Nikola Tesla Patents
260 When an electrical disturbance reaches a circuit so arranged and adjusted, additional strain is put upon the insulating film which gives way and allows the passage of a current, which can be utilized to operate any form of circuit controlling apparatus. Again, another contrivance capable of being utilized in detecting feeble electrical effects, consists of two conducting plates or terminals which have preferably wires. of some length attached to them and are bridged by a mass of minute particles of me tal or other conducting material. Normally these particles, lying loose, do not connect the metal plates, but under the influence of an electrical disturbance produced at a distance, evidently owing to electrostatic attraction, they are pressed firmly against each other, thus establishing a good electrical connection between the two terminals. This change of state may be made use of in a number of ways for the above purpose. Still another modified device which may be said to embody the features of both the former, is obtained by connecting the two conducting plates or terminals, above referred to, permanently with the poles of a battery which should be of very constant electro-motive force. In this arrangement a distant electrical disturbance produces a twofold effect on the conducting particles and insulating films between them. The former are brought nearer to each other in consequence of the sudden increase of electrostatic attraction, and the latter, owing to this, as well as by being reduced in thickness or in number, are subjected to a much greater strain which they are unable to thstand. -7
