Application filedApril 25,1891. These shall now describe.
SYSTEM ELECTRIC LIGHTING. contemplate using are far above what have
heretofore been regarded practicable. As
an instance what regard the lowest
15 practicable limits would state that have
obtained fairly good results frequency
as low fifteen thousand twenty thousand
• per second and potential about twenty
thousand volts. .)
To whom concern:
Be known that Nikola Tesla, sub
ject thé Emperor Austria-Hungary, from
Smi]jan, Lika, bordercountryof Austria-IIun-
5 gary,and resident NewYork,in the county
and State New York, have invented certain
new and useful Improvements Methods of
and Apparatus for Electric Lighting, which
the following specification, reference be-
io ing had the drawings accompanying and
forming part the same;
This invention consists novel method
of and apparatusfor producing light means
of electricity. (Homodel. Serial No. 390,414. For instance, as
the primary source current electrical 75
energy continuous-current generator may
be used, the circuit which may inter
rupted with extreme rapidity mechani- -
cal devices, magneto-electric machine
specially constructed yield alternating cur- 80
rents very small period may used, and
in either case, should the potential too low,
an induction-coil may employed-to raise it;
or, finally, order overcome the mechani
cal difficulties, which such cases become 85
practically Insuperable before the best resulis
are reached, the principle the disruptive
discharge may utilized.
SPECIFICATION forming part Letters Patent No. other words, have made the
discovery that electrical current ex
cessively small period and very high poten
tial may utilized economically- and prac
ticably great advantage for the production
35 light. Both frequency and poten-
50 tiaj may enormously increased above these
figures, the practical limits being determined
by the character the apparatus and its ca
pability standingthestrain. The current 95
high frequency, therefore, that necessary
to the successful working invention I
produce the disruptive discharge the
accumulated energy condenser main
tained charging said condenser from 100
suitable source and discharging into or
through circuit under proper relations of
self-induction,capacity, resistance,andperiod
in well-understood ways. Such discharge is
. means this
latter plan produce much greater rate of
change the current than the other means 90
suggested, and illustration invention
I shall confine the description the means or
apparatus for producing the current this
plan, although would not understood as
limiting myself its use.
The carrying out this invention and the
full realization the conditions necessary to
the attainment the desired results involve,
first, novel method and apparatus for 65
producing the currents electrical effects of
the character described; second, novel
method utilizing and applying the same
for the production light, and, third, new
form translating device light-giving ap- 7c
plianee. 454,622, dated Tune 23,1891.
15 Fora better understanding the inven
tion may stated, first, that heretofore I
have produced and employed currents very
high frequency for operating translating de
vices, such electric lamps, and, second,
aa that currents high potential have also been
produced and employed for obtaining lumi
nous effects, and this, broad sense, may
be regarded for purposes this case the
prior state the art; but I.have discovered
25 that results the most useful character may
be secured under entirely practicable condi
tions means electric currents which
both the above-described conditions high
frequency and great difference potential
30 are present.
It difficult for define the exact lim
its offrequencyandpotentialwithin which my
discovery comprised, for the results ob
tained are due both conjointly; but would
40 make clear that the inferior limits of
both, the lowest frequency and potential that
I. Ido not mean
by the term “excessively small period” and
similar expressions herein imply that 55
contemplate any number pulsations vi
brations per second approximating the
number light-waves, and this will more
fully appea from the description the na
ture invention which hereinafter con- Co
tained.nited States Patent Office.
N Y.
To produce acurrent ofvery high frequency
and very high potential, certain well-known
devices may employed
