Various Tesla book cover images

Nikola Tesla Books

Books written by or about Nikola Tesla

The three diagrams shown illustrate arrangements as variously carried out in a form of portable apparatus referred to before. Referring to Fig. 1. the sensitive device a was one consisting of a small glass tube and two metallic plugs, the tube being rotated by a Thomas Clockwork. Coarse nickel chips prepared as before described were used in the tube. An improvement was effected by cleaning the chips first with dilute acid and alkaline solution and distilled water and alcohol at the last. In one apparatus the plugs were 1/8" apart, tube 1/4" diam. half filled. Condenser 1/2 mfd. one of the small ones before used. L, S, P and d were as described on another occasion. The results were good. In Diagram 2. the same devices were used in a slightly different way as will be plain from the diagram. The receiver R was put in series with device a so as not to be affected much by operation of break device d. This seemed better, results are very satisfactory. In Diagram 3. the improvement was carried still further the same devices being again used. The delicately balanced lever of receiver R was very little affected by the sudden action of the break, the pull was steady in consequence and a better adjustment was possible. The results were now most satisfactory. One cell of Leclenché dry being quite sufficient.

Evidence of stationary waves water pipe

Colorado Springs

Aug. 7, 1899

Some dispositions of apparatus experimented with in which the secondary of an oscillating transformer was used to excite the sensitive device have shown results vastly better and it seems that the increased sensitiveness is due partially at least, to the fact that one terminal of the secondary connected to a sensitive device (which unexcited has a resistance of about 100,000 ohms or more) is practically open and that therefore by the slightest disturbance a high pressure can freely manifest itself and break down the insulation of the device. To investigate further the capacity of such arrangements a great number were tried of which some follow: One of the earlier arrangements was as illustrated

in 1. In this case the secondary S was closed by the condenser C too large for it, and the self-induction (very large) L was inserted to overcome this defect and for other reasons (2).

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Glossary

Lowercase tau - an irrational constant defined as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its radius, equal to the radian measure of a full turn; approximately 6.283185307 (equal to 2π, or twice the value of π).
A natural rubber material obtained from Palaquium trees, native to South-east Asia. Gutta-percha made possible practical submarine telegraph cables because it was both waterproof and resistant to seawater as well as being thermoplastic. Gutta-percha's use as an electrical insulator was first suggested by Michael Faraday.
The Habirshaw Electric Cable Company, founded in 1886 by William M. Habirshaw in New York City, New York.
The Brown & Sharpe (B & S) Gauge, also known as the American Wire Gauge (AWG), is the American standard for making/ordering metal sheet and wire sizes.
A traditional general-purpose dry cell battery. Invented by the French engineer Georges Leclanché in 1866.
Refers to Manitou Springs, a small town just six miles west of Colorado Springs, and during Tesla's time there, producer of world-renown bottled water from its natural springs.
A French mineral water bottler.
Lowercase delta letter - used to denote: A change in the value of a variable in calculus. A functional derivative in functional calculus. An auxiliary function in calculus, used to rigorously define the limit or continuity of a given function.
America's oldest existing independent manufacturer of wire and cable, founded in 1878.
Lowercase lambda letter which, in physics and engineering, normally represents wavelength.
The lowercase omega letter, which represents angular velocity in physics.