Means for Determining the Presence and Intensity of Atmospheric Electricity.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Means for Determining the Presence and Intensity of Atmospheric
Electricity.
I, JESSE OPPERMAN, of No. 304, North Eighth Street in the City of St. Louis,
State of Missouri, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 :-
It is well known that the presence and the constantly varying intensity of atmo-
spheric electricity bears a very intimate relation to the various meteorological
conditions to which the atmosphere and our earth are subjected, and that these
variable electrical conditions exercise a powerful influence upon all animal and
vegetable life. Other meteorological conditions, such as the hygrometric, the
thermometric, etc., are constantly noted and careful records of the changes in the
same taken, and such records made use of not only to immediate advantage but also
to predict future conditions.
The object of my invention is to render possible a corresponding knowledge, and
to furnish a similar record, of the electrical conditions of the atmosphere, furnishing
data relating thereto which can be made use of in a similar, and, perhaps, a more
extended and more useful manner. It cousists, briefly stated, in establishing an
electrode a collector or accumulator-at some relatively elevated position; con-
necting therewith a suitable insulated electrical conductor, which furnishes an
efficient pathway for the electrical charge, as collected at the electrode, therefrom
to the earth; and in interposing in the length of the said conductor, at some
convenient point, a suitable galvanometer, either indicating or recording, for, at all
times, measuring the current flowing therethrough.
The accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference denote like
parts wherever they occur, are a representation of an apparatus, of the character
described above.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a building, on the roof of which I have placed
my exposed collector;
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the charge-collecting device; and
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the current-measuring device.
a represents an insulated support for the electrode or collector g; h-d, the electric
conductor, one terminal of which is connected with the collector g and the other
with the ground, as at f. In the length of the conductor h-d is interposed an
As shown more in
electrical measuring device of some desired character, as at e.
detail in Figure 2, there is secured a conductor m of large carrying capacity, so
that its end is in close proximity to, but not connected with, the collector g, which
is connected in some manner to the ground, preferably to the stand pipe b.
is supported in place, by being secured, by the insulating bracket i, to the
standard a.
It
The object of this arrangement is to provide a safeguard against an overcharge,
as might be collected at the electrode g in a thunder-storm, from going to ground
through the conductors and d and through the instrument at e, the terminal of the
wire m being close enough to the collector g to take off any excess of current,
offering as it does a pathway of much less resistance than the conductor h-d.
As shown in Figure 2, the collector g, which may be of any convenient form, as
a ball or plate, is secured on the end of the standard a, which, in turn, is
supported on the end of the rod k of some insulating material, and this rod k is
secured to, and supported by, the post which is secured to the roof of the building.
The function of this arrangement is, essentially, to insulate the collector y
from the building, so that any charge collected by the same can have no other
pathway to ground except through the conductor h-d. When the collector is
charged, or, indeed, when there exists any difference of potential at the collector g
IP 71

page_text: and the ground at f, there will be a current flowing therefrom through the
conductor, to the measuring instrument at e, through the same, and to ground at f,
through the conductor d.
It is obvious that the conductor - should be efficiently insulated from the
building. The details of the connections shown in Figure 3 and of the measuring
instrument can, of course, be modified, as may be required or convenient. As
shown, the measuring device consists in a duplex-coil a static needle galvanometer,
the terminals of which are led to two cups of mercury, to which are also led, respec
tively, the terminals of the conductors h and d, thereby completing the circuit of
the conductors and d through the coils n of the measuring instrument.
In this manner, any difference of potential between the static charge of the
collector g and the ground at f will be indicated by a current influencing the index
needles o and P, and the intensity thereof be measured by the deflection-angle of
the same.
By a series of experiments carried on by myself, I have found that there is
constantly a flow of current through the conductor of varying intensity, and that
the varying intensity bears a comparable relation to the changes noted in the
temperature, barometric height, and hygrometric conditions of the atmosphere, and
that changes take place in these current indications that are remarkably coincident
with observed sun spots and auroras.
While the angular deflections of the galvanometer needles have generally
indicated a direction of flow from air to earth-i.e., a potential at the collector g
higher than the normal at the earth at f, yet this is by no means invariably so, the
opposite having been observed frequently. This in itself, to my mind, proves,
beyond a doubt, that the generally accepted theory that the potential of the earth
can, for all practical purposes, be considered as zero, or, at least, comparatively so,
is a fallacious one. And, when a series of observations, such as I have been taking,
the method of which forms the fundamental subject-matter of this application, as
herewith described, can be taken to extend over a sufficiently long period of time,
enabling a more critical comparison to be drawn between the current changes
thereby indicated and concurrent coincident phenomena of other characters,
there is no question but that data will be furnished from which results may be
obtained that will prove themselves eminently useful in the economy of animal and
vegetable life on our earth, as well as materially adding to our knowledge of the
essential laws of nature.
While I am aware that I advance nothing new in the statement that the atmo-
sphere is more or less highly charged with electricity and that its presence has been
observed and that magnetometers have been used to detect the strength of the
earth's magnetic field, etc., yet, as far as I know, no adequate means, such as herein-
described, has been devised or used to constantly note and record the ever-varying
differences of electrical potential between the atmosphere and the earth and furnish
data for determining the positive relations therebetween.
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:
The herein-described means for detecting and measuring atmospheric electricity,
consisting in the combination with a collector situated at a relatively elevated
position, of an insulated conductor, connected at one end with the collector and
grounded at the other end, and a measuring instrument interposed in the length of
the conductor, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Dated the 3rd day of Octahan 1902
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.