IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC AND MAGNETO- ELECTRIC INDUCTION MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Wilde, of the City of Manchester, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC AND MAGNETO-
ELECTRIC INDUCTION MACHINES,"
Sealed the 11th June 1867, and dated the 23rd March 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Wilde at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd March
1867.
I, HENRY WILDE, of the City of Manchester, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC AND
MAGNETO-ELECTRIC INDUCTION MACHINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in an improved method of producing electricity
from electro-magnetic machines, which eletricity may be applied to various
useful purposes.
In this improvement sixteen or any other even number of cylindrical bars
of wrought iron are screwed into one of the faces of a disc of wrought or cast
iron at equal distances from the centre of the disc, and at equal angular
distances from each other, and parallel with the axis of the disc; round
each of these iron cylinders a quantity of insulated copper wire is coiled, and

page_text: a
the extremities of all the coils are jointed together in such a manner that
when a current of electricity is passed through the coils the cylindrical bars
become powerful compound electro-magnets, having alternately north and
south poles; two of these compound electro-magnets are mounted in
suitable framework of cast iron, with the centres of the discs in the same
straight line; the cylindrical bars being so arranged as to have their
respective polar extremities opposite each other, the north poles of the
cylindrical bars of one disc being opposite to the south poles of those on the
other disc; between these two circles of electro-magnets a brass wheel is made
to revolve concentrically with the axis of the discs, and on the periphery of
this wheel are fixed as many armatures or electro-helices with iron cores as
there are cylindrical bars on one of the discs. The iron cores of the electro-
helices are fixed upon the brass wheel in the usual manner, and are at the
same distance from the axis of the discs, and at the same angular distance
from one another, as the cylindrical bars of the compound electro-magnets,
and the axes of the revolving iron cores are parallel and coincident with the
axes of the cylindrical bars of the compound electro-magnets. When the
compound electro-magnets are excited by means of the electricity from a
magneto-electric or electro-magnetic machine, and when the wheel which
carries the electro-helices is made to revolve by means of a steam engine or
other motor, the iron cores in their passage between the polar extremities of
the compound electro-magnets are magnetized in alternate directions, and the
alternating currents induced in the helices surrounding the cores are taken in
the usual manner from the bearings of the shaft which carries the wheel to
which the electro-helices are fixed; and the electricity so produced may be
used for working telegraphs, for producing the electric light, and for other
purposes.
My Invention consists, secondly, in a method of exciting the electro-magnets
of the machine above described by means of the residual or permanent
magnetism of the electro-magnets themselves instead of the permanent
magnetism of steel magnets when such steel magnets cannot be easily
procured.
It is well known that when the electro-magnét of an electro-magnetic
induction machine is disconnected from the source of electricity which excited
it the residual or permanent magnetism of the electro-magnet itself is suffi-
ciently strong to generate a feeble current of electricity in the coil of the
revolving armature, and that when the feeble current so generated is trans-
mitted through the coils of its own electro-magnet the mutual action and
reaction of the electro-magnet and the armature upon each other increase the

page_text: magnetism of the electro-magnet to a very high degree, but the quantity of
electricity generated by this increase of magnetism is not proportionately
augmented in consequence of the current induced in the coil of the armature
having to overcome the resistence of the coils of the electro-magnet.
In the present improvement the alternating current from one or two only
of the revolving circle of bobbins, after being turned in one direction by means
of a commutator, is transmitted through the coils of the stationary compound
electro-magnets, while the more powerful current from the greater number of
revolving bobbins may be applied to the production of light or other electro-
dynamic effects outside the machine.
By the above-mentioned arrangement the wire or electric circuit which
excites the stationary compound electro-maguets is distinct from the wire or
electric circuit which produces the more powerful current as it is in the
improvements already described in the Specifications of Letters Patent granted
to me on the First December, One thousand eight bundred and sixty-three,
No. 3006, and the Twenty-sixth October, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-five, No. 2762.
The residual magnetism of the electro-magnetic induction machine described
in the above-mentioned Specifications may also be employed for exciting its
own electro-magnet in the following manner :-The small armature for exciting
the electro-magnet and the larger armature for producing the more powerful
current are made to revolve simultaneously in two magnet cylinders place
ene above the other between the two poles of the same electro-magnet; these
two cylinders are placed with their axes parallel with each other, and the two
segmental iron sides of the small cylinder are bolted to those of the large-
cylinder. The iron of the two cylinders beiug thus in close contact, the small
cylinder acquires the same degree of residual magnetism as the large cylinder
which in machines of large dimensions is very considerable. By this arrange-
ment the large electro-magnet bolted to the sides of the large magnet cylinder
supplies the magnetism required to excite the armatuer revolving in the sinall
cylinder, and the alternating current induced in its coils by the residual
magnetism of the two cylinders after being turned in one direction by means
of a commutator is transmitted through the coils of the electro-magnet on the
large cylinder, the magnetism of which is thereby greatly augmented, and the
more powerful current obtained from the larger armature can be made
available for any purpose to which such currents of electrity are applied.
Another method of separating the circuit which excites the electro-magnets
from the circuit which generates the more powerful current is to coil round
the armature of the electro-magnetic machine two distinct and separate wires

