Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the method of distributing electric currents to various
distant points of consumption by providing at such points or stations induction
apparatus, the inducting coils of which are worked by alternating currents from an
alternate current generator at the main station, the induced currents of such
apparatus being made to supply the electrical energy required for consumption in
branch circuits at such stations.
For carrying out this method of working, the induction apparatus have hitherto
either been all arranged in series upon one and the same main circuit of the current
generator, as described in Goulard and Gibb's patent No. 4362 of 1882, or they
bave been placed upon branches arranged in parallel are upon the main circuit, as
proposed by Zippernowski, Deri & Blathey.
In both these arrangements certain disadvantages arise in respect of the regula-
tion of the inducing currents supplied to the several induction apparatus and of
the induced currents proceeding from these to the several branch circuits, so as to
insure their being in such proportion to the required consumption of electrical
energy therein as to maintain a uniform tension at the lamps which disadvantages
it is the object of the present invention to obviate.
According to the present invention, the alternate current generator is made to
communicate by means of separate leads with each of the induction apparatus of
the several branch stations, the generator being by preference arranged as centrally
as possible relatively to such stations, so that each induction apparatus receives an
independent supply of electric energy from the generator through conductors
having all practically a uniform resistance, the induction apparatus supplying in
[Prindl

page_text: their turn an induced current of proportionate energy to the lamps or other appa-
ratus on its branch circuit. If with this arrangement the consumption of electrical
energy were constant and equal in all the branch circuits, as were also the consump-
tion due to resistance in the conductors, it would follow that the tension at each
induction apparatus, and consequently at each lamp of each circuit, would also be
equal and constant; and if a uniform increase or decrease in the number of lamps
in action took place simultaneously in each branch circuit, the uniform tension in
all the induction apparatus and consequently in all the lamps might always
maintained by simply regulating the production of electrical energy at the central
generator. But in practice it will generally happen that the number of lamps in
action in one or more of the branch circuits will differ from the number in action
in the other circuits, and it may happen even that all the lamps in one or more of
the circuits are entirely out of action, while those in the other circuits are all
in action.
In this case it would be required for effecting a proper regulation, that the
electro motive force of the central generator should be made to differ in a corre-
sponding manner for each branch circuit in order to maintain at each one the
normal difference of tension notwithstanding the variation in the consumption,
but as this would be impossible when a single central generator (or a group of
generators coupled in parallel arc) is employed, the following means are adopted
according to this invention for effecting the required regulation of tension in such
cases. The like named poles of the inducing coils of all the induction apparatus
at the several branch circuits are all connected together by a so called " equalising
conductor "; that is to say, there is a conducting wire connecting all the plus-minus
poles and a second such conducting wire connecting all the minus-plus poles. By
this means the increased difference of tension which would occur in the induction
apparatus of any one branch circuit in which for the time being a smaller number
of lamps were in action than in the other circuits, resulting in the flow of too
strong an electric current towards such induction apparatus, would be equalised by
causing the excess of current so supplied to pass through the distributing conductors
to the several other induction apparatus, and thus the tension at such circuit would
be maintained equal to that of the other circuits.
As the said equalising conductors might require to be of considerable size in
order to provide for the equalisation of all possible fluctuations of consumption,
and might consequently entail considerable expense where a large number of
branch circuits existed at considerable distances apart, it is preferred, for the sake
of economy, to provide only for the equalisation of the normal fluctuations within
moderate limits by means of the equalising conductors, and to provide other means
of regulation for extraordinary cases of fluctuation. Thus according to one
arrangement for this purpose, the leads from the central generator to the induction
apparatus are so arranged that on a considerable decrease in consumption of
electrical energy in any one circuit taking place, the contact either of one or of
both the leads from the generator to its induction apparatus are broken, whereby,
in the one case, the resistance of the supply circuit would be greatly increased,
thus producing an equalising effect, while in the other case, the said induction
apparatus would only receive its current through the equalising conductors.
According to another arrangement the regulation for extraordinary fluctuations
may be effected by the inclusion or exclusion of special resistances in the supply
circuit, and this arrangement may be employed in combination with that previously
described. This arrangement would have the following advantage.
By means of the equalising conductors and by the disconnection of one or both
of the leads, only the tension-difference at the terminals of the inducing coils of
the apparatus can be maintained constant. As however the proportion between
the electrical energy consumed by a branch circuit and that consumed by its
induction apparatus will vary somewhat, according as the apparatus has to supply
many or few lamps, it will be evident that with a constant tension-difference at

