IMPROVEMENTS IN TRANSFORMING AND DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC CURRENTS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRANSFORMING AND
DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC CURRENTS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
In order to transmit electric currents without danger and considerable loss to a
great distance for the production of light and motive power, or to transform
currents of high tension, fit for being conducted to great distances, to currents of
lower tension but of greater intensity, the following arrangement is employed
according to the present Invention.
Electric currents of considerable tension are produced in machines established in
a suitable place by means of primary dynamo machines, and are conducted into
particularly arranged electrical machines which are simultaneously electromotors
and induction-apparatus, that is to say, they are put in motion by the introduced
primary current and produce themselves (in consequence of the rotation) secondary
currents.
The machine accomplishing these two functions simultaneously is called a
rotating secondary generator.
This double machine is a combination of the electromotor with the current
producing dynamo machine, and is composed according to the following alternative.
methods.
1) An electromotor and a current producing dynamo-machine are established on
the same base and their shafts are coupled to a common motion.
2) The rotating parts of the electromotor and the dynamo machine are placed
on a common shaft.
3) The electromagnets of the electromotors and the dynamo-machines are
combined in one system, so that only the armatures of the two machines remain
separated.

page_text: 4) The two machines are combined in one apparatus by giving them not only
the same base, shaft, and electro-magnets, but also by placing the armatures of the
two machines on the same part of construction, so that the primary and secondary
wires are wound on the armature in a parallel direction side by side or the one
over the other, or in such a manner that the wires are arranged in groups side by
side or the one over the other.
The two systems of wire of the armature are always insulated from each other.
The primary wires take up the primary current causing the rotation, while the
secondary wires on the contrary furnish the direct or alternate secondary current.
In every case it is possible to excite all the electromagnets by the primary
current alone, but the excitation may also be caused partly by the primary current,
and partly by the secondary current, in order that this latter current may also be
dependent on its own functions, and thus be regulated automatically. Or, when
the electromagnets of the two parts of the machine are separated, the electro-
magnets of the secondary dynamo machine are excited independently by the direct
currents of the machine itself. This method is preferably applied when the
secondary currents are to be used for lighting. The primary current is introduced
directly into the coils of the electromagnets; it arrives at the armature of the
electromotor only after having passed through the commutator or collector; the
secondary current may either be led off as an alternate current without commutation
or it may be sent in the same direction by means of its own commutator and may
therefore also excite its own electromagnets.
This transformation of currents is therefore suitable for producing intermittent
or continuous currents of the same direction as well as alternate currents.
In the first case, the rotating secondary generator is suitable for lighting as
well as for transmission of power; in the other case it is only suitable for producing
light.
The application of permanent magnets instead of electro magnets is possible in
the electromotor as well as in the secondary machine.
The rotating secondary generator is provided either with 4 bearings when the
original arrangement of the two machines composing the generator has been
maintained, or with 3 bearings, when the two bearings in the middle have been
combined, or only with two bearings when the common shaft does not require any
support in the middle.
It is of course indifferent if in the two parts of the machine, when not entirely
combined in one, the electromagnets are made to rotate and the armatures fixed,
or vice versa, or if in the one part of the machine the electromagnets are made to
rotate and in the other the armatures.
According to this Invention, any electromotor may be combined with any
dynamo machine giving either currents of the same direction or alternate currents,
and of whatever shape and construction for the aforesaid purpose.
Thus a rotating secondary generator may consist of a drum shaped inductor
combined with an alternating current machine having many poles or an annular
inductor may be combined with a drum dynamo machine or a multiple polar
dynamo machine with another multiple polar machine or two entirely similar
dynamo-machines may be combined. Also, the armature of any dynamo machine
may be provided with two sets of coils so that the one set takes up the primary
current and the other gives off the secondary working current.
By this means not only may the current of one machine be transmitted to
another machine, in order that the latter may transform it by means of motion,
but also currents may be transmitted from one and the same centre to several
rotating secondary generators by disposing all the electromotors in parallel arc or
in sequence, so that any desired number of them may be simultaneously put in
action. The primary current is then suitably maintained at a constant tension or
at a constant intensity, so that the consumption of power may be regulated
according to the number and size of the secondary generators brought into action.

page_text: When the primary current is interrupted while the rotating secondary generator
is in activity or when it is short-circuited, the action of this machine does not
immediately cease, as the vis-viva stored up in it will still maintain the motion for
a short time without appreciable retardation.
