| William Stanley, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 28, 1858 |
| Died | May 14, 1916 (aged 57) |
| Fields | Electrical engineering |
| Notable awards | IEEE Edison Medal |
William Stanley, Jr. (November 28, 1858–May 14, 1916) was an American physicist born in Brooklyn, New York. In his career, he obtained 129 patents covering a variety of electric devices.[1]
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Stanley was as an electrician working with telegraph keys and fire alarms of an early manufacturer. In New York, Stanley designed one of the first electrical installations (at a Fifth Avenue store). Shortly thereafter, George Westinghouse hired Stanley as his chief engineer at his Pittsburgh factory.
In 1885, Stanley built the first practical alternating current device based on Lucien Gaulard and John Dixon Gibbs' idea. This device was the precursor to the modern transformer. Stanley's work led him to be hired by George Westinghouse as his chief engineer in Pittsburgh.
In 1886, on March 20, Stanley demonstrated the first complete system of high voltage Alternating Current transmission, consisting of generators, transformers and high-voltage transmission lines. His system allowed the distribution of electrical power over wide areas. He used the system to light offices and stores along the main street of Great Barrington, Massachusetts - the location of his West Avenue family home. Stanley's transformer design became the prototype for all future transformers, and his AC distribution system formed the basis of modern electrical power distribution. He was the first person to make an electrical transformer, and his work in the electrification of Great Barrington's Main Street was named an IEEE Milestone.[2]
In 1890 Stanley founded the Stanley Electric Manufacturing Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. In 1903 the General Electric Corporation purchased a controlling interest in the firm. The land on which the company once stood is now the site of the William Stanley Business Park of the Berkshires in Pittsfield.[3]
William Stanley, Jr. was granted 129 patents for a range of products and electrical devices.[1][4] A selection of patents follow. Significant patents are in bold.
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