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Identify the Fan No. 9


Steve Rockwell

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    I’m posting a series of 1890's fan images, perhaps weekly, or at least until a correct response is posted. In theory, each succeeding image should become more difficult to identify than the previous; in cases where the fan isn’t so hard to name I’ll likely post just a partial image to make the task a bit more of a challenge… I’m expecting the final two or three to possibly be real stumpers…..

 

     Images courtesy of miSci      The Museum of Innovation and Science      Schenectady NY

 

766189773_IdentifyTheFanNo.9.png.7ff64118f632b8ab41355c00fbc096c7.png

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2 minutes ago, Jim Kovar said:

I'm still scratching my
noggin on how that
uni-brush motor works.

Maybe a bear will tell me?

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One of the weirdest motors I've ever seen. I wish I had taken notes about the electrical layout when I did this video.

11 hours ago, Jim Kovar said:

Maybe a bear will tell me?

 

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 Back to A.C.  .....

1978016863_9Jul1892WesternElectricianBernsteinFan.thumb.png.fa08eb57050a84348ceeb85a451cc00f.png

 

557987668_6Aug1892ElectricalReview-BernsteinACMotorAd.png.8bd62ed5cad723a4b08b1e3f2d728f52.png

 

 

 

          About Alexander Bernstein himself, reliable information seems a bit scarce... There's plenty about the Bernstein Lamps, patents are easily located, but the customary civic records i.e. census and directory listings are extremely limited. His age, even origin, is given conflicting accounts, though I choose to believe the patent ascriptions and believe him to be the Alex. Bernstein originally from Prussia, and likely born about 1850 or shortly before then...?. He lived in Berlin, London, New York and Boston, but so far I don't have much, and I haven't yet tried overseas sources...

    A Dr. Bernstein returned to the States about 1896 and delivered at least one lecture dealing with (see US552681)  treatment of milk.

          All listed patents prior to 1890 deal with electrical matters, and I believe them all, English & US alike, as being from the same inventor, who likely traveled a great deal...

1130045155_BernsteinPatent331.png.5d6d748eeea2b3f90a8596a418cb8d94.png

1682300097_BernsteinPatents.png.a46d699970fa195de42cf067d259eeb2.png

 

 

 

        The single most interesting factoid to me has been the situation described in the two excerpts; the first, from the Journal of the Franklin Institute, Jan 1887, and the second is Bernstein's account of the matter.

1729419086_Jan1887p.68JournaloftheFranklinInstitute-Bernsteincopy.png.391aecabcc761a07f3f866fc20d8789c.png

1317024047_Jan1887TheElectrician-Bernstein.thumb.png.6ee13c015aa52e863be7ade591d99780.png

          What most intrigued me about this is the co-incidence of Bernstein (attempting to patent AC transmission while working on his Bernstein [Boston] lamps) and William Stanley Jr. (working in Boston on lamps for Swan) both being in Boston concurrently, where they very possibly rubbed shoulders at the electrical society and..... ¿discussed  electrical matters?

                 Imagine if Bernstein's work is what led Stanley towards AC transformation and transmission, over which he and Team Westinghouse eventually triumphed (and profited)... As I said, the possibility intrigues me.....

Edited by Steve Rockwell
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