Sigurd Smith

“ Hjorth is quite right, according to the patent specification, in giving the pole-shoes such a shape that the armature is gradually demagnetized, and in stating that the object of this is thereby to avoid reactionary currents, and consequently the formation of sparks; while he is mistaken in believing to be able to facilitate the motion of the armature by giving the pole-shoes a certain special shape, because in that case, the machine would be a perpetuum mobile. ”

“ Most of the then known machines producing electricity, were fitted with permanent steel magnets, and as the point of magnetic saturation of steel is low, these machines were unable to produce any considerable quantities of electric energy. Hjorth therefore imposed upon himself the task of building a dry battery. His sketch-book from 1851 is full of new schemes for such batteries and improvements on those already existing (Woolrich’s, Elkington’s and Paine’s) . ”

“ The strenuous efforts of this sub-committee resulted in the Industrial Association submitting, in January 1843, an application for a franchise to form a stock-company for the purpose of building a railroad from Copenhagen, by way of Roskilde, to a sea-port on the western coast of Sealand. This franchise, was granted, for a period of 100 years, and on the 16th of April 1844 the Industrial Association issued a public invitation to take stock in a company whose stock capital was to be 1 1/2 million rixdollars, a very considerable sum for those times. ”

“ During the period of depression above described, Hjorth could naturally not very well afford to occupy himself with experiments, nor had he much time. Still, in 1857, he secured permission to undertake, at the navy yard, some experiments concerning the carrying capacity of a magnet at varying distances between the pole and the armature, and at the same time he sketched out the construction of an electro-motor, especially well adapted to utilize the magnetic attraction. ”

“ Hjorth’s interests while at the Treasury were not concentrated solely on his work there. Mechanical problems always fascinated him. It is told that, during this period, he made all kinds of experiments at Dragsholm, and, among other things, he constructed a thrashing-machine. In 1832 he constructed a rotary steam-engine, which was made by Schiødt, a mechanic residing at St. Annae Plads, and, upon Hjorth’s application, it was bought by the King for 500 rixdollars in notes. ”

“ By the mutual action between the electro-magnets and the armatures, an accelerating force is obtained, which in the result produces electricity greater in quantity and intensity than has heretofore been obtained by any similar means. ”

“ He was always amiable and willing to help, and it is known that he has, at great personal sacrifice, assisted young artisans who were in hard luck. In society he attracted attention by his power of fascination and by his universal knowledge. ”

“ His contemporaries describe him as a sociable man of a winning and lovable disposition and possessing a certain persuasive power. He was well liked by his friends as well as by his many casual acquaintances. In 1841 both Hjorth and Schram were elected members of the Board of Representatives of the Industrial Association, and from 1841 to 1843 Hjorth was the vice-president of the association. ”

“ While the confidence in a scheme of this kind was but slight in Denmark, the speculation in railroad stocks was nearly culminating at the stock-exchanges of Germany and England; as a matter of fact, it became near being a swindle. The Sealand Railroad Company was founded on the 2nd of July 1844, and Hjorth became its first technical director, while Schram became its first general manager. The Industrial Association received 15000 rixdollars [6] for the franchise, and from this sum it paid 3000 to Hjorth and Schram. ”

“ Hereby he claims, for the same weight of the steel magnets, a larger capacity of the machine than if he had used fewer, but larger [14] steel magnets [4] . The machine is fitted with a commutator for direct current.—In March, 1854, the sketch-book contains another sketch of a dynamo, with clear indication of the dynamo principle, approximately as it was patented on the 14th of October the same year [5] . This sketch is reproduced in Fig. 3. The machine has two permanent cast iron magnets and two electro-magnets. The armature cores are fitted with oblique pole-shoes. ”

“ At the same time, a larger machine was made in Copenhagen, the necessary funds being contributed by several country gentlemen and merchants interested in the case. Finally, in December, 1868, a body of prominent men addressed the government, petitioning a subvention of 15,000 rixdollars to be given to Hjorth, in order to enable him to build a new and larger machine. ”

“ All the six powerful held magnets are of cast iron, and they are wound so as to be magnetized by the current, produced by the dynamo itself [3] .
Fig 2. Facsimile of a Page of Hjorth’s Sketch Book, June 24th 1851. ”