No. 685,957, Patented Nov. 5, 1901. MN. TESLA, APPARATUS FOR THE UTILIZATION OF RADIANT. ENERGY. (Anptation et ar 21,1001, (Mo model Fig! uff i oe Fig2 eebhe’s |e ly | at a t Figt gi rites Witnesses: i Inventor ¥ Ape lee tuterba_ Tala, tenn Fp by Mew. Wage ¥Corfece AyeUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. NIKOLA TESLA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. APPARATUS FOR THE UTILIZATION OF RADIANT ENERGY. SPECEFIGATION forming part of Lptters Patent No, 685,957, dated November 6, 1901. Appllenton fled Mace.91, 1001, oval No. 52,163, (lo model) To all whom it may concern: Boitknown that I, NixoLa Tat, acitizon of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, in the eity, county, and State 5 of New York, have invented certain now and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Utilization of Radiant Energy, of which the following is a specification, reference being hhad to the drawings aceompanying and form ing a part of the same. ‘tis well known that certain radiations— such as those of ultra-violet light, cathodic, Roeutgen rays, or the like—possess the prop- erly of charging and discharging conductors fof electricity, the discharge being partien- Tarly noticeable when the condaetor upon whieh the rays impinge is negatively eleetri- fied, ‘These radiations are generally con: sidered to bo ether vibrations of extremely small wave lengths, and in explanation of the phenomena noted it has been assumed by Some authorities that they ionize or render conducting the atmosphere through which they are propagated. My own experiments and observations, however, lead me to con- lasions more in accord with the theory here- tofore advanced by me that sources of such radiant energy throw off with great velocity. ininute particles of matter which are strongly electrified, and therefore capable of charging fan eleetrieal conduetor, or, oven if nob 80, may ab any rate discharye an electrified eon- Guetor either by earrying off bodily its charge or otherwise. 35 Mypresent application is based npon a dis- covery which I have made that when rays or radiations of the above kindare permitted to fall upon an insulated couducting-body con- neeted to oneof the terminals of a condenser ‘while the other terminal of the same is made by independent means to receive or to carry away electricity a current flowsinto the cot- denser £0 long as the insulated body is ex posed to the rays, and under the conditions Rereinatter specified an indefinite neewna- Jation of eleetrieal energy in the condenser takes place, This energy after a suitable ime interval, dasing which the rays are al- Towed to act, may manifest itself in a pow- go erful discharge, which may be utilized for the 3° 40 ‘operation or control of mechanical or elec- trieal deviess or rendered useful in many other ways. ‘Tn applying my discovery I provide a eon- denser, preferably of considerable electro- statie capacity, and connect one of its term! nals toan insulated metal plate or other con: Aucting-body exposed to the rays or streams of radiant matter. Ibis very important, par- ticularly in view of the fact that electrical energy is generally supplied at a vory slow rate to tho condenser, to construct the same with the greatest eare. ase, by preference, the best quality of mica as dielectric, taking every possible precaution in insulating the armatares, so thab the instrament may with- stand great electrical prossures without leak- ing aud may Teave no percoptible electrifi- cation when discharging instantaneously. Ta practice I have found that the best results Ave obtained with condensers treated in the mannor deseribed in a patent granted to mo Febranry 23,1897, No. 877,071, Obviously the above preealitions should be the more rigor- ously observed the slower the rate of charg- jog and the smaller the time interval during whieh the energy is allowed to aceumulato in tho condenser. ‘The insulated plate or con- Gucting-body should present as large a sur- Face as practicable to the rays or streams of matter, Lhaving ascertained that the amount of energy conveyed to it per anit of time tinder otherwise identleat conditions propor tionate to the area exposed, ot nearly so. Furthermore, tho surface should beclean and preferably highly polished or amalgamated. The second torminal or armature of the con- Genser may be connected to one of the poles of a battery or other source of electricity or fo any condueting body or object whatever of stich properties or so conditioned that by its means electricity of the required sign will be Supplied to the terminal. A simple way of Supplying positive or negative electricity to the terminal is to connect the same either to fan insnlated conductor supported ab some height in tho atmosphereor toa grounded con- ductor, the former, as is well kuown, furnish- fing positive and the latter negative electrie- {Hey PAS the mason supposed streams of mat- 60 7° 80ey ter gencrally convey a positive charge to the first condenser-teriminal, whieh is connected to the plate or conductor above mentioned, T usually eonneet the seeoud terminal of the condenser to the ground, this being the most convenient way of obtainine negative ele tricity, dispensing with the necessity of pro- viding’an artificial souree, Th order to util. ive for any useful purpose the energy acon malated in the condenser, T furthermore eon nect to the terminals of the samen eitenit in- eluding an instrament or apparatus whieh it is desired to operate and another instrament or devieo for alternately closing and opening the cireuit. ‘This