" El ect r oki net i c Appar at us"

Publ i shed i n Psychi c Obser ver , Vol . XXXVI I , No. 1

Excer pt s f r omU. S. Pat ent Ser . No. 2, 949, 550. Fi l ed J ul y 3, 1957.
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My i nvent i on of an el ect r oki net i c appar at us i s vi r t ual l y a
met hod and appar at us f or ut i l i zi ng el ect r i cal pot ent i al s i n t he
pr oduct i on of f or ces f or t he pur pose of causi ng r el at i ve mot i on
bet ween a st r uct ur e and t he sur r oundi ng medi um.

Pr i or l y, i nt er veni ng el ect r oki net i c appar at us has been
empl oyed t o conver t el ect r i cal ener gy t o mechani cal ener gy and
t hen t o conver t t he mechani cal ener gy t o t he r equi r ed f or ce.
Except f or t he i nsi gni f i cant l y smal l f or ces of el ect r ost at i c
at t r act i on and r epul si on, el ect r i cal ener gy has not been used f or
t he di r ect pr oduct i on of f or ce and mot i on.

Si nce any conver si on of ener gy f r om one f or m t o anot her i s
accompani ed by l osses due t o f r i ct i on, r adi at i on or conduct i on of
heat , hyst er esi s, and t he l i ke, as wel l as ser i ous r educt i ons i n
t he avai l abi l i t y of t he ener gy by i ncr eases i n t he ent r opy of t he
syst em, i t i s appar ent t hat gr eat i ncr eases i n ef f i ci ency may be
achi eved t hr ough t he use of t he di r ect pr oduct i on of el ect r i cal
ener gy and f or ce and mot i on made possi bl e by my i nvent i on.
Li kewi se, t he el i mi nat i on of t he machi ner y f or t he i nt er medi at e
conver si on r esul t s i n gr eat savi ngs i n f i r st cost s, mai nt enance,
wei ght and space, t he l at t er of t wo bei ng of gr eat i mpor t ance i n
sel f - pr opel l ed vehi cl es i ncl udi ng mobi l e vehi cl es such as
ai r cr af t and spacecr af t .

The speci f i c r easons f or desi gni ng t hi s el ect r oki net i c devi ce
ar e t o pr ovi de:

1) An appar at us f or conver t i ng t he ener gy of an el ect r i cal
pot ent i al di r ect l y i nt o a mechani cal f or ce sui t abl e f or causi ng
r el at i ve mot i on bet ween a st r uct ur e and t he sur r oundi ng medi um.

2) A novel appar at us f or conver t i ng an el ect r i cal pot ent i al
di r ect l y t o usabl e ki net i c ener gy.

3) A novel appar at us f or conver t i ng el ect r ost at i c ener gy
di r ect l y i nt o ki net i c ener gy.

4) A vehi cl e mot i vat ed by el ect r ost at i c ener gy wi t hout t he
use of movi ng par t s.

5) A sel f - pr opel l ed vehi cl e wi t hout movi ng par t s.

6) An appar at us f or pr oduci ng r el at i ve mot i on bet ween a
st r uct ur e and t he sur r oundi ng medi um whi ch appar at us i ncl udes a
pai r of el ect r odes of appr opr i at e f or m hel d i n f i xed spaced
r el at i on t o each ot her and i mmer sed i n a di el ect r i c medi um and


opposi t el y char ged.

7) Appar at us whi ch i ncl udes a body def i ni ng one el ect r ode,
anot her separ at e el ect r ode suppor t ed i n f i xed spaced r el at i on by
sai d body, and a sour ce of hi gh el ect r i cal pot ent i al connect ed
bet ween t he body and t he separ at e el ect r ode.

8) Appar at us havi ng a body whi ch i s hol l ow and a sour ce of
pot ent i al cont ai ned wi t hi n t he body.

9) Appar at us havi ng a body and an el ect r ode connect ed t o t he
body, whi ch combi nat i on compr i ses a vehi cl e.

