Improvements in a Method and System for Generating and Distributing Electric Energy.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in a Method and System for Generating and
Distributing Electric Energy.
We, THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON COMPANY, LIMITED, of 83, Cannon Street,
in the City of London, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (which has been communicated to us from abroad by Charles M. Green,
residing at Lynn, in the County of Essex, State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Electrical Engineer,) 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 the present invention is to provide a method and system for gener-
ating and distributing electric energy which shall be capable of producing a total
electro motive force of any desired amount, and of so subdividing and distributing
the total electro motive force generated, that the difference of potential between
any two points in the circuits or in the machine may be reduced to and maintained
at any desired amount, and thus allow of the use of larger and more powerful
dynamo electric machines than can be at present safely employed. With this
object in view the invention consists in generating electro motive force in two or
more separate sets or groups of armature coils or bobbins and in distributing the
electro motive force so generated in separate circuits having translating devices
included therein, said working or load circuits being connected between and included
in series with the separate groups or sets of armature coils or hobbins. The
invention further consists in certain features of improvement and combinations of
parts in my improved system of electric current generation and distribution as
will hereinafter be described and pointed out in the claims.
The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment
of the invention, and illustrates the manner in which the invention may be employed
in connection with dynamos capable of generating a high electromotive force suit-
able for electric arc lighting.
A represents one end of an armature which may be an open coil or a closed coil
armature, a¹, a³ and a³ represents three separate commutator rings, and z¹, 2 and 3
represents three circuits in each of which is included such a number of armature
coils of an open coil armature, or such a proportion of the armature conductor of
a closed coil armature, as will suffice to generate at any desired speed an electro
motive force of say 2000 volts., and hence the total electro motive force of which
the machine will be capable of generating will be 6000 volts or more. In the event
an open coil armature is employed the group of coils or bobbins included in any
one of the circuits 1, 2 and 23 will be separate and distinct from the group of coils
or bobbins included in any other of said circuits whereby each group of coils or
bobbins may be independent of every other group. In the event of a closed-coiled
armature being employed, the armature winding will be subdivided into as many
separate and independent windings as there are commutator rings, so that each one
of such windings shall operate independently of the others in generating electro
motive force sufficient in amount to energise the maximum number of translating
devices that may be included in the circuit connected therewith.

page_text: E represents the brushes, of which it may be assumed that 61, 62 and 63 are the
positive and 64, 65 and 66 the negative brushes, while c represents the brush holders.
The commutator brush holders are mounted in a suitable yoke Y which is con-
nected with the solenoid Y₁ of an automatic regulator which serves to shift the
brushes and automatically vary, and regulate the output of electro motive force
to correspond to the work or resistance that may be included in the external or
working circuits of the machine. It has not been considered necessary to illus-
trate or describe in detail the construction or mode of operation of the automatic
regulator, because such devices are well known and any suitable regulator may be
employed in connection with a dynamo and circuits embodying the invention.
1, D2, D3 are the external or working circuits, in which are included any suit-
able translating devices, and for the sake of illustration it may be assumed that in
each circuit there is included 40 arc lamps of 50 volts each, so that the load of each
external circuit nearly balances the electro motive force generated in each one of
the groups of armature coils or bobbins included in the circuits z¹, 22 and 23. The
above conditions are desirable in practice but they are not essential, since any one
or more of the circuits may be cut out, or any number of the lamps in either one
of the circuits may be cut out, in which case the automatic regulator will operate
to cut down the total output of electro motive force generated by the several groups
of armature coils or bobbins to correspond to and operate the remaining lamps in
circuit.
It is of course understood that the figures above given are for the purpose of
illustration merely, although in fact, they clearly approximate the conditions that
exist in actual practice, and that in practice the machine will have a capacity for
generating an amount of electro motive force somewhat in excess of the amount
expended in operating the lamps or other translating devices in the external
circuits. d, and d³ are the circuit wires of the positive side and d, and de
those of the negative side of the external circuits. E¹, E and E3 represent switches
or cut outs for cutting out the external or working circuits whenever desired.
F represents the field coils of the machine, and G a cut out switch across the
terminals thereof. The arrangement of switches and circuit wires as shown is
diagrammatic merely, and it is to be understood that the invention is not confined
to the particular arrangement of parts shown and described.
The
With the circuit connections as shown and all the cutouts or switches open, the
electro motive force generated in the group or set of armature coils or bobbins
included in circuit ¹ and connected to the commutator ring a passes through
circuit D' and translating devices included therein, and back to the negative side
of the commutator ring a². The difference of potential between any of the brushes
of the commutator rings a¹ and a² will not measure but slightly more than
2000 volts, while between 61 and 62 it will be zero, or substantially zero.
electro motive force generated in the group of armature coils or bobbins included
in the circuit 22 and connected to commutator rings a will pass through circuit d,
the external or working circuit D2 and translating devices included therein, and by
circuit and brush to the commutator ring a³. The difference of potential
between the commutator brushes of the rings a³ and a³ will nowhere measure but
slightly more than 2000 volts. The electro motive force generated in the group of
armature coils or bobbins included in the circuit 23, and connected to the com-
mutator ring a³ will pass by commutator brush 63 through circuit 13 and trans-
lating devices included therein, and then through the field coils F of the machine
to brush 66 and to commutator ring a¹. The difference of potential between the
commutator brushes of the rings a³ and a¹ will measure but slightly more than
2000 volts.
It will thus be found that the difference of potential between any two points on
the machine or in the external circuits will but slightly exceed 2000 volts notwith-
standing that the machine is capable of generating a total electro motive force of
6000 volts or more.

