Electrical engineer and inventor, born in Wroc?aw, Poland (formerly Breslau, Prussia). Deformed from birth, he devoted his energy to school and diverse intellectual interests. After graduating from Zurich Polytechnic, he emigrated to the USA in 1889. His first major accomplishment was the publication in 1892 of data showing how magnets lose power in the process of generating alternating current. In 1893 he introduced a new formula for calculating alternating current, and in that year he started work at General Electric (GE), becoming chief consulting engineer (1910). GE allowed him unrestricted latitude in his experiments and an open-ended salary. He advanced research by substituting laboratory methods based on mathematical principles for the older practice of developing a theory and building a model to test it. For many years he studied transient electrical phenomena such as lightning, and unexpected electrical discharges that can damage circuits, and he became widely known for his demonstrations of man-made lightning. His classes at Union College (Schenectady, NY), many inventions, several books, and numerous honours made him one of the best-known scientists in America in his day.
Charles Proteus Steinmetz|
|
|
| Born: |
April 9, 1865 |
|---|---|
| Died: |
October 26, 1923 |
| Occupation: | Mathematician and Electrical Engineer |
Charles Proteus Steinmetz (April 9, 1865–October 26, 1923) was an American Mathematician and Electrical Engineer. He fostered the development of alternating current that made possible the expansion of the electric power industry in the United States, formulating mathematical theories for engineers.
Biography
He was born as Carl August Rudolph Steinmetz to Carl Heinrich Steinmetz in Breslau, Prussia on April 9, 1865. Steinmetz suffered from dwarfism, hunchback, and hip dysplasia. Eickemeyer's firm developed transformers for use in the transmission of electrical power among many other mechanical and electrical devices. In 1893 Eickemeyer's company, along with all of his patents and designs, was bought by the newly formed General Electric Company. That same year he made one of his greatest contributions to the Electrical Engineering community, a lecture and presentation describing the mathematics of alternating current phenomena which had not previously been explained or grasped by earlier engineers. This enabled engineers to move from designing electric motors by trial and error to designing them with the aid of applicable mathematics to create on paper the best possible motor before actually constructing it. In 1894, General Electric moved to Schenectady, New York, and Steinmetz was promoted to head of the calculating department, where his colleagues would bring to him the mathematical problems that were stumbling blocks to their projects. When not freely helping his co-workers, he worked on his own experiments in electrical engineering.
Later years
He served as president of the Board of Education of Schenectady, and as president of the Schenectady city council. He was also president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) from 1901 to 1902 and a part-time professor at Union College from 1902 to 1923, while still employed by General Electric. Steinmetz was an honorary member and advisor to the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta at Union (one of the first electrified houses ever was the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity house).
Steinmetz died in 1923 and was buried in Vale Cemetery, Schenectady.
Patents
At the time of his death, Steinmetz held over 200 patents:
Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 533244, "System of distribution by alternating current." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 559419, "Inductor dynamo." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 583950, "Three phase induction meter." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 594145, "Inductor dynamo." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 714412, "Induction motor." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 717464, "System of electrical distribution." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 865617, "Induction motor." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 1025932, "Means for producing light." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 1042986, "Induction furnace." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent 1230615, "Protective device." Steinmetz, U.S. Patent RE11576, "Inductor dynamo." Future of Electricity, Transcript of lecture to the New York Electrical Trade School, 1908. General lectures on electrical engineering, edited by Joseph Le Roy Hayden, Robson &
User Comments Add a comment…