The Figueras Dilemma

[cliff33]

Hi all,

Like so many other would-be replicators of the FIGUERAS device, I too have spent much
money, time and effort on this thing. All to no avail.
  This is just my attempt to answer the question "why".

Figueras being a physics professor and living in the same time period as Tesla, I'm sure
he had done much studying of Tesla's many inventions.
The one invention I assume that caught his main interest was that of Tesla's 2 phase motor
that used a rotating magnetic field. (google Tesla's 2 phase motor)

    That's what prompted the idea of a motionless generator. Just replace the rotor with a coil
that will be induced by this rotating magnetic field.
   Well for this to happen 2 pairs of inductor coils are required. Each pair connected in series
and oriented perpendicular to each other. These coils then have to be pulsed at a 90degr.
difference from each other, which can only be done using a sine wave.

     Figueras got his sine wave by interrupting the current from a battery at 8 different levels.
He just used resistors to get these 8 different current levels.
By turning a small 16 position switch at the right speed, he could get get 8 steps of pulses
going up and 8 going down. A simulated sine wave.
   To get the needed 90 deg offset using this sine-wave, he used a capacitor in series with one set of coils and a direct connection to the other set.

As for the induced coils they have to be in line with the 2 inductors.
But placing these coils where the 4 poles meet at the center and at 90deg. to each other would create
a magnetic conflict. No good.
   So I think Figueras had a special closed core designed to do the job properly.
Instead of placing these coils in the middle, he placed the induced coils (c) at the ends between the 2 inductors.

     Check out the picture of the coil assembly in the 1902 patent and you will see this is exactly
what we need to get this thing to work!  Any good machinists out there?

Just my interpretation.

[F6FLT]

In any case, I don't see why there should be anything new or OU from a "rotating" magnetic field, question of principle.
A "rotating" magnetic field or any "moving" magnetic field, is only a magnetic field tailored to increase in one place and decrease in another, giving the impression that it moves when it does not. The change always comes from the magnetic source, for example by the sequential passage of current commuted through different sources or by modulation of quadrature currents from two perpendicular sources....

Nevertheless, the magnets are attracted to the point of least magnetic potential so that they follow the apparent "moving" field, providing linear or rotary motion, depending on the type of motor and its field evolution. A fictitious moving/rotating field allows a real mechanical motion.

This technology is used in industry, it is well known as "synchronous motor". It is not free because when the field "moves", there is a delay with the movement of the attracted magnet, causing a field opposing the field source, therefore a counter-emf in the coil that produces the field.

[cliff33]

F6FLT

That's right, nothing new about rotating magnetic fields.
What IS new is CF's use of that 90deg. coil assembly
pictured in the 1902 patent to make use of those fields.
 
I think the OU is gotten by making those inductors as
strong as possible, using many turns of small wire and
pulsed at 100 volts or more using very low current.

  That would give an output much like a conventional
generator only without the need of an engine to over-come
all that wasteful drag.
Just MY opinion.

 
   

[forest]

cliff33


I agree.Now make a picture of arrangement you mentioned....

[phoneboy]

@ Cliff33, outside of the box thinking.  Always thought that the key to this device was in the least described part, the inductor/ouput coils. This device was supposed to bypass standard equipment of the time that used flux cutting and brute force.  I'm including some images from my lunch time drawings, I circled the image that I believe is what you are eluding to.  Why choke your flux or use brute force like marathonhole is trying.