Improvements in and relating to the Transformation and Distribution of Electric Energy and Appliances therefor.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 12th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 16th Sept., 1887.
Improvements in and relating to the Transformation and Distribution
of Electric Energy and Appliances therefor.
We ROBERT DICK, Manufacturer, and RANKIN KENNEDY, Electrical Engineer, both
of the Electric Lamp Works, 115 Woodside Road, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows :—
In the present system of distribution of electric energy by means of transformers
of alternating electric currents, the complete system consists of a high tension
alternating current generator or dynamo electric machine which supplies electric
energy in alternating impulses directly to the main distributing wires. The trans-
formers are connected to these main wires either in parallel arc, or series order, and
they receive the alternating electric currents of high potential and transform them into
currents of low potential, suitable for consumption in electric lighting or motive power
purposes.
In our new system we do not deliver alternating currents of high potential from an
alternating dynamo-electric machine directly into the mains.
By our improvements we obviate the great difficulties in the way of constructing
and maintaining the large and powerful dynamos at present used for producing
alternating currents of high potential, combined with the large volume of current
required for distribution to transformers or secondary generators connected in parallel
are order. In the present system of distributing electric energy by means of
transformers very large and powerful dynamo electric machines of great potential
and large current are required for moderately small distributions, a potential of
3000 volts and a current of 100 amperes being required to be produced in the dynamo
5 Duine S1

page_text: "
machine and maintained in the mains for the supply of about 5000 lamps in the
consumption circuit.
This number of lamps is not great, yet an alternating current producer or dynamo
to work at, and produce a current of 100 amperes and 3000 volts is an extremely
costly machine to construct besides being dangerous and difficult to maintain in actual
work; and very much larger currents, and more potential would be necessary for the
extension of this system of distribution.
According to our invention we employ a dynamo electric generator having exactly
the reverse characteristics of that heretofore used for the said purpose. That is, we
use a dynamo electric generator of alternating currents of low potential and large
quantity or volume, such dynamos are at present quite common for ordinary use, and
are found to be very effecient, safe, and economical both in first cost and subsequent
maintenance. We employ for a distribution such as that above mentioned for about
5000 lamps, say a dynamo to produce currents of 3000 amperes quantity, and 100 volts
pressure or clectro motive force; or to produce 6,000 amperes at 50 volts potential, a
quite easily made and simple dynamo would suffice for these quantities and it would
be safe to handle. But instead of using only one alternating current dynamo electric
generator of low potential in some cases several low potential alternating current
dynamos would be used, and preferably joined or connected together in parallel arc
order, so as to supply a very large current of low potential.
These large currents of low potential, we do not pass directly into the main
distributing conductors. We use a main transformer of alternating currents made on
the same principle as the well known induction Rubmkorff coil or *Inductorium
:: for
the purpose of converting or transforming alternating currents of low potential and
large volume into currents of high potential and small volume, and these high potential
and small volume currents are afterwards delivered into the primary or main circuit
and secondary generators or transformers and effect the distribution of the electric
energy in the consumption circuit.
Instead of using only one large alternating current main transformer for the trans-
formation of the low potential currents produced by the dynamo or dynamos, into
high potential currents to be distributed, in some cases a number of alternating
current main transformers would be employed and connected together either in series
or in parallel arc, or in a combination of parallel and series order, and it would
preferably be advantageous to couple or connect together the primary wires of
the respective main transformers in parallel are, and the secondary wires in series
order.
Thus our improvements essentially consist in the employment (in a system of
distribution of electric energy by secondary transformers of alternating currents) of a
dynamo, or number of dynamo electric generators of alternating currents of low
potential and large volume, combined with a main transformer, or number of main
transformers, which transform alternating currents of low potential into currents of
high potential, which high potential currents are afterwards passed to the main
distributing conductors and from these to the secondary transformers and from the
secondary transformers, the transformed electric energy is supplied to the lamps; and
thus by these improvements we obtain all the advantages of low potential generators
and obviate the difficulties in the way of constructing and using generators of high
potential.
