(No Model.) 2. Sheets-Sheet 1. L. GAULARD & J. D. GIBBS. SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION, No. 351,589, Patented 00t, 26, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. LUCIEN GAULARD AND JOHN DIXON GIBBS, OF THE COUNTY OF MIDDLE SEX, , ASSIGNORS TO , JR., OF PITTS BURG, PENNSYLVANIA. SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,589, dated October 26, 1886, Application filed March 6, 1886. Serial No. 194,229. (No model.) To all whom it inval? conce7"n. ganized for the production in the main line Be it known that we, LUCIEN GAULARD, a of alternating currents-that is to say, suc citizen of the Republic of France, and JoHN cessive electric currents or pulsations alter DIXON GIBBS, a subject of the Queen of Great nately of positive and negative polarity and of 55 5 Britain, both of the county of Middlesex, Eng equal potential and duration. We have found land, have jointly invented certain new and by experiment that the dynamo-electric ma useful Improvements in Methods of and Appa chine of Alteneck, described in United States ratus for the Distribution and Conversion of Letters Patent No. 234,353, of November 9, Electric Energy, of which the following is a 1880, is well adapted for our purpose; but we Io specification. do not desire to confine ourselves to any par Our invention relates to the distribution of ticular construction of generators for Setting electrical energy for industrial purposes; and up alternating currents in the line, as there it consists in an improved art or method and are many forms of these known and used which an organization of apparatus, whereby the same will serve sufficiently well. 65 15 is carried into effect, by means of which we In order to operate a dynamo-electric ma are enabled to transmit from a central or supply chine for the production of alternate currents, station, through a main conductor, a primary it is necessary to provide some means for electric current of comparatively small quan maintaining its magnetic field. This may be tity but of high potential, and at a point or accomplished by a separate current derived 7o 20 points more or less distant, where the Said elec from an independent dynamo-machine, tech tric energy is to be utilized, to transfer the nically termed the “exciter.' Such inde energy residing in Such primary current of pendent exciter is shown in the drawings at high potential into one or more secondary cur E. It may be an ordinary direct-current dy rents of lower potential but of greater quan namo-machine of any suitable construction. 75 25 tity. The current of the exciter E is conducted from To this end the invention comprises certain its terminals in , by means of wires 1 and 2, combinations of apparatus having an organi to and through the field - magnet helices of Zation and mode of operation particularly the main dynamo or generator D. adapted to effect such transference of electric In order to valry, when required, the electro 3O energy. motive force of the generator D, it is conven By means of our improved method and ap ient to effect a corresponding variation in the paratus we are enabled to convey a useful strength of the current in the field produced quantity of electric energy to a much greater by the exciter E. This may be done in the distance than has heretofore been practicable, case of a shunt-wound exciter by an adjusta 85 while the cost of the necessary plant for elec ble resistance inserted in the field of the ex 35 tric lighting and other analogous purposes, citer. We have shown this plan in the draw especially that of the main electrical conduct 1ngS. - ors, is very materially diminished. R is a rheostat composed of a series of grad The accompanying drawings represent an uated resistance-coils, ' ' ', &c. A movable 4o organization of apparatus which We have found contact-arm or other equivalent device, S, is to be well adapted for carrying out our inven provided, by means of which the current for tion. maintaining the field produced by the exciter Figure 1 is a theoretical plan showing the E may conveniently be regulated. The same general principle of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a result may be reached in other well-known 95 45 transverse vertical section of one form of con ways. The power for operating the main dy verter, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing one namo D, as well as the exciter E, is furnished plan of arranging the apparatus when the by a suitable steam-engine or other conven transference of energy is to be effected at more ient motor, M. a than one point. At a point where the electric current is to Ioo 5O In the drawings, D represents a dynamo be utilized for any suitable purpose-as, for of suitable construction, or- instance, in one or more incandescent electric

2 351,589 lamps-We place one or more secondary gen may otherwise be greatly varied without ma erators or converters, as shown at C in Fig. 1. terial change in the result. For example, one The general principle of our secondary gen may be superposed upon the other, as in Fig. erator is analogous to that of the well-known 2, or the two may be placed upon different inductorium or induction-coil, with this excep parts of the same core or cores, according to tion, that while the induction-coil has hereto circumstances. fore usually been employed to transfer electric lt is to be observed that the secondary energy from currents of low potential and conductors shown in IFig. 1 of the drawings great quantity into currents of high potential are not united in series like the primary con O and small quantity, the function of the sec ductors; but their ends are joined together, as ondary generator or converter as applied in shown at III and IV, in parallel or multiple our invention is precisely the reverse of this arc, and from the last named junction-points namely, to transfer electric energy from cur of the secondary the conductors W and VI are rents of high potential to currents of low po led to an electric lamp or other translating de tential and increased quantity. Welhave con vice, L, by which the circuit is completed. structed converters for effecting this result in We will now describe the mode of operation a variety of forms, all of which involve the of the apparatus. same principle. In order that