IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGNETO ELECTRIC APPARATUS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of W. P.
Thompson and Co., of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and
of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, International Patent
Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MAGNETO
ELECTRIC APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Wesley Ward Gary,
of Washington, in the District of Columbia, United States of America.
Sealed the 16th September 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 28th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1879.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., of 323,
High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, International Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO MAGNETO-ELECTRIC APPARATUS.” A communication from abroad by
Wesley Ward Gary, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, United States of
America.
This Invention relates to magneto-electric apparatus in which electric currents
are obtained by the forcible relative movement between the armature and magnet,
or the reverse; an electric current continually changing worked by the repelling and
impelling force of the magnets, and thereby causes motion and changes the force of
electricity into electro motive force. The Invention is an improvement on that
communicated to me previously by the same inventor, Mr. Gary, and patented 14th
of June 1877, No. 2314. In this case the armature moves in the magnetic field to
and across a neutral line.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
September 1879.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson & Co., of 323,
High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, International Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO MAGNETO-ELECTRIC APPARATUS." (A communication from abroad by
Wesley Ward Gary, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, United States of
America.)
The primary object of my Invention is to facilitate and greatly lessen the
expense of generating or developing electrical currents by dynamo-machines and
instruments, by so improving their construction and modes of action that they may
be operated by a very small amount of power and at high rates of speed. With
this end in view the Invention consists broadly in so constructing the machine
or instrument that the soft iron armature or core used with the induction
coil is operated constantly in one and the same magnetic field, and caused
to be polarized and depolarized or to change its polarity without departing from
such field, and without coming in contact with the magnot. Many machines have
been hitherto constructed for the purpose of developing electrical currents through
the medium of a soft iron armature coiled with wire, and subjected to and
magnetized by the inductive influence of a permanent magnet, the armature or
the magnot being moved one in relation to the other, in such manner as to cause
the armature to change or lose its polarity rapidly and at very frequent intervals.
In order to secure this reversal or loss of polarity in the armature without having
it actually touch the magnet, it has hitherto been considered necessary that the
armature should be carried into and out of the magnetic field or field of attraction
of the magnet, or else from the field of one pole into that of the other. This
operation required the movement of the armature a long distance, necessitating the
expenditure of a large amount of power, limited the frequency of the polar changes,
and precluded the full utilization of the magnetic influence. My Invention derives
its value mainly from the fact that I do not carry the armature out of the magnetic
field, but operate it wholly therein, and secure by a very slight movement the same
or better results than those secured in existing machines. My Invention is based
upon the fact, hitherto unknown, that there exists in the magnetic field or field of
attraction of every magnet at a greater or less distance from the magnet what I
term a neutral line, that is to say, a line at which soft iron will not be polarized or
magnetized by the inductive action of the magnet. The location of the neutral
line as regards its distance from the magnet differs in different cases, the line
approaching the magnet in proportion to the increase in strength of the magnet,
and receding as the size or cubic contents of the armature are increased. The
location of the line may be readily determined by applying a coil and galvanometer
to the iron, and moving it to and from the magnet; or by applying a needle to the
armature and noting the point at which the needle assumes a horizontal position,
or by allowing a tack or other small piece of iron to adhere to the armature, and
noting the point at which the tack is released by the same. I have discovered that
iron placed on this line, although subject to a strong attractive influence on the part
of the magnet, remains unpolarized, but that upon moving it from the line in either
direction it instantly assumes a polarity. I have also discovered that the polarity
of the iron differs on opposite sides of the line and changes in crossing the same, so
that if the iron placed in close proximity to the magnet and polarized by induction
be carried outward, it will lose polarity on reaching the neutral line, and then
assume a reverse polarity as it passes from the line outward. By availing myself
of this fact and arranging the armature to vibrate from the neutral line inward, or

