IMPROVEMENTS IN DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES AND ELECTRO-MOTIVE ENGINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City
of Westminster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DYNAMO-ELECTRIC
MACHINES AND ELECTRO-MOTIVE ENGINES." A communication from abroad
by Emil Bürgin, Engineer, of Basel, Switzerland.
Sealed the 7th May 1880, and dated the 11th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wise at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th December 1879.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES AND ELECTRO-MOTIVE ENGINES."
(A communication from abroad by Emil Bürgin, Engineer, of Basel, Switzerland.)
This Invention is designed to produce compact and simple machines for the
production of continuous or of alternative currents of electricity, and consists in a
novel construction of the generating cylinder, in a novel combination of a com-
mutator with such cylinder, and in certain details of construction hereinafter
described.
I. A machine for the production of continuous currents is illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 representing a longitudinal section of the machine,
and Fig: 2 a transverse section.
The stationary frame is composed of two electro-magnets, each of which is
formed of a single piece of cast iron. These two magnets are attached firmly to
each other, and their coils c are wound in such a manner that the poles N and S
are in the middle of each magnet, which part of the said magnets is enlarged, and
on the inner surface concave to fit as closely as is practicable to the contour of the
generating cylinder, and yet allow of the free turning of the said cylinder between
them; also the said electro-magnets are made straight on each side of the middle
enlarged parts; and the straight parts upon which the helices are placed are inclined
towards the corresponding parts of the other magnet in such a manner as to act
like braces. Each of the said straight parts has a terminal enlargement or abut-
ment, and these are bolted together.
This construction gives to the frame a truss-like effect, by which the middle
poles are prevented from being drawn against the generating cylinder.

page_text: .
By this construction also the middle poles can be placed so near the cylinder as
greatly to increase the efficiency of machines employing magnets with middle poles.
The generative cylinder (Fig. 5) is composed of any number of separate elements E,
each consisting of a polygonal iron wire, and which has its sides wound with
insulated copper wire, forming coils f.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the core or ring; of each element is supported by
arms & radiating from a hub m upon the shaft D¹, which arms may be made of any
metal other than iron. The core or ring ; of each element is shewn as rectangular,
but it may be made in any polygonal form as hexagonal or octagonal. In order to
nake currents of electricity passing from the machine continuous the elements
composing the generating cylinder are set spirally on the shaft, each being a little
in advance of the one at its side.
The manner of forming the coils fof insulated wire upon the cores or rings jis
clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The insulated copper wire is wound in the
same direction on each side of the polygonal core. These coils f are connected
successively with each other, thus the colls being numerated, as shown in Fig. 5, the
end of the coil 1 is joined with the beginning of coil 2, the end of coil 2 with the
beginning of coil 3, and so on, the end of coil 24 is joined with the beginning of
coil 1, so that all the coils form one single closed circuit.
Furthermore, each of these joints is connected also with the corresponding plate
of the commutator C (Figs. 5 and 6), which is composed of the same number of
plates as the cylinder has coils. All these plates are insulated from each other, and
each corresponds with the coil lying in the same radius.
Upon rotating the cylinder between the poles N and S of the stationary frame a
current is generated in the coils f, which is collected by the two springs or
brushes z of copper wire, which touch the two plates of the commutator, which lie
opposite to each other, and which correspond to the coils f being just vertically
between the poles N, S.
The said brushes are connected with the wire of the coils c of the stationary
frame, so that the current generated by the cylinder passing through these coils
enforces the poles N, S.
The remanent magnetism of the electro-magnets of the stationary framo, which
derives its origin from a previous magnetization, suffices to produce an induced
current in the coils of the cylinder, as soon as a rotary motion is imparted to the
latter, thereto in circulating round the electro-magnets it is successively reinforced
until it attains a maximum corresponding to the speed of rotation and the
resistance of the interposed external circuit.
The external circuits which should be traversed by the current are introduced at
any place between the magnetizing helix. The electro-magnets may be excited by
a separate machine, or they may be wholly replaced by permanent magnets.
Machines of one or more cylinders may thus be constructed, and the cylinder
coupled so as to produce either quantity or tension.
The currents obtained vary in their character according to the thickness of the
wires and the number of turns or coils on the cylinder.
The thicker the wire the greater the quantity, and the thinner the wire, id est,
the greater the number of turns, the higher the tension. In order to obtain
currents of very great quantity the wires may be replaced by insulated shees copper
ribbons.
The herein-before described machine generates electric currents when the cylinder
is rotated by any external force, and on the other hand the cylinder rotates and
transmits force when the machine is excited by an electric current obtained from a
battery or from an other magnet-electric machine; hence it may be employed
either as a generator of electricity or as an electro-motive engine, and applied
advantageously to the purposes of electrotyping, the production of electric light, and
th: magnetizing of the axles and wheels of locomotive engines, or used as a
transmitter of force to any desired distance.

