V N. TBSLA.

ABPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING, ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

APPLICATION FILED JANJB, 1902.~ RENEWED MAY 4, 1907.

1,1 19,732, - Patented Dec. 1,1914.

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 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE. '
. NIKOLA TESLA, or New YORK, N. Y. ' 1

APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

1,119,732. Speci?cation of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 1,

Application ?led January 18, 1902, Serial No. 90,245. Renewed May 4, 1907. Serial No. 371,817. ,

To all whom it may concern .' , which thelelectrical charge chie?y accumu
Be it known that I, NIKOLA TESLA, a ‘citi lates, has ltself a large radius of curvature,
zen of the United States, residing in the or is composed of separate elements which, _ I
borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, irrespective of their own'radius of curva
and State of New York, have invented cer ture, are arranged in close proximity to each -60
tain new and useful Improvements in Appa other and so, that the outside ideal surface
ratus’ for Transmitting Electrical Energy, enveloping them is of a large radius. Evi
of which the following is a speci?cation, ref dently, the smaller the radius of curvature
erence being bad to the drawing accom-' the greater, for a given electric displace
10 panying and forming a part of the same. ment, will be the surface-density and, con
In endeavoring to adapt currents or dis sequently, the lower the limiting pressure to - 65.
charges of very high tension to various valu which the terminal may be charged without
able uses, as the distribution of energy electricity escaping into the air. Such a
through wires from central plants to distant terminal I secure to an insulating support
15 places of consumption, or the transmission entering more or less into its interior, and I
of powerful disturbances to great distances, . likewise connect the circuit to it inside or,
through the natural or non-arti?cial media, » generally, at points where the electric denl
I have encountered di?iculties in con?ning sity is small. This plan of constructing and
considerable amounts of electricity to- the supporting a highly charged’ conductor I
20 conductors and preventing its leakage over have found to be of great practical impor 75
their supports, or its escape into the ambient tance, and it may be usefully applied in many ‘
air, which always takes place when the elec ways.
tric surface density reaches a certain value. Referring to the accompanying drawing,
The intensity of the effect of a' transmit the‘?gure is a View in elevation and part
' 25,, ting circuit with a free or elevated terminal section of an improved free terminal and
is proportionate to the quantity of electric circuit of large surface with supporting
ity"v displaced, which is determined by the structure and generating apparatus. . v '
product of the capacity of the circuit, the The terminal D 'consists of a suitably
pressure, and the frequency of the currents shaped metallic frame, in this case a ring of
ps0 employed. To produce an electrical move nearly circular cross section, which is cov 85
ment of the required magnitude it is de ered with half spherical metal plates P P,
sirable to charge the terminal as highly as thus constituting a very large conducting
possible, for while a great quantity of elec surface, smooth on all places where the elec
tricity may also be displaced by a large tric charge principally accumulates. .The
35 capacity charged to low pressure, there are frame is carried by a strong platform ex 90
disadvantages met with in many cases when pressly provided for safety ap liances, in‘
the former is made too large. The chief of struments. of observation, etc., w ich in turn
7 these are due to the fact that an increase of rests on insulating supports F F. These’
the capacity entails a lowering of the fre should penetrate far into the hollow space
40 quency of the impulses or discharges and a formed by the terminal, and" if the electricv
diminution of the energy of vibration. This density at the points where they are bolted I
will be understood when it is borne in mind, to the frame, is still considerable, they may
that a circuit with a large capacityv behaves be specially protected by conducting hoods -
as a slackspring, whereas one with a small as H.
45 capacity vacts like a stiff spring, vibrating A' part of the improvements which form 100
I more vigorously. _ Therefore, in order to y the subject ofthis speci?cation, the trans
attain the highest possible frequency, which mitting circuit, in its general features, is
for certain purposes is advantageous and, identical with that described and claimed in
apart from that, to develop the greatest my original Patents Nos. 645,576 and 649,621.
50 energy in such a transmitting circuit, I em‘ The circuit comprises a coil A which is in its
ploy a terminal of relatively small capacity, close inductive relationvwith a primary C,
which I charge to as high a pressure asv prac and-.pn'e “end of which is connected to. a
' ticable. To accomplish this result I have , ground-plate E, while its other end is led
found it imperativeto so construct the ele through aseparaté‘self-induction coil B and
55 vated conductoiythat its outer surface, on a metallic cylinder B’; to‘the terminal
 . The connection to the'lattershould always latter is in the form of ,a cylinder with
be made at, or near the center, in order to smooth or polished surface of a radius much
_ secure a symmetrical distribution of the our larger than that of the half spherical ele
rent, as otherwise, when the frequency is ments P P, and widens out at the bottom
very high and the ?ow of large volume, the into a hood H, which should be slotted to 73
performance of the apparatus might be im avoid loss by eddy currents and the pur
paired. The primary C may be excited in pose of which will be clear from the fore-'
any desired manner, from a suitable source going. The coil B is ‘wound on a frame or
of currents G, which may be an alternator drum D1 vof insulating material, with its
'or condenser, the important \requirement turns close together. I have discovered that 75
‘ beingthat the resonant condition is estab when .so wound the effect of the small radius
lished, that is to say, that the terminal I) is of curvature of the wire itself is overcome
charged to the maximum pressure developed and the coil behaves as a conductor of large
in the circuit, as .1 have speci?ed in my radius of curvature, corresponding to that
15 original patents before referred to. The ad of'the drum. This feature is of consider 83
justments should be made with particular able practical' importance and is applicable
care when the transmitter is one of great not only in this special instance, but O'en- -