page_text: or circuits, one of which is of a suitable length and thickness for exciting the
electro-magnet, and the other wire or circuit is of a suitable length and
thickness for producing the more powerful current required outside the machine.
In this arrangement, as well as in the one described under the head of the
second improvement, it is necessary that provision should be made for taking
the two distinct currents, one for exciting the electro-magnets and the other
for producing the powerful current, both from the same axis which carries the
armature or armatures; this may be effected either by fixing two commutators
on the axis which carries the armatures, or by fixing upon the same axis a
commutator for the circuit, which excites the electro-magnets, and two
insulated metal rings for taking off the more powerful current from the other
circuit.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in an improved method of arranging the
commutators of magneto-electric or electro-magnetic machines when such
machines produce two or more currents for one revolution of the wheel which
carries the electro-helices or armatures. When the currents generated by
these machines are required to pass in one direction only, as is the case in
electro-decomposition, it has been customary to make the commutators of such
machines of as many segments as there are alternations of the current for one
revolution of the wheel. In the present improvement the commutator may
be a cylindrical one of the form shewn and described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to me on the 25th February, 1863, No. 516; or it
may be of any form which inverts the current twice only during one revolu-
tion; on the spindle of this commutator a pinion is placed, which is driven
by means of a toothed wheel keyed on to the end of the shaft which carries
the helices, and a number of the teeth in this wheel and of those in the
pinion on the commutator spindle are so proportioned that the commutator
changes the direction of the current as many times as the magnetism of
the iron cores of the electro-helices is inverted during one revolution of
the wheel. Instead of a cylindrical commutator being used for changing
the direction of the current a commutator formed of several flat metallic
surfaces insulated from and sliding over each other (as in the slide valves
of a steam engine) may be used, the necessary reciprocating motion being
communicated to the sliding parts of the commutator by means of an eccentric
fixed on the spindle driven by the pinion above mentioned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Wilde in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WILDE, of the City of Manchester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Wilde, Her special license that I, the said Henry Wilde,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Wilde, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC AND MAGNETO-ELECTRIC INDUCTION MACHINES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Wilde, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Wilde, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists, firstly, in an improved method of producing electricity
from electro-magnetic machines, which electricity may be applied to various
useful purposes.
The improvement is illustrated by the various Figures on Sheet 1 of the two
accompanying Sheets of Drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation in section of my improved electro-magnetic
machine; Figure 2 is an end elevation, and Figure 3 is a plan of the same;
and Figure 4 an end view of the armatures.
In these views a, a, represent sixteen or any other even number of cylindrical
bars of wrought iron which are screwed into one of the faces of a ring of wrought

