consisting of the two portions C, D, of relatively fine and
coarse wire or ribbon conductors, electrically connected together to form a single
conductor. The coarse conductor may be either on the inside, as in figures 1, 2, 3, 4
and 7, or on the outside as in Figures 5 and 6.
E is a generator of alternating pulsating or intermittent electrical currents, and
F is the main circuit of said generator connected to the coil to include either
the whole conductor, that is, both the fine and coarse portions C, D, thereof, as in
figures 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7, or to include only the fine conductor C, (or a portion thereof)
as shown in Figures 4 and 5.
G is a translating circuit in which the incandescent lamps H are placed in multiple
connection, and this translating circuit is connected to the terininals of the coarse
conductor to include the portion D of the coil.

page_text: It will be seen that as the two portions C and D of the coil are always electrically
connected with each other, the current impulses from the generator have two ways
presented to them, one through the main circuit and that portion or portions of the
coil directly included into it, and the other by passing through the translating circuit
and the translating devices. The amount of direct current passing through the
translating circuit will always be proportioned to the resistance in said circuit, and in
the intervals when said current is broken, the current induced by the magnetism of
the core passes through the translating circuit, and its translating devices, and
thus the device operates as a converter of high tension currents into low tension
currents; by expanding the current in the translating circuit.
To obtain a high efficiency, the coil should contain a large mass of iron, which is
preferably disposed around the outside as shown in Figure 1, and built up in layers
of sheet iron.
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 I
claim is:
In a system of electrical distribution and conversion, the combination of a coil A,
wound with the relatively coarse and fine conductors, C and D electrically connected
with each other, the main circuit F including the generator and the conductors C
and D, or the conductor (; only, and the translating circuit G including the
conductor D of the coil, substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of March 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.