[D8032V], Letter from Thomas Alva Edison to W H Patton, August 7th, 1880
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Title
[D8032V], Letter from Thomas Alva Edison to W H Patton, August 7th, 1880
Editor's Notes
Heat & moisture in mine no problem for electric installations. Reduction of speed to 12 strokes/min pumps seemed difficult but have solution. Motors can be made water tight. Remainder of long letter outlines 2 plans for delivering power where needed in shafts, and explains principle & economy of power transmission and conversion: "The whole thing in a nutshell is that we turn mass motion of the steam engine into molecular motion (electricity) and then back into mass motion (rotation of dynamo mechanism) and in so doing we of course lose by the necessary frictions of the translating mechanism, but we have the great advantage that while it might be commercially & mechanically unpractical to give a mass movement to a large wire rope 10 iles long to convey poewr & reproduce it at the distance, it is perfectly suitable commercially & mechanically to substitute in place of a movement of the whole mass of a metallic rope 10 miles long a movement of its molecules throughout the ten miles...." Explains causes of loss under various operating conditions. Estimates $90,000 (no royalty) excluding boiler, freight, labor, etc. In Upton's hand is list of specific questions about sizes pumps & pipes used.
Author
Recipient
Date
1880-08-07
Type
Folder/Volume ID
D8032-F
Microfilm ID
54:410
Document ID
D8032V
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University