page_text: from the neutral line outward, or to work across the line and in connection with a
commutator, I secure the required change in the polarity of the armature, and
produce the same results by a very short movement that are now secured by the
longer one, and this too without the necessity of causing the armature to touch tho
magnet. In constructing machines and instruments on my plan, the details may
be constructed and arranged in any manner desired, provided the armature has the
above described action in relation to the magnet. The best results are secured by
using a horse shoe magnet, compound if desired, extending the armature across its
two poles on one side, and then arranging the armature to inove only between the
neutral line and the magnet. My Invention is applicable in magneto-electric
machines to transmitting instruments for telegraphs to fire and burglar alarms, and
generally to machines, instruments, and apparatus of all kinds in which an electric
current is to be generated or employed. In the accompanying Drawings Figs. 1, 2,
3, and 4, represent the relation of the neutral line to the magnet and magnetic field,
and also the depolarization and change of polarity of the armature; Fig. 5
represents a perspective view of one form of magneto-electric machine constructed
on my plan; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a telegraphic transmitting key
embracing my improvement, the armature being attached directly to the end of the
manipulating or transmitting key or lever. Referring to the Drawings A represents
a base frame provided with uprights a, and sustaining in a fixed position a hori-
zontal permanent magnet B of the ordinary compound horse shoe type; C represents
a flat horizontal armature of soft iron lying above and extending across both
poles of the magnet and secured rigidly to one end of a horizontal vibratory
lever D which is sustained by a transverse shaft B mounted on the standards a.
This lever is provided with an upright arm c, the upper end of which is slotted
to receive, and is vibrated by an eccentric & mounted on a shaft e, the end of'
which is provided with a small pinion f, and driven at a high speed by a large
gear wheel E, as shown. This arrangement causes the rotation of wheel E to
vibrate the lever and move the armature to and from the magnet with great
rapidity. Around the armature, which is preferably reduced and rounded at the
middle, there is wound an ordinary wire induction coil G. In order to balance or
sustain the armature against the attractive influence of the magnet and avoid the
necessity of employing a driving power sufficient to overcome the same, I place
below the vibrating lever two or more springs H of different heights, arranged to
come into action successively against the underside of the lever and offer an
increasing resistance as the armature approaches the magnet and becomes subject
to an increasing attraction. Under this arrangement it is only necessary, in order
to vibrate the armature, to apply a very slight amount of power, an amount suffi-
cient to overcome the friction and the inertia of the moving parts. In adjusting
the machine it is preferred to vibrate the armature from the neutral line, the
position shown in Fig. 2, inward toward the magnet, to the position shown in Fig. 4,
in which case the armature will be polarized as it leaves the line and depolarized
as it again reaches the line. Owing to the fact that the armature requires a very
slight movement, in some cases not exceeding the fiftieth part of an inch, and the
fact that it is balanced or sustained against the attractive influence of the magnet,
I am able to drive the machine at a very high speed by the application of a very
little power, and owing to the fact that the armature is operated only in close
proximity to the magnet where the attraction and inductive action are very
powerful, I produce in the wire induced currents of great quantity and intensity.
If for any special reason it may be considered desirable so to do, the parts may be
adjusted to vibrate the armature from the neutral line outward without passing
beyond the magnetic field. Or if desired, the parts may be so adjusted that the
armature shall vibrate to and from the magnet across the neutral line without
passing from the magnetic field. In such case there will be two direct currents or
impulses induced during the outward and two during the inward movement of the.
arinature. For the purpose of producing a continuous current a commutator
or current changer of any suitable or ordinary construction may be used. This.

page_text: commutator may be actuated in any suitable manner, one simple arrangement being
shown in the Drawing in which the rear end of the lever is arranged to vibrate an
arm J, the end of which is provided with two conducting fingers K, L, to which the
ends of the coil are connected. The fingers play across three metal plates M, N, O,
which are connected, the first two with the conductor P, and the other with con-
ductor Q, as shown, the arrangement being such that the course of the current is
changed as the current in the coil reverses, so as to produce a continuous current in
the conductors P, Q. It is to be noted that in all cases the construction of the
machine is to be such as to utilize the depolarization of the armature at the neutral
line, that the armature is to remain within the magnetic field, and that it is
unnecessary to, move the armature through the entire field. The arrangement of
the vibrating armature across both poles of the magnet, as shown, enables me to
make constant use of both poles and the entire armature, thus utilizing the full
power and effect of the magnet. The best results are secured when the armature
consists, as shown in the Drawing, of two plates or pieces riveted together. As
before stated, the form, arrangement, and construction of parts may be modified as
desired, provided the armature operates within the magnetic field, and provided also
the current produced by the depolarization of the armature at the neutral line is
made available for use. In Fig. 6 a transmitting key is shown connected with a
"sounder" or receiving instrument of ordinary forin. The armature is attached to
the vibratory lever D, which serves as the key or finger lever to be actuated in the
same manner as the ordinary transmitting key. The arrangement of the other
parts is the same as in the machine above described, except that the commutator is
omitted. Having thus described my Invention, what I claim is,
1. The herein described method of producing induced electrical currents, consisting
in vibrating an iron armature coiled with wire to and from the neutral line in the
field of a permanent magnet.
2. In a magneto-electric machine or instrument, the combination of a permanent
magnet, an induction coil, and a soft iron armature, arranged to move wholly within
the magnetic field to and from the neutral line.
3. In a magneto-electric machine, the combination of a permanent magnet, an
induction coil, and an armature and operating mechanism arranged to vibrate the
armature to and from the magnet, from or across the neutral line, without departing
from the magnetic field.
4. The combination in a magneto-electric machine of a permanent magnet, an
induction coil, and soft iron armature, vibrated only from the neutral line toward
the magnet and back to the neutral line.
5. In a magneto-electric machine or instrument, the combination of a permanent
magnet, an induction coil, and a soft iron armature, arranged to vibrate to and from
and to stop upon the neutral line in the magnetic field.
'
6. The combination in a magneto-electric machine or instrument of a permanent
magnet, an induction coil, an iron armature vibrating wholly within the magnetic
field to or across the neutral line, and an automatic commutator arranged to change
the course of the induced current when the armature is upon the neutral lino.
7. In a magneto-electric machine, the combination of a permanent magnet, an
induction coil and armaturo, and an automatic commutator or current changer
arranged to move as the armature reaches the neutral line in the magnetic field.
8. In a magneto-electric machine or instrument, the combination of a permanent
magnet and an induction coil and armature, arranged to vibrate wholly within the
magnetic field without coming in actual contact with the magnet.
9. In a magneto-electric machine, the combination of a permanent magnet, an
armature moving to and from the same, a spring or its equivalent, arranged to
counteract the attractive influence of the magnet.
10. The combination in a magneto-electric machine of a permanent magnet, au
armature arranged to move to and from the magnet, and springs or equivalent
devices arranged to offer an increasing resistance to the armature as it approaches
the magnet,.

page_text: 11. The combination of a permanent magnet, the induction coil, and the armature
extending across both poles of the magnet, and arranged to move to or from them
both at the same time.
12. The combination of the permanent magnet, the armature extending across
both poles of the magnet, the induction coil, the vibrating lever, and the eccentric
arranged to vibrate the lever, as shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.