IMPROVEMENTS A communication from abroad by the IN MAGNETO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
A communication from abroad by the
IN MAGNETO-ELECTRIC MACHINES."
"Société l'Alliance," represented by Joseph Miot, of Paris, in the Republic of
Tropes
Sealed the 15th March 1878, and dated the 9th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th October 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGNETO-ELECTRIC MACHINES." A communication
from abroad by the "Société l'Alliance," represented by Joseph Miot, of Paris, in the
Republic of France.
This Invention relates to a mode of constructing magneto-electric machines, by
means of which great advantages are obtained both in simplicity and power over
machines of this description as heretofore constructed.
The improved machine is constructed with a view to the production of electric
light by currents alternately positive and negative. It possesses very important
properties, namely, a capacity for collecting the currents without the use of a
rubber, and consequently without heat; the supports or bearings conduct these
currents. It differs from all other machines in requiring no attention, and working
without any possibility of getting out of order.
In addition to its use in the production of light, this machine may be advanta-
geously employed in electro-metallurgy, and for magnetic decomposition, and its
currents may also, if required, be employed for telegraphic purposes.
In carrying out this Invention the machine is composed of a frame of wood, cast
iron, or other suitable material, having bars in the form of a St. Andrew's cross,
which serve to support a series of horse-shoe magnets arranged, say, at right angles
to each other, and also bearings upon which rotates a shaft carrying three or any
other suitable number of cylinders.

page_text: Each magnet is formed of a set of magnetized blades, converging towards the
central of the frame. The sets at the extremities having only a single induction to
supply are composed, of say, three horse-shoe blades; only those in the interval
inducting to the right and to the left are composed of, say, six blades. A sufficient
space is left between two consecutive series of magnets for the reception of one of
the cylinders; these cylinders carry induction coils or bobbins, in the present
example eight to each cylinder, and they are tightly secured in concavities provided
for their reception in the periphery of each cylinder by bands of copper insulated
by sheets of paper.
The bobbins are composed of a double tube of soft iron split throughout its entire
length, and having coiled thereon copper wire covered with cotton, and insulated by
a balsamic composition. The whole of the currents are conducted to one ring by
wires, and are transmitted through a rod to one of the bearings, where they are
collected and distributed through two wires leading to binding screws, where they
are subsequently directed to an electric lamp or any other receiver.
It is proposed to employ as an auxiliary the following arrangement of apparatus
for dividing the currents when circumstances render it necessary to do so :- --Upon
the central shaft is mounted, so as to be insulated therefrom, a disc which is in com-
munication with a certain number of the cylinders, the remainder of the cylinders
being in communication with the bearings. In order to transmit the currents which
are united in this disc a small rubber is employed, which is placed in contact with
the periphery of the former, and is provided with a binding screw carrying the
transmitting wire. When, on the other hand, it is desired to transmit the whole of
the fluid to a single receiver the wires are insulated from the rubber, and directed
to the bearing. The shaft carrying the cylinders receives its motion from the pulleys,
which are driven by a suitable motor, and rotate at a velocity of, say, from 250 to
300 revolutions per minute.
Each bobbin when it passes in front of the pole of a magnet receives a direct
current on approaching it, and an inverse one on receding from it. It thus becomes
the recipient of a large number of reciprocating currents of extreme intensity.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
April 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGNETO-ELECTRIC MACHINES." A communication
from abroad by the Société l'Alliance, represented by Joseph Miot, of Paris, in
the Republic of France.
The said Invention relates to magneto-electric machines for generating, collecting,
and applying the electricity resulting from the magnetic induction exercised by
magnets upon conducting bodies which are brought rapidly and intermittently
within their range or sphere of action, the currents thus obtained, which are prac-
tically continuous, being conducted to the bearings without the employment of
rubbers, and consequently without generating heat.
Magneto-electric machines of this description, as heretofore constructed, do not
admit of the division of the currents, whereas a facility for effecting that object is
indispensable in many cases, as, for example, when it is required to supply from one
source a number of receiving apparatus situate in different directions.
Now the present Invention consists in remedying this defect in the said machines
as ordinarily constructed by the employment, for dividing the currents generated, of
an auxiliary apparatus, or any suitable number of auxiliary apparatus (according to
the number of divided currents which it is desired to obtain) placed upon the shaft
or axis of the machine.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several
Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a transverse sectional elevation
of a magneto-electric machine of the description herein-before referred to, with the
improvements which form the subject of the said Invention applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same, one of the three cylinders
carrying the coils or bobbins being represented in section.
Figure 3 is a detail of one of the coils or bobbins.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate in detail one of the auxiliary apparatus herein-before
referred to, which enable the currents to be divided, Figure 4 being an end elevation,
and Figure 5 a side elevation of the same.
The machine in the example illustrated is composed of a frame A of wood or
metal, having bars a arranged in the form of a St. Andrews cross, which serve to
support magnets B and bearings C, the latter carrying a shaft D, upon which are
placed six discs E.
Four series of magnets B are employed, each of which series consists of four sets
of very powerful magnetised blades arranged radially in relation to the central axis
of the frame.
Each set of the two outer series which have only a single induction to supply
are composed of three horse-shoe blades only, those placed between inducting
to the right and to the left are composed of six blades. The inducting element of
the machine is thus composed of sixteen magnets in all arranged in such a manner
that those poles which are in closest proximity, or those which are situate diametrically
opposite to each other either in a vertical or horizontal plane are of different deno-
minations (positive and negative).