page_text: II. A machine for the production of alternative currents is illustrated in Fig. 7,
in longitudinal section, and in Fig. 8 in transverse section. A is the stationary
frame of the machine, which may be made of wrought or cast iron. It may be
composed of two or several pieces, and is represented as wound with wire forming
coils a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, connected with each other so as to form the poles N, S,
N¹, S', when an electric current passes through them.
D is a rotary generating cylinder mounted on a central shaft D¹ supported in
bearings extending from the frame A. The said shaft is also provided with a
pully, which may receive a belt for rotating the shaft and generating cylinder.
The generating cylinder D is composed of a number of separate elements
E, E, E E, EL, E, (Fig. 7), each consisting of a polygonal core or ring j, which
is preferably made of soft wire, and which has its sides wound with insulated wire
formning coils f
The core or ring; of each element is supported by arms d radiating from hub m
upon the shaft D', which arius may be made of any metal other than iron.
The core or ring of cach element is shown as rectangular to correspond with
the number of poles in the frame A, but it may be made in any polygonal form, as
hexagonal, or octagonal, the frame A having its pole equal in number to the edges
of the said core.
In order to obtain a continuous action the elements composing the generating
cylinder are set spirally on the shaft, each being a little in advance of the one at
its side.
The manner of forming the coils ƒ of insulated wire upon the cores or rings j is
clearly illustrated in Fig. 9.
The wire is wound in different directions on alternative sides of tho said cores or
rings, and its two ends i h are connected to the commutator rings, as hereafter
described.
The commutator G, shown in Figs. 11 and 12, consists of a sleeve insulated from
and secured upon the shaft D', so as to rotate therewith and is composed of a
series of seguents 81, 82, 83, 84, all insulated from each other, and corresponding in
number to the elements E in the rotary generating cylinder D.
To these segments are connected the wires i leading from the elements E,
the wire i of the element E, being connected to the segment 8,, the wire of
the element E being connected to the segment 8, the wire is of the element F
being connected to the segment 8,, and so on.
The commutator G consists also of the saine number of rings 11, 2, 3, 4, insulated
from, and secured upon the aforesaid segments, and also insulated from each other.
Each ring, however, is connected with one of said segments, so as to receive the
electric current therefrom. Thus the ring, by segments, with E, etceteru.
The commutator consists farther of a ring 9 perfectly insulated from all other
parts of the commutator, but connected by the wires h₁, ha, ha, etcetera with all
elements E of the cylinder.
In order to collect the current there is rubbing upon each of the rings a
brush z, and upon the ring the brush. To each brush Z can be attached one
external circuit leading, for instance, to a lamp, but all these circuits have to return
to the brush x.
(It is to be remarked that the ring 9 and the brush can also be omitted by con-
necting the wires h with the shaft D', whereby the external circuits have to return
to the bearing of the shaft.)
To operate this machine the electro-magnets of the stationary frame have to be
excited by a continuous current of a battery, or of a dynamo-electric machine, and
the generating cylinder has to rotate with great speed, whereby currents of
alternative sense are obtained in each circuit connected with the branches Z and X.
III. To operate the above described machine it is necessary to employ a current
produced by means of a special generator. In order to excite the electro-magnets

page_text: by a current generated by the machine itself, the cylinder is constructed as follows
(see Fig. 10):
This cylinder is composed of four elements E exactly the same as above described,
and the same commutator G. The elements E are set all in the same position on
the shaft, but so that their edges V with the ends h and i are divided equally on the
circumference of the cylinder, as indicated in Fig. 10.
The wires and i are connected with the currents, as above described.
The coils of the stationary frame are connected with the brush x and with
brush which, bears upon the segments 8.
By rotating the cylinder of this machine four separate currents of alternative
sense are obtained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
June 1880.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 7; Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES AND ELECTRO-MOTIVE ENGINES."
(A communication from abroad by Emil Bürgin, Engineer, of Basel, Switzerland.)
This Invention is designed to produce compact and simple machines for the
production of continuous or of alternative currents of electricity, and consists in a
novel construction of the generating cylinder, in a novel combination of a com-
mutator with such cylinder, and in certain details of construction hereinafter
described.
1. A machine for the production of continuous currents is illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 representing a longitudinal section of the machine,
and Fig. 2 a transverse section.