10) Appar at us whi ch compr i ses a pl ur al i t y of assembl i es, each
i ncl udi ng a body and an el ect r ode secur ed i n si de- by- si de spaced
r el at i on t o each ot her .

11) Vehi cul ar appar at us whi ch i ncl udes a pai r of el ect r i cal l y
conduct i ve body por t i ons j oi ned by an i nsul at i ng por t i on, wher eby
sai d el ect r i cal l y conduct i ve por t i ons const i t ut e t he el ect r odes.



Ref er r i ng t o t he dr awi ngs, I have i l l ust r at ed i n Fi gur e 1 a
si mpl e f or m of appar at us whi ch i s r eadi l y adapt abl e f or use i n
demonst r at i ng t he pr i nci pl es of my i nvent i on, and whi ch i s
ut i l i zed i n t hi s appl i cat i on as a si mpl i f i ed r epr esent at i on t o
f aci l i t at e an under st andi ng of t he pr i nci pl es i nvol ved. The
appar at us i l l ust r at ed i n Fi gur e 1 const i t ut es one el ect r ode whi ch
i s pr ef er abl y i n t he f or m of a body member 20, sai d member
pr ef er abl y compr i si ng a r el at i vel y t hi n f l at pl at e. A second
el ect r ode 21 i n t he f or m of a wi r e or ot her sui t abl e f or m of
el ect r i cal conduct or i s hel d as by means of i nsul at ed suppor t s 22
i n f i xed spaced r el at i on t o t he body 20, t he wi r e 21 bei ng
di sposed i n t he pl ane of t he body 20 and pr ef er abl y subst ant i al l y
par al l el wi t h a l eadi ng edge 23 of t he body 20. A sour ce 24 of
hi gh vol t age el ect r i cal pot ent i al i s pr ovi ded and connect ed as
shown at 25 and 26 t o t he t wo el ect r odes 20 and 21 r espect i vel y.

I have di scover ed t hat when appar at us of t he char act er j ust
descr i bed i s i mmer sed i n a di el ect r i c medi um, as f or exampl e, t he
or di nar y ai r of t he at mospher e, t her e i s pr oduced a f or ce t endi ng
t o move t he ent i r e assembl y t hr ough t he medi um, and t hi s f or ce i s
appl i ed i n such di r ect i on as t o t end t o move t he body 20 t owar d
t he l eadi ng el ect r ode 21. Thi s f or ce pr oduces r el at i ve mot i on
bet ween t he appar at us and t he sur r oundi ng f l ui d di el ect r i c. Thus,
i f t he appar at us i s hel d i n a f i xed posi t i on, t he di el ect r i c


medi um i s caused t o move past t he appar at us and t o t hi s ext ent
t he appar at us may be consi der ed as anal ogous t o a pump or f an.
Conver sel y, i f t he appar at us i s f r ee t o move, t he r el at i ve mot i on
bet ween t he medi um and t he appar at us r esul t s i n a f or war d mot i on
of t he appar at us, and i t i s t hus seen t hat t he appar at us i s a
sel f - pr opul si ve devi ce.

Whi l e t he phenomenon j ust descr i bed has been obser ved and i t s
exi st ence conf i r med by r epeat ed exper i ment , t he pr i nci pl es
i nvol ved ar e not compl et el y under st ood. I t has been det er mi ned
t hat t he gr eat est f or ces ar e devel oped when t he l eadi ng el ect r ode
i s made posi t i ve wi t h r espect t o t he body 20, and i t i s
accor di ngl y t hought t hat t he i mmedi at e vi ci ni t y of t he el ect r ode
21 wher e t he pot ent i al gr adi ent i s ver y hi gh, f r ee el ect r ons ar e
st r i pped of f of t he at oms and mol ecul es of t he sur r oundi ng
medi um. These el ect r ons mi gr at e t o t he posi t i ve el ect r ode 21
wher e t hey ar e col l ect ed. Thi s r emoval of f r ee el ect r ons l eaves
t he r espect i ve at oms and mol ecul es posi t i vel y char ged and such
char ged at oms and mol ecul es ar e accor di ngl y r epel l ed f r om t he
posi t i ve el ect r ode 21 and at t r act ed t owar ds t he negat i ve
el ect r ode 20. The pat hs of movement of t hese posi t i vel y char ged
par t i cl es appear t o be of t he nat ur e r epr esent ed by t he l i nes 27
i n Fi gur e 2.



