Updates? Hayden favored the idea, but his future wife was wary of the unorthodox arrangement. Rutgers University Press, 2005. However, these early cars were very difficult to operate especially for Steinmetz with his physical limitations, so he started to tinker with them and by March 1920 declared that he had made a better system and actually formed his own company, the Steinmetz Electric Motor Car Company.[23] Some Steinmetz trucks were produced in 1922 and had very good press.[24]. Still, Steinmetz continued to have a steady stream of visitors both engineers and local families. Corrections? In the groundbreaking paper, Complex Quantities and Their Use in Electrical Engineering, presented at a July 1893 meeting published in the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE), Steinmetz simplified these complicated methods to a simple problem of algebra. Steinmetzs lightning produced over a million horsepower for a hundred-thousandth of a second. * The title he did not deny. In the early 20th century, Charles Steinmetz could be seen peddling pedaling his bicycle down the streets of Schenectady, New York, in a suit and top hat, or floating down the Mohawk River in a canoe, kneeling over a makeshift desktop, where he passed hours scribbling notes and equations on papers that sometimes blew into the water. Other awards include the Certificate of Merit of Franklin Institute, 1908; the Elliott Cresson Medal, 1913; and the Cedergren Medal, 1914. for more than 30 years charles proteus steinmetz was a leader in the electrical industry, devoting his life to research, largely: relating to mathematical foundations upon which many of the developments in electrical engineering are based; there was scarcely a detail of any branch of electrical science or mathematics with which he was not Love Kathy Loves Physics? He made ground-breaking discoveries in the understanding of hysteresis that enabled engineers to design better electromagnetic apparatus equipment, especially electric motors for use in industry.[1][2][a]. Steinmetz with Lord Kelvin and others at GE, 1897, AIEE group photo, undated, c. 1900. Oct. 26, 1923, National Inventors Hall of Fame Instagram, Leadership Intern Program (High School & College Students), Apply for the Collegiate Inventors Competition. These were conducted in a football field-sized laboratory at General Electric, using . America was entering a golden age of electrical engineering, and when Thomas Edison and General Electric learned what Steinmetz was doing with electric motors in Yonkers, the company bought out Eickemeyer and Osterheld in 1892, acquiring all of Steinmetzs patents as well as his services. These were conducted in a football field-sized laboratory at General Electric, using . He felt that America, has given me everything I wanted the only criticism which I can make is that I would far more enjoy my advantages if I knew that everybody else could enjoy the same. Charles P. Steinmetz, AIEE President, 1901 - 1902, worked on inventions for electric motors, generators, and street cars. Here again he made fundamental contributions. He founded the Mohawk Aerial Navigation Company, Ltd. [citation needed], Faced with an expiring visa, he emigrated to the United States in 1889. He had already used his mathematical calculations to determine that lightning was not useful for commercial purposes, noting that it may have immense power (he calculated around 600 million horsepower) but it only lasted for two-millionths of a second. (Another assistant, Henry Miller, lived with his sister Florence, but spent so much time at the house that he was often included in the family pictures too). He loved children and was loved by them. [6] Hammond, Charles Proteus Steinmetz, 239. His second contribution was a practical method for making calculations concerning alternating current circuits. 10 (1929), 1619. Male Occupation electrical engineer An electronics genius, Charles Proteus Steinmetz founded the General Electriclaboratory and refined and standardized the study and notation of alternating current circuitry. His work was immediately recognized as a classic by the few who understood it, and the constant he calculated for this loss has remained a part of electrical engineering vocabulary. He was a member of numerous scientific and educational organizations. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. This research led him directly to a study of alternating current, which could eliminate hysteresis loss in motors. He soon obtained a job with a small electrical firm owned by Rudolf Eickemeyer in Yonkers, N.Y. At about the same time, Steinmetz Americanized his first name to Charles and substituted Proteus, a university nickname, for his two middle names. Why was Charles Steinmetz almost turned away from Ellis Island? This was just a fraction of a real lightning bolt which Steinmetz estimated averaged between 50 to 100 million volts. Ronald Kline. Froehlich, Fritz; Kent, Allen (editors, 1990). Steinmetz: Engineer and Socialist. Ford acknowledged Steinmetzs success but balked at the figure. Below is the article summary. [16], Steinmetz's work revolutionized AC circuit theory and analysis, which had been carried out using complicated, time-consuming calculus-based methods. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. He developed theories for alternating current that made possible the expansion of the electric power industry in the United States. Steinmetzs fame only grew in the years he lived with the Haydens on Wendell Avenue. Steinmetz also greatly advanced the understanding of lightning. Steinmetz was president of the AIEE from 1900-01. Meanwhile, Steinmetz continued to be an active socialist, if not a particularly radical one. April 9, 1865 Steinmetz was excited about the job and decided to do it for free. His book Theory and Calculation of Alternating Current Phenomena (coauthored with Ernst J. Berg in 1897) was read and understood by only a very few. For the full article, see, https://www.britannica.com/summary/Charles-Proteus-Steinmetz. [2][18], Steinmetz also greatly advanced the understanding of lightning. Walter Hines Page, Arthur Wilson Page, The Worlds Work: A History of Our Time, Volume 8. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. But he was a giant among scientific thinkers, counting Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison as friends, and his contributions to mathematics and electrical engineering made him one of the most beloved and instantly recognizable men of his time. Articles: Modern Jove Hurls Lightning at Will. New York Times, March 3, 1922. Luckily, the people at Union college have collected and preserved many of his original documents, old car, and photographs, and the Ford museum has a lot of old devices and pictures and actually moved his vacation shack to his museum. This page was last edited on 4 September 2019, at 17:07. https://ethw.