The stationary frame is composed of two electro-magnets, each of which is formed
of a single piece of cast iron. These two magnets are attached firinly to each other,
and their coils c are wound in such a manner that the poles N and S are in the
middle of cach magnet, which part af the magnets is enlarged, and on the inner
surface concave to fit as closely as is practicable to the contour of the generating
cylinder and yet allow of the free turning of the said cylinder between them; also,
the said electro-magnets are made straight on each side of the middle enlarged
parts, and the straight parts or cores upon which the helices are placed are inclined
towards the corresponding parts of the other magnet in such a nanner as to act
like braces. Each of the said straight parts 1 has a terminal culargement or abut-
ment 2, and these are bolted together.
This construction gives to the frame a truss like effect by which the middle poles
are prevented from being drawn against the generating cylinder.
By this construction also the middle poles can be placed so near the cylinder as
greatly to increase the efficiency of machines employing magnets with middle poles.
The generative cylinder, Fig. 5, is composed of any number of separate elements E,
each of an improved construction, as represented in Figs. 3 and 4, and consisting of
a polygonal iron wire ; which has its sides wound with insulated copper wire
forming coils f
The core or ring j of each element is supported by arms d radiating from a hub m
upon the shaft D₁, which arms may be made of brass or other non magnetic material.
The core or ring of each element is shewn as rectangular, but it may be made in
any polygonal form, as hexagonal or octagonal.
In order to make currents of electricity passing from the machine continuous the
elements composing the generating cylinder aro set spirally on the shaft, each being
a little in advance of the one at its side.
The manner of forming the coils ✓ of insulated wire upon the cores or rings jis
clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The insulated copper wire is wound in the
same direction on each side of the polygonal core. These coils are connected
successively with each other; thus, the coils being numerated as shewn in Fig. 5,
the end of the coil 1 is joined with the beginning of coil 2, the end of coil 2 with the
beginning of coil 3, and so on; the end of coil 24 is joined with the beginning of
coil 1, so that all the coils form one single closed circuit.
Furthermore each of these joints is connected also with the corresponding plate
of the commutator C (Figs. 5 and 6), which is composed of the same number of
plates as the cylinder has coils. All these plates are insulated from each other, and
each corresponds with the coil lying in the same radius.
Upon rotating the cylinder between the poles N and S of the stationary frame a
current is generated in the coils which is collected by the two springs or brushes

page_text: of copper wire, one of which is shewn in Fig. 2, the other (not shewn) being at the
opposite side which touch the two plates of the commutator which lie opposite to
each other and which correspond to the coils f, being (when the machine is in the
position represented) just vertically hetween the poles N, S.
The said brushes are connected with the wire of the coils c of the stationary
frame, so that the current generated by the cylinder passing through these coils
enforces the poles N, S.
The remanent magnetism of the electro magnets of the stationary frame, which
derives its origin from a previous magnetization, suffices to produce an induced
current in the coils of the cylinder as soon as a rotary motion is imparted to the
latter; thenceforward in circulating round the electro-magnets it is successively
reinforced until it attains a maximum corresponding to the speed of rotation and
the resistance of the interposed external circuit.
The external circuits which should be traversed by the current are introduced at
any place between the magnetizing helix. The electro-magnets may be excited by
the current of a separate machine, or by a part of the current derived from the
machine itself, or they may be wholly replaced by permanent magnets; machines
of one or more cylinders may thus be constructed, and the cylinders coupled so as
to produce either quantity or tension.
The currents obtained vary in their character according to the thickness of the
wires and the number of turns or coils on the cylinder.
The thicker the wire the greater the quantity, and the thinner the wire, id est,
the greater the number of turns, the higher the tension. In order to obtain
currents of very great quantity the wires may be replaced by insulated sheet copper
ribbons.
The hereinbefore described machine generates electric currents when the cylinder
is rotated by any external force, and on the other hand the cylinder rotates and
transmits force when the machine is excited by an electric current obtained from a
battery or from another magneto-electric machine; hence it may be employed either
as a generator of electricity or as an electro-motive engine, and applied advan-
tageously to the purposes of electrotyping, the production of electric light, and the
magnetizing of the axles and wheels of locomotive engines, or used as a transmitter
of force to any desired distance.
11. A machine for the production of alternative currents is illustrated in Fig. 7
in longitudinal section, and in Fig. 8 in transverse section. A is the stationary
frame (not claimed as new) of the machine, which may be made of wrought or cast
iron. It may be composed of two or several pieces, and is represented as wound
with wire forming coils a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, connected with each other so as to
form the poles, N, S, N¹, S', when an electric current passes through them.
D is a rotatory generating cylinder mounted on a central shaft D¹ supported in
bearings extending from the frame A. The said shaft is also provided with a pulley
which may receive a belt for rotating the shaft and generating cylinder.