page_text: or cast iron bat equal distances from the centre and at angular distances
from each other and parallel with the axis of the ring; round each of these
iron cylinders a quantity of insulated copper wire, marked c, is coiled, and the
extremities of all the coils are joined together in such a manner that when
a current of electricity is passed through the coils the cylindrical bars become
powerful compound electro-magnets having alternately north and south poles;
two of these compound electro-magnets are mounted in the framework d,
which is made of cast iron with the centres of the rings 6 in the same straight
line, the cylindrical bars a being so arranged as to have their respective polar
extremities opposite each other, the north poles of the cylindrical bars of one
ring being opposite to the south poles of those on the other ring; between
these two circles of electro-magnets a brass wheel is made to revolve
concentrically with the axis of the rings b, and on the periphery of this wheel
are fixed as many armatures or electro-helices with iron cores f as there are
cylindrical bars on one of the rings. The iron cores of the electro-helices are
fixed upon the brass wheel e in the usual manner, and are at the same distanco
from the axis of the rings and at the same angular distance from one another,
as the cylindrical bars a of the compound electro-magnets and the axes of the
Fevolving iron cores fare parallel and coincident with the axis of the cylindrical
bars of the compound electro-magnets. When the compound electro-magnets
are excited by means of the electricity from the magneto-electric machine g, or
by an electro-magnetic machine excited by its own residual magnetism or other
source of electricity, and when the wheel which carries the electro-helices is
made to revolve by means of a steam engine or other motor, the iron cores in
their passage between the polar extremities of the compound electro-magnets are
magnetized in alternate directions, and the alternating currents induced in
the helices surrounding the cores are taken in the usual manner from the
bearings h and 2 of the shaft i, which carries the wheel e to which the
electro-helices are fixed, and the electricity so produced may be used for
working telegraphs, for producing the electric light, and for other purposes.
In this arrangement of stationary and revolving electro-magnets it is necessary
that their polar extremities overlap each other in such a manner that the
magnetic circuit is never broken during the revolution of the iron cores, This
overlapping of the extremities of the cores may be accomplished by making
the cores of larger diameters than the angular space which separates them
from each other, but I prefer to fix to the extremities of the stationary
and revolving electro-magnets pole pieces of a circular form and of larger
diameter than the part of the cores on which the wire is coiled, or of the form j
shewn in Figure 4.

page_text: My Invention consists, secondly, in a method of exciting the electro-magnets
of the machine above described by means of the residual or permanent
magnetism of the electro-magnets themselves, instead of the permanent
magnetism of steel magnets when such steel magnets cannot be easily
procured.
It is well known that when the electro-magnet of an electro-magnetic
induction machine is disconnected from the source of electricity which excited
it the residual or permanent magnetism of the electro-magnet itself is
sufficiently strong to generate a feeble current of electricity in the coil of the
revolving armature, and that when the feeble current so generated is transmitted
through the coils of its own electro-magnet the mutual action and reaction
of the electro-magnet and the armature upon each other increase the
magnetism of the electro-magnet to a very high degree, but the quantity of
electricity generated by this increase of magnetism though sufficient for charging
electro-magnets is not proportionably augmented in consequence of the current
induced in the coil of the armature having to overcome the resistance of the
coils of the electro-magnet.
In the present improvement the alternating current from one or two
only of the revolving circle of bobbins or armatures f after being turned
in one direction by means of a commutator is transmitted through the coils
of the stationary compound electro-magnets a, a, while the more powerful
current from the greater number of revolving bobbins f may be applied
to the production of light or other electro dynamic effects outside the
machine.
In Figure 4 the extremities of the wire of two of the bobbins marked k
and are connected with the commutator, and the extremities of the wire of
the greater number of bobbins, marked m and n, are taken either from tho
bearings of the machine or from insulated metal collars in the usual manner. By
the above-mentioned arrangement the armatures and the wire or electric-circuit
which excite the stationary compound electro-magnets are distinct from the arma-
tures and wire or electric circuit which produce the more powerful current, as
is the case in the improvements already described in the Specifications of
Letters Patent granted to me on the First of December, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three, Number 3006, and on the Twenty-sixth of
October, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, Number 2762,
Another method of separating the circuit which excites the electro-magnets
from the circuit which generates the more powerful current is to coil round
each and all the revolving armatures or bobbins of the electro-magnetic
machine above described two distinct and separate wires or circuits, one of

