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Archibald Williams explains the scientific principles behind common mechanisms and physical phenomena such as steam, electricity, light, and hydraulics. The text focuses on the fundamental operation of everyday devices rather than specific models or detailed technical specifications.

Page 131 of 446
Table of Contents

HOW IT WORKS.

left in the magnet cores.

Fig. 75.
Fig. 75. —Partly finished commutator.

Look carefully at Figs. 77 and 78. In the first of these you will observe that part of the wire forming the external circuit is wound round the arms of the field magnet. This is called a series winding. In this case all the current generated helps to excite the dynamo. At the start the residual magnetism of the magnet cores gives a weak field. The armature coils cut this and pass a current through the circuit. The magnets are further excited, and the field becomes stronger; and so on till the dynamo is developing full power. Series winding is used where the current in the external circuit is required to be very constant.

Fig. 76.
Fig. 76. —The brushes of a Holmes dynamo.

Fig. 78 shows another method of winding—the shunt. Most of the current generated passes through the external circuit 2, 2; but a part is switched through a

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