P-Info (12).pdf

http://www.pbs.org/tesla/res/res_art07.html

EXCERPTS :

IV. Apparatus for Transformation by Condenser Discharges; Damped Waves

Tesla

This work [Fig. 31] was begun already in 1889. This type of apparatus is identified with my name as

certain as the law of gravitation is with that of Newton. I know that some have claimed that Professor

Thomson also invented the so-called Tesla coil, but those feeble chirps ne'er went beyond

Swampscott. Professor Thomson is an odd sort of man; very ingenious, but he never was a wireless

expert; he never could be. Moreover, it is important to realize that this principle is universally

employed everywhere. The greatest men of science have told me that this was my best achievement

and, in connection with this apparatus [referring to schematics of Fig. 31], I may say that a lot of

liberties have been taken. For instance, a man fills this space [break D] with hydrogen; he employs

all my instrumentalities, everything that is necessary, but calls it a new wireless system -- the

Poulsen arc. I cannot stop it. Another man puts in here [referring to space between self-inductive

lines L L] a kind of gap -- he gets a Nobel prize for doing it. My name is not mentioned. Still another

man inserts here [conductor B] a mercury[-arc] rectifier. That is my friend Cooper Hewitt. But, as a

matter of fact, those devices have nothing to do with the performance.

Figure 31. Method of Transformation of electrical energy by oscillatory condenser discharges described in U.S. Patent No.

462,418 of November 3, 1891. Application filed February 4, 1891. Announcement of this invention was made in Tesla's

lecture before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers at Columbia College, May 20, 1891, where it was predicted that

lecture before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers at Columbia College, May 20, 1891, where it was predicted that

this apparatus afforded vast possibilities and would play an important part in the future. Illustrated and described in T.C

Martin book, Figs. 126 and 127, pp. 191-194.

If these men knew what I do, they would not touch my arrangements; they would leave my apparatus

as it is. Marconi puts in here [break D] two wheels. I showed only one wheel; he shows two. And he

says, "See what happens when the wheels are rotated; a wonderful thing happens!" What is the

wonderful thing? Why, when the teeth of the wheels pass one another, the currents are broken and

interrupted. That is the wonderful thing that happens? The Lord himself could not make anything

else happen unless he broke his own laws. So, in this way, invention has been degraded, debased,

prostituted, more in connection with my apparatus than in anything else. Not a vestige of invention

as a creative effort is in the thousands of arrangements that you see under the name of other people

-- not a vestige of invention. It is exactly like in car couplings on which 6,000 patents have been

taken out; but all the couplings are constructed and operated exactly the same way. The inventive

effort involved is about the same as that of which a 30-year-old mule is capable. This is a fact.

This is one of most beautiful things ever produced in the way of apparatus: I take a generator of any

kind. With the generator I charge a condenser. Then I discharge the condenser under conditions

which result in the production of vibrations. Now, it was known since Lord Kelvin that the condenser

discharge would give this vibration, but I perfected my apparatus to such a degree that it became an

instrument utilizable in the arts, in a much broader way than Lord Kelvin had contemplated as

possible. In fact, years afterwards when Lord Kelvin honored me by presenting to the British

Association one of my oscillators of a perfected form, he said that it was "a wonderful development

and destined to be of great importance."

[Returning to a discussion of Fig. 31], [E] is supposed to be a condenser. That [A] is the generator.

Now then, supposing that this is a generator of steady pressure. I can obtain oscillations of any

frequency I desire. I can make them damped or undamped. I can make them of one direction or

alternating in direction as I choose. At G are devices which operate -- lamps, or anything else. Some

experimenters who have gone after me have found a difficulty. They said,

"No, we cannot produce a constant train of oscillations."

Well, it is not my fault. I never have had the slightest difficulty. I produced constant oscillations and I

have described how I produced them. Anyone who has no more than my own skill can do it.

Figure 32.

Quenched spark gap. (Tesla at that time pointed out the future of quenching and showed that oscillations can be maintained

without a spark being visible to the naked eye between the knobs.) Illustrated in T.C. Martin book, Figs. 135 and 136, p. 211.