I t appear s t hat upon r eachi ng or cl osel y appr oachi ng t he
sur f ace of t he body 20, t he posi t i vel y char ged at oms and
mol ecul es have t hei r posi t i ve char ges neut r al i zed by t he capt ur e
of el ect r ons f r om t he body 20 and i n many cases, i t may be t hat
excess el ect r ons ar e capt ur ed wher eby t o gi ve such at oms and
mol ecul es a negat i ve char ge so t hat t hey ar e act ual l y r epel l ed
f r omt he body.

I t wi l l be appr eci at ed t hat t he mass of each of t he
i ndi vi dual el ect r ons i s appr oxi mat el y one t wo- t housandt hs t he
mass of t he hydr ogen at om and i s accor di ngl y negl i gi bl e as
compar ed wi t h t he mass of t he at oms and mol ecul es of t he medi um
f r om whi ch t hey ar e t aken. The pr i nci pl e f or ces i nvol ved
t her ef or e ar e t he f or ces i nvol ved i n movi ng t he char ged at oms and
mol ecul es f r om t he r egi on of t he posi t i ve el ect r ode 21 t o and
beyond t he negat i vel y char ged body 20. The f or ce so exer t ed by
t he syst em on t hose at oms and mol ecul es not onl y pr oduces a f l ow
of t he medi um r el at i ve t o t he appar at us, but , of cour se, r esul t s
i n a l i ke f or ce on t he syst em t endi ng t o move t he ent i r e syst em


i n t he opposi t e di r ect i on; t hat i s, t o t he l ef t as vi ewed i n
Fi gur e 1 of t he dr awi ng.

The above suggest ed expl anat i on of t he mode of oper at i on of
t he devi ce i s suppor t ed by obser vat i on of t he f act t hat t he
di mensi ons and pot ent i al s ut i l i zed must be adj ust ed t o pr oduce
t he r equi r ed el ect r i c f i el d and t he r esul t i ng pr opul si ve f or ce.
Act ual l y I have f ound t hat t he pot ent i al gr adi ent must be bel ow
t hat val ue r equi r ed t o pr oduce a vi si bl e cor ona si nce cor ona i s
obj ect i onabl e i nasmuch as i t r epr esent s l osses t hr ough t he
r adi at i on of heat , l i ght and mol ecul ar char ges i n t he medi um.



My exper i ment s have i ndi cat ed t hat t he el ect r ode 21 may be of
smal l di amet er f or t he l ower vol t age r anges, i . e. bel ow 125 kv.
whi l e above t hi s vol t age, r od or hol l ow pi pe el ect r odes ar e
pr ef er r ed. These l ar ge el ect r odes ar e pr ef er r ed f or t he hi gher
vol t ages si nce shar p poi nt s or edges ar e el i mi nat ed whi ch at
t hese el evat ed pot ent i al s woul d pr oduce l osses t hus di mi ni shi ng
t he t hr ust . For exampl e, el ect r odes t o be oper at ed at pot ent i al s
bel ow 125 kv. may be made f r omsmal l gauge wi r e onl y l ar ge enough
t o pr ovi de t he r equi r ed mechani cal r i gi di t y whi l e el ect r odes t o
be oper at ed at pot ent i al s above 125 kv. may be hol l ow pi pes or
r ods havi ng a di amet er of 1/ 4 t o 1/ 2 i nch.

