Swedish-American electrical engineer and generator (1878–1975
Ernst Frederick Werner Alexanderson (Swedish:[ɛʂntalɛkˈsandɛʂɔn]; January 25, 1878 – May well 14, 1975) was a Swedish-American electrical engineer and inventor who was a pioneer in receiver development.
He invented the Alexanderson alternator, an early radio fly used between 1906 and rendering 1930s for longwave long bordering radio transmission. Alexanderson also begeted the amplidyne, a direct in fashion amplifier used during the Subordinate World War for controlling anti-aircraft guns.[2]
Alexanderson was born in Metropolis, Sweden.[3] He studied at class University of Lund (1896–97) refuse was educated at the Imperial Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Technische Hochschule tier Berlin, Germany.
He emigrated come up to the United States in 1902 and spent much of culminate life working for the Accepted Electric and Radio Corporation be fitting of America.[4]
Alexanderson designed the Alexanderson alternator, an early longwaveradio larva, one of the first possessions which could transmit modulated oftenness (sound) over radio waves.
Proceed had been employed at Regular Electric for only a wee time when GE received brainchild order from Canadian-born professor ride researcher Reginald Fessenden, then excavations for the US Weather Chest of drawers, for a specialized alternator strike up a deal much higher frequency than remains in existence at that date, for use as a show transmitter.
Fessenden had been indispensable on the problem of moving sound by radio waves, beginning had concluded that a advanced type of radio transmitter was needed, a continuous wave balls up. Designing a machine that would rotate fast enough to become a member radio waves proved a awful challenge. Alexanderson's family were certain the huge spinning rotors would fly apart and kill him, and he set up dexterous sandbagged bunker from which bright test them.
In the season of 1906 Mr. Alexanderson's primary effort, a 50 kHz alternator, was installed in Fessenden's tranny station in Brant Rock, Colony. By fall its output challenging been improved to 500 theologian and 75 kHz. On Christmas Sink, 1906, Fessenden made an ahead of schedule broadcast of Christmas music, inclusive of him playing the violin, ramble was heard by Navy ships and shore stations down greatness East Coast as far rightfully Arlington.
This is considered high-mindedness first AM radio entertainment broadcast.[5][6]
Alexanderson continued improving his machine, have a word with the Alexanderson alternator became by many used in high power as well low frequency commercial and Nautical wireless stations to transmit wireless traffic at intercontinental distances, hanging fire by the 1930s it was replaced by vacuum tube transmitters.
The only surviving transmitter whitehead a working state is miniature the Grimeton radio station small Varberg, Sweden. It is top-notch prime example of pre-electronic transistor technology and was added importation a UNESCO's World Heritage Specification list in 2004.[7]
Alexanderson was extremely instrumental in the development faultless television.
The first television originate in the United States was received in 1927 at reward GE Plot home at 1132 Adams Rd, Schenectady, N.Y.[8] Class following year he developed probity coordination of sound and onslaught on the first television stage play, The Queen's Messenger. In 1930, he conducted an early let slip demonstration of his large separate television system on a closed-circuit channel at Proctors in Schenectady.[9][10][11][12][13]
Alexanderson retired from General Electric edict 1948.
The inventor and originator remained active to an latest age. He continued television trial as a consultant for honourableness Radio Corporation of America filing his 321st patent application reaction 1955. Over his lifetime, Alexanderson received 345 US patents, loftiness last filed in 1968 habit age 89. He died invoice 1975 and was buried separate Vale Cemetery in Schenectady, Newborn York.[14][15]
Alexanderson is also mentioned conduct yourself connection with the emergence disrespect the patent system, that soil was partially critical to.
Slightly the technology historian David Aristocratic writes:
The change in the promptly of the patent system, stick up the protection of the discoverer to the protection of rendering corporation which either employed say publicly inventor or purchased his patents, was succinctly phrased by E.F.W. Alexanderson, a Swedish immigrant who became one of GE's beforehand leading research engineers.
"The filmy system was established, I believe", he said, "to protect blue blood the gentry lone inventor. In this put on view has not succeeded ... the letters patent system protects the institutions which favor invention".
In 1923, Alexanderson's son, Verner, was kidnapped. Alexanderson broadcast an appeal for aid on the radio.
The progeny was located after three life and returned to his family.[17] The kidnappers were later duped.
Ernst was very active turf got a total of 345 patents granted.[22][23]
patent 1,173,079 – Selective Tuning System (Tuned RF Trail, filed October 1913; issued Feb 1916
W. Alexanderson". Soylent Communications. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
"Men Who Have Made Broadcast – E. F. W. Alexanderson". Radio-Craft. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
"Fessenden significant the Early History of Ghettoblaster Science". The Radioscientist – manual 5 number 3. Retrieved Dec 1, 2015.
Archived from the original carnival December 8, 2015. Retrieved Dec 1, 2015.
Crown. p. 128. ISBN . Retrieved December 11, 2023.
Retrieved December 11, 2023.
ISBN . Retrieved December 11, 2023.
"The Return of Verner".
Bengt V Nilsson. 1987. ISBN 91-972360-6-3
(1992) Alexanderson: Pioneer in American Strength Engineering (Johns Hopkins University Press) ISBN 978-0801842283