Improvements relating to the Distribution, Storage, and Regulation of Electric Currents.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1887
Complete Left, 30th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 1st June, 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Distribution, Storage, and Regulation
of Electric Currents.
I, LÉON GERARD, Electrical Engineer, of Brussels, Belgium, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the means of utilizing high tension currents for electric
lighting, transmission of power, and other purposes. It consists, chiefly, in a new
arrangement of secondary batteries, circuits, and regulating appliances which will
allow the simultaneous charging with currents of high electro motive force, and
discharging with currents of low electro motive force.
A number of storage cells or accumulators are connected in series and charged by
a dynamo machine with a direct high tension current; from these accumulators are
branched off (in derivation) the circuits of the receiving organs, such as lamps, or
motors; cach derived or working circuit taking between its electrodes or terminals
any convenient number of the accumulators or cells which constitute the battery, and
being provided with a regulator which may either vary the resistance of the working
or receiving circuit in which it is placed, or the number of cells of the battery which
feed the said circuit.
The electro motive force of the main or charging current is equal to the sum of
the electro motive forces of the derived currents. The elements or accumulators
composing the battery may be of equal or of different sizes. The regulator placed in
any working circuit may be actuated by hand or automatically, so as to maintain
either a constant current or a constant electro motive force, in the manner well
known to electricians.
A battery charged by the direct current of a dynamo machine (which may be at a
great distance) may, for instance, feed four different working circuits; namely, the
circuit of an electro motor requiring 500 volts, a circuit containing a series of lamps
absorbing together 48 volts, a circuit containing a group of lamps requiring 110 volts,
and a circuit containing an electro-plating bath at 4 volts. If the battery consists
of equal elements the number of the elements of the battery situated between the
terminals of each working circuit is normally proportional to the electro motive
force required by the same. However the different elements of the battery may be

page_text: in course of charging or discharging, or may neither receive or give out current
according to the number and condition of the elements, and the number of laips
which are placed between their terminals. In order to maintain the equilibrium as
far as possible, I employ a permutating appliance, consisting of two equal discs of
insulating material, each disc having at least twice as many contact faces as there
are accumulators or separate groups of accumulators in the battery. If the battery
has, for instance, six elements, or six groups of elements each disc has on its face
twelve contacts arranged in two concentric circles and six radia, the six outer con-
tacts of the lower disc being connected with the positive wires of the six elements,
or groups of elements, and the six inner contacts with the six negative wires. In a
similar manner the electrodes or terminals of the six working circuits are connected
with the twelve corresponding contacts of the second or upper disc. The faces of the
two discs are brought together so that the corresponding contacts will exactly coincide
with each other. By turning one of the two discs one fifth on its axis, each pair of
contacts belonging to an accumulator is now brought together with a pair of contacts
belonging to a different working circuit, and in this manner each accumulator or
group of elements may be successively connected with each of the working circuits.
If all contacts are placed in one circle instead of two, the working circuits may be
fed at will either in one direction or in the other. To avoid the entanglement of the
wires leading to the movable disc, every electrode is connected with a spring fixed
to a radial bar and presses against a circular blade corresponding to one of the contacts
of the movable disc. Instead of the permutating apparatus described, may, however,
employ any other appliance adapted to connect any accumulator or group of accumu-
lators successively with each of the working circuits.
To avoid or diminish the evils which may arise from the sudden interruption of the
high tension currents employed in my system of distribution, such as self induction,
extra currents and sparks, I provide all appliances where these interruptions are
likely to occur, such as safety fuses, cut-outs, switches and even the brushes of the
dynamo machine with artificial resistances in proportion to the tension of current
employed. In the case of brushes, the resistance is placed as a short circuit between
the brusli holder and a permanent contact piece passing over the commutator like
the brushes; in the case of safety fuses, between their extremities; in the case of cut
outs, between the permanent contact and one or more variable contacts, in such a
manner as to establish an intermediate stage of high resistance between the moment
when the rupture of the main current commences and the moment when it is completed.
If desired, this arrangement may be completed by the use of a condenser.
The artificial resistance may be formed by two insulated wires coiled in two super-
posed layers on a cylindrical core of brass, which is insulated from the wire, but
connected either with the earth or with a large conducting surface. Two adjoining
extremities of the two wires are soldered together, the object of this arrangement
being to destroy or neutralize the effects of self induction in the bobbins. The two
layers or bobbins wound in opposite directions are thus similar to the resistance
bobbins employed in measuring instruments.
A switch may, for instance, have four alternative contact surfaces arranged in an
are of a circle, the current entering at the fulcrum of the switch lever, the extremity
of which is adapted to touch successively the four contact surfaces. If the switch
lever touches the first contact, the main circuit is closed; if it touches the second
contact, the current has to pass through a short resistance bobbin; on the third con-
tact, the current must pass through a longer bobbin ; and on the fourth contact, the
current is broken.
1
1
1000
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Distribution, Storage, and Regulation
of Electric Currents.
