The inventions, researches and writings of Nikola Tesla / With special reference to his work in polyphase currents and high potential lighting

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

39272

Title

The inventions, researches and writings of Nikola Tesla / With special reference to his work in polyphase currents and high potential lighting

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This 1894 volume chronicles Nikola Tesla's pioneering work in polyphase currents and high-frequency electricity. Edited by Thomas Commerford Martin, it presents Tesla's lectures and inventions, exploring revolutionary concepts like wireless power transmission, rotating magnetic fields, and high-voltage lighting. The text offers a technical yet accessible look at the dawn of modern electrical engineering.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1894 by Thomas Commerford Martin, *The Inventions, Researches and Writings of Nikola Tesla* stands as a comprehensive record of the Serbian-born engineer's groundbreaking work up to that date. Compiled with Tesla's approval, the volume traces his journey from his birth in Austro-Hungary to his arrival in America, where he sought to realize his revolutionary ideas on alternating current. The book is divided into four distinct parts that detail his relentless pursuit of efficiency and simplicity in electrical engineering. The first section focuses on Tesla's development of polyphase systems. Here, he details his induction motors, which eliminated the need for brushes and commutators, thereby reducing friction and maintenance. The text explores various methods for controlling motor speed and phase, including the concept of the rotating magnetic field. Tesla's ability to visualize complex electrical phenomena allowed him to master the fundamental ideas of polyphase currents, applying them in a vast variety of ways to create efficient machinery. The second part documents Tesla's experiments with high-frequency and high-potential currents, drawing from his famous lectures in New York, London, and Philadelphia. In these sections, he describes the production of artificial light, phosphorescence, and the physiological effects of high-frequency currents. A central theme of this work is Tesla's visionary theory on transmitting energy and intelligence without wires. He proposed utilizing the earth itself as a conductor, suggesting that by disturbing the electrostatic condition of the globe through resonance, intelligible signals and power could be transmitted to any distance. He argued that the earth's capacity and charge could be ascertained through electrical resonance, a concept that anticipated modern wireless communication. The third section covers miscellaneous inventions, including improved dynamos, anti-sparking commutators, electrolytic meters, and thermo-magnetic motors. These innovations addressed the cumbrous and wasteful nature of existing electrical apparatus, aiming to cheapen and simplify appliances for the consumer. The final appendix includes notes on early phase motors and Tesla's exhibit at the World's Fair. Throughout the volume, the emphasis remains on the economical transmission of power and the radical improvement of illumination. Tesla's conviction that the future of electrical development lay in these areas is evident in his descriptions of resonance effects, where self-induction and capacity are combined to minimize impedance. The book serves as a testament to Tesla's genius, preserving his original language and the scope of his thought during a transformative era in science and industry, while indicating the range of his thought for future generations of engineers.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Biography
• Science