IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND APPLICATION OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
APPLICATION OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by
Alexis Jean Baptiste Cance, of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th May 1878.
"IMPROVE
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND APPLICATION OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS." (A
communication from abroad by Alexis Jean Baptiste Cance, of Paris, France.)
This Invention mainly consists in a new electro-magnet system applicable to the
following purposes:-Telegraphs, electric light, motors, chiefly for light machinery,
and also for locomotion.
This new electro-magnet may be applied as a direct agent to a new system of
motors, which may be employed to the different purposes before described as
ordinary motive power, and also for locomotion, either by land or water.
I will now give the description of this new electro-magnet, the object being to
collect all the advantages offered by the influence of a current induced in soft
iron.
Previous theories and experiments have shown that as the influence of an
induced current diminishes so much as the coil of the conducting wire gets distanced
from the rod or cylinder of soft iron magnetized under that influence, then it is
almost unnecessary to increase indefinitely the number of coils around the cylinder,
inasmuch as the current has the tendency to diminish.
In the new bobbin or electro-magnet made according to this Invention it has
been tried to make the best use of all the influence of an induced current, when at
the same time increasing the magnetizing surface. For this object, as in ordinary
electrodes, a bar or bundle of small central bars are employed, which carry a
certain number of coils of conducting wire on the whole of its length, with the

page_text: exception of a small space towards the top, and another space also at the base. It
may not be absolutely necessary to have one or more rows of wire adherent to this
first coil, but it may be made with, say two rows. This first operation being done
I place longitudinal close to each other a first series of small sticks or rods, which
touch each other, and also the first coil; this second operation done I again wind
the conducting wire on this first series of sticks or rods, and so on to an indeter-
mined number of series of sticks or rods, as well as of rows of intermediate con-
ducting wires placed spirally around each series of sticks or rods, commencing with
the central sticks or rods, or to an undetermined number; this conducting wire
remains always without being jointed to the exterior of the bobbin; this is done
by means of a passage between two rods of each series.
The size of the soft iron sticks or rods, as well as the size of the conducting wire
on the bobbin, may be increased or diminished at will.
By this new easy mode of intercallation of soft iron into the circuit of induced
current is obtained an increase of the magnetic surface, and by the employment of
rods a general increase with little expense of an electro-magnetic bobbin.
Different shapes of rods or sticks may also be employed, such as cylindric,
triangular, rectangular, or of any other shape, but always having small sectional
surface in order to construct with economy electro-apparatus of any geometrical
shape, according to the use this new apparatus is destined for. Two of these
bobbins being so prepared they are fitted with ring or collar at their base in order
to help the adhesion of each bobbin with the armaturo, which unites the two
bobbins. This collar is fixed to the armature by means of countersunk screws.
Another collar is placed at the top of each bobbin in order to hold the last coil of
the wire. The conducting wires are previously covered with a coating of shellac or
other similar material in order to protect them, and at the same time to give them
an even surface. This operation is repeated also to the base of each bobbin.
In this new system of electric motor or electro-magnet is obtained increase of
magnetic surface on the electro-maguet by the means of small rods of all shapes
placed by series of either a circular, rectangular, triangular, or other shape in the
circuit of an induced current made of rods, as centre of bobbin, and made with any
number of series of rods, and any number of rows of conducting wires placed
between the series of rods.
As I have said before that this improved system of electro may be applied to all
kinds of motors I will give an example of it, viz.; this electro-motor is an appli-
cation of the improved electro-magnet with a modification, consisting in the sup-
pression of the armature uniting the two bobbins, and instead of acting as magnetic
action on the two poles on the same plane it acts on the poles of opposite planes.
On a cast-iron frame are fixed two standards, each having at top a bearing. In
these two bearings revolves a shaft, provided at its centre part with a barrel or
nave made of bronze or wood. This barrel or nave is provided with five double
armatures, that is to say, each armature is of any required length, bent at its
extremity to an angle of 90°; then on a perpendicular line to the shaft, and at the
centre of frame, is placed at any required height in the middle of this line a
standard, which receives the first bobbin or electro-magnet. To the right and left
of this middle standard are two other standards; these are placed at even height to
each other, but higher than the middle one; these standards carry each an electro-
magnet; the middle standard carries also an electro-magnet. These three electro-
inagnets are fixed to their standards by means of strap stays, which are tightened
by screws or nuts. By the disposition of these three electro-magnetic bobbins and
that of the five armatures an immediate rotation is obtained.
