Nikola Tesla - Free-Energy Devices

HIGH FREQUENCY AND HIGH POTENTIAL CURRENTS. 191or, generally speaking, of any mechanical apparatus, but lowfrequencies can be reached recourse ;must, therefore, be had tosome other means. The discharge of a condenser affords us ameans of obtaining frequencies by far higher than are obtainablemechanically, and I have accordingly employed condensers in theexperiments to the above end.When the terminals of a high tension induction coil, Fig. 120,are connected to a Leyden jar, and the latter is discharging disruptivelyinto a circuit, we may look upon the arc playing betweenthe knobs as being a source of alternating, or generallyspeaking, undulating currents, and then we have to deal withthe familiar system of a generator of such currents, a circuit connectedto it,and a condenser bridging the circuit. The condenserin such case is a veritable transformer, and since the frequency isexcessive, almost any ratio in the strength of the currents in boththe branches may be obtained. In reality the analogy is not quitecomplete, for in the disruptive discharge we have most generallya fundamental instantaneous variation of comparatively low frequency,and a superimposed harmonic vibration, and the lawsgoverning the flow of currents are not the same for both.In converting in this manner, the ratio of conversion shouldnot be too great, for the loss in the arc between the knobs increaseswith the square of the current, and if the jar be dischargedthrough very thick and short conductors, with the view of obtaininga very rapid oscillation, a very considerable portion of theenergy stored is lost. On the other hand, too small ratios are notpracticable for many obvious reasons.As the converted currents flow in a practically closed circuit,the electrostatic effects are necessarily small, and I therefore convertthem into currents or effects of the required character. Ihave effected such conversions in several ways. The preferredplan of connections is illustrated in Fig. 127. The manner of operatingrenders it easy to obtain by means of a small and inexpensiveapparatus enormous differences of potential which have beenusually obtained by means of large and expensive coils. For thisit is only necessary to take an ordinary small coil, adjust to it acondenser and discharging circuit, forming, the primary of anauxiliary small coil, and convert upward. As the inductive effectof the primary currents is excessively great, the second coil needhave comparatively but very few turns. By properly adjustingthe elements, remarkable results may be secured.