Any of the well known generators of alternating currents of low potential may be
used for the purposes of this invention, and any forms of alternating current trans-
formers may be used for the conversion or transformation of the low potential currents
into currents of high potential, provided they are not used as a
* reversed inductorium."
That is, the thick short wire of the transformer must be used as the primary circuit,
and the thin wire as the secondary circuit, just as has always been done in using the
ordinary inductorium."
36
We however prefer to use alternating current transformers made and applied as
described in the provisional specification accompanying our application for Provisional
Protection No. 12,531 October 2 1886.

page_text: 3. A
Concisely stated the improvements consist in the combination of five elements.
1. A dynamo electric generator of currents of alternating polarity of low potential.
2. A main transformer of currents of alternating polarity into which the generating
dynamo or dynamos deliver low potential currents of alternating polarity, for the
purpose of reducing the volume and increasing the potential of the current.
primary or main circuit of any length for conveying this current of high potential.
4. An induction apparatus or number of such for furnishing a secondary current or
currents of low potential induced by the high potential primary current. 5. Proper
translating devices which in this case are electric lamps in parallel are at the required
localities.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Transformation and Distribution
of Electric Energy and Appliances therefor.
We ROBERT DICK, Manufacturer, and RANKIN KENNEDY, Electrical Engineer,
both of the Electric Lamp Works, 115, Woodside Road, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, do
hereby declare the nature of our Invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment, in writing, reference being had to the accompanying 2 sheets of Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
In the system at present in use of distributing electric energy by means of trans-
formers of alternating electric currents, the complete system consists of a high tension
alternating current generator or dynamo-electric machine, which supplies electric
energy in alternating impulses directly to the main distributing-wires. The trans-
formers are connected to these main wires either in parallel arc, or in series order,
and they receive the alternating electric currents of high potential and transform them
into currents of low potential suitable for consumption in electric lighting or motive
power purposes.
In this system of distributing electric energy by means of transformers very large
and powerful dynamo electric machines of great potential and large current are
required for moderately small distributions, a potential of 3000 volts and a current of
100 amperes being required to be produced in the dynamo machine and maintained
in the mains for the supply of about 5000 incandescent lamps in the consumption
circuit. This number of lamps is not great, yet an alternating current producer or
dynamo to work at, and produce a current of 100 amperes and 3000 volts potential is
ea nxtremely costly machine to construct, besides being dangerous and difficult to main-
tain in actual work; and very much larger currents, and more potential would be
necessary for the extension of this system of distribution.
By our improvements we obviate the great difficulties in the way of constructing
and maintaining such large and powerful dynamos as are at present used for producing
alternating currents of high potential, combined with the large volume of current
required for distribution to transformers or secondary generators connected in parallel
arc-order.
According to our Invention we employ a dynamo-electric generator having exactly
the reverse characteristics of that heretofore used for the said purposes. That is, we
use a dynamo electric generator of alternating currents of low potential and large
quantity or volume; such dynamos are at present quite common for generating electric
energy, for ordinary use, and are found to be very efficient, safe, and economical both
in first cost and subsequent maintenance. We employ for a distribution such as that
above mentioned for about 5000, incandescent lamps say a dynamo to produce currents
of 3000 amperes quantity, and 100 volts pressure, or electro-motive force; or to produce
6000 amperes at 50 volts potential a quite easily made and simple dynamo would

page_text: suffice for these quantities, and it would be safe to handle. But instead of using only
one alternating current dynamo-electric generator of low potential in some cases,
several low potential alternating current dynamos would be used, and preferably joined
or connected together in parallel are order so as to supply a very large current of low
potential.
These large currents of low potential, we do not pass directly into the main dis-
tributing conductors as has heretofore been the case, but we use a main transformer of
alternating currents made on the same principal as the well-known induction Ruhmkorff
coil "inductorium," for the purpose of converting or transforming alternating currents
of low potential and large volume into currents of high potential and small volume:
and these high potential and small volume currents are afterwards delivered into the
primary or main circuit, and secondary generators or transformers and effect the
distribution of the electric-energy in the consumption circuits.