To introduce successively the current from a battery in each of the bobbins a
commutator of a new construction is employed, but before describing it I must
explain the reason why five armatures and three bobbins or electrodes are employed,
and also why these five armatures are somewhat double; and at last, why, in this
motor, the electrodes are simply bobbins presenting at their ends surfaces of mag-.
netized iron in all their diameter.

page_text: It has been said above that by the employ of the rods of soft iron a very great
surface of magnetization is obtained, and that that surface spreads very near to the
last coil of the bobbin, and if I insist on these details it is in order to demonstrate
that acting tangentially as attractive means this system of electro-magnets presents
all the advantages possible, whereas the diameter of magnetization is not limited,
inasmuch as by increasing the bobbin the magnetic surface is proportionally
increased. I conclude by saying that on an electro of a diameter of 30º/m, including
the conducting wires, there is at the least 140% of attraction. For this motor this
mode of attraction is preferred to any other mode, and with three bobbins only
and five bent armatures is obtained an immediate rotation. By the junction of the
three axes of the bobbins a triangle is produced, and besides the line or surface of
the armatures, which produces a tangent by means of the bobbins, passes through
the axis of the driving shaft, which causes that all the thickness or width of the
armatures gets away from the axis parallel to the tangent, and the rotation takes
place immediately, because that when by this disposition one of the five armatures
is in a tangent position one of the remaining five is at the axis of one of the
bobbins, and so on successively for every bobbin and armature.
I will now describe the commutator, and how the current passes successively in
cach bobbin
The commutator is simply a circular disc made of copper, and divided in
fifteen regular parts insulated from each other; these produce fifteen times the
passage of the current at each revolution of the shaft, and this number being
divided by three to cause each bobbin to give five times the passage of this same
current. This circular disc provided with fifteen surfaces is fixed in a wooden disc
grooved at each side. Behind the copper disc are fixed by means of screws three
copper hoops having five arms; each of these arms forms contact with five surfaces
of the circle or disc. These five-armed circles or hoops are superposed and insulated
from each other, and they all respectively correspond by a conducting wire with
one pole of each bobbin. The three other poles of the bobbins are united in one
conducting wire only, which corresponds with the electric source. To effect the
passage of these fifteen currents into the commutator a roller is provided, which
receives motion from the shaft of the apparatus, and this roller forms contact upon
the circle or disc, which is divided in fifteen parts; and as the insulated space
between each surface of the circle or disc is very short the contact of the roller is
still existing upon one of the surfaces that it is already communicated to the
surface which precedes. A conducting wire is in communication with the roller,
and the same wire communicates with the electric battery, and thus forms the
other pole of the battery.
The new electro-magnet is thus not only applied as motive power, but the
Invention also includes a new arrangement of electric motor, as well as a new
system of commutator.
For this new disposition of electric motor may also be employed ordinary electro-
magnets, and also any kind of electro-magnets without two opposite coilings.
As this system may be considered as only a single bobbin with inagnetic surface
at both ends, the Invention is intended to cover the employment of armatures bent
at their ends, of any shape, whether horse-shoe, or angular, or otherwise, as well as
the new arrangement of commutator, the aim of which is to employ only a single
distribution or roller travelling on surfaces insulated from each others, whatever may
be their number, and whether the roller travels on a divided circular disc or on a
divided cylinder.
In the construction of this apparatus I have described iron for the armature as
being the cheapest, but if steel be employed instead, causing these arinatures to
become ordinary magnets, and the passage of the currents be modified, an electro-
magnet will be produced which also forms part of these improvements.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th November
1878.
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND APPLICATION OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS." A
communication from abroad by Alexis Jean Bapiste Cance, of Paris, France.
This Invention mainly consists in a new electro-magnet system applicable to the
following purposes:-Telegraphs, electric light, motors, chiefly for light machinery,
and also for locomotion.
This new electric magnet may be applied as a direct agent to a new system of
motor, which may be employed to the different purposes before described as
ordinary motive power, and also for locomotion, either by land or water.
This Invention also consists in an improvement on the Bunsen pile to avoid the
upsetting and mixing of the two liquids.
