Charles Proteus Steinmetz

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Charles Proteus Steinmetz (April 9, 1865 – October 26, 1923) was a 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. [1]

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Birth

He was born as Carl August Rudolph Steinmetz to Carl Heinrich Steinmetz in Breslau, Silesia on April 9, 1865. Breslau is now the city of Wrocław in Poland. Steimetz was born deformed, was only 4 foot tall, had a hunchback, and a hip dysplasia required him to use crutches.

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Education

He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Breslau, first taking classes in 1883. He received his Ph.D. in 1888.

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Socialism

He adhered to the belief that electrification of societies would bring about a social revolution. He became a socialist but had to leave Germany when Bismarck began rounding up socialists.

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Emigration

He emigrated to the United States in 1889 and went to work for Rudolf Eickemeyer in Yonkers, New York and published in the field of magnetic hysteresis. In 1893 Eickmeyer's company was bought by the newly formed General Electric Company. In 1894, General Electric moved to Schenectady, New York, and Steinmetz was promoted to head of the calculating department. [2].

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Later years

He served as president of the Board of Education of Schenectady, New York, and as president of the Schenectady city council. He served as president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) from 1901 to 1902.

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Death and burial

Steinmetz died in 1923 and was buried in Vale Cemetery, Schenectady, New York.

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Anecdote

The following was published in the Letters section of Life magazine (May 14, 1965):

Sirs: In your article on Steinmetz (April 23) you mentioned a consultation with Henry Ford. My father, Burt Scott, who was an employee of Henry Ford for many years, related to me the story behind that meeting. Technical troubles developed with a huge new generator at Ford's River Rouge plant. His electrical engineers were unable to locate the difficulty so Ford solicited the aid of Steinmetz. When "the little giant" arrived at the plant, he rejected all assistance, asking only for a notebook, pencil and cot. For two straight days and nights he listened to the generator and made countless computations. Then he asked for a ladder, a measuring tape and a piece of chalk. He laboriously ascended the ladder, made careful measurements, and put a chalk mark on the side of the generator. He descended and told his skeptical audience to remove a plate from the side of the generator and take out 16 windings from the field coil at that location. The corrections were made and the generator then functioned perfectly. Subsequently Ford received a bill for $10,000 signed by Steinmetz for General Electric. Ford returned the bill acknowledging the good job done by Steinmetz but respectfully requesting an itemized statement. Steinmetz replied as follows: Making chalk mark on generator $1. Knowing where to make mark $9,999. Total due $10,000.

This story has been told of many people in many ways;[3] its veracity in this case is unverified.

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Awards

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Publications

  • Steinmetz, "The Natural Period of a Transmission Line and the Frequency of lightning Discharge Therefrom". The Electrical world. August 27, 1898. Pg. 203 - 205.
  • Steinmetz, "Theory and calculation of alternating current phenomena". with the assistance of Ernst J. Berg. 1897.
  • Steinmetz, "Theoretical elements of electrical engineering". McGraw, 1902.
  • Steinmetz, "General lectures on electrical engineering". edited by Joseph Le Roy Hayden. Robson & Adee, 1908.
  • Steinmetz, "Radiation, light and illumination : a series of engineering lectures deliverd at Union college". ed. by Joseph Le Roy Hayden. McGraw-Hill, 1909
  • Steinmetz, "Elementary lectures on elctric discharges, waves and impulses, and other transients". 1911.
  • Steinmetz, "Theory and calculation of transient electric phenomena and oscillations". McGraw publishing company, 1911.
  • Steinmetz, "America and the new epoch". Harper, c1916.
  • Steinmetz, "Engineering mathematics; a series of lectures delivered at Union College". 1917.
  • Steinmetz, "Theory and calculation of electric apparatus". 1917.
  • Steinmetz, "Four lectures on relativity and space". McGraw-Hill book co. inc., 1923.
  • Steinmetz, "Future of Electricity".
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Patents

At the time of his death, Steinmetz held over 200 patents: [4]

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External links

es:Charles Proteus Steinmetz pt:Charles Proteus Steinmetz

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