Improvements in Electrical Circuit Controllers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1898-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1898
[Communicated from abroad by NIKOLA TESLA, of 46, East Houston Sticet,
Borough of Manhattan, New York, United States of America, Electrician ]
Improvements in Electrical Circuit Controllers.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents.
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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.―
I have heretofore invented and patented methods and apparatus for the genera-
tion, conversion and utilization of electrical currents of very high frequency based
upon the principle of charging a condenser, and discharging the same, generally
through the primary of a transformer, the secondary of which constituted the
source of working currents, and under such conditions as to yield a vibrating or
rapidly intermittent current.
In some of the forms of apparatus which I have heretofore devised for carrying
out the methods referred to, I have employed a mechanism for making and
breaking an electric circuit or branch thereof for the purpose of charging and dis-
charging the condenser, and the present application is based upon a novel and
improved type of a circuit controller or device for this purpose The pinciples of
construction and operation of the apparatus designed in accordance with this
invention will be understood from the following statement of the nature of its
requirements and mode of use
In every device which makes and breaks an electric circuit with any considerable
degree of abruptness, a waste of energy occurs during the periods of make or break,
or both, due to the passage of the current through an arc formed between the
receding or approaching terminals or contacts, or, in general, through a path of
high resistance. The tendency of the current to persist after the actual disjunction
or to precede the conjunction of the terminals exists in varying degrees in different
forms of apparatus, according to the special conditions present For example, in
the case of un ordinary induction coil, the tendency to the formation of an arc at
the break 18, as a rule, the greater, while in certain forms of apparatus for
utilizing the discharge of a condenser, such as heretofore referred to, this
tendency is greatest at the instant immediately preceding the conjunction of the
contacts of the cucuit controller which effects the discharge of the condenser
The loss of energy occasioned by the causes mentioned may be very considerable,
and 18 generally such as to greatly restrict the use of the circuit controller and
render impossible a practical and economical conversion of any considerable
amounts of electrical energy by its means, particularly in cases in which a high
frequency of the makes and breaks is required
Extended experiment and investigation, conducted with the aim of discovering
a means for avoiding the loss incident to the use of ordinary forms of cucuit
controllers, have led me to recognize certain laws governing this waste of energy
and which show it to be dependent, chiefly, on the velocity with which the terminals

page_text: approach and recede from one another and also more or less on the form of the
current wave. Briefly stated, from both theoretical considerations and practical
experiment, it appears that the loss of energy in any device for making and
breaking a circuit, other conditions being the same, is inversely proportional rather
to the square than to the first power of the speed or relative velocity of the terminals
in approaching and receding from one another, in any instance in which the
current wave is not so steep as to materially depart from one which may be
represented as a sine function of the time
But such a case seldom obtains in practice, on the contrary, the current curve
resulting from a make and break is generally very steep, and particularly so when,
as in my system, the circuit controller affects the charging and discharging of a
condenser, and consequently the loss of energy is still more rapidly reduced by
an increased velocity of approach and separation of the terminals. The demonstia-
tion of these facts and the recognition of the impossibility of attaining the desired
results by using ordinary forms of circuit controllers, have led me to invent the
novel apparatus for making and breaking a circuit, which in several modified
forms is made the subject of the present application
Various devices for malang and breaking an electric current have heretofore
been used or proposed in which the separable contact points or terminals were
contained in an exhausted vessel or surrounded by an inert atmosphere, but there
are certain theoretical conditions necessary for complete success, which I have
recognized and which have not been attained by the means heretofore employed
These may be summed up as follows:
(1) The medium by which the contact points are surrounded should have as
high an insulating quality as possible, so that the terminals may be approached
to an extremely short distance before the current leaps across the intervening
space.
(2) The closing up or repair of the injured dialectric, or in other words, the
restoration of the insulating power, should be instantaneous, in order to reduce to
a minimum the time during which the waste principally occurs
(3) The medium should be chemically inert so as to diminish as much as
possible the deterioration of the electrodes and to prevent chemical processes
which might result in the development of heat, or in general, in loss of energy.
(4) The giving way of the medium under the application of electrical pressure
should not be of a yielding nature, but should be very sudden, and in the nature of
a crack, similar to that of a solid, such as a piece of glass, when squeezed in a
vice;
(5) And most important, the medium ought to be such that the aro, when formed,
is restricted to the smallest possible linear dimensions and is not allowed to spread
or expand.
As a step in the direction of these theoretical requirements I have heretofore
employed in some of my circuit controlling devices a fluid of high insulating
qualities, such as liquid hydro-carbon, and caused the same to be forced, preferably,
with great speed, between the approaching and receding contact points of the
circuit controller By the use of such liquid insulation a very marked advantage
was secured, but while some of the above requirements were attained in this
manner, certain defects still existed, notably that due to the fact that the inalating
liquid, in common with a vacuous space, though in a lesser degree, permits the arc
to expand in length and thickness, and to thus pass through all degrees of
resistance, thereby causing a greater or less waste of energy.
To overcome this defect and to still more nearly attain the theoretical conditions
required for most efficient working of the circuit controlling devices, I have been
finally led to use a gaseous insulating medium subjected to great pressure
The application of great pressure to the medium in which the make and break
are made, secures a number of special advantages One of these may be obviously
inferred from well-established experimental facts, which demonstrate that the