By applying suitable revolving inasses on the shaft the duration and uniformity
of the movement continuing after the cessation of the current may be considerably
increased, so that the secondary current will not be influenced at all by the absence
of the current in the electromotor during a few seconds.
Upon the above explained fact is based the following method of regulating and
automatically compensating the action of the rotating secondary generator or the
difference of the electrical potential of the secondary current or the intensity of
this current.
1) In order to maintain constant the speed of rotation of the secondary generator,
a centrifugal governor is employed, driven either directly or indirectly by the shaft
of the machine. This governor is so constructed and arranged as to interrupt the
passage of the primary current to the electromotor by separating a variable
contact as soon as the number of revolutions exceeds a certain limit and that it
re-establishes the contact when when the speed is reduced below this limit.
2) In order to regulate the difference of the electrical potential of the secondary
current a conductor of considerable resistance is interpolated parallel to the circuit
the tension of which is to be maintained constant.
As soon as the tension of the current reaches the determined limit, this conductor
by its electro-dynamic or electro-magnetic effect, or by its heating, produces a
motion whereby a contact is opened and the primary circuit therefore interrupted;
the latter will be closed again as soon as the intensity begins to decrease.
3) For the purpose of regulating the intensity of the current in the secondary
circuit a conductor of small resistance is interpolated in the circuit in question.
When the intensity increases to the determined limit, the introduced conductor
by its electromagnetic or electro-dynamic effect or also by its heating, produces
equally a motion whereby the primary circuit is interrupted, the closing being
effected when the intensity of the secondary current in question begins to decrease.
In each of the three cases the regulating apparatus will not cause an interruption
of the primary circuit but rather the short-circuiting or shunting thereof, when
this is distributed to secondary generators arranged in sequence and not in
parallel arc.
In order to avoid sparks the interruptions or short-circuiting necessary for the
regulation are not made to take place suddenly but by passing gradually through
several resistances. These resistances are formed by means of any solid or liquid
conductors with high specific resistance. Or the interruption of the primary
current is effected in the following manner for the purpose of avoiding sparks
without artificial resistances. The coils of the armature and the coils of the
electromagnet on the secondary dynamo machine (the electromotor) are arranged
parallel to each other, but so that only the ends of the coils are connected in a
constant manner. The commencement of the armature coils consists of a sliding
contact movable on a system of sectors similar to that of a rheostat or collector.
From the commencement of the coils of the electromagnets and also from several
other points of these coils conducting wires are led to the sectors so that by
moving the sliding contact along the sectors the shunt of the armature wires will
become shorter or longer. Wires of varying lengths and of great resistance
proceeding from the electromagnet coils are thus interpolated in the primary main
circuit, and the primary tension of the current acting upon the armature is thus
varied. But as at a constant speed of rotation of the secondary generator, which it
is desired to attain if possible, the electro-motoric counter-force of the armature
remains invariable, there must exist a position of the sliding contact on a sector at
which the primary tension of the current acting upon the armature is equal to the
counter-tension of the latter. This sector is the point of interruption as at its
contact with the sliding contact the primary circuit is without current and an

page_text: insulated interrupting sector may follow behind. The sliding contact or the
sectors are automatically put in motion from the first sector to the interrupting
sector, in the one sense or in the other, by means of the rotating shaft, and the
primary current is thereby interrupted or closed without sparks.
The action of the machine and the tension or the intensity of the working
current may thus be safely and accurately regulated without this current being
subject to fluctuations by the regulation, and the expended energy of the current or
the quantity of work of the primary current is thus also regulated in the proportion
as the energy expended in the secondary circuit varies.
When several such secondary generators are arranged in sequence, the regulation
of the speed of rotation, or of the tension or intensity of the current may be
effected by causing the above described regulating apparatus either to lead the
primary current past one or more of the secondary generators, or to introduce the
current into the same.
The expended electricity is measured and recorded by means of an apparatus
measuring only the time, for instance a clock, an electrical chronoscope or
chronograph, introduced into the primary current, at the point where in consequence
of the regulation the current is made to cease for a time. The time-measuring
apparatus is so arranged that by an electromagnetic stop the movement of the
hands continues only as long as the primary current acts upon the secondary
current.
