Nov. 5, 1968 J. O.

BUR KE 3,409,820
ELECTRIC POWER A PFARATUS
Filed July l(), l964

28

ya, Zad 7; 7. 2
INVENTOR
-24 JAMES O. BURKE

BY 4, 242v ATTORNEY
/22)
 3,409,820
United States Patent Office 1 2
Patented Nov. 5, 1968

adapted to be operated by, or to otherwise utilize, electric

3,409,820 Current.
ELECTRIC POWER APPARATUS The radioactive material in cannister 1 is preferably
James O. Burke, 4705 Rolfe Road, strontium 90, but may be any radioactive emitter, emitting
Richmond, Va. 23226 alpha, beta, gamma or otherwise designated particles or
Filed July 10, 1964, Ser. No. 381,754 waves, including neutrons, protons, etc., and/or any com
8 Claims. (Cl. 322-2) bination thereof.
This invention relates primarily to methods of amplify The radioactive material contained in cannister 1 may
ing electric current, apparatus therefor and, generally be heated from an external source or from the heat. of
speaking, to electric generating Systems. nuclear radiation of the radioactive material itself, to in
The basis for the present invention is the principle that 10 crease the amplifying effect on the current in the circuit
electric current may be amplified by passing it through described in FIGURE 1, but such heating is not necessary
radioactive material. Passing current through a conductor or essential to the current amplification system described
in contact with radioactive material or under the influence in connection with FIGURE 1. Current passing through
of radiation therefrom, results in amplification of the in the conductive cannister is enhanced by the emissions
put current. Such a system has high practical value in from the radioactive material in either case resulting in a
atomic powered craft such as submarines, airplanes and current in excess of the sum of the currents produced by
space ships. In submarines for example, technological ad the battery and radioactive material individually.
vances in batteries have produced smaller, more powerful From the description of FIGURE 1, it can be seen that
batteries occupying less valuable space; however, there 20 this invention relates to the amplification of electric cur
still is a definite need to reduce the size and weight power rent by the emissions from radioactive material through
sources such as this to a minimum. The present invention which current is caused to flow, and also is that the elec
fulfills such a need by utilizing radioactive material in the tric discharge of the radioactive material is enhanced by
main power plant to amplify current from one or more causing an electric current to flow through the radioactive
batteries and thus reduce the original battery weight and 25 material. It is not known how this amplification physically
volume requirements. cccurs, but it is thought most probably that the radioactive
Thus, by employing the basic principle, this invention material excites or stimulates the input current. In any
has application in any field in which electricity may be event, the term amplification is intended to mean merely
used, employing a motor, embodying a radioactive mate that the output current from the radioactive material is
rial or in existing electrical systems with radioactive ma 30 larger in terms of amperage than the input current as from
terial added to amplify the electric current available. source 4 in FIGURE 1. There are many possible physical
It is therefore the primary object of this invention to arrangements whereby an electric current can be made to
provide a method of amplifying or enlarging existing elec pass through a radioactive material, and broadly speak
trical energy or current, and to further provide a novel ing, the present invention is intended to encompass any
electrical power system, utilizing radioactive emissions or such arrangement in which emissions from radioactive
radiations. material and/or electric current induced by radioactive
Another object of this invention is to provide a method material is combined with electric current from the sepa
and system of enlarging or amplifying electric current rate source as described in FIGURE 1. The separate
from radioactive material. source may provide either direct or alternating current.
Another object is to provide and improve electrical 40 Referring to FIGURE 2, another embodiment of the
power supply systems which may be relatively lightweight pre ent invention is illustrated wherein a metal core 10
and small in size and therefore adaptable for advan is wrapped with a primary coil 12 of insulated radioactive
tageous use in high altitude apparatus and craft. wire (for example, radioactive copper or strontium, etc.).
Other objects and advantages of the present invention A Secondary coil 14, which may be any conventional con
will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the ductor, such as ordinary copper wire, is placed loosely
following description of the best mode of carrying out about core 10 and primary coil 12 and is connected by
this invention and examples thereof, made in connection Suitable conductive junctions to workload 16 as shown
with the accompanying drawing wherein: in FIGURE 3. A separate or electric current source is
FIGURE 1 schematically illustrates a circuit embody connected with primary coil 12 in a suitable conductive