Instead of using only one large alternating current main transformer for the trans-
formation of the low potential currents, produced by the dynamo or dynamos, into
high potential currents to be distributed, in some cases a number of alternating
current main transformers would be employed and connected either in series order or
in parallel arc, or in a combination of parallel and series order, and it would preferably
be advantageous to couple or connect together the primary wires of the respective
main transformers in parallel arc, and the secondary wires in series order.
Thus our improvements essentially consist in the employment (in a system of dis-
tribution of electric energy by secondary transformers of alternating currents) of a
dynamo, or number of dynamo electric generators of alternating currents of low
potential and large volume, combined with a main transformer, or number of main
transformers, which transform alternating currents of low potential into currents of
high potential, which high potential currents are afterwards passed to the main dis-
tributing conductors and from these to the secondary transformers, and from the
secondary transformers, the transformed electric energy is supplied to the lamps, and
thus by these improvements we obtain all the advantages of low potential generators
and obviate the difficulties in the way of constructing and using generators of high
potential.
Any of the well known generators of alternating currents of low potential may be
used for the purposes of this invention, and any forms of alternating current trans-
formers may be used for the conversion or transformation of the low potential currents
into currents of high potential, provided they are not used as a "reversed inductorium."
That is, the thick short wire of the transformer must be used as the primary circuit,
and the thin wire as the secondary circuit, just as has always been done in using the
ordinary inductorium." In order to illustrate one mode of carrying our said Invention
into practice, we append the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in figure 1,
sheet 1 of which A represents an elevation of the engine or motor which by means of
a belt a passed over its fly-wheel A¹ drives any adjacent overhead transmitting shaft A²
through pulleys on it, which by belts b, c, actuate the armatures of the dynamo electric
generators B, C. B represents an elevation of a small direct acting dynamo electric
machine, driven by the belt & passed over the pulley of its armature spindle and which
through the conducting wires d supplies electric current to excite the field-magnets of
the low tension alternating current generator or dynamo electric machine shown in
clevation at C).
This alternate current generator C, is driven by a belt c passed over a pulley on its
armature spindle, and supplies electric currents of alternating polarity and low
potential through the wires e to the terminals el e² of the main transformer shown in
elevation at E. On figure 2, sheet 2 is illustrated a diagram view showing three main
transformers having the terminals e e² of their respective primary wires coupled or
connected in parallel arc with the supply wires e from the low potential dynamo electric
machines C, which are also joined or connected up in parallel are order. The secondary
wires of these main transformers E are shown as connected up in series order, the
positive terminal of the one transformer being connected to the negative terminal ƒ“
of the other transformer, and vice versa, that is when is positive, f' is negative.

page_text: In the main transformer E, the alternating current of low potential is reduced in
volume, and increased in potential. From the terminals f., of this main trans-
former E, the main supply and return circuit wires F carry the current of high
potential to the secondary generators of the consumption circuit shown at G, which
illustrates a plan view, showing the induction apparatus or secondary generators 9,9;1;
which transform the main currents of high potential, supplied to them by the wires F
in the main circuit, into secondary currents of low potential, to be consumed by the
translating devices or electric lamps indicated at h, h, h, arranged in parallel or
multiple are order in the consumption circuit G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our Invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is
First. The herein described system for the transformation and distribution, of electric-
energy, comprising a generator or generators of alternating currents of low potential
and large volume combined with a main transformer or transformers, which transform
the low potential alternating currents into currents of high potential, in the primary
curcuit, and one or more induction-apparatus, substantially as set forth.
Second. In a system for the transformation and the distribution of electric energy,
the combination of a generator or generators of alternating currents of low potential
with a main transformer or transformers to reduce the volume and increase the
potential of the current in the primary or main circuit which can be of any length for
carrying the high potential current, one or more induction apparatus to furnish a
secondary current or currents of low potential induced by the high potential primary
current and translating devices in the consumption circuit substantially as set forth.
Third. In a system for the transformation and distribution of electric energy, the
combination of one or more electric generators of alternating currents, and secondary
induction apparatus, with an intermediate main transformer or transformers having a
thick short wire as the primary circuit and a thin wire as the secondary circuit, which
reduce the volume and increase the potential of the electric energy passing through
them to the primary or main conductors and secondary transformers, substantially as
herein set forth.
I'
.51