from Sources Distant from where they are to be Utilized.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 19th Aug., 1887.
from Sources Distant from where they are to be Utilized.
I, WILLIAM Phillips Thompson, F.C.S. M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
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 invention relates to the method of deriving electrical energy from any suitable
source of power, transferring such energy to distant points, and finally utilizing it
for any desired purposes, such for instance as electric lighting.
The object of the invention is to provide economical and safe means for rendering
available a constant mechanical power, such for instance, as a water fall, as a source
of power to generate electrical energy, and to transmit the same to remote points and
there transform into electric currents of such character as will best subserve the
purposes to which they are to be applied.
Heretofore various methods have been proposed for accomplishing this end, in
which two important obstacles have been encountered. First, conductors of large
dimensions and capacity have been necessary in order to convey a sufficient volume
of current, without exceeding the required electro-motive force, so that the original
cost of a plant becomes almost prohibitory; and second, when currents of high
electro-motive force are transmitted the danger incident to the transmission through
thickly populated districts and within buildings, becomes very great.
The general plan of the invention is to convey the electric energy in the form of
currents of high electro-motive force, through the more remote districts, in which
there is little danger of injury arising therefrom, to such points as are more exposed
or where for any reason it may be inexpedient to conduct currents of extremely high

page_text: potential. At such points the energy is transformed or converted into currents or
lower potential and greater quantity. The energy in this form is transmitted or
conveyed to the immediate vicinity of the translating devices or consuming apparatus,
where it is again converted into currents of still lower potential and of a quantity
suited to the particular purpose for which it may be required. In some instances it
may be desirable to convert the currents more than twice, but as a rule the translating
or consumption circuit will be required to be separated from the primary or generating
circuit by only one intermediate circuit.
In carrying out the invention, electrical energy is produced by means of an alternate
current generator or series of generators located in the vicinity of, and operated by
any convenient or available source of power, such for instance, as a stream of water,
or a steam engine. The primary generator is required to produce electric currents
having very high potential and in this form the energy is transmitted any required
distance to convenient points through conductors adapted to convey currents of high
electro-motive force rather than of any considerable quantity. It is then converted
into currents of lower potential and greater quantity, and transmitted, through
suitable conductors adapted to convey these currents to the immediate vicinity of the
points where it is to be expended, where the secondary currents are again in like
imanner converted into tertiary currents of still lower potential, or of any required
potential or quantity adapted to the special work which is to be performed, and are
conveyed thereto by appropriate conductors.
It is well understood that, as a matter of economy, electric currents of high potential
may be transmitted great distances with less actual loss of energy in transit, than
would occur if the same amount of electrical energy were transmitted in the form of
currents of lower potential and greater quantity. It will be thus understood that, by
transmitting the electric energy in the form of currents of high potential and reducing
the original potential step-by-step as required, a great saving in the original cost of
construction of the plant is secured.
The conversion of electric energy from a higher to a lower potential is secured by
means of an induction coil or inductorium, the primary conductor of which is included
in main circuit of high potential, while the secondary conductor forms a part of
the circuit through which the currents of lower potential are designed to circulate.
The accompanying drawing is a diagram illustrating the general organization of the
apparatus.
Referring to the figure, A represents a water-fall from which power is derived to
operate an electric generator A', in any convenient and well known manner. The
construction of the generator is such that alternating or intermittent currents shall be
transmitted from this generator through a main line conductor L'. These currents are
preferably of very high potential, say five thousand volts. The main line L extends
to a number of points X, X2, X³, more or less distant from the points xxx where
the electricity is to be consumed. At the points X1, X2, etcetera, there are located
induction coils or converters B1, B2, B3, B4, having their primary coils 6, included
in the main line circuit. The secondary coils 6, are included in independent
circuits L, L, L³, leading to the points Y¹, Y', in the more near vicinity of the
points xx. It will be necessary to follow out the description of the system of
distribution in connection with only one of the converters for example B¹. The
line L' leads from the secondary coil of this converter through the primary
coils, cc, in this instance of two converters C¹ C³, located at the point Y¹. The
secondary coil of the converter C' is included in a conductor leading through the
points to be supplied with electricity from that converter as an immediate source.
The electricity so supplied is utilized by means of translating devices, such as incan-
descent electric lights or in any other desired manner. If it is desired, for instance,
that currents of 100 volts should be supplied to the line 1, the induction coil or
converter may be constructed to reduce the current supplied by the conductor L'
from 1000 to 100 volts, and the inductor B¹ to reduce the current from the line L
from 5,000 volts to 1000 volts. It is not necessary that each of the converters B¹ B'
etcetera, should be constructed to reduce the potential in the same proportion, but

page_text: each converter should be adapted to the particular purpose to which the current is to
be applied. Any required number of converters may be included in the circuit of the
conductor either in series or in multiple arc. A second converter similar to the
converter C, is shown at C³. This is organized to supply currents to other
points xx.
A convenient organization is to place a converter C¹ at the entrance of a building
and lead the conductors therefrom to the translating or consuming devices in the
building, and to place a second converter C at the entrance of a second building in
like manner.
The necessity of conducting currents of high electromotive force into
and through the building is thus avoided.
A particular advantage secured by this organization is that the points of consumption
are insulated from the point of supply by an intermediate conductor, so that, by no
chance, can the high potential currents be conducted into the more exposed localities.
Another feature of importance is that currents of precisely the particular character
required may be drawn from a source of supply for the different locations.
It will be understood that suitable means for adjusting or regulating the production
and maintenance of the currents are to be applied to the system in the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
correspondent, I declare that what 1 claim is :-
1. The herein before described method of electrical distribution, which consists in
generating currents of high potential, transmitting the same to remote points, there
converting them into secondary currents of lower potential, transmitting the converted
currents to points in the more immediate vicinity of the points of consumption, and
there reconverting them into tertiary currents of still lower potential and transmitting
the last named currents to the points of consumption.
2. The herein before described method of electrical distribution and supply, which
consists in generating currents of high potential at a point remote from the point of
consumption, and reducing the electro-motive force step-by-step during its transmission
,to the point of consumption.
3. The hereinbefore described method of electrical distribution which consists in
transferring electrical energy from a high potential supply circuit to a lower potential
consumption circuit, through an interposed electrically insulated circuit.
Daded this 11th dow of July 1887
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.