In order to avoid external influences the motor of the time-measuring apparatus
is also put in motion by electricity, the source of which is open without
interruption at least as long as the secondary generator is in activity.
The time measured or recorded by this apparatus is also a measure of the
expended energy of the current or of the quantity of work, as the other factors of
this value, the tension and intensity of the primary current, are maintained
constant by the regulation itself.
It is of course also possible to measure the time in such way that instead of
determining the time during which the primary current acts in the secondary
generator in question, the time during which the electromotor is without current is
measured; the comparison of the total length of the time of observation with the
measured or recorded time will then be a measure of the quantity required.
Instead of a time-measuring apparatus an apparatus for counting the revolutions
may be used for the same purpose. This counter is put in motion by the shaft of
the secondary generator and measures the number of rotations of this shaft. The
movement of this counting mechanism also continues only as long as the primary
current acts upon the secondary generator, and is interrupted as soon as its action
ceases, the primary current being made also in this case to produce electromagnetic
action, whereby the mechanism is stopped or set free. The number of revolutions
indicated by this apparatus is also a measure of the expended energy of the
current, assuming the speed of rotation of the secondary generator to be constant.
To facilitate the regulation and the control, the arrangement of the secondary
machine in parallel arc is preferable to its disposal in sequence.
The above described system of transmission and transformation of electric
currents by means of rotating secondary generators is particularly suitable for
purposes of electric lighting.
The rotating secondary generator is for this purpose placed in proximity to or
within the object to be illuminated and the secondary currents obtained are
conducted to the incandescent lamps or arc lamps with as low a tension as possible,
while the primary current of high tension, well protected and insulated, is
conducted only into the electromotor.
In applying this system to the production of motive power such as for electrical
railways, and more particularly tramways, the following arrangement is employed.
In order to avoid the applying of currents of high tension in the circuit of an
electrical railway, especially where the rails are not insulated and at the same time
to avoid important losses which would be caused at a lower tension by the

page_text: resistances in the conductors, the before described method of transforming
currents of high tension into currents of lower tension is also applied in this case.
The line or network of railways is divided into several sections and in the
sections continuous circuits are established in any known manner, for instance
by utilizing the rails as conductors. The circuits of one section are either
insulated from the circuits of the next section, or the circuits of the same
name are connected to each other. As near the middle as possible, of each section
is placed a rotating secondary generator provided with a regulator as described
above. These secondary generators are supplied from one or more sources with
currents of suitably high tension and produce continuous secondary currents
of very low tension. The latter currents are introduced into the circuits of
the aforesaid sections, for instance into the rails of the line itself. By reason of
their low tension they are harmless and do not cause the disturbances to which the
locomotive is exposed when currents of high tension are used; even when exposed
to moisture they do not suffer such considerable losses by leakage as the currents
of high tension. The losses by resistance are also diminished, the length of the
circuits having been reduced in consequence of the division into sections.
As in applying the secondary generators alternating currents as well as currents
of the same direction may be obtained, their application is also suitable for
galvanoplastic processes, electro-metallurgy, telegraphs and telephones and generally
for working electrical apparatus of every kind and for every purpose.
The above described method of conveying and transforming currents may
also be applied simultaneously to several purposes, either so that the primary
currents are simultaneously distributed to several secondary generators of different
construction and for various uses, or so that the current producing machine of such
a secondary generator is made to give off simultaneously for different purposes
separate similar or dissimilar currents.
"It will be evident that in place of combining one generator with one electro-
motor, the combination of several electromotors, with one generator, or of one
electromotor with several generators may be employed for forming a secondary
generator and finally if desired a system of tertiary generators may be formed by
continuing the transformation of the primary current, and such transformation
may be continued still farther. Thus a secondary generator may be made to work
other electromotors with low tension currents, and these may again drive other
current generators.
The accompanying Drawing shews only one example of the application of the
above described method. It shows one of the numerous combinations indicated
in the foregoing description, namely the combination of a ring-dynamo-machine
acting as electromotor with an alternate current dynamo machine, the shafts of
which are coupled and provided with a fly-wheel.