page_text: carried to the points where the ducts open, and discharge it upon the vanes of
the disk g¹¹.
By this means the disk is set in rapid rotation, establishing the contact between
the two sides of the receptacle which constitute the two terminals of the circuit
controller whenever the two streams or jets of fluid are simultaneously in contact
with the vanes, but breaking the contact whenever the jets discharge through the
spaces between the vanes.
The chief object of employing two insulated jets rather than one is to secure &
higher velocity of approach and separation, and in this respect the device may be
still further improved by providing any number of such insulated compartments
and jets and a corresponding number of rotating rigid conductors.
The disk g, having acquired a very rapid rotation, operates by gyrostatic action
to prevent any tendency of the body I to rotate or oscillate, as such movement
would change the plane of 1otation of the disk The movement of the parts,
therefore, and the operation of the device as a whole is very steady and uniform
and a material practical advantage 18 thereby secured The speed of the disk
will be chiefly dependent on the velocity of the streams and pitch of the blades,
and it 18, of course, necessary, in order to produce a constant speed of rotation of
the disk, that the velocity of the streams be constant This is accomplished by
rotating the receptacle with a constant speed, but when this is impracticable and
the uniformity of motion of the disk very desirable, I resort to special means to
secure this result, as by providing overflowing reservoirs 21, 211, as indicated by
dotted lines, from which the fluid issues upon the vanes with constant velocity,
though the speed of the receptacle may vary between wide limits
It will be understood that the jets which effect the electrical contact, need not
necessarily be utilized to drive the disk, but that for this latter purpose additional
jets may be provided and applied to an insulated portion of the disk or to a body
connected therewith, in which case such jets may be made to impinge instead
of upon the peripheral portions, on parts situated nearer to the axis of rotation,
thus causing a more rapid movement of the disk. The jets may also be produced
in many other ways
To still further increase the rate of relative movement of the terminals, each
may be rotated with respect to the other This may be effected in various ways, of
which the device shown in Fig 6 18 an example In said figure H designates a
casting, of cylindrical form within which 18 a standard or socket in which is
mounted a vertical spindle a carrying the circuit controlling mechanism.
The said mechanism 18 contained in a receptacle A, the top or cover of which is
composed of an annular plate and a cap or dome B, the latter being of insulating
material or of a metal of comparatively high specific resistance, such as German
silver Any suitable means may be employed to effect the rotation of the re-
ceptacle, the particular device shown for this purpose being an electro-magnetic
moto, one element a¹ of which is secured to the spindle a or receptacle A, and
the other a" to the box or case H Within the receptacle A, and secured to the
top of the same, but insulated therefrom, is a circular conductor with downwardly
extending projections or teeth d. This conductor is maintained in electrical
connection with a plate H¹ outside of the receptacle by means of screws or bolts "
passing through insulated gaskets in the top of the receptacle A
Within the latter is a standard or socket h, in which is mounted a spindle h¹
concentric with the axis of the receptacle.
Any suitable means may be provided for rotating the spindle independently of
the receptacle A, but for this purpose I again employ an electro-magnetic motor,
one element of which is secured to the spindle within the receptacle A, and
the other is secured to the box II and surrounds the cap or dome B, within
which is mounted the armature A¹¹
Depending from the epindle h¹ cr the armature h" is a cylinder, to which are
secured arms 6, 61 extending radially therefrom and supporting short tubes or

page_text: shaft D having a spiral blade E¹ and extending down into a well or cylindrical
recess in the bottom of the receptacle
One or more ducts or passages E lead from the bottom of this well to points
near the path of the conducting teeth of the disk D so that by the rotation of the
5 screw E the conducting fluid will be forced up through the duct or ducts from
which it issues in a jet or jets against the rotating conductor
To facilitate this operation, the well is surrounded by a flange E" containing
passages el which permit the conducting fluid to flow from the receptacle into the
well, and having bevelled sides which serve as a shield to deflect the fluid
expelled from the ducts through the spaces in the conductor to the bottom of the
receptacle
Any suitable reservoir M is placed in communication with the interior of the
main receptacle and partially filled with a liquified gas which maintains a
practically inert atmosphere under pressure in the receptacle Preferably, though
mainly as a matter of convenience, the reservoir M is a metal cup with a hollow
central stem F¹, the opening for the passage of gas being controlled by a screw-
valve in the top of the eup The cup is screwed onto the end of the spindle C,
through which is a passage F" leading into the interior of the receptacle
To insure a good electrical connection between the sleeve D and the spindle C,
I provide in the former a small chamber f which contains mercury, and into which
the end of the spindle C extends
Fig 6 illustrates a modification of the circuit controller which involves two
prominent features useful in devices of this character. One, that it provides for
maintaining, in a rotating receptacle, a stationary jet or jets which, by impinging
on a rigid conductor, maintain the latter in rotation thereby securing the
requisite rapidly intermittent contact between the two, the other, that it utilizes
the rotation of such rigid conductor as a means for opposing or preventing the
movement of its own supports in the direction of rotation of the receptacle, thereby
securing, among other things, an approximately constant relative movement
between the parts, a feature which, in devices of this kind, is often verv
desuable
In said Fig 5 the receptacle A is provided with trunnions which have beanings
in standards f, f, and which peimit the rotation of the receptacle about a
horizontal axis
In the particular form of device under consideration the receptacle is divided
into two parts insulated by a washer G and held together by insulated bolts G¹
with nuts G¹¹.
A body I is supported by trunnions 9 having bearings in the ends of the
receptacle and concentric with the axis of rotation of the same The weight of the
body I, being eccentric to this axis, tends to oppose its turning about the axis when
the receptacle is rotated
Upon the body or support I, but insulated therefrom, is secured a vertical
standard g in which there is a freely rotatable spindle f' carrying a disk g" with
radial arms inclined to the plane of the disk so as to form vanes di
Arms 2,
2' are also secured to the body I and are formed with, or carry at their
ends, ducts or tubes d with one end directed towards and opening upon the vanes d¹,
and the other end close to the inner wall of the receptacle and opening in the
direction opposite to that of its rotation
A suitable quantity of mercury is placed in the receptacle before the latter 18
sealed or closed
The operation of the device is as follows The receptacle is started in rotation,
and, as it acquires a high velocity, the mercury or other conducting fluid is
caused, by centrifugal action, to distribute itself in a layer over the inner
peripheral surface
As the tubes or ducts d do not take part in the rotation of the fluid, being held
at the start by the weighted body I, they take up the mercury as soon as it is