page_text: which is of a suitable length and thickness for exciting the stationary electro-
magnets, and the other wire or circuit is of a suitable length and thickness
for producing the more powerful current required outside the machine.
Instead of coiling round each and all of the revolving armatures or bobbins
two distinct and separate wires the two circuits may be coiled separately
round two distinct circles of armatures fixed upon the opposite sides of a
revolving iron dise, similar to that described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to George Beardslee on the Eighteenth of June, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, Number 1567, the current from one
circle of revolving armatures being used for exciting the circles of stationary
electro-magnets, while the current from the other circle of revolving armatures
may be employed for the performing of useful work outside the machine. In
these arrangements it is necessary that the same provision should be made as
in the arrangement above described for taking the two distinct currents, one
for exciting the electro-magnets and the other for producing the powerful
current, both from the same axis which carries the circle of armatures. The
residual magnetism of the electro-magnetic induction machine described in
the above-mentioned Specifications, Number 3006, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-three, and Number 2762, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
five, may also be employed for exciting its own electro-magnet in the following
manner :-
On Sheet 2, Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of a mode of utilizing the residual
magnetism of the electro-magnet and magnet cylinder of an electro-magnetic
machine. The small armature o for exciting the electro-magnet and the
larger armature p for producing the more powerful current are made to revolve
simultaneously in two magnet cylinders 9 and r placed one above the other
between the two poles of the electro-magnet s shewn in Figure 8; these two
cylinders are placed with their axes parallel with each other, and the two
segmental iron sides of the small cylinder are bolted to those of the large
cylinder. The iron of the two cylinders being thus in close contact the
small cylinder q acquires the same degree of residual magnetism as the large
cylinder r, which in machines of large dimensions is very considerable. By
this arrangement the large electro-magnet s bolted to the sides of the large
magnet cylinder r supplies the magnetism required to excite the armature o
revolving in the small cylinder q, and the alternating current induced in the
coils of the armature o by the residual magnetism of the two cylinders, after
being turned in one direction by means of a commutator is transmitted through
the coils of the electro-magnet on the large cylinder in the usual manner,
the magnetism of which is thereby greatly augmented, and the more powerful

page_text: current obtained from the larger armature p can be made available for any
purpose to which such currents of electricity are applied.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in an improved method of arranging the
commutators of magneto-electric or electro-magnet machines when such
machines produce two or more currents for one revolution of the wheel which
carries the electro-helices or armatures. When the currents generated by
these machines are required to pass in one direction only, as is the case in
electro-decomposition, it has been customary to make the commutators of
such machines of as many segments as there are altenations of the current for
one revolution of the wheel.
In the present in provement, which is represented in Figure 1 of Sheet 1,
the commutator may be a cylindrical one of the form shewn and describe.!
in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the Twenty-fifth of
February, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, Number 516, or it
may be of any form which inverts the current twice only during one revolution
of the commutator. On the spindle of the commutator & a pinion a¹ is placed
which is driven by means of the toothed wheel ¹keyed on to the end of the
shaft i, which carries the helices f, and the number of the teeth in this wheel
and of those in the pinion on the commutator spindle are so proportioned that
the commutator charges the direction of the current as many times as the
magnetism of the iron cores of the electro-helices is inverted during one
revolution of the wheel.
The commutator which I prefer to employ, as it is well adapted for exciting
the electro-magnets of electro-magnetic machines is shewn in Figures 6, 7,
and 8 of Sheet 2, as applied to the electro-magnetic induction machine
described in the 'Patent Number 3006, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three, above referred to. In these views to the end of the armature t is
fixed a commutator of the ordinary form u made of gun metal, the currents
from which are taken off by the springs u³ made of a bundle of strips of sheet
copper; these springs are fixed in brackets 3 secured to but insulated from
the iron pillars u³. To the extremity of the armature t is fixed the metal disc v,
see Figures 6 and 7, to the face of which are cast the metal segments &³, the
remainder of the circle being filled up by the wood segments, the metal seg-
ments forming but a small portion of the circle in comparison with the wood
segments; the centres of the metal segments are in line with the joints in
the commutator u. On each side of the disc is a spring v³, and these
springs are supported in brackets * fixed to but insulated from the pillars u³;
these springs are in every respect similar to those marked u³, and press on
the circumference of the segments and . The metal brackets u³

