Improved Apparatus for Generating and Converting Electric Currents.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 12th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 7th Dec.. 1888
Improved Apparatus for Generating and Converting Electric
Currents.
ROBERT HENELADE COURTENAY of 1 Chatham Terrace Battersea Park Road in the
County of Surrey Telephonic Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the construction of voltaic cells, which cells may be
used as induction coils, or electro magnets, and may be connected with an armature
rotating between the poles of the magnets so formed.
In the construction of the voltaic cells each cell being an electro magnet, I find it
most convenient to make them of cylindrical form for convenience of winding the
helices of wire, and also to arrange them in the smallest space possible under a
reservoir.
I may use glass, Iudia rubber, gutta percha, wood, or any insulating substance as
tubes, or cells to receive the elements which are preferably carbon and zinc or other
suitable positive and negative elements may be used, the costly metals such as silver,
and nickel may be used with advantage in the smallest cells with suitable acids, as
described below. The tubes are wound with iron wire naked or covered which may
take the place and after insulation are wound with copper wire of a solid cylinder of
iron, care being taken that the induced currents flow in the same direction as the
voltaic currents the cells being wound with secondary as well as primary coils.
In the construction of voltaic cells to be used as electro magnets with electro dynamic
generators, a zinc or other positive element may be cast with the upper part tubular or the
element may be a complete tube of zinc or other positive metal containing mercury or an
amalgam if zinc elements are used, and plugged at the end of the tube and also at the
part of the tube level with the holes in the tube through which the excitant flows, or
an alloy with mercury cast in tubes or rods with tubular tops may be used as the
positive element. Near the top of the positive element, holes are drilled with the
object of allowing the excitant to flow between the zinc or other positive element, and
the walls of the preferably, tubular carbon element. The excitant flows into the
tubular top of the positive element, from a reservoir supplying the whole of the cells

page_text: of a given number grouped in outer cases according to requirement. At the bottom
of the carbon tubes or cylinders, are outlets for the partially spent fluid, dropping or
flowing into a suitable receptacle, which in some cases, after strengthening may be
used again, or may be chemically treated to obtain the metal employed as the positive
elements.
The outside of the carbon tube or cylinder is insulated and may be wound with iron
and copper wire as hereinbefore described and insulated thoroughly in which case the
induction coil is a fixture, and being so care must be taken to have the excitants clear
and free from sediment. Or preferably a cylinder of soft iron may be used to wind
the helix or helices of copper wire, the iron cylinder being previously insulated instead
of the carbon cylinder. After winding and insulating the coils, the voltaic elements
may be placed in the iron cylinder and coupled up as required. To supply the cells
with the excitant, I prefer to connect rubber tubes to the mouth of an insulating tap
secured to the reservoir, the free ends of the tubes being inserted in the tubular tops
of the zine or other positive elements. The flow of the excitant must of necessity be
in accordance with the consumption of the positive elements, and is regulated by
means of a tap to each group of cells. The increase of resistance through the
positive and negative elements being farther apart by means of the consumption of
the positive element, cannot be great, on account of the small dimensions of the cells
made on the principle herein described. When starting the battery, the positive and
negative clements are as close as they can be placed, allowing only space for the
excitant to flow, which must be comparatively weak on account of too much heat
being generated.
It will be seen, in the above arrangement of supply not more of the excitant than is
actually required, is possible to be in the cells, therefore injurious polarization is
impossible, on account of the excitant flowing from the top of the elements in a gentle
stream the upper part of the stream being strongest, and leaving the cells exhausted of
its power only in a small degree and may be strengthened again automatically before
it reenters the cells. To compensate for the requirement of large surfaces in the
voltaic cells to produce an electrical current of large quantity, I may charge an
armature rotating between the poles of the cell magnets, or other suitable electric
generator wound for a quantity current with the power, or part of the power
generated in the voltaic cells, for the purpose of increasing the electrical current.
Dated this 13th day of December 1887.

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Generating and Converting Electric
Currents.
ROBERT HENELADE COURTENAY of 78 Wool Exchange Coleman Street in the City
of London Telephonic Engineer 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 :-
This invention has for its object the construction and combination of Voltaic Cells,
which cells may be used as or with Induction Coils, or Electro Magnets and may be
connected with any suitable dynamic generator or motor for the purpose of obtaining
from such Electro-Magnets dynamic generators or motors, induced currents for outside
useful purposes.
In the construction of the cells for combined or Compound induction I find it most
convenient to make them of cylindrical form for convenience of winding the helices of
wire and also to arrange them in the smallest possible space under a reservoir.
I can use any positive and Negative Elements with any suitable excitants, but [
prefer Zinc and Carbon arranged one within the other as seen in (Fig. 1) where the
Solid Zine rod A is shewn contained within the Carbon cylinder B the space between
them being as small as possible so that only as much of the exciting fluid as is actually
necessary may be in the cell at any given moment, and which fluid is kept in constant.
motion by means of the inlet and overflow tubes T & TA thereby preventing polarisation
& its injurious effects.
The external Element which in the example shewn (Fig. 1). is the carbon, is
carefully insulated on its outer side, and, as stated in the Provisional Specification,
this insulation may be effected with glass, india rubber, gutta percha, wood or any
other insulating substance, and may take the form of a simple coating or of a cell
containing the Elements. In the Magnet constructed as shewn (Fig. 1) the outside
of the Carbon element is simply coated with an insulating compound and placed within
a soft iron Cylinder C.
The primary current produced by the Zinc & Carbon battery thus formed is
conducted around the iron cylinder by the insulated wire D thus converting C into an
Electro Magnet. Upon this primary Coil and thoroughly insulated from it I wind a
Secondary wire E in such a manner that the current induced in it may flow in the
same direction as the primary current:
An Electro Magnet constructed as described, or with any of the modifications
indicated in the Provisional Specification (as for example, the substitution of a coil of
iron wire wound immediately upon the insulated Carbon or other outside Element, or
upon a cell of wood, Glass, ebonite, gutta percha, or other insulating substance.
Instead of using a soft iron cylinder) I call a Self Contained Electro Magnet in
contradistinction to an Electro Magnet of a similar or analogous Compound con-
struction in which the Voltaic Elements are not contained within the core of the