page_text: extension of smaller diameter
The receptacle is secured to the end of a spindle a
which is mounted vertically in bearings of any character suitable for the purpose.
Rapid rotation 18 imparted to the receptacle in any suitable manner, as by means
of a field magnet a¹ secured to the base or frame, and an annular armature l
secured to the receptacle A The coils of the armature are connected with the
plates of a commutator secured to the receptacle A and made in cylindrical form
80 as to surround the socket in which the spindle a is stepped
A body of magnetic material which serves as an armature is mounted on
anti-friction bearings on an extension of the spindle a so that the receptacle and
the body may have freely independent movements of rotation
Suntounding the dome B in which the armature 18 contained is a core with pole
pieces, which are magnetized by coils b wound on the core The said core is
stationary, being supported by arms b', Fig 2, independently of the receptacle,
so that when the receptacle is rotated and the core energized, the attractive force
exerted by the poles upon the armature within the receptacle A holds the
said armature against rotation To prevent loss from currents set up in the shell
of the dome B, the latter should be made of German silver or other similar
precaution taken
An alm 119 secured to the armature c¹ within the receptacle A and carries at
its end a short tube d bent as shown in Fig 2, so that one end is tangential to the
receptacle wall, and the other directed towards the center of the same
Secured to the top plate of the receptacle A are a series of conducting plates
The part of the top plate d" from which said conducting plates depend, is
insulated from the receptacle proper by insulating packing rings, but is electrically
connected with the dome B, and in order to maintain electrical connection from
an external circuit to the conductors da mercury cup e is set in the top of the
dome, into which cup extends a stationary terminal plug e¹
A small quantity of a conducting fluid, such as mercury, 18 put into the re-
ceptacle A and when the latter is rotated, the mercury, by centrifugal action, is
forced out towards the periphery and rises up along the inner wall of the receptacle
When it reaches the level of the open mouthed tube d, a portion is taken up
by the latter which is stationary, and forced by its momentum through the tube
and discharged against the conductors as the latter pass in rapid succession by
the orifice of said tube
In thus way the circuit between the receptacle and the conductors d' is completed
during the periods in which the stream or jet of mercury impinges upon any of the
said conductors and broken whenever the stream is discharged through the spaces
between them
The feature of my invention which consists in maintaining an atmosphere of
inert gas under pressure in the receptacle containing the circuit controller
1s applicable to all of the forms of circuit controller herein described A special
arrangement for the purpose, however, is shown in Fig 4, which exhibits also a
modified aangement of the circuit controlling mechanism designed to overcome
the objection which in some cases might lie to such forms as those of Figs 2 and 3
from the amount of work which the conducting fluid is required to perform at very
high speeds
Refeiring to Fig. 4, the receptacle A has a head B secured by a gas-tight insulat-
ing joint
A spindle C is screwed or otherwise secured centrally in the head B and
on this is mounted on antifriction bearings a sleeve D to which rotary motion
may be imparted in any suitable manner, as by securing to said sleeve D) a
laminated magnetic core a' and placing around the portion of the head B which
contains it a core all provided with coils and constituting the primary element
of a motor capable of producing a rotary field of force which will produce a rapid
rotation of the secondary element or core a¹
To the depending end of the sleeve D 18 secured a conducting disk D¹ with
downwardly extending teeth or projections d'
To the sleeve or to the disk D is also attached, but insulated therefrom, a

page_text: As under
striking distance of an arc 18, approximately, inversely proportional to the pressure
of the gaseous medium in which it occurs." But in view of the fact that in most
cases occurring in practice the striking distance is very amall, since the differences
of potential between the electrodes are usually not more than a few hundred
volts, the economical advantages resulting from the reduction of the striking
distance, particularly on the approach of the terminals, are not of very great
practical consequence By far the more important gain I have found to result
from a novel effect which I have observed to follow from the action of such a
medium when under pressure, upon the arc, namely, that the cross-section of the
latter is reduced approximately in an inverse ratio to the pressure
conditions, in other respects the same, the waste of energy in an arc is proportional
to the cross-section of the latter, a very important gain in economy generally
results A feature of great practical value lies also in the fact that the insulating
power of the compressed medium is not materially impaired even by considerable
increase in temperature, and, furthermore, that variations of pressure between
wide limits, if the apparatus is properly constructed, do not interfere notably
with the operation of the circuit controller In many other respects, however,
a gas under great compression, nearly fulfils the ideal requirements above men-
tioned, as in the sudden breaking down and quick restoration of the insulating
power, and also in chemical inertness which, by proper selection of the gas, is
easily secured
In applying this feature of my invention the medium under pressure may be
produced or maintained in any proper manner, the improvement not being limited
in this particular to any special means for the purpose. I prefer, however, to
secure the desired result by confining the circuit controller, or at least so much of
the same as shall include the terminals, in a closed chamber or receptacle with
rigid walls, with the interior of which communicates a small reservoir containing a
liquified gas.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings for a more detailed description of
the apparatus,
Fig 1 is a diagram illustrating the general arrangement of the circuit con-
troller and the special manner in which it is designed to be used
Fig 2 is a top plan view of the circuit controller
Fig 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the complete
apparatus indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1
The remaining figures are central sectional views of modified forms of the
apparatus, with the exception of Fig. 10, which is a sectional plan view of the upper
portion of the form of apparatus shown in Fig 9
The general scheme of the system for use with which the improved circuit con-
troller is more especially designed, will be understood by reference to Fig 1
In said figure X, X represent the terminals of a source of current A¹ is a self
induction or choking coil included in one branch of the circuit and
permanently connected to one side of a condenser A" The opposite terminal of
this condenser is connected to the other terminal of the source through the
primary A³ of a transformer, the secondary A' of which supplies the working
circuit containing any suitable translating devices, as A³.
The circuit controller A which is represented conventionally, operates to make
and break a bridge from one terminal of the source to a point between the choking
coil A and the condenser A", from which it will result that when the circuit is
completed through the controller, the choking coil A¹ is short circuited and stores
energy, which is discharged into the condenser when the controller circuit is bioken,
to be in turn discharged from the condenser through the primary A³, when the
said condenser and primary are short circuited by the subsequent completion of
the controller circuit
The parts
Figs 2 and 3 illustrate a typical form of the circuit controller
marked A, B, compose a closed receptacle of cylindrical form having a dome or

