Re: History

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Dr. Resonance" <resonance-at-jvlnet-dot-com> 



Tesla's interest in a VDGRF was to use the DC high potentials to accelerate
small metal particles to extremely high velocities as a potential weapon.

I have the article in my files in WI but don't have access to it in AZ.  If
you need it Ed I will forward a copy when I return in mid-May 05.

Also, in fairness to Tesla "flash-in-the-pan" concept, one must recall that
Tesla produced dozens and perhaps hundreds of patents for Edison's
generators and DC distribution system.  Tesla's contract while working many
years for Edison allowed Edison to take all the credit and secure many
patents in his name and his company name while Tesla worked for him.

While Tesla was not an astute business man, he certainly was a prolific
inventor and should never be considered "a flash in the pan".

Dr. Resonance
 >  >
 >  > By flash in the pan I mean that he came forth with a remarkably
 >  > complete AC power generation, distribution, and utilization system
 >  > and
 >  > then moved on to other things which were of more interest to him, as
 >  > derscribed by Leland Anderson.  Have the "Patents" on the shelf here
 >  > and
 >  > look up references regularly.  I also have a copy of Tesla Patent
 >  > Wrappers (actually four volumes) which I've been through on many
 >  > occasions too.  Lot of lawyer talk but still interesting.  I don't
 >  > find
 >  > anything of practical value (at least related to the electric power
 >  > industry) after Colorado Springs.  Do you?  The Tesla of CSN clearly
 >  > has
 >  > a strong grasp of Victorian physics and math and applies it to his
 >  > designs and observations.  I find the notes make fascinating reading
 >  > and
 >  > show that he was quite a deep technical thinker, at least at that
 >  > time.
 >  > When it comes to the world power system I can't see any evidence of
 >  > even
 >  > "back of the envelope" calculations as to the design and feasibility
 >  > of
 >  > his proposed apparatus, let alone analysis of how the system as a
 >  > whole
 >  > could have worked.
 >  >
 >  > Harry Goldman printed a 1930's era article by Tesla in which he
 >  > discussed the operation of a Van de Graaf generator.  It is most
 >  > interesting because it was typical vintage Tesla writing - lucid and
 >  > quite accurate, and I have often wondered what practical things were
 >  > going on in his head at the time.  Wish I could find that article
 >  > again.......
 >  >
 >  > Ed
 >  >
 >  >
 >  >
 >
 >
 >