Figure 1 shows a complete electric apparatus constructed according to this
Invention; and Figure 2 is a plan of the apparatus showing the arrangement of
the wires or rods of iron, and the vacant space between the rods, where are placed
the conducting wires, which are covered with a coating of shellac or other similar
material in order to protect them, and at the same time to give them an even
surface. This operation is repeated also to the base of each bobbin. The darkened
part shewn in Figure 3 represents the coating of gum or other materials in the
thickness of the collar.
The main object of this Invention is to collect all the advantages offered by the
influence of a current induced in soft iron.
Previous theories and experiments have shown that as the influence of an
induced current diminishes so much as the coil of the conducting wire becomes
distanced from the rod or cylinder of soft iron inagnetized under that influence;
then it is almost unnecessary to increase indefinitely the number of coils around
the cylinder, inasmuch as the current has the tendency to diminish.
In the new bobbin or electro-magnet made according to this Invention it has
been tried to make the best use of all the influence of an induced current, while
at the same time increasing the magnetizing surface. For this purpose, as in ordinary
electrodes, a bar or bundle of small central bars, Figure 3, are employed, which
carry a certain number of coils of conducting wire on the whole of its length, with
the exception of a small space towards the top, and another space also at the
base. It may not be absolutely necessary to have one or more rows of wire
adherent to this first coil, but it may be made with, say, two rows. This first
operation being done I place longitudinally close to each other a first series of
small sticks or rods, which touch each other, and also the first coil; this second
operation done 1 again wind the conducting wire on this first series of sticks or
rods, and so on to any desired number of series of sticks or rods, as well as of
rows of intermediate conducting wires placed spirally around each series of sticks
or rods, commencing with the central sticks or rods, or to any number. This
conducting wire remains always in the same length without being jointed to the
exterior of the bobbin. This is done by means of a passage between two rods of
each series.
The size of the soft iron sticks or rods, as well as the size of the conducting
wire or the bobbin, may be increased or diminished at will.
By this new easy mode of interlocation of soft iron into the circuit an induced
current is obtained, an increase of the magnetic surface, and by the employment of
rods, a general increase with little expense of an electro-magnetic bobbin.
Different shapes of rods or sticks may also be employed, such as cylindrical,

page_text: triangular, rectangular, or of any other shape, but always having small sectional
surface in order to construct with economy electro-apparatus of any geometrical
shape, according to the use to which this new apparatus is applied. Two of those
bobbins being so prepared they are fitted with a ring or collar at their base in
order to help the adhesion of each bobbin with the armature, which unites the two
bobbius. This collar is fixed to the armature by means of countersunk screws,
Figure 1. Another collar is placed at the top of each bobbin in order to hold the
last coil of the wire.
In this new system of electric motor or electro-magnet is obtained increase of
inagnetic surface on the electro-magnets by means of small rods of all shapes
placed by series of either a circular, rectangular, triangular, or other shape in the
circuit of an induced current, which may commence at the centre, and there inado
of rods, as centre of bobbin, and made with any number of series of rods and any
number of rows of conducting wires placed between the series of rods.
Figure 2 shows an arrangement with circular rods, Figure 2ª one with triangular
bars, and Figure 2b one with rectangular bars.
As before stated this improved system of electro-magnets inay be applied to all
kinds of motors; an illustration of this is given at Figures 4 and 5.
This electro-motor is an application of the improved electro-magnet with a
modification, consisting in the suppression of the armature, uniting the two bobbins,
and instead of acting as magnetic action on the two poles on the saine plane it
acts on the poles of opposite planes.
On a cast-iron frame a, shown at Figures 4 and 5, are fixed two standards b,
each having at top a bearing. In these two bearings revolves a shaft c, provided
at its centre part with a barrel or nave d, made of bronze or wood. This barrel or
nave is provided with five double armatures e, that is to say, each armature is of
a given length, bent at each extremity to an angle of 90°; then on a perpendicular
line to the shaft, and at the centre of frame, is placed at any required height in
the middle of this line a standard f, which receives the first bobbin or electro-
magnet g. To the right and left of this middle standard are two other standards
g', g; these are placed at even height to each other, but higher than the middle
onc. These standards carry each an electro-magnet h, h¹. The middle standard
carries also an electro-magnet, shown by dotted lines in Figure 4; the two others
are shown right and left of same. Figure 5 shows one of the two upper bobbins
in the top view, and that of the centre is shown underneath. These three electro-
magnets are fixed to their standards by means of stays and flanges, which are
tightened by screws and nuts i. By this arrangement of these three electro-
magnetic bobbins and that of the five armatures an immediate rotation is obtained.