page_text: A system of electric generation and distribution constructed in accordance with
this invention possesses many advantages over the systems in general use among
which may be noted the following. It allows of the use of less expensive insula-
tion; it involves less danger to the attendants and the public, and to the machine,
and renders it perfectly feasible and safe to employ machines of a capacity to
operate 500 arc lamps, which would require a total expenditure of 25000 volts.,
with a miximum difference of potential at any two points on the machine or
external circuits not exceeding 6000 volts., and can be made lower than that amount
if so desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion (as communicated to us from abroad) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
:―
1-A method of connecting a constant current dynamo having two or more
armature circuits with two or more lamp circuits consisting in arranging the con-
nections so that one or more of the armature circuits of the dynamo shall be inter-
posed between the lamp circuits and the voltage kept within safe working limits.
2-A system for the generation and distribution of electric energy which com-
prises a dynamo electric machine having two or more sets or groups of armature
coils or conductors, and two or more working circuits, each of which is electrically
connected between and in series with the sets or groups of armature coils, substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
3-A system for the generation and distribution of electric energy which com-
prises a dynamo electric machine having two or more sets or groups of armature
coils or conductors, two or more working circuits each of which is electrically con-
nected between and in series with the sets or groups of armature coils the field
circuit of the dynamo being electrically connected in series with the working
circuits.
4-The combination with a dynamo having its armature conductor subdivided
into two or more separate groups or sets of coils or bobbins and a separate com-
mutator for each one of said groups or sets of coils of two or more lamp circuits,
the terminals of each being electrically connected with the positive side of the
commutator ring of one group of armature coils, and with the negative side of the
commutator ring of another group of armature coils, substantially as set forth.
5 The combination with a dynamo having its armature subdivided into two or
more separate groups or sets of coils, and a separate commutator for each set or
group of two or more lamp circuits, each of which is electrically connected at one
end with the positive side of the commutator of one group or set of armature coils,
and at its opposite end with the negative side of the commutator of another group
or set of armature coils, and switches for cutting out either one or all of said lamp
circuits, substantially as set forth.
6 The combination with a dynamo having its armature conductor subdivided
into two or more separate groups or sets of coils, and a separate commutator for
each set or group, of two or more lamp circuits each of which is electrically con-
nected with the positive end of one group of armature coils and with the negative
end of another group of armature coils, whereby the separate lamp circuits and the
separate groups or sets of armature coils are connected in series with each other,
substantially as described.
7-The combination with a dynamo electric machine having its armature con-
ductor subdivided into two or more separate groups or sets of coils, a field coil
included in series with the armature coils and working circuits, and a separate
commutator for each set or group of armature coils, of two or more lamp circuits
each of which is electrically connected at one end with the positive end of one
group of armature coils, and at its opposite end with the negative end of another
group of armature coils, substantially as set forth.
8 The combination with a dynamo having its armature conductor subdivided
into two or more separate groups or sets of coils or bobbins, a separate commutator

page_text: and commutator brushes for each set or group of armature coils and a field magnet
common to all said groups or armature coils, of two or more separate working
circuits each of which has translating devices included therein in series, said groups
of armature coils or bobbins, working circuits, and field magnet being connected
in series, substantially as set forth.
9--The combination with a generator of electric energy, having its generating
conductor subdivided into two or more sets or groups, of two or more working
circuits each of which is electrically connected between and in series with said sets
or groups of generating conductor, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
10-A system for generating and distributing electric energy consisting of two
or more sets or groups of generating coils or conductors, two or more working
circuits, each of which is electrically connected between and in series with the sets
or groups of generating coils and a regulator adapted to simultaneously and auto-
matically regulate the electro motive force generated by all said sets or groups of
generating coils or conductors to correspond at all times to the total resistance of
the translating devices in operation substantially as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of November 1898
THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON COMPANY, LIMITED.
A. R. MONKS,
W. MARTINDALE,
ALFRED CLEMENTS,
Directors,
Assistant Secretary.