General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

CAST IRON BASE, BEARING BLOCKS AND FIELD SUPPORT STRUCTURE. BRASS BRUSH ASSEMBLY MOUNTS & OILER. STEEL ARMATURE SHAFT. LAMINATED STEEL ARMATURE WITH INSULATED COPPER WINDINGS.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

140.0 cm

Width

130.0 cm

Height

125.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

1678.3

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Energy-electric

Category

Generation

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Westinghouse

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Pennsylvania

City

Pittsburgh

Context

Country

North America

State/Province

Unknown

Period

THIS TYPE OF ALTERNATOR USED C. 1888-1910

Canada

PART OF A LARGE AND VARIED COLLECTION OF ELECTRICAL ITEMS ACQUIRED & DOCUMENTED BY ONTARIO HYDRO IN THE 1960S. THIS COLLECTION CONSISTS OF OVER 7500 ARTIFACTS, AND IS THOUGHT TO BE THE LARGEST & MOST COMPREHENSIVE IN CANADA. IT WAS DONATED IN ITS ENTIRETY TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY IN 1992.

Function

TO GENERATE SINGLE PHASE ALTERNATING CURRENT FROM A MECHANICAL BELT DRIVEN SOURCE, IE) STEAM ENGINE, WATER TURBINE, ETC.

Technical

EXAMPLE OF EARLIEST WESTINGHOUSE ALTERNATOR, DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ALTERNATING CURRENT FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING. THE 1ST AC INCANDESCENT-LIGHTING SYSTEM WHICH WENT INTO COMMERCIAL USE L.1886 BASED ON TRANSFORMER, ALTERNATOR & PARALLEL CONNECTION OF TRANSFORMERS - ALL OF WHICH DEV'D BY WESTINGHOUSE CO. (REF.1,P.138)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

MFR'S PLATES SCREWED TO EITHER SIDE OF CASING READ: 'THE WESTINGHOUSE/ ELECTRIC CO./ PITTSBURGH, PA./ NO. 901 REV 1650'/ DISTRIBUTOR'S PLATESCREWED TO CENTRE, FRONT OF CASING READS: 'FROM/ GREGORY/ ELECTRIC CO./ CHICAGO U.S.A.'/ FOLLOWING INFO. INCISED ON OILER RECEPTACLE: 'POWELL'S PAT. SIGNAL OILER SEP. 15-85 AUG. 13-89'; REVOLVING OILER COVER INCISED: 'PAT'D/ S 15/ 1885'. FOUR COVER PLATES INSTALLED ON LOWER FRONT (2) AND BACK (2) READ: 'W E CO/ PGH/ PA'

Missing

BRUSH ASSEMBLY; DISTRIBUTION BLOCKS; JUMPERS FOR CONNECTION TO ENERGIZING SOURCE; ONE OILER

Finish

BLACK PAINTED BASE, FIELD MOUNTING, FIELD COILS & PART OF ARMATURE. NATURAL COPPER SLIP RINGS & CIRCULAR PLATE ON BRUSH SIDE OF ARMATURE.

Decoration

N/A