Nikola Tesla U.S. Patent 645,576 - System of Transmission of Electrical Energy Patent Wrapper Page 64

182 considerably reduced. Since by such means as have been described, practically any potential that is desired may be obtained, the currents through the air strata may be rendered very small, whereby the loss in the transmission may be reduced. It will be understood that the transmitting as well as the receiving coils, transformers or other apparatus may be in some cases movable as, for example, when they are carried by vessels floating in the air or by ships at sea. In such a case, or generally, the connection of one of the terminals of the high. tension coil or coils to the ground may not be permanent, but may be intermittently or inductively established, and any such or similar modifications I shall consider as within the scope of my invention. While the description here given contemplates chiefly a method and system of energy transmission to a distance through the natural media for industrial purposes, the principles, which I have herein disclosed, and the apparatus which I have shown will obviously have many other valuable uses as, for instance, when it is desired to transmit intelligible messages to great distances, or to illuminate upper strata of the air, or to produce, designedly, any useful changes in the condition of the atmosphere, or to manufacture, from the gases of the same, products, as nitric fertilizing compounds, acid, Vor the like, by the action of such current impulses, for all of which, and for many other valuable purposes they are eminently suitable, and I do not wish to limit myself in this. respect. -15This page retyped from microfilm for better readability - Ed.