page_text: magnet, but are placed outside or away from it, which as hereafter explained will be
necessary whenever it is desirable to obtain from a dynamic generator more than one
primary and Secondary Currents.
In constructing an Electro-Dynamic generator or Motor actuated by a primary
battery, I may take any convenient number of Self Contained Electro Magnets-
constructed as shewn (figs. 1 & 2) shoulders being turned upon the ends of the soft
iron Cylinders C for the purpose of true metallic contact, and bolt them together with
Copper or other suitable bolts to two soft iron Plates, perforated to receive the
cylinders. These plates then form the poles of the compound magnets as shewn
(Fig. 3). The armature revolving between the poles may be constructed upon any
known principle and the invention can be applied to any known machines, by winding
a secondary Coil of wire over the existing coil upon the core of the magnets.
If current be required for outside work from the Armature, it can be obtained by
winding upon the Armature a secondary wire or coils of wire of smaller guage than
the primary if for greater intensity, or larger guage if for quantity-such secondary
wire or coils to be distinct from the primary wire and to be connected to a separate
commutator.
If it be desirous to obtain more than one primary and one secondary current from a
machine, they can be obtained by placing the Voltaic Battery outside the machine
and instead of making the Electro Magnets self contained, to build them up by
winding the first coil upon a soft iron core, instead of upon a cylinder containing the
cells and placing an iron cylinder over this first coil; upon this cylinder a second coil
must be wound, covered by a second iron cylinder, and so on alternating the coils of
wire and soft iron cylinders-The first, third etc. coils to be primary and the
second, fourth etc. to be secondary. The primary coils to be connected to separate
commutators.
It is evident that any dynamic Electrical Machine whose field magnets are wound with
a Secondary wire as described, whether driven by a primary battery, by accumulators
or by a motor of any kind, would, at each make and break of the commutator develope
an induced current in the secondary coil or coils wound upon the field magnets:
which current would be constant and reliable for outside circuit, and that this current
could be varied in quantity and intensity according to the relative guages of the wires,
and the manner of coupling up. In Dynamos driven by motors the Armatures should
be shunt wound in order to get the best effect from the secondary coils on the field
magnets.
To better explain this invention reference must be made to drawings:
(Fig. 1) shews a Section of an Electro Magnet with one primary and one secondary
Coil, and with a Voltaic Cell (Zinc & Carbon) in the hollow cylindrical Core of the Magnet.
A are Zinc Elements, B are cylindrical carbon elements, C are hollow iron cylinders,
D&E the primary and secondary coils, P P are the ends of primary coils, SS are
the ends of Secondary coils, T inlet tubes of the excitant to the bottom of the Carbon
cells, T overflow tubes from the top of the carbon cells, T" Outlet tubes for
discharging the cells when it is required.
Fig. 2 shews an Electro Magnet containing a Voltaic Cell before placing in
position.
Fig. 3 shews machine with 6 Electro Magnets connected. in parallel to brush-
SS fig. 3 are the ends of Secondary Coils also in parallel leading to switches.
Fig. the same machine connected to brushes in series S S the ends of Secondary
Coils also connected in series.
The size of the cells shewn Figs. 1 & 2 are, Zinc Rods in. diameter and 8 in.
long. Carbon Cells 8 in. long and 2 in. inside diameter. Iron cylinder 7 in. long
and 1 in. diameter. The complete Cell measuring 21 in. diameter.
The couplings up of the primary and Secondary coils are arranged to suit the
requirements of the machines and number of Electro Magnets found desirable in their
construction-If for example 24 magnets are used in the construction of one machine,
the 24 (Coils with their positive and Negative Elements would be connected parallel
for a quantity current the wires being collected in cables or tubes and leading to the

page_text: Armature. The Carbon Elements are connected with the inside wire of the Primary
Coils the outside ends of which lead to one brush of the armature. The Zinc elements
are connected to the second brush of the armature. The wires from the Secondary Coils
are also collected in cable form and connected to switches in such manner as to have
quantity or intensity currents at will. In practice I find it not absolutely necessary
to use tubular positive or Zinc elements neither need the Zinc elements be perforated
to receive the inflow of excitants.
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 construction of Self Contained Electro Magnets substantially as described
herein, and their application to the construction of Electro Motors or Dynamos.
20 The application of Compound Magnets, that is to say Magnets wound with one
or more primary and one or more secondary coils, to dynamos and motors of
ordinary construction, for the purpose of obtaining from them extra induced
currents.
Dated this 19th day of October 1000