威斯丁霍斯(1846～1914年)

Westinghouse, George

美国发明家和实业家，美国用交流电传输电力主要是他倡导的。他的第一个重要发明是空气制动器（1869年获得专利），後来规定所有美国火车都必须装有空气制动器。後来他开始研发铁道信号设备，研制成一种完整的电气和压缩空气信号系统。後来还有许多与天然气输送管道有关的发明。他最重要的成就是改进美国交流电的电力传输。1880年代美国开始发展直流电，但欧洲已发展出交流电系统。威斯丁霍斯购买了台斯拉的交流电动机专利并请台斯拉来改进电动机以适用於他的电网。1886年他组成西屋电气公司。在当时他受到拥护直流电的人们的诽谤，而1893年西屋公司为芝加哥的世界哥伦比亚展览会提供了照明电。另外他获得以交流发电机开发尼加拉大瀑布的权利。亦请参阅electric current。

English version：

1846～1914年

Westinghouse, George

U.S. inventor and industrialist. Born in Central Bridge, N.Y., he served in the American Civil War. His first major invention was an air brake (patented 1869), which was eventually made compulsory on all American trains. He developed a railway signaling system, and later introduced many innovations in piping natural gas. His major achievement was the adoption by the U.S. of alternating current for electric power transmission. The electrical system being developed in the U.S. in the 1880s used direct current (DC), though alternating-current (AC) systems were being developed in Europe. Westinghouse purchased the patents for Nikola Tesla's AC motor and hired Tesla to improve and modify the motor for use in his power system. In 1886 he incorporated the predecessor of Westinghouse Electric Corp. He eventually prevailed over powerful opposition from advocates of DC power, and in 1893 his company was hired to light the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago. He also obtained the rights to develop the great falls of the Niagara River with AC generators. See also electric current.