PHY 242 Laboratory for 12/10/98
Granville T. Woods
Granville T. Woods was born in Ohio in 1856. He went to work at a machine shop at age 10 and never completed elementary school. He became interested electrical devices around the age of 16, working as a train engineer. Although his first patent was for an improved steam boiler, he quickly focused his energies in the area of electricity. He had an impressive array of inventions, from a railroad telegraphy system to a safe and efficient light dimmer used on the theater stage. He had over sixty patents by the time of his death in 1910. He was well-known and respected in the electrical engineering community as the "Black Edison".
A 10 Minute Presentation
During the final laboratory session on Thursday, December 10, you will give an approximately 10-minute long presentation on one of Mr. Wood's patented inventions that you find particularly interesting. The presentation should provide a description of the invention and its purpose. In addition, you should focus upon the physics relevant to the invention. An additional 5 minutes will be available to field questions from your classmates.
The purpose of this lab is to provide your classmates with a concise and comprehensible description of the invention and how it relates to the principles we've studied in physics. You are strongly encouraged to begin preparations early and review your talk with me prior to the presentation. I can help not only with the physics, but also with the mechanics of the presentation such as transparencies or models.
Selecting an Invention
There are 15 inventions from which to choose. The list below provides a brief description of the device. Clicking on the title will allow you to view a copy of the original diagram from the patent application. (I apologize for the poor quality of the scanned images.) The intent is to allow you to at least narrow your preferences. If the links provide sufficient information for a decision, you may immediately email a request. (You may also submit several requests, specifying first to last preference.) If that invention has not yet been reserved by another member of your lab section, then it will be assigned to you. If you need additional information (or a a better look at the diagrams) to make your choice, you can view complete copies of the patents in my office. Once you have a "reserved invention", I will provide you with your own photocopy.
If your first choice has already been reserved by someone in your lab section, you may present that choice in the other section, provided it has not been reserved there as well. Obviously, the sooner you choose, the more likely it is that you will get your first choice.
G.T. Woods Patent List
