Improved Method and Apparatus for the Distribution of Electricity by Means of Alternating Currents of Electricity in Conjunction with Electrical Storage.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Loft 11th Sent. 1889 Accepted. 21st Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method and Apparatus for the Distribution of Electricity
by Means of Alternating Currents of Electricity in Conjunction
with Electrical Storage.
I, REGINALD FREDERICK YORKE Electrical Engineer The Oaks Haywards Heath
Sussex do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An alternator (that is a machine capable of producing, or of being driven by,
alternating currents of electricity) is coupled to a dynamo electric machine, capable
of producing, or of being driven by, continuous currents of electricity. This may be
done by means of a belt, or preferably, by coupling the two machines together so
that the moving portions of each machine may revolve on the same shaft. The field
magnets of both alternator and dynamo are excited by means of current obtained
from an accumulator, a switch is provided for regulating the strength of the exciting
current in either or both machines by inserting more or less resistance, or by varying
the number of cells of accumulator in the field magnet circuit. In order to start
the apparatus the field magnets are first excited. The accumulator is then switched
on to the dynamo which at once starts driving the alternator. When sufficient speed
has been attained the alternate current from the external main, or from a transformer
as the case may be, is switched on to the alternator. So long as the number of
alternations in the inain, remain constant, the speed of the alternator will also
remain constant whatever the load.
It is therefore only necessary to adjust the resistance in the field magnets of the
dynamo to get the requisite current from the dynamo for charging the accumulator.
Assuming that the apparatus has been started and is running as described, if the
number of alternations in the main are normal and the accumulator is discharged,
then the dynamo will charge the accumulator with the full current.
As the accumulator gets charged the pressure of the cells rises & the charging
current falls of till the accumulator is full; only a weak current will then continue
to pass.
If, from any cause, the number of alternations in the main become less frequent
the speed of the alternator will slacken, but when this takes place the accumulator
will discharge into the dynamo which will then drive the alternator, and the latter
will deliver current into the main, or into the transformer as the case may be.
The tendency for the speed of the dynamo to slacken owing to the fall of pressure
of the accumulator when discharging, will be compensated by the tendency to
increase in speed due to the weakening of the field inagnets since they are also
excited from the accumulator. In case the speed is still not sufficiently high the
field magnets may be further weakened by the well known method termed com-
pounding, that is-winding a few turns of the cable carrying the current from the
accumulator, round the field magnets so as to weaken the field when the accumulátor
is discharging. It may also be necessary to compound the field magnets of the
alternator so as to weaken the field when driving the dynamo, & to strengthen the field
when it is being driven.
In order to apply my invention for the distribution of electricity, sub-stations would
be provided in each district, in connection with one. or more, generating stations;
and in each sub station a set of apparatus consisting of alternator dynamo and
accumulator as described would be placed.
This arrangement tends to equalise the potential in the mains, consequently the
main conductor may have a smaller sectional area.
When the demand for current is low the machinery at the generating station
may be stopped and the mains will then be supplied from the sub-stations.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1888.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method and Apparatus for the Distribution of Electricity
by Means of Alternating Currents of Electricity in Conjunction
with Electrical Storage.
I, REGINALD FREDERIK YORKE, late of the Oaks, Haywards Heath, Sussex
but now of 11 Kirkstall Road, Streatham Hill, in the County of Surrey, Electrician
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
In order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to describe
the same in relation to the diagramatic drawings hereunto annexed reference being
had to the letters marked thereon; in which
-
A is the main Generating Station.
A is the alternating current main.
B is a substation.
O is the alternator at the substation.
D is the continuous current dynamo at the substation.
E is the coupling connecting C and D.
FF are the field magnets of the alternator C.
GG are the field magnets of the dynamo D.
His the accumulators.
I is the switch for regulating the resistance in the field magnets of the
dynamo D.
K is the switch for connecting the accumulator H with the armature of the
dynamo D.