power, not only on account of economy, but . erally. For example, such plates at F P
also in order to avoid danger. I have/shown of terminal I), though preferably of large
that it is practicable to produce in a resonat radius of curvature, need not be necessarily 85
, ing circuit as E A B B’ D immense electri so, for provided only that the individual
cal activities, measured by tens and even plates or elements of a. high potential con- -
hundreds of thousands of horse-power, and ductor or terminal are arranged in prox
in such a case, if the points of maximum imity to each other and with their outer
25 pressure should be shifted below the ter boundaries along an ideal symmetrical en 90
vminal D, along coil B, a ball of ?re might veloping surface of a large radius of’ curva
break out and destroy the support F or any ture, the advantages of the invention will
thing else in the way. For the better ap be more or less fully realized. The lower
preciation ofthe nature of this danger it end of the coil B——which,vif desired, may 95
30 should be stated, that the destructive action ‘be extended up to the terminal D—~sh°ould
may take place with inconceivable violence. ‘be-somewhat below the uppermost turn of
This will ‘cease to be surprising when it is coil A._ This, I ?nd, lessens the tendency of
' ‘borne in mind, that the entire energy accu~ the charge to break out from the wire con
mulated in the excited circuit, instead of re necting both and to pass along the sup
100
quiring, asunder normal working condi port F’. a “
tions, one quarter of the period or more for Having described my invention, I claim:
its transformation ‘from static to kinetic 1. As a means for producinglgreat elec
form, may spend itself in an incomparably trical activities a resonant circuit having
' smaller interval of time, at a rate of many its outer conducting boundaries, which are
40 millions of horse powens The accident is charged to a high potential, arranged in 105
apt to occur when, the transmitting circuit surfaces of large radii of curvature so as
_' being strongly excited, the impressed oscil to prevent leakage of the oscillating charge, ~
lations'upon it- are caused, in any manner substantially as set forth. ,
more or less sudden, to be more rapid than 2. In apparatus for the transmission of
45 the free oscillations. ‘It ‘is therefore,‘ ad electrical energy a circuit connected to
110- '

visable'to begin the adjustments with feeble vground and- to an elevated terminal and
. and somewhat "slower impressed oscillations, having its outer conducting boundaries,
strengthening and quickening them grade which are subject to high tension, arranged
ually, until the "apparatus has been brought in surfaces of large radii of curvature sub
50 under ‘perfect. control. To increase the‘ stantially as, and for the purpose described.
safety, I provide on a convenient place, pref .3. In a plant for the transmission'of elec
erably on terminal D, one or more elements trical energy without wires, in, combination‘,
or plates either of somewhat smaller radius with a primaryor exciting circuit a second- i
of curvature or protruding more or less be- ' ary connected to ground and to an elevated
terminal and having its, outer conducting ‘120
455, yond the othersv ,(in which case they maybe boundaries,
I of larger radius of curvature) so that, should‘ - which are charged to a high
the pressure rise to a value, beyond‘which 1t potentiahjarranged- in surfaces of large radii
is not desired to go, the powerful discharge of curvature'ffor thépurpose of"preventing
may dart out there and lose itself harmlessly leakage and‘ loss of, energy,‘ substantially as 125'
60 in the air. Such a plate, performing‘. a func 1 set vforth. ' “

tion similar ,to- that of a safety valve on a 4.. As a means/ for transmitting ‘electrical
high pressure. reservoir, is indicatpd at V. energy toja distance through, the. natural
. Still “further extending thev principles .media" a grounded resonant circuit, vcom
underlying my invention, special ‘reference prising a part-upon which oscillations are
65 is made to coil B and conductor B’. ' The impressed and another for raisingithe ten
 1,110,782 ,

sion, having its outer conducting boundaries 8. A_' wireless transmitter comprisingin 30
on which a high tension charge accumulates combination a source of oscillations as‘ a
arranged in surfaces of large radii of curva condenser, a primary exciting circuit and a
ture, substantially as described. _ secondary grounded and elevated conductor
‘5. The means for producing excessive the outer conducting boundaries of which
electric potentials consisting of a primary are in-proximity to each other ‘and arranged 35
exciting-circuit and a resonant’ secondary in surfaces of large radii of curvature, ‘sub
having its outer conducting elements which stantially as described. ‘ -
are subject to high tension arranged in prox ' 9. In apparatus forthe transmission of
10 imityvto each other and in surfaces of large electrical venergy withoutwires an elevated 40
radii of curvature so as to prevent leakage conductor or antenna having its outer high
ofthe charge and attendant lowering of po potential conducting or capacity elements
tential, substantially as described. ' arranged in proximity ‘to each other and in
6. A circuit comprising a part upon which surfaces of large radil of curvature so‘ as to
15 oscillations are impressed and another part overcome the ‘effect of the small radius of
for raising the tension by resonance, the v curvature of the individual elements and
latter partbeing supported on places'of low ‘leakage of the charge, as set forth.
electric density and having its outermost 10. A _'grounded resonant transmitting
‘conducting boundaries arranged in surfaces circuit having its outer conducting bound
20 of large radii of curvature, as set forth. aries arranged'in surfaces. of large radii ,
7.>In apparatus-for the transmisslon of‘ of curvature in combination with an ele 50
'ele'ctrical'energy without wires a grounded vated terminal of great surface supported
circuit the outer‘ conducting elements of' ‘at points-of low electric density, substan
which have a great aggregate area and are tially as ‘described.
25 arranged in surfaces of large radii of curva ' ' ' NIKOLA TESLA.
ture soas toxpermit the storing offa high
charge at a small electric density and pre» Witnessesz, y ' v

vent lossthrough leakage, substantially as ” ' M. LAMSON DYER,- .

RICHARD DONOVAN. "
described. . ' ' - f
"a,