AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL REARSTIAN" PROVISIONAL SPFICATIONBU
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to St George Lane Fox of Queen Anne's Gate in the City of
Westminster for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL
REARSTIAN"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said St George Lane Fox at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th July 1883.
ST GEORGE LANE Fox of Queen Anne's Gate in the City of Westminster
IMPROVED SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION
"
"AN
In an extensive system of electrical distribution in which energy is to be trans-
mitted from a distant point where cheap fuel or a natural source of energy is
available to the district or districts where it is to bo utilized it is desirable in order
to prevent great loss in transmission to employ high tension currents, that is,
currents having high electro motive force. But for well known reasons, low tension
currents, and not high tension currents, should be distributed over the districts
where the energy is to be utilized.
Now in order to transmit the energy from the distant source by means of high
tension currents and to distribute it over the district or districts where it is to be
utilized by means of low tension currents I adopt the following system :-
1 employ generators for developing high tension currents and operate them from
the distant point or points which are to be the source or sources of energy as will
be well understood. From these high tension generators I lead insulated conductors
to the several districts where the energy is to be distributed and utilized and
which may be called sub-centres of distribution. At these sub-centres I employ
electro-motors operated by the high tension currents and I connect with these
motors generators for producing low tension currents. The motor and generator
are by preference placed in the same frame and act through one and the same shaft,
this compound motor and generator being thus like a dynamo machine but with
two armatures fixed on the same shaft, the one armature being caused to rotate
by means of the high tension currents and thereby driving the shaft of the motor,
while the other armature being fixed to this shaft rotates with it and causos
currents to be developed in the low tension system. I distribute the energy from
the low tension generators as now well understood, to the various places where
it is to be utilized, by parallel arc distribution at a constant electro motive force
and with or without secondary batteries as described in the Specifications of
former Letters Patents granted to me and dated respectively 9th October 1878
N° 3988 and 14th November 1878 N° 4626.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said St George Lane Fox in the Patent Office on the 28th January
1884.
ST GEORGE LANE Fox of Queen Anne's Gate in the City of Westminster
IMPROVED SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION
"
" AN
In dealing with the distribution of electricity on a large scale the question of
transmission from localities where motive power is cheap is of very great
importance.
To transmit electricity over long distances it is essential that high pressure or
high tension be used so as to keep down the cost of conductors and to reduce the
loss in such conductors, but for well known reasons it is best not to distributo
electricity at high tension. I have therefore devised the following system to
combine the advantages of high tension for long distance transmission with the
advantage of a lower tension for distributing in centres of supply.
At the spot where there is some suitable power which I desire to utilize I place
a prime mover of a class according to the source of power to be dealt with say, a
This motive power
water power engine, steam engine, gas engine or other motor.
engine, which may be one engine or a series of engines, works either direct on the
same shaft or otherwise as one or more electric generators; if more than one
generator they should be coupled together in any suitable way.. I thus produce a
high tension current of comparatively small quantity. This high tension current
I convey by a suitable conductor or conductors through the localities to be
supplied.
At any point on this high tension main at which it is desired to utilize the
.electricity I place an electric motor adapted to give any desired power and to this
electric motor I connect, by preference directly on the saine shaft, or by direct
coupling or otherwise, a generator of suitable power and size for the motor and for
the current desired to be taken off at this point.
Thus for instance in passing through a Village where 500 20-candle-power lamps
would be required the high tension conductor would pass into a suitable house or
shed where a compound motor and dynamo machine of the power required would
be placed, and the generator would give whatever tension and quantity were
desired; the conductor would then pass on to the next compound motor and
generator which may be many miles away or only a short distance.
In distributing electricity over large Towns where the distances are not so great
this system will be found to introduce great economy. It gives considerable
advantage in the first undertakings where the demand is scattered; the high
tension main of comparatively low cost being practically the only part of the
System which passes through unproductive localities.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings illustrates diagramatically this system of
electrical distribution.
P is a prime mover or motive power engine which by means of the electric
generator G generates a current of high electro-motive force or tension. The source
of power may be any convenient one, either a wind-mill, or a water power engine,
steam, gas or oil motor, or any suitable means of creating power. This will of
course vary according to local and other circunstances.
C is the high tension conductor which conveys the current over long distances,
passing through the electric motors M M which electric motors drive electric
generators G¹ giving any desired class of current. Two or more motors may work
together as at X Figure 1 coupled either in series or parallel.
The Figure shews eight sets of motors and generators which may be many miles
apart or any shorter distance, For instance the eight combined motors and

page_text: gonerators may respectively produce distributing currents for eight different
Towns, or Villages, or centres of supply; or in the caso of a Railway the high
tension conductor might run along the line and at cach Station or section a
combined motor and generator could be placed, and the currents used for any
desired purpose on or about the station or section-for light, motive power, heating
or any other purposes.
At any point along the high tension main the electric energy can be utilized
either directly from the high tension main instead of by the intermediary of tho
combined motor and generator or from both, so that although according to my
system the distribution in centres of supply takes place from the low tonsion
generators operated by the motors, it is possible in special cases to also use the
high tension current directly without interfering with the general system.
From each of the generators actuated by the motors a distributing circuit is
laid. These circuits are shown open in the diagram-sce o o; they may produce
light or motive power or heat or effect other work by any ordinary means, such
as by incandescent lamps or electric motors or electric heaters of any particular
type.
This low tension distributing circuit may work with or without secondary
batteries to keep the electro motive force constant and act as reservoirs in the
manner now well understood.
Figure 2 shows diagramatically the compound motor and generator. M is tho
motor, G the generator, CC the high tension main passing through the motor.
oo are the low tension mains from the generator to the distributing circuit.
The shaft of the motor and generator may be united with a simple coupling or
the shaft may be continuous; it is however best to directly connect the two shafts
because this gives the advantage of direct coupling with driving gear whilo
enabling the two shafts to be easily disconnected.
The difference of potential in the two terminals of the generator will be
according to the power required and the current through the low tension main ;
any desired power can be taken off by any particular motor according to requirement
within the limits of the power which is being dealt with.
Figure 3 shews diagramatically how the system may be applied to clectric
railways.
P is the motive power working the high tension generator G. O is the conductor
for the high tension main passing through the compound motors and generators M.
The line of railway to be supplied is divided into sections and each section is fed
by a low tension current; risk of leakage is thus reduced while the advantage of
the high tension for long distance transmission is retained.
The sections can be of any desired length and can either be supplied with
automatic or hand switches to place each section in a low tension circuit temporarily
during the passage of a train or not.
Although in the diagrams I have shown a completo metallic circuit it is evident
that my system can be worked with earth returns.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and in what manner tho
same is to be performed I declare that I claim :
The System of electrical distribution herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said St George Lane Fox have hereunto set my hand
and seal this eighteenth day of December One thousand eight hundred and
eighty three.
S'
G. LANE FOX. (LS.)