Description of an electrical machine of a new form, constructed with regard to the principles of electrical laws / by P.H. Vander Weyde.

  • Van der Weyde, P. H. (Peter Henri), 1813-1895.
Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Description of an electrical machine of a new form, constructed with regard to the principles of electrical laws / by P.H. Vander Weyde. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    6/12
    G 1. The Electricity developed by friction of the glass disk or cy- linder, is collected by the prime conductor at one or two of its extremities, there where the intensity when charged is greatest; the terdency to escape from the points at those extremities is so great, that by stopping to turn the machine, the whole charge is usually lost in less than half a minute, and often in a few seconds. The electricity developed by friction should be collected near the central part of the prime conductor, there where the tenden- cy to escape is the smallest, in place of there where this tenden- cy is the greatest. We may illustrate this action by the follow- ing comparison : If with a given power we had to force water into a filled res- ervoir, we surely would not select that part of the reservoir where the pressure of the fluid, or the tendency to escape, is the greatest, that is at the bottom ; but we would force it in. there where this pressure was smaller, that is near the surface. Now with our present Electrical machines we do exactly what we would disapprove of in all other cases, we try to force the elec- tricity in, there where there is the most resistance to absorhtion, and the greatest tendency to escape ; we present the extremity of our prime conductor to the glass or other substance in which the electricity is excited. 2. The usual conductors, notwithstanding that in general care enough is.taken to have them smooth and polished, possess too many angles and projections to be able to retain any considera- ble electric charge, their form is far different from that of the theoretically perfect conductor, the Globe or the Ring. 3. All the metallic surface is exposed to the atmosphere, which is entirely unnecessary and -serves only to charge the atmos- phere surrounding it, and which of course is in continual mo- tion, all at the expense of the original charge. 4. In many Machines the extremities of the Conductor, collect- ing the Electricity from the Plate, are so near its Axis or Rub- bers, that sparks fly over continually, and it becomes impossible to charge them with intensity. However in Van Mar urn's and Winter's Machines this defect is in a great measure obviated.