Thomas Commerford Martin - Inventions, Researches and Writings of Nikola Tesla

Assume, for sake of illustration, that the coils D D are to receive the maximum and coils C C at the same instant the minimum current, so that the polar line may be midway between the coils D D. The rings a b would therefore be connected to the continuous armature-coil at its neutral points with respect to the field, or the point corresponding with that of the ordinary commutator brushes, and between which exists the greatest difference of potential; while rings c d would be connected to two points in the coil, between which exists no difference of potential. The best results will be obtained by making these connections at points equidistant from one another, as shown. These connections are easiest made by using wires L between the rings and the loops or wires J, connecting the coil I to the segments of the commutator K. When the converters are made in this manner, it is evident that the phases of the currents in the sections of the generator coil will be reproduced in the converter coils. For example, after turning through an arc of ninety degrees the conductors L L, which before conveyed the maximum current, will receive the minimum current by reason of the change in the position of their coils, and it is evident that for the same reason the current in these coils has gradually fallen from the maximum to the minimum in passing through the arc of ninety degrees. In this special plan of connections, the rotation of the magnetic poles of the converter will be synchronous with that of the armature coils of the generator, and the result will be the same, whether the energizing circuits are derivations from a continuous armature coil or from independent coils, as in Mr. Tesla's other devices.

In Fig. 25, the brushes M M are shown in dotted lines in their proper normal position. In practice these brushes may be removed from the commutator and the field of the generator excited by an external source of current; or the brushes may be allowed to remain on the commutator and to take off a converted current to excite the field, or to be used for other purposes.

In a certain well-known class of machines known as the "open circuit," the armature contains a number of coils the terminals of which connect to commutator segments, the coils being connected across the armature in pairs. This type of machine is represented in Fig. 26. In this machine each pair of coils goes through the same phases as the coils in some of the generators already shown, and it is obviously only necessary to utilize them in pairs or sets to operate a Tesla converter by extending the segments of the commutators belonging to each pair of coils and causing a collecting brush to bear on the continuous portion of each segment. In this way two or more circuits may be taken off from the generator, each including one or more pairs or sets of coils as may be desired.

In Fig. 26 I I represent the armature coils, T T the poles of the field magnet, and F the shaft carrying the commutators, which are extended to form continuous portions a b c d . The brushes bearing on the continuous portions for taking off the alternating currents are represented by a' b' c' d' . The collecting brushes, or those which may be used to take off the direct current, are designated by M M. Two pairs of the armature coils and their commutators are shown in the figure as being utilized; but all may be utilized in a similar manner.

There is another well-known type of machine in which three or more coils, A' B' C', on the armature have a common joint, the free ends being connected to the segments of a commutator. This form of generator is illustrated in Fig. 27. In this case each terminal of the generator is connected directly or in derivation to a continuous ring, a b c , and collecting brushes, a' b' c' , bearing thereon, take off the alternating currents that operate the motor. It is preferable in this case to employ a motor or transformer with three energizing coils, A'' B'' C'', placed symmetrically with those of the generator, and the circuits from the latter are connected to the terminals of such coils either directly—as when they are stationary—or by means of brushes e' and contact rings e . In this, as in the other cases, the ordinary commutator may be used on the generator, and the current taken from it utilized for exciting the generator field-magnets or for other purposes.

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With the object of obtaining the desired speed in motors operated by means of alternating currents of differing phase, Mr. Tesla has devised various plans intended to meet the practical requirements of the case, in adapting his system to types of multipolar alternating current machines yielding a large number of current reversals for each revolution.

For example, Mr. Tesla has pointed out that to adapt a given type of alternating current generator, you may couple rigidly two complete machines, securing them together in such a way that the requisite difference in phase will be produced; or you may fasten two armatures to the same shaft within the influence of the same field and with the requisite angular displacement to yield the proper difference in phase between the two currents; or two armatures may be attached to the same shaft with their coils symmetrically disposed, but subject to the influence of two sets of field magnets duly displaced; or the two sets of coils may be wound on the same armature alternately or in such manner that they will develop currents the phases of which differ in time sufficiently to produce the rotation of the motor.

Another method included in the scope of the same idea, whereby a single generator may run a number of motors either at its own rate of speed or all at different speeds, is to construct the motors with fewer poles than the generator, in which case their speed will be greater than that of the generator, the rate of speed being higher as the number of their poles is relatively less. This may be understood from an example, taking a generator that has two independent generating coils which revolve between two pole pieces oppositely magnetized; and a motor with energizing coils that produce at any given time two magnetic poles in one element that tend to set up a rotation of the motor. A generator thus constructed yields four reversals, or impulses, in each revolution, two in each of its independent circuits; and the effect upon the motor is to shift the magnetic poles through three hundred and sixty degrees. It is obvious that if the four reversals in the same order could be produced by each half-revolution of the generator the motor would make two revolutions to the generator's one. This would be readily accomplished by adding two intermediate poles to the generator or altering it in any of the other equivalent ways above indicated. The same rule applies to generators and motors with multiple poles. For instance, if a generator be constructed with two circuits, each of which produces twelve reversals of current to a revolution, and these currents be directed through the independent energizing-coils of a motor, the coils of which are so applied as to produce twelve magnetic poles at all times, the rotation of the two will be synchronous; but if the motor-coils produce but six poles, the movable element will be rotated twice while the generator rotates once; or if the motor have four poles, its rotation will be three times as fast as that of the generator.

These features, so far as necessary to an understanding of the principle, are here illustrated. Fig. 28 is a diagrammatic illustration of a generator constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 29 is a similar view of a correspondingly constructed motor. Fig. 30 is a diagram of a generator of modified construction. Fig. 31 is a diagram of a motor of corresponding character. Fig. 32 is a diagram of a system containing a generator and several motors adapted to run at various speeds.