page_text: ducts d between the peripheral walls of the receptacle A and the series of teeth
or projections d¹.
The tubes have openings at one end in close proximity to the inner wall of
the receptacle A and turned in a direction opposite to that in which the latter is
designed to rotate, and at the other end orifices which are adapted to direct a
stream or jet of fluid against the projections d'
To operate the apparatus the receptacle A, into which a suitable quantity of
mercury is first poured, and the spindle h¹ are both set in rotation by their
respective motors and in opposite directions By the rotation of receptacle A
the conducting fluid is cuined by centrifugal force up the ades or walls of the same
and is taken up by the tubes or ducts d and discharged against the rotating
conductors d'. If, therefore, one terminal of the circuit be connected with any
part of the receptacle A, or the metal portions of the instrument in electrical
connection therewith, and the other terminal be connected to the plate H¹, the
circuit between these terminals will be completed whenever a jet from one of the
ducts d is discharged against one of the projections d', and interrupted when
the jets are discharged through the spaces between such projections.
Instead of using a solid or rigid conductor for one of the terminals or contacts
and a conducting fluid for the other, I may use a conducting fluid for both, under
conditions which permit of a rapidly intermittent contact between them, as will.
be seen by reference to Fig 7.
The receptacle, as shown in this figure, is composed of two parts insulated from
each other and supported by trunnions so as to rotate about a horizontal axis. The
avutting ends of the two parts are formed with inwardly extending flanges J¹
which divide the peripheral portion of its interior into two compartments Ju
and Ku
Into one of these compartments, as J", extends a spindle K, having its bearing
in one end of the receptacle A, and the trunnion secured to or extending therefrom.
Into the other compartment K" extends a spindle K¹ similarly jouinalled in the
opposite end of the receptacle A and its trunnion
Each spindle carries or is formed with a weighted arm I, which remaining in a
vertical position holds its spindle stationary when the receptacle is revolved.
To the weighted aim or spindle K is secured a standard L carrying a tube d with
one open end in close proximity to the inner peripheral wall of the compartment J¹¹
and the other directed towards the axis, but inclined towards the opposite
compartment
To the weighted arm or spindle K' is similarly secured to standard L' which
is hollow and constitutes a portion of a duot or passage which extends through a
part of the spindle and opens through a nozzle into a circular chamber in the
wall of the receptacle From this chamber run passages to nozzles m in position
to discharge jets or streams of liquid in such directions as to intersect, when the
nozzles are rotated, a stream issuing from the end of tube d.
In each portion or compartment of the receptacle is placed a quantity of
mercury, and the ends of the tubes are provided with openings which take up the
mercury when, on the rotation of the receptacle, it is called by centrifugal force
against the peripheral wall The mercury when taken up by the tube d issues
in a stream or jet from the inner end of said tube and is projected into the com-
partment K
The mercury taken up by the tube L¹ runs into the circular
chamber from which it is forced through the passages to the nozzles m from
which it issues in jets or streams directed into the compartment Ju As the
nozzles m evolve the streams which issue from them will therefore be carried
across the path of the stream which issues from the tube d and which is stationary,
and the circuit between the two compartments will be completed by the streams
whenever they intersect, and interupted at all other times."
The continuity of the jets or streams is not preserved, ordinarily, to any great
distance beyond the orifices from which they issue, and hence they do not serve as

page_text: conductors to electrically connect the two sides of the receptacle beyond their
point of intersection with each other
It will be understood that so far as the broad feature of maintaining the terminal
Jets 18 concerned, widely different means may be employed for the purpose and
that the spindles mounted in free bearings concentrically with the axis of rotation
of the receptacle and held against rotation by the weighted aims constitute but
one specific way of accomplishing this result. This particular plan, however, has
certain advantages and may be applied to circuit controllers of this class generally
whenever it is necessary to maintain a stationary or nearly stationary body within
a rotating receptacle
It is further evident, from the nature of the case that it is not essential that
the jet or jets in one compartment or portion of the instrument should be
stationary and the others rotating, but only that there should be such relative
movement between them as to cause the two sets to come into rapidly intermittent
contact in the operation of the device.
The number of jets, whether stationary or rotating, is purely arbitrary, but
since the conducting fluid is directed from one compartment into the other, the
aggregate amount normally discharged from the compartments should be
approximately equal. However, since there always exists a tendency to project a
greater quantity of the fluid from that compartment which contains the greater
into that which contains the lesser amount no difficulty will be found in this
respect in maintaining the proper conditions for the satisfactory operation of the
instrument.
A practical advantage, especially important when a great number of breaks
per unit of time is desired, 18 secured by making the number of jets in one com-
partment even and in the other odd, and placing each jet symmetrically with
respect to the center of rotation. Preferably the difference between the number of
jets should be one. By such means, the distances between the jets of each set are*
made as great as possible and hurtful short-circuits are avoided.
For the sake of illustration, let the number of jets or nozzles d in one compart-
ment be nine, and the number of those marked m in the other compartment ten,
then by one revolution of the receptacle there will be ninety makes and breaks
To attain the same result with only one jet as dit would be necessary to employ
ninety jets m in the other compartment, and this would be objectionable, not only
because of the close proximity of the jets, but also of the great quantity of fluid
required to maintain them
In the use of the instrument as a circuit controller it is merely necessary to
connect the two insulated parts of the receptacle to the two parts of the circuit
respectively.
In instruments of this character in which both terminals are formed by a liquid
element, there is no wear or deterioration of the terminals and the contact between
them is more perfect. The durability and efficiency of the devices are thus very
greatly increased.
I may also secure the same result by a modified form of circuit controller, in
which the closure of the circuit is effected through two parts of conducting fluid,
but in this case instead of breaking the circuit by the movement of these two
parts or terminals, as in the device of Fig. 7, I separate them periodically by the
interposition of an insulator which 18 preferably solid and refractory.
For example, I provide a plate or disk with teeth or projections of glass, lava
or the like, which are caused by the rotation of the disk to pass through the jet or
fluid conductor and thus effect a make and break of the circuit
By means of such a device the breaks always occur between fluid terminals, and
hence deterioration and consequent impairment of the qualities of the apparatus 18
avoided.
In Fig. 8, which shows this form of controller, the receptacle which contains
the terminals is mounted on a spindle a in a suitable socket or support so as to
rotate freely

