| Fig. 88. | Fig. 89. |
Fig. 87.
Fig. 90.
Referring to the drawings, Fig. 86, is a view, mainly diagrammatic, of an alternating current motor, in which the present principle is applied. Fig. 87 is a central section, in line with the shaft, of a special form of armature core. Fig. 88 is a similar section of a modification of the same. Fig. 89 is one of the sections of the core detached. Fig. 90 is a diagram showing a modified disposition of the armature or induced circuits.
The general plan of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 86. A A in this figure represent the the frame and field magnets of an alternating current motor, the poles or projections of which are wound with coils B and C, forming independent energizing circuits connected either to the same or to independent sources of alternating currents, so that the currents flowing through the circuits, respectively, will have a difference of phase. Within the influence of this field is an armature core D, wound with coils E. In motors of this description heretofore these coils have been closed upon themselves, or connected in a closed series; but in the present case each coil or the connected series of coils terminates in the opposite plates of a condenser F. For this purpose the ends of the series of coils are brought out through the shaft to collecting rings G, which are connected to the condenser by contact brushes H and suitable conductors, the condenser being independent of the machine. The armature coils are wound or connected in such manner that adjacent coils produce opposite poles.
The action of this motor and the effect of the plan followed in its construction are as follows: The motor being started in operation and the coils of the field magnets being traversed by alternating currents, currents are induced in the armature coils by one set of field coils, as B, and the poles thus established are acted upon by the other set, as C. The armature coils, however, have necessarily a high self-induction, which opposes the flow of the currents thus set up. The condenser F not only permits the passage or transference of these currents, but also counteracts the effects of self-induction, and by a proper adjustment of the capacity of the condenser, the self-induction of the coils, and the periods of the currents, the condenser may be made to overcome entirely the effect of self-induction.
It is preferable on account of the undesirability of using sliding contacts of any kind, to associate the condenser with the armature directly, or make it a part of the armature. In some cases Mr. Tesla builds up the armature of annular plates K K, held by bolts L between heads M, which are secured to the driving shaft, and in the hollow space thus formed he places a condenser F, generally by winding the two insulated plates spirally around the shaft. In other cases he utilizes the plates of the core itself as the plates of the condenser. For example, in Figs. 88 and 89, N is the driving shaft, M M are the heads of the armature-core, and K K' the iron plates of which the core is built up. These plates are insulated from the shaft and from one another, and are held together by rods or bolts L. The bolts pass through a large hole in one plate and a small hole in the one next adjacent, and so on, connecting electrically all of plates K, as one armature of a condenser, and all of plates K' as the other.
To either of the condensers above described the armature coils may be connected, as explained by reference to Fig. 86.