this principle When the dynamo-electric generator D is may be better understood, we will describe set in operation, a rapid succession of alter the construction and mode of operation of a nating positive and negative currents or pull simple form of the converter, which we have sations of equal potential and duration, tech shown at C in Fig. 1. Two iron cores, bb, nically termed an “, is set are preferably built up from a large number up in the main or primary conductor, the path of small soft-iron wires insulated from each of which may be traced in Fig. 1 as follows: other and mechanically secured together in a From one terminal of the generator D by the Solid bundle. line-conductor 3 to the primary conductor 4 It is usually preferable to unite the ends of 5 of the secondary generator C, thence return the cores, so that they will become magnetically ing by the line-conductor 6 to the opposite continuous. In Fig. 3, for example, we have terminal of the generator. The alternate cur 3O shown the cores in the form of a rectangle; but rent proceeding from the primary generator the core Ol' cores may be straight cylinders or D, by its inductive action in the secondary closed figures of oval, annular, horseshoe, or generator C, creates a magnetic field of alter other shape, this being merely a matter of con nate polarity, and this alternation of the mag IOO venience in collstruction or economy in opera netism of the field, in accordance With a well tion, but involving no change of principle. known law, generates by inductive reaction an Around the cores bib' the primary electric con alternate current in the closed circuit of a sec ductol's 4 and 5 are disposed helically in the ondary conductor situated within it. This manner shown in the drawings, which, how secondary current may be utilized for electric ever, are intended to represent the arrangement lighting or other purposes in the same manner I O5 of these conductors in a symbolical or typical that primary currents ordinarily are, by in manner only, the actual construction being cluding proper translating devices in Said sec preferably similar to that shown in Fig. 2, ondary circuit. helreinafter to be described. The most important and characteristic fea I IO By inspection of the drawings it will be seen ture of our invention is that which renders it that one conductor, 4, is coiled upon the left possible to make use of alternating and equal hand portion of the core, and the other simi positive and negative currents of moderate lar conductor, 5, upon the right-hand portion, quantity but of very high potential in the pri and the two conductors 4 and 5 are then con mary or main-line circuit, and to convert these nected at their adjacent ends, that a current into secondary or induced currents of much may traverse them in series, and thus develop greater quantity but of correspondingly lower magnetism in the iron cores b b, so as to es. potential at the place of consumption, which tablish a magnetic field surrounding or envel secondary currents are employed to do the re oping Said cores and adjacent thereto. The quired work. This is a result the attainment secondary conductors I and II are disposed in of which is of the utmost importance in the precisely the same manner around the cores b art of electrical distribution, as it renders and b and Within the same magnetic field. practicable the employment of insulated main In the particular arrangement shown in Figs. conductors of comparatively small size and 1 and 3 of the drawlings each convolution of moderate cost for the transmission of large the secondary conductoris interposed between amounts of energy to great distances. We two adjacent convolutions of the primary con will now explain the means by which this in ductor, so that the number of convolutions, as crease of quantity and reduction of potential well as their mean distance from the axis of in the secondary circuit is effected. the core, is the same. Experience indicates Let it be assumed that We have an electric that the more nearly the last-mentioned rela I 30 tion is preserved the higher will be the effi lamp, as L, in Fig. 1, SO constructed as to ciency of the apparatus. The relative dispo work at maximum efficiency when rendered sition of the primary and secondary helices luminous by an electric Culrrent of one ampere. Let it also be assumed that, for economical or 351,589 3. other reasons, it is desired to employ an alter Any required number of converters of the mate current of 0.5ampère only in the primary general construction described may have their NS circuit. The necessary increase in the quan primary circuits united with or included 7o tity of the secondary current will in such case in the conductors leading from the primary 5 be effected by the apparatus when arranged generator. The manner of connecting such precisely as shown in the figure, for as the convertel's, whether in Series, multiple arc, primary conductor of the converter C is con multiple series, or otherwise, will be under nected in series, while the secondary conductor stood by those skilled in the art to which our (with an equal number of convolutions situ invention relates without the necessity of fur O ated in the same magnetic field) is arranged ther explanation. One arrangement is, how with one half its convolutions in multiple are ever, indicated in Fig. 3, in which a second with the other half, the result will be pre converter, C, is placed in circuit provided cisely the same as if the actual number of with a secondary conductor and an independ convolutions of the secondary conductor were ent group of lamps. The primary current only half as many as those of the primary. traverses the circuits 3 4 5 6 7 S 9, passing The total resistance of the secondary conduct through the primary wires of both converters, or, when thus connected, is obviously only and the separate groups of lamps are shown one-fourth as great as that of the primary, the at L and L. 85 secondary being double the cross-section and We do not herein claim the connection of virtually only one-half the length of the pri the converters in the line in any other arrange mary. When an electric current of alternat ment than we have illustrated in the drawings. ing polarity is caused to pass through the pri It must not be forgotten, however, that