page_text: The means shown for rotating the receptacle are the same as in Fig 3, although
any other might be employed.
In the spindle a, and concentric with its axis, is a spindle M supported on
ball-bearings or other wise arranged to have a free movement of rotation relatively
to the spindle a so as to be as little as possible influenced by the 1otation of the
latter
Any convenient means is provided to oppose or prevent the rotation of the
spindle M during the rotation of the receptacle In the particular arrangement
here shown for this purpose a weight or weighted arm I 18 secured to the spindle M,
and eccentrically to the axis of the latter, and, as the bearing for the spindle a holds
the same at an angle to the vertical, this weight acts by gravity to hold the
spindle M stationary.
Secured to the top or cover of the receptacle A, by a stud m' which passes
through an insulating bushing in said cover and is held by a nut m¹¹, is a ciicular
disk of conducting material, preferably iron or steel, having its edge turned
downwardly and then inwardly to provide a peripheral through on the underside
of the disk.
To the under side of the disk M' is secured a second disk M" having downwardly
inclined peripheral projections n, n, of insulating and preferably refractory material
in a circle concentric with the disk M
A tube or duct d is mounted on the spindle M or the weight I, and 18 80 airanged
that the orifice at one end is directed outwardly towards the trough of the disk M¹
while the other lies close to the inner peripheral wall of the receptacle so that if a
quantity of mercury or other conducting fluid be placed in the receptacle and the
latter rotated, the tube or duct d, being held stationary, will take up the fluid
which is carried by centrifugal action up the side of the receptacle and deliver it
in a stream or jet against the trough or flange of the disk M¹ or against the
inner surfaces of the projections n of disk Mu, as the case may be
Obviously, ance the two disks M' and M rotate with respect to the jet or stream
of fluid issuing from the duct d, the electrical connection between the receptacle
and the disk through the fluid will be completed by the jet when the latter
passes to the disk M' between the projections n, and will be interrupted whenever
the jet is interrupted by the said projections
The rapidity and the relative duration of the makes and breaks is determined
by the speed of rotation of the receptacle and the number and width of the inter-
cepting projections n
By forming that portion of the disk M¹ with which the jet makes contact, as a
trough, which will retain, when in rotation, a portion of the fluid directed against
t, a very useful feature is secured. The fluid, under the action of centrifugal force
accumulates in and is distributed along the trough and forms a layer over the
surface upon which the jet impinges By this means a very perfect contact 18
always secured, and all deterioration of the terminal surfaces avoided.
The
It is not necessary that the conducting fluid which forms one of the terminals,
should be in the form of a jet issuing from the orifice of a tube or duct
same results may be secured by the use of a body or stream of the fluid maintained in
rapid movement in other ways, and in Figs. 9 and 10 I have illustrated a means
for accomplishing this.
The receptacle A 18 mounted and rotated in the case in the same manner as in
Fig. 8, and a spindle M carrying an eccentric weight I is also employed.
Attached to the spindle M or weight I is an insulated bracket 0 carrying a
standard or socket Of in which 18 mounted, on antifriction bearings, a spindle Ŏ"
Secured to this latter is a plate with radial arms o from which depend vanes of
A shield or screen P
blades o, with projections o" extending radially therefrom
encloses the vanes except on the side adjacent to the inner periphery of the
receptacle A
A small quantity of a conducting fluid is placed in the receptacle, and in order
B

page_text: to secure a good electrical connection between the vanes o' and a terminal on tho
outside of the receptacle, a small mercury cup pin metallic contact with the vanes
through the bracket 0 and socket O is secured to the weight 1 A metal stud
set in an insulated bolt m¹ projects into the cup p through a packed opening in its
cover One terminal of the cucunt controlling mechanism will thus be any part of
the metal receptacle, and the other the insulated bolt m¹
To operate the apparatus, the receptacle is set in rotation, and as its speed
increases the mercury or other conducting fluid which it contains is caned, by
centrifugal force, up the sides of the inner wall over which it spreads in a layer
When this layer rises sufficiently to encounter the projections oli on the blades or
vanes o, the latter are set in iapid rotation, and the electrical connection between
the terminals of the apparatus is thereby made and broken, it may be, with very
great rapidity
The projections o¹¹ are preferably placed at different heights on the vanes o so
as to secure greater certainty of good contact with the mercury film when in rapid
rotation
In all of the several modified forms of my improved apparatus above described,
the receptacle which contains or encloses the parts of elements of the circuit
controller proper, is rotated; but this is not essential, since, by proper modification
of the apparatus the necessary relative movement may be secured between the
terminals when contained in a stationary receptacle
This is illustrated in Fig. 11, in which a stationary receptacle A is shown as
composed of top and bottom plates of metal and a cylindrical portion of insulat-
ing material, such as porcelain Within the receptacle, and preferably integral
with the side walls, are two annular troughs W, W', which contain a conducting
fluid, such as mercury Terminals R, R¹, passing through the bottom of the
receptacle through insulating and packed sleeves, afford a means of connecting
the mercury in the two thoughs with the conductors of the circuit.
'T'o
Surrounding that portion of the device in which the troughs W, W₁,
lie is a core A¹¹ wound with coils arranged in any suitable and
well-known manner to produce, when energized by currents of different phase, a
rotating magnetic field in the space occupied by the two bodies of mercury
intensify the action, a circular laminated core is placed within the receptacle.
If by this or any other means, the mercury is set in motion and caused to flow
around in the troughs, and if a conductor be mounted in position to be rotated by
the mercury, and when so rotated to make intermittent contact therewith, a circuit
controller may be obtained of novel and distinctive character, and capable of many
useful applications independently of the other features which are embodied in
the complete device which is illustrated.
For the present purpose I provide in the center of the receptacle a socket in
which 18 mounted a spindle R carrying a disk rl Depending from said disk are
arms which afford bearings, for a shaft S supporting two stai-shaped
wheels S, Su, arranged to make contact with the mercury in the two troughs
respectively. The shaft S is mounted in insulated bearings, so that when both
wheels are in contact with mercury the circuit connecting the terminals R, R¹ will
be closed The disk carries an annular core T, and coils T are supported
outside of the receptacle and are preferably of the same character as those used
for imparting rotation to the mercury, but the direction of 1otation should be
opposite to that of the mercury
The rate of rotation of the wheel 81, S depends upon the rate of relative
movement of the mercury, and hence if the mercury be caused to flow in one
direction and the wheels be carried bodily in the opposite direction, the rate of
rotation and consequently the fiequency of the makes and breaks will be very
greatly increased over that which would be obtained if the wheels S₁, S" were
supported in a stationary bearing
In all the forms of circuit controller above described in which the circulation