page_text: The spaces formed between each two consecutive series of magnets are occupied
by three cylinders G, each composed of two mahogany discs E, firmly secured upon
the central shaft D of the machine, which passes through their centres, and forms
the axis of rotation of the whole.
Each pair of discs carries at its circumference eight induction coils or bobbins F,
the number being equal to that of the poles in each vertical series of sets of
magnets, so that the element of induction is formed by twenty-four coils or
bobbins, all rotating with the horizontal axis of the machine, and submitted at each
revolution of the machine to the influence of eight poles of alternately opposite
denominations.
The coils or bobbins F (one of which is shewn detached drawn to a larger scale in
Figure 3) are carried in concave recesses formed on the circumferences of the discs E,
and are firmly bound together by a copper band G¹, insulated by a strip of paper,
not shewn in the Drawing; they are composed of two tubes of soft iron split
throughout their entire length, and having coiled thereon copper wire covered with
cotton, and insulated by a balsamic composition.
The wires are coiled in the same direction on all the bobbins, and the currents
from each coil or bobbin are collected directly by connecting them with a common
conductor.
Each coil or bobbin receives a double current each time that it passes before the
poles of a magnet, the said current being direct as it approaches the pole, and inverse
as it recedes from it, and thus becomes the recipient per minute of a large number
of reciprocating currents of extreme intensity.
Before the addition of a divider of the currents in these machines the extremities
of the wires of each coil or bobbin of the same denomination or of the same symbol
(positive, for example, or giving issue at a given moment to positive electricity)
were placed in communication with the central axis D of the machine the extremities
of the wires of the opposite denomination (or giving issue at the same moment to
negative electricity) were connected to a sleeve insulated from the axis D. Moreover
the axis D and the sleeve were placed in communication by means of two wires
leading to binding screws fixed upon the frame, and to which the currents of contrary
denominations generated by the machine passed continually.
According to the present Invention the central axis D is provided with one or more
copper discs H insulated from the axis D by a bush D¹ of wood. The wires of the
coils or bobbins which it is desired to cause to depart from the common action in order
to obtain the division of the currents are conducted to these discs. The transmission
of the fluid is effected by the employment of a small rubber I, which is brought into
contact with the periphery of the said dises by a small rod i fixed to the frame of
the machine.
At the end of the rod i carrying the rubber there is provided a binding screw J
carrying the transmitting wire. By means of this appliance the fluid may be col-
lected from several coils or bobbins, and distributed in several different directions to
supply as many apparatus.
Magneto-electric machines, with the auxiliary apparatus herein-before described
applied thereto, are applicable to the production of light in electro-metallurgy, for
magnetic decomposition in telegraphy, and generally for industrial purposes where
a facility for dividing the currents is an indispensable or desirable condition.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to ne by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the employment in combination with magneto-electric machines of
the description herein referred to of apparatus for enabling the currents generated

page_text: by the machine to be divided, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated
in detail in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the First day of April, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)