the mary conductor of the converter C, Fig. 1, it consumption of energy in the main or primary creates by electro-magnetic induction a mag circuit will in all cases bear a certain definite netic field, the intensity of which within the ratio to the work which is being done, or at 25 ordinary limits of Working is proportional to least to the resistance which is offered at any the current (expressed in ampères) passing given time in the secondary circuits of the con through the conductor. Each alternation so verters, whether one or many. 95 produced in the magnetism of the field tends The attendant at the generator, by means of . to set up a definite electro-motive force in each an electro-dynamometer or other suitable cur separate convolution of any conductor trav rent-indicator, G, Fig. 3, can readily detect ersing the field. In the primary conductor any change in the strength of the current due this electro-motive force opposes itself tempo to variations in the consumption, and by mov. IOo rarily to the primary or magnetizing current; ing the arm S can correspondingly raise or but as it is of inferior and rapidly-decreasing lower the electro-motive force of the generator 35 potential it acts merely to delay, and not to D, so as to bring the current back to its mor prevent, the magnetization of the field. An mal strength. approximately equal electro-motive force is at The converter C may be constructed in va IOS the same time set up in each convolution of rious ways. We have attained excellent re the secondary conductor; but as the latter (in sults by constructing it in the manner more the present example) makes only half the particularly shown and described in prior number of convolutions within the field, the United States patents, Nos. 297,924, of April total electro-motive force of the secondary cur 29, 1884, and 316,354, of April 21, 1885. An I IO rent will be only half that of the primary cur other form which gives excellent results in rent. Inasmuch, however, as the value of any practice is shown in Fig. 2, in which bis a core 45 current is expressed by the quotient of the formed of a bundle of iron wires, around which electro-motive force divided by the resistance, the primary wire 4 5 is coiled in a helix of the and as the resistance of the secondary coil is ordinary form. The helix of the secondary I 15 only one-fourth that of the primary, the act wire III IV is superposed upon that of the ual number of ampères in the secondary cur primary in the manner shown. The sectional SO rent will be approximately twice as many as area of the secondary wire is here shown as in the primary current. Strictly speaking, four times that of the primary, while the num however, the inductive action may be said to ber of convolutions is only one-fourth as great. be determined not by the number of convolu We nevertheless do not desire to confine our tions, but by the extent of conductor, measured selves to any particular construction of the 55 in linear units, which is in inductive relation converter, as this is quite immaterial so long to the magnetic field, assuming the lines of as the essential principles which we have here- ---. force in such field to be uniformly distributed. in before set forth are not departed from. I 25 In order to produce a proper result, it is pref We claim as our invention erable that the resistance offered by that por 1. The hereinbefore-described art or method tion of the linear conductor in the magnetic of electrical distribution and conversion, which field which is traversed by the primary cur consists in establishing in a closed electric cir rent shall exceed the resistance of the conduct cuit a current of alternate and equal positive 130 or in the same field traversed by the second and negative potential, producing, by the in ; alry current in an inverse ratio to the increase fluence of such current, an inductive field of in current strength or reduction of potential alternate polarity, and thereby inducing, in which it is desired to effect. translating devices situated in an independent

4 351,589 closed circuit traversing such field, a similar dynamo-electric machine organized for the pro alternating secondary current of greater quan duction of alternate positive and negative cur. tity and less potential than the originating or rents equal to each other in potential and du producing current. ration, in combination with the primary cir 5 2. In a system of electrical distribution, an cuit of an inductorium or converter organized inductorium or converter in which the length to induce in its secondary circuit alternating of that portion of the conductor traversed by currents of lower potential and greater quan the primary current within the magnetic field tity than those of the primary circuit, and one 35 created by itself exceeds the length within the or more translating devices actuated by Said O same field of the conductor traversed by the secondary currents. secondary current, in combination with a dy 5. In a system of electrical distribution, the namo-electric generator producing alternating combination of an incluctorium or converter electric currents or pulsations of equal poten having its primary and secondary circuits con tial and duration, and translating devices act stantly closed, a dynamo-electric generator for uated by said secondary current. producing alternating currents of equal poten 3. In a system of electrical distribution, an tial and duration included in said closed pri inductorium or converter in which the resist mary circuit, and one or more translating de ance of that portion of the conductor trav vices included in said closed secondary circuit, ersed by the primary current within the mag substantially as set forth. - netic field created by itself exceeds the resist. In testimony whereof we have hereunto sub ance of that portion of the conductor traversed scribed our names this 4th day of February, by the secondary current which lies within said A. D. LSS6. field, in combination with a dynamo-electric generator producing alternating currents or LUCIEN GAULAIRD. 25 pulsations of equal potential and duration, JOHN DIXON GIBBS. and translating devices actuated by said sec Witnesses: ondary current. FRANKL. POPE, 4. In a system of electrical distribution, a DOUGLAS I, NEWTON.