page_text: the terminals of the apparatus, the tension at the lamps will nevertheless vary
somewhat. In order therefore to maintain this latter tension constant, the tension
at the induction apparatus must be rendered capable of a certain amount of varia-
tion, and this variation will be effected by the said resistances to be included in or
excluded from the supply circuit, so that such resistances effect as it were the more
delicate regulation of the tension differences, while the general or gross regulation
is effected by the equalising conductors and, if necessary, by the breaking or
making of contacts in the supply circuits.
In order to provide means for ascertaining at all times at the central station the
state of tension at the lamps of each branch circuit there is provided a special
conductor of thin wire leading from the lamp circuit of each branch station to an
indicating apparatus at the central station.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Distributing Electric
Currents.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the method of distributing electric currents to various
distant points of consumption by providing at such points or stations induction
apparatus, the inducting coils of which are worked by alternating currents from an
alternate current generator at the main station, the induced currents of such
apparatus being made to supply the electrical energy required for consumption in
branch circuits at such stations.
For carrying out this method of working the induction apparatus have hitherto
either been all arranged in series upon one and the same main circuit of the
current generator, as described in Goulard & Gibb's Patent No. 4362 of 1882, or
they have been placed upon branches arranged in parallel are upon the main
circuit, as proposed by Zippernowski, Deri and Blathey.
In both these arrangements certain disadvantages arise in respect of the regulation
of the inducing currents supplied to the several induction apparatus and of the
induced currents proceeding from these to the several branch circuits so as to
insure their being in such proportion to the required consumption of electrical
energy therein as to maintain a uniform tension at the lamps, which disadvantages
it is the object of the present invention to obviate.
According to the present invention, the alternate current generator is made to
communicate by means of separate leads with each of the induction apparatus of
the several branch stations, the generator being by preference arranged as centrally
as possible relatively to such stations, so that each induction apparatus receives an
independent supply of electric energy from the generator through conductors
having all practically a uniform resistance, the induction apparatus supplying in
their turn an induced current of proportionate energy to the lamps or other
apparatus on its branch circuit. If with this arrangement the consumption of
electrical energy were constant and equal in all the branch circuits; as were also
the consumption due to resistance in the conductors, it would follow that the
tension at each induction apparatus, and consequently at each lamp of each circuit,
would also be equal and constant; and if a uniform increase or decrease in the
number of lamps in action took place simultaneously in each branch circuit, the
uniform tension in all the induction apparatus and consequently in all the lamps
might always be maintained by simply regulating the production of electrical
energy at the central generator. But in practice it will generally happen that the
number of lamps in action in one or more of the branch circuits will differ from
the number in action in the other circuits, and it may happen even that all the

page_text: lamps in one or more of the circuits are entirely out of action, while those in the
other circuits are all in action.
In this case it would be required for effecting a proper regulation, that the
electro-motive force of the central generator should be made to differ in a corre-
sponding manner for each branch circuit in order to maintain at each one the
normal difference of tension notwithstanding the variation in the consumption;
but, as this would be impossible when a single central generator (or a group of
generators coupled in parallel arc) is employed, the following means are adopted
according to this invention for effecting the required regulation of tension in such
cases. The like named poles of the inducing coils of all the induction apparatus at
the several brauch circuits are all connected together by a so called "equalising
conductor;" that is to say, there is a conducting wire connecting all the plus-
minus poles and a second such conducting wire connecting all the minus-plus poles.
By this means the increased difference of tension which would occur in the
induction apparatus of any one branch circuit in which for the time being a
smaller number of lamps were in action than in the other circuits, resulting in the
flow of too strong an electric current towards such induction apparatus, would be
equalised by causing the excess of current so supplied to pass through the dis-
tributing conductors to the several other induction apparatus, and thus the tension
at such circuit would be maintained equal to that of the other circuits.
As the said equalising conductors might require to be of considerable size in
order to provide for the equalisation of all possible fluctuations of consumption, and
might consequently entail considerable expense where a large number of branch
circuits existed at considerable distances apart, it is preferred, for the sake of
economy, to provide only for the equalisation of the normal fluctuations within
moderate limits by means of the equalising conductors, and to provide other
means of regulation for extraordinary cases of fluctuation. Thus according to
one arrangement for this purpose, the leads from the central generator to the
induction apparatus are so arranged that on a considerable decrease in consumption
of electrical energy in any one circuit taking place, the contacts either of one or
of both the leads from the generator to its induction apparatus are broken
whereby, in the one case the resistance of the supply circuit would be greatly
increased, thus producing an equalising effect while in the other case, the
said induction apparatus would only receive its current through the equalising
conductors.
According to another arrangement the regulation for extraordinary fluctuations
may be effected by the inclusion or exclusion of special resistances in the supply
circuit of each branch circuit, and this arrangement may be employed in com-
bination with that previously described. This arrangement would have the
following advantage.
By means of the equalising conductors and by the disconnection of one or both of
the leads, only the tension difference at the terminals of the inducing coils of the
apparatus can be maintained constant. As however the proportion between the
electrical energy consumed by a branch circuit and that consumed by its induction
apparatus will vary somewhat, according as the apparatus has to supply many or
few lamps, it will be evident that with a constant tension difference at the
terminals of the apparatus, the tension at the lainps will nevertheless vary some-
what. In order therefore to maintain this latter tension constant, the tension at
the induction apparatus must be rendered capable of a certain amount of variation
and this variation will be effected by the said resistances to be included in or
excluded from the supply circuit, so that such resistances effect as it were the more
delicate regulation of the tension differences, while the general or gross regulation
is effected by the equalising conductors and if necessary by the breaking or making
of contacts in the supply circuits.
In order to provide means for ascertaining at all times at the central station the
state of tension at the lamps of each branch circuit there is provided a special

page_text: conductor of thin wire leading from the lamp circuit of each branch station to an
indicating apparatus at the central station.
The accompanying drawing is a diagram representing an arrangement according
to this invention suitable for four sets of inductors I, II, III, IV each with its
group of lamps a, b representing the inducing and c the induced coils of each of
the four inductors. The ± pole of each inducing coil is connected by equalising
conductors with the pole of each of the others. If it be assumed that the lamps
of the groups I, II and IV are in normal work while only a few or none of the
group III are in action, then the excess of current passing to III becomes dis-
tributed to the other inductors, thus effecting approximate equalisation as above
explained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The berein described method of distributing electric currents by dividing the
district to be supplied into sub districts provided with separate inductors radially
connected to the source of electricity, and connected with each other by equalising
conductors, with means of farther regulating tension by including or excluding
suitable resistances, substantially as herein described.
2 In combination with a number of inductors arranged in parallel connection
with a source of electricity, equalising conductors connecting opposite poles of their
primary coils, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
x A וםחשבה ווד עור אומו
EL MUX AUDI V AT
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.