latter may be any form of cireuit-eoutroller, with fixed or movable parts or electrodes, which may be actuated either by thestored energy or by independent means, My discovery will be moro fully tnderstood from the following description and annexed Arawings, to whieh referenceisnow made, and 15 ing the general arrangement of apparatus as ustally em ployed. Fig. 2 isa similar diagram illusteat- ing more in detail typical forms of the devices or elements used in prictiee, and Figs. 3 and Aare dingrammatieal representalionsof modi fied arrangements suitable for special par poses, AS illustrative of the manner in which the several parts or elements of the apparatus in one of its simplest forms aro to be arranged and connected for usoful operation, reference 5 ismade to Fig. 1, in whieh C is the condensor, P the insulated plate or eondueting- body whieh is exposed to the rays, and P’ another plate or conductor whieh 3 gromuded, all be. ing joined inseries,asshown. The terminals TV of the condenser are also connected to A cirenit which includes a device R to be oper ated and a cirenit-controlling device d of the character above referred to, ‘The apparatus being arranged as shown, it will be found that when the radiations of the Sun or of any other source capable of pr ueing the effects before described fall upon the plate Pan accumulation of electrical energy in the condenser C will result. This phenomenon, I believe, is best explained as follows: The san, as well as other sources of radiant energy, throws off minute particles of matterpositively electrified, which, impinging upon the plate P, communicate eontinuously an electrical charge to the same, The op- posite terminal of the condenser being can heeted to the ground, which may be consid. ered as avast reservoir of negativeelectrivity, a feeble current flows continuously into the condensor, and inasmuch as these supposed 45 50 55 60 particles are of an ineonceivably small radius | or enrvature, and consequently charged to 8 relatively very high potential, thischarsing of the condenser may continue, as I havo ac- 65 tually observed, almost indefinitely, even to the point of rupturing the dielectric. If the (685,957 device d be of such character that it will op: erate to close the eireuit In'which it is in- eluded when the potentinl in the condenser hasveacheda cortain magnitude, the acct Inted charge will pass through the eireuit, which also includes the receiver R, and oper” @ the latter, In illustration of @ particular form of ap. paratus which may be used in carrying out iny discovery I now refer to Big. 2,” In this figure, which in the general arrangement of the elements is identical to Fig. 1, the devieo is shown as composed of two very thin con- ueting-plates ¢ 2, placed in elose proximity. and very mobile, either by reason of extreine Aoxibility or owing to the character of theit support.” 'Toimprove theiraction, they should be inelosed in a receptacle, From which the may be exhausted. ‘The plates tf sd in series with a working eireuit, inclnding a suitable receiver, whieh it this caso is shown as cousisting of an eleetromag- net M, a movable armatiire a, a retractile spring’ b, and a ratchet-wheel 1, provided with a spring-paw] 1, whieh Is pivoted to ar- mature o, as illustrated, When the radia- tions of the sun or other radiant souree fall upon plate P, a current flows into the con- denser, as above explained, until the poten tial therein risos sufficiently to attract and bring into contact the two plates £/, and thereby close the eizenit conneeted to the tivo condenset-termivals, This permits a flow of current which energizes the magnet M, eaus- ing it to draw down the armature a and im. part a partial rotation to the ratehet-wheel w. AS the enrrent conses the armature is retracted by the spring b, without, however, moving the wheel w. With the stoppage of tho currentthe plates ¢#’ coase tobeattracted ‘and separate, thus restoring the cireuit to its original condition, Wig. 3 shows a modified form of apparatus used in connection with an artificial sonres of radiant energy, whieh in this instance may bean arcemitting eopiously ultra-violet rays, A suitable reflector may be provided for eon. centrating and directing the radiations. A magnet K and cireuit-controller dare ar ranged as in'the previous Sgures; but in the present case the former instead of performing. self the whole work only serves the purpose of alternately opening and closing a local cireuit, containing a source of eurrent Band 8 reeeiving oy translating devies D. ‘The controller ‘a, if desired, may eonsist of two fixed electrodes separated by a minute alr. gap or weak dielectrie film, which breaks Gown more or less suddenly when a definite Gifforence of potential is reached at the ter minals of the condenser and returns to ils original state upon the passage of the dis charge. Still another modification ig shown in Fig. 4, in whieh the source 8 of radiant energy is special form of Roentgen tabe devised by 7 80 9° 95 105 ns 15 1305 35 30 35 4° 4 se 55 60 65 685,057 3 me, having bat one torminal , generally of aluminium, fn the forinof half a sphere,.vith 4 Plain polishod snface on the front side, from which the steeams are thrown off. Th nay bo excited by attaching it to one of the torminalsofany generator of suficiently high glectromotive foree; but whatever apparatus be used it is important that the tube bo ex, hausted to a high degree, asotherviseit might Brovo entitely Inoffective. ‘The working or Aischarge cireuit connected to the termlaals ‘TY of tho condenser includes in this ease tho primary p of a transformer and a circult, gontrolley ‘comprising a flxed terminal ov brush ¢ and a movable terminal.’ in theshape of wheel, with eondneting and insulating Segments, which may be rotated at an asbe trary speed by any suitablo means. In in. {uekive relation to the primary wite or coll p is & secondary s, usually of a much greates Dumber of tans, to the ends of which Is com, nected a receiver R. ‘The terminals of tho condenser being conneetod, as indicated, one toan insulated plate P and the other’ to's grounded plate P", when the tube Sis exclved tays or streams of matier are emitted free {he same, whieh convey a positive charge to the plate P and condensersterminal Ty while terminal 1” is continuously receivin, tive electricity from the plate P. “Pig's before explained, resultsin an accumulation of electrical energy in the condenser, which ‘goes on as long as the cireuit including the primary pis interrupted. Whenever thecte, uit is closed owing to the rotation of the ferminal ¢, the stored enorgy is discharged through the primary p, this giving tise in tee Secondary s to induced currents, which oper, ate the receiver R. Ivis clear from what has been stated above hat if the terminal Tis connected to a plate supplying positive instead of negative cle, trleity tho rays should convey negulive ele tricity to plate P. ‘Tho source $ may bean form of Roentgen or Lenard tube; but it obvious from the theory of action that in order to be very effective the electrical inn ulses exciting it should be wholly or at lenet Preponderatingly of one sign. If ordinary symmetrical alternating currents ate. an ployed, provision should be made for allem, tee ES Lo fall upon’ the plate P only Guring those periods when they are produce, ive of the desired result. Evidently if the radiations of the souree be stopped of intar cepted or thelr intensity varied in any man net, by periodically interrupting orrytiale. {ly varying the eurront exciting the source, thero will be corresponding changes in ie, action upon the receiver Ry and thus siguaty may be trausmitted and many other useful efteots produced. Furthermore, it will be un. derstood that any form of eireuit-eloser which will respond to or be set in operation when prodetormined amount of eneray Is stored te thecondensermay be used in lien of thedeviee Specifically described with reference to Fig. 2 andalso that thespeeiatdetailsot construction and arrangoment of the soveral parts of the apparatus may be very greatly varied with, out departure from the invention. Having deseribed my invention, what I lain is— 1. Au apparatus for utilizing radiant en- orgy comprising in combination a eondenser, (ne armature of which is subjected to tho ne. tion of rays or radiations, independent means for charging the other armature, acireuitand apparatus therein adapted to be operated or controlled by the discharge of the condenser, as set forth, 2. Au apparatus for utilizing radiant en- orzy, comprising in combination, a condenser, gne armature of which is subjected tothe ne. tion of rays or radiations, independent meane for charging the other armature, a lool ae cult connected with the condenser-teriminals, Acirenit-controller thereinandmeansadapted £0 be operated or controlled by the discharge of tho condenser when the local cirouit is closed, as set forth, 8. An apparatus for utilizing radiant en- ergy, comprising in combination, a oondenser, one terminal of which is subjected to the ax. tion of rays or radiations, independent means for charging the othor armature, a local ee, cuit connected with the condonser terminals, acireutt-controller therein dependent for a) eration on a given rise of potential in the eon. Gouser, and devices operated by the discharge of tho condenser when tho local civouit is losed, as set forth, An apparatns for utilizing radiant en- ergy, comprising in combination, acondensor, one terminal of which is subjected tothe net tion of rays or radiations, and the other of which is connected with the ground, a ciseuit and apparatus therein adapted to be operated by the dischargo of the aceumalated enersy in the condenser, as set forth, 5. An apparatus for utilizing radiant en- ergy, comprising in eombination,a condeuser, ono terminal of which is subjected to tlione, tion of rays or radiations and the other of hich is connected with the ground, a local circuit connected with the condeuser-termi- nals, a elteuit-controller therein and moans adapted to be operated by the discharge of the condenser when the local cireuit is closed, as set forth, 6. An apparatus for utilizing radiant en- ergy, comprising in combination,a condenser, one terminal of which is subjected to the tion of rays or radiations and the other of which is connected with the ground, a local clreuit connected with the eondenser-termt- nals, a cireuit-controller therein adapted to be operated by a given rise of potential in the condenser, and devices operated by the dis. charge of the condenser when the local elrouis closed, as set forth. 7. Au apparatus for utilizing radiant en- te 1s Bo 85 90 95 105 a5 195 1304 695,057 ergy, comprising a condenser, having one ter- | adapted to be operated By 2 veo ie of po- orgy, comprising garth and the other to an | tential in the condenser, a8 set forth Cleyated conducting.plate, which is adapted . ‘TES! fo receive tho rays from a distané souree of NIKOLA TES! to Facet energy, a local circuit connected with | _ Witnesses The condensor-terminals, a receiver therein, ‘M. Lawson DYER, Mitt’ elvenit-controller therefor which ts RicaRD Doxovan, A