[Illustration: _Fig. 109._ CONNECTION OF ALTERNATING DYNAMO ARMATURE] BRUSHES IN A DIRECT-CURRENT DYNAMO.--The object of the brushes in the direct-current dynamo, in connection with a commutator, is to convert this _inductance_ of the wire, or this effort to reverse itself into a current which will go in one direction all the time, and not in both directions alternately. To explain this more fully attention is directed to Figs. 110 and 111. Let A represent the armature, with a pair of grooves (B) for the wires. The commutator is made of a split tube, the parts so divided being insulated from each other, and in Fig. 110, the upper one, we shall call and designate the positive (+) and the lower one the negative (-). The armature wire (C) has one end attached to the positive commutator terminal and the other end of this wire is attached to the negative terminal. [Illustration: _Fig. 110._ DIRECT CURRENT DYNAMO] One brush (D) contacts with the positive terminal of the commutator and the other brush (E) with the negative terminal. Let us assume that the current impulse imparted to the wire (C) is in the direction of the dart (F, Fig. 110). The current will then flow through the positive (+) terminal of the commutator to the brush (D), and from the brush (D) through the wire (G) to the brush (E), which contacts with the negative (-) terminal of the commutator. This will continue to be the case, while the wire (C) is passing the magnetic field, and while the brush (D) is in contact with the positive (+) terminal. But when the armature makes a half turn, or when it reaches that point where the brush (D) contacts with the negative (-) terminal, and the brush (E) contacts with the positive (+) terminal, a change in the direction of the current through the wire (G) takes place, unless something has happened to change it before it has reached the brushes (D, E). [Illustration: _Fig. 111._ CIRCUIT WIRES IN DIRECT CURRENT DYNAMO] Now, this change is just exactly what has happened in the wire (C), as we have explained. The current attempts to reverse itself and start out on business of its own, so to speak, with the result that when the brushes (D and E) contact with the negative and positive terminals, respectively, the surging current in the wire (C) is going in the direction of the dart (H)--that is, while, in Fig. 110, the current flows from the wire (C) into the positive terminal, and out of the negative terminal into the wire (C), the conditions are exactly reversed in Fig. 111. Here the current in wire C flows _into_ the negative (-) terminal, and _from_ the positive (+) terminal into the wire C, so that in either case the current will flow out of the brush D and into the brush E, through the external circuit (G).