Re: Alternate toroid shapes

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Dave Leddon <leddon1-at-llnl.gov> 

Also, the top of the oblate was almost flat.  I recall that Mr. Lee said 
that he utilized a function to generate the curve he used to create the 
metal spinning forms.  Be interesting to know what that function 
was.  You're right about the curve at the bottom of the oblate appearing to 
match phi.  Did you know that phi, the ratio of a woman's height divided by 
the height of her belly button, is the only number that becomes it's own 
reciprocal by subtracting one?  Isn't nature amazing?

Dave

At 06:46 AM 12/16/2003, you wrote:
>Original poster: Bert Pool <bert.tx-at-prodigy-dot-net>
>If you examine the drawings and photos of the Wardenclyff tower, this is 
>exactly the design Tesla used.  The bottom of the sphere curves inward and 
>up, forming the bottom half of a toroid.  This is best illustrated in his 
>patent drawing of the Wardenclyff magnifier.  What is really interesting 
>is that the curve of the toroidal part is not spherical, but forms the 
>beginning of a spiral, the curve appears to match phi, the same curve 
>ratio of the nautilus shell and other similar designs found throughout nature.
>Bert
>
>
>At 06:32 PM 12/14/03 -0700, you wrote:
>>Original poster: Dave Leddon <dave-at-leddon-dot-com>
>>Back in the sixties I purchased a three foot diameter spun aluminum 
>>oblate from F. B. Lee (anybody remember his contributions to the Amateur 
>>Scientist) who claimed that this shape, which resembles a hemisphere on 
>>top of a toroid, was the best shape for a Van de Graff generator because 
>>it would accumulate maximum charge while minimizing break down on the 
>>supporting column.  I often wondered if this shape would represent any 
>>sort of improvement over the classical toroid.
>>
>>Dave