A is the electromotor, B the alternate current dynamo machine, C the
automatic current interrupter, D the galvanometer and contact apparatus, E the
electric clock as current meter, F the primary current, and G the secondary
current.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. Constructing a secondary generator of electric currents consisting of the
combination of an electromotor with an electrical current-producer the shafts of
their rotating parts being coupled together substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. Constructing a secondary generator of electric currents consisting of the
combination of an electromotor with an electric current-producer, the rotating
parts of both being mounted on a common shaft, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
3. Constructing a secondary generator of electric currents consisting of the
combination of an electromotor with an electric current-producer having a system

page_text: of magnets or electromagnets common to both, substantially as and for purpose set
forth.
4. Constructing a secondary generator of electric currents consisting of the
combination of an electromotor with an electric current-producer the magnets or
.electromagnets as well as the armatures of which form part of one and the same
structure, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The use of the rotating secondary generators referred to in the preceding
claims for the purpose of transforming high tension currents proceeding from a
central source into currents of low tension to be distributed to the several stations
where the current is to be utilized, the primary high tension currents being used
for actuating one or more secondary generators arranged either in parallel arc or in
sequence which are thus made to induce secondary currents of low tension, which
may either be of the same or of different description, substantially as herein
described.
6. The use of the rotating secondary generators and the method of distributing
currents thereby, referred to in the preceding claims for the purpose of effecting
simultaneously by means of similar or dissimilar currents the various functions
relating to electric lighting, electric transmission of power, electrochemical industry,
electric production of heat or to the actuating of any electrical apparatus,
substantially as herein described.
7. The combination of several electromotors with several electric current-
producers as tertiary generators, and so on, and the application thereof for
industrial purposes, substantially as herein described.
8. The combination of one electromotor with several electric current-producers,
or of several electromotors with one electric current-producer and the application
of these combinations for industrial purposes, substantially as herein described.
9. The regulation of the speed of rotation of a secondary generator such as
bereinbefore referred to by means of a governor so arranged as to put in or out of
circuit the actuating primary current according as the speed is below or above
a certain limit, substantially as herein described.
10. In secondary generators such as herein before referred to, effecting the
regulation of the tension in the secondary circuit by putting in or out of circuit
the primary current by means of the electrodynamic or electromagnetic action or
by the heating of a conductor interpolated parallel to the circuit in question,
according as the tension of the current is below or above a certain limit, substantially
as herein described.
11. In secondary generators such as herein before referred to, effecting the
regulation of the intensity of the current in the secondary circuit by putting in or
out of circuit the primary current by means of the electrodynamic or electromagnetic
action or by the heating of a conductor interpolated into this circuit, according as
the intensity of the current is below or above a certain limit, substantially as
herein described.
12. The regulation of the speed of rotation, or of the tension, or of the intensity
of the current in a secondary generator when several secondary generators are
arranged in sequence, by leading the primary current either past the said generator,
or into the same, substantially as herein described.
13. The above described method of interrupting and closing the primary current
for regulating purposes without producing sparks by using the coils of the shunt
electromagnets themselves instead of the artificial rheostat-resistances, the tension
of the current acting on the armature being in the first instance diminished until
it has become equal to the counter-tension, whereupon the interruption is effected
at a currentless state of the circuit, substantially as herein described.
14. The use of revolving masses in rotating secondary generators for the purpose
of facilitating the regulation of the speed or of the tension or of the intensity by
maintaining a more uniform speed of rotation, substantially as set forth.
15. The method of measuring and recording the expended electricity in a
Becondary generator by means of a time-measuring apparatus inserted at that point

page_text: of the primary circuit where in consequence of the regulation the current. is made
to cease for some moments, such apparatus being being made to operate by the
help of a magnetic stop either during the existence of the currents or during their
cessation, so as to measure or record the time of duration of either of those
conditions substantially as herein described.
16. The method of measuring or recording the expended electricity in the
secondary generator by means of an apparatus for counting the revolutions of the
shaft of a secondary generator introduced into the primary circuit at that point
where in consequence of the regulation the current is made to cease for some
moments, such apparatus being made to operate by the help of a magnetic stop
either during the existence of the currents or during their cessation, so as to.
indicate and register the speed of rotation, substantially as herein described.
17. The use of rotating secondary generators such as herein referred to for the
purpose of putting in motion electromotors working with low tension currents,
substantially as herein described.
18. The use of rotating secondary generators such as herein before referred to for
producing and distributing electric currents for use in electrical railways, the
electric circuits whereof are divided into several sections of small length and lower
resistance so that a special secondary generator is made to furnish for each section
a continuous current of the same direction of moderate tension, substantially as
herein described.