I, LÉON GERARD, Electrical Engineer, of 37, Rue Philippe-le-Bon, Bruxelles,
Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same
may be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
One of the theoretically known methods of economically transmitting direct electric
currents to a considerable distance consists in sending the said currents at a high
tension (allowing the use of light conductors) into a battery of accumulators or several
batteries joined in series, established near the point or points of consumption, and
subsequently or simultaneously discharging the said batteries in groups or sections,
their elements being arranged in such a manner, as to provide a current of moderate
electro-motive force, such as is required for the majority of appliances, for instance
incandescent or arc lamps, motors, electro-plating, baths etc.
If this method has not hitherto been employed on an extensive scale, it is because
its application is attended with a number of difficulties or practical inconveniences, for
which no effectual remedy has been found. The following are the principal
drawbacks.
1. As the expenditure of current is not the same on the different circuits branched
off from the accumulators, and varies even in each of the circuits, certain groups of
accumulators are being exhausted, while others receive more than they expend, from
which results the impossibility of a continuous and regular supply. When the battery
is sufficiently charged, the charging cannot be interrupted by stopping the dynamo,
because the electro-motive force would act backward, and the coils of the dynamo
would be damaged. Consequently, the only way to stop the charging, is the rapid
breaking of the charging circuit.
2. But the interruption of high tension currents produces very strong extra currents
and sparks which are dangerous to the apparatus employed and even to the
attendants.
To remedy the first of these defects, I have arranged the accumulators in the
manner hereafter described and combined them with a permutating apparatus.
Fig. 1, is a diagram showing, by way of example, such a combination of batteries
and permutator.
Fig. 2, is a diagram showing the permutator in vertical section.
The accumulators are arranged as follows:
Given the electro-motive force, at which the current is to be conducted from the
distant source to the locality of consumption, I establish a battery of accumulators
joined in series and comprising as many elements as may be necessary to effect the
transformation at the said electro-motive force.
Supposing further, that I have to feed. (for example) six circuits each of which

page_text: requires a different quantity of current, and comprising appliances which are all'
capable of working at the same electromotive force, or tension. Under these conditions
I subdivide the complete series of accumulators into as many partial series, equal to
each other as may be necessary to ensure, that each gives the tension mentioned
above.
I have thus, arranged in tension, a series of partial or sectional batteries (in which
the elements are likewise arranged in tension) each giving the same number of volts
namely the number for which the necessary appliances have been designed. These
sectional batteries have also the same superficial area, or active surface this area
depending on the number of ampères absorbed by that of the six circuits which
requires the greatest amount of current.
The installation having been thus arranged, it will evidently be sufficient to connect
the main conductors of the six external circuits in pairs to the poles of each of the
sectional batteries.
If each of the external circuits would absorb the same quantity of current, this
arrangement would be sufficient, and it will be seen that under these conditions we
could continue to charge the complete series of batteries in tension, while the sectional
batteries give out current to the external circuits branched off from their poles.
For the continuous working of such a service it would be sufficient to keep the
charging current approximately equal to six times the current expended, by each of
the six external circuits which we have assumed.
But when, as is nearly always the case in practise, (and especially in the distribu-
tion of light in towns) the expenditures of the different circuits differ among each
other, this arrangement would no longer suffice, because, if certain sectional batteries
expend more and others less, it follows, that the former will be exhausted earlier than
the latter, or even, that the former are being rapidly exhausted while the latter expend
less than they receive and therefore reach the limit of their charging capacity after
which the current passing through the same will be practically wasted.
When this point is reached, the normal conditions can only be re-established by
interrupting the external circuit of the exhausted batteries and cutting the saturated
batteries out of the charging circuit.
It is this drawback (which is absolutely inimical to the practical realization of the
method of distribution mentioned above) which I intend to avoid by combining the
arrangement of accumulators described above with a permutating apparatus having for
its object to interchange the sectional batteries and the external or working circuits.
This permutator may for instance be constructed as follows:
Each of the pairs of wires starting respectively from the poles of the sectional
batteries 1, 2, 6 (see Fig. I.) terminates in a pair of insulated brushes 1¹,
6. Each of these brushes rests on one of the 12 copper rings 1ª 15
6ª, 6, arranged concentrically on a disc A of insulating material.
21
2º 2b
The lower face of this disc has 12 metal buttons arranged in pairs on six equidistant
radii and forming at the same time two concentric circumferences in the manner
shown by Fig. 3. Each of the six pairs of buttons or contact points is electrically
connected with one of the six pairs of copper rings at the top of the disc.
Under this first disc movable around the axle C is situated a fixed disc B in which
the said axle C is secured. This disc carries on its upper face 12 contact points
arranged exactly like those on the lower face of the disc A, and on its cylindrical
circumference are fixed 6 pairs of terminals each of which is connected with one of
the pairs of contact points (see Fig. 2).
In the diagram Fig. I, I have represented the pairs of contact points of the
plates A and B, as if they were situated side by side, but in reality they are arranged
radially behind each other as indicated in Fig. II. I have adopted this method of
illustration for the sake of clearness.
From the six pairs of terminals mentioned above start the six pairs of main
conductors which feed the six circuits containing the receiving appliances.
In the position represented by Fig. I, the sectional batteries 1, 2
feed respectively the circuit
a,
6 - to f.
