Nikola Tesla - Free-Energy Devices

403 INVENTIONS OF NIKOLA TE8LA.only, that is, supposing the vacuous space to be non-conducting.On the assumption that in these phenomena electrostatic actionsare concerned we find it easily explicable why of mercury or the heating of the bulb prevents thethe introductionformation ofthe luminous band or shortens the after-glow ;and also why insome cases a platinum wire may prevent the excitation of thetube. Nevertheless some of the experiments of Prof. J. J.Thomson would seem to indicate an electromagnetic effect. Imay add that in one of my experiments in which a vacuum wasproduced by the Torricellian method, I was unable to producethe luminous band, but thismay have been due to the weak excitingcurrent employed.My principal argument is the following I have experimentallyproved that if the same discharge which is barely sufficient:to excite a luminous band in the bulb when passed through theprimary circuit be so directed as to exalt the electrostatic inductiveeffect namely, by converting upwards an exhausted tube,devoid of electrodes, may be excited at a distance of several feet.SOME EXPERIMENTS ON THE ELECTRIC DISCHARGE IN VACUUM TUBES.BY PROF. J. J. THOMSON, M.A., F.R.S.The phenomena of vacuum discharges were, Prof. Thomson said, greatlysimplified when their path was wholly gaseous, the complication of the darkspace surrounding the negative electrode, and the stratifications so commonlyobserved in ordinary vaciium tubes, being absent. To produce discharges inFIG. 216. FIG. 2V,tubes devoid of electrodes was, however, not easy to accomplish, for the onlyavailable means of producing an electromotive force in the discharge circuitwas by electro-magnetic induction. Ordinary methods of producing variableinduction were valueless, and recourse was had to the oscillatory discharge of a1. Abstract of a paper read before Physical Society of London.