page_text: in the receptacle and a duct carried by the said magnetic body and adapted to
take up at one end a conducting fluid in the receptacle when the latter 1otates and
to direct such fluid from its opposite end against the senes of conductors
9 The combination with a receptacle for containing a conducting fluid, a series
of spaced conductors within the same, and a motor, the armature of which is
connected with the receptacle so as to impart rotation thereto, a magnetic body
capable of turning freely within the receptacle about an axis concentric with that
of the latter, a duct carried by the said body having one end in position to take up
the conducting fluid and the other in position to discharge it against the spaced
conductors, and a magnet exterior to the receptacle for holding the magnetic body
stationary when the receptacle is rotated
10 The combination with a closed receptacle in which 18 maintained an inert
insulating gaseous medium under great pressure, of a circuit controller contained
within the receptacle, as set forth.
11 The combination with a closed gas tight receptacle of a cucuit controller
contained within the same, and a vessel containing a liquefied gas, and communi-
cating with the interior of the receptacle, as set forth
12 The combination with a circuit controlling mechanism, one part of terminal
of which is a conducting fluid, such as mercury, of a receptacle enclosing the
same and means for maintaining an inert gas under pressure in the receptacle.
13 The combination with a conductor or series of conductors constituting one
terminal of a circuit controller, means for maintaining a stream or jet of con-
ducting fluid as the other terminal with which the conductor makes intermittent
contact, a closed receptacle containing the terminals, and means for maintaining an
inert atmosphere under pressure in the receptacle
14 A device for making and breaking an electric circuit comprising, in com-
bination, means for maintaining a jet or stream of conducting fluid which con-
stitutes one terminal, a conductor or conductors making intermittent contact with
the jet and constituting the other terminal and a receptacle enclosing and exclud-
ing oxygen from the said terminals
15 The combination of a casing, a conductor or series of spaced conductors
mounted therein, a motive device for rotating the said conductors, and a pumping
device rigidly connected with the conductors for maintaining a stream or streams
of conducting fluid directed against the rotating conductors, the said conductors
and the fluid constituting respectively the terminals of a circuit contioller
16 The combination of a casmg, a conductor or series of spaced conductors
mounted therein, a motor for rotating the same, one or more ducts or channels from
a receptacle containing a conducting fluid and directed towards the conductors,
and a pump operated by the motor for forcing the conducting fluid through the
duct or ducts against the conductors, the conductors and the fluid constituting the
terminals of an electric circuit controller
17 The combination with a receptacle containing a conducting fluid, of a con-
ductor mounted within the receptacle, means for rotating the same, a sciew rotating
with the conductor and extending into a well in which the fluid collects, and a
duct or ducts leading from the well to points from which the fluid will be directed
against the rotating conductor
18 The combination with the receptacle, of a spindle secured to its head or
cover, a magnetic core mounted on the spindle within the receptacle, means for
rotating said core, a conductor rotated by the core, and a pumping device, such
as a screw rotated by the core and operating to maintain a jet or jets of con-
ducting fluid, against the conductor, when in rotation
19 The combination in a circuit controller with a closed receptacle, of a rigid
body mounted within the receptacle and through which the circuit is intermit-
tently established, and means for directing a jet or stream of a fluid contained
in the receptacle against the said body so as to effect its rotation, as set forth
20 The combination in a circuit controller of a jot of conducting fluid con-