page_text: and are connected by wires w and w¹, and from the extremities of these
wires the currents from the armature are carried off to charge the electro-
magnet of an electro-magnetic machine, or for other purposes.
The action and purport of this arrangement of commutator are as follows:
-When the joint of the commutator u rubs over the springs u the metal
segments are also in contact simultaneously with the springs, which
establish through the metal disc v and the wires w and w¹ during the passage
of the metal segments v¹ over the springs v', a short circuit between the coils
of the armature and the coils of the electro-magnet of the electro-magnetic
machine or other apparatus. By this arrangement the short circuit between
the coils of the armatures and the coils of the electro-magnet of an electro-
magnetic machine instead of being formed on the commutator itself, as
described in my Patent of the Twenty-sixth of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five, Number 2762, is transferred to the metal segments v¹,
and the destructive effects of the spark on the commutator are thereby
avoided. This method of transferring the short circuit between the coils of an
armature or armatures and the coils of the electro-magnet of an electro-
magnetic induction machine from the commutator to metallic segments
revolving in connection with the commutator may also be applied when the
commutators are formed of as many segments as there are alternations of the
current during one revolution of the circle of electro-helices, either by having
the same number of segments for making short circuit as there are segments
in the commutator, or by causing two of the segments for making short circuit
to revolve by means of toothed gearing so proportioned as to cause the short
circuit to be made as many times as there are alternations of the current
during one revolution of the circle of electro-helices.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I wish it to be understood, with respect to the first
part of my Invention, that I make no claim to the general method of arranging
the stationary electro-magnets of an electro-magnetic induction machine in a
circle at equal angular distances from each other; but what I do claim is,-
Firstly, the methods of eausing the polar extremities of the electro-magnets
and armatures of electro-magnetic induction machines to overlap each other
so that the magnetic circuit is never broken, as described and shewn in
reference to Figures 1 and 4.
Secondly, the combination of a magneto-electric machine marked g, or an
electro-magnetic machine in lieu thereof with an electro-magnetic induction
machine having its electro-magnets and armatures arranged in a circle or
circles, as shewn and described in reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4.

page_text: With respect to the second part of my Invention I make no claim to the
general method of exciting the electro-magnet or electro-magnets of an
electro-magnetic induction machine by the electricity derived from its own
armature or armatures, or from the residual or permanent magnetism of soft
iron, nor do I claim in this my present Patent the exciting of the electro-
magnet of an electro-magnetic induction machine with the electricity from
another magneto-electric or electro-magnetic induction machine, as these my
Inventions have already been fully described and claimed by me irrespective
of the manner in which the electro-magnet of the small exciting machine is
charged in the before-mentioned Patents, Number 3006, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three, Number 2762, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-five; but what I now claim is,
Thirdly, the employing of the current from a convenient number of armatures
and electro-helices, forming part of a revolving circle of such armatures
and electro-helices for exciting the circle or circles of stationary electro-
magnets of the electro-magnetic induction machine shewn in Figures 1 and 2,
while the current of the other part of the revolving circle of armatures and
electro-helices is applied to any useful purpose outside the machine, as
described in reference to Figure 4; I also claim as the equivalent of this
arrangement the dividing of the entire circuit of all the electro-helices of such
revolving circle of armatures into two parts, one part for exciting the
stationary electro-magnets and the other part for the performance of useful
work outside the machine; also the fixing of two circles of armatures and
electro-helices on the same driving shaft, one of the circles of armatures and
electro-helices being used for exciting the stationary electro-magnets before
which the said armatures revolve, while the current from the other circle of
armatures and electro-helices is used outside the machine.
Fourthly, the method of exciting the electro-magnet of the electro-magnetic
induction machine, shewn in Figures 6, 7 and 8, by means of the residual
magnetism of the electro-magnet itself and that of the two magnet cylinders
or their equivalents, acting upon two armatures arranged between the two
poles of an electro-magnet, as shewn and described in reference to Figure 5.
With respect to the third part of my Invention I make no claim in this
my present Patent to the making of a short circuit or "shunt" between the
coils on the armature or armatures of a magneto-electric or electro-magnetic
induction machine, and the coils surrounding the electro-magnet or magnets
which excite or act upon another armature, as this my Invention bas already
been described and claimed by me in the before mentioned Patent, Number 2762,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five; but what I now claim is,―

page_text: Fifthly, the gearing of a commutator with a magneto-electric or electro-
magnetic machine, as shewn and described in reference to Figures 1 and 3.
Sixthly, the method of making a short circuit between the coils of an
armature or armatures and the coils of the electro-magnet of an electro-
magnetic induction machine, by which method. the short circuit instead of
being made on the commutator itself is transferred to segmental pieces
of metal revolving in connection with the commutator, as shewn and described
in reference to Figures 1, 8, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
I also claim the use of the segmental pieces of metal v¹, Figures 6, 8, and 9,
for the prevention of the spark on the commutator when the direct current
from the armature is used for other purposes besides that of exciting the coils
of an electro-magnet; also the employment of separate segmental pieces of
metal for transferring the short circuit from commutators composed of a
number of segments constructed in the usual manner as described.
And, lastly, the mounting of the brackets and commutator springs and the
springs for making short circuit on the pillars which support the armature
spindle, as shewn and described in reference to Figures 6, 7, and 8.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Wilde, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
HENRY WILDE. (L.S.)