The generating cylinder D is composed of a number of separate elements
E¹, E², E³, E', E, F (Fig. 7), each consisting of a polygonal core or ring, which is
preferably made of soft wire, and which has its sides wound with insulated wire
forming coils f.
The core or ring j of each clement is supported by arms d radiating from
hub m upon the shaft D', which arms may be made of any metal other than
iron.
The core or ring of each element is shewn as rectangular, to correspond with the
number of poles in the frame A, but it may be made in any polygonal form,
as hexagonal or octagonal, the frame A having its pole equal in number to the edges
of the said core.
In order to obtain a continuous action the elements composing the generating
cylinder are set spirally on the shaft, each being a little in advance of the one at its

page_text: The manner of Iorining the colls of insulated wire upon the cores of Tings
clearly illustrated in Fig. 9.
The wire is wound in different directions on alternative sides of the said cores or
rings, and its two end i and h are connected to the commutator rings, as hereinafter
described.
The commutator G, shown in Figs. 11 and 12, is constructed with a sleeve
insulated from and secured upon the shaft D¹ so as to rotate therewith, and
composed of a series of segments 81, 82, 83, 8, all insulated from each other and
corresponding in number to the elements E (Fig. 9) in the rotary generating
cylinder D.
To these segments are connected the wires i leading from the eleinents E, the
wire of the element E being connected to the segment s', the wire of the
element being connected to the segments, the wire of the element E³ being
connected to the segment 8³, etc.
The cominutator G comprises also the same number of rings 1, 2, 73, 7, insulated
from and secured upon the aforesaid segments, and also insulated from each
other.
Each ring however is connected with one of said segments so as to receive the
electric current therefrom; thus the ring ², by segment s², with E, etc.
The commutator comprises furthermore a ring 9 perfectly insulated from all
other parts of the commutator, but connected by the wires ', he, h³, etc. with all
elements E of the cylinder.
In order to collect the current there is rubbing upon each of the rings 7³, r², etc.
a brush Z, and upon the ring 7 the brush x. To each brush Z can be attached one
external circuit leading for instance to a lanp, but all these circuits have to return
to the brush x.
(It is to be remarked that the ring q and the brush a may be omitted by
connecting the wires with the shaft D', whereby the external circuits will then
return to the bearing of the shaft.)
To operate this machine the electro-magnets of the stationary frame have to be
excited by a continuous current of a battery or of a dynamo electric machine, and the
generating cylinder has to rotate with great speed, whereby currents of alternative
sense are obtained in each circuit connected with the branches Z and x.
By employing a cylinder, such as described with reference to Fig. 5, in an
apparatus according to Figs. 7 and 8 and with four brushes, such as represented in
Fig. 2, two continuous currents may be obtained.
III. To operate the above described machine it is necessary to employ a current
produced by means of a special generator. But I now proceed to describe an
arrangement whereby the electro-magnets in such a machine may be excited by a
current generated by the machine itself. To this end the cylinder is constructel as
follows, reference being had to Fig. 10 of the Drawings:-
This cylinder is composed of four elements E, exactly such as above described
with reference to Fig. 9, and is used with the same kind of commutator G as is
represented in Figs. 11 and 12. The elements E, E, etc., are however set all in the
same position (that is to say, not spirally) on the shaft, but so that their edges v
with the ends h and i are divided equally on the circumference of the cylinder, as
indicated in Fig. 10. In other words, assuming Fig. 9 to represent the position on
the shaft D' of one element, then the element next it would be arranged with its
part V in the position indicated by V in Fig. 9; the next one would have its
part V in the position V³, and so on.
The wires and i are connected with the currents as above described.
The coils of the stationary frame are connected with the brush and with the
brush y which bears upon the segments 8. By rotating the cylinder of this machine
four separate currents of alternative sense are obtained.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and explained the manner in
which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, as communicated to me as
aforesaid, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and

page_text: original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the Letters Patent
hereinbefore in part recited is,-
1. Constructing a generating cylinder of clements each consisting of a polygonal iron
ring having its sides wound round with insulated wire forming coils, substantially
as described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the Drawings, and also to Fig. 9.
2. The improved generating cylinders shown in and described with reference to
Figs. 5 and 7.
3. The improved generating cylinder composed of the elements E¹, E², E³, E',
arranged in relation to the shaft D', substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 9 and 10.
4. The connection of the coils f of the clements with the commutator G,
substantially as described.
5. In a dynamo-electric machine the combination with a generating cylinder
composed of elements E¹, E², E, E, each element consisting of a polygonal ring or
corej having its sides wound with wire, of a ring q, with which all the elements are
connected, and rings,,,, to which the said elements are connected separately
through segments 81, 82, 83, 84, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.