Improvements in a Method and Apparatus 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 Apparatus 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 present invention relates to an improvement in the generation and dis-
tribution of electric energy, the object of the invention being to so couple up a
dynamo-electric machine having more than a single armature, that the total electro
motive force generated thereby can be distributed in subdivided circuits, the
difference in potential between any two points in which or in the machine, may be
reduced to and maintained at any desired amount and thus permit the use with
safety of dynamo electric machines capable of generating currents of heavy voltage.
With this object in view the invention consists in generating electro motive
force in two or more separate armatures operating between field magnets common
to both or all of them, and distributing the electro motive force so generated in
separate working circuits having translating devices included therein, said working
circuits being connected between and included in series with the separate arma-
tures.
The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and
combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in
the claims.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a view of a dynamo electric machine
embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an end view; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical
view; and Figure 4 is a view showing a dynamo with three armatures.
A represents a dynamo electric machine; N, S, the field magnet pole pieces
and B, B, standards which constitute bearings for the armature shaft C. On the
shaft C, two or more armatures D, E, are secured and adapted to rotate in a field
common to both. The form and construction of the armatures are not important;
they may be of any desired type and may be either open or closed-coil armatures,
but in all cases two or more are mounted to operate between field magnets common
to both or all of them.
Commutator rings F, F¹, are secured to the armature shaft and, in all cases,
correspond in number with the armatures employed in a particular machine. With
each commutator ring, a pair of commutator brushes a, a¹; b, 61, make contact,
said brushes being mounted in a suitable yoke G, which latter is connected with
an automatic regulator H 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. A
regulator" I may also be employed to automatically shunt some of the current
around the regulator H. It has not been considered necessary to describe or illus-
wall

page_text: trate in detail the construction or mode of operation of said regulators H, I,
because such devices are well known and any preferred form may be employed.
External or working circuits corresponding in number with that of the arma-
tures, are employed and are so arranged that they will be connected. between and
included in series with the armatures and their commutators. In the diagram-
matical view (Fig. 3) the commutator brush a is shown connected with one end
of the field magnet coil J and the end of the other field magnet coil J' is connected,
by a conductor c and through the regulators H, I, with a contact post d of a switch
board K. A shunt circuit extends from the wall regulator I, around the main
regulator H.
The commutator brush a¹ is connected, by a conductor f, with a contact post #
of the switch board and another contact post his connected a wire i with the
commutator brush b. The brush is connected, by a conductor ; with a contact
post of the switch board. The contact post d is connected by a conductor /
with a contact post m. Another contact post n is connected, by a conductor o
with the commutator brush a. The contact posts of the switch board are arranged
in pairs and the posts of each pair are adapted to be bridged by switch arms p, 4, T.
The terminals of one external circuit (L) are connected with the contact posts g, h,
of the switch board, and the terminals of the other external circuit (M), are con-
nected with the contact posts k, m. From this construction it is apparent that
when all the switches are open, the two external circuits will be in series with
each other and with the two armatures of the dynamo electric machine. By means
of the switch arm q, r, the working circuits may be short circuited, and by means
of the switch arm P, the machine can be rendered inactive by short-circuiting the
field magnet coils.
With all the switches open the circuits may be traced as follows: Beginning
with the commutator brush a, through armature D and its commutator F to the
brush a, then by conductor f to post g of the switchboard: then through external
circuit L to post h; then by the conductor i to brush b; through armature E and
its commutator to brush 61; then by conductor j to post k of the switch board;
then through the external circuit M to contact post m; then by conductor / to
post d; then by conductor c through the regulators H, I, and to one end of the
field magnet coil J¹; then to other field magnet coil J and from the latter to the
commutator brush a. Thus all the electro motive force generated in the arma-
ture D will flow through the external circuit L and translating devices included
therein, and all the electro motive force generated in the armature E will flow
through the external circuit M and the translating devices included in that circuit.
When it is desired to render the machine inactive the switch arm p will be made
to connect posts d-n, whereupon the field magnet coils will be short-circuited
through the conductor o.
It is apparent that the invention is applicable with dynamos having three or
more separate armatures, in which case, three or more commutators and a corre-
sponding number of external circuits will be employed.
In each external circuit, translating devices are included and, for sake of illus-
tration it may be assumed that in each circuit there are included 40 arc lamps
of 50 volts each, so that the load of each external circuit will nearly balance the
electro motive force generated in each one of the armatures of the dynamo electric
machine, the total capacity of the dynamo shown in the drawings being assumed
to be between 4,000 and 5,000 volts. 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 armatures 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 closely approxi-
mate 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

page_text: in excess of the amount expended in operating the lamps or other translating
devices in the external circuits. It will be found that the difference of potential
between any two points on the machine or in the external circuits, will but slightly
exceed 2,000 volts, notwithstanding that the machine (shown in the drawing)
is capable of generating a total electro motive force of 4000 volts or more.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention (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 current generation and distribution which consists in generating
electro motive force in two or more separate armatures operating in fields common
to both or all of them, and distributing electro motive force so generated in separate
working circuits having translating devices included therein, said working circuits
being connected between and included in series with the separate armatures.
2 A system for the generation and distribution of electric current, which com-
prises a dynamo having two or more armatures and a common field, a commutator
for each armature, and working circuits corresponding to the number of armatures,
each of which working circuits is electrically connected at one end with the positive
side of one commutator and at its opposite end with the negative side of another
commutator, the several armatures, commutators and working circuits being con-
nected in series with each other substantially as set forth.
3-The combination with a dynamo having a series of separate armatures, of
a series of external circuits corresponding with the number of armatures, said
external circuits being arranged in series with the armatures and in series with
each other, substantially as set forth.
4 The combination with a dynamo having a series of separate armatures, of
a commutator for each armature, a series of external circuits corresponding to the
number of armatures, said external circuits each having one end connected to a
brush of one commutator and its other end connected with a brush of another
commutator substantially as set forth.
5 The combination with a dynamo having a series of separate armatures and
a commutator for each armature, of external circuits corresponding in number
with that of the armatures, said armatures and external circuits being all connected
in series with each other and switches for cutting out any one of said external
circuits, substantially as set forth.
6 The combination in a dynamo electric machine, of two or more armatures,
a field magnet common to the armatures, two or more working circuits, each inter-
posed between and included in series with the armatures, and an automatic regu-
lator for varying the electro motive force of the current generated to correspond
with load interposed in said working circuits, substantially as set forth.
7-The combination with two or more armatures of two or more external circuits
having translating devices included therein, each circuit being interposed between
and connected in series with the separate armatures, substantially as set forth.
Dated this Sth day of November 1898.
THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON Co., LTD.,
A. R. MONKS,
W. MARTINDALE,
Directors,
ALFRED CLEMENTS,
Assistant Secretary.