page_text: of the conducting fluid through tubes or ducts is maintained, the force which
impels the fluid is derived from the same source 8:8 that which rotates
the receptacle or maintains the relative movement of the terminals.
In other words, instead of employing an independent pump or like device for
forcing the fluid trough the ducts, I combine in one, the two mechanisms--the
controller and the means for maintaining a circulation of the conducting fluid.
It will be observed that the invention involves many features which are broadly
new in instruments of this character, and is not limited to the specific forms of
apparatus shown and described, but may be carried out by other and widely
differing forms
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is..
1 A circuit controller comprising in combination, a receptacle containing a
conducting fluid, means for rapidly rotating the receptacle or the fluid therein, and
a terminal or terminals supported within the receptacle and adapted to make and
break electrical connection with the fluid
2 The combination with a receptacle of a conductor or series of spaced con-
ductors, a nozzle or tube for directing a jet or stream of fluid against the same, the
nozzle and conductor being capable of movement relatively to each other, and
means for maintaining a circulation of conducting fluid, contained in the re-
ceptacle, through said nozzle, and dependent for operation upon such relative
inovement,
3 The combination with a closed receptacle of a conductor or series of spaced
conductors, a nozzle or tube for directing a jet or stream of fluid against the
same, and means for forcing a conducting fluid contained in the receptacle through
the said nozzle, these parts being associated within the receptacle and adapted to
be operated by the application of a single actuating power
4 The combination with a receptacle containing a series of spaced conductors,
a duct within the receptacle having one of its ends directed towards the said con-
ductors, means for maintaining a rapid movement of relative rotation between the
said end and the conductors and means for maintaining a circulation of a con-
ducting fluid contained in the receptable through the duct against the conductors,
the said conductors and jet constituting respectively the terminals or elements of
an electric circuit controller
5 The combination with a receptacle capable of rotation and containing a series
of spaced conductors, a duct within the receptacle having an orifice directed
towards the said conductors, and an open end in position to take up a conducting
fluid from a body of the same contained in the receptacle, when the latter is
1otated, and direct it against the conductors, the said conductors and the fluid
constituting the terminals or elements of an electric circuit controller.
6 The combination with a receptacle for containing a conducting fluid and a
series of spaced conductors therein, of a duct having an orifice directed towards
the said conductors and forming a conduit through which the fluid when the
receptacle is rotated is forced and thrown upon the conductors
7 The combination with a receptacle capable of rotation, and a series of con-
ductors mounted therein, of a duct having an orifice directed towards the con-
ductors, a holder for said duct mounted on bearings within the receptacle which
permit of a free relative rotation of said receptacle and holder, and means for
opposing the rotation of the said holder in the direction of the movement of
the fluid while the receptacle is rotated, whereby the conducting fluid within the
receptacle will be caused to flow through the duct against the conductors
8 The combination with a receptacle and a motor for rotating the same, of a
magnetic body mounted in the receptacle, a magnet exterior to the receptacle for
maintaining the body stationary while the receptacle rotates, a series of conductors

page_text: stituting one terminal, a conductor adapted to be rotated by the force of the
Jet, and in its rotation to make intermittent contact therewith, and an enclosing
receptacle, as set forth.
21. In an electric circuit controller, the combination of a closed receptacle,
a conducting body therein adapted to be rotated by the impingement thereon of a
jet or stream of conducting Huid, and means for maintaining such a jet and
directing it upon the said conductor, as set forth.
22. In a circuit controller, the combination with a rotary receptacle of a body
or part mounted within the receptacle and concentrically therewith, a conducting
terminal supported by said body and capable of rotation in a plane at an angle to
the plane of rotation of the receptacle so as to oppose, by gyrostatic action, the
rotation of the support, and means for directing a jet of conducting fluid against
the said terminal, as set forth
23. In a circuit controller, the combination with a rotary receptacle of a sup-
port for a conductor mounted thereon concentrically with the receptacle and a
gyrostatic disk carried by the support and adapted, when rotating, to oppose its
movement in the direction of rotation of the receptacle, as set forth
24 In a cirouit controller, the combination with a rotary receptacle containing
a conducting fluid, a support mounted within the receptacle, means for opposing
or preventing its movement in the direction of rotation of the receptacle, one or
more tubes or ducts carried thereby and adapted to take up the fluid from the
rotating receptacle and discharge the same in jets or streams, and a conductor
mounted on the support and adapted to be rotated by the impingement thereon of
said jet or jets, as set forth
25. The combination in a circuit controller of a rotary receptacle, one or more
tubes or ducts and a support therefor capable of rotation independently of the
receptacle, a conductor mounted on said support in a plane at an angle to that
of rotation of the receptacle, and adapted to be maintained in rotation by a jet of
fluid taken up from the receptacle by and discharged upon it from the said tube
or duct, when the receptacle is rotated
26 The combination with a rotary receptacle of one or more tubes on ducts, a
holder or support therefor mounted on bearings within the receptacle, which
permit of a free relative rotation of said receptacle and holder, a disk with a
bearing on the said holder and having its plane of rotation at an angle to that
of the receptacle, the disk being formed or provided with conducting vanes, upon
which a jet of conducting fluid, taken up by the tube or duct from the receptacle
when in rotation, is directed
27 A circuit controller comprising in combination means for producing streams
or Jets of conducting liquid forming the terminals, and means for bringing the
jets or streams of the respective terminals into intermittent contact with each
other, as set forth.
28 In a circuit controller, the combination with two sets of orifices adapted to
discharge jets in different directions, means for maintaining jets of conducting
liquid through said orifices, and means for moving said orifices relatively to each
other so that the jets from those of one set will intermittently intersect those from
the other, as set forth.
29 The combination in a circuit controller of ducts and means for discharging
therefrom streams or jets of conducting fluid in electrical contact with the two
parts of the circuit respectively, the orifices of said ducts being capable of move-
iment relatively to each other, whereby the streams discharged therefrom will inter-
sect at intervals during their relative movement, and make and break the electrio
circuit, as set forth.
30 In a circuit controller the combination with one or more stationary nozzles
and means for causing a conducting fluid forming one terminal to issue therefrom,
of one or more rotating tubes or nozzles, means for causing a conducting liquid
forming the other terminal to issue therefrom, the said rotating nozzles being