My invention relates to the regulation and maintenance of uniform potential by
electrical storage in circuits of alternating currents of electricity and consists in the
combination with such an alternating circuit of a bye-station or stations in which any
surplus current in the main alternating circuit is transformed into a continuous
current suitable for storage in electrical accumulators by a special apparatus applied
for by me under No. 9405 and dated June 28th 1888 the energy thus stored in the
accumulators serving by reverse action to reinforce the potential of the main alternate
circuit by discharge action should the potential of the main alternate circuit tend to
fall. The said apparatus consists of an alternator (that is a machine capable of
generating or being driven by an alternating electric current) coupled to a continuous
current dynamo-electric-machine capable of producing or of being driven by con-
tinuous currents of electricity. The coupling of the two machines together may be
done by means of a belt or gearing, or by the attachment of the moving portions of
each machine to the same or a coupled shaft. The field magnets of both the
alternator and the dynamo are excited by means of a current obtained from an
accumulator. A switch is provided for regulating the strength of the exciting
current in either or both machines by inserting more or less resistance or by varying
the number of cells of the accumulator in the field magnet circuit.
In order to start the apparatus, the field magnets of both alternator and dynamo
are first excited, the accumulator is then switched on to the armature of the dynamo,
which thereby becomes a motor and at once drives the alternator. When sufficient
speed has been attained to produce a given number of alternations of current and the
current in the alternator is in synchronism with the external current as shown by any
suitable device, then the alternating current from the external main or from the
fransformer as the case may be is switched on to the alternator.
The alternator will then drive the continuous dynamo reversing the current from
the said dynamo into a charging current to the accumulator if the potential in the
main alternating current is sufficiently high to eflect this. When the number of
alternations in the main circuit remains normal and constant, the speed of the
alternator remains uniform and the apparatus will then be rotated in equilibrium

page_text: when the accumulators have been charged to their normal capacity. To effect the
necessary charging of the accumulators, the resistance in the field magnets of the
dynamo may be adjusted as is found necessary until the requisite charging current is
obtained, the apparatus then running in equilibrium. As the accumulator gets
charged, the pressure of the cells rises and the charging current falls off until the
accumulator is charged to its normal capacity. Only a weak current will then
continue to pass sufficient to overcome friction. If, now, from any cause the number
of alternations in the main become less frequent, the speed of the alternator will
slacken. But when this takes place the accumulator will discharge into the dynamo
which will then drive the alternator and the latter will deliver current into the
main or into the transformer as the case may be, tending to maintain the potential
of the main current from falling. The tendency for the speed of the dynamo to
slacken owing to the fall of potential of the accumulator when discharging will be
compensated for by the tendency to increase in speed due to the weakening of the
field magnets, since they are also excited from the accumulator. Should however
the speed be still not sufficiently maintained, the field magnets may be further
weakened by the wellknown method termed "compounding," that is, by winding a
few turns of the cable carrying the current to the accumulator round the field
magnets so as to weaken the field when the accumulator is discharging.
It may also be necessary to compound the field magnets of the alternator so as to
weaken the field when driving the dynamo and to strengthen the field when it is
being driven.
To provide a general regulation over a circuit of considerable length, sub-
stations in connection with one or more generating stations would be provided in
each district as hereinabove described providing several places of necessary storage
giving excellent regulation to the main circuit and a reinforcement to that circuit
equalising the potential in the mains. Consequently the main conductor may have a
smaller sectional area and when the demand for current is low the machinery at
the generating stations may be stopped and the storage sub-stations will supply the
main circuit with current for some time.
Without such a system of storage it would be necessary to provide machinery
at the generating station to supply the maximum demand for power though this
amount may only be required for a comparatively short time, and further it would
be necessary to keep the general machinery constantly at work though the demand he
ever so low.
Should a failure arise at the generating stations, the sub-storage stations will serve
to maintain the potential in the main circuit for some time giving an opportunity for
repairs without stoppage of current in the main circuit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1.) The method of regulation and maintenance of a uniform potential in an
alternating circuit by one or more storage stations of accumulators charged from or
discharging into the main circuit as required by transforming apparatus, substantially
as described.
.
2.) In such a method of storage regulation the combination of an alternator, a
coupled dynamo and an accumulator, the alternating motor and dynamo charging or
receiving discharge from the accumulator, the field magnets being weakened or
strengthened automatically by compounding or by hand regulation of the resistance,
in order to control the rate of charge or discharge of the accumulators to or from the
main circuit, substantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of Santamber 1880
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.