I n Fi gur e 3, I have i l l ust r at ed t he manner i n whi ch a
pl ur al i t y of assembl i es, such as ar e shown i n Fi gur e 1, may be
i nt er connect ed f or j oi nt oper at i on. As may be seen f r omFi gur e 3,
a pl ur al i t y of such assembl i es ar e pl aced i n spaced si de- by- si de
r el at i on. They may be hel d f i xed i n such spaced r el at i on t hr ough
t he use of a pl ur al i t y of t i e r ods 28 and i nt er posed spacer s ( not
shown) pl aced bet ween adj acent pl at es 20. The assembl y of pl at es
20 may be el ect r i cal l y i nt er connect ed by a bus bar or si mi l ar
conduct or 29 t o whi ch t he negat i ve l ead 25 i s connect ed. i n a
si mi l ar way, t he pl ur al i t y of posi t i ve l eadi ng el ect r odes 21 may
be hel d i n appr opr i at el y spaced r el at i on t o each ot her by
f ast eni ng t hei r ends t o pai r s of bus bar s 30 and 31, t o t he


l at t er of whi ch t he posi t i ve l ead 26 i s connect ed. The assembl y
of l eadi ng el ect r odes 21 may be hel d i n spaced r el at i on t o t he
assembl y of t he body member s 20 by an appr opr i at e ar r angement of
t he suppor t s 22.



I n Fi gur e 4, I have i l l ust r at ed di agr ammat i cal l y an
ar r angement of par t s f or pr oduci ng a r ever si bl e act i on; t hat i s,
per mi t t i ng t he di r ect i on of t he pr opul si ve f or ce t o be r ever sed.
The appar at us i s si mi l ar t o t hat shown i n Fi gur e 1, di f f er i ng
t her ef r om i n ut i l i zi ng a pai r of l eadi ng el ect r odes 21f and 21r
spaced by means of spacer s 22 f r om t he f r ont and r ear edges 23f
and 23r of t he body member 20 i n a manner si mi l ar t o t hat
descr i bed wi t h r ef er ence t o t he suppor t s 22 i n Fi gur e 1. The
sour ce 24 of hi gh vol t age el ect r i cal pot ent i al has i t s negat i ve
t er mi nal connect ed t o t he body 20 as by means of t he
af or ement i oned conduct or 25. t he posi t i ve t er mi nal i s connect ed
as by means of t he conduct or 26 t o t he bl ade 27 of a si ngl e- pol e,
doubl e- t hr ow swi t ch, ser vi ng i n one posi t i on t o connect t he
conduct or 26 t o a conduct or 26f whi ch i s i n t ur n connect ed t o t he
f or war d el ect r ode 21f and ar r anged i n i t s opposi t e posi t i on t o
connect t he conduct or 26 t o a conduct or 26r whi ch i s i n t ur n
connect ed t o t he r ever se el ect r ode 21r .

I t wi l l be seen t hat wi t h t he swi t ch 27 i n t he posi t i on shown
i n Fi gur e 4, t he appar at us wi l l oper at e i n t he manner descr i bed
i n connect i on wi t h Fi gur e 1, causi ng t he assembl y t o move t o t he
l ef t as vi ewed i n Fi gur e 4. By t hr owi ng t he swi t ch 27 t o t he
opposi t e posi t i on, t he di r ect i on of t he f or ces pr oduced ar e
r ever sed and t he devi ce moves t o t he r i ght as vi ewed i n Fi gur e 4.





I n Fi gur e 5, I have i l l ust r at ed t he pr i nci pl es of t he
i nvent i on as embodi ed i n a si mpl e f or m of mobi l e vehi cl e. Thi s
devi ce i ncl udes a body member 50 whi ch i s pr ef er abl y of t he f or m
of a ci r cul ar di sc somewhat t hi cker i n i t s cent er t han at i t s
edges. The di sc 50 const i t ut es one of t he el ect r odes and i s
equi val ent of t he body member 20 r ef er r ed t o i n connect i on wi t h
Fi gur e 1. A l eadi ng el ect r ode 51 i n t he f or mof a wi r e or si mi l ar
smal l di amet er conduct or i s suppor t ed f r om t he body 50 by a
pl ur al i t y of i nsul at i ng suppor t s 52 i n uni f or m spaced par al l el
r el at i on t o a l eadi ng edge por t i on 53 of t he body 50. A ski r t or
si mi l ar f ai r i ng 54 may be car r i ed by t he body 50 t o r ound out t he
ent i r e st r uct ur e so as t o pr ovi de a devi ce whi ch i s subst ant i al l y
ci r cul ar i n pl an. A sour ce of hi gh vol t age el ect r i cal pot ent i al
55 i s pr ovi ded wi t h i t s negat i ve t er mi nal connect ed as i ndi cat ed
at 56 t o t he body 50 and i t s posi t i ve t er mi nal connect ed as
i ndi cat ed at 57 t o t he l eadi ng el ect r ode 51.