ing the basic principle of this invention; arrangement. Introduction of current into primary coil 12
FIGURE 2 illustrates a transformer-like apparatus in produces an electric field about core 10 and induces an
side elevation constructed in accordance with the prin amplified current in secondary coil 14 which is greater
ciple of this invention; than that introduced into coil 12 as a result of the effects
FIGURE 3 is an end view of the apparatus of FIG of the radioactivity of primary coil 12. If desired for
URE 2; and 55 greater amplification of the current being introduced into
FIGURE 4 is a side elevation view of another trans coil 12, secondary coil 14 may also be a radioactive mate
former-like apparatus. rial. Core 10 is preferably of an iron rod but may also, in
Referring to schematic FIGURE 1, wherein the best addition to either or both secondary or primary coi's, be
mode of carrying out the present invention is illustrated, a of radioactive material.
circuit is shown comprised of a copper cannister 1 filled 60 Taking schematic FIGURE 2, it can be seen that the
with radioactive strontium 90. Conductive contacts 2 of arrangement in which the primary and secondary coils are
the same material as the cannister extend from opposite wrapped around core 10 may be substituted for wrappings
ends thereof and are conductively connected with a suit in an electric motor, thereby providing with a small
able electric conductor such as copper wire 3. A source electrical source greater electrical output and increased
of electrical energy 4 which, in this embodiment is pref 65 efficiency in economy of the motor.
erably a battery, supplies input current to cannister 1, In FIGURE 4, an arrangement similar to that of FIG
where it is conducted through the cannister and subjected URES 2 and 3 is illustrated, the difference being that the
to the radiation of strontium contained in the cannister, primary and secondary coils are separate. Core 20 is
resulting in amplification of the battery-supplied current. wrapped with a radioactive primary coil 22 in which an
Current thus passing through the cannister and being am electric current is supplied from battery 24. An electric
plified is then collected in conductor 3 and transmitted to field is established and electrical current induced into sec
a workload 5, which may be any conventional device
 820, .
.. . . .
ondary coil 26 from which it may be taken to workload electric current induced thereinto from said metal core
28, as illustrated in FIGURE 24. and primary coil may be transmitted to a workload.
In either the FIGURE 2 or FIGURE 4 embodiment, the 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal
amount of amplification will depend upon the amount of core is of radioactive material.
radioactive material utilized and the voltage will depend 5 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sec
on the number of coils involved, the latter based on well ondary coil is of radioactive material.
known principles in this art. 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal
Utilizing the principles of the FIGURE 2 and 4 embodi core and said secondary coil are of radioactive material.
ments, it is possible to increase the efficiency and/or out 5. Apparatus for amplifying electric current comprising
put of an electric generator by constructing the windings 10 a metal core, a primary coil of radioactive material
from radioactive wire, or constructing the armature or around said core, a secondary coil of conductive material
other metal parts which create, the magnetic field, from spaced longitudinally from said primary coil, and posi
radioactive materials such as radioactive copper, iron, or tioned around said core...
the like, thereby stimulating the magnetic field and in
duced current. The same may also be utilized in electric 6. Apparatus as defined in claim.5. wherein
core...is of radioactive material. .
said metal
. . . . . . . . . . . . . ."
motors to increase efficiency. .. . . . . . .
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said second
ary coil is of radioactive material.
without departing from the spirit or essential characteris
tics thereof. The above described embodiments are there: 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said metal
fore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not 20 core and said, secondary coil are of radioactive material.
restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by
the appended claims rather than by the foregoing descrip .. .. . References Cited
tion, and all changes which come within the meaning and UNITED STATES PATENTS"
range of equivalency of the claims
to be embraced therein. -
are therefore intended 2,548,225. , 4/1951. Linder ------------- 322-2 X
25
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters 2,555,116 5/1951 Coleman ------------- 322-2
Patent is: . . .. . . 2,683,856 7/1954 Kornei --------------- 322-2
1. Apparatus for amplifying electric current compris 2,810,850 10/1957, Linder.------------- 310-3 X
ing, a metal core, a primary coil of radioactive material
around said core, and a secondary coil of conductive ma 30 LEE T. HIX, Primary Examiner. .. .
terial, positioned over said primary coil, and from which J. D. TRAMMELL, Assistant Examiner.