History The diode bridge circuit was invented by Karol Pollak and patented in December 1895 in Great BritainBritish patent 24398. and in January 1896 in Germany.(Graetz, 1897), p. 327 footnote. In 1897, Leo Graetz independently invented and published a similar circuit.See: Today the circuit is sometimes referred to as a "Graetz circuit" or "Graetz bridge". Current flow According to the conventional model of current flow, originally established by Benjamin Franklin and still followed by most engineers todayStutz, Michael (stutz@dsl.org), "Conventional versus electron flow", All About Circuits, Vol. 1, Chapter 1, 2000.), current flows through electrical conductors from the positive to the negative pole (defined as positive flow). In actuality, free electrons in a conductor nearly always flow from the negative to the positive pole. In the vast majority of applications, however, the actual direction of current flow is irrelevant. Therefore, in the discussion below the conventional model is retained.
History The diode bridge circuit was invented by Karol Pollak and patented in December 1895 in Great BritainBritish patent 24398. and in January 1896 in Germany.(Graetz, 1897), p. 327 footnote. In 1897, Leo Graetz independently invented and published a similar circuit.See Today the circuit is sometimes referred to as a "Graetz circuit" or "Graetz bridge". Current flow According to the conventional model of current flow, originally established by Benjamin Franklin and still followed by most engineers todayStutz, Michael (stutz@dsl.org), "Conventional versus electron flow" All About Circuits, Vol. 1, Chapter 1, 2000.), current flows through electrical conductors from the positive to the negative pole (defined as positive flow). In actuality, free electrons in a conductor nearly always flow from the negative to the positive pole. In the vast majority of applications, however, the actual direction of current flow is irrelevant Therefore, in the discussion below the conventional model is retained.