The devi ce oper at es i n t he same manner as t he appar at us shown
i n Fi gur e 1 t o pr oduce a f or ce t endi ng t o move t he ent i r e
assembl y t hr ough t he sur r oundi ng medi um t o t he l ef t as vi ewed i n
Fi gur e 5 of t he dr awi ng.





Ref er r i ng now t o Fi gur e 6, t her e i s depi ct ed an i l l ust r at i ve
embodi ment of t hi s i nvent i on i n whi ch a pai r of mobi l e vehi cl es,
such as depi ct ed i n Fi gur e 5, ar e shown suspended f r om t he
t er mi nal s of ar m 40, whi ch ar m i s suppor t ed at i t s mi dpoi nt by a
ver t i cal col umn 41. Hi gh vol t age sour ce 55 i s shown connect ed
t hr ough wi r es 56 and 57 whi ch ext end t o t he ends of ar m40 by way
of sui t abl e r ot at abl e cont act s 44 and 45 and br ushes 46 and 47
adj acent poi nt 43 i n t he cent er of ar m 40. Mobi l e vehi cl e 50 i s
shown suspended f r om on end of t he l ever ar m 40 by means of
conduct or s 56 and 57. A si mi l ar vehi cl e 58 i s shown suspended
f r om t he ot her end of t he r ot at abl e ar m of conduct or s 56 and 57.
I t i s, of cour se, under st ood t hat t hese bodi es may be suspended
by any conveni ent st r uct ur e such as wi r es or r ods whi ch wi r es or
r ods may suppor t conduct or s 56 and 57 i n any sui t abl e manner .

I n t hi s i l l ust r at i ve embodi ment t he vehi cl es wer e caused t o
r ot at e at a speed of 17 f eet per second wi t h 50 kv. appl i ed t o


t he conduct or s 56 and 57 f r om sour ce 55. i t i s, of cour se,
under st ood t hat t hese f i gur es ar e mer el y by way of i l l ust r at i ve
exampl e and, as mi ght be expect ed, t he speed of t he vehi cl es
i ncr eases exponent i al l y wi t h t he appl i ed vol t age.



When t he appar at us i s t o be used f or pr opel l i ng a mobi l e
vehi cl e, i t i s, of cour se, necessar y t hat t he sour ce 55 of hi gh
vol t age be cont ai ned wi t hi n and car r i ed by t he vehi cl e. Thi s may
be accompl i shed by usi ng t he appar at us i n t he manner shown i n
Fi gur e 7, wher ei n t he hi gh vol t age sour ce 55 i s cont ai ned wi t hi n
t he hol l ow cent r al por t i on of t he body 50, t he conduct or 56 bei ng
connect ed t o t he body and t he conduct or 57 bei ng sui t abl y
i nsul at ed f r om t he body 50 and ext ended ext er nal l y t her eof and
i nt o connect i on wi t h t he l eadi ng conduct or 51.



The appar at us of my i nvent i on may be used t o pr opel vehi cl es
of shapes ot her t han t hat descr i bed i n connect i on wi t h Fi gur es 5
and 7. For exampl e, i n Fi gur e 8 I have i l l ust r at ed t he way i n
whi ch t he i nvent i on may be ut i l i zed i n t he pr opul si on of a
vehi cl e of t or pedo- l i ke shape. As shown i n Fi gur e 8, I use a body
member whi ch i s i ndi cat ed gener al l y be t he r ef er ence char act er 60
and whi ch i s f or med t hr ee par t s, t o wi t , an af t er body 61 f or med
of el ect r i cal l y conduct i ve mat er i al , a hol l ow cent r al body
por t i on 62 f or med of i nsul at i ng mat er i al , and a nose por t i on 63
f or med of el ect r i cal l y conduct i ve mat er i al . A sour ce 64 of hi gh