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Proteus_Steinmetz&oldid=176710. [35] Gerry Boehme, Henry Ford: Assembly Line and Automobile Pioneer (New York: Cavendish Square Publishing, 2019), 89. Steinmetz acted in the following professional capacities: He was granted an honorary degree from Harvard University in 1901[20] and a doctorate from Union College in 1903. Where was Charles Proteus Steinmetz born and raised? Steinmetz, on the other hand, felt that a full liberal education not only would help with knowing the origin of terms but also because the vocation of the engineer is especially liable to make the man one-sided. These hereditary problems perpetuated themselves through three generations of males in his family. When did the Charles P Steinmetz Lecture Series begin? The German-born American mathematician and electrical engineer Charles Proteus Steinmetz (1865-1923), by devoting himself to industrial research, made fundamental contributions to the development of both electricity and the industrial laboratory. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Betty M. Adelson. The Story of Steinmetz and Joseph LeRoy Hayden, Steinmetz, Albert Einstein & Thomas Edison, American Institute of Electrical Engineers, https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/schmuse/id/119/rec/5, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ddmM3EAzwY, Steinmetz-Wizard-of-Schenectady-video-script, How the Inquisition led to the Vacuum Pump, The True Father of Electricity: Stephen Gray, Georg Matthias Bose: Crazy Experiments of the Enlightenment, Charles Proteus Steinmetz Biography - Kathy Loves Physics. Tesla sailed for America in 1884, arriving in New York with four cents in his pocket, a few of his own poems, and calculations for a flying machine. In just a few years, Steinmetz would prove his American friend right. Back at General Electric, he brought in a gigantic apparatus, then another. Background Under the tutelage of his employer, Steinmetz became increasingly absorbed in the practical aspects of electrical engineering. In 1910, GE created that department and made Steinmetz the head. What do you do if your car overheats and wont start? [25] This was just after the end of WW1, so the anti-German feeling was very strong, but Einstein was so famous that everyone flocked to see him and used him to promote their cause or business. At General Electric, Steinmetz gained an expanded opportunity for research and implementation of his ideas. In 1893 the newly formed General Electric Company purchased Eickemeyers company, primarily for his patents, but Steinmetz was considered one of its major assets. Rock climbing, skiing, boating, picnics, bicycle rides, they even tried to fly with what they called the Mohawk River Arial Navigation Club, which was Americas first glider club. Steinmetz's last research was on lightning, which threatened to disrupt the new AC power lines. Steinmetz said that a small tree, exposed to the discharge, is torn to pieces. On October 26, 1923, German -born American mathematician and electrical engineer Charles Proteus Steinmetz passed away. [14] Now, of course, every tech company has such departments. SEARCH. [13] Herbert Wallace A Man Who Knows Success Magazine vol. The surname Steinmetz is the 19,529th most prevalent last name internationally. For more than 30 years Charles Proteus Steinmetz was a leader in the electrical industry, devoting his life to research, largely: relating to mathematical foundations upon which many of the developments in electrical engineering are based; there was scarcely a detail of any branch of electrical science or mathematics with which he was not conversant, Of his achievements among the most important were his investigations in the field of magnetism and his researches into the theory of direct and alternating current and the phenomena of lighting. Steinmetz 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. [22], While serving as president of the Schenectady Board of Education, Steinmetz introduced numerous progressive reforms, including extended school hours, school meals, school nurses, special classes for the children of immigrants, and the distribution of free textbooks. There he joined a student socialist club, which was banned by the government after becoming affiliated with the German Social Democrats. Loki: The Life of Charles Proteus Steimetz. [16] Charles Steinmetz America and the New Epoch (Harper & Brothers, 1916) ix. So, the electricity in a cloud that can hurl a thousand lightning bolts is worth just ten dollars![31] Steinmetz then decided it was time to use modern technology to recreate lightning, which he did with 200 of what were basically Leyden jars in the form of glass slabs which would produce around 120,000 volts. I am not 100% sure what motivated Edison to do this but as far as I can tell it went down like this: a few years earlier, Henry Ford who was a GIANT Edison supporter decided to make a museum dedicated to show industrial history which eventually turned into the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. In a world that compelled conformity, Steinmetz played by his own rules and had a fantastic time doing it. Steinmetz's connection to Union is further celebrated with the annual Steinmetz Symposium,[32] a day-long event in which Union undergraduates give presentations on research they have done. Meanwhile, Steinmetz then decided to build his own house, factory, and conservatory, which were described as a Den of incomprehensible perplexity.[9] Steinmetz also bought a little shack on the side of a river as a vacation spot. Copyright 2023 MassInitiative | All rights reserved. Jack B. Scott wrote in to tell of his fathers encounter with the Wizard of Schenectady at Henry Fords River Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan. On the second night, he asked for a ladder, climbed up the generator and made a chalk mark on its side. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. His systematic experiments resulted in the first laboratory created "man-made lightning", earning him the nickname the "Forger of Thunderbolts". , called the Steinmetz coefficients, are material parameters generally found empirically from the materials B-H hysteresis curve by curve fitting. As I said before, GE was delighted and decided to use this meeting to promote the company and worked overtime to promote the Steinmetz-Edison connection and the story of Steinmetz, which is why they photoshopped that picture of Einstein and Steinmetz so it looked like it was just the two of them. He soon obtained a job with a small electrical firm owned by Rudolf Eickemeyer in Yonkers, N.Y. At about the same time, Steinmetz Americanized his first name to Charles and substituted Proteus, a university nickname, for his two middle names.
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