General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

.1 CAST IRON BASE; STEEL SHAFT, PULLEY & BOLTS; COPPER SPLIT RINGS; CARBON BRUSHES; COPPER CONNECTORS WITH WOOD HANDLE; WOOD POLE PIECE; BRASS & GLASS OILERS..2 WOOD BOX HAS COPPER CONNECTORS & FITTINGS.

Dimensions

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

Length

174.0 cm

Width

74.0 cm

Height

203.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Energy-electric

Category

Generation

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Edison

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

THIS GENERATOR USED 1883-1913.

Canada

USED AT CANADA COTTON CO. PLANT IN CORNWALL, ONT. IN CANADA'S FIRST INDUSTRIAL INCANDESCENT LIGHTING SYSTEM. THIS GENERATOR IS ONE OF SIX USED AT THE FACTORY, ALL DRIVEN BY A WATER WHEEL IN THE NEARBY ST. LAWRENCE RIVER. THOMAS EDISON PERSONALLY SUPERVISED THEIR CONSTRUCTION & INSTALLATION IN 1883. (REF. 4)

Function

TO CONVERT MECHANICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

Technical

BEFORE THE EDISON DYNAMO WAS DEVELOPED, FACTORIES SUCH AS THE ONE IN CORNWALL WERE LIT BY OIL OR GAS LAMPS. EDISON & UPTONDEVELOPED THE PARALLEL OR MULTIPLE SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC CURRENT IN WHICH EACH LAMP IS INDEPENDENT OF THE OTHERS. THE ARMATURE OF THE GENERATOR WAS MODELLED ON SIEMENS' & WAS 90% EFFICIENT. The L model was following the Z model which at some point, proved to be too small. An extra field magnet was added to the Z, and its armature and base enlarged.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 "A.M. FORSTER/ PAT'D/ JUNE 22 18 [obscurred]/ HAMILTON, ONT/ 15" stamped into top of each oiler. "A.M. FORSTER LTD" cast in raised print on glass oiler vial..2 "Canadian General Electric Co. Ltd." printed on plate fixed to control box side & front. "THE HYDRO/ HISTORICAL/ ELECTRICAL/ COLLECTION" printed on decal applied to box top.

Missing

UNKNOWN.

Finish

GREY ENAMEL FINISH; POLES & SELECTED FITTINGS PAINTED DARK BROWN. SOME METAL COMPONENTS HAVE NATURAL FINISH.

Decoration

N/A