vol t age el ect r i cal pot ent i al i s cont ai ned wi t hi n t he hol l ow
cent r al body por t i on 62 and has i t s t er mi nal s connect ed,
r espect i vel y, t o t he nose por t i on 63 and af t er body por t i on 61,
t he posi t i ve t er mi nal bei ng pr ef er abl y t he one whi ch i s connect ed
t o t he nose por t i on 63. Thus, t he af t er body 61 f unct i ons as t he
af t el ect r ode 20 descr i bed wi t r ef er ence t o Fi gur e 1 and t he nose
por t i on 63 cor r esponds t o t he l eadi ng el ect r ode 21.

The nose por t i on 63 may be equi pped wi t h a pl ur al i t y of
sui t abl y shaped f i ns 65. These f i ns may be ext ended af t of t he
j unct i on bet ween t he cent r al body 62 and t he nose por t i on 63, as
shown at 66, t o pr ovi de i oni zi ng el ement s whi ch ar e spaced mor e
cl osel y t o t he af t er body 61 and whi ch f unct i ons i n a manner
anal ogous t o t he smal l er di amet er el ect r ode 21. Al so, t he f i ns
may be shaped t o conf or mt o t he aer odynami c r equi r ement s and may,
i f desi r ed, be movabl e i n whol e or i n par t f or t he pur pose of
per mi t t i ng t he machi ne t o be maneuver ed.

I have shown t he nose por t i on 63 as bei ng pr ovi ded wi t h a
needl e- l i ke poi nt 67. By usi ng such a nose f or m, whi ch at pr esent
appear s t o be t he best sui t ed f or f l yi ng speeds appr oachi ng or
exceedi ng t he speed of sound, I am abl e t o pr oduce an i oni zat i on
of t he at mospher e i n t he i mmedi at e r egi on of t hi s f or emost
por t i on of t he mobi l e vehi cl e. I bel i eve t hat t hi s i oni zat i on
f aci l i t at es pi er ci ng t he soni c bar r i er and mi ni mi zes t he
abr upt ness wi t h whi ch t he t r ansi t i on t akes pl ace i n passi ng f r om
subsoni c vel oci t i es t o super soni c vel oci t i es.

Fr om t he f or egoi ng i t wi l l be obser ved t hat I have pr ovi ded
an el ect r oki net i c met hod and appar at us f or t he pr oduct i on of
f or ces sui t abl e f or causi ng r el at i ve mot i on bet ween a st r uct ur e
and t he sur r oundi ng medi um. I t wi l l be obser ved t hat t he met hods
and appar at us descr i bed her ei n ar e par t i cul ar l y adapt abl e f or use
as a pr opul si ve means f or sel f - pr opel l ed vehi cl es. I wi sh t o
emphasi ze t hat t he hi gh vol t age power sour ce r ef er r ed t o her ei n
may be of r el at i vel y si mpl e const r uct i on and r el at i vel y si mpl e
const r uct i on and r el at i vel y l ow capaci t y. For exampl e, pot ent i al s
of t he or der of 30 t o 70 t housand vol t s may be adequat e f or use
wi t h t hi s appar at us, t he par t i cul ar vol t age empl oyed dependent ,
of cour se, upon t he si ze of t he vehi cl e or appar at us. I t wi l l be
appr eci at ed t hat t he el i mi nat i on of movi ng par t s i n t he appar at us
wi l l r epr esent a t r emendous savi ngs i n f i r st cost and mai nt enance
cost of t he appar at us. Al so, t he di r ect pr oduct i on of t he mot i ve
f or ces f r om t he el ect r i cal f or ce r epr esent s a hi gh ef f i ci ency so
t hat gr eat er pr opul si ve speeds may be obt ai ned wi t h appar at us
occupyi ng smal l space and of l i ght wei ght .