page_text: movable through such a path as to cause the liquid issuing therefrom to interseot
that from the stationary nozzles as set forth.
31. The combination with a rotating receptacle divided into two insulated com-
partments, a spindle in one compartment with its axis concentric with that of the
receptacle, means for opposing the rotation of said spindle, and a tube or duct
cared by the spindle and adapted to take up a conducting fluid at one end from
the inner periphery of the compartment when the receptacle is rotated and direct
it from the other end into the other compartment, of a similar spindle in the other
compartment and means for opposing its rotation, a tube carried by the spindle and
having an opening at one end near the inner periphery of the compartment and dis-
charging into a chamber from which lead one or more passages to nozzles fixed
to the rotating receptacle and adapted to discharge across the path of the jet from
the stationary nozzle, as set forth
32 In a circuit controller the combination with a rotating receptacle of a body
mounted thereon and formed or provided with a weighted portion eccentric to its
axis which opposes its rotation and a tube or duct carried by said body and adapted
to take up a conducting fluid from the rotating receptacle, as set forth
33. In a circuit controller the combination of two sets of terminals symmetrically
arranged about an axis of rotation and adapted to be brought successively into
contact with each other, the number of terminals in one set being even and in the
other odd, as set forth
34 In a circuit controller the combination of two sets of terminals symmetrically
arranged about an axis of rotation and adapted to be brought successively into
contact with each other, there being one more terminal in one set than in the other,
as set forth
35 In a circuit controller the combination of two sets of nozzles and means for
projecting from the same, jets of conducting fluid which constitute respectively the
terminals of the controller, means for moving the nozzles relatively to each other
so that the jets of the two sets are brought successively into contact, the nozzles
of each set being arranged symmetrically about an axis of rotation, there being
one more nozzle in one set than in the other
36. In an electrical circuit controller, the combination with means for producing
a stream or jet of conducting fluid which forms a path for the electric current of
a body adapted to be intermittently moved through and to intercept the stream
or jet, as set forth
37 In an electrical circuit controller, the combination with a rigid terminal,
of means for directing against such terminal a jet or stream of conducting fluid
in electrical connection with the other terminal, and a body adapted to be
intermittently moved through and to intercept the jet or stream, as set forth
38 In an electrical circuit controller, the combination with a rigid terminal, of
means for directing against such terminal a jet or stream of conducting fluid in
electrical connection with the other terminal, a body having a series of radial pro-
Jections and means for rotating the same so that the said projections will inter-
mittently intercept the stream or jet, as set forth
39. In a circuit controller, the combination with a rotary conductor forming
one terminal, means tor directing against such terminal a jet or stream of conduct-
ang fluid in electrical connection with the other terminal, and a body with spaced
projections mounted to rotate in a path that intercepts the jet or stream of fluid,
as set forth.
40. In a circuit controller, the combination with a conductor forming one
terminal, and means for directing intermittently against such terminal a jet or
stream of fluid in electrical connection with the other terminal, the part of said
conductor upon which the jet or stream impinges being formed or arranged
so as to retain, on its surface, a portion of the conducting fluid, as set forth.
41 The combination of the receptacle, a conducting disk secured within it, the
insulated disk with peripheral projections and the stationary tube or duct for

page_text: directing a stream or jet of conducting fluid towards the conducting disk and
across the path of the projections O, as set forth
42 The combination of the receptacle, the conducting disk with a peripheral
trough shaped flange, the insulated disk with peripheral projections O, and the
stationary tube or duct for directing a stream or jet of conducting fluid into the
trough shaped flange of the conducting disk and across the path of the pro-
Jections 0, as set forth.
43. A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a closed receptacle con-
taining a fluid, means for rotating the receptacle, a support mounted within the
receptacle, means for opposing or preventing its movement in the direction of
rotation of the receptacle, and a conductor caired by said support and adapted to
make and break electric connection with the receptacle through the fluid, as
set forth
44 A circuit controller comprising, in combination, a terminal capable of 1ota-
tion and formed or provided with radiating contacts, a closed receptacle containing
a fluid which constitutes the opposite terminal, means for rotating the receptacle,
a support therein for the rotating terminal, and means for opposing or preventing
the rotation of the support in the direction of the rotation of the receptacle, as
set forth
45 In a circuit controller, the combination with a receptacle capable of rotation
about an axis inclined to the vertical and containing a fluid which constitutes one
terminal, a second terminal mounted within the receptacle, on a support capable
of free rotation relatively to the receptacle, and a weight eccentric to the axis of
rotation of the support for said terminal for opposing or preventing its movement
in the direction of the rotation of the said receptacle, as set forth.
46 The combination with a receptacle mounted to revolve about an axis inclined
to the vertical, of a spindle within the receptacle and concentric with its axis, a
weight eccentric to the spindle, and a terminal carried by the said spindle, and
adapted to be rotated by a body of conducting fluid contained in the receptacle
when the latter is rotated, as set forth
47 The combination with a receptacle mounted to rotate about an axis inclined
to the vertical, a spindle within the receptacle and concentric with its axis, a
weighted arm attached to said spindle, a bracket or arm also secured to said
spindle, a 1otary terminal with radiating contact arms or vanes mounted on
said bracket in position to be rotated by a body of conducting fluid contained
in said receptacle when said fluid is displaced by centrifugal action, as set
forthl
48. In a cucuit controller, the combination with two terminals or sets of
terminals, one of which 18 composed of a conducting fluid, of means for imparting
to said terminals movements of notation in opposite directions, as set forth.
49 The combination in a circuit contioller of one or more bodies of conducting
fluid and a conductor or conductors constituting, respectively, the terminals of
said controller, and means for 1otating said terminals in opposite directions, as
set forth
50 The combination in a circuit controller of a receptacle and means for rotating
the same, one or more tubes oi ducts mounted within the same and capable of
rotation independently of the receptacle, means for imparting rotation to said
ducts, and a conductor or series of conductors moving with the receptacle, in
position to intermittently intercept jets of conducting fluid taken up by the ducts,
as set forth
51 In a circuit controller, the combination with a receptacle containing a con-
ducting fluid, means for imparting a movement of rotation to the fluid, and a
conductor adapted to be rotated by the movement of said fluid and to thereby make
and break electric connection with the fluid, as set forth.
52 In a circuit controller, the combination with a terminal or series of terminals,
contained in a receptacle, and a device operating by centrifugal action for taking

page_text: up a conducting fluid in said receptacle and delivering it directly or induectly
in a jet or stream upon said terminal or terminals intermittently, as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of June 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, WC,
Agents for the Applicant