To introduce, successively the current from a battery in each of the bobbins a
commutator of a new construction is employed, but before describing it I must
explain the reason why five arınatures and three bobbins or electro-magnets are
employed, and also why these five armatures are nearly double the number of the
bobbins; and at last why, in this motor, the electro-magnets are simply bobbins,
presenting at their ends surfaces of magnetized iron throughout their diameter.
It has been said above that by employing rods of soft iron interlocated a very
great surface of magnetization is obtained, and that that surface spreads very nearly
to the last coil of the bobbin, and if I insist on these details it is in order to
demonstrate that acting tangentially as attractive means this system of electro-
magnets presents all the advantages possible, whereas the diameter of magnetization
is not limited, inasmuch as by increasing the bobbin the magnetic surface is pro-
portionally increased. I conclude by saying that on an electro-magnet of a diameter
of 30, including the conducting wire, there is at the least 14cm of attraction.
For this motor this mode of attraction is preferred to any other mode, and with
three bobbins only and five bent armatures is obtained an immediate rotation, as
shown by reference to Figure 4. By the junction of the three axes of the bobbins
a triangle is produced, and besides the line or surface of the armatures form a

page_text: tangent by means of the bobbins, and passes through the axis of the driving shaft,
which whereby the whole thickness or width of the armatures goes away from the
axis parallel to the tangent, and the rotation takes place immediately, because that
when by this arrangement one of the five armatures is in a tangent position one of
the remaining four is at the axis of one of the bobbins, and so on successively for
every bobbin and armature.
For greater simplicity I refer again to Figure 4, where at the right bobbin h¹
one of the armatures is forming tangent, and at left bobbin h another armature,
which is placed at the axis of the bobbin. By displacing the left armature, and
placing it to the axis of its bobbin, the following armature will be at the tangent
with the middle bobbin, and so on for all the bobbins and armatures.
I will now describe the commutator, and how the current passes successively in
each bobbin.
The commutator is simply a circular disc j, Figure 4, made of copper, and divided
in fifteen regular parts j¹ insulated from each other; these represent fifteen times
the passage of the current at each revolution of the shaft, and this number being
divided by three to cause cach bobbin to give five times the passage of this same
current. This circular disc provided with fifteen surfaces is fixed, as shewn in
Figures 4 and 5, in a wood disc j" grooved at each side 1. Behind the copper
disc are fixed by means of screws three copper hoops, having five arms; each of
these arms forms contact with five surfaces of the circle or disc j. These five.
armed circles or hoops are superposed and insulated from each other, and they each
respectively correspond by a conducting wire with one pole of each bobbin. The
three other poles of the bobbins are united in one conducting wire only, which
corresponds with the electric source. To effect the passage of these fifteen currents
into the commutator a roller is provided, which receives motion from the shaft
of the apparatus, and this roller forms contact upon the circle or disc j, which is
divided in fifteen parts, and as the insulated space between each surface of the
circle or disc j is very short the contact of the roller is still existing upon one of
the surfaces that it is already communicated to the surface which precedes. A
conducting wire is in communication with the roller, and the same wire com-
municates with the electric battery, and thus forms the other pole of the battery.
The new electric magnet is thus not only applied as motive power, but the
Invention also includes a new arrangement of electric motor, as well as a new
system of commutator.
For this new arrangement of electric motor may also be employed ordinary
electro-magnets, and also any kind of electro-magnets without two opposite
coilings.
As this system may be considered as only a single bobbin with magnetic surface
at both ends the Invention is intended to cover the employment of armatures,
bent at their ends, of any shape, whether horse-shoc, or angular, or otherwise, as
well as the new arrangement of commutator, the aim of which is to employ only
'n single distributor or roller travelling on surfaces insulated from each other, what-
ever may be their number, and whether the roller travels on a divided circular
disc or on a divided cylinder.
In the construction of this apparatus I have described iron for the armature as
being the cheapest, but if steel be employed instead, causing these armatures to
become ordinary magnets, and the passage of the currents be modified, an electro-
magnet will be produced, which also forms part of these improvements.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The construction and employment of magnetic bobbin or electro-magnet,
substantially as set forth.
Second. Bent armatures constructed either of several parts united end to end
or superposed over each other, as well as their uses, either by five, or of any other
number, substantially as set forth.

page_text: Third. Commutators with single roller having circular motion, all substantially
as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
PETER JENSEN. (L.S.)