----
to C will

page_text: It is equally apparent that the disc A need only be turned one sixth of a
revolution to establish connection between the sectional batteries 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and
the circuits b, c, d, e, f, a, or, after another sixth of a revolution, the said sectional
batteries will correspond with the circuits c, d, e, f, a, b, and so on.
Consequently, this operation need only be repeated periodically, for example, every
half hour, to ensure that after a given time, for instance, three hours, each of the
batteries will have expended very nearly the same quantity of current as the others,
which is the result to be attained.
I will remark, that this permutation is effected very rapidly, and need not, there-
fore, interrupt the supply in the least. The slight flickering of the light produced by
this change, is hardly visible.
In order to remedy the second defect mentioned above, which consists in the
dangers resulting from the strong extra-currents and sparks produced by the sudden
interruption of the circuit at any point, I propose to insert between all points where
interruptions may normally occur, suitably chosen resistances, either variable or
constant.
The points where the sudden interruptions are expected to occur under ordinary
circumstances, are chiefly those, where auxiliary appliances such as current breakers,
switches, fusible cut outs, commutator brushes etc., have been inserted.
Figs. 4 and 5 represent respectively a fusible cut out and a switch provided with
my resistances.
As shown, the said resistances are formed by any coils or bobbins
suitably arranged and placed in a shunt circuit between the points situated on each
side of that or of those where interruptions are expected to occur.
Now, as soon as a break occurs, the current, of which previously a very small
portion only had been shunted into one of these high resistance coils, will flow through
it entirely and its intensity will be much reduced.
If desired, a series of resistances, as shown by Fig. 5 may be successively interposed,
so as to diminish the current gradually until it has become weak enough, that the
interruption may take place without danger.
Whatever arrangement may be adopted, it is important to avoid the production of
currents due to self-induction in the resistance coils. The said bobbins may therefore
be arranged according to one of the methods known and employed for preventing the
said self-induction and, for example, I may adopt the arrangement represented by
Fig. 4, which consists in forming the resistance of two insulated wires wound
together, and parallel to each other, upon a core of non-magnetic material connected
to earth, the two extremities of these wires being connected with each other.
Each or any of the external or working circuits supplied by the sectional batteries
may enclose artificial resistances rendered variable by hand or automatically, or any
suitable apparatus already used for analogous purposes, or an alarm or signalling
apparatus which is called into action, when the current or the tension exceeds or falls
below a given limit.
Fig. VI. is a diagram showing in what manner the lamp L may be connected with
the terminals of a sectional battery. The lamp circuit contains a variable resistance
apparatus R constructed in the well known manner; and a magnet coil ▼ serves to
operate a pair of auxiliary instruments A and A' (such as alarms, automatic regulators.
or registering instruments) in the following manner:
The magnet coil V is inserted in a shunt circuit between the two main conductors /
and which feed the lamps L, and the spring armature belonging to the electro-
magnet is situated between a pair of adjustable contact points which form the terminals
of a pair of conductors each of which leads through one of the auxiliary instruments
to the main conductor of the lamp circuit. As long as the current in the lamp circuit
and therefore also in the shunt circuit is normal, the spring armature will keep clear
of the two opposite contact points; but as soon as the current rises or falls beyond
a given limit, the armature will make contact and conduct the magnet current into
the instrument A or A', provided that the resistances of the alternative shunt circuits
are suitably chosen.
In Fig. VII, the regulator R with resistance coils is replaced by a somewhat similar

page_text: instrument which is adapted to cut out one or more elements of the sectional battery
from the working circuit, as may be desired.
Having now particularly described the nature of my invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim :
In combination with a system of transmission of electric currents at a distance by
means of a battery of accumulators adapted to be charged at a high tension and
discharged in groups or sections.
1. A permutator chiefly comprising two discs, one of which, A, is adapted to turn
on the axles C extending from the other disc B; the disc A being provided on its
upper face with pairs of concentric metallic rings on which slide pairs of brushes, and
on its lower surface with contact points arranged in pairs on equidistant radii but all
on two concentric circles, each pair of contact points being connected with a corre-
sponding pair of metallic rings, and the disc B carrying on its upper face contact
points arranged exactly in the same manner as those just mentioned, each pair
corresponding with two terminals situated on the cylindrical surface outside of the
dise, the whole substantially as described and illustrated by way of example in Figs. 1
to 3 and for the purpose specified.
2. The arrangement of a permutator, substantially as described, with sectional
batteries equal to each other, on the one hand, and with unequal external circuits on
the other hand, for the purpose of successively connecting each of the sectional
batteries with each of the external circuits, and thus obtaining after a certain time
nearly equal conditions of charge and discharge in each of the sectional batteries.
3. The combination, with all or any of the accessories, such as current breakers,
commutators, collecting brushes, fusible cut outs, employed in the said system of
transmission, of resistance coils placed in a shunt circuit between the terminals of the
said accessories, for the purpose of avoiding sudden interruptions of the currents
which traverse the same, the said coils being preferably formed by two opposite
windings connected in series and surrounding the same non-magnetic core connected
to earth or to a conductor of large surface.