This [Fig. 32] is another improvement in that particular device, which was the weakness of the

invention and which I tried to eliminate. This device incorporated many spark gaps in series. It had a

invention and which I tried to eliminate. This device incorporated many spark gaps in series. It had a

peculiar feature; namely, through the great number of gaps, I was able, as I have pointed out in my

writings, to produce oscillations without even a spark being visible between the knobs. This device is

now known in the art as the "quenched spark gap." Professor Wein has formulated a beautiful theory

about it, which I understand has netted him the Nobel prize. Wein's theories are admirable. The only

trouble is that he has overlooked one very important fact. It is this: If the apparatus is properly

designed and operated, there is no use for the quenched gap, for the oscillations are continuous

anyway. The radio men who came after me had the problem before them of making a bell sound,

and they immersed it in mercury. Now, you know mercury is heavy. When they struck their bell, the

mercury did not permit it to vibrate long because it took away all the energy. I put my bell in a

vacuum and make it vibrate for hours. I have designed circuits in connection with an enterprise in

1898 for transmission of energy which, once started, would vibrate three years, and even after that

the oscillations could still be detected. Professor Wein's theory is very beautiful, but it really has no

practical meaning. It will become useless as soon as the inefficient apparatus of the day, with

antennae that radiate energy rapidly, [are] replaced by a scientifically designed oscillator which does

not give out energy except when it gets up to a tremendous electromagnetic momentum.

Figure 33.

The discharger working in an atmosphere, chiefly consisting of hydrogen, still further weakened by heat. The use of

hydrogen in this connection has been claimed as a discovery and patented. Presented in TesIa's lectures before the Pranklin

Institute and the National Electric Light Association. T.C. Martin book, Fig. 167. pp. 307-308.

In this form of break [Fig. 33], I changed the atmosphere in which the arc was operating. The

atmosphere was mostly hydrogen, and with this device I performed my experiments before the

Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and the National Electric Light Association in St. Louis. This has

been used by Poulsen and it is now called the "Poulsen arc" and "Poulsen system." But, of course,

there is no invention in it. I am on record with prior publications, and besides, the hydrogen does not

have any other effect except that it lowers the tension under which the device can operate. It has the

disadvantage of producing asymmetrical or distorted waves, and the impulses obtained are not best

suited for tuning.

Figure 34.

Oscillatory apparatus with interrupter in oil. Exhibited in the Chicago Exposition of 1893 before Helmholtz. Described in U.S.

Patent No. 514,168 of February 6. 1894. Application filed August 2, 1893.

This [Fig. 34] is the apparatus used in the Chicago Exposition of 1893, at which time I explained for

the first time to Professor Helmholtz my plan for transmitting energy. After I had shown Professor

Helmholtz and other scientific men there certain phenomena, he asked me,

"Now, what is all this intended for?"

I told him I was trying to develop an apparatus for transmitting energy without wire for telegraphy,

telephony, and other purposes. When I explained to Professor Helmholtz the whole idea, I said,

"Excellency, do you think that my plan is realizable?"

He replied,

"Why, certainly it is, but first you must produce the apparatus."

I started then and there to produce the apparatus.

Counsel

Was that conversation at the the Chicago Exposition?

Tesla

Yes. It took place in a pavilion which was built especially for exhibiting my inventions and

discoveries. I believe Professor Wedding was there and some other scientists whom I cannot

remember now. I showed Professor Helmholtz my vacuum tubes and performed many other

experiments.

Counsel

Will you describe this apparatus in a little more detail?

Tesla

The apparatus [Fig. 34], as you see, comprised primary and secondary coils immersed in a large

tank of oil. The break was automatically effected by means of a turbine. The oil was circulated by a

pump, and the current [i.e., stream flow] of oil drove the turbine which effected the make and break.

Owing to the fact that the oil used was a very good insulator, rapidly flowing and of great dielectric

strength, these make-and-break points were very close together, and the arcs extremely short. The

effects were accordingly more intense. Here [T in Diag. 1 of Fig. 34] is a cooler through which the oil

was circulated. The oil was forced through the gaps at great speed, and as it flowed out it was

supplied again to the tank and the current driving the turbine.

Counsel

That device [Diag. 2 of Fig. 34] you call a turbine?

Tesla

Yes. It had vanes like those of a propeller and constituted a rotary break in the circuit.

Counsel

What was your prime source [of power]?

Tesla

The primary source was an alternator with a frequency of 133 cycles and, if I recollect rightly, the

pressure [at the secondary] was about 20,000 volts. I may have had 10,000 volts. I am not sure what

it was, but it must have been certainly from 10,000 to 20,000 volts -- within that range.

Counsel

I notice you have two sets of transformers in there marked S and S', have you not?

Tesla

This [S'] is my oscillatory circuit. That [S] is the transformer from which the condenser was charged.

Here [at S] we had 20,000 volts, or whatever it was, from the commercial transformer and here [at

S'] is my secondary which generated the high frequency currents. The rotary gap is shown in detail

[Diag. 2 of Fig. 34].

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