Nikola Tesla - Free-Energy Devices

HIGH FREQUENCY AND HIGH POTENTIAL CURRENTS. 843In order to make reliable observations of electric resonanceeffects it isvery desirable, if not necessary, to employ an alternatorgiving currents which rise and fall harmonically, as inworking with make and break currents the observations are notalways trustworthy, since many phenomena, which depend- onthe rate of change, may be produced with widely different frequencies.Even when making such observations with an alternatorone is apt to be mistaken. When a circuit is connected to analternator there are an indefinite number of values for capacity andself-induction which, in conjunction, will satisfy the condition ofresonance.So there are in mechanics an infinite number of tuningforks which will respond to a note of a certain pitch, or loadedsprings which have a definite period of vibration. But the resonancewill be most perfectly attained in that case in which the motionis effected with the greatest freedom. Now in mechanics,considering the vibration in the common medium that is, air itis of comparatively little importance whether one tuning fork besomewhat larger than another, because the losses in the air arenot very considerable. One may, of course, enclose a tuning forkin an exhausted vessel and by thus reducing the air resistance toa minimum obtain better resonant action. Still the differencewould not be very great. But it would make a great difference ifthe tuning fork were immersed in mercury. In the electricalvibration it is of enormous importance to arrange the conditionsso that the vibration is effected with the greatest freedom. Themagnitude of the resonance effect depends, under otherwise equalconditions, on the quantity of electricityset in motion or on thestrength of the current driven through the circuit. But the circuitopposes the passage of the currents by reason of its impedanceand therefore, to secure the best action it is necessary to reducethe impedance to a minimum. It is impossible to overcomeit entirely, but merely in part, for the ohmic resistance cannot beovercame. But when the frequency of the impulses is very great,the flow of the current is practically determined by self-induction.Now self-induction can be overcome by combiningit with capacity.If the relation between these is such, that at the frequencyused they annul each other, that is,have such values as tosatisfy the condition of resonance, and the greatest quantity ofelectricity is made to flow through the external circuit, then thebest result is obtained. It is simpler and